Muros to Soto de Luiña

After a restful night at Casa Carmina, I got an earlier start than usual. The heat wave showed no signs of letting up, and I had been hiking in shorts for the past week—something I don’t always get to do on the Camino.

Before leaving town, we stopped at a market to stock up on pilgrim essentials: yogurt, an apple, peaches, gazpacho, olives and tuna, for a picnic later in the day. I especially enjoyed browsing the displays of local Asturian products, a reminder of how proud the region is of its food traditions.

The route passed through an elegant part of town with stately homes, gardens, and even a palace. Beyond that, the scenery shifted back to the countryside, with fragrant eucalyptus groves and more of the whimsical Camino mosaics and artwork that seem to appear on walls and buildings throughout Asturias.

A slight detour to the beach added a few extra kilometers to the day, but it was an easy decision. The beach was rocky at first, yet beyond the stones the seabed turned sandy and made for excellent swimming. The cool water was a welcome reward after another hot day on the trail.

After drying off, we stopped at a nearby bar for a sidra. I’m getting better at pouring, though I still don’t imitate the professionals who hold the bottle dramatically overhead. It’s impressive to watch, but I can’t help thinking how much sidra ends up splashing onto the ground instead of into the glass.

The day ended at a small albergue filled with both familiar faces and new ones. That evening, the twelve of us gathered around a communal table for a dinner prepared by the hosts. Good food, conversation, and a few glasses of vino and playing a card game made for a memorable night.

As for sleeping, I got lucky. There were no snorers in my room, but a Dutch pilgrim elsewhere in the albergue was apparently producing enough noise to keep several German pilgrims awake for much of the night. Such is life in the albergues—every bed comes with a story, and sometimes the loudest stories happen after the lights go out!Read more