Cadavedo to Luarca

Day 12:
The day began with a café con leche in town before I made an intentional backtrack to Cadavedo Beach. It added about two extra miles to the day’s total, but I had no regrets. The beach is a pristine sandy crescent tucked beneath dramatic cliffs, and an early-morning wade in the cool water was the perfect way to start the day. As an unexpected bonus, I stumbled upon a professional photography session featuring a nude model posing along the shore—certainly not something you see every day on the Camino.

With a later start than usual, I headed toward Luarca. Along the way, I was captivated by the hydrangeas, the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. They seemed to be everywhere—blue, purple, pink, and white—spilling over garden walls and brightening the villages along the route.

For part of the day, I walked with Nadja, a purple-haired pilgrim from Arizona whose lively conversation made the kilometers pass quickly. She had started all the way back in Soto de Luiña that morning, making for a much longer day than mine. We eventually stopped for lunch together before continuing on our separate paces.

The approach into Luarca was initially gray and overcast, but just as the town came into view, the clouds broke apart and the sun emerged. The light transformed the harbor, making the white buildings, fishing boats, and surrounding hillsides sparkle. It was a beautiful first impression of one of Asturias’ most picturesque fishing villages.

That evening, I enjoyed dinner at a Norwegian-owned restaurant overlooking the harbor. Sidra, Padrón peppers, Asturian cheeses, and fresh seafood made for a fitting feast after another wonderful day on the Camino. I also ran into several German pilgrims and spent some time chatting with one woman who was making her journey by bicycle—a reminder once again of the many different ways people experience the Camino.Read more