Oviedo to Grado

Set off at about 7.20. A misty morning walking through the streets of Oviedo, heading towards the distant hills.
After about 3k we reached the edge of the city (having been given directions by a number of very kind Oviedo residents pointing us in the right direction, including an elderly man with a walking stick who seemed to have set himself up on a corner specifically to point pilgrims in the right direction (it was a bit complicated).
The (pretty hopeless) guidebook seemed to suggest a fairly easy gently undulating walk. It devoted all of one paragraph to this 25.5 k stage. The reality was a bit different. Pretty much steep up followed by steep down all day bar the last 2k through a beautiful water meadow replete with stone chats and a tree creeper nest in an abandoned building by the path. Also my first zittings cisticola of the year.
Food was a problem again with nothing until about 19k (a promised stop wasn’t open despite blackboards outside).
Eventually found a place at Paladin which made us an omelette.
We finally met some other pilgrims now that we are on the actual Camino Primitivo - British guy called David who has done every camino including the camino de la plata from Seville and the via francigiana from Canterbury to Rome. Now on my list obviously. 🙄
Also a German guy who is 78 and on his 5th camino. And a Spanish couple who live down the road from where Cress grew up.
It was an extremely beautiful day and rain free thankfully. Misty at first moving to cloud with the odd bit of sun - perfect walking weather.
We think we’ve found somewhere with some edible food for tonight but not til 8.15 (everyone eats late here) which is not ideal for the pilgrim lifestyle but needs must and they seem to be very friendly.
Great focaccia veggie pizza thing!Read more