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Camino Primativo 2
  • Terence Caplin
  • Terence Caplin

Camino Primativo 2

It is 5 years and 2 days since I last walked this camino; starting in Oviedo, passing through Lugo and reaching Santiago on 1st October. The path is about 320 km long and is planned to take 12 days. Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 18, 2024
    Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Albergue El Salvadore

    September 18, 2024 in Spain ⛅ 19 °C

    Settled into the municipal albergue for tonight after a long day travelling; from 04.45 until when I found the albergue at 17.30. Small but clean rooms in a very old seminary. There is a large festival going on in Oviedo (Santa Anna) which means the cathedral is closed to visitors and I can't get a stamp for my credential.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Sunrise over Oviedo

    September 19, 2024 in Spain ⛅ 14 °C

    Always difficult getting out of the city but excellent when achieved. Set off at 07.35 and stopped for first coffee at 09.50.
    Beautiful countryside and very hilly. Chestnuts trees are loaded but not ready yet. Peaceful walking with only the sound of the tinkling cow bells and bird song to listen to. Agricultural practices are a little outdated in these beautiful valleys; pitchfork skills are still in evidence.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Albergue La Quintana, Grado

    September 19, 2024 in Spain ☀️ 22 °C

    A beautiful but long walk from Oviedo to Grado of 27 km but the guides say 25 km? Needed to stop for liquid (small 🍺) 3 km before Grado but arrived at 14.40.
    Had a good meal in the town; time for bed.

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Cornellana

    September 20, 2024 ☀️ 14 °C

    Just passing through towards Sala. So many ups and downs that I don't remember from 5 years ago. Started out early at 07.15 in the dark, to ensure I arrived before the forecast of 100% rain at 2 O'clock, which has not yet happened by 16.15 when I am writing this. It is starting to cloud over though. It is very beautiful countryside.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Salas

    September 20, 2024 in Spain ☀️ 20 °C

    Arrived at the albergue in Salas at 13.30 and bright skys, no sign of the forecast rain. Showered, washing and out for a menu de dia at Casa Pachon as recommended by the hospitalera Sandra.
    I am stuffed. A turine of spicy fish soup followed by a turine of spicy lentils in a rich meat broth, which I thought was the main couse so I had two big soup plates full (there may be consequences tonight). But no; I am then asked if I wish meat of fish of both ( type no specified) and out comes a plate of chips and two large pork stakes. Postre was flan, a carafe of red wine a bottle of fizzy lemon water and a cafe americano. The damage was €14: God I love this country and it's ways.
    Off to Tineo tomorrow: weather not yet known.    Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    La Espina

    September 21, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 14 °C

    Started walking at 08.00 and the heavy rain started 10 minutes later. Walked for 3 hours in the rain up mud filled tracks and paths that had turned into mountain streams; all part of the game. Arrived at Tineo at 13.30 and registered into the albergue which is in the basement of a 16th century Palace which is now the main hotel for Tineo.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Tineo

    Sep 21–22, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 17 °C

    Walking around the town and the police closed the centre roads so that the local horse riding club could parade through the town. The town is a weird mix of old, new and derelict buildings. The town hall and the hotel appear to be the only well maintained and decorated buildings except for the newly built complexes of housing and shops which are in the next valley.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Borres, Montana albergue

    Sep 22–23, 2024 in Spain ⛅ 17 °C

    Arrived at the albergue at 13.00 and waited 5 minutes for the owner to turn up and sign me in. Very compact refuge pretending to be an Albergue but all the 12 beds are taken. Some disappointed pilgrims referred to the municipal albergue across the valley which is not very comfortable.
    The most beautiful views from the albergue windows but with young cattle in a small muddy enclosure below the balcony, it is not a place you want to stay very long.    Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Route over Hospitales

    September 23, 2024 in Spain ⛅ 9 °C

    An excellent walk as the Sun rises, of over 1200m at it's peak across varied open hillsides. As you walk on the North or east sides of the hills you have no Sun of warmth until after midday, if you are lucky. It was very cold this morning as there was also a North wind: the right side of my face was numb after an hour. Started at 08.00 and arrived at the albergue at 14.30 after nearly 25 km. The wild beauty of the hills is worth all the effort; with the purple heather and wild crocuses all in flower, herds of beautiful beige cows and calves that lay on the paths and herds of horses and young that all totally ignore the walkers.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Berducedo

    Sep 23–24, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 15 °C

    A return to an albergue I stopped at last time. Good food a clean shower room and reasonable beds. Very well looked after by the hospitalera
    Vanessa. Very little to see in this rural cross roads. The excitement of the evening is when the drove a herd of cows past the albergue.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    On the camino, down

    September 24, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 13 °C

    Down, down always down; 800m descending in 7km. The weather is damp and the mist is thick and we are walking down hill on scree paths and wet natural slabs of slate. The consequence was inevitable and I lost my dignity once. In some treacherous areas there were regular shouts from lines of horizontal pilgrims all soaking up the mud. We dragged one lady up out of the vegetation by passing her our poles to grab onto. She had slipped and fallen and her very large rucksack, with the help of gravity, had deposited her downhill into the wet scrub where she flailed about like an up-ended tortoise. The profanities emanating from the scrub appeared to sound Eastern European and the fact we got no thanks or signs of gratitude for dragging her back onto the path sort of confirms my prejudice.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Grandas de Salime dam

    September 24, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 14 °C

    The purpose of all the 'down' mentioned in the last missive was to reach the Grandas de Salime (hydroelectric) dam and then to start the 'up' once again, all the way to Grandas de Salime.

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Grandas de Salime

    Sep 24–25, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 18 °C

    Arrived at the very nice private albergue just after 2 O'clock and completed ablutions before visiting the town to see what I remember of the place. Lots of new pilgrims/ walkers showing up at the rest areas. Grandas has an interesting church with pre-Romanesque features but smotherd by every other style and turned into an ugly blockhouse. The inside decoration is relatively subtle and typical of a less prosperous rural community.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Galicia

    September 25, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 16 °C

    Crossed into Galicia below some wind turbines which were making the noise of howling jets because the wind was so strong. The climb of 600m to 1100m is quite gradual to start with but turns into a rock filled ravine just below the ridge of O Acebo (the holly). Gusting wind and horizontal rain spells from the off.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Fonsagrada, Albergue

    Sep 25–26, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 19 °C

    Arrived at 14.30 after climbing into the town up an 800m hill of 30 degrees and more. Any more inclination and you would need ropes. A long stage of 26 km in a very strong wind and rain showers that required me to hold down my poncho for it to give any protection. As soon as you let it go the wind turned it into a blinding, waterproof turban.
    Met with 2 American camino friends and had an excellent menu de dia. They discussed 'football' and baseball. I am still no wiser about any of these 2 activities as they appeared to be talking in some kind of code. It is pouring with rain due to a named storm that is predicted to make tomorrow's walk very uncomfortable and challenging.
    Visited the church and got soaked.    Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    O Cadavo, albergue

    Sep 26–27, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 12 °C

    It has been a long day due to the tormenta (storm).
    The howling of the winds and the lashing of the rain woke me up in the hill-top town albergue at 4 O o'clock this morning when I discovered the rain flooding in under the albergue back door. Two of us delt with the ingress whilst the rest slept.
    I was not looking forwards to the walk but apart from the very strong winds and occasional heavy shower, it was not too bad. Left at 08.00 and arrived at 14.30 and 24 km completed with just one stop for coffee and walnut cake.    Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Lugo

    Sep 27–28, 2024 in Spain ⛅ 15 °C

    A long walk interrupted by frequent and heavy showers but relatively short in duration. Mostly track and roadside across the Lugo plain with none of the huge hills we have been scaling for the last 7 days.
    There is an art and music festival with links to Mexico going on inside the walls of the old town with large decorated skulls in the squares. Tonight's albergue is outside the old walled city as those inside did nottre have good reviews. The view from the albergue is very different to most but I can see all the wet pilgrims enter town.    Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler
    1

    Ferreira

    Sep 28–29, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 5 °C

    Left Lugo at 07.30 and walked in thick wet mist until the Sun broke through at 11.00. Mainly road walking today but some pretty countryside once the mist cleared. Arrived at the albergue at 13.30 after 26 km. Fellow pilgrim friends started to arrive after 15.00 whilst I was sat having a roll and a beer at the local cantina.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Boente

    Sep 29–30, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 14 °C

    Another day mainly walking on small village roads. Nice sunrise and pleasant countryside but the number of pilgrims has grown exponentially with mainly Americans and Koreans. I am staying at the Le Aleman (German) albergue listening to Americans argue about, chips, French fries, crisps and the 'confusing' Spanish descriptions for potatoes.Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    O Pedrouzo

    Sep 30 – Oct 1, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 19 °C

    Left Boente at 08.10 and joined the moving human escalator that the camino Frances becomes just before Santiago. An unsurprising walk of roads, tracks and woods that started with drizzle, became dry for the majority and ended with light rain for the last hour. The most Challenging thing on this walk is getting out of ear-shot of loud American millennials discussing; loves lost, failed marriages, books read, books yet to read and work opportunities missed.
    Arrived at the very nice Albergue Mirador at 14.00 after 27 km. It overlooks the main road of the town with a good view of all the restaurants and cafe bars. The albergue has fine swimming pool: just a little too cold but if they supplied towels I may have had a dip.    Read more

  • Terence CaplinCamino Primativo 2Traveler

    Santiago de Compostela

    Oct 1–2, 2024 in Spain ☁️ 18 °C

    What a miserable final mornings walk into Santiago. I heard the rain drumming hard on the albergue roof as soon as I woke up and knew the walk would be wet and muddy. It rained from the start at 08.35 until I arrived at my albergue, at 12.20. A constant stream of excited, colourful but very wet pilgrims squelched along muddy paths running with small rivers in the best demonstration of different types of ponchos I have ever seen. The Spanish mainly toughed it out with umbrellas.
    .Can't get into my room until 14.00 so I changed in the gents and put everything I was wearing into a tumble dryer and sat in the refrectory with a hot drink and ate the remaining fruit I had in my bag.
    I think I can consider that it was a successful camino. My metric for success is; no top bunks, no blisters and ending the walk with the same number of socks and underpants that I had at the start. I achieved all those objectives.    Read more

    Trip end
    October 1, 2024