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Camino road trip
  • Tim Lynette Wilkins

Camino road trip

A 17-day adventure by Tim Lynette Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 7, 2022
    Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Paleolithic child's skullMammoth bones

    Santander

    September 7, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    All the arrangements worked so we were checked in to the hotel in santander by 2 pm, in time to go out and have lunch in a pavement cafe in the sunshine (yay!) . After a rest and a snooze we walked just along the street to the museum of prehistory and spent an hour or two there before strolling down the bay. We weren't expecting to like santander much, its mostly used as a ferry port to drive down south, but in fact it turns out to be a very pleasant city. The museum was really well done with lots of local artifacts going back 300,000 years!Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Bison - I cheated _ this is a pic from a poster outside the Cave!
    Entrance to the caveStatue of a hand axeView from our hotel11th century monastery and churchFirst sign we've seen of the camino

    Cave with stone age paintings

    September 8, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    All along the range of mountains inside the cantabrian coast are caves where people lived after the last ice age. In many they left art on the walls showing hand prints , patterns and pictures of prey such as bison and deer.

    This morning we went to one a little south of the coast. It was wonderful- but no photos allowed!

    We stayedin a lovely medieval village at santillana del Mar. Although now packed full of tourists and shops of tourist tat, it is still a lovely place to visit,    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Bison
    HorseDeerBisonBisonHand prints

    Altamira

    September 9, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    In 1868 a farmer and his daughter discovered the entrance to a cave in the mountains and inside they found the walls and ceilings covered in painting of animals, designs and hand prints. For years nobody believed that they could be old, but finally they established it to between 20,000 and 10,000 years BC. The cave was closed to the public in 1985 to preserve the paintings but they made an exact copy next to it, we went to today.

    Even though you know its a copy, it's still spectacular!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Beach at comillas
    Gaudi houseTower of gaudi houseInside gaudi houseMansion in comillasRiver at ribadesella

    Driving west

    September 10, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    We left santillana del Mar this morning and drove west to comillas. This was a poor town so many of the young men went to make their future in the americas, and when they came back rich they built stunning mansions. There is also an early building designed by gaudi. I find his things grossly over decorated- the outside of thus one is, but the inside is really nice.

    Then to lunch in llanes, before turning inland to ribadesella.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Cave entrance
    Symbol of the camino de santaigoDeer head carved in bonePart of gold head piece 3c bcGold disc finely engraved 3c bcInside the museum!Moonrise over oviedo

    The last cave

    September 11, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    First thing this morning we crossed the river to go to the last cave in our plans. This one was deep and it took 30 mins under ground to get to the paintings. Again they were spectacular, dating from 14000 years ago, but again no photos allowed. My biggest problem was the guide who spoke very rapid Spanish that I couldn't follow and was clearly not interest jn helping with any English. At least the paintings were worth the effort!

    Then a drive south to Oviedo where we are staying two nights. A happy bonus was that we went for a walk around when we arrived and found the archaeological museum open.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler

    Oviedo

    September 12, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    This morning we drove up the mountains overlooking Oviedo to go to two 8th century churches. One was closed, but the other was open, and was quite small and plain but with lovely carved pillars. One thing we have got used to is places being closed when they are supposed to open. I don't know the reason but it happens all the time!

    So we drove back down the mountain into the city to go another 8th century church, this time with frescos- and it was closed! So we went to see the cathedral instead.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    14th century altar pieceDali

    Oviedo

    September 13, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Finally we got to see inside the 8th century church, founded I think by the visigoths when they arrived in Spain. It was worth the wait. The interior walls are covered in frescoes, over every inch originally, now with some damage. Strangely they show buildings, with no bible scenes or people.

    Then on to the art museum to see a selection of Spanish art including murillo, zubaran, goya and dali.

    And a long drive over spectacular mountains, in torrential rain, to get out of asturias and in to Leon.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler

    Weather

    September 14, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Until yesterday we had been really lucky with the weather - hot and sunny - too hot some days with over 30c. Even yesterday morning the rain held off whilst we did our last sightseeing in Oviedo. But as we drove out of town the heavens opened - apparently the tail end of a tropical storm sweeping through (remember the one in Chipiona Natalie?) The motorway over the mountains to Leon is a spectacular road with phenomenal engineering, many tunnels and viaducts and lots of tight bends. It would be a challenging drive normally but in heavy rain and gusty wind it was a nightmare thankfully only an hour and a quarter.
    It has continued to rain off and on here in Leon making the sun terrace of our apartment pretty pointless. However we have managed to dodge the showers to do our sightseeing and haven't got really wet. At the moment the sun is trying to shine and the forecast for the rest of the week is better.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Cathedral at night
    Detail of San Sebastian frescoBasilicaBasilicaRoman wallsRoman gold jewelryRoman mosaic

    Leon

    September 14, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    The rain had mostly stopped this morning so we walked just a small distance to go into the cathedral. It has a reputation of being the most beautiful in Spain, which we think it is! Founded in the 13th century it is exquisitely carved and decorated, and the top half of all of it is covered in spectacular stained glass, some going back to the 13th century origins. I've never seen so much stained glass in my life, and all of it very beautiful. There are also some frescoes dating from the 14th century, which are excellent, but pale next to the stained glass.

    Just along from the cathedral is the basilica of San isidro, which dates in parts to the 11th century, and is built into the roman city walls. It is the resting place of 11 Kings of Leon, and their tombs are in a chamber covered with wonderful frescoed ceilings showing biblical scenes. Sadly most of it is closed for restoration and in any case no photos allowed.

    This evening we went to the museum of Leon, which is a modern museum housed in an antique building and covers the history and archaeology of Leon and the province from prehistory to the present day. Like most Spanish museums its well laid out, informative and a joy to walk round.

    The weather has been horrible with heavy thundery showers all day, but we have managed to miss them. Its a shame because the centre of Leon looks a really nice place to wander around. Maybe we can have a stroll in the morning before we leave,    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Statue of gaudi in leon
    Entrance to asturgas museumLunch in main square in asturgas

    Astorga

    September 15, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    After a walk around Leon we packed up and drove to a small town, Astorga. As its a very popular town on the camino de santiago there were many groups walking to it, and many single walkers as well. To get there we had to drive over the mountains again - it must a punishing walk!

    Astorga was a roman town on their route to take gold out of galicia, so the modern town is built ontop of the roman town, and many of the artifacts in the museum in Leon were from astorga. The local museum is small and well organised, but is left with bits that leon museum didn't want!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Tropical rainstorm at hotel
    River swimming poolKnights Templar castle in PonferradaAmmunition for the catapult

    Molinaseca

    September 16, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Pleasant surprise- our friend Alba who used to run the tapas bar in wendover is from here and is over visiting her family and so came to our hotel last night for a quick drink before her dad drove her north to A Coruna. As she arrived the heavens opened and we got another huge downpour,. She has also made recommendations about her favourite restaurants and made some reservations. Nice lady!

    We are staying in a lovely hotel in the small village of Molinasec which is a popular place for pilgrims to stay over one their way. There are many pilgrims walking as we guiltily drive past.

    This morning we climbed all over a really good templar castle built in the 11 -13 c before going out into the mountains to see a spectacular roman gold mining site.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    This was all one mountain till the Romans destroyed it!
    Diagram of how they did it

    Las Medulas

    September 16, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    In effect the Romans demolished a complete range of mountains to get the gold, just leaving jagged peaks. With typical roman engineering skills they channeled water from further up the mountains, making 8 different channels over many kilometres. They dug reservoirs at the ends of the channels and dug deep shafts and galleries into the mountain and then filled them with water. When the water pressure was enough, the whole side of the mountain collapsed, and they could pan out the gold. See the diagram that explained it . The jagged peaks that remain are all that's left. And after all that effort they only managed to extract about 600 tonnes of gold.

    We took a mountain hike around the base of the mine site, just a 5 km mountain hike in the heat of the day, and felt very virtuous when after a couple of hours we managed it! Then drove up to the top of the nearby mountain to look down on the view of the remains of the mountain range.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Wine aging in oak barrels
    Vines near the wineryStreet in MolinasecaPilgrims bridge in Molinaseca - a popular place to stay on the camino

    Molinaseca 2

    September 16, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    On the way back from the roman mine we found a winery and bodega right next door to our hotel - it would have been rude not go in! It's harvest time and they gave us a tour showing us the grapes being crushed and the juice going into the fermention vats. This district is Beirzo and grows vines up the mountain sides. Its been mostly ordinary wine for every day drinking, but some producers are now making a wine with much more quality- we've even bought some before now in the UK.

    We bought two bottles - don't know what they are like yet!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Roman walls
    On top of the wallsWide enough for your chariotMain square in Lugo

    Lugo

    September 17, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    A quiet day today after the exertions of yesterday. A 90 minute drive to Lugo followed by a stroll around the city. It was a big roman settlement and the old part of the city is still surrounded by the roman walls, which are huge, big enough to drive a chariot along the top. There are also tiny bits of roman stuff around but nothing worth bothering about. There are some small mosaics under a shoe shop that we will look at tomorrow.

    Lugo is the first place on our trip that is in Galicia, and seeing Galicia was one on the reasons for trip, because of Alba. So we started in cantabria, then asturias, then Leon, and now Galicia. So having been in the basque country, and castille, in our last road trip a few years ago, we have covered all of northern Spain, except for the north of catalonia.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Roman mosaic in Lugo
    Roman wall frescoHypercaust floor in Roman buildingA Coruña beachEnjoying razor clams

    On to A Coruña

    September 18, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    When we woke this morning we were enveloped in thick fog (our hotel room is on the 6th floor) and when we went out at 11.00 it was still chilly. Our last visit in Lugo was to see some Roman mosaics under a shoe shop and although small and dimly lit it was worth seeing.

    By the time we arrived in A Coruña the sun was shining and we sat on the beach for a bit, followed by a delicious seafood lunch in a traditional bodega in which were several football fans of the local team anticipating their home match this evening.

    We then got the keys to our new apartment and moved in. One of the more stressful and time consuming aspects of this trip has been moving between places, particularly the apartments where you might have to do online check-in, pick up keys and wait for it to be cleaned. In hindsight we should have stayed longer in fewer places - it would have been more relaxing.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Andy in the parade
    BreakfastMain squareFort in the harbour

    A coruna

    September 19, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    For breakfast this morning we went out to have churros and chocolate in a place recommended by Alba, who said it was the best in coruna. It was better than the usual ones, but still not as good as the freshly made churros we get in Jerez. After that a wander around - the city has a nice friendly feel to it, and we liked it a lot. The main square is very open and surrounded by arcades and cafes. Later we found a statue of a woman who led the townspeople to drive off an attack by the nasty English buccaneer Francis drake.

    After watching the funeral on TV, and seeing Andy marching to escort some dignitaries, we had another walk to the fort in the harbour, and on to a small garden in which is a statue of an English soldier who led a rearguard action in the peninsular war against napoleon, to allow the main English army to escape on boats in coruna. A kind of early Dunkirk. He had his head blown off by a cannonball, and is venerated as a saint! The garden was closed of course!    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    Zamburinas
    And octopusView of the cathedral of santiago from our apartment

    On to Santiago

    September 20, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Last night we ate out in A Coruna and had a fantastic meal of octopus and zamburinas, small scallops in a garlic and herb sauce. They were wonderful! And for lunch today more octopus (its the speciality around here) and clams, and sardines and peppers on toast.

    Then on to Santiago de Compostela, which is our last stop.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler
    I had to buy one!
    Our guide says this over ornate, rather like a circus caravan!Interior of the cathedral.One of the chapelsPilgrims gathering in front of the cathedralBeautifully carved doorwayLots of pilgrims, and tourists

    The end of the road . . .

    September 21, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    . . . But not our trip!

    In 44 AD St James (santiago) was martyred in Palestine. 800 years later a monk found a tomb in the woods in Spain and decided it was the tomb of the saint. It was convenient- he could help them in their battles against the moors. So a cathedral was built and became a centre for pilgrimage. Today thousands of people every year come to worship. Traditionally on foot, donkey or horseback, along several routes, all ending in santiago de compostela. There are long routes starting in France, the pyrenees, or from southern Spain and Portugal, or across Spain from the east or from Madrid. The shortest route is the English route, as English pilgrims arrived by sea at A Coruna, then walk. Even though its the shortest route, its still a long hard walk, and the mountains in the way don't help! Everywhere on our trip we've come across pilgrims walking, singly, in pairs, or in organised parties. We are in awe of them, but it does mean that the city is packed full, even this late in the year.

    The legend has it the boat carrying the saints remains sank off the coast near here but all the occupants survived, and were covered with scallop shells, so the scallop is the symbol of the Saint and it is used all along the camino to show the way.    Read more

  • Tim Lynette WilkinsCamino road tripTraveler

    Castro de Barona

    September 22, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Three quarters of an hour drive south of santiago is an iron age settlement right on the coast on a tiny headland near Cape finisterre. It took ages to scramble down the rocky cliff paths but was a magnificent site when we got there. It consists of many round hut bases and walls, separated by paths and deep defensive ditches cut right into the rock, dating from 1st century BC and abandoned in the 1st century AD.

    Alba had recommended a restaurant nearby, run by a friend of hers, as all restaurants in Galicia seem to be, and lunch there was wonderful, perfect for our last meal, with scallops and tiny small squid that were out of this world. This is certainly the coast for anyone who loves seafood.    Read more

    Trip end
    September 23, 2022
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