Betanzos to Bruma

Thankful  for cloudy skies today as we set out for what is said to be the hardest day on the Camino Ingles. Rain showers and 24° forecast, no complaints from us as we have all the kit to cope with a bit of rainfall.

Lots of small villages and rural scenes today and each village has an old church, mostly all locked up now.

Slow gradual incline up and up and up through forest tracks and farmland. Just a small spit of rain but great cloud cover most of the way.  It would have been a lot harder in the blazing sun.

Some road walking today.

Pretty village scenes and lovely roses which of course I stopped to smell.

Refreshment stops are few and far between so you have to stop for food whenever you can. This one had great advertising, miss this one and it's 10k's to your next food and water opportunity. 

Great spot to sit outside, take your shoes off  and rest a while.

Back on the track with this areas signature blue hydrangers lining many of the paths and gardens, the flower heads are enormous....they have good rural fertilizer 😊

Long, hard day and we did stop at Bar Evangelina's which was 10k on. We were welcomed by the mother and daughter team and made to put our feet up on foot stools and generally made a fuss of. Wonderful caring senoritas.  I left my empty sunglasss case behind and they dispatched an old chap on a motorcycle to catch us up and give it to me, what an amazing experience.

Pontedeueme to Betanzos

A day of hills today and cloudy skies as we set off. I love seeing the little traditional old grain stores dotted about, many are no longer used but they are so in sympatico with the villages, love them.

 All the pilgrims on this road have a bit of encouragement, zoom in😊

 Lovely walking through forests and very old settlements.

 Most villages have a little water bath where ancient pilgrims would bath their tired feet and wash. This one was from the 1800's, so fantastic.

 Always like to see healthy grapevines.

 Wonderful old churches, all locked up.

 We arrived into Betanzos, hot and tired and ready for the washing, showering, food routine only to discover it's Galicia's annual holiday today, hence all the fireworks we heard as we were walking into town. Supermarkets all shut but managed to get water for tomorrow  from a petrol station. Restaurants open for dinner at 8.30 here, I'll be ready to eat the table leg by then 😊

Ferrol to Pontedeueme

We left the Grand Hotel de Ferrol early morning.  Ferrol is a gritty naval town. The harbour has a tiny entrance and as such makes a perfect place for building the naval fleet over the last couple of hundred years.

 Once out of the town the harbour views are pretty.

 We had a coffee stop in Pene after a small diversion from Casanova. Then on to the old  old town of Fene which was so old and traditional, I loved it. A lady was sitting in her doorway and I asked her if I could take her photo and she took her apron off and tidied her hair, a special photo.

 Lots of rural scences today, village life and farm animals.

 Always good to see the way markers ticking down. Many local villages embrace the Camino pilgrims with shells and yellow arrows showing the way.

 After a particularly stetp hill climb in the middle of nowhere there was a chair, an honesty box and two chilly bins with water, juice and beer, never has a beer tasted so good. This kind soul, or group of kind souls, had placed  these refreshments along the trail after the steep inclines and where it was miles from any services. Fantastico.

 After a long hot day of walking we made it to Pontedeueme, crossed the river and then a last hill climb to our hotel for the night. Ironically this was the steepest hill ratio of the day 😊. Washing, showers and food in that order and an early night.

Footnote: our hotel was cheap and cheerful, above a bar and quite basic. We had dinner for €9.00 which was wine, bread, salad, dessert and the best pan fried fish we have ever had.....thick fresh fillets, pan fried....delicious. All the bar, hotel and cooking done by one guy... wonderful and he even put on a breakfast for us for €5.00 before we hit the trail.

Oviedo to Ferrol

Tuesday 23 July 2019

Another early start as we take the slow two gauge train accross the coast to Ferrol to start the Camino Ingles as planned.

 Lots of stunning scenery rolled past the windows, rural towns, deserted villages, tiny old railway stations and lovely coastal views.

87 train stations later we made it to Ferrol

Commilas to San Vicente de la Baquerra

Monday 22 July 2019

Up at first light to leave the charms of old town Comillas behind. We have had a lovely rest day here but the trail is calling.

Beautiful scenery as we walk inland for a short time before following the coast.

Lovely estuaries and clean rivers and so still and quiet.

Stunning coastline with lots of little surf camps dotted along the way. Lots of happy families enjoying the summer hols.

San Vicente de la Baquerra is a chocolate box town, beautiful arched bridge over the river, a castle and the ancient cathedral Santa Maria de los Angeles, a 12th century church which has just incredible.

Interesting graffiti.

Lovely views from the cathedral up the river.

A stunning spot.