They say all great plans never get past the first foot on the ground. This was so true on this adventure. p.s. Ckms = Camino Kilometres.
Due to the 2020 and 2021 covid lockdowns, I couldn’t do any of Europe’s grande randonnées (Big Rambles) and so I was looking for a long walk once our state borders opened. We had heard about “The Aussie Camino” from the Australian Pilgrim’s forum so I investigated it.
The web page stated it started in Portland, Victoria, and followed the Great South West Walk west for five days along the coast to Nelson. From Nelson, it continued west along the coast to Port Macdonnell in South Australia then north to Mount Gambier, Bush Haven, Kalangadoo, and, finally, Penola. It is based on Mary MacKillop’s journeys in the late 1800s. It listed it as about 240 kilometres over twelve days, so I sent off for the guidebook and put some feelers out on a few of my Facebook group pages. We soon had a party of five (Chris, Carlo, Boni, Carolyn, and I) plus a bear.
The plan was simple. I would drive to Penola and meet up with Carolyn. We’d leave Carolyn’s car at the caravan park there and drive to Eight Mile Creek, east of Port Macdonnell where we would put a water stash. East to Nelson where we would pick up Boni as she only wanted to do the first five days and leave her camper van there. Then to Portland where we would meet up with Carlo and Chris. We would leave our cars there, walk to Nelson where Boni would pick up her van and we would walk on to Penola. We would then drive back to Portland, pick up our cars, and go our separate ways. ¿Qué podría salir mal?
Boni decided to keep her van with her instead of camping on the first night in Portland. Then our first night in Portland had huge storms predicted so we asked if we could upgrade from campsites to a van or cabin. There were none available as it was some sort of holiday, and all other hard accommodation was booked. The park manager then directed us to the “Admella Motel” because “they always have spare rooms”. ALL accommodation booked out but the Admella Motel “always has spare rooms”?!? A few alarm bells went off but for no reason. It was quiet, tidy, and reasonably priced.
A bit of a planning session in one of our rooms with our guidebooks, queso, and vino tintos showed that the first night at Trewalla Camp would be fine but the second night at Bridgewater Lakes showed no real facilities so we decided to car shuffle for the first two days. Planning done, we headed to Macs Hotel for dinner and our first sellos in our credentials (stamps in our Camino passports). It took a while for the staff to work out what we were after but finally someone had heard about the Camino and that Mac’s was the first place to get a stamp so after a bit of rummaging around in various drawers they found the stamp. That was a concern. We wondered if this was going to be a thing at the other stops recommended for sellos. It was
el Camino Australiano . Day 1. Portland – Cape Nelson – Bridgewater Bay – Trewalla. 25Ckms. A lovely first-day walk following the cliff section of the GSWW. A few drops of rain but not as much as we feared. It was 6 KMs of the beach after Cape Nelson which was a lovely way to finish the day. I forgot how much fun it is to climb sand dunes with a pack on. Not.
1 March 2022 Cape Bridgewater, Victoria
el Camino Australiano. Day 2. Trewalla – Cape Bridgewater – The Springs – Tarragal. 28 Ckms. A big day. The first 6 KMs were dune tops and beach to Cape Bridgewater Cafe where Cafes con leche were a treat and our second stamps then some long climbs through sea mist to Cape Bridgewater itself. Bridgewater Bay is the caldera of a 2-million-year-old volcano and from the Cape you can see the distinct shape. Then it was a very, very long afternoon. It started raining near The Springs and stayed till the end.
2 March 2022 Discovery Bay Coastal Park
el Camino Australiano. Day 3. Bridgewater Lakes – Discovery Bay – Swan Lake. 22 Ckms. Discovery Bay is the meseta of this Camino. A lot of headspaces and a lot of hard work. It will take us 3 days to walk the beach to Nelson and we are already questioning it. It was a very hard walk, and everyone is hobbling. Lisa, Niven, and I did this ten years ago so you would think I’d know better.
3 March 2022 Discovery Bay Coastal Park, Victoria
el Camino Australiano. Day 4. Swan Lake – Lake Monibeong. 17 Ckms. We all had a hard day yesterday. The sun, the soft sand, and the dunes at the end hurt. We got into Swan Lake but Boni didn’t arrive till later and was very distressed so Boni and I got a lift into Nelson today while CarloCarolyn and Chris hit the beach. It was 30 when they got to Lake Monibeong and we had oranges and cheese for them when we arrived. They said the sand was lovely and firm most of the way.
4 March 2022 Nelson, Victoria
el Camino Australiano. Day 5. Lake Monibeong – Nelson. 22 Ckms. Chris, Boni, Carolyn, and Carlo had a wet walk along Discovery Bay to Nelson on lovely firm sand while I organised food drops and accommodation in Nelson and Port Macdonald. We’re staying in a lovely place called Nelson Cottages while it buckets down outside. Dinner at the hotel tonight.
5 March 2022 Brown Bay, South Australia
el Camino Australiano. Day 6. Nelson – Piccaninnie Ponds – Brown Bay. 23 Ckms. It rained all the way from Nelson to Piccaninnie Ponds then cleared on time for morning tea. Then it was back on the beach but different. The clouds rolled back in, a gentle on-shore breeze and nice firm sand all the way to Brown Bay. A lovely 10 Kms on the sand.
6 March 2022 Port MacDonnell, South Australia
el Camino Australiano. Day 7. Brown Bay – Port MacDonnell. 15 Ckms. A lovely stroll along the beach. There was cloud cover, a strong onshore wind behind us and the tide was out leaving awesome firm sand. Our fourth stamp was gained at the Victoria Hotel. Time for lunch.
7 March 2022 Mount Gambier, South Australia
el Camino Australiano. Day 8. Port MacDonnell – Mount Schank – Mount Gambier. 28 Ckms. A lovely ramble along country lanes to Mt. Schank and onto the highway, 5 Kms from Mount Gambier. Mostly flat with wonderful cloud cover and a light breeze. We saw our first flecha amarilla.
8 March 2022 Mount Gambier, South Australia
el Camino Australiano. Day 9. Mount Gambier. 12 Ckms. Rest day. We decided to spend the day being touristas. It started with a lap of Blue Lake, then some clothes washing before heading to town to watch a brilliant movie called “Volcanos” which explained the geological history of the area. The afternoon was spent walking the city’s Heritage Trail.
9 March 2022 Dismal Swamp, South Australia
el Camino Australiano. Day 10. Mount Gambier – Hinton Road – Bush Haven Cottages. 15 Ckms. A lovely stroll from the outskirts of Mount Gambier and then along Hinton Road which gradually devolved from bitumen to limestone to forestry road to bush track onto the cottages. Again, the cloud cover kept the sun off.
10 March 2022 Kalangadoo, South Australia
el Camino Australiano. Day 11. Bush Haven – Kalangadoo. 21 Ckms. Our guide said to ramble along shady country roads, but Google Earth identified the abandoned Mount Gambier Penola rail line and since rail lines are flat and direct, we thought it would be better. Eight kilometres and five Black Tiger snakes later we decided that rambling along shady country roads would be more appealing.
11 March 2022 Penola, South Australia
el Camino Australiano. Day 12. Kalangadoo – Krongart – Penola. 28 Ckms. A cold start to our final day saw us back on the rail line but we stick to side trails as much as possible. We didn’t see our first tiger till we were 12Ks along. Then we were back on country lanes all the way to Penola.
Blessed are you, pilgrim if you find that the Camino opens your eyes to the unseen. Blessed are you, pilgrim if what concerns you most is not arriving, but arriving with others. Blessed are you, pilgrim when you contemplate the sights of the Camino and find them full of names and of new dawns. Blessed are you, pilgrim because you have discovered that the true Camino begins at its end. Blessed are you, pilgrim if your backpack empties of things as your heart doesn’t know how to fit so many emotions. Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you discover that a step backward to help another is more valuable than a hundred forward taken without awareness of those at your side. Blessed are you, pilgrim if you search for the truth and make of your Camino a life, and of your life a Camino. Blessed are you, pilgrim, if on the Camino you meet yourself and make yourself a gift of time without hurry, so that you may not neglect the image of your heart. Blessed are you, pilgrim if you find that the Camino is rich with silence and the silence is rich with prayer and the prayers are encounters with the Spirit that awaits you. Blessed are you, pilgrim when you have no words to give thanks for all the wonders in every nook of the Camino. Blessed are you, pilgrim because you have discovered that the true Camino begins at its end.
Walking is not just a matter of ransacking the pantry, throwing things into a pack and then off to the nearest national park. With walking, as with any activity, the more you know about it the better you will be at it, the more you will get out of it and the safer it will be. There are inherent dangers in putting yourself into any environment without the normal protection and comfort afforded by day to day living. Your greatest piece of equipment is not your satellite linked GPS but the knowledge and skill you have. There are several ways you can acquire these resources. You can learn from experience (sometimes uncomfortable and painful), you can learn by the experiences of others (just ask them, they’ll tell you), or you can read books and blogs like this about it. The best technique is, of course, a combination of all these. These are tips and hints that have been compiled so as to make any foray on the trail a little easier.
Bushwalking is a very personal thing. What works for you may not work for anyone else and vice versa. This is a book of tips compiled to make any foray into the Australian bush more fun. However, there may be tips in this book that will not work for you. There are also tips that contradict other tips so you have to find what the best technique is for yourself. It’s certainly not the be-all and ends all of bushwalking lore but it is a pretty good start. Read it, then get out there and try things out.
Contents
(Flip the pages numeric)
Risk Management
Minimal Impact
Map Folding
Compass Care
Navigation Concepts
Estimating Time/Distance
Hiking Staffs
River Crossings
Downhill Walking
Uphill Walking
Flat Terrain Walking
Weather
Weather Forecasting
Hot Weather
Cold Weather
Wet Weather
Cold Feet
Cold Sweats
Packing
Weight Reduction
Fuel Conservation
Food
Menus
Hygiene
Water
Bathing
Campsites
Tent Maintenance
Huts
Environment Dangers
Dangerous Creatures
Insects
Bushfires
Track Notes
Etiquette
Tricks of the Trade I
Tricks of the Trade II
Why?
If you would like a hard copy of my book, email me @ plthomas603@gmail.com AUD$15 including postage
October 27 Perlio, Galicia, Spain Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 38. Ferrol- Neda – Gene – Perlio. 25 kms. So, I’ve got a week up my sleeve. Welcome to el Camino Ingles. (The English Way.) Ferrol is a Navy town on the NW coast of Galicia. I arrived just before lunch and decided to get going. p.s. I haven’t seen another peregrino all day. Definitely NOT on el Frances.
October 28 Betanzos, Galicia, Spain Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 39. Perlio – Fene – Pontedeume – Mino – Betanzos. 32 kms. A very undulating day especially the climb out of Pontedeume. It was a beautiful walk with occasional glimpse of the huge Betanzos estuary
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 40. Betanzos – Presedo – Meson do Bento. 25 kms. Now that daylight savings has finished, I got away at 0715. However, it was a long, long uphill climb from the coast to Presedo via country lanes and forest paths. It started raining about 10 kms from my Hostel so by the time I got here I was wet and cold. Nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a hot shower and a cerveza.
October 30 Siguero Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 41. Meson do Vento – Siguero. 25 kms. A very easy day’s walk and very beautiful despite the rain or because of the rain.
October 31 2019 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 42. The last day. Siguero – Santiago de Compostela. 16 kms. A lovely stroll in the rain to el Praza do Obradoiro. Compostela completed, booked in, showered and washing on. Time for a cerveza.
“La Regenta” in the plaza and the Cathedral of San Salvador, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
October 11 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 23. A rest day spent wandering around the lovely city.
Rio Nora, Faberin, Asturias
October 12 Valduno, Asturias, Spain (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 24. Oviedo – Escamplero – Vega de Anzo. 20 kms. After doing the traditional start at the cathedral, our first day on el Camino Primitivo was a saunter along country lanes and forest tracks. However, the mist didn’t lift till we reached our Hostel.
El Camino Primitivo
October 13 Grado (Kylie)
First day of the Camino Primitivo started off quite surreal. It doesn’t get light until 8am. As we were walking to the start point at 7.30am, the streets were deserted except for groups of young people leaving the clubs. It felt more like 3am not 8am. We set off and picked up some pastries on the way through and head out of Oviedo. It’s so nice to get away from the city & traffic and into the countryside. We took it easy and stopped at some little churches to collect stamps and take it in. So beautiful so far. It was quite foggy so couldn’t get to see the full picture most of the time. First cello/stamp stop at a little church out of Oviedo. There were begonias planted into the concrete steps and airplants dangling. So pretty.
October 14 Monasterio de San Salvador, Salas, Spain (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 25. Vega de Anzo – Grado – Cornellana. 22 kms. Another lovely day of walking the GR 101 through forests and along rivers. We left in the dark and had a quick walk to Grado where a traditional market supplied us with breakfast. Then it was a 360 metre climb to the Alto before dropping back down to the Rio Nalon again and a picnic lunch before making our way to the monastery. Our albergue tonight is an old monasterio that is a world heritage site. It’s clean, spacious and only 5 EU. 😀
Our Albergue.
October 14 Salas (Kylie)
What an absolutely stunning walk today. Beautiful scenery but not the most pleasant smell at times! We stopped in a little town which had a market running so bought some biscuits from some school kids that had a stall. They found it funny practicing their English. Now we’re staying in a monastery which is super cheap and very clean. A couple of Peregrino’s have arrived so it’s nice to have company.
Salas, AsturiasBodenaya Albergue. The best albergue on the entire trip.
October 15 Bodenaya, Asturias, Spain (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 26. Cornellana – Salas – Bodenaya. 19 kms. Another day of rambling along. We started with lovely tracks to Salas then the long climb up through eucalyptus & oak forests before they became beech. Then it was country lanes to what is possibly the best albergue on this Camino. A wonderful donativo with fantastic hosts. A very family albergue. There are Chechs, French, English, Japanese, Spanish and Australians tonight. Everyone helps with the meal preparation, cooking and cleaning with a combined peregrinos meal. For a donativo, you get a bed, dinner, breakfast and your clothes washed and dried. This is Camino living.
October 16 Campiello (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 27. Bodenaya – Tineo – Obona – Campiello. 27 kms. Last night, I shared a room with a guy from Newcastle, England, and we decided to leave the window open overnight, something that NEVER happens in an albergue. However, by 2 am I had to shut it as it got very cold. It wasn’t until it was light enough to see this morning that we realised why. There was snow on the mountains and we had an icy wind accompanying us most of the day. It was still another lovely day of rambling along mountain tracks and country lanes.
October 16 Campiello (Kylie)
Yesterday’s walk (Day 3) was going through some lovely forests which is my favourite type of walking. Being in autumn it was nice having leaves falling but not necessarily the conkers as they’re a bit sturdier. We made it to our Albergue before the rain hit. Everyone else arrived after us soaked through!
Kylie on the Grande Route #65. El Camino de los Hospitales
October 17 Berducedo (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 28. Campiello – Borres – Berducedo. 29 kms. Today we had a long hard climb up in to the alpine regions accompanied by strong, cold winds and icy showers. The recommended route through is the GR#65, el Camino de los Hospitales, which passes several centuries old ruins of albergues. By the time we reached our albergue though we were over climbing and rain.
Grande Route #65. El Camino de los Hospitales
October 17 Allande (Kylie)
Day 5. In a nutshell… I’m absolutely knackered! A lot of uphill climbing today which killed me. The wind was so strong I could barely stay upright at times. The views were amazing. Arrived at the Albergue feeling like a drowned rat. A hot shower was very welcome
Crossing the Alto before the descent to the embalse (dam)
October 18 Grandas de Salime (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 29. Berducedo – Embalse de Salime – Grandas de Salime. 22 kms. A cold, wet start for Kylie’s birthday with freezing winds and icy rain. It was a couple of steep climbs to the Alto where we could hear the deep throbbing of wind turbines but couldn’t see any of them. Then as we started to descend to the Embalse (reservoir) it started to clear. A Torte for lunch then a 380 metre climb over 6 kms mainly on a road. It was the first time on the Primitivo that I have put my music on.
October 18 Grandas de Salime (Kylie)
Day 6. Feliz Cumpleaños para mi! Started the day walking in the rain which made me think it was going to be a long and miserable day. Thankfully it started to clear up and turn into a fairly pleasant day. A lot of road walking and then on the ‘alternative route’ as the original was damaged by fire. The alternative was beautiful. A lot of up & down but much better than yesterday. My knees are feeling their age today more than me!
October 19 Fonsagrada, Galicia, Spain (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 30. Grandas de Salime – Castro – A Fonsagrada. 28 kms. We started off in an overcast but dry and still day. It was lovely rambling along forest paths but it got colder the higher we climbed. We were level with the wind turbines when we crossed the Alto at 1,140 metres and crossed from Asturias in to Galicia. A hot chocolate & Tarte Santiago fortified us for the cold and it started raining as we made our way to Fonsagrada
el Alto on the way to A Fonsagrada
The old and the new
Fonsagrada pilgrims’ meal
October 19 Fonsagrada (Kylie)
Day 7. Today we said goodbye to Asturias and hello to Galicia. It was pretty foggy & soggy for majority of the day as we’ve been up quite high. Had a very welcome hot chocolate when crossing into Galicia but that turned out very short lived as I’ve not been feeling too great since 😕
Lunch with our international trail family. (l-r) Andrea, Germany; Chris, Austria; Nanja, Netherlands; Kylie and; Peter, England
October 20 O’Cadavo, Baleira (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 31. A Fonsagrada – Paradavella – O Cadavo. 28 kms. Well, today is officially the International Day of the Drowned Peregrinos. An icy rain fell as we left Fonsagrada and continued all day. We were cold and wet when we were about half way and came out of a forest and found a bar. Te verde and tortellas boosted us no end. It was definitely not without its beauty though. We wandered through eucalyptus, oak and pine forests as well as country lanes. It’s pretty hard to beat a pilgrim’s meal. Trust me, there are no vampires here.
Kylie and Nanja heading for O Cadavo
October 20 Albergue San Mateo, O’Cadavo (Kylie)
Day 8. In a nutshell. Soggy! More uphill climbs but no sweeping views today. Rain, rain & rain. Of course now we’ve arrived at the Albergue it has stopped raining and the sun is starting to shine! This morning I cracked the shits and was a bit over it (I really don’t like going up hills), but after a much needed break of Tortilla & Green Tea with our fellow soggy Peregrinos, mindset changed to embrace the rain and feeling like a drowned rat! After that it didn’t seem all that bad, I couldn’t get any wetter. Talking to a young German girl, Lisa, who’s just arrived, sounded I wasn’t alone with those thoughts. Sounded like her day & thoughts were same as mine. It’s not easy! So now I’m sat in the Albergue looking stylish in puffer jacket, shorts, socks & thongs feeling refreshed after a much needed hot shower
El Camino Primitivo on the way to Lugo
October 21 Lugo (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 32. O Cadavo – Castroverde – Lugo. 32 kms. Today was an absolutely drop dead georgeous ramble through pine forests in the morning to Castroverde then sauntering through chestnut forests in the afternoon. There were a few showers but nothing like yesterday. Our international team is coming together nicely.
Kylie and I at the puerta (gateway) through the Roman wall in to Lugo, named after the Celtic god of light, Lugos
October 21 Lugo (Kylie)
Day 9. What a difference a day makes. Today started off with a little drizzle and everyone was really dragging their heels in getting ready and heading out after yesterday’s drowning. After a couple of minutes the drizzle stopped and the weather was rather clear. Spirits were high as the terrain was flat and there was no rain. Every bar stop there was a flock of Peregrinos getting their coffee/cake/bocadillo/tortilla fix. It was such a happy atmosphere compared to yesterday. After lunch we had a few downpours of rain but nothing for too long and not enough to soak through to the bones. This morning we walked with Peter, a young lad from London and Chris from Austria. Chris has walked all the way from Austria, clocking up 3,000kms so far! Respect. This afternoon we walked with Nanja, a tall, slim, gorgeous Dutch girl that made me feel short. I was almost running to keep up with her walking pace. Now I know how my shorter friends feel. We checked into the same Albergue that Nanja was booked into which is super quiet. Nanja & I have a bunk room all to ourselves which is a blessing after countless nights of snoring, farting, stinking, noisy men! Our Albergue is right near the 100km marker to Santiago. We’re on the homestretch now!
We are definitely in Galicia
October 22 Albergue a Nave de Ferreira, Palas de Rev (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 33. Lugo – San Pedro de Baixo – Ferreira. 27 kms. We spent the morning exploring the ancient Roman town of Lugo. We were standing outside the cathedral and saw a souvenir shop across the plaza with a large witch doll outside so we wandered over for a better look. When we got there we could here Gregorian chanting coming from the shop which I thought was appropriate. After a while I recognised the song. It was REM’s “Losing my Religion”. Kylie turned on one of her apps and we found out that it was a German band called, appropriately, “Gregorian”. We climbed up the Roman wall and had a look around then decided that we might as well keep going as it was only 26kms and we could catch up with everyone. We had drops of rain and drops of sunshine and it was a lovely stroll along country roads.
Nothing beats a shared meal in an alburgue especially when they serve up paella as good as this.
October 22 (Kylie)
Day 10. We’re on the home stretch now… Today we crossed the 100km marker shortly after our departure from our Albergue. We were originally planning to stay in Lugo for the day to explore but decided after a short while of wandering that we would like to stick with our little band of friends we have made. So a late departure but we still managed to get in at an okay time. It was nearly all road walking and rather flat so can clock up the kms quickly but very tiring on the legs and feet. I was hurting by the time I got there. A great Peregrino meal and some wine with new friends set everything to rights. A fun evening. Onwards to Santiago!
Deja vu on el Camino Frances
October 23 Boente, Galicia (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 34. Ferreira – Melide – Boente. 27 kms. A cold morning start to a beautiful day ambling through forests and hamlets. We hit el Camino Frances at Melide and there wasn’t as much deja vu as I thought. Bits and pieces triggered a few things though. We have less than 50 kms to go now.
El Camino Frances
October 23 Boente (Kylie)
Day 11. Oh what a beautiful morning! This morning started of quite chilly but absolutely gorgeous. Everyone was in really high spirits because the sky was clear & we know the rain has gone. It turned out to be quite a social day as our little band of Peregrino’s made our way towards Melide and the craziness of the Camino Francés which is the main Camino Trail. I knew it was going to be busy but nothing could prepare me for the manic, loud restaurant I went to with an English girl I met today. Oh. My. God! Had a little bit of octopus which it was famous for but had a soup and got out of there. We decided against staying in Melide and are staying in the next village, Boente. The paths for those 5kms was so much busier. Had a great chat with the English girl, Helen, who has been walking for 2 months now. She hasn’t been around many people during this time & struggled with the ‘culture shock’! Lucky we only have this madness for a few days.
It really is a lovely stroll. Heading for O Pedrouzo
October 24 Pedrouzo (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 35. Boente – Arzua – O Pedrouzo. 28 kms. Another wonderful day of sauntering through chestnut & eucalypt forests and along country lanes. There were gentle undulations at times but we had sunshine. 😀 Arzua was exactly how I remembered it. I’d forgotten how many are on el Frances. It really was straight out of “The Walking Dead” at times.
Irony on el Frances
October 24 Pedrouzo (Kylie)
Day 12. One day to go. Today was another chilly start but not as icy as yesterday. It felt different today as the energy was different because there were so many more people walking. Groups of school kids and travellers were everywhere but you could time it enough that you don’t get caught up in it as much. Much easier walking today as it was rather flat and on tracks away from the road. Tomorrow we complete the Camino and I’m kind of sad about that. It’s such a beautiful way to spend the day, despite the aches and pains. Also we’ve met a wonderful bunch of people it will be sad to say goodbye to.
el Praza do Obradoiro
October 24 el Catedral de Santiago y Compostela (Peter)
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 36. O Pedrouzo – Santiago de Compostela. 20 kms. A very wet final day walk to the Catedral but nothing could dampen our spirits. Buen Camino. 😀
Kylie @ el Praza do Obradoiro
October 25 el Catedral de Santiago y Compostela (Kylie)
Day 13. We made it! What a miserable day weather wise for our last day of walking. Nothing like a bit of suffering to finish off a pilgrim trail! All in all though, despite the squelching feet and aches & pains, it was well worth it. I now have my certificate to say I have completed 315kms. I’m pretty proud of that. It wasn’t always easy. Highly recommend the Camino Primitivo to anyone looking at doing one of the Caminos. So now to catch up with some other pilgrims for dinner, drink plenty of vino tinto and relax. I’ve got a few days up my sleeve before heading off home, so might go on a mini day adventure before going to Madrid. But maybe I’ll get a massage first 💆🏻♀️
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 37. We spent the day exploring the old town and had a brief foray in to the city. You forget that there’s an actual modern city outside the catedral precinct. SdC is actually the capital of Galacia. I also checked out the bus timetables for tomorrow.
Peter Thomas is with Kylie Beer and Peter Dean at Catedral de Santiago.
el Plaza de San Marcos where the Caminos Frances and San Salvador split
We turned right
Catedrel de Leon
Jane and I
October 4 Leon, Spain Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 15. Leon. I met up with Jane and we went to the Albergue de Peregrinos Las Carbajalas, a Benetictine nunnery, to get our special San Salvador credentials then off to the cathedral to get our first sellos (stamps). It’s time for a day playing tourista before el Camino de San Salvador.
Our first San Salvador sign. Leon.
el Rio Bernesga
Our lunch table
October 5 La Robla, Castille y Leon Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 17. Leon – La Robla. 30 kms. I had a really lovely start to the day with a 2 km stroll through the Parque along the Rio Bernesga. It was a bit dangerous though as I was periodically bombed by falling chestnuts. While I was waiting for Jane in the Plaza, at least 50 peregrinos passed on el Frances then a beautiful day’s rambling along el Camino de San Salvador. We left Leon at 8am and got coffee & churos for breakfast about an hour later then started climbing up through juvenile oak forests to a convenient table for lunch. El Camino de San Salvador is supposed to be the most mountainous of the Caminos and is regularly closed in Winter due to snow. We found another cafe for an afternoon break with tapas then in to our albergue where we met the first pilgrims we had seen all day. Joyce, Netherlands, and Daniel and Matthias, Germany.
On the descent
October 6 Poladura de la Tercia, Castille y Leon Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 18. La Robla – Poladura de la Tercia. 24 kms. We got away at daylight and found a cafe one hour later. Then it was a long haul up in to the Cantabrian Mountains. We had lunch at the Alto before descending over 7 kms to the valley and to our albergue. Cervezas by 1530.
Dawn on the climb
Jane at the Alto. The wind whistles through.
Cantos la Tusa (Songs of Tusa)
October 7 Pajares, Asturias Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 19. Poladura – Pajares. 15 kms. We had another pre sunrise start for the long climb up to the Alto at Cantos la Tusa, the highest point on el Camino de San Salvador. Then we had a long descent, crossing from Castillo y Leon in to Asturias to Pajares.
La Cobertoria
Rio Lena
October 8 Pola de Lena, Asturias Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 20. Pajares – Buenduenos – Campomanes – Pola de Lena. 26 kms. We had a lovely saunter ascending and descending through forests as we made our way down the valley to el Rio Lena.
Rio Lena
Mieres, Asturias is famous for its cider
October 9 Mieres Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 21. Pola de Lena – Mieres – La Pena. 17 kms. We had a cold overcast start with mountain mist cascading down but it turned in to a beautiful day for a stroll along the river to Mieres then to the albergue in La Pena. I decided on a short day as I don’t have to be in Oviedo till tomorrow. Jane has pushed on to Oviedo but Daniel, Matthias and Joyce are staying here so we did some yoga during the afternoon instead of vinos tinto.
There was a bit of bitumen bashing on this section
Obligatory Op Flinders shot
The Caminos divide. We’re turning left.
Daniel, Matthias, Joyce and I. Oviedo, Asturias
October 10 Oviedo, Asturias Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 22. La Pena – Oviedo. 19 kms. A cold start that turned in to a beautiful day for the last leg of the GR100, el Camino de San Salvador. I was checked in in time for lunch. This is definitely my favourite Camino so far. I caught up with Jane and Kylie arrived as we were having dinner with Bob, Matthias and Joyce
Iglesia de Santiago y Juan el Bautista (Church of St. James and St. John the Baptists), Plaza Castilla, Madrid, Espana. The start.
Our first obelisk and our first day on el Camino de Madrid,
September 20 Colmenar Viejo, Madrid, Spain
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 1. Madrid – Montecormelo (metro) – Colmenar Viejo. 25 km walked. We took the metro out of Madrid to avoid trudging through the post-apocalyptic wasteland then we were straight in rural Spain. A lovely stroll though very hot and sans lunch. We’ll take a picnic for tomorrow’s stage.
Castillo de Manzanares el Real. Built in the 15th century, it incorporated artillery defences in its construction
September 21 Manzanares el Real
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 2. Colmenar Viejo – Manzanares el Real. 15kms. We had a lovely morning’s stroll along an ancient droving road under a beautiful cool overcast sky. We started the climbing of el Sierras de Guadarrama. Manzanares has two claims to fame: the 15th century castle and excellent granite climbing. p.s. the picnic lunch was awesome and cheap @ 4 euros for all of us.
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 3. Manzanares el Real – Mataelpino – Navacerrada – Cercedilla. 24 kms. An early start in the dark along country lanes then in to a Regional Parque. Then the path started climbing el Sierras de Guadarrama. We had lunch in Navacerrada before a very steep climb in the rain till we dropped down via a forest track to Cercedilla.
Debbie
Roman aquaduct, Sergovia
Sergovia Cathedral
September 23 Zamarramala, Castilla y Leon, Spain Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 4. 7 kms. We decided to have a rest day wandering around the world heritage city of Segovia. Then we pushed 3 kms further on to the Municipal Albergue at Zamarramala. Super weird. We got there about noon but it was shut. Debbie saw a couple of guys in the kitchen and asked them if she could use the toilet. They let her in and told her they were the cleaners. We sat on the porch until the Hospitalerio showed up and checked us in. We asked him about the others and he told us they were the cleaners but there was half a dozen of them which was overkill for an albergue and they didn’t seem to be doing any cleaning.
Balloons rising as we left Los Huertos
The rail trail
Ane does not have a mouse problem
Albergue de Peregrinos de Santa Maria la Real de Nieva
September 24 Santa Maria la Real de Nieva· Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 5. Zamarramalla – Santa Maria la Real de Nieva. 32 kms. A long day sauntering along country roads, forest tracks and a rail trail.
el Tierra de Pinares (Pine Forests)
The sap is harvested for disinfetives
Guard tower overlooking the meseta, Coca
15th century Gothic-Mudejar castle, Coca
September 25 Coca Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 6. Santa Maria la Real de Nieva – Coca. 23 kms. We had a lovely stroll today through huge forests of Spanish Firs which are tapped for their sap. It took most of today’s walk to get through them.
The entire route is very well signposted
Debbie
Vinos tinto in the afternoons
Villeguillo
September 26 Alcazaren
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 7. Coca – Villeguillo – Alcazaren. 27 kms. A drop dead gorgeous day. Cool and sunny and we had a wonderful saunter through a fir forest for the entire day. We were in our albergue by 3 pm. Showered, washing done and cervezas by 4 pm. 😁
September 26 Valdestillas
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 8. Alcazaren – Valdestillas. 19 kms. Another lovely stroll along the GR124. Fir forests and potato fields. We have habitacions (rooms) above Meson Tequita, a very nice bar. A room to myself with fresh towels. It’s the little things .
Fred & Debbie, Puente Duero
el pucelana, Puente Duero
Simancas archives
An ancient peregrino shelter on el Tierra de Campos, the Gothic Fields
Our albergue in Cigunuela
September 27 Cigunuela
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 9. Valdestillas – Puente Duero – Simancas – Cigunuela. 22 kms. We left our habitacions in the cool and dark and followed a road to Puente Duero for a cafe con leche. Then we followed the Rio Duero to the old Roman town of Simancas. From there we entered the Tierra del Campos, the Gothic Fields, which gave us a taste of what the next five days will be like. Tomorrow we climb up to el meseta.
Dawn on the meseta
This is the meseta
Our dinner
The municipal albergue, Castromonte. A restored school.
September 28 Castromonte · Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 10. Cigunuela – Penaflor de Hormonal – Castromonte. 26 kms. We got away at 7 am and walked in the dark. By the time the sun rose, we were up on the meseta. We had a chirozo bocadilla for lunch then got to our albergue by 2pm to find a Scout Group Council in progress. They organised beds for us then we wandered in to town.
There are literally thousands of wind turbines on the meseta
Interesting wall decorations in Medina de Rioseco
Medina de Rioseco
Fred & Debbie. Menu dia, Medina de Rioseco
September 29 Medina de Rioseco
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 11. Castromonte – Medina de Rioseco. 19 kms. Another lovely stroll along the meseta through fields and an old rail line to Medina de Rioseco which is the main city on the Gothic Fields. It is certainly the place to be on a Sunday. It’s jumping!
Canal Castilla
It is a very beautiful walk
Villalon de Campos
September 30 Villalon de Campos
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 12. Medina de Rioseco – Tamariz – Villalon de Campus. 29 kms. Another start in the dark which was a shame as the first 8 kms was along the lovely Canal Castilla. Then it was a long bitumen bash across the meseta to Cuenca for lunch. We then followed a rail trail for the final leg in to Villalon.
Albergue, Santervas de Campos
Conquistador armour
The meseta.
October 1 Santervas de Campos
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 13. Villalon de Campus – Santervas de Campos. 17 kms. A very nice stroll along the meseta on the GR124. The guide book says, “Follow the Camino signs on to further farm tracks, giving open views of the meseta.” Or, as Fred says, “A whole lot of nothing.”We got to our albergue by 11.30. It’s an old monastery and definitely the best albergue so far. Clean, airy and spacious. After showers, our hospitalerio served us up a lentil stew with salad for lunch. He’s currently making a bolognaise sauce to go with pasta for supper. This place is getting one big donativo when we leave. not only is this the best albergue so far, it also has a museum in the monastery wine cellars dedicated to Juan Ponce de Leon, the first westerner to reach Florida and discoverer of the Fountain of Youth. Bear on mind, this is in the middle of the meseta. ⛲
The route through Arenillas de Valderaduey
Sahagu. el Camino Frances and the end of el Camino de Madrid
16th century military fortress, Grajal de Campos
October 2 Sahagun
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 14. Santervas de Campos – Grajal de Campus – Sahagun. 23 kms. Unfortunately, Debbie has injured her ankle badly and our hospitalerio gave both Debbie & Fred a lift in to Sahagun to have it checked by a Fisioterapeutas (physiotherapist) so I had a solo trek for the last leg of the GR124/El Camino de Madrid. I left our albergue at 8 am and was checked in to the hostel by noon. 23 kms in 4 hours. My camino fitness must be cutting in. It was a lovely stroll by a river for most of the way and the last day on the meseta. So, one down, two to go. 😀
Campsites. As a final wrap up from Kylie and I’s walk I can’t speak highly enough of the campsites and the detail of each. They all had cooking shelters, water tanks, toilets and either sand pads or wooden platforms for setting up our tents on. Each shelter at the campsites: Cup Gum; Hakea; Bansia and; Tea Tree, had motifs in their design specific to their name. As a bonus, Kylie & I were the only ones on the trail so we could spread out and had our pick of campsites. 🙂
Cup Gum cooking shelterHakea cooking shelterEach campsite had water tanks.Banksia campsiteWooden camping platformRaisable tie down points
Day 5. Grassdale – Grassdale Lagoon – Kelly Hill Caves. 8 kms. 28°C. (Peter Thomas) We had a very lazy start to our last day with a quick exploration of the area including Edwards’ Cottage. There were plenty of Kangaroos and a koala. We left Tea Tree camp at 9 a.m. for a short stroll to the Grassdale & Wilderness Lagoons then in to a sugar gum & banksia woodland. From there it was a really delightful ramble through grass trees (Xanthorrhoea) up to the Kelly Hill Caves where we were picked up at 1130 a.m. We had a shower and lunch back at Flinders Chase then back to the caves for a private tour. I can’t recommend the walk enough. It was fairly light going and the scenery and wildlife were spectacular.
The male koala near Tea Tree campsiteGrassdale LagoonThe finish
Day 4. Sanderson Bay – Cape Younghusband – Hanson Bay – Grassdale. 13.3 kms. 45.3°C! (Peter Thomas) We knew it was coming as the weather reports are posted in all the camp kitchens and a ranger dropped in to Banksia Camp last night to tell us the fire conditions had reached “Extreme” and a total fire ban was in place (“Don’t even knock any rocks together.”) We left at 7 a.m. and had a really lovely meander along the clifftops before entering the coastal heath, tall dense mallee again with tea tree but by the time we reached the South West River inland from Hanson Bay it had started to heat up dramatically. The river crossing was definitely one of the day’s highlights. After South West River we entered open country as this was now reclaimed farmland. We reached Tea Tree Camp just on noon again and just laid in the kitchen shelter while we cooled down somewhat. A very hot north westerly was blowing which didn’t cool us at all so, after lunch, we decided to head for Hanson Beach. It took us an hour to cover the 2 kms. back to the beach as we had to stop every ten minutes or so to rest in the shade. By the time we reached the beach we had just about had it. A thorough soak followed by lying down in the shade set the afternoon’s activities. It had started to cool somewhat by 6 p.m. so we made our way back to Tea Tree Camp and a cold dinner.
South West River with the boat crossingCape Young HusbandSouth West River crossing
Lighten The Trip Fantastic 