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🇪🇸 Routes in Spain
🇪🇸 Camino CATALÁN (from Barcelona /Monts. /Llança)
LIVE from the Camino de Catalán
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[QUOTE="Undermanager, post: 1253603, member: 46206"] Day 14 - Ena to Santa Cilia. I spent some time taking photos around the Ena last night, having had a fabulous dinner with the bits I'd carried here (has packet soup ever tasted so good?) and generally relaxing in the lovely albergue. Today was a late start, at 8.00am, and what a beautiful start to the day it was. I was looking forward to this, hoping the morning would be similar to yesterday afternoon and it didn't disappoint. Because of the exertions of yesterday, today should be a relatively short 20kms give or take. It turned out to be just over 22kms. After a coffee and the last of the cupcakes, I set off! It had obviously been raining overnight, it was fresh and cool, and there was lots of mist about. This made for some nice snaps, especially when the soaring mountains came into view after a bit. By the time I'd gotten to Boyata 7kms and just under two hours later, the mist had all but burnt off and blue sky was bursting through. There were lots of birds singing this morning, as I made my way upwards along the track, especially cuckoos. Boyata was another supremely pretty village worth a wander for a bit. I didn't find anywhere open for a coffee although there appears to be a Social Club on the left as you enter the village. It's mainly uphill to Boyata but nothing outrageous. The next two or three kilometers, however, will definitely get the juices flowing, as you rise about 250m up a steep dirt track a kilometer outside of Boyata to the Monasterio Nuevo de San Juan de la Peña. All good fun, though, with fabulous views and clear, pine-scented air. I went inside the new monastery, but only to visit the excellent cafe, for a rejuvenating fresh chocolate croissant and cafe con leche. Then it was off towards the old monastery. And surprise surprise - I bumped into my first group of pilgrims, who'd started the Aregonés Camino a day or two earlier. The old monastery is very pretty on the outside but I didn't venture inside. It was such a great day I decided to press on. The path down to Santa Cruz de la Serós varies but there is a very exciting, long downhill narrow path to contend with, complete with big drops to one side, plus snow-capped mountains in the distance. It all makes for some great photos. I passed straight through Santa Cruz de la Serós. It's some kind of tourist village, very pretty with at least four restaurants and bars that I saw but I was in the mood for walking. You think most of the hard work has been done for the day, but there's one more mountain to overcome! It's not as hard as earlier, but there are still some sweaty moments. You'll eventually come to the lovely Binacua, on top of a little hill. Sadly, according to the local I spoke to, there's no bar or cafe, so pressed on to Santa Cilia half an hour away. Santa Cilia is a lovely small historic town, old houses, narrow streets etc, as well as new parts. The municipal albergue was very easy to find in the old town and is really nice, run by the ever helpful Victor. It has a fabulous sitting room area, nice dorms and showers, although the showers are a bit of a squash. I had a fabulous lunch / dinner there as soon as I arrived, got some clothes washed, drank too much wine and chilled in the late afternoon and early evening. The albergue is also next to a bar or two, which may come in handy later. Victor will provide lunch, dinner and breakfast at the albergue - very welcome after living off of starvation rations for the last few days 😀. And now, the Camino de Catalan has been completed! I'll keep posting for the next three or four days, until I get to the CdeF, as I know that it's a natural extension to this one for many people. But then I will stop posting. I still haven't decided what to do next. I'm not keen at all on busy caminos, or getting involved in booking beds and getting to a place quickly to ensure I have a bed. I am half thinking about getting over to the Norde Camino, or just quitting while I'm ahead and going home, back to metal detecting and hunting the UK's history 6 days a week. Also, unfortunately, the outside of my right knee is now regularly collapsing under me and causing a lot of momentary pain, as well as my hip constantly seizing up. The problems may go away, but I suspect they both will need a few weeks' rest, as it has all happened before. We shall see. These Catalan notes are obviously just my perspective. Others may have different views, may have different opinions about stages, how long they take to walk, views on facilities etc and you should read others' views when making your own plans. If you like solitary caminos, this should definitely be on your list. There are a few places where accommodation may be an issue, and some stages may be a bit long. I've given my opinions twice already on the first half of the camino v the second half. I left on the 23rd April and definitely got lucky with the weather, having mostly cool walking conditions and serious rain on just half of one day. Leaving early to the middle of May or at least after the May 1st bank holiday may be a better idea. I'd better start having a closer look now at the next few days .... [/QUOTE]
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