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Do you have a favorite Camino tree?

VNwalking

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The subject of camino trees came up in a chat with another Forum member, and we both thought it would be fun for everyone if there was a thread about our favorite trees along the way, or even in Santiago.

My personal favorite is this gorgeous chestnut on the Invierno, between Villavieja and Castillo de Cornatel.


A tree I haven't met yet (but want to) is easier to find: the giant Pohutukawa in A Coruña.

Thread 'For Kiwis (and lovers of special trees)'

Are you walking the Ingles or planning to visit A Coruña before heading home?

Here, courtesy of Google Maps, is a total wonder - an absolutely immense Pohutukawa. It has a pointer all its own on the map!

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
goo.gl
You can find it behind a police station (of all places), a 12 or 13 minute walk from the Igrexa de Santiago, where the arm of the Ingles from A Coruña begins. The directions tell me it takes as much time to walk as to take the bus.

So if you want to feel a little more at home before you set off - or just want to make a botanical...

I've discovered a few others from this link:

Ten of the most amazing and interesting trees to visit in Spain - Olive Press News Spain

TREES are one of the most breathtaking natural wonders in our world and Spain has its fair share of truly exceptional ones. The Olive Press takes a look
www.theolivepress.es

Among them, a few that are relatively close to a camino route:
1. Tejo milenario de San Cristobal de Valdueza
Between El Acebo on the Francès and Penalba - quite a detour, but also quite a tree.

El tejo milenario de San Cristóbal de Valdueza: una joya ancestral - Ecologia Cotidiana

El tejo milenario de San Cristóbal de Valdueza es una verdadera joya ancestral que se encuentra en la provincia de León, en España.
ecologiacotidiana.es

2. This immense oak is "thought to be the largest and oldest tree in the Montaña Palencia in the region Castilla y Leon" - and is not so far from Cervera de Pisuerga on the Olvidado.

El Roblón de Estalaya en Estalaya

El Roblón de Estalaya en Estalaya, direccion:Ruta del Roblón de Estalaya, , abierto: PERMANENTE, Horario: , Responsable:
www.cerveradepisuerga.eu

If you really want to get into the weeds with this, here's a fun website:

The thickest, tallest, and oldest trees in Spain

www.monumentaltrees.com

Edited to add this website listing trees in Galicia:

Galician Trees: Providing Shade Through the Ages - Google Arts & Culture

Let's take a look at seven of the main tree species along the Camino: oak, chestnut, cork oak, beech, ash, yew, and holly.
artsandculture.google.com
 
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Early morning leaving Sarria after crossing the rio Pequeno on the medieval Ponte Aspera and traversing a railway track I entered a magical space, an enchanted wood, and saw what would become my favorite tree.

Carpe diem!
 
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This millennial cypress tree 25 m. tall, is one of the most notable trees in Spain. The adjacent chapel which may once have been a monastic cell is named for that cypress.
 
Another fun themed thread!
VN, as soon as I read the title I was going to say "Chestnut" because the ancient ones are amazing! I've been mesmerized by them this past year on both the Sanabres and the Invierno.
This monster was upon leaving the albergue in Villavieja. I'm in the picture for "scale".


Then the Via Francigena popped into my head because I loved seeing the marching soldiers of the "Thin man arborvitaes" all lined up in rows in Tuscany. They aren't beautiful, but they sure make a landscape statement.
 
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One of my most arduous days on Camino Norte consisted of constant vertical rain.
I walked through a forest knowing the day would be a long 31km, there was no farms, villages or buildings.
Hours at a constant pace, alone, resided that pushing-on was the only option....I needed a rest.
Everything was wet, soaked and cold, the path when up, was a constant flow of water.
I entered a dark valley, the day gloomy enough.
There stood a towering coniferous spruce, dark green, the base too wide to hug, branches extended, drooping and dripping. But there close to the trunk existed a perfectly dry circumference of refuge.
I thanked that tree. I frequently remember that tree.
 
I have been to Sintra, but my eyes were focused on other things.

Here is my picture of the same huge tree with my "kids" standing in front of it. My daughter-in-law has very long arms, but they don't begin to wrap around that behemoth tree.
 
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I am not sure of the type of tree but these lovely planted along the path in the meseta became my favorite trees during warm days on my camino Francis
 
This is my Primitivo tree, I took this photo the first time I walked the route in 2015. Turned it into a gigantic poster that I had hanging on my living room wall, and I looked at it every morning as I drank my coffee. I was back on the Primitivo in 2021, and passed this spot and recognized it right away. What a powerful experience, to know and love a tree in Spain!

(Sharing a slightly different photo than the one I have hanging on my wall... I'm oddly protective over my most favorite Camino photos! But, this is the same tree

 
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My picture of the old chestnut is already on the forum. It's behind the pilgrims. Check out the text for it by clicking on "Vegtable garden"; there are links. My other pictures of it are on an SD card that snapped before I got home.

Vegetable garden

 
mspath said:
This millennial cypress tree 25 m. tall, is one of the most notable trees in Spain. The adjacent chapel which may once have been a monastic cell is named for that cypress.
Click to expand...
Ummmm. I missed it.
Thanks for the heads-up, @mspath.

Camino Chrissy said:
They aren't beautiful
Click to expand...
Oh, these are gorgeous! Elegant, and creating such a nice contrast to the ones with rounded crowns.
 
Jensjaunt said:
I am not sure of the type of tree but these lovely planted along the path in the meseta became my favorite trees during warm days on my camino Francis
Click to expand...
They're Plane trees.

In plazas all over Spain they are heavily pruned and grafted together to create a natural arbor offering continuous shade and refuge from the summer heat. The one in Briviesca on the Vasco is especially large.
 
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I'm glad you posted this VN. I was almost ready to hunt mine down (I have many). It is so interesting how they prune them down to nubs in Spain like a misshapen hand, but provide shade in summer.
We even have a variety of them, called Sycamores, in northern Illinois, often near river banks.
 
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