Home from camino, my stages and my brief thoughts

Got home this evening and apologies that variable Wi-Fi prevented me keeping current the blog I'd hoped for but will catch it up from daily notes over next week or so.

22nd May 13 arrived in St Jean to find my confirmed reservation in L'Esprit du Chemin had vanished into the cosmos and the owners couldn't care less not the start I wished for but as I had to cross the road for my credencial anyway I got assistance from Les Amis du Chemin in locating an albergue bed in Maison Esponda.

23rd May: St Jean, Route Napoleon, road route down to Ibaneta, Roncesvalles, Burguete ( Hotel Burguete ) . 29.7 kms.
24th May: Burguete - Trinidad de Arre ( Albergue Hermanos Maristas ). 36.1 kms.
25th May: Trinidad de Arre - Cirauqui ( Albergue Maralotx ). 36.5 kms.
26th May: Cirauqui, Zaraputz, Bodega Irache, Luquin, Los Arcos ( Albergue Casa de la Abuela ). 39.5 kms.
27th May: Los Arcos, Navarette ( Albergue La Casa del Peregrino ). 41.3 kms.
28th May: Navarette, Santo Domingo de Calzada ( Albergue Abadia Cisterciense ). 39.1 kms.
29th May: Santo Domingo de Calzada, Corporales, Morales, Corrasquedo, ( forum suggested detour, probably not worth the extra 4 kms ), Granon, Villafranca Montes de Oca ( pension beside El Pajaro ). 38.8 kms.
Week 1: 261.0 kms.

30th May: Villafranca Montes de Oca, Cerraton de Juarros, Hiniestra, ( a route not followed by many, with good reason ;-) St. Juan de Ortega, Atapeurca, Burgos ( La Pension del Camino ). 47.0 kms.
31st May: Burgos, Castrojeriz ( La Cachava Hotel ). 41.2 kms.
1st June: Castrojeriz, Villovieco, Villalcazar de Sirga ( Albergue Casa Aurea ). 40.1 kms.
2nd June: Villalcazar de Sirga, Moratinos ( Albergue San Bruno ). 35.6 kms.
3rd June: Moratinos, Calzadilla de los Hermanillos, Calzada Romana,Mansilla de las Mulas ( Meson el Gallo ) Brierley has the location of this hotel shown inside the town walls, in fact you pass it at the junction with the N 625 road about 1.5 kms earlier. 48.2 kms.
4th June: Mansilla de las Mulas, Leon ( Parador San Marcos ) 20.1 kms.
5th June: Leon, Villar de Mazarife, Villares de Orbigo ( Albergue Villares ). 39.3 kms.
Week 2: 271.5 kms.

6th June: Villares de Orbigo, Foncebadon ( Albergue Monte Irago ). 41.3 kms.
7th June: Foncebadon, Cacabelos ( Hotel Villa de Cacabelos ). 43.7 kms.
8th June: Cacabelos, Villafranca del Bierzo ( Pradela route ), Ruitelan ( Albergue Pequeno Potala ). 28.6 kms.
9th June: Ruitelan, Samos ( Albergue Monasterio de Samos ). 41.2 kms.
10th June: Samos, Gonzar ( Albergue Casa Garcia ). 44.8 kms.
11th June; Gonzar, Arzua ( Albergue Don Quijote ). 45.9 kms.
12th June: arzua, Santiago de Compostela ( Hotel Airas Nunes ). 39.1 kms.
Week 3: 284.6 kms.

13th June: Santiago de Compostela, Vilasario ( Albergue O Rueiro ). 38.0 kms Don't ask, I managed another unlisted 'opcion'.
14th June: Vilasario, Cee ( Albergue Moreira ). 39.0 kms.
15th June: Cee, Finisterre, ( Municipal albergue ), /Cabo Finisterre, Monte Facho, Finisterre/ and back to Cabo Finisterre for a glorious sunset. 29.1 kms.
16th June: Finisterre, Muxia ( Municipal albergue ), Santuario da Virxe de Barca, Muxia. 31.5 kms.
17th June: Muxia, Finisterre ( after 3 hours walking in a torrential downpour and taking a 90 minute lunch in Finisterre hoping it might ease up I finally decide I was in a sufficient state of grace to allow myself take a bus to Cee and forget about walking back to Santiago. 28.5 kms.
5 days of week 4: 166.1 kms giving a total walk on my camino of 983.2 kms.

18th June: Buses from Cee to Baio and then Baio to Santiago and got a lovely room in Miradoiro de Belvis on Rua das Trompas for 2 nights before flying home on 20th June.

I've already mentioned on the' Albergues not to be missed' thread my 3 favourite nights on the camino, my thanks to Rebekah for a lovely cup of tea and the other generous favour she was kind enough to oblige me with. The one theft ( minor but inconvenient ) is mentioned on the relative forum thread too.
My heartfelt thanks to all the peregrinos who I met on my camino and offered me a Buenos dias or Buen Camino, my apologies to any I promised to forward photos but the minor theft meant I've lost your e-mail addresses.
I was a long way from being the 1st leaving each morning, my normal start was between 7-45/8.00,
I had at least 2 and usually 3 sit down cafe stops each day but just saw no point in stopping like many at 12.30 or 1 each day when there was always another albergue beckoning to me just a bit further on ;-) . I did take my physical preparation very seriously and it paid off for me with no blisters or hot spots at all, just a tender right shoulder at the end of my longer days and a tender toe from stubbing it wearing flip flops walking about Leon on my Parador night.
A slight feeling of emptiness when I finally returned to Santiago on 18th June as the habit of walking 8 hours daily had become so ingrained over the past month but a realisation that I quite like the person I am and in my own way am quite a moral person if not a perfect Christian.

Buen Camino

Seamus

Just in case I cause worry to new peregrinos, I'm not suggesting these are advisable stages for inexperienced 1st timers, I do a large amount of hillwalking in Ireland and the terrain on the Camino is much easier in comparison, I did stop regularly to 'smell the roses', visited many of the small churches and chapels that were open when I was passing, enjoyed leisurely cafe con leche y tostados stops etc.
Happened to arrive in Carrion de los Condes early on a Sunday morning from Villalcazar de Sirga to realise it was the feast of Corpus Christi and the street/pavement floral decoration was starting up and spent a lovely couple of hours watching a beautiful communal event taking place, a day sooner or later I would have been totally unaware of the event.
As my work circumstances would only allow me 28 days walking and I dearly wanted to walk St Jean-Finisterre-Muxia in one unbroken walk ( have I mild O.C.D. ? ) my physical preparation for the last 12 months was based on being able to comfortably walk 30+ kms daily for 4 weeks, in the event, I was able without straining too hard to manage more and had my free days in Santiago at the end for reflection and chilling out.
When I retire in about 8 years, I do intend to return to a long Camino but with the time available not to have to make some of the compromises that I had to make on this occasion and have my free days as and when I feel the inclination.
Because of my longer stages I usually had walking companions for just an hour or two but that had the benefit of giving me long stretches walking alone and time for undisturbed thoughts and reflection.
This was my camino and right for me this time and I sincerely wish all peregrinos every good will in their camino and success in achieving their hopes and ambitions on their camino.

Seamus

Hi clearskies, yes, we must have been there on the same day as I'd feel certain that for the day after, Monday, the floral decorations would have gone to allow normal working week business to proceed as normal.
I've added three of the shots I took on that Sunday of the floral decorations. If I find myself back on the full Camino Frances, I will definitely be trying to make sure that I dovetail Corpus Christi day with an arrival in Carrion de los Condes.

Seamus

unadara said:

Well done Super!
I walked first Camino with my husband and he would have liked to keep on going many days but we had very high temperatures and I couldn't going (28days total-just to SdeC!)
M
On my own on the Norte stages were longer/or very much shorter and enjoyed the longer days. Had you your beds booked in advance ? Will remember to show Garry your posts if he goes to Camino again.
The tough Irish
Una

Click to expand...

Hi Una, the only accommodation I booked in advance was L'Esprit du Chemin which I booked back in February and was dismissed curtly when I arrived in St Jean being told they had no record and I used the local tourism office about 21 kms out to book a room in a small hotel on my day of arrival into Santiago, other than that I trusted the Camino to provide but usually avoided Brierley stage ends and tried to hit inbetween spots that had either 2 albergues or an albergue and hostel so I might have a fallback position in case of 'completo' sign being up in my 1st choice.
Regards
Stubborn if not tough
Seamus