We knew the was a risk of making errors when tracking a path backwards that is only marked in one direction. In fact we had already made one or two errors retracing our steps back down the Camino Frances to Melide. Unfortunately our first day go back up the Norte proved calamitous. We found our new way and for ten kilometres with gleaming new guide book, road signs and the ubiquitous shell symbol that marks the trail we made good progress. We only met one pilgrim who was coming the other way. He was on his bicycle and we had a [View Full Entry]

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On our way to Santiago our onward plan emerged. The Camino Frances is now the most popular pilgrim route across Northern Spain but is one of several. The Camino del Norte is one of the other paths. It starts in Irun in the Basque country and runs along the Northern coast of Spain, down through Cantabria, Asturias and into Galicia to join the Camino Frances in a small town called Melide 50 kilometres from Santiago. So it was decided over our remaining five weeks we would walk up the Camino del Norte to meet our ferry from Bilbao in late August. [View Full Entry]

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Santiago was never going to be the end of our journey through Spain. Although with our path leading there it felt that there should be some sense of achievement or completion when we arrived. However, as we wandered into the town yesterday in the early afternoon Santiago was a noisy traffic filled place. We looked across the skyline for the towers of its emblematic cathedral but could only see cranes busily at work. Following a visit to the tourist information with map in hand we located our campsite (behind an expansive construction area) and found our pitch for the night. Later [View Full Entry]

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This feels like a good time for an update on our language progress. It's fair to say we're making steady improvement although our grammar and vocabulary perhaps worryingly limited to the more functional actions of the day. Conversational Spanish is still relatively embryonic as the locals high linguistic tempo and varying phrasiology send us quickly to a place where we do not have the grammic fire power to survive. However, careful analysis of the Spaniards bar and cafe chat has unlocked a few useful keys to our future progress. These are the six words that can help bluff you through any [View Full Entry]

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Two days ago we crossed the highest point of the Camino. O Cebriero is the village that sits on top of this climb. The night before we were due to cover this accent there was many a worried glance between Pilgrims in the refugio as they cooked up their carbohydrate to prepare for the following days excertion. Some (including those who had walked as far as we have) had even gone so far as to arrange for their backpack to be especially transported for them as they felt unable to make it otherwise. Pilgrims can be a strangely worrisome bunch at [View Full Entry]

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To say the Spaniards have been intrigued by our camping habits would be a substantial understatement. Spanish campsites are on the whole excellently appointed with most boasting outdoor swimming pools and onsite bars and restaurants. For the city dwelling flat loving Spaniard the campsite involves a permanent pitch for their caravan plus attachments and often a number of surrounding permanent standing tents that may act as kitchens or general storage. The campsite is not a base for perhaps local excursions or country walks but somewhere to sit away from the city and watch your fellow campsite [View Full Entry]

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We have now left the N-120 long behind us (well about 50 kilometres or so). The plains of Castille y Leon ended and the mountains of the Cordillera Cantabrica began. These mountains had long been on our horizon and our every bit as beautiful as their name. Three days ago Astorga with its fairy tale Gaudi palace was the entry point to this lush mountain range. After a day of gentle ascent we found ourselves in a world well removed from the dry plains below. The temperature dropped with the arrival of cooler winds from the north to produce and environment [View Full Entry]

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Leon was a success two days ago. Camping gas replenished (after a meticulous search lasting two hours and including much head shaking from the locals) and photos copied to CD. Leon is the major city of this region. As we approached a Commando strategy was hatched (get-in, get-it, get-out) to minimise the discomfort and avoid another Burgos style shock to the system. The past two days have been highly exciting watching the Spanish play chicken on the N-120. The N-120 is a fast, 100 kilometers per hour, single lane in each direction road that runs directly from east-to-west (the Romans would [View Full Entry]

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Having delightfully avoided hearing or reading any news since we started we were not overly sure about the odds on Spain's fantastic footballing triumph last night. Our money was most definately on a German win but the Spanish nation seemed very confident and their footballers even more so. What was more surprising was the celebrations and post match feel good factor. Both were rather lacking. During the game we out paced the locals with the consumption of our three modest beers. The Spaniards who we watched the game with seemed to lose interest in any alcohol for the duration of the [View Full Entry]

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There is a rather significant football match for our Spanish hosts tomorrow evening. Currently a warm up game going on over our tent. Excitment is high and expectation even higher. We are staying put in the moderately sized town of Sahagun for the big game as it feels the best place to watch the Spanish emotions in full flow. During our year in the Spanish speaking world achieving decent fluency in their language is one of the primary objectives. Today showed signs of a solid start to this endeavour. Building on our smooth conversational exchange about the finer points of our [View Full Entry]

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