Lugo to Ferreira

Sunshine and showers, though not in that order, all the way to a lovely albergue with vegetarian food and porridge promised for breakfast ... Annabelle and Francois from Luxembourg the only other pilgrims ... the the Dutch couple running the place, Ton and Ria, are pilgrims too ... Late now for blogging, more tomorrow ..

Cadavo to Lugo

Awaken to rain, forecast to stay all day, though after porridge, banana and kiwi in the San Mateo kitchen and a coffee in the Bar Eligio next door, it has abated and comes and goes all the way to Lugo and since waterproof kit is happy enough in such conditions all is well ... a little banter with Carmen our hostess, who suggests a bus to Lugo and when the idea is swiftly dismissed observes that the peregrinos are loco ... and laughingly accepts the riposte that while we walk, walk, walk, her life is work, work, work, so who is loco ... or loca ...? Anyway, she retires in November and seems to not be looking forward to the intervening Camino season ... 150 a day on the road in summer and many of them staying at her Pension and Albergue ... there are two others in this small town ...

Plenty of time on easy tracks to examine thoughts as they come and go ... first 9km to Castroverde fast enough, a juice and coffee there, then on another hour or so to unexpected al fresco bar, with Luxembourg pair installed ... a small beer and large slice of Tarta de Santiago and short rest before plodding on, and on and just after 3pm it's Lugo for lunch, menu del dia of vegetable soup, merluza with potatoes, crepes with honey, washed down with a suggested sparkling water with red wine and coffee to finish ... on through the tourist centre, though not delayed by interesting history ... city energy not required. .. on the road out is a rather tired Albergue with a rather morose owner and his more enthusiastic daughter, demonstrating her command of English ... no one else here, good WiFi, sheets, blankets and towel provided, view of the river and sunny room to sit in as rain takes a rest ... poor reviews about the owner or the run down ambience, who knows? Anyway the reviews seem to be from a small sample ... enough facilities and cleanliness  satisfies this rather footsore pilgrim, whose standards are hardly five star or even three ... enough is enough ... less than 100km to Santiago now, two days to join the French Way at Melide ... or as David says, for the French Way to join the Primitivo ...

Fonsagrada to Cadavo

After yesterday's exertions, today is a stroll ... albeit with some serious climbing ... solo room perfect for deep sleep, while organism gets to work repairing tissue damage ... left foot taking a while to make friends with its shoe ... double breakfast nearby makes up for yesterday's neglect ... lots of pilgrims about, though first couple of hours through woods and hills blissfully solo ... before steep climb up to La Lastra and first stop, a Spanish woman is going the other way ... Santiago to Madrid via Oviedo ... then a Spanish man preparing for the ascent ... and halfway up a Frenchman and his Portuguese wife, both residents of Luxembourg ... the bar offers more pilgrims ... three young Germans and an Englishman ... the most scenic toilet in the world ...  shandy, coffee, banana ... and onwards, catching up with David from Cumbria and a conversation all the way to Cadavo ... fascinating ... his company working with disadvantaged folks around the world ... savouring his suffering, some residual issues from active service in the Marines to resolve ... information about a cryptocurrency based in Bulgaria working in medical assistance ... at Cadavo he carries on to the Municipal Albergue 9km ahead, having travelled with the Germans and an Argentinian couple along the stages ...

Casa Eligio offers the menu del dia plus adjacent albergue bed ... Santiago from Madrid is waiting there ... hostel two years old and very comfortable, including the first heated boot rack so far observed ...

Rain arrives later, but today's earlier finish means it is dodged. ... an excursion into the small town enabled in a brief break from the rain ... fruit for tonight and the morning, a kitchen to make porridge ... the simple things in life ...

Tomorrow, Lugo, the first city since Oviedo, under 30km and easy enough ...

Berducedo to Fonsagrada

Day dawns dismal but dry and a fast pace means Grandas de Selima at 20 km is reached by noon, notwithstanding much upping and downing .... leaving an afternoon 26 perfectly possible ... warm and dry weather with a little sun supports the effort and it's head down and walk for 5 hours, more or less without a break ... over the Acebo Pass in slushy snow, the rain starts lightly as Asturias is left behind ... Galicia all the way now ... after yesterday's calorie packing, today is more of a fast, and lunch opportunities are absent until 5km from the destination and the kitchen is closed ... a sausage tapa is kindly offered and declined ... a banana and chocolate from the pack will do ...

In town the Albergue Catabrica is chosen ... ten or more pilgrims settled, all new after the double stage, no energy to socialise so a separate room is chosen by this rather wet and tired peregrino, just wanting a hot shower and a rest ... and since it is still raining supper is skipped ... some oats soaked in water will do ... there is a blog to write and an early night calls ... a shorter stage tomorrow ...

Campiello to Berducedo

Today's stage has two alternative routes, the high, shorter way; the lower, longer way ... local advice, given the snow forecast, is to avoid the high way, which has no services and is potentially dangerous ... such advice divides pilgrims into those seeking security and those tempted by risk ... Emily is in the second group and at the junction we head up at speed to get over before snow sets in, which mostly works ... in any case, the fluffy snow blowing over is exhilarating and drier than rain ... also Emily has a whistle, which is reassuring ... after the summit the universe offers her some solitude as she takes the main way and your hapless blogger an older route marked with arrows for a while ... then the track goes missing and after half an hour or so off piste rejoin the Way where it was abandoned ... equanimity holds, even a little relief to be back on the marked Way ...  and Emily located in the first bar at the destination, having arrived ten minutes before ...

Vanessa, at the Albergue Camino Primitivo, offers a warm welcome, radiators to dry clothes, an evening meal later ... other pilgrims arrive ... the Italian 3, 3 young British women, all having taken the high road ... Czech Mark is already in having come from Pola on the low road ... Daniela reported waiting at Bar Barin after loose arrangement to hook up for possible high road stage. .. whoops ...

The Albergue filling up, the question, after last night's snoring symphony, is whether the snorers from last night, who must remain nameless, will appear. .. there are three other hostels, so let's see ... weather sets in and early start rewarded by early finish ... tomorrow a choice of short 20 km or overlong 45 ... perhaps too much with the climbing and variable weather ...

Community supper provides social interaction and calorie loading for tomorrow's effort, whatever it turns out to be ...

La Espina to Campiello

Having agreed common wake-up time of 7.30, Ave Maria greets us, followed by Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto ... group breakfast and fond farewells for 28km stage with altitude. .. snow capped mountains close by ... consideration of coming choice of high level route with 360 degree views plus danger of snow, wind and poor visibility for arrows and vistas ... a decision for the morning ... current forecast suggests an early and swift ascent may beat later storm, but let's see ...

Two and a half hour walk along muddy tracks brings Tineo and coffee, plus review of today's options, basic and possibly austere Berres or 3km before two other albergues in Campellios ... three hours or so away and shared with Daniela, philosophy and psychology making the time much shorter ... vegetarian menu del dia and cosy ambience wins out, while Daniela pushes on for Berres ... and Emily arrives for lunch ... in Albergue, three French, Spanish, Australian ... Irishman in hotel, Italians seen passing for 3km to Berres ...

Grado to La Espina

A day full of pilgrims delays posting. .. wonderful walking in the mountains, rain holding off until after lunch stage from Salas to the amazing Albergue Bodenaya ... all donativo, bed, evening meal, laundry, breakfast and information from David, hospitalero from Aranjuez, where Rodrigo came from ... most importantly the donativo principle, like the generosity model at LoJ, an attempt to transcend the toxicity of money ... it's been working for David for five years, who does not consider it work, open 7 days a week for 10 months the of the year, walking Caminos in December and January ....

... vegetarian lunch experience involving chicken soup, specially strained to remove meat, which is replaced by chick peas ... evening meal fully vegetarian ... a concept still to be embraced by most restaurants ...

Community supper means late night and group photo with international cast ... Italians, Romanian, German, Australian ... plus David and friends ...