MY CAMINO WALKING EXPERIENCE 2019
My experience walking the last 100km + from Sarria To Santiago.
Wannabe travel blogger.
My name is Andy Turnbull, I am 47 years old and live in Somerset. I was born and bred in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, but work brought me to the South West in 2010.
The area I live is close to Exmoor and the South West coast path, so I have so many options to choose from when I'm out at weekends. Three years ago I did the National 3 peaks challenge with work colleagues, that is when I really found the love to walk and be out and about in nature.
I had read many books and blogs about people walking the Camino, but after reading a book written by a guy called Keith Fossett, it just stuck in my head for a good year.
Like many people, work gets in the way of doing the things you love, but I had to see for myself what the real pull of walking the Camino was all about.
I will guide you through my experience and give you my Ideas to complete the last 100 km of the famous pilgrimage in Northern Spain, you can do it anyway you like, and there are many ways to do so, but this is how I managed my 7 day trip from the UK to join the other 300,000 people that walk the way every year.
GETTING THERE FROM THE UK.
How I travelled to Spain
Myself and my son travelled to London Stansted to catch a Ryanair direct Flight to Santiago, which cost around £80 Return; the flight time was just under 2 hours.
We took each a small 10KG case as a cabin bag. After arriving in Santiago we proceeded to the front of the terminal building, where the ticket machines and bus stops are located.
The bus from the airpoirt to Lugo is operated by Empresa Freire.
The bus from Lugo to Sarria is operated by Monbus.
Your ticket to Lugo costs 10€ and the journey takes around 1hr 30. When you arrive in Lugo bus station you will need to go to the Monbus counter and buy a ticket to Sarria at a cost of 2.50€. We didn't wait too long for the next bus, and the journey takes around 30 minutes.
You will be dropped off in Sarria bus station, where you make your own way to your accommodation.
SANTIAGO AIRPORT
The Ticket Machine is outside of the Santiago Airport Terminal, you can select your language e.g. English and pay your 10€ with either cash or card.
We had about 30 minutes to wait until the next bus arrived, so we sat in the cafe just by the exit door and waited for the bus with a coffee.
The driver will tell you where to put your luggage if travelling to Lugo.
On the journey there you will pass through many of the places you're going to be walking.
When you arrive at Lugo bus terminal, you need to make your way inside to the Monbus desk and ask for a ticket to Sarria which costs around 2€, there is a little confusion as to which stand you get on the bus, but dont worry as it will all become visible when the bus arrives.
The journey into Sarria takes around 30 minutes.
ARRIVING IN SARRIA
Our First Night
I pre booked all of our accommodation on Booking.com, all twin rooms with private bathrooms, as at 47 years old, I didn't fancy the bunk bed thing. I must say, all of our choices were brilliant and suited exactly what we wanted.
We arrived late Friday evening in June 2019 and we would be starting our walk the next day, arriving in Santiago the following Friday. Most people do this walk over 5 days, we decided to give ourselves a little more time to enjoy the trail and did it over 6 days.
Our first night was a simple meal in a Spanish restaurant on the main street, I don't remember the name, followed by an early night ready for the next morning.
What we hadn't realised is that Sarria was putting on some kind of festival that night, and they know how to party, so i didn't get as much sleep as I would have liked.
That said the accommodation we stayed in was very good, and the staff were very nice.
Our accomodation was really good last night.
In Sarria we see the first sign to Santiago 111km until we arrive there in 6 days.
Day 1 Sarria to Portomarin 23km
Sarria to Portomarin is a 23km day which might be a long walk for some, but there are many places to stop and re-fuel along the way, I would have stopped at every place, as this is where I am at my happiest, sitting with a coffee and watching people and the world go by. Our first stop on this day was to buy more water, the guy in the shop was really lovely and friendly realising we had no shells on our bags, he quickly tied one to each of our rucksacks, stamped and signed our Camino passports and charged me five Euro, but I was still happy and now I had my shell hanging off the back of my backpack.
The walk into Portomarin is one of my personal favourites and the town is really nice, we arrived about 2.30pm, first stop was a pint in the first bar we reached, the sun was shining and we both felt great to have completed our first walk.
We checked in to our accomodation, perfectly positioned at the top of town overlooking the lake, the main building is a restaurant which has good reviews, a very nice chap showed us to our room on second floor at the back of the building, so not the brilliant view, but the room was very good.
After some rest in the afternoon, we ventured out around 6pm for a drink and a spot of people watching first. Then, after a walk around the town we ended up eating on the square outside, again you can just watch the world go by.
Portomarin is one of those little places I would really like to have spent some more time in.
PORTOMARIN
Portomarin was my favourite village, it is modern and well set out.
We stayed up at the top of the village overlooking the lake.
DAY 2 PORTOMARIN TO EIREXE 18KM
Today our walk from Portomarin will be around 18km. Most people walk on to Palas de Rei, but tonight we have opted to stay off the trail in Lodoso. We were told by our host to make our way to Eirexe and call him when we get to the Ligonde bar. The morning starts with some rain for a good hour, it is Northern Spain and the abundance of greenery tells us that they could get a lot of rain here.
We complete our 18km around lunch time and arrive at the Ligonde bar, have a quick drink of course, then my son calls the Spanish owner.
He arrives within twenty minutes to pick us up in his mini bus, the property is only about 10 minutes drive, it is a converted barn owned and run by the family, we are checked in and shown to our room, all I can say is peace and quiet, with amazing views over the countryside.
I spend the whole afternoon using the outside sunbeds and chilling out, you can even get a glass of wine if you fancy. Dinner is served at 8pm it is of course June but down in the dining room the log fire is burning, a menu on the table gives us three choices, Starter, Main and Dessert, I chose the special salad, my son has the soup, we both opt for the steak, you wont go hungry, the food is amazing, we can't really fit in pudding, then a big glass of strawberries and yogurt arrive, followed by homemade Liquor's, three American ladies are at the table next to us, they are just as impressed with the dinner.
This was our treat of the trip, it split up what would have been a long day and gave us time to chill, a really great option that is very reasonable for price
DAY 3 EIREXE TO MELIDE 18KM
The following morning we pay our bill, very reasonable it is too, we are dropped off back on the trail where we left off the day before. This is excellent because we are now behind all of the other walkers. We have the addition of walking to Palas de Rei today, and as such that is where we have decided to stop for breakfast.
Today will be around 18km again to get to Melide, the sun is shining so I am happy, my son is definitely not as he doesn't like walking when the sun is out, being used to English weather. After breakfast we continue our walk through some lovely scenery and villages, as I have already said the villages and stop points are my favourite part of the day, getting your passport stamps and listening to the different languages as you have a coffee.
MELIDE
Melide is a large town stretched around various streets, we had lunch on the main street, watching all of the walkers arrive into the town, some obviously looking for accommodation as they arrive. I am really pleased we have pre-booked everything.
O Tobo do Lobo is our accommodation for tonight.
DAY 4 MELIDE TO ARZUA 19KM
The sun is shining again today, shorts are on and off we go again, we don't eat breakfast everyday, instead we just opted to have some fruit with us for an early bite to eat and stop for coffee and a snack around 11am each day, it just makes getting up and setting off a little quicker and less stressful, plus you have so many choices of places to eat and drink.
I'm told Arzua is well known for cheese, so we will have to try that tonight.
ARZUA
A Fonda Do Norte
The view from our room tonight, in this accommodation you can have a balcony on the back of the building, a perfect way to finish the day lounging in the sun.
Tonight we have dinner in Casa Nene hidden behind some old buildings, we have to wait for a table, but it is well worth it, I have some amazing Cod, my son has the Veal, a glass of red wine to finish off with.
We stayed at A Fonda Do Norte tonight.
DAY 5 ARZUA TO O PEDROUZO 19KM
I am starting to count down the days until the end point now, not because I want it to end, it's actually the complete opposite, each day gets closer but I really don't want it to end.
As we make our start a little later today we ready our bags for collection again, pack our little rucksack and leave on another stage of what is becoming a memorable journey.
All of the walks have been a similar distance, taking around 5 hours, we could do a lot more if we wanted to, but it gives you time to enjoy the culture and the local areas as you continue.
Tomorrow will be our last walk into Santiago, the week is going really fast.
O PEDROUZO OUR 6TH NIGHT IN SPAIN
Pension Lo is the name of our accommodation tonight very easy access from the trail, it's new and has a bar and nice garden area, the rooms are quite small and not very thick walls, but it is comfortable again.
I like this village and the location of our Pension, I managed to get more sunshine this afternoon and probably had one too many beers.
Dinner was interesting tonight, One choice on the Menu, Veal it is then, you finish cooking it on a hot stone at your table.
We will be up early tomorrow for our final walk to the city.
DAY 6 THE FINAL WALK
O Pedrouzo to Santiago 19km
We are up and out by 7am today as we want to make the most of our afternoon in Santiago. In hindsight, we should have arranged for an extra day to enjoy it a little more, but we have just one day before we fly back to the UK tomorrow.
People are clearly excited about the last walk today, the atmosphere along the trail is buzzing, again the sun is shining and again the walk will not disappoint us, as we get ever closer to our end point, we are taken very close to the airport, the point we started from 6 days ago. It feels strange when you consider the journey we had to get to Sarria on the bus, and the fact that we have just walked back to where it started.
When we see our first view of Santiago, it really feels awesome, a short distance to the mirador and few more pictures before we continue the last 8 km to the city.
SANTIAGO
We arrive around 11.30 am
After what has been a truly brilliant experience we walk in to the city, past the new town and into the old parts of the city.
There are many walkers around us making the same journey to the Cathedral. As we go down the stairs into the Praza de Obradairo, the sight is as I thought it would be.
People are happy, some are emotional and hugging friends, all of them looking up at the sight of the Cathedral. We have reached the end of our trail, 6 days and around 120 km walked, through some of the most tranquil places I have had the pleasure of seeing. We are both lost for words, I shake my sons hand, I think he is feeling the same thoughts as me, we have done what we set out to do, but its over, tomorrow morning we will be on a plane back to England, then a 3 hour + drive back to Somerset, I haven't had these thoughts for 6 whole days, work suddenly comes back to my thoughts, I will be back there in 3 days.
Santiago
We spend over an hour waiting to get our offical Compostela certificate after we have eaten some delicious Pintxos, or Tapas as we know it.
Certificates in our hands we walk off to find the evenings accommodation. Brilliantly located, its not the best we have stayed in, but it is clean and has a nice balcony with a view of the city.
We don't spend long here, a quick shower and change of clothes and off we go to explore.
This place is heaven if you love to eat, drink and feel the Spanish culture in the air.
Most of the afternoon is taken up looking around, Coffee, Beer, G&T, we even fit in some Churros and proper chocolate sauce in a mug.
The evening is much the same, little gifts bought for the rest of the family and dinner, we are tucked up in bed by 10pm, we will be at the airport for 9am.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS.
So Friday has arrived, 7 days ago I started a journey with my Son Adam, one that will forever be part of my thoughts, I have been very lucky to have many holidays over my life so far, but this really wasn't about being on holiday, it's something else, something that is difficult to explain.
This place gets into your skin and your brain, I doubt anyone has ever left Northern Spain after walking the Camino and thought bad things, there are truly some parts of this walk that I would undoubtedly do everyday if I could, and I plan to return to this part of Spain with the rest of the family.
As we board the plane my thoughts are very mixed, sad to leave, sorry it has gone so quick, but already thinking about next year, maybe Porto to Santiago with all of the family.
