Buen Camino, Bitches! - Camino Primitvo
The Camino Primitivo is one of the many Caminos in Spain. It winds it's way for 320km through the hills of northern Spain, starting in Oviedo and ending at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
The Stages
If you are a nerd like me and you are trying to put together the walking stages for your future Primitivo hike let me save you the trouble of having to read through the whole article to find out my walking stages:
Day 1: Oviedo - Palantina 20km
Day2: Palantina - Salas 30km
Day 3: Salas - Tineo 20km
Day4: Tineo - Pola de Allande 28km
Day5: Pola de Allande - Grandas de Salime 40km
Day 6: Grandas de Salime - A Fonsagrada 26km
Day 7: A Fonsagrada - Castroverde 33km
Day 8: Castroverde - Lugo 22km
Day 9: Lugo - Ferreira 28km
Day 10: Ferreira - Melide 20km
Day 11: Melide - O Pedrouzo 34km
Day 12: O Pedrouzo - Santiago 20km
The Start
We were absolutely exhausted by the time our train pulled into the Oviedo train station. We, my partner Colin and I, left the house that morning at 5:30am to make our way to the starting point of the Camino Primitivo. It took us two flights and a 3 hour train journey from Madrid to get here, but we made it. Finally!
Once we sat our small, compact backpacks down in our accommodation we headed out for a bite to eat and to get a little feel for Oviedo. Of course a stop by the Cathedral was mandatory as this would be our starting point for our hike. I am not a religious person and I am aware that the Caminos are intended to be a religious pilgrimage but for me it was more about exploring another country, walking every day and experiencing a different style of long distance walking. As you might be aware, I am more of a 'wild camping in remote spots without seeing anyone for the whole day' - type of girl than one that seeks out the perks of access to hot showers and a proper bed.
On the morning of day number one we had a late start. The Cathedral didn't open till 10am and I really wanted to get our pilgrim passports there.
The Pilgrim Passport serves as proof of the covered distance. The walkers collect stamps along the way (two a day, minimum) that verify the distance walked. The stamps can be collected along the way in little churches, bars, cafés or your accommodation for the night. A lot of local businesses lean into this and have their own stamps made and if you purchase something there you can ask for a stamp as well.
When we finally headed off to start our big adventure our backpacks were loaded with lunch and snacks for the day. The first 5km of the Primitivo are basically within the City of Oviedo until you reach the Spanish countryside. While the walking itself was not super spectacular we were just buzzing to be starting this trail. We were planning and plotting for the last few months and it felt good to finally make it happen.
While the weather started out pleasant and right in the sweet spot of not being too hot or too cold it turned on us for the last couple of kilometres. The skies opened up and it started pouring on us. When we arrived in our accommodation at Villa Palantina we were soaked through.
While we were grateful to be out of the rain, this stay would be the one we would talk the most about on our adventure - and not in a good way. While this place offers dorms as well we opted for a private room with a shared bathroom (shared with two other double rooms).
There are numerous things that I think are seriously wrong with this as accommodation but I don't want to bore you with the greater details. Just know this: I can't recommend a stay there and I am baffled on why they have such good reviews on booking.com (If you need the tea, send me a message on my socials :D).
Silver lining: Breakfast in Grado (Day 2)
Colin and I were both dying to get out of this place the next day and we set off in the dark with our headlamps on. We had 6km to walk to Grado where we were planning on having breakfast.
We were blessed with a gorgeous sunrise and really easy walking all the way to Grado. For Breakfast we had our usual (when in Spain) Tostadas con Tomate, Coffee with steaming hot milk and freshly pressed orange juice. We also grabbed some lunch in one of Grado's supermarkets and headed off to tackle the remaining 24km of todays section. The walking was easy enough and as we meandered through woods and fields it really stood out to me that autumn was here. The trails were lined with mushrooms of all sorts and the swallows were gathering on the power lines. Autumn is my favourite season even though saying goodbye to summer is never easy. For Lunch we stopped at a bench that was clearly put there for hikers. The supermarket in Grado did not have a huge selection of sandwiches that were not loaded with meat. I am vegetarian, but when traveling I do eat fish and seafood to make things a little easier. The only option left was a sad looking tuna sandwich with limp looking ice berg lettuce on it. I surely didn't want to eat that, but I needed the calories.
When we were about 4km away from Salas, our destination for the day, the weather started to change. Thunder was rolling in the distance and the sun disappeared behind thick, dark clouds. Trying to avoid another soaking, we picked up the pace. There was no outrunning it. As the storm broke above us we hunkered down in a little scattering of trees, trying to wait the worst bit out. After waiting for 5 min and not a sign of it easing we decided to push on. We were drenched either way and it wouldn't get any better by standing there.
When we finally arrived in Salas the rain had stopped and we were delighted to see what a lovely town we were staying in for that night - as an extra treat Salas had a laundromat close to our hostel. We sat in the laundromat, waiting for our clothes to be done while doing our social media, afterwards we went to the supermarket and bought a ton of stuff to have a nice 'girl-dinner' in our room. Showered, fed and tucked into warm sheets with our clothes that were previously soaked from the storm now dry and clean in our bags we were ready for bed.
Hilly and muddy (Day 3)
Waking up in Salas felt like a treat. Both of us had a great sleep and we headed out for breakfast to one of the local cafes. After having our usual we stopped by the supermarket and sorted ourselves out for lunch - including protein shakes and snacks. Starting from Salas it is at first a gradual ascent that gets steeper the further on you go. Most of the first 14km of that section is uphill. The first bit of that day was going on small forest roads and it made for really enjoyable walking.
Before it was even lunchtime it started to rain on us, AGAIN! I did expect some rain on the Primitivo, but I certainly didn't expect it every single day!
The rain stayed with us on and of in form of little showers through most of the day. While the walking was easy enough the weather got colder and the wind picked up. I felt like I was back in Ireland with the moody sky and gusts of wind coming at me. The amount of cows in the fields didn't help to remind me that I was in fact in northern Spain. Due to the rain we had the two previous days the trail had turned into a mudslide in several different places and we were busy tip toeing around the puddles. Hilly and Muddy - that is how we summed up day 3 of our Camino hike.
When we arrived in Tineo we surprised ourselves with how fancy our hotel for the night was. Yes, we booked all of our rooms ourselves, but managed to somehow miss the bougieness of this one. With our muddy trail shoes and soggy rain jackets we felt a little out of place in the lobby but once we were in our room we were so excited! The bed was huge, with those soft stark white sheets only nice hotels have and in the stylish bathroom there was a big bathtub. I had a long soak in the tub before we headed out for dinner and it was pure bliss.
Usually the kitchen of a Spanish restaurant would close in the afternoon and not reopen till seven or eight pm in the evening. In a lot of the small towns along the Caminos the restaurants started to cater to the pilgrims and have a kitchen that doesn't close at all. We were able to have our big dinner at half four in the afternoon and were delighted with the portion size and the freshness of the food.
Look at these views! (Day 4)
Day 4 started as our first day without rain forecasted! We got up early had coffee and a nice breakfast, packed up and headed out. Pretty much instantly I could not stop looking at the views. Once you start climbing out of Tineo you can see layers and layers of rolling hills as far as your eye can see! While we were making our way up the incline we started chatting to another Pilgrim - Andres. Originally from Urugay he is calling Spain home for the last few years. We enjoyed the chats and the distraction from constant uphill. Andres was clearly a social butterfly who knew EVERY single pilgrim on the trail by name and was enjoying the social aspect of the Camino. I knew I had to pay a little more attention to the navigation on day 4 since this was the day where the Primitivo splits into two routes - the Hospitales route that will take you high up onto the mountains and the Pola route that will stay low, take you into Pola de Allande and then climb up to the same level as the hospitales one the following day. We had a booking for that night in Pola de Allande and had to stick to the lower route. The walking was still really beautiful and it was warm, but windy - we could only imagine how windy it must be all the way on top of the hills for the people who took the higher route.
We had lunch on a little bench just outside of Samblismo where the trail splits. It was a sunny afternoon and we had about 10km more to go.
Pola de Allande was a cute little town - a lot bigger than we expected and we were delighted to find that some of the cafes open at six am. Our next day would be our longest with 40km and the most elevation gain and loss of the whole Primitivo. We needed an early start to tackle this.
As you can see you can't see anything! (Day 5)
The next morning we went out to get breakfast at 6:15am and to our surprise we, the pilgrims, were not the target group for these early opening hours. Slowly but surely the place filled up with around 40 people dressed in all shades of orange and camouflage clothing - hunters. The local hunting club was meeting here for a briefing as that day was the last Sunday in August and therefore the first day of the season.
After leaving Pola de Allande we were mainly on beautiful forest path and the first 8km of today were all uphill, getting steeper and steeper the further we went along. We could hear the hounds barking excitedly in the distance which was conformation for us that the hunters we met earlier were not far. We made our way from 540m all the way up to 1160m. In places it was a slow slog, since it was pretty steep going up. On the last 2km of our ascend fog started to roll in and we had to get the rain jackets out for warmth. The wind was blowing aggressively and once we reached the top the views were - well they were not there. We couldn't see anything at all, bar a small little food truck with it's lights on luring us in from the fog.
Thankfully the truck itself blocked the wind and we had a pincho de tortilla, coffees and some chocolate. On long hiking days you get the calories wherever you can!
Our descent was slow going since the first bit was quiet steep and scattered with loose rocks. This was one of the only times on the Primitvo where I really wished I had my tracking poles. I didn't dare to bring them since I was worried I wouldn't get them past the security check in the airport.
The further we got down the more the clouds started to clear and we finally got some nice views. It was stunning to say the least. The heather and gorse growing along the path reminded me again of back home in Ireland. We made it past several little stone chapels that were build high up in the hills and continued descending down.
When we arrived in Berducedo we were hoping to have a little lunch stop there but to our disappointment all the places that offered food or even just coffee were still closed since it was only around 12 o'clock and a Sunday. Instead of having the lavish sit down lunch we were imagining the whole morning we sat down on a little stone wall and ate bread rolls and cheese and some snacks from our backpacks.
The next potential food stop was in La Mesa - about 5km from Berducedo. All of those 5km are on a little windy road with great views. This makes for really easy walking and we were in La Mesa before we knew it.
Sadly they didn't offer any small lunch their either. A full on three course meal was the only option. We opted for two cokes and croissants instead, since we had another 15km and a lot of elevation gain to go after this. The climb out of La Mesa was short but very steep. Since we had already walked 25km at this stage we really felt that and Colin kept on saying how this was the toughest climb of the whole Primitivo so far (tired legs and minds). Once we made it up we were walking right past a bunch of huge windmills with cows grazing at their base. Once we turned of the road we had been on it wasn't long till we got our first glimpse of what is the most spectacular view of the whole Trail. A deep blue river winding its way through the green hills. From above you can't see it at all but there is a hydro dam in the valley below which I am sure is the reason for the intense blue and still water of the Rio Navia.
Since we were doing 40km in one day we did not see any other pilgrims in the second half of the day. We had combined two stages into one and all other pilgrims in that section had already passed it. I am unsure if that is normal for this section but we had all the viewpoints completely to ourselves. It was roasting hot that afternoon and there was not a breeze in the valley. In addition to that there was not a single sound to be heard - no cars, no voices, nothing. It was complete and utter silence apart from the crunching of the gravel under our feet. As much as we enjoyed the views, the silence and the solitude we were tired and worn out from our long day of walking.
I checked the map and saw that it would be an 8km descent down into the valley to a restaurant. This was our main motivator to keep moving efficiently. We knew that we missed lunch time and that the kitchen most likely closed, but we hoped for some cold sodas and a couple of ice creams to help us tackle the last few km of that day. I am not exaggerating if I am saying that these 8km were the longest one's known to mankind. As the views disappeared behind trees and brush the further we descended there was nothing to distract us from the walking.
Thankfully Colin did a lot of research before we went on this trail and he knew to look out for the very unassuming looking entrance to a stunning viewpoint. Don't miss this viewpoint if you are doing this trail. it allows you to enter through a tunnel onto a platform that let's you look all the way down into the valley and displays the magnitude and size of this hydro dam. After that we had only a couple of km left to reach the restaurant where we got our ice creams and a break eventually. At this point we were both tired and looking forward to finish. The last 5km were all on road. A very windy and narrow road that had cars zoom past us frequently. This made us walk fast out of shear fear of getting hit.
Once in Grandas de Salime we were delighted to discover, that right across from our hotel was a laundromat. Clean clothes for the win! Our usual evening routine of shower, going out for food, and then getting our social media posts ready kicked in after the laundry was done. We were delighted with how well we both held up during this monster of a hiking day and settled in way too late at night for our well deserved sleep.
A bit over it (Day 6)
On the Morning of Day 6 we took it a little easier - we needed some extra sleep and a bit more time to get ready and packed up in the morning. The legs were a little heavy but overall we both felt great considering we just did 40km the day before.
We only had 26km to go to A Fonsagrada. I was grateful for the short day, since I was blessed with my period that morning and between cramps and headaches hiking in the heat is not the best idea.
One of the most exciting things of this stretch of trail was us crossing over from the province of Asturias into Galicia. The Trail markers changed instantly and they now showed the distance remaining till Santiago on them.
It didn't help that the first 13km were mainly uphill and that the views were not half as great as they had been the previous two days. On top of that dealing with my period and the tiredness setting in from our big day before I was honestly a little over it. I just wanted to get into our hotel, take a shower and relax.
When we finally did arrive in A Fonsagrada we were quiet out of breath - sneakily enough there is one last short but very steep hill to get your ass up. Once we did our little routine settling into the room, showering, etc we set out to find a place to eat. We ended up in the restaurant Pra2 and this was by far the best food we had on the whole Primitivo, This really made up for the day we had. Order the Tomato salad and the Lagostinos a la palncha!
Two spicy climbs (Day 7)
We had another early start in the dark as we had about 33km that day and we wanted to finish early.It was gloomy with mist lingering in the trees. We met a good few people this morning but weren't really chatting to anyone. I reminded myself that I had to enjoy Colin's company as long as I had it. The following day would be his last one and while I would continue on to Santiago he would be on a flight back home.
Once it got bright and we were on top of our first climb of the day you could see how low the clouds were hanging in the valley. It was a really beautiful morning. About 12km into our hike we hit a café and we treated ourselves to hot coffees and a brownie. With another 21km to go we didn't stop for too long.
Every morning at breakfast I would study the map for potential break stops like Cafes or restaurants but I would also have a look at the elevation profile. Day no. 7 didn't look too bad apart from two hills. They were short inclines but super steep and were in short succession of each other.
After the first 'spicy' climb I was already drenched in sweat. Thankfully it wasn't too hot that day but I was still sweating like crazy. The second one followed shortly after and wasn't any easier than the first. After these two we had already 19km done for that day. We descendet into O Cadavo and stopped there for lunch. The food wasn't amazing but the drinks were cold and we really needed some calories. We made quick work of the 8km that we had left for the day and we were really looking forward to our nice accommodation with a little balcony that we had booked for the night.
This really joked on us - once we arrived we found that instead of the nice room with the balcony we were put in a little basement room with no windows. When we pointed that out to our host he claimed that there was no running water in the other room which turned out to be a complete lie since we met the bunch of workers that was staying in those rooms later that day. The joys of traveling, I guess.
We made the best out of the situation and after we went to the supermarket and got supplies we sat outside with two little folding chairs, having a picnic in front of the house.
Colin's last day (Day8)
22km until we would reach Lugo - only 22km left with Colin.
While I would continue on to Santiago Colin was staying back in Lugo, catching a bus to the airport and flying back home. I am used to traveling and backpacking on my own but once you start a trail with someone it is really hard to say goodbye and not finish with this person.
The walking was easy that day and the morning was cool and foggy. When you start getting closer to bigger cities on any hike the rugged trails start to disappear, the roads start to get wider and busier. I can't say I particularly enjoyed this day of walking. I was in a mood. Equally tired and bored by the terrain and upset by the prospect of Colin leaving.
We passed another hiker once we were only 8km in. Colin instantly recognised him from the day before. We had passed him just after the second spicy climb. 'I think he needs a little cheering up. Let's hang back and walk with him a bit.' Good guy Colin is excellent at spotting people who can do with a friendly chat. That's what we did and looking back I am delighted. This is how we met Jon from Guam, who I now call a friend. Have you ever heard of Guam? No? I hadn't either. Look it up! As we walked along he explained to us how it was US territory and where it was located.
Once we reached Lugo we came past a marker - only 100km left to walk, no kilometres left for Colin to walk. Lugo is a stunning City. We were lucky enough that our hotel room was on the 6th floor and we had a great view over the city.
By the time we headed out to explore the old town and the famous roman city walls it was already afternoon. The Fog had well burned away and the sun was beating down on us. This was the first time on this trail that the sun was too hot to stay in even for minutes.
I checked the weather forecast for the following day and saw that I was in for a treat - a warning for heat was issued with temperatures reaching 36°C before 2pm. This struck me as a 'tomorrow-me' problem and we strolled around Lugo.
We had a beer in the shade and headed for a nice dinner. After that it was time to go to the supermarket to stock up on my supplies for the next stage of walking - lunch, snacks and some fruit to keep the engine running and the legs going!
It's just us girls now (Day 9)
While I would have loved to have a lie in with Colin and leave when he catches his bus at 11am it was not an option for me. Because of the heat that would set in once 12pm hit I was planning on getting most of my walking done before that. I had 28km that day to Ferreira.
We got up and found a Café that was open at 7am. After coffee, croissants and orange juice Colin walked me to the start for todays hike. Saying goodbye was hard and I had a little cry to myself once I was around the first bend. Then I put on my 'big-girl-pants' and set out to conquer the rest of the Primitivo solo.
Straight after leaving Lugo the trail got really busy. I must have overtaken about 50 other pilgrims just in the first 14km. The walking was really easy since it was mostly flat and the underfoot conditions were great. Two and a half hours is all it took me to cover the first 14km. I was looking forward to a coffee and a little break and had just studied my map for the next stop when I saw two women up ahead.
When I caught up to them we ended up having a lovely chat. They were a mother and daughter duo, Jenny and Grace from the US. All three of us shared a serious need for some caffeine and I told them that the next Café shouldn't be too far.
I went ahead on my own and reached the Café about 15min later. I ordered a steaming hot coffee and a cold sparkling water and sat outside. The place was packed with pilgrims, all sitting in their little groups and enjoying a break. While it has never bothered me to be the only one solo in groups of people it was a very nice surprise when Jon showed up on my table. Shortly After Jenny and Grace joined as well and we all had great chats together.
The rest of the day went by quickly and I was delighted to reach my little hotel just in time before the worst of the heat started.
Buckle up for another scorcher (Day 10)
Even though it was only 20km to Melide I decided to leave as early as possible, again. The heat would be with me for another day and by 2pm it would be too hot to walk once more.
I sat out during dawn and walked along the small quiet country road. Walking past the markers I realised I only had about 70km in total left of the whole Camino Primitivo. Realising a long-distance hike is coming to an end is always bitter sweet. As I walked I kept on thinking how grateful I was to be able to take 12 days off work and just walk a trail. I will never forget what a privilege it is to be able to do these things.
Later when I stopped for coffee and some Tortilla Jon caught up to me and sat down. We took a break together and then walked the remaining few kilometres together to Melide. We chatted and shared what our lives back at home were like.
It blows my mind that I can set out to walk a trail somewhere in northern Spain and end up walking with someone from a country I never heard of before who lives a wildly different life to mine with their own worries and joys. Those encounters are the reason why traveling is so important - it makes you realise how alike we all are even though our lives look different.
Jon and I parted ways once we reached Melide and I went to my hotel to check in. I was lucky enough to have a room at the very end of the hallway tucked away in a quiet corner. After showering I decided to head out and go to the supermarket. I was craving some fresh fruit and wanted to get my lunch for the following day sorted.
As I was walking back to my hotel I ran into Jenny and Grace who were going out for some food. I decided to join them. The restaurant was packed and very loud. This was clearly the place where all the pilgrims gathered.
Once back in my room I was delighted with a bit of quiet. I do get overstimulated quiet easily. Snuggled in my bed, eating half a kilo of freshly cut pineapple after I just had popped the blisters on my feet I had time to decompress and to get mentally ready for another day of walking. Looking at the distance that remained till Santiago I realised that there was not much left at all - Only 54km to go.
The crowds have arrived! (Day 11)
My Alarm went off at 5:30am on the morning of day 11. I had a protein shake and, some fruit and a bar while I packed my bag and by 6:15 I was already out walking.
It was hot. The air hung heavy in the dark oak forest. As I walked through the darkest stretches it was pitch black, my head lamp being the only beam of light. To my left and right I heard little critters rustling in the leaves and I freaked myself out by thinking a little too much about how dark it was.
If that ever happens to you, while you are hiking on your own, then put on a bit of Cardi B on your phone speaker - ghosts and murderers in the woods are known to be afraid of her songs.
As it slowly got brighter the sky turned pink and the light turned golden. I was glad to see the sun rise.
After 14km I had my breakfast stop of the day in Arzúa. This town was the first taste I got of the real touristy side of the Camino. We were merged with the Frances and at every corner they were offering wax seal stamps for a fee or were selling little trinkets.
I found a quiet little bar at the beginning of town, run by an older Lady and ordered myself a huge breakfast with the few words of Spanish I had. I sat at a table, watching Netflix with my headphones in and ate every last crumb of it! I knew I needed the energy for the remaining 20km.
Looking back I am so glad I stopped when I did. I was not ready for the amount of people I would encounter after Arzúa. Hundreds of pilgrims were on this path. Hundreds!
I hardly filmed during the day or took any pictures because all I saw all day were the backs of people's heads or their huge backpacks. I just made my way through the crowds as quickly as I could and only stopped to have a quick chat with Jon, who was taking a break and sitting on a bench on the side of the trail.
Eating an Ice cream while walking was one of my only treats that day. I chose to not stop again. Not only was it sweltering hot, it was packed and loud. As I was already overstimulated to the max someone started to play the bag pipes somewhere. Help me!
When I arrived in O Pedrouzo I went straight to my room and had a cold shower. I did not go out for dinner that night - the amount of people in this small town was just daunting. Instead I went to the supermarket and bought the equivalent of a one week shop for a family of three. I spend the evening in bed, devouring most of the food I bought, leaving just enough for breakfast the following morning.
The End (Day 12)
Another early start, another walk in the dark to kick off day 12 - my final day on the Primitivo. This time around the darkness was filled with chatter and the beams of many headlamps. Even though it was 6:30am the crowds were already out.
It is a funny feeling to finish any long distance trail. On one hand - you are so ready to finish this and get back to your life. On the other hand - you are heartbroken that it has to end and you won't be walking the next day, or the day after that or the one after.
I was ready to get away from the crowds of people. To walk in one big congo line with hundreds of people, lots of them not sticking to leave no trace principals and being loud even at 6am is not my favourite thing. I just kept walking and when it got too noisy I would put my headphones in and listened to music.
I passed Jon at some stage and we had a little chat. Both of us were excited to finish our adventure and I told him I'd wait for him at the Cathedral. I walked ahead and had a little coffee stop about 5km away from the finish line.
Jon and Thomas, a guy from Germany that I met a few times on the trail, had caught up to me after my coffee. Even though it would have been nice to walk into Santiago with them, I felt like I needed time for myself and my thoughts for the last bit.
Once I started walking again I took the last few kilometres to reflect back on my walk and to remind myself that this was a privilege. To take two weeks off work and have the money to walk a long trail is a huge privilege only few enjoy and I will never forget to be grateful for those experiences.
To my own surprise I was very emotional when I arrived at the Cathedral. This was by far not the hardest thing or hardest trail I had ever done. It was smooth sailing compared to what I usually set out to do and yet, I was so proud of myself. I reminded myself that walking 320km in general was not an easy thing to do.
I will never stop being proud of myself for the things I set out to do. No matter how hard or easy they feel.
