Into the Misty Mountains : Oviedo to Grado

After a day off following our treks along the Camino Madrid and then the Camino San Salvador into Oviedo we set our sights toward Santiago via the Camino Primitivo.  

 

 

We began our first day of walking the Camino Primitivo with an absolutely delicious café con leche and croissant at Valentina's.  It was one of the only café/bars open at 7:00 am on the dark, misty morning.  As we sat there enjoying our breakfast the chef brought up from below a steady stream of mouth watering looking sandwiches and baked goods in preparation for the day.  It somehow felt wrong to leave behind the cozy warmth and comforting smell of fresh baked bread in the little cafe. 

 

We made our way back to the Cathedral at the centre of Oviedo, to the brass plaque that marked the official beginning of the Camino Primitivo.  From there the official Way made a confusing number of twists and turns through the streets of Oviedo, which were beginning to fill with morning commuters.  As in many of the older cities, there were no unsightly yellow arrows spray painted on the historic buildings, but instead more discrete brass shells embedded in the sidewalk.  I think there is something to be said for learning to concentrate amidst noisy chaos, but try as we might, we kept loosing the markers.  Essentially we ended up making our way freestyle to the large central park, only picking up the shell markers once we neared the edge of town.

As we walked through the busy streets we saw quite a few other pilgrims heading in the same general direction that we were.  It was obvious from the start that we are no longer 2 of 2 pilgrims in our group on the Camino Madrid, or 2 of 5 pilgrims in our cohort on the San Salvador, but we are now 2 of a great many.  Having enjoyed the solitude and camaraderie of the quieter routes, at first these crowds and pilgrim herds felt a little disconcerting. 

We skirted around a very artistic looking span bridge at the edge of Oviedo, and then began climbing on a paved road that almost instantly transported us into the countryside.  Soon we were walking narrow dirt lanes lined with thick hedges and low stone walls, beyond which lush green fields disappeared into the fog.  Lone trees stood sentinel on the slopes around us, and the sound of cowbells from invisible livestock echoed across the countryside.

We passed the tiny hamlet of San Lazaro de Pinceres, narrowly avoiding a car that entered the roadway at speed from a hidden laneway.  Small colourful homes emerged from the mist, many with gardens already in bloom and with orange trees bearing plump fruit.  We admired many interesting and slightly naughty looking potted cactuses outside homes, as well as the majestic looking palm trees that shaded some of the yards we passed. 

About an hour into our walk through the countryside we came to the simple, white Capilla del Carmen in the community of Lampaxuga. Although the door was locked we could see through a barred grill to the beautiful interior.  To our delight there was a sello tucked into a little wooden cupboard beside the door, giving us our first opportunity to get a stamp for our credentials since the cathedral. 

 

 

After pausing briefly at the chapel we continued on through the misty morning. I love foggy mornings, when shapes materialize slowly out of the mist, dew hangs heavy from the grasses and intensifies the colours, and snails and slugs are on the move.  I enjoy the quiet magic of these days, but they also always leave me wondering what views lay just out of sight. 

As we followed the winding country lanes we passed many pastures with horses, sheep, and cows.  Although we hadn't travelled very far from Oviedo, no sounds of civilization could be heard in the still morning air, only the sound of birdsong and our own footsteps.   

Soon we passed through the small community of Lloriana, where an appeal was being made to restore the Iglesia de Lloriana.  The white building with its tall bell tower still stood tall, but the roof had apparently collapsed and needed replacing.  The rest of the community was very well maintained and taken care of, and one outbuilding even featured a creative mural showing scenes of fields, beaches, and other local places of interest.

We climbed up the winding paved road to the hillside community of La Bolguina, where we were delighted to find an open café at the side of the road.  We stepped inside for a second café con leche and a small pastry.  The cozy stone interior was filled with 4 or 5 other pilgrims who were also having a second breakfast, and as we took our break we watched several large groups of hikers walk past outside.  We had reserved a spot to stay for tonight, so we weren't too concerned, just a little shell-shocked by the number of others walking this trail. 

We followed the road down to Puente de Gallegos, where we crossed the old stone pedestrian bridge over the Rio Nora. It had beautiful stone arches, and apparently was constructed sometime in the 13th century.  One end was adorned by a concrete modern art sculpture that remained a bit of a mystery. 

After passing another small group of homes in the town, we diverted off the paved road and onto a dirt track that took us off across the countryside.  We followed this path through lush forests, where the trail was bordered by tall ferns and thick wads of emerald green moss, while strings of English ivy hung thickly down from the trees above us. The trail steadily descended through oak forests and patches of Eucalyptus trees whose strong spicy scent filled the air.  

As we made the ascent up into the hillside town of Escamplero the sun was beginning to burn off the mist, and patches of blue sky began to appear overhead.  Suddenly we could see across the lush valleys, whose green fields and pastures were carefully divided by hedgerows and winding stone walls.  It was a steep climb up out of the river valley, and when we emerged onto the road we hoped we were in Valsera, at the top of the hill.  Apparently we still had a ways to go. 

We continued the steep climb up on a paved road, passing a nice looking Pension with a large outdoor patio as we went.  We resisted the temptation to stop once again, and continued on, soon arriving at another small, simple white chapel - this time the Capilla de Fatima.  Again we were able to get another stamp, stopping to speak with another young pilgrim as we did so, whose name we later learned was Ben. 

After winding through the affluent looking community of Valseras, we began to descend again, walking beside a tall, ivy covered wall.  As we continued into the fields below, following along beside a small, quiet river shaded by overhanging branches, we could see a line of pilgrims stretching out in front of us.  As yet we didn't know any of their names or stories, but it was clear we would share the coming journey with a group of fellow pilgrims.  These were thoughts that filled our minds as the trail led us past several orchards of apple trees, their white blossoms sprinkling the sun dappled trail like confetti, and their sweet smell filling the fresh country air. 

We slowly progressed through the warm afternoon, following various paths and tracks and crossing back and forth over the river several times.  Eventually we arrived back at the river, and walked a stretch of rather busy, winding highway.  Beside us tall cliffs of red and golden rock rose up high above our heads, while on the other side of the road the wide river flowered quietly by.  In the background forested hills and mountains receded into the distance. 

When we reached the town of El Paladun we had a wonderful surprise.  We stopped in at the Villa Palatina Snack Bar for a glass of Zumo (fresh squeezed orange juice), and a tortilla con patata.  We were served a delicious bocadillo with a tortilla that had onions, mushrooms, and cheese on it as well.  Sitting on the sunny outdoor patio, surrounded by other pilgrims, we would happily have stayed right there for the rest of the day.  We saw no need to leave that peaceful spot, or the delicious food behind. 

From El Paladun it was another 6 km or so to Grado, our destination for the night. It was mostly a pleasant walk along paved roads and country lanes, at times walking beside or crossing the river.  In Peñaflor we passed the train station, and many picturesque fieldstone and stucco homes, many with newly renovated or converted horreos. 

Once through Peñaflor we picked up a paved cycling trail which led us across the fields to Grado, which we could see in the distance. Locals were out jogging and walking on the path, joining the pilgrims filtering in to town. 

We made our way through a small and pleasant town to the Albergue La Quintana, which turned out to be very nice.  We had our showers, hung our laundry to dry, and sat in the large grassy courtyard out back with a cold drink.  It was nice to talk to a few of the pilgrims we'd been leap frogging with all day, slowly beginning to learn their names.  An American named Tom, a German named Mic, a British gentleman named Michael, and an Israeli lady by the name of Ronnie would be among the first we would chat with tonight. 

After our short break we walked back to town, exploring the main square which seemed to be lined with many bars, cafés, nice looking restaurants and shops, visiting the church (which was closed), and stopping by the supermercado for some dinner supplies, which we then returned with to the albergue to enjoy. While we were eating our dinner of salad, bread, cheese, tomatoes, and toastadas, we ran into Michael, Mick's friend from England whom we'd met in Oviedo whom we had heard stories about while on the Camino San Salvador.  He was headed to dinner in town, but it was lovely to catch up.  All in all it has been a beautiful first day on the Camino Primitivo. 

Distance: 25.7
Accommodations: Albergue La Quintana