The Confraternity of Saint James London

Me and Becky visited the Confraternity of Saint James in London recently - it's open every Thursday 11:00 -3:30 (although not over Easter) and is at the back of Christ Church on 27 Blackfriars Road, 300 yards south of Blackfriar's Bridge. The nearest Tube station is Southwark on the Jubilee line - you can find a map and more about their opening times on their website (www.csj.org.uk/ ).

Christ Church - to get to the Confraternity you want to face the Church from the road and go around the Right Hand side

The Confraternity's door - you ring the bell to the left (see below)

The bell - great sign!!

Me and Becky inside - we spent about an hour and a half talking to the volunteers here and a few others who had recently gone on Camino. It doesn't matter how often you tell other people about the Camino nothing beats being able to talk to people who have actually walked the Camino, we had a great time. Becky said that she felt weird posing for a Camino picture without a hat on and so was lent one!

Guide and other books that the Confraternity has available to buy

They also have a large library of books - only members of the Confraternity can borrow these

The Confraternity's secretary hard at work

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Route Napoleon closures: November-March

For anyone thinking of setting off on the Camino anytime soon just a reminder that the Navarrese Govenmnet closes the Route Napoleon over the Pyrenees from November 1st - March 31st each year (and longer if need be). Roncenvalles in the snow The official notification for this (from last year) is below.

The Camino Primitivo

The Camino Primitivo (or the Original Way) is reportedly the very first Camino Way to Santiago in the 9 th century when most of Spain was under the control of the Moors and it runs from near the city of Ovideo in Asturias as it starts in Villavicosa (which also lies on the Camino Norte so many people follow this Way from Basque city of San Sebastian (Donosti in Basque) or in from the French border at Irun ( this route then hugs the Bay of Biscay passing through Guernica, Bilbao, Santander, Llanes before going under the Picos de Europa and then heads along the coast to Ovideo) before branching off onto the Primitivo which goes across the mountains and through the city of Lugo before joining the Frances at Melide. The route is 320km long. Image taken from https://viaalpina2013.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/camino-del-norte-camino-primitivo/

Albergue - Arca

126 beds in large rooms but sectioned off into 6s - two bunks and two single beds. Lights above each beds and lockers (but no locks on them). Large kitchen - the best equipped in Galicia as far as I know. Showers are hot but open and mixed. A little tired in appearance but I do stay here every time I'm in Arca!

On the Camino

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