Arrived in Canterbury

Arrived in Canterbury - on to Rome?

We arrived in Canterbury this morning in time for the 11 Eucharist after which we were met by Canon Clare for a special blessing - I'd asked the visits office by email before we set off as to whether Pilgrims needed to pay to enter the Cathedral and was told that they did not and was asked if we'd like a blessing on our arrival. From the Canon we also received our via Francigena credential and were pointed to this Way's starting point just outside the Cathedral so tomorrow we're setting off for Rome ..... or rather we'll walk the 20ish miles from Canterbury to Dover on the way to Rome, that Pilgrimage (of about 1200 miles) will have to wait for another time!

Comments

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

Search This Blog