First day walking Camino Frances 2022

Triacastela to Sarria

22.95km

There was quite a bit of snoring in the albergue but nothing too bad!

Breakfast was one of the breakfast bars we'd brought with us.

We set off on the Camino for the first time in three years!

After 2-3km we stopped at a little gallery run by the artist Arthur who did little watercolours in our Credentials and blessed us for our journey!

We took our break at a little donitivo café under an apse and had a banana each and then on our way into Sarria we stopped at a bakery and got some cakes.

The albergue we stayed at was a new one to us - the room we were in had two bunk beds but we were the only people in the room sop were both able to sleep on the bottom bunks.

I went for a walk and found the main 'Pilgrim drag' of Sarria to be very quiet which felt very strange. I found a posh ice cream shop down by the river and bought us both one which we ate outside the albergue and then got some food from the little supermarket near the albergue and cooked in the kitchen - microwave rice, tuna and tomato frito.

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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/

Pilgrim Prayer - Columba

Columba was an Irish monk (who founded several monasteries in Ireland) who sailed with 12 others to the island of Iona just off the west coast of Scotland. The Abbey he funded became one of the powerhouses of Mediaeval Christendom. He lived from 7th December 521 until 9th June 597. Alone with none but thee, my God, I journey on my way. What need I fear, when thou art near O king of night and day? More safe am I within thy hand Than if a host did round me stand. Be thou a bright flame before me, Be thou a guiding star above me, Be thou a smooth path below me, Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me, Today, tonight and forever.

On the Camino

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