Camino Primitivo: the Present is a Gift

Today was difficult, but it was a comfortable sort of difficult, if that makes sense, after yesterday‘s sheer brutality.

This morning began with a fatiguing ascent out of town up a long ridge of stone. Francine referred to this as “walking up the dragon’s spine“.

Then we had a bit of easy roadwalking along a rural blacktop winding around deep cleft valleys filled with forest, farm, and pastures. Apparently the shortest distance between two points is around a valley full of cows.

Second breakfast at the 4km mark in the village of La Mesa. This was followed by more roadwalking, this time it was a tiring climb in increasing heat. 

Fortunately, there then began a long series of steep switchbacks down deep into a valley where they’ve dammed up a small river to create a beautiful and impressive reservoir. It looked so refreshing after the heat of the morning’s walk!

By the time we got down there, a storm front had moved in and it had started to rain. We booked it a kilometer past the dam and made it to a lovely café for lunch.

Five more kilometers to Grandes de Salime, and that’s a day. Up, up, up into the Alpine forest, mostly roadwalking but a lovely little forest trail at the end.

Though the storm front continued to look ominous, in the end it only produced a few short squalls. The humidity in its aftermath was stifling, though, and every article of clothing I was wearing was soaked through.

We had hoped to make it an additional 5 km to Castro, but our laundry situation that impossible. Everything went into the wash and especially the dryer, as hanging laundry on the line for the last few misty days had not gotten anything particularly dry. I am tired of being damp!

Spent some time visiting the local ethnigraphic museum. It was like the Asturian version of Colonial Williamsburg. Just amazing.

Tried to attend the scheduled Vigil Mass in the village church tonight, as Sunday Mass in the morning will prove challenging in terms of scheduling. Unfortunately, the Mass was canceled, apparently for lack of a priest. So I stayed and prayed most of a rosary with some lovely older women of the village, as well as a litany of litanies that I only sort of understood. They let me stay afterwards to take some photos of this beautiful, historic church.

As we were settling down for the night, the fire alarm went off in the albergue. We evacuated. Or, at least, some of us evacuated. We were outside for about 20 minutes before we were allowed back in. That’s a new one on me!

Date: 14 May 2022

Place: Grandas de Salime (Principality of Asturias, Spain)

Today started: Berducedo (Principality of Asturias, Spain)

Today’s Photos!