I wrote this yesterday: We set off this morning to put in about 10-12 kms only to find that after just 2 kms Annemarie's hip was flaring up. She told me to continue on and she headed home. While wondering where I was going to walk I pulled out the ear buds that I'd slipped into my pocket and pulled out my phone to access some music. With a steady supply of music keeping me company I began to consider the possibilities. It didn't take me long to decide as only one route really came to mind. A walk I'd been wanting to do for quite a while, but as its distance was well beyond the scope of our virtual camino I'd never really considered it. I decided that I'd give it a go and if need be it would be a fairly simple matter to cut the walk short. The initial piece of the walk decided I picked up my pace and settled in.
I started off by walking the long way around to Mount Doug, and on arriving decided that given it was Saturday the main trails would be busy. I elected to walk one of the few remaining trails left open to me, one that I'd not walked before. It turned out to be a good choice. I didn't meet another person, and while muddy in places, the trail was generally in very good shape.
Though I'd already decided to test myself today with a through walk, I did stop for some photos!
Thinking it was going to be a short walk, I left home with my near end of life Solomons, no shoe inserts/orthotics, no Vaseline on my feet and with super light weight socks. I thought about this as I went and decided that with all the walking we'd completed since April 11th plus the many kilometres we'd walked before the pandemic stuff that my feet, knees and hips should be up to the challenge. Certainly my head was there. At this point I was thinking about walking around 20 kms.
It was really nice in amongst the trees this morning.
The stands of trees were a delight to behold.
I came around a corner and found a clearing surrounded with blackberry bushes and in the middle a field of beautiful wild daisies. I wondered what had been situated in the clearing years ago. Perhaps a small building or maybe just a clearing to keep some animals close to home? I decided horses would be nice here.
The storms last winter or this spring? We've had so many this year.
I left Mount Doug and transited around the north side along the road, crossing the Blenkinsop valley along Royal Oak Road before turning south onto the Lochside Trail. I found these growing wild alongside the trail.
It looks quiet, but don't be fooled. It's Saturday and busy with casual cyclists, Tour de France wannabes and a very few other walkers. Contrary to most other walkers on this trail I always walk on the left side of the trail so I can see the riders coming. Most riders are pretty reasonable, but generally they aren't walkers so they don't appreciate what it's like to be walking quietly when a bike races up from behind, doesn't ring a bell (because usually they don't have one) and fly past. It can be a pretty disappointing experience for the walker. I ride as well, but being a walker I have a cool Dutch bell on my bike, and I use it. The walkers usually wave at me as I pass. They know that I understand.
The Lochside was really nice and the sun that had been missing all morning finally started to make itself known.
More daisies as I passed a farm. These small delights available to the slow traveller.
I looked for water fowl as I crossed the trestle, but surprisingly there wasn't much to be seen. Perhaps snoozing along the shore behind the lilies? There were two beautiful heron in flight, but too far away to capture with my camera.
After leaving the Lochside Trail I met a young woman walking a beautiful Saint Bernard. I stopped her and explained that just about now I was supposed to have been almost half way between Canterbury and Rome and climbing the Grand St. Bernard Pass between Switzerland and Italy. She replied that she understood this was the area where the Saint Bernards were thought to have originated from. Exactly! I asked if I could take a photo of her dog for my blog post and she was most accommodating. Thanking both of them, I continued on feeling like this had been the perfect moment!
Deciding that I was feeling pretty good I figured that 20 kms wouldn't be any problem today. I continued on until I reached that distance and having already determined that I was still feeling good I decided that another 5 would be manageable. Besides, I had wandered further afield and I was nowhere near home. At some point I decided that if I headed out towards 10 Mile Point and from there climbed up to Cedar Hill X Rd that I might just reach 30 kms today. So I did. I mean, what's a camino without a long stage? It was so nice out, the music was good and I was feeling it. I'd found that place where walking was almost effortless, my happy place.
That said, as I sit here showered, watered and fed I'm noticing a bit of tightening: ) If I'm going to sit here writing I'll have to get up and walk around from time to time!
Santiago. A wonderful place to visit. I've had the privilege to walk into Santiago 5 times from 3 different directions (walked out once) and I have come to know the city reasonably well. Arriving there in October 2013 was special because it was the first time and it was with Annemarie. We met so many wonderful people, many of whom we are still in close contact with and the experiences we shared were unusually special. The fact that a group from the 2013 Camino have happily gathered to share this virtual camino attests to the close relationships we've formed. It was special indeed.
When I walked in on a hot sunny day at the end of June 2014 coming off the Plata it was perhaps my most rewarding arrival.
Having walked solo all the way from Seville without rain had been a wonderful experience! I've often thought that because it was such a rich camino that I'd probably not be able to walk that way again as it would be almost impossible to make it any better. Six years later there are considerably more people walking the route, more infrastructure and I doubt that the genuine interactions I had with the locals living along the route and the peregrinos I met could be duplicated. I'm still regularly corresponding with a group of friends from that camino experience. However, I suppose that if one of my close friends asked me to walk with them along the Plata I probably wouldn't say 'no'. It would just be a different experience. I guess, subject of course to Annmarie's approval, I'd have to seriously consider it: )
Of course the first place most people want to visit is the pilgrim office to get their compostela. This was taken at the old pilgrim office. I don't have any photos of the new office, probably because photos aren't allowed. These are discarded natural walking sticks.
The completed credential;
Compostela;
Written today: Then most folks want to visit the cathedral. It's a pretty good place to check out. Not as spectacular as many other cathedrals in Europe and perhaps not as good as the cathedral in Leon, but good nonetheless.
2013 before the restoration work really began;
This was taken in 2016 when Rob and I finished the Invierno. Scaffolding on and the left spire was completed.
I took these next few photos when I arrived in 2018. The exterior of the cathedral was back to its original self after an extensive restoration and cleaning.
The Praza looking one way...
...and back the other towards the centre of old town.
Inside, the centre core is awash in gold. Very recently the interior has been covered in scaffolding as preparations are made for another Holy Year in 2021.
Apparently the final resting place of St. James.
Hugging St James is also a tradition.
The entrance at Porto Gloria with the famous pillar.
At the bottom where pilgrim's have placed their hand for hundreds of years as they entered through the main entrance, though sadly no longer permitted.
Looking across the Praza from the roof line. Parador to the right. Not stayed there.
If you're fortunate, the botafumeiro full of incense is lit then hoisted by a group of eight clergy and swung back and forth almost to the ceiling. It's one of those special moments. It's said that this practice originally began in medieval times to counteract the dreadful smell from the gathered pilgrims who likely hadn't bathed since departing their homes many months previously. I have an excellent video, but sadly it's too large a file to download onto this platform and I don't have the time or knowledge (yet) to crop the video.
After the Cathedral visit it's usually lunch time, and there is no better place than...
It's a simple place, but the food is excellent and the prices very affordable for the pilgrims. I was introduced to it in 2014 and I've eaten there every other visit since.
A favourite memory there.
After a very filling lunch the old town centre is a good place to walk it off.
Perhaps a short siesta and then it's up and away to see Santiago in the early evening.
If you're there in the warmer season you'll hear some traditional music played on the Praza across from the cathedral.
And then it's probably time to find a suitable place for dinner. In 2013 we went out with a group of about 20 pilgrims for dinner, but ended up splitting away as had been our original intent so that we could enjoy a final evening together.
Every other time I've visited Santiago this was my go to place.
The town is lit up at night.
Ok. Enough of Santiago. We are off for a few days of camping with hopefully some long day hikes. I'll resume our virtual camino in a few days. Neil and Sarah are also away for a few days this week, so Ken is holding down the fort.
Buen Camino!
Buen Camino!
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