Additional notes to Spain page.
Introduction
Photographs are in Gallery1-Spain.
Food and Lodgings
The Camino has refuges all along it, for the pilgrims to stay in. Some of these were very basic, with only cold water available, others were quite comfortable with all mod cons. At the refuges we self catered as most refuges had kitchens, and sometimes we used them during the day for our lunch breaks. In one or two places they had disappeared but there were rooms available, in fondas or hostals. These varied from basic and comfortable, to very good. Being a pilgrim route, it is very popular so there are cafes in every town village or hamlet. In the country, shops are hard to find, as they have no shop frontage, and are simply a private home. If you watch you will see where the locals are going, or you can ask. Commercial accommodation generally you only get the room, as one is expected to go out for breakfast. At a cafe the menu usually shows only the main item, you have to ask for the various vegetables or extras that you require, separately. An exception is the Menu of the_ Day, which is complete, fixed, and usually three courses.
The Camino Terrain
The route involved crossing four mountain ranges. First the Pyrenees (as we started on the French side) with a sixteen mile climb. Then undulating for a bit, to climb the Montes de Oca. Later a long stretch of plains, which were over 2000 feet, but flat. Next over the Montes de Leon the highest point in our trip at 4930 feet, then more up and downs to the final mountain range with a 29 mile climb, to 4345 feet into Galacia. The downhills passed very quick. Most of the climbs were fairly steady without being too steep.The mountain areas were the most scenic with Galacia being outstanding. Being so high, for us anyway, was quite revealing, as in the UK there are not many roads over 1500 feet, and anything above 1000 feet is generally moorland. In Spain we found them farming at 4000 feet.
Other
El Camino de Santiago. The way to Santiago has existed since the tenth century and there are four traditional routes across France which join in Spain. In recent years the Camino has become more popular and Pilgrims arriving at the famous cathedral in Santiago de Compostela are awarded a certificate if they have travelled on foot, on horseback or by bicycle. The staff at the cathedral know true pilgrims when they see them. The following day we visited the cathedral where there was a service for the Pilgrims and the giant Botafumeiro was in action for us. An English man said that our names had been had been mentioned.
We met many other like minded people of various nationalities and one highlight was that having arrived at our destination, a few minutes later we were welcomed by a couple from the Netherlands, who had arrived the previous day, having walked the whole way from their home in northern Holland, a distance of around 1500 miles.
We joined the Confraternity of Saint James, a UK charity, which provided us with much information prior to our departure and we highly recommend them.