El Camino (Levante) just outside Sobreira to Oseira (16.4 km) - Sunday 29th September, 2019.  

It started bright and with the tea facility in Casa Mañoso it was very civilised.  M had brought me milk just in case and also yoghurt for my breakfast.  This was accompanied by blue berries which he rather ingeniously put in a plastic bottle to prevent squashing.

I set off from my start point at 08.30 in warm, mild weather and headed to bar "O Camino" at the bottom of Cea.  It was the most lovely and peaceful walk over an old Medieval bridge built in the 1300's and restored in the 1800's.  It still had the old paving on it.  I haded up into Cea and arrived much sooner than I had thought I would.  My toes were doing OK and the walking shoes helped.  There were just a little tender when going downhill on tar but all off road walking was fine.

Interesting array of knives, scythes and
saws!!

A light rain from low cloud set in but nothing required a coat.  I had a lovely cafe con leche again with M and then walked on past the Forno (the local word - also Portugese - for oven) where the pan de Cea would have been baked and on to the Campo De Fútbal, which is the way we had been directed on the previous day when chatting to a local.  He desperately wanted to practice his English and had been a medical chap after the war, spending some time in England and working at Papworth Hospital.  He said that there are two ways to the monastery, one by road and one past the football club.

I was so glad we found the old
road to the monastery

Most end up going by road (where we had seen most of the markings during our search for food and when discovering Bar Lua) and there is a much prettier route, and more direct, going up past the Campo.  We assumed that most of the road route was a cycle route, and we wondered if we too really had to go that way because we hadn't seen a single marker, yet we wanted to investigate what we had been told by the helpful local gentleman.  We saw the same chap actually a number of times over a couple of days in the area when we were back at bars or out for food - he seemed to be a regular fixture of one of the bars and the Plaza Mayor.

Old staddle stones from an area of
Hórreos

At this point in our exploration, we were passed by two peregrinos (later we learnt their names were Raphael and Ana) who asked which way to go... so I said to go down the road and turn right, the road route and where we had seen the markers.  They had come from the FC and looked lost - and with no arrows to be seen, we wondered if we were right in assuming the way was all by road and if the scenic route described to us might not be correct after all.  Having said that, it is the route in my Levante guide, but the gentleman had been clear that most people do not take it and it is often missed by pilgrims.  We decided to look around.

These "peto de animas" are wayside shrines that used to
contain figures for remembering souls - peculiar to the
Galician region.  

Peto de Animas passed on the way to the
Medieval bridge

The Peto de Animas are small sanctuaries located on roads, crossroads and churches in the autonomous community of Galicia, which are material representations of the cult of the dead and of devotion to souls.   The deep feeling of religiosity of many inhabitants Galicia has been inherited from its ancestors and embodied in multiple traditions spread throughout the Galicia.

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peto_de_ánimas

The route I would have
missed

I always dread having to walk on the road.  It is utterly soul destroying and I knew that if I had to take that route it would be tiring and long as the road routes inevitably are never as direct as walking on the Camino itself across country.  The gentleman in the village said that the route we should take is the old route to the monastery, so the original one that pilgrims would have taken, following a Medieval road.


We wandered around for some time, up and down and back and forth and finally I noticed a marker, quite a distance out from the town and past the Campo do Fútbal.  M had gone in a different direction and I now felt terrible when I realised I had sent the other two pilgrims off on the road route.  M and I were due to walk together but I asked him if he could drive to the others and maybe use Google Translate to explain.  Also, to offer them a lift back to this much prettier route.  Amazingly and wonderfully he did and although they had already gone quite far, he managed to have quite a good chat and they were very grateful (and touched) but also gracious and said it was totally fine, they did not mind the road.

Panorama of the ancient way to the monastery - through the woods, peaceful and simply amazing with only birdsong
to be heard... notice the arrow (centre)

Medieval road to the monastery - with walled roadside

The way was now very uneven in places and had many old medieval slabs still marking the road.  As with other medieval sections I had passed along, there were also tall roadside curb stones/roadside vertical stones that marked out the course of the road.  I don't think we realise in our modern countryside the amount of work that went into the medieval road and how much they were "built".  We have visions of mostly muddy tracks only, but there were often great slabs paving the way - I'm guessing on their version of super highways!

What I found equally fascinating part way along were the ruts worn into the slabs and still there for all to see!  Wow, the number of carts and wheeled vehicles that must have passed this way over the centuries in order to carve their mark on these solid slabs.  I recognised them as I had seen them before - in the museum in Toledo and in photographs of the old wagon trains in the West on their journey along the Oregon Trail.  Thousands of people making the journey each year left their mark on the landscape, including wheel ruts in solid rock.  For a fascinating account of that journey and a re-enactment of it, read "Wagon Wheels - A Contemporary Journey on the Oregon Trail" by Candy Moulton & Ben Kern (1996)

The wagon ruts on left and right of
the slab

The Medieval road where I found many wheel ruts

As usual when I am walking a Medieval road I feel an excitement as though touching history, there is a different energy.  As with many of these roads, it was probably abandoned at the the time of the Black Death.  After that time, the Camino suffered and fewer people walked it - until recent times.  Writing this at the time of Covid19, it is possible to understand how this happened, because even though we are not facing a Black Death, roads are quieter and villages feel eerily quiet.  Things are strange and people are suspicious of each other.  Imagine how this would have been in the 14th Century when people had even less understanding of how these things occurred or spread.  Of course, the Camino is again being effected and I can't imagine what it must have felt like to have been part way to Santiago and to find accommodations closing and the need to try and get home - maybe even to another country, on often little or no great budget!

The walled medieval road - in amazing condition

Beautiful - and flowering among the rocks
along the way.  I think I was the only pilgrim
to take this route, I met no others

In some parts, the full width of the road remained and the walled curbs and guiding stones lining the roadway were in remarkable condition.  There were also the most amazing purple flowers coming up among the rocks and a large cairn built near where the old road emerged onto the modern one which then went downhill to the monastery.

The downhill stretch seemed to go on forever.  I could hear the monastery bells at times and knew it lay below me.  However, I was not prepared for how impressive it actually was.  As I came around the last bend the walls towered imposingly above me!  I could just imagine how daunting this would have been to the Medieval pilgrim.  It is not surprising that the uneducated where in awe of God and those that could read and who held religious power and it was not hard to see how those that had the power could wield it.

The imposing walls of the monastery as you come around
the last bend... the photo does not really do it justice

On the road into Oseira

Love this - I have been so lucky to find Fly Agarics - sent
this to Uz... (private joke)

The photographs do not really do it justice and none of my pictures of the imposing outer walls looked as
magnificent or awe inspiring as it felt to stand beneath them.

The two pilgrims I had unintentionally diverted had come this way by road and were now sitting in the cafe bar outside the gates.  We found them as although we had sat outside for a very welcome cañon (small beer) it started to rain and we took shelter in the bar.  Sadly it was only doing simple food, so we were going to be out of luck having dinner that evening - and the vending machine inside the dormitory wasn't offering anything very inspiring!  Apparently the lady who usually runs the bar was away, we think in hospital, and so we decided to go back to Bar Lua again.  We chatted to our two new friends, in bits of English and Spanish, and offered them a lift to the bar that evening.  It is always harder to understand another language when there is so much noise, but we managed - the bar was ringing with joviality and "bon homie"!

One such group filled with camaraderie was made up of 3 friends, one in particular wearing the typical pilgrim's garb - hat, cape and carrying the gourd on a stick.  All had had heart operations and since recovering do the Camino each year.  The main chap walks it and the others drive along as his support crew - a bit like M does with me.  They also carry his stuff so he walks unencumbered and they carried with them their diary of all the times they had walked it and recording every detail.  We found out more about this because Raphael was a heart surgeon and he was particularly proud of them and congratulated them.  As they went on their way they shook everyone's hand and kissed everyone all around wishing Buen Camino!

"In existence since 1137, it became a monastery of the Cistercian order in 1141, an order of French monks sent by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. The monks left in 1835 forced to leave by the government policies, abandoning it. They returned in 1929, this time being a community of Cistercians of the Strict Reform - commonly called Trappists. The monastery is popular stopping point on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella." - Wikipedia

Apparently the monastery was a favourite stopping point for Graham Green and his Galician priest companion!

https://www.myguidegalicia.com/things-to-do/oseira-monastery

My mother said she didn't realise
that we had to actually become
monks in order to stay at the
monastery

My bed for the night

The couple we met were going on a tour at 15.30 and asked us if we'd like to go.  I would have loved to but was so tired, I didn't think my brain would be up to the tour in Spanish!  They later told us the it was amazing and the monastery beautiful inside.  Maybe another time... we can drive out just to be tourists!  The accommodation was a dormitory of 30 beds and two showers and a couple of loos.  It was mixed and each bed had power points, mini table and light next to it.  It was FREEZING!  My sleeping bag came out and I piled up blankets but still needed to sleep in my thermals, socks and snood AND with the sleeping bag hood up.  Of course, I needed my flip flops and had left them in the car rucksack!  Most days I didn't need them so had decided not to carry them in my main back pack each day.  I managed, hopping out of the shower and onto my towel.  In the end there were around 6 or 7 of us staying, including two gentlemen who had met on the walk and seemed to be now traveling together - one I think from Brazil.  Everyone was friendly and at 17.00 the pilgrim office at the entrance of the dorm opened to stamp passports and take money.

The guidebooks and websites all say that in the last 100km pilgrims should have their passports stamped both on arrival and departure - however, this is almost impossible for two reasons.  Firstly, many do not open in the morning before most pilgrims are up, out and on their way!  Secondly, not all are manned twice a day.  In some places, when we were due to leave early the volunteers actually stamped the passports twice when we arrived and just timed and dated them appropriately - hmmm, not quite sure that's the point, but very good of them.  Anyway, I did fret about this somewhat and what it might mean on arrival in Santiago at the Pilgrim's office but I told myself that surely they realised that many would leave before first light and that I had both my diary, photos and passport to prove that I had actually walked from Valencia and not just the last 100km.    

We had a fabulous evening discussing our relative health care systems and current state of European affairs and Brexit with our two friends.  It was so pleasant and just what the Camino is all about.  They have walked it many times and so they also explained why it wasn't a problem for them to do the road route.  They were going to be staying at the same albergue as me on the next part of the route too.  They too commented on how delicious the home grown tomatoes were and tonight I had the Merluza and sopa y fideos to go with it.  Simply superb and such a lovely host.

O Camino where M and I met in the morning
when I set off from near Sobreira and on
my way back into Cea on foot

A few pictures from the walk, including options for accommodation to others of you undertaking your Camino along this route.

And Finally... Ourense to Santiago!  My last 114.9km 

These boots were made for walking...

Well, here it is!  I can't believe after all these years and many journeys along different sections of the Camino, I am now on the final leg of this momentous journey.  I am both excited and sad to think it will soon be over, but on the whole, there is more excitement and a real sense of achievement.  I know that I will certainly plan another and my complete joy of long distance walks as well as pilgrimage has been inspired by my Levante experience.

Think I will be over my weight limit
if I include this one!  

After last year's disastrous start, where planes were late, we missed connections and ended up with only a few hours sleep before the first day walking, we decided that we would build in a day of resting and relaxing.  This would allow an extra day to arrive and relax a bit should something put a spanner in the works - but as it happened, all went well and we were able to have the most amazing, relaxing day back at the hot springs.  The one we visited last year seemed to be closed for refurbishment but we found another, Termas Outariz, which were even better!  Very Japanese Zen themed with lovely pools and jacuzzi type water jets... cold plunges and caves.

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=https://www.termasourense.com/termas-outariz&prev=search

Ready to go!  My new shell and patch added

Arrival at Santiago airport - no other
sign needed!

I would thoroughly recommend visiting a hot spring in Ourense.  They are such good value for money and you can hire towels, flip flops and so on there.  We had a lovely little bite to eat afterwards overlooking the river with an ice cold beer and although our lovely rabbit asado takeaway was no longer in business in Allariz, we still had delicious food at our favourite restaurant in the area at the pulpería - Orixe.  I had Michael booked into the Eurostars Ourense for 4 nights (where we stayed before with amazing staff and comfortable rooms) and I was staying for 2 nights (day of arrival and the day off) before heading out to Sobriera.

At pulpería Orixe

We also decided to use our day off to stock up on some of our favourite Spanish goodies!  These are not just foodstuffs either.  One product is the "quitasgrasas" from Mercadona, their own brand of cleaning surfactant which is the best I have every used and smells divine.  I got three of these (we travelled with an empty hand luggage bag so that on our return we can put the goodies in the hold and laundry in the overhead locker)... and we bought various snacks for the coming days.  One has to have nibbles when walking the Camino - it gives one an appetite.

On our way to the termas

Mercadona again comes up trumps on the nibbles front - my favourite "muy crujientes" nuts and seeds in sweet and sour flavours and which had had a name change (around 8 packets at least!)... Ines Rosales aniseed flavour (crispy sweet tortillas), some dark chocolate mini type of toblerone sweets, but not sweet and not toblerone and something new... Spirulina and chia biscuits!  Wow, who'd have thought it?  I can't wait to go back and get more of these when we walk in Spain again!

Waiting at a coffee shop for a different
asador to get our dinner ready to take away

The beginning - of the end...

El Camino (Levante) Ourense to Sobreira (14.6 km) - Saturday 28th September, 2019.  
I left in the dark, I always forget that we are still an hour behind in the UK so 07.00 is dark there but 08.00 is dark here in Spain!  I had located our start arrow after the Roman Bridge during our day off.  Right at a petrol station and at the next shell be sure to make the right fork!!  I didn't.

I love this sign - it indicates
just how steep it is.  I sent it
to my friend Jayne

After roaming around and wandering about, up and down the road, feeling frustrated at not even being able to find the way only 2 minutes after starting, I eventually located the right way.  These things happen on the Camino and one expects it, but going wrong immediately at the start on the first day isn't funny.  You want to get going, you want to feel like you are on the way again!  I know one shouldn't feel it is a waste of time, but on this morning I felt like it was.

The steep climb - although
the photo doesn't quite do
it justice

The forked right hand road goes down a little and then up, up and more up.  This is a very, very steep climb!  Gosh, that's a start for a first day and without a huge amount of preparation - coming from Norfolk which is mostly flat!  I knew it was going to be a steep climb out of Ourense because I had not only done a lot of "down" at the end of my last section of the Camino, but the river Miño runs through the centre of the city.  On my last trip I had also faced a very, very steep climb, but that had been at the end of the day and after only a few hours of sleep.  I stopped to catch my breath regularly and admired the many different artistic markers for this part of the Camino.

Buen Camino in Galician - lots of Portugese
influence in the language here

It's just harder to get lost now - there are markers on almost every house and regularly along the route.  Having said that, I did manage to make some wrong turns at times (and even struggled to find the way on one occasion) - for the exact reason that there are so many markers!  Many different Camino start to converge in Galicia and so it is possible to accidentally end up walking "back" along one of those other routes!  Also there seem to be many alternative routes for horse riders, and so it is also possible to end up taking one of these and they aren't always as pretty and sadly, in a number of cases, seem to take road routes.

A welcome bench!

Later in this Camino I take a wrong route and I'm so glad I did - it was beautiful and I would have really missed out.  There are often alternative routes - due to local changes, for seasonal weather reasons and so on.  On the occasion of the beautiful route I don't quite know why it had been re-routed, but I was glad I found the original.  It is also the case that sometimes people seem to walk the cycle route - but I really do not enjoy the road walking and I have no idea why they would choose to walk on tar.

The little square with the morning bells ringing - a welcome
"flat" rest stop on the way up - you can see the curve of the
road on the left of the photo!

About half way up (having been passed by speedy cyclists going uphill), there was a lovely square and a bench.  I took the opportunity to stop and to rest on the bench - in honour of my friend Jayne Hunt who has a great knack of magicking up somewhere to sit at just the right moment.  I sent her a photo and thanks for the magic at this point!  Fortunately it was slightly misty and very cool, I wouldn't have enjoyed this first uphill slog in the heat.

I was very much looking forward to my morning cafe con leche muy caliente and it was delicious when it came.  Michael had found it in the bar near the hotel.  They were great, each morning filling the flask and providing a bocadillo which in this area apparently requires the second "l" to be pronounced.

The beautiful Camino markers of this region.. some artist designed.  Here we have three options, so no getting lost, you
can be sure you are heading in the right direction at this point!

My feet and my toes in particular were feeling quite bruised and sore.  I had trie to stop confusion from dance by using flat shoes in the week or so before walking, as in ballroom and Latin we are often on our toes, but my feet were still tender.  I had worn my big boots as I wasn't sure if it would be wet today or if I would need the grip, but tomorrow I will change back to my hiking shoes to have a break.  My boots are still quite new and don't need "walking in" for short hikes, but on longer 14km plus days they are still less forgiving.

Hórreo store with pumpkins below

As usual, those walking in reverse missed signs.  I actually really admire those who can do it the other way.  I can't say I would enjoy that challenge so much although having walked the Levante route I would have a better chance of retracing my steps because at least I know some landmarks.

I saw a few peregrinos on the road, it is sad to see them there when the walking trail is not only more beautiful but much more comfortable under foot.  I tried to attract their attention to indicate they should head towards me and get back on the way, but they were head down and trudging on and did not notice me.  I was so focused on my own Camino and at this point trying to get the attention of these other pilgrims, that I walked on past a lovely bar that Michael and I had intended to meet at.  It is in the town of Tamallancos.  We had completed forgotten to arrange the actual meeting and mark the spot - so M also headed on to the next meeting point, the Sobreira cross roads.


Before the bar there had been a lady walking (as many Spanish do) just to keep fit and get some exercise - she was an older lady, but still out and singing away between stops every so often to catch her breath.

View from my room - my socks
were drying on the windowsill!

Lovely room in Casa Mañoso

I was heading to Cea to meet Roberto at Casa Mañoso.  I would start again at Sobreira the next day, but stay the night in the casa - a beautiful old home.  Thank goodness for WhatsApp messages and for learning Spanish!  I had to arrange a time to go in as he had a family event and I was going to be there earlier than expected.  It was going to take him 20 minutes to get to the casa and M was going to have some time back at the Eurostars while I had a rest, washed clothes and showered.  Roberto was wonderful - friendly and welcoming and he gave me the double room at the rate of a single €35.00 rather €40.00 because there was only one other person staying that night.  I was very glad of the comfort - I needed a good night's sleep and although I don't mind the albergue experience, I do prefer the hostals on the whole.

There was a kettle for tea and coffee and a little mini help yourself breakfast area with milk in a fridge and a place to make toast etc.  This was their family home, with all the old furniture and history still within the building.  They live elsewhere but have made this available to peregrinos.  I had a very good sleep and had left my socks and a few other clothes that I had washed, drying on the windowsill overlooking a beautiful view into the countryside.  I had tucked them in tight as I didn't want them disappearing off into the orchard below!

Central Cea at night - the Plaza Mayor

I wandered out into the Plaza Mayor to wait for M and sat in the sunshine, the last afternoon rays being very welcome and soothing after the strenuous walk.  From there we headed out to "Bar Lua" and I thoroughly, thoroughly recommend it!  Wow, all home made and home grown - grilled peppers and one of the most delicious sweet tomato salads I have every eaten!  Wow, that alone would have satisfied me.  The local delicacy is Locón - which is only made with pork shoulder and it is a special asado of this area.  We were probably served "pan de Cea" with it - also an artisanal bread from this area and registered only to "Cea".  It is darker than most Spanish white bread - and is much more like a sourdough type.  Delicious.

Pan de Cea is a traditional type of bread made in the Municipality of San Cristovo de Cea, in the north-west of the Province of Ourense and it requires a certificate of origin to be authentic. It is made by kneading wheat flour, water, salt and masa madre, the previously fermented yeast dough, into an elastic and tough dough.

Pan de Cea is both a PGI - protected geographical indication which means that at least one of the stages of the production, preparation or processing must take place in the region.  Not surprisingly, I have only found it in Galicia. 

The bread dough is then left to ferment, or rest, for 45 to 60 minutes. The bread is then kneaded once more and baked in special, wood-burning granite ovens. These ovens are the characteristic feature of the production of this bread and are specially shaped to ensure uniform baking.

The origin of the town of San Cristóbal de Cea and its baking tradition is linked to the history of a Cistercian monastery, Santa María la Real de Oseira, famous for its octopus tradition. The monastery developed the techniques of baking and grinding, while the town of Cea supplied the bread. Due to its location at a crossroads, its fame led it to be known as the “town of good bread”. In particular, the passage of the Way to Santiago by the Silver Way on its branch through Sanabria contributed to this. The antiquity of the bread of Cea’s recipe is 700 years, but it has not lost any of its properties.

indicacion geografica protegida pan ...gastronomiadegalicia.com

As we walked in and around Cea we noticed many old and derelict "hornos" or ovens, used for baking the bread.  Some where preserved historical monuments and sadly we missed the statue of the lady kneading bread as we left the town.  However, I have found photos of the statue on Wikipedia and Wikilok - such a shame we missed her as it's a great statue and I love the paddle for reaching in and out of the oven!

This is in Silleda and there are lots of options
here, we had the most fantastic place with
the MOST delicious food! 

The next stage of my journey would be to the monastery of Oseira - I was really excited as I had been looking forward to a monastery or convent stay for the whole of my Camino, but so many are closed. It seems like the traditional place to stay and I couldn't end the Levante route without having stayed in one!  On my way to Cea I did find the following albergue info advertised - so for anyone looking, these might be of help to you.  There are so many more than in the guidebooks and there were more still being built along the route, so it will be well serviced and it won't require such long distances between stages.