El Camino (Levante) Oseira (Outside the monastery door) to Castro Dozón (11.2 km) - Monday 30th September, 2019.  

Setting off in the dark - from just outside the monastery
gates

I can't believe it but I am now already 1/3 of the way on the last part of my Camino!  Tomorrow is 13.8 to Botos and then a day off!  We have our accommodation booked at Casas Novas in Silleda and where I will stay two nights and M will stay for 3 nights, but first I will stay at the albergue in Castro Dozón again with Raphael and Ana.

Trough outside the monastery

I started off from the monastery door - dropping off my overnight things with M and grabbing a quick bite of breakfast with him - blueberries and yoghurt again and collecting my plum and tangerine.  The cloud was low as I set off and very wet so I had donned my showerproof walking trousers but it was so hot walking up the steep incline from the monastery that I was wetter inside the trousers than out!

Steep and uneven track

Rather a rocky road!  Arrow appearing out of the gloom

At the top of first incline I could not see an arrow and searched around with my torch - but it didn't make sense to go down into the village again, so I continued up the hill to my right along the road, and there I stripped off my coat and tied it around my waist.  I could see pilgrims ahead of me, appearing on the road from a track coming up from Oseira and through scrub, but I had no idea where that might have been from as I had followed the arrows from outside the monastery and which were very obvious.  They crossed the road ahead and headed up through more scrubland which for me meant turning left off the road, and scrambling steeply up more old and very uneven ancient pathway.  It was very steep and just continued up and up, winding and zigaging into the mist.  Arrows occasionally appeared out of the gloom and there was heavy silence all around.

One of my favourite markers

I still couldn't work out how the pilgrims were ahead of me... I was first up at 06.30 although I had been awake at 06.05 and on the road by 07.50 while everyone was having breakfast.  I could see the road ahead and no one seemed to head out before me.  Strange??  I was hungry and soon devoured my plum and tangerine and I was looking forward to my cafe con leech with M at Carballedina.  

I had put on my walking shoes but it was very wet and although my feet felt great, I decided I needed more waterproofing so changed into my dry boots and which I had brought for weather such as this.  It was a mistake.  Although my foot had recovered somewhat, the slight downhill concertina'd my toe into the front of the boot.  It held up and seemed to grow more comfortable again... so I decided to stick with it.  However, the bigger mistake was that I had slept in my socks because of the cold and now my slightly sweaty and damp feet were rubbing.  Add some sand down the boot flicked up from the gritty track and I not only had a blister, but it had rubbed clean off.  Such a shame, as over 1145km so far, I had only had one other blister!  I continued but was to pay for it later.

Keep eyes peeled for this arrow - it is very easily missed!

The early part of the walk was remote and beautiful.  I didn't see another pilgrim until Castro Dozón and fully expected to be the first to arrive in the town.  However, what was strange was that although I left first and no one passed me, our couple from last night still arrived before me...?? Hmmm?  I thought maybe they had again taken the road, but later Ana said she had had a fall on the uneven and steep, slippery rocks - so they must have come the way I did, or at least partly!  M suggested a taxi... but then remembered that they weren't French... haha, we had a good laugh remembering out last Camino!

One part of the trail as you turn left off a short stretch of road that links the scrubland path has a very hidden arrow.  The guidebook mentions to watch for a faint "flecha" as it is hard to see - and it sure is!  The photo is above and I took care to look around for it as there appear to be paths heading off in many directions which could easily tempt an unsuspecting peregrino!

No idea...!  On a windowsill
at Carballediña a one horse town
after Vilarello

As you turn off the road, basically continue downhill (quite steeply) at right angles to the road, the faint arrow will then be on a rock on your right a few metres from the road - as in the photo above.  I was very glad for Google maps because by checking in on the village of Vilarello, which is where I was headed, I could see where it lay in respect to the road and the route one might expect.  The other trail would follow the equestrian route which continues along the road and around a hairpin bend.   The track down is VERY hazardous, rocky and slippery in the wet.   This is where Ana fell and fortunately was not hurt.  Getting hurt here would likely require airlifting you out.

One of the arrows carved into a bank
of hardened mud

Marker that finally confirmed I was on
the right track and that the lady with the
dog had directed me correctly

The next challenge is after the bends before the N525 for Castro Dozón.  Thinking about it now, I suspect this is where the others overtook me and continued on ahead.  I just happened upon a lady who came out to yell at her dog which had rushed out at me barking and that I really did think might bite my ankles!  She was very friendly and said I could choose either route but the track was slightly more circuitous - which is how and why I think the others not only passed me but went unnoticed.

2019 was an excellent year for chestnuts

I chose the circuitous route as it matched the guidebook and avoided more time on tar!  The arrows did not appear for some time and I began to feel concerned that I had not gone the right way, but ultimately I did find signs and way markers and the track linked up with the old service road used when building the new road.

It was a bit overgrown and rather gritty (which is where I finally did for my blister) and it initially also serves the rider's route until they turn off and those continuing on foot will have to clamber under brambles!  This was the last straw for me and my foot - I was really limping by now and was getting soaking wet in the steady rain which only served to rub my heel more as my sock got increasingly soggy.  I HAD to change shoes.

Lots of these now on houses along the Camino - displayed
by those who already walked too Santiago.  I loved this
shell tile and was determined to find one myself - I did,
and it is now proudly displayed as part of my tile mosaic
behind the AGA

 As a bit of an aside, I don't really understand why they dire vert horses from the track not the road... well, actually I do - because they think that they are safer on the road, and maybe they are with shoes, but actually there is a far greater risk of flipping on tar (to my mind) in shoes, well more so than in unshod feet.  No wonder the signs keep saying to get off and lead - but I would rather take an unshod horse on the narrow, rocky tracks as they are nothing compared to the tracks and hills we rode in RSA.  In fact, someone had taken their horse this way as fairly fresh manure had been deposited on the route.

I have yet to actually meet a rider on the Camino.  They must exist!  In fact, I never did see a rider - maybe another time, on another Camino to come...?  Riders have to register to enter the city at certain times, which is why I think you have to book with a guide to help you.  I think I read that in order to allow access for horses they have to close off certain roads and only do this on certain days and certain times.

View from the garden area at the albergue - the sun came
out and was beautifully warm as I wrote my notes from the
day

Back in Castro Dozón I was very glad of the bar on the left as you enter the town.  Michael had brought me my shoes as I sat on the wet ground by the main road in the pouring rain, trying to attach plasters to my heels and put on clean, dry socks.  I am so grateful for my Duke of Edinburgh award days - we were always told to carry emergency socks (and other clothes) and now was the time to use them!  As I sat drying off, resting aching bones and steaming, the beer was very welcome!  After this the last push to the albergue and one of the 3 private rooms (only €10.00 for a single) was far easier! Our two Spanish friends had one of the other two private rooms - which are doubles.  They provide pillowcases and sheets (pilgrim's provide their own sleeping bags).  It was quiet and ultra clean - as are most accommodations in Spain.

After a VERY welcome shower in a huge shower room that reminded me of post PE sessions at school, I headed outside to write my notes for the day and look out over the countryside in what had now turned into a gloriously sunny day.

We had to leave our shoes upstairs, so again I was glad for my flip flops, but I'm definitely investing in the open toe type rather than these with the little thing you have to put your big toe around - as they are maddeningly awkward and actually very uncomfortable with socks!  They told us that someone would come to stamp our passports later that afternoon at 16.00 (I wonder what happens if you arrive later than that?!) and that there was a massage on offer if we would like it (sounded good but as it was for 20.00 I opted out as I was hungry and wanted to head off for food)... and we were told that the food here is very good, in fact "muy rico" (pronounced with a rolling rrrrrrr - for rrrrrrico - the colloquial word for muy bueno.  How I wish I had taken the advice as M and I drove around hopelessly for what seemed like hours trying to find somewhere open or somewhere that was serving food sooner than 22.00!!  We eventually found somewhere in Lalín that did egg, Spanish sausage and chips plus an ensalada verano (summer salad) and it was delicious, but boy was it a challenge!

The top door (where we had to deposit our shoes) closes at 20.00, and the downstairs one is left for our use... hmmm that was odd!  Thunder storms were due the next day, but should be over by 08.00 and they were not due again until around 16.00 - so fingers X for a walk.