Nueva to Ribadesella

Tuesday 18th:
Breakfast, and bocadillos for lunch again, from the bar then back to the FEVE to return to Nueva for today's walk back to Ribadesella. We collected a tin of peaches from the general store and set off out of Nueva towards Piñeres de Pria. There we climbed up the hill to the church of San Pedro de Pria where we sat in the sun and ate our lunch, with lizards running around on the stone wall beside us. The view from the church is wonderful. The camino then goes downhill to the Río Aguamía which still can be crossed by the ancient bridge. After Torriellu the track follows the Camino Antiguo and finally reaches Ribadesella.









San Pedro

View fromSan Pedro







Ancient bridge

Río Aguamía








Camino Antiguo

Looking back -
outskirts of
Ribadesella

Celorio to Nueva de Llanes

Monday 17th:
After breakfast in the bar we walked to the station and caught the FEVE to Celorio, eastwards towards Llanes. We took our bocadillos for lunch with us, wrapped in tin-foil, from the bar.
The weather was sunny and much warmer, a lovely day for walking. Just past Barro the Church of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores can be seen across the ría. The roadman cleared a way through his workings for us with his digger; very helpful. Further on near Niembro there was a spectacular view across fields to the mountains. The Camino comes downhill to the monastery of San Antolin, now deserted, and passes alongside the beach before turning inland again. There is a track through the woods near Naves before arriving in Nueva. After a café con leche and another bocadillo we went into the general store where they sell everything. Scythe blades to cans of peaches. They used their 'sello' for the Fiesta del Cristo del Amparo to stamp the pilgrim's passport for us.
We caught the late afternoon train back to Ribadesella. Including walking to and from the station (3km)we walked 19.8km today. The new signs on the Camino make it about 16km now, rather than the 12km given in the guide, for this section.







Church near Barro

Mountain view








Above San Antolin

Natural arch, San Antolin









The Camino near Naves

FEVE coming into the
station at Nueva

Ribadesella: Caves, Orchids and Dinosaurs

Sunday 16th:
Following breakfast, in the bar on the corner near the hotel, we walked the short distance to the caves. A long walk through the underground caverns led to the cave paintings - mostly horses and deer. Well worth the visit which took about 1 hour.

After visiting the Caves of Tito Bustillo and seeing the cave paintings (no photography allowed) we walked out along the Camino towards Leces. At the roundabout with the boat we turned right off the Camino, towards Tereñes, and walked up the steep hill into the village. Following a very welcome Coca Cola in the bar we then followed their directions turning sharp right and back towards Ribadesella. This led us along the tops of the cliffs past the lighthouse, then down through the woods. We saw a very rare orchid at the side of the track and went on to see the dinosaur footprints in the cliffs at Punta El Pozu.











Boat on a roundabout

Cliffs above El Pozu looking towards the Hermitage






Dinosaur footprints on the cliff face

Dinosaur print on a rock








Serapias lingua -
tongue orchid

Ribadesella photos

The Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) is another old palacio, not far from the Post Office, and they stamped our credentiales there.

Ribadesella - food and accomodation

The Hotel Covadonga is an old building. Our room at the back had an enclosed balcony like these at the front, with the addition of the washing line.
We were shown the bar/restaurant which is open from June. Quite amazing! with its 'ship' bar and wall decorations.

We ate most of our meals in the Meson/Restaurante 'La Goleta' on Calle Gran Via de Agustin Arguelles. They do an excellent Fabada Asturiana and an equally good Garlic Chicken.




Hotel Covadonga;

'Ship' bar;

Swordfish and old photos.

Ribadesella - town and Hermitage

Afternoon

We walked through town, past the Post Office, and having moved our rucksacks to the Hotel Covadonga we walked up to the Hermitage, the seafarers chapel on the cliff top. There are ships hanging on the inside wall. The cliffs are steep and the chapel area is protected by a wall.

We also visited the church of Sta Maria Magdalena with its breath-taking painted ceiling.




Post Office,
formerly a palacio

Cliff view














Inside the Hermitage
The Hermitage








Santa Maria Magdalena
Painted ceiling
and
West door

Ribadesella

Saturday 15th
In the morning we walked over the river bridge to the Caves of Tito Bustillo where there are prehistoric cave paintings. A footbridge leads to the entrance, through the little museum area. The earliest entry we could have was for Sunday morning. We booked in and decided that we would then walk on out of Ribadesella on Sunday afternoon for a short distance.

The railway line runs along the road near the bus station and terminates. The 'Costa Verde' was full of people, presumably on a day trip. The 'blue' train we saw, from the FEVE, was the tour train with sleeping compartments.

Tineo to Ribadesella

Friday 14th:
Before leaving Tineo we had time for a last walk round and a café con leche. The church sadly was locked, but we did find the etapa sign showing where we might have gone.

Near Grado the river, FEVE and road run close together. The water level has risen since we passed here earlier in the week. If you look closely you can see the bushes in the water.
The bus ride to Oviedo takes about 2 hours so we had time for lunch in the bus station there. Platos Combinados are really good, we had the 'National'. We had one between us and they brought a spare knife and fork. Then we caught another bus to Ribadesella, the direct one not via Arriondas.
We called in a bar near the bus station and were given directions to a good pension (Pension Arbidel) with a special rate for pilgrims. They can only take us for one night so we booked in. Then as it had finally stopped raining, we went for a walk. The Capilla de Santa Ana is part way up a hill on a side street and dates from the 16th century. We found the Hotel Covadonga, also special rates, and have booked in there for tomorrow night. There is a lot to see here in Ribadesella.
We will then have 3 or 4 days on the Camino del Norte before we have to get back to Santander for the ferry.












Church doorway

Etapa sign
Tineo to Pola de Allande





Railway, river and road run together (left to right) near Grado


Capilla de Santa Ana, Ribadesella

Tineo 2

Thursday 13th continued:
The views of the mountains through the clouds are fantastic, and yes there is snow on the far ones. There are several hórreos (grain stores), which are all now protected in Spain.

The weather forecast helped us to decide that it would be sensible to return to the coast, and walk part of the Norte, rather than continuing on the Primitivo. A decision re-inforced by the snowflakes drifting in the wind during the afternoon.

We went to check bus times and found the brand new bus station, opened in March this year. Rather than leave late this afternoon we will go on the bus which leaves mid-morning tomorrow for Oviedo and then head for the coast.
Terry took a photo looking towards the Camino, from the play area on the bus station roof. The main entrance is at the far side of the circular blue building, and the buses pull in down below.

We met 2 other pilgrims looking for a meal so sent them to the Restaurant Tineo where we ate last night. (Same owner as our pension). It is a short distance past where the Camino turns sharply uphill to the right. Really good food and good value. We ate there both nights we were in Tineo. We had our breakfasts, and bocadillos for lunch, in the café opposite the Assembly Rooms where they were so helpful phoning about rooms for us on Wednesday.







Mountains

Hórreo







Bus station

Camino - follows the tree line just below the woods

Tineo

A good night's sleep in a warm bed and also clean clothes. The temperature is hovering between 3 and 5C and the forecast is for more bad weather in the next few days. We have to decide whether it is right to go on further into the mountains. Today (Thursday 13th) we will look around Tineo.


Tineo itself is very interesting. The original Town Hall, built in the early 19th century, was converted into the Assembly Rooms in the early 20th century and was opposite the café we visited on our way into town. The old tower is at the back of the town hall and there are chickens in the old stables on the street at the side.

Our sellos came from the Rents Department at the 'new' Town Hall, they were only too pleased to help us. There is a Roman milestone displayed on the staircase. There are a number of computers there too, free to use so we spent a short time there with a computer each.















The Assembly Rooms

The Town Hall



Roman stone

The old tower





(below)

Stables

Chickens in the stable

La Espina to Tineo

Wednesday 12th:
A very long 15km. Mud, water and more rain.
Shortly after leaving La Espina we passed the Capilla de Cristo de los Afligadores and turned to the right between it and the hórreo.

The guide warns of the wet track near El Pedregal, but it was passable with care. We had much needed cafe con leche at the cafe in El Pedregal and then walked on. This was supposed to be the half way point. It might have been in kms but the first part had taken 2 hours, the second took about 3 hours before we arrived in Tineo. The track was very muddy with deep ruts, but again we managed by walking carefully along the side and leaning on our sticks. A group of horse breeders passed us at one point along the track.

We nearly lost the Way in Santa Eulalia (3.7kms before Tineo) but were redirected back onto the Camino with the warning that it was 'feo'. It was!! The last patch of mud, 2km before Tineo, was impassable so we copied others and walked in the field side over the barbed wire for a few yards. It kept our feet dry, the couple behind us had water in their boots.

We arrived in Tineo and found a bar and some lunch. The rain had stopped but the temperature was still very low. We have found a fantastic, warm pension (Pension Tineo), recommended and phoned up by the café-bar owner. Showered and washed our clothes and had a good nights sleep. Now we have found the internet cafe so have been able to put up some record of the past week.







Chapel and hórreo at La Pereda


The track near El Pedregal

with mojon



horses on track

muddy puddles









Outskirts of Tineo

Capilla de San Roque
and
Pilgrim sculpture

Salas to La Espina via Bodenaya

Tuesday 11th:
The track through the woods is beautiful. The rain continued and was very heavy at times. There was running water on the track in places and also some very muddy patches and puddles. Walking round the edge and leaning on our sticks was effective.

The new road has meant that the Camino has been diverted and the stage is now much longer between Salas and Tineo. It is about 12km now between Salas and La Espina, with well signed diversions near Bodenaya up off the track and alongside the roadworks.

We walked into Bodenaya in the pouring rain and stopped under the shelter of the albergue for a snack bar and some water. (The albergue opens at 2.00pm.) Alejandro came out while we were there and we had a good chat. He offered us a very welcome cafe con leche and didn´t really expect a donation, but he got one anyway. The albergue is now his full time job. Then on to La Espina.

Before Bodenaya the rain was heavy but felt warm but it turned really cold afterwards. We arrived in La Espina cold (5C), and tired. We had been through plenty of mud and water but kept our feet dry OK. Ate in the little hotel (a very good meal) and went to bed. Damp!! Remembering the tip about ponchos Valerie slept with hers rolled round her to keep warm. A good thing that it had dried out quickly. Terry´s bed was OK. It was still raining next morning but not so hard. Breakfast was in the hotel and then we set off for Tineo, still in our wet weather gear with plenty of layers underneath as it was only 4C!!!









Photos:

Camino map signs show gradients

Leaving Salas

Camino in woods above Salas

Bodenaya albergue