Distance: 13.3km (131.4km), time spent: 3:21 (41:38).
Weather: Fog in the morning, then sunny and warm.
The clouds of fog is flying just above the rooftops of Tineo in the morning. It turns out that Jeroen also stayed in Tineo; before we go, we have breakfast at a small bar in what must be the plaza mayor in the town. It is quiet in the small streets when we set off in the morning; the clock is only half past seven. Given the thought that I possibly will not be going very far today, I could have slept for a longer time actually, but I am eager to get going again after yesterday.
Leaving Tineo under a low cloud cover in the morning.
Out from Tineo, the view from yesterday is now hidden behind the clouds, where the Camino is disappearing into the fog banks, but I like it today. In the beginning, the route is continuing in the same way as yesterday, and that view I have already seen. While I am gradually gaining elevation, Tineo is disappearing slow but sure into the clouds below. Only vague contours are left, when I pass a small house adorned with various flags and signs, which is the house of 'El Ultimo de Filipinas'. Inside the house, there are two cows that are looking bothered at me, but there are no sello to be found as the guidebook was advertising. Maybe the stamp was on one of the horns of the cows.
The house of 'El Ultimo de Filipinas', Tineo is barely visible through the clouds.
Up through the forest, I continue walking in a light sea of fog, until I am getting closer to Alto de Guardia. At the top, the clouds has been in a hurry to escape to lower ground. Above me, there is a blue sky, the view is stunning and a thin layer of clouds covers the valley floors. The walk across the hill is not so long, but it is wonderful and I am beaming in competition with the sun. In the horizon, I can now look in the direction of where the Camino goes over the Hospitales-route, and a small thought is beginning to gain foothold in my mind.
Walking over Alto de Guardia after the clouds has left the sky.
Down in the woods again, I take the 500m long detour to the monastery of Santa Maria de Obona. The monastery that is from the eight Century is in a bad shape. Parts of it lies in ruins, something that gives it a feeling of being haunted. The church is apparently still in use, but the door is locked (as always), I would have liked to see how the inside of the church has stood against the sand of time. Here it was mandatory for pilgrims to stop in the old days.
View from Alto de Guardia on a wonderful part of the Camino.
After emerging out of the woods again, the last part of the route towards Campiello consists of walking on a paved road. The view is nice though, but the drivers of the cars here probably will not see anything of it as fast as they drive. Next to the road, I walk past a sign that tells me that I am in Las Tiendas, and then I pass by one house before I walk past the sign telling me that I have left Las Tiendas. Must be great to live in your own place. Shortly afterwards, I have walked over a small hill and are passing by the sign telling me that I am in Campiello.
The valley floors are covered by a thin veil of clouds, waymarker-stone outside Piedratecha.
Here, I meet again the group of Spanish pilgrims that I took a beer together with in Tineo yesterday. They are going to Borres, 2.3km further. For my part, the thought of just keep on going to Berducedo today is keeping me uncertain of what to do. The weather forecast has now changed to rain (as opposed to the thunderstorm), but where that will be coming from, I cannot understand. Still, it would be a 28km more to go today. I cannot make up my mind, and that is probably what decides it. Time is running away from me.
The monastery of Santa Maria de Obona, most of the monastery is in ruins, the church is in use
There are two albergues here in Campiello, both are private; I go for a bed in Casa Herminia. The price is more expensive with the 23 euros I pay, but for that I get breakfast and dinner at the place as well. At Campiello, I persuade one pilgrim after the other to take the Hospitales-route tomorrow. Almost all I meet has planned to take the route through Pola de Allande. Telling them about the trail over the mountains makes most of them to change plans and also stay here in Campiello. Like Olivier and Isabel, a French couple who also was among those who did not get a place in San Juan de Villapanada. Marine, Valery and Jeroen also ends up staying here.
Ruins of Santa Maria de Obona.
It is still a lot of time left of the day, so I use some of it to take a small walk in the area. From Campiello, I go down to a tiny place called Bustiello, if nothing else because there was a church there (locked). The only thing meeting me there, no humans to see, was a curious dog. Valery got a nice stamp in Villaluz, so I just as well walk back there only to return with another unresolved case and sweaty in the heat.
The locals playing bolhos (?) in Campiello, we did not manage to completely understand the rules. Here he throws the ball (it is dipped in water before he throws) at the wooden sticks, we assume that the goal is to hit down as many wooden sticks as possible (but the points they are coming up with did not match the number of sticks being hit). Afterwards, the opponent should roll (bowl) against the wooden sticks from the other side.
Enough walking for the day, so the remains of the day and evening I spend together with the other pilgrims staying here. There seems almost to be like two rivalling groups of pilgrims here, those who lives at Casa Herminia and those who lives at the other albergue, Casa Ricardo (which is being run by a relative of Herminia). A couple of locals are playing some sort of game/sport that we have some problems of understanding, bolhos; it looks like a mix between bowling, cricket and kubb.
Campiello. Someone takes pictures from the Camino; Valery was drawing pictures of it.
The dinner is formidable and huge, where the main dish is a gigantic pot with meat, paprika and potatoes. I make a new acquaintance in Douglas from Scotland. Even though the walk came up short today, the benefit of it was big. However, I do have to stand and look a little bit longing towards the mountains. In the evening, there is a fantastic colour in the sky, when the sun makes its encore on the firmament.
Sunset from Campiello. In the horizon, I can see the mountains that I will walk over tomorrow.
<- TineoBerducedo ->
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