Date: 06-06-2022

What a day. I spent the night at the Van der Valk Schiphol and had myself driven to the airport at 3:30 AM. I arrived ten minutes later and headed for the KLM check-in desk. I was a bit taken aback when I got there: a line of people stretching 200 meters, and the desk wasn't due to open until 4:30 AM. So, I joined the queue. It was incredibly busy everywhere. There was another line next to us, running along the hall's outer wall; after a closer look, I realized it was the security line. Security was upstairs, yet the line already started down here—I couldn't even see the end of it. The desks opened at 4:30, and we were able to check in. The self-service kiosks weren't active, so I had to wait in line too. After that, I was directed to the security line, which had grown a bit longer. I had to leave that hall, walk through a corridor to the other hall, and join the queue there.

My heart sank, and I thought I wouldn't make it. The line zigzagged through the hall, up the stairs, and zigzagged again toward the security entrance. Things moved reasonably fast from there, and all in all, I was through everything by 6:30 AM and could head to the gate! I was relieved to have made it; later, on the plane—which departed 15 minutes late—I learned that 17 people hadn't made it. Tough luck for them! At least I was on board, and I saw that my blue backpack was coming along too 😀

Everything went smoothly once I arrived in Spain. I landed at Terminal 2 (T2) at Barajas Airport. From there, you have to take a free 10-minute shuttle bus to Terminal 4 (T4) to reach Chamartín train station. I’m catching the 2:40 PM train to León from there. I have three and a half hours to spare at Chamartín station, so it’s time for my first café con leche and a croissant.

After an endless wait, I board the train to León. Luggage gets scanned before you board here—strange; you don't see that happening in the Netherlands!

It’s a fast train, too 😀 I even saw the speed hit over 298 km/h! I finally arrived in León and headed straight to my hostel, Covent Garden Hostel. I received a incredibly friendly welcome from Juan, who showed me the ropes. He also recommended a nice little restaurant where I could get a good meal—and I ended up going there later. I have a lovely, affordable room right in the city center, right on the route. Perfect! I’d been to León before with Bas on an earlier Camino, and the first Camino I walked—the Francés—also passes through the city. I don't find it to be a particularly beautiful city, though they do have a massive cathedral! Anyway, I had a great meal this evening and have just finished getting everything ready for the start tomorrow. Oh, and they have a Gaudí museum here too 😀

Date: 07-06-2022

Juan saw me off this morning after a cup of coffee. I can highly recommend the Covent Garden hostel in León. After that, I headed toward the Parador hotel in León, where the Camino Francés and the Camino del Salvador split.

From there, you spend pretty much the whole day walking near the Bernesga River. The water level is low, which means there hasn't been much rain in the mountains. However, walking along the river means there isn't much change in elevation, which is quite nice. Without even realizing it, the mountains for the coming days are already coming into view. Along the way, I met two Spaniards and a Dutchman—Bart from Amsterdam. Having some company makes the day go by faster, and we soon arrived in La Robla. Since the *albergue* is still closed—they can't find staff to open it—finding a room was a bit of a challenge. The hostel I wanted to stay at was full, so I was left with a guesthouse run by a gloomy old woman. I went with that option, though, and we shared a room. Later, I’ll pick up some groceries and have a nice meal at La Bogadera Mesón—for the third time (there aren't really any other options here). Apparently, it’s supposed to rain all day tomorrow. It’ll be interesting heading into the mountains in the rain. I hope it’s not too bad!

See you tomorrow.

Date: Poladura de la Tercia 
Distance: 22 km

Set off around 8 a.m. this morning. Slept reasonably well; my roommate didn't snore. It certainly helps to have walked the route before—you know exactly what to expect. The weather was pleasant, and thankfully, it stayed dry. I walked out of the village along a small river and the railway line. You come across some beautiful old structures here! After 6 km, there’s the Buen Suceso bar where you can have breakfast, just like the locals do. For €2.70, I got a tasty cup of coffee, toast, and jam. Time to move on quickly, though—we’re heading into the mountains today! We’re gradually making a fair climb up the mountain and passing under the wolf 😀. Not a real one, of course, though they do live around here. Bears do too. I saw a news report on TV this morning about a bear that went berserk, killing other bears and throwing them off the mountain. A gruesome sight!

Date: 09-06-2022 
Distance: 32 km

It’s a long route today because I’m covering in five days a distance I’ve previously walked in six. It’s also the toughest day, involving a significant amount of climbing. The challenge began right after breakfast; just five minutes in, you’re faced with a mountain you have to cross. Everything here is in full bloom, too.

You climb higher and higher until you reach the trek’s iconic landmark. That’s not the highest point yet, though, so you press on. The last time I walked this path was a month earlier, and there was still snow on the ground then! Now, I’ve reached the actual summit. The temperature is delightful—nice and crisp under a blue sky—though it promises to get hot later today. I’m constantly amazed by how beautiful it is here. Even though this is my third time walking this route, it never loses its charm.

Every now and then, you can see the path winding its way up the mountain in the distance.

But all things come to an end—mountains included. I had a *bocadillo* (sandwich) on the border between Castilla and Asturias, then took the path running alongside the road. Walking on the road itself was strongly discouraged due to the heavy truck traffic. However, about five meters below the road, a goat path runs along the embankment, and that’s the route you take. You have to keep your eyes straight ahead—and definitely not look to the left—if you’re afraid of heights!

It was a scary stretch; one stumble and you’d wake up 100 meters down the slope. Anyway, a bit further on, as I headed into the woods and down the path, I suddenly encountered a farmer coming up with fifteen cows. The path wasn't wide enough for us both, so I had to cling to the outer edge by a tree to let the cows pass before I could continue. You certainly experience some interesting things here. To top it off, the path was barely walkable—a total mud pit!

At noon, I arrived in Pajares, the place where I would normally have spent the night if I were doing the six-day version of the walk. The *albergue* here was still closed due to the coronavirus. Opposite it, I walked down a very steep path and fell three times—once landing with my hand in a patch of stinging nettles. Not pleasant. Farmers here have the right idea when it comes to dealing with wolves: put a dog in every pasture where livestock graze!

They seem to have plenty of wolves here, as well as bears higher up in the mountains.

I ended up walking the last 4 km along the road because I no longer had the desire or energy to tackle the undulating forest path. Upon arriving in Bendueños, I was warmly welcomed by Sandra—she remembered me! I was immediately given a tour of the church across the way, including its oldest section, which dates back to 1473. It was all very informative.

Bart really wanted to ring the bell, so he had to climb the stairs. What a racket that made! 😀

For dinner tonight, I had the traditional bean soup followed by spaghetti with tuna. A full belly! 😀 It seems like times are tough here, too. Sandra is thinking about giving up the albergue and moving away; it’s too remote, and the cost of living here is too high. That wouldn't be good news for the albergue, as it is generally difficult to find volunteers to maintain these places. I just hope she can keep going for a while longer!

Date: 10-06-2022
Distance: 26 km

I woke up early this morning after a poor night's sleep. The heat makes me feel itchy all over, and the fear of bedbugs creeps back in. I got up at 7:00 AM and had a cup of coffee on the terrace behind the house—it was wonderfully cool and fresh. Then came the usual routine: eating, getting dressed, packing up, and heading out. So now, I’m making the long descent. That’s a lot easier than the climb up in the heat.

As I walked down, I thought about how amazing it would be to live here. What a beautiful area! Except for the mountains, of course! 😀

After the descent, it was a flat day’s walk via Campomanes and Pola de Lena to Mieres. I had booked a hotel in Mieres because the albergue was closed. I arrived at the hotel just a bit too late—3:00 PM—to have them do my laundry, so I found a laundromat myself. Everything is clean again! 😀 Tomorrow marks the final day of the San Salvador route and the start of the Primitivo. Time to sleep now, as I’ve been really struggling with muscle pain and fatigue today. 👋

Date: 11-06-2022
Distance: 26 km

It was a gloomy morning with heavy cloud cover. Still, I set off and headed up the mountain. Leaving Mieres also involves an uphill climb—it seems to be the standard pattern on the Camino.

What really stands out here is the high number of vacant houses and the widespread lack of maintenance. There are so many houses for sale or in a state of severe disrepair. While it’s understandable that people move to the city during hard times, I don't grasp why they would let their property fall into such a state of neglect.

After arriving in Pola de Lena, a Spaniard sat down next to me at a café terrace; we had already spoken earlier along the way. I asked him if he knew of a shop in the village that sold umbrellas. Another Spaniard overheard this and told me to wait a moment. He walked home and returned with an umbrella—a gift! 😀 That was great; it would certainly come in handy.

After crossing a few more mountains, Oviedo came into view—marking the end of the San Salvador route and the start of the Primitivo.

At the cathedral in Oviedo, a sign indicated that a wedding was taking place and the church was closed to other visitors. That simply wouldn't do—a humble pilgrim ought to be able to get inside! I walked around the church and found an exit that was still open. I went in through there and found the souvenir shop; I knew they issued stamps and Compostelas there. I didn't need a Compostela, but I did want a stamp to prove I had been to Oviedo. It took some effort to make the woman understand that I didn't want a third Compostela—just a stamp would suffice. She found the request rather odd.

I didn't plan to stay in Oviedo but intended to walk on to Escamplero. There’s a restaurant there that also rents out rooms. I had visited before and had already booked a room for this trip. A great place to stay, and the food is excellent.