Day 16 of the Via de la Plata:

Day 16 of the Via de la Plata:

The first week on the Camino South of Salamanca was very hot, once 11:00am came the temperatures started becoming a little unbearable in some cases. I found myself continuing whilst the sun increased in temperature I was drinking around 4 liters of water during the day to keep hydrated, carrying the water was the hardest part for me as it is always the heaviest, I would carry 2 and resupply where I could. I enjoyed walking through the heat of the day seeing the areas that I past through in complete silence, Passing through the towns and villages in the area of Extremadura at siesta time felt like apocalyps had hit the earth, with the odd dog barking, leaves that had fallen from the tree’s symbolizing the the start of autumn, golden coloured leaves dancing in the wind like a miniature tornado, around and around with no place to go, it was a bizarre feeling passing those places that seemed so empty and still. In some parts of Extremadura you walk kilometers without passing through any settlement it was great to be walking along in those conditions taking in the beauty of the region where wind carried this stillness of apocalypse.

“silence is a powerful  tool”

One guy died on the Camino last year 2016, just outside a village called Castilblanco de los Arroyos. He was a 46 years old man, the guy had been walking in temperatures of 46 degrees and I guess his time was up, a very sad story, I came across his memorial halfway up  a hill, I wondered about his life and loved ones, what his life might of been like, his character, who he was, and who he left behind,perhaps empty without him. His number was up and that was that, bless his soul, a strange moment past me in that time,a sense of loss, a emptiness came into my thoughts and feelings with no direction to life.

“Heavy but what I write is what I experience some have asked me, take me on your journey, create a blog!  so I write for you”

I have been hearing a few stories lately of people who have pushed their boundaries and have suffered for it. Taking a few rest days and popping along to the doctors with different injuries. Like I said in my last post, “it’s a walk” But to push yourself or to go ill prepared then that is your choice.

I walked 50km one day because I ran into an area where it was just  field after field. The crops had been harvested, so I was faced with plowed fields. In the summer months it would be a lot different having the sunset and rise over the crops watching the colours change with the time of day, a good photo opportunity for those who are in love with the click of a camera, not the click click click of the phone.

A while back I had run out of money and had been looking for a A.T.M machine, but kept running into a lot of very kind people, I got talking to them for one reason or another. They invited me into their homes to spend the night and to join them for dinner, not because I gave them some sort of sob story, they never knew I had run out of money, they just decided to invite me into their homes to be friendly I guess.

I had one lady pass me in her car, she slowed down and asked if I was looking for a hostel as she owned one. The price was €20, I thanked her but told her I only had five so I will be on my way. For that moment she just looked at me and I thought to myself “what” she said okay but don't tell anyone ! With that a smile was created across my face as I got into her car and again thanked greatly. She asked me about what I was going to eat for dinner, I replied tonight nothing tomorrow is a new day. That night she prepared dinner for me telling me again to keep quiet.

“For sure I have been very lucky throughout my travels someone somewhere is truly looking out for me and my 9 lives were used long ago”

I have had a lot of good fortune on this journey, walking is a truly amazing experience. I found myself walking a few times at night, just for a different experience,I would wake up and start walking until sunrise and more, having the stars fall around me taking note of the star constellations was magic, a great time for reflection in many areas of life. “ I wish you could all experience that feeling “walking” Amongst the night without the need of a torch looking upwards”  Or even just walking in the day without the need of a car to go 100 yards or 500 yards or more. I know the ones who are unable to walk in life would agree with me greatly.

“As the stars fell I took one wish, the rest were not mine to ask for, why take more than I need”

I finally ended up in a village where I really was in need for money, I had to catch a bus asking the bus driver to let me off the fair as I had no money, I made it to the next village around 12km off the Camino, where I had been told there was a A.T.M machine but I found it to be out of order when I got there. I had to walk back the 12km, before I left the village I popped in to a shop, where I asked the shop owner if she would accept card for the supplies I needed, knowing that was going to be very doubtful, “and for sure I was right” But she gave me a large baguette and a drink for free that kept me going  till the end of the following day where I was tablehen  to withdraw cash.

The camino for me: it’s a strange feeling to be walking 1000km to a destination, there is something truly special about being able

to walk from place to place, meeting different people,seeing the country change as I walk deeper north into the country where many footsteps have been before me, dating back from Roman times and possibly more, it gets your mind thinking how they constructed the way, the brains behind it and the manpower to create it along with the materials used.

After a while you start to feel each pebble underfoot as the kilometres start to clock up during the day, you start to search and scan the ground for the flattest part of the Camino, it becomes quite an art looking in front for that ground that will be kind to your feet.

After walking a good number of hours you may come up to a brow of a hill and just the other side a town, city or village starts to show it’s face. It’s strange walking up to society. Graffiti starts to pop up, may be a old run down house, a motorway bridge that you may have to pass under  to reach the town, more plastic waist appears from more ignorance and lack of respect. The sound of humans,the beep of the car horns, smog and more enters your vision, then your senses change to a more urban element that will hopefully see you through this part of the journey, the bars, restaurants and shopping centres call for your pocket to open until you reach the other side of the tunnel. It’s a journey that is hard to describe in so few words.

The temperatures at night have changed a lot now that I am approaching far north. The mornings are fresh and nights cold in this month. I have been covering a great deal of ground over the last 16 days but something is now telling me to slow down for a reason. I do not know why just yet. May be I am at the end of my journey or may be there is something that is coming my way. I don't know what it is and I can't really put my finger on it right now, but times are strange and I just have to go with what I am picking up on.

Is it all coming to an end.

Day 8 of the Via de la Plata: Spain.

Day 8 of the Via de la Plata: Spain.

If you have been following my blog you will know from my previous write up that I am now walking the Camino Via de la Plata.

“What is the Via de la Plata”  It’s a Pilgrimage to Santiago in Spain.

The history of the Camino de Santiago goes back at the beginning of the 9th century (year 814)  moment of the discovery of the tomb of St James. “Who is St James” St James was apparently the Saint James the Greater, he was one of the disciples of Jesus.  He made a pilgrimage to the Iberian Peninsula to spread the word of Jesus. And so the pilgrimages  across Europe popped up and pilgrim's started there journey to St James tomb.

I started earlier this month after meeting a Pilgrim on his way to Santiago. In that moment I changed my plan and started the 1000km walk to Santiago. “Why you may ask”  I am traveling, I have no fix plan, I go with what feels right at that time. I am not walking it for any other reason, I had no planning, I had no quest or religious reason to do such a thing. I just thought in that time “yeah why not”  and so I started walking simple.

It has now been 8 days on the this ancient pilgrimage where many have walked in the name of  Jesus or whatever drives them to walk such distance.

It is very rural, the signs are sometimes a little hard to keep track of, other people who have walked this route way disagree .In the towns and villages you really do have to keep your eyes open, and I would say that some signs may have been tampered with to give different directions to certain accommodation. You do have to be quite aware of this. But there are many good apps that will show you the way along with description. Once you have had a few days on the camino everything becomes second nature to you.

“Don't stress just go for it your be fine”

Accommodation is available at each end of the day and you may also find accommodation in between the bigger days. You can find all of this information on the apps that the associations have created for you, it is all very straightforward and well organised from what I have seen. If you want personal space then bring your credit card, other wise get use to snoring and lights on at silly o’clock..”or take a tent”  

Local People on this particular camino are generally friendly and helpful, I guess they are not to over run like the neighbouring northern Caminos where Buen Camino, Hola” becomes a little irritating day in and day out with hundreds passing through day and night.

There is a fair bit of rubbish lying around the Camino, unfortunately a lot of Pilgrims feel that it is acceptable to leave their litter and toilet paper behind only thinking of themselves and their own quest on this journey.

“I believe all people who go out walking, hiking, or whatever activity they do should bag it and put it in the bin. You do it with dogs so what's the difference between man and beast” It’s pretty shameful if you ask me, used paper and drink bottles all over the place because of ignorance, Saying that you love nature, “come on seriously get a grip ! Would you do it in a town under the watchful eye !

Being in such a rural region is very peaceful and relaxing, it’s certainly a great feeling being out here finding your way through the farming areas and national parks. There are plenty of cattle so gates are extremely important throughout the walk and must be kept shut. The scenery is pleasant there is a lot of forest plantations and wild scrub land in the first 400km, a few hills but not mountains, depending on the time of year you may get your feet wet.

At the moment there has been a great water shortage I carry around 2 liters of water from point to point in temperatures that are around 30 degrees once the sun gets up. But you may need 3 depending on the temperature and how much you drink. I do carry a water filter with me that has helped a great deal, perhaps have a think about that. The tap water here, I have drank it, but it is very high in chlorine and fluoride. A decent water filter will eliminate a high percentage of this, by using one you will also have less of an impact on the environment along with keeping your cost down over time.

“Please think about the environment when you go traveling and your own carbon footprint”

What to take with you

Well everyone is very different, if I had planned for this trip then I would only be carrying 7kg with water and some food. I met a guy on a different camino a few months back he looked like he had just been into a hi- tec trekking shop and brought the latest goodess that he was very quickly regretting. Without being a snob, this is a walk you are not going to the Himalayas on your own. This is a marked out route there are shops where you can buy more kit if you really need to.

Personally it's like this - one set of clothes for walking one set of clothes for the evening. I can understand bringing a jumper of some sort and possibly a rain jacket. Any more than 8kg then have a strong think.  Go for a few very long walks first before you leave home. Of course if you're planning to camp out then it’s different. All my kit is 10 kg with water, food camping kit.

Before you leave home Walk with the kit that you're going to carry with you, I recommend you go on at least 4 big walks over varied terrain, walking around 10km with it. Stop occasionally go through your bag whilst out walking to look for stuff in your kit, doing this will help you understand how to pack.  Make sure you pack it correctly. Heavy kit always goes at the bottom that is generally rule. Whilst you have your pack on  make sure it feels part of you, you do not want it  hanging of you, make sure the pack is tight to your body. Most outdoor shops will sell you the bag saying it fits you but will not tell you how to wear and fit the bag to your body this is a different ball game.

So many people I see carry their packs completely wrong, it will ruin your back and days out, it will make you work harder.

Well this week that is all I am going to write about, hope some of this information helps you if you would like any more information drop me aline I realise I have left a great deal of information out.

Enjoy.

The Via de la Plata

Not far from the centre of Seville in Spain is a granite way-marker. It reads Santiago de Compostella 1000 kilometres. For anybody planning to walk all of those 1000km, it is a slightly daunting sight. But for others the sight of this marking brings a rush of blood through their veins.

Although the Via de la Plata (the Silver route) follows an old Roman road towards the metal mines in northern Spain, its name has nothing to do with silver. The name is most likely derived from the Latin word “platea” meaning wide road or “Lapidata” meaning stone road. Another possible origin is the Arabic word Balatta meaning road.

The route was used well before the Romans as well, in prehistory this route was used by farmers to move domesticated animals in the summer from the south to north and vice-versa. Later the route was well known for traders who came to the southern ports of the Iberian Peninsula and traded ceramics and jewelry for raw materials from the north.

The Via de la Plata was used by different migratory groups to invade and in the 8th century it allowed the Moors to advance into northern Spain and fill up the power vacuum left in the peninsula by the Romans. Later, this same route was used by Spanish for the Reconquista.

The route was used for pilgrimage during Moorish control as well from the 10th to the 12th centuries. Even the bells from the Santiago cathedral that were relocated to the mosque in Cordoba by Al-Mansur were transferred back to Santiago in the 13th century. But in later centuries fewer pilgrims have used this route until its revival in the 1980s.

Today, about 3.5% of the pilgrims walk the Via de la Plata while the Camino Frances remains the most popular route.

The problem I had was that I had not planned in walking this Pilgrimage. I was actually on my way to a main road where I was going  to hitch to Portugal spend a week or so there and head back to the U.K for some well deserved abuse from my work mates who I am sure would enjoy working me back into the ground giving me stick, giving me all the worst jobs in the world ! o

However this will have to wait. So keep slugging it out lads I know you miss me much x.

October the 6th 2017 came where I was minding my own business walking across a bridge in Seville, where I met this guy who was walking the 1000 km to Santiago de compostela. There in that moment in time my path of life changed, I found the Santiago de Compostela office, Registered my name picked up my “Credencial del Peregrino” that you need to get stamped along the way, you need to show this at the pilgrim's office in Santiago to receive your certificate. 

I set of in that moment to Santiago and so this is day 4, it's a diffrent life for sure.

North of the Island.

This volcanic Island that I have been venturing on has hidden secrets from the past. I could not find what I was looking for in the South of the island where many folk to put their feet up and relax. I headed to the North in search of something a little more gripping that would satisfy my thirst.

I hiked up over a mountain range to reach the other side of this Island.  It took me a fair few hours of walking I don't know how long as I never looked at the time when I left, but the sun was still high. AIs I walked up the mountain I passed through many larva field's from previous eruptions, it must of been one hell of a sight seeing this river of molten rock coming towards you destroying whatever lay in its path. “The larva fields are a strange place I hope you can all experience this place one day” I found them extremely quiet, for me it was a little weird I don't really know why and it’s hard to describe. Your just have to go and see for yourself.

Throughout the day on the other side I had walked for around 15km and hitched around 5km. Popping in to ports and quiet bays taking  in my surroundings that has been created over time from the volcanic eruptions throughout history. Reclaiming back it’s ground from conquering distant lands that set up home thinking all would be safe. Towards the end of the day and a little more suntan that is now making me look even more Arabic, I was faced with the North Atlantic ocean, and this mountain range that stretched out to the right of me into the distant North that I would soon be walking upon.

I sat on the rocky lava beach for a while where  I soaked up the warm rays of the sun occasional thoughts of where i'd sleep for the night popped in and out of my head whilst scanning the surrounding area of the geographic terrain that has been created by the huge power from beneath my feet, and how life has adapted to this place.

Whilst passing my time I watched all the creatures in the many lava rock pools around me,  taking a dip from time to time to cool of from the heat. Having my feet cleaned by the little creatures of the deep took some time to get use to, flinching a little as the bigger ones wanted a nibble, you could feel the small little, almost transparent crayfish pulling at the lose skin, watching their little pinchers go to work, cleaning where the toenail meets the skin and feeling that sensation did take awhile to get use to but after some minutes I got use to it.  A few fishermen pop by with the turn of the tide where they cast their line into the ocean in hope to catch supper for three nights tea. I got talking to a fisherman where we had a good conversation about different subject's. He told me that I should go to these mountains to get a taste where time stands still, that there are many villages in the area, and that traditional ways are still part of their daily life.

I asked him more about these mountains and what was hidden within its distant peaks and secluded bays, he spoke of Pirate hideouts where tunnels still await to be discovered, small picturesque villages, local delicacy, cheese and wine from the vineyards that sit on the slopes of these mountains. That many people still chose to live in caves because they are warm in the winter and cool in the summer months, plus many of their own generation's lived in them so they are past down to them.

He told me I should head to up a trail that was not to far from where we were.  The trail would lead me to a village, and from that village I could ask questions how to get to the next village. All I have to do is find and follow the well trodden path that wind and twist through time, “just ask the locals for directions your be fine”  I wrote down a number of place that he mentioned to help me out with where I was heading to. The time now was 18:00 in the evening so I set off on the trail that lead me up into the mountains,  I had around 7 km to travel and calculated, given the uphill terrain and the weight in my pack I should be able to make it to the village for sunset at a relaxing pace and find a good spot to camp for the night.

As I climbed higher I past many cactus plant, small lizards and butterflies, caves that I would've loved to of stayed in but it was still to early. I had to stop a few times to sit down and pinch myself that I was on another mission feeling alive once again. I promised myself that I would keep my phone switched off throughout this journey to truly take time out, to use my Spanish skills and intuition to get me through this northern land.

I made it to the village where there are house built into the rock that half hides them. They looked very posh, the outside walls paint reds and blues with plant pots placed very elegantly along there varandas, with wooden benches stretched across their rocky outpost looking out towards great natural beauty. I had made it in time for sunset and found a nice spot to camp looking out over the ocean, with the sunsetting to the west I lay down my bed for the night, prepared dinner on the fire that was fresh bread and a rice dish followed by banana and melted chocolate on top with honey combined with a few crushed nuts sprinkled on top.

The following day I was up early, I was packed and ready to go for 07:30, finding a bar for a “cafe con leche” for a boost to start the day. The barmen was a little rude towards me but I persevered with his attitude, and made an effort to break this rudeness where he warmed to me rewarding me with a free coffee and some good information accompanied with directions that  would see me through my day. It was a nice day, following the coastline from up high, looking down at the variation of blues that the ocean held in it’s hand. Alot up up and downs and water was not a problem as I managed to find a water source that I drank directly from.

As I walked along you could hear all the little lizards scurrying along in the volcanic scrub, running in front of me dashing from side to side, Sitting down for a while they would pop out to see what I was upto, but later found out they are very keen to be feed. The walking was fair and took me through a tree line where the strong winds had shaped their branches over time that made them intertwine with each other on points. On the slopes thier aware cactus plants tall and small, colours of lime greens with spiky thorns all over them that I dread slip and fall on to.

The sun was now at it’s highest, the trail took me down to a bay, so I thought I go for a swim to freshen up and to take some te out from the day. I underestimated the tide of the North Atlantic ocean, the tide took me out fast to my surprise and had started to struggled a little to get back to shore, I managed to body surf a wave in the end that nearly landed me on some rather nasty rocks. It was a nice and refreshing workout all the same, I sat on the shoreline thinking of the past times were shipwrecked crew must found that sea strong and powerful where many must have perished.

Throughout my days in the north I passed through a number of villages, learning about how certain parts of the north had been the stopping place for many sailing ships to the new world “America” how the spanish claimed the land and and built church's leaving behind certain religious items in these places of worship. How the Islanders survived in the dry lands by trying there best to preserve the forest where the leaves would collect the rain and water due, filtering it back down through the rock where they were able to harvest the water, to grow their crops and vineyards from. How they used the mountains to carve their house out of and all so carve into for their wine making production for various stages until barreled.

Walking through the day I would pick prickly pears to eat, this is the fruit that the cactus plant produce, they are varied in colours from green to red about 4inches tall and 2-3 inches in diameter when they are ready to eat. After carefully handling them, you could cut into the pear, where the fruit was protected from the elements of the weather and creatures. Lunch was always good, local food at the village bars or picnics on route sat on rocks looking out to sea.

I met a few people on my journey, Where I was invited in to stay for the night, or just for a chat and a coffee. One guy I came across had lived in a cave for 9 years after losing his wife from a tragic accident where the car she was sat in rolled of the edge of a cliff and killed her, he told me how he managed to deal with this great loss, and how he managed to survive of the land along with tapping into the key of life “ The water supply from the mountain”  Another person who I meet along my way was a lady whose husband was very rich, she had everything but happiness with her husband, so one day she packed that life up and found a new life walking away from it all. Found  a new partner where they made their home here in the North of the Island. Both extremely interesting characters,  I stayed with them for a night and there cooking was superb learning how they expand on the cave that must of been hard work, a view that a 5 star hotel would charge thousands for.

I loved my time in the North  chatting away to local people, visiting their villages and caves asking them the way to my next destination, walking along the paths taking in the countryside and rock formations, the colours and the smells, the creature that live there. Trying out the local tapas. Camping out from time to time, waking up with some great views of the ocean. Having the fortune luck in meeting those few people who shared their life stories, kindness and food made the trip more memorable.

I headed back down to the coast to write this story, sat on this sandy beach I spent most of the day chilling out, but then that  feeling started to kick in, I needed to move ! . I started to feel agitated sat there on that beach. so once again I got going, walking into the night taking a few snap shots along the way to wherever I was off to, finally finding a place to settle for the night.

Thanks for showing intrest.