BLOG : Our daily adventures,
Week 42 - Playa de La Beciella to Novales
April 23rd to 29th 2023
- Day 288: April 23rd: Playa de La Beciella to Ribadesella - 12 km
It rained cats and dogs last night and we woke up with a drizzle. In these situations, we have to trust the often unreliable weather forecast to find the right timing to allow our tent to dry between 2 showers before packing up...we managed to "passer entre les gouttes" quite smoothly given the waterfall experienced during the night.
On this stretch of our path, the camino and the E9 are both following the coastline which will gives us a choice for some deviations to avoid paved roads when necessary.
Not really the beach day we hoped for...
But nature's beauty reminds us how lucky we are!
We've just got ourselves the perfect tree/umbrella as a heavy shower started...we waited patiently under our tree for about 45 minutes while Camino pilgrims passed by us with sad ponchos on and dripping faces. Unlike us, they have to make it to their next hostel/albergue on time, rain or shine. Right around the corner, when the weather came back to a reasonably soft drizzle, we found the house of a camino lover. His backyard was filled with signs indicating the way and km to reach nearby or distant cities..a little fountain was also available to the pilgrims and presented itself providentially right when our bottles were empty.
This restaurant owner went wild to advertise for its seafood..unfortunately we arrived quite late and the kitchen was closed...we walk a little bit further along the beach to get to the next restaurant but there again they were closing...the rain started again and we luckily found a roof next to the public bathrooms to keep ourselves dry.
We walked all day with no food and a consistently gray weather until we found this pearl of a restaurant, la Portiella, with again the perfect timing, it had started to rain once more. We sat inside with a warm cup of coffee and waited for the evening service....With hungry eyes we look over the menu: it will be tender pork cheeks for me and rumsteack filet for Casey and 2 slices of cheesecake to finish...Nothing better than warm food with an ocean view to forget about the nasty weather.
After our delicious diner, we headed towards Ribadesella at night with our headlamps on...and found ourselves a pitching spot in the middle of a muddy path....we prayed for the weather to hold since it would seem the path could easily turned into a riverbed under heavy rain like we've experienced today.
12 km done for a total of 3519 + 12 = 3531 km
- Day 289: April 24th: Ribadesella to Playa de San Antonio del Mar - 16 km
First stop of the day on the waterfront in Ribadesella. While I was drinking coffee and uploading our pictures from the previous day, Casey went grocery shopping. The traditional way of serving ham...and of advertising for it right on the window seal of this cafe.
We've seen a similar art installation in Gijon with songs tittles, here it broadcast colourful motivational quotes...a staircase comme je les aime. Whenever you feel depressed walking up this steps lifts your mood right back up.
Our path between sea and mountains..beautiful despite the overcast weather.
We found the perfect picnic table in this small village..a small fountain to fill our bottles and wash our dishes and right behind us a little building from which we could hear a very enthusiastic teacher yelling English sentences to 3 equally responsive kids.
In Cuerres, we passed by an albergue which made us wish we were pilgrims.
Always thrilling to walk over a bridge that's been standing for so long...how many people have crossed this river and polished its stones with their footsteps since the roman age.
We walked quite a while and needed a bit of liquid courage. As always we found a place with a beautiful view over the ocean. This one has also diverse animals on display: ducks, chicken, turtles.. a real mini-zoo!
The funkiest chicken you've ever seen: what a fashionista!
The spanish version of the mini-cooper?
An arch which leads to a paradise beach: Cuevas del Mar
We are glad to have left the camino del Norte itinerary for this stretch and followed our own path along the shoreline...it leads us here...wow!
Our little dreamy spot for the night: playa de San Antonio del mar, only accessible by foot through a public path crossing the property of a farmer: cows and electric fences both right and left
16 km done for a total of 3531 + 16 = 3547 km
- Day 290: April 25th: Playa de San Antonio del Mar to Playa de San Martin - 17 km
I went for a little dive as the sun picked through the clouds...today will be sunny despite the gloomy forecast..unreliable like we love it.
Mapsme indicated a shortcut trail that followed the coastline on the cliffs..but all we could see was first a metallic fence to climb over (the farmer had clearly claimed this trail as being part of his property) and then a reduced to next-to-nothing path through spiky bushes...pants rolled all the way down we made it to the dirt road 4km ahead on the other side ...unlike the british couple met the same morning on the beach...they also wanted to take this trail but the wife was unfortunately wearing a dress and her husband went in there bare chested... they made it up to only half way where Casey and I were having our lunch...blood on their legs and scratches (short cuts indeed) everywhere...
Just before playa de Huelga we stumbled upon a bridge crossing a crystal clear river...perfect to wash away the salt collected on my skin on my morning swim ...organic soap out, we joyfully jumped in the icy cold water of the stream for a very stimulating bath.
At low tide playa de Huelga reveals the beautiful rocks carved by the sea...
Sablera de la Canalina...I don't know what they've been excavating out of this narrow cliff...
Playa de Gulpiyuri, apparently fed by the caves and underground tunnels carved by the sea...
At last a E9 trail well indicated...not always the case on the coastline where it should have been.
Rio de Barro with a view of the church "Paroquia de Nuestra Senora de dolores" (a mouthful) and of a group of kids gliding blissfully under the rain on their paddle boards
As we were about to get soaked again, we found this eldorado of a mini-bar with a roof to shelter ourselves and a view of playa de Borizu. The locals are watching a soccer game: real madrid is losing 4:1 against another less famous spanish team. I had time to catch up on our blog while Casey enjoyed the game. We needed a break also to recharge biological and electrical batteries. Sweet!
There we met Javier, the cheerful bar tender of the Borizu chiringuito who loves working with the best office: playa and Cows in the winter time and fiesta and cars in the summer time. He introduced us proudly to one of the Northern Spain favorite cocktails the calimucho: a mixture of red wine on ice with coke...I'm sold!
After nightfall and relatively tipsy, we headed towards one of our greatest camping spot so far. 2 km away from the bar, we found the ideal patch of fluffy grass right next to Playa San Martin. Waking up to this marvel the next day!
17 km done for a total of 3547 + 17 = 3564 km
- Day 291: April 26th: Playa San Martin to Playa de Buelna - 23 km
Today as we were having our morning coffee, we met Marie-Claude and Michelle, two retired women who went on a hiking adventure together to Santiago de compostela. What a beautiful encounter! They told us all about their lives and how they came to walk at last after a life of dedication to their work and children. They were so encouraging: congratulating us on pursuing our dreams and going on a charity hike. We hope we will meet again when we'll pass by somewhere in Bretagne where they are from.
Paseo de San Pedro overlooking the sea on one side and the city of Llanes on the other.
Llanes
Basilica de Santa Maria del concejo
As we were strolling through the medieval city center to get to a good place to eat, a few blocks down the main street and along the canal, we found our solace: the restaurant "Uria" offering a copious menu del dia for 15 euros: the asturian pote as a first dish was a delight as well as the entrecote as 2nd dish and to finish we top it up with chocolate and cheese cakes: a must try!
In the outskirts of Llanes, we met Celine and Gaelle, two french women travelling with their 2 dogs and 2 donkeys. I asked as many question as I could on how it is to travel with animals since Casey was also dreaming about hiking with donkeys one day. Sometimes villagers are not so donkey-friendly, they've just been thrown out of Llanes because some of the inhabitants had called the guardia civil. It could also be challenging when it comes to walking on paved road, crossing bridges and river, going through narrow challenging trails and finding water for the animals. We will consider the possibility of renting donkeys rather on the Norvegian part of our journey, since we will ve further away from civilization.
The author of these lines is definitely not an adept of positive thinking.
Here at the Bufones de Arenillas .... beware of the jesters playing a joke on you...you need to pay attention on where you walk...multiple holes carved by the sea from the underneath caves and tunnels are spitting water in stormy weather...real salty water geysers could appear suddenly beneath your feet (hence their name buffoons).
Tendon's care time..we've reached our limit today..after 17km, our bodies usually start rebelling...Today, I had a full on riot in my shoes.
My man is the happiest when served with a plate of good food. We were pushing ourselves to reach the village of Pendueles...the only place on our way with an open restaurant "Casa Flor"...and we made it right on time. Surprise, here the food is mexican...why not a little traveling while traveling?!
"Burrito de Carnitas" (pulled pork with caramelized onions) for Casey and "De Mole poblano" for me....half of my gigantic plate ended up in our tupperware for Casey to eat the next day.
Our camping spot at Playa de Buelna.
23 km done for a total of 3564 + 23 = 3587 km
- Day 292: April 27th: Playa de Buelna to Serdio - 22 km
This morning we met Henriette, a camino pilgrim from Denmark, documenting on her blog the people she meets on her way. She gave us a few advices for our next phase when we'll reach her country: there is a free App you can download which list free shelters for hikers up there. Sweet!
A parrot lover exhibit.
What kind of insect is that?
Bustia
Casey metba new pilgrim friend who isn't likely to follow him anywhere.
At a crossroad, just before a hard climb, we met Julio, 80 years old, who tried to communicate with us and ran inside his house to bring us some walnuts as a little parting "regalo". We cracked them open as a reward on the top of the steep hill.
Estrada
22 km done for a total of 3587 + 22 = 3609 km
- Day 293: April 28th: Serdio to Comillas - 18 km
San Vincente de La Barquera
Comillas university
Restaurant El Carel
18 km done for a total of 3609 + 18 = 3627 km
- Day 294: April 29th: Comillas to Novales - 15 km
On the top of the village of Alfoz de Lloredo, the locals where gathered to play and watch a traditional game in the area: Cantabrian Bolo, a crossbreeding of petanque and bowling.
As we were passing by while searching for our path in Novales, we stumbled upon a family who was transforming a part of their property into a garden along the river, painting fences and adding pots of plants and flowers on their yard across the street. Maria kindly invited us to sit down at her table and provided us with coffee and cookies. Her girls are raised in French, English and Spanish. The kids had fun trying our hats and hiking sticks.
In Novales, at the restaurant El Limonar, we met this amazing family. They invited us to spent a few days in their summer house back in Comillas. Rocio, Manuel, Carlos, Beltran and Diego, we will remember your hospitality and generosity. What a fun time we had with you singing, dancing, eating well: thas life! Van Morrison will from now on be our favorite artist to listen to while walking. Looking forward to seeing you again! Whenever you want you are welcome to join us on our adventure or come and visit us in Germany/France.
15 km done for a total of 3627 + 15 = 3642 km