I’m leaving for Spain next week, and thought I would do a post that shows where I’m going, and do it now while I have time 🙂
I’m doing a REI Hiking Trip along the El Camino De Santiago!
We start in Bilbao. My friend Cilla is coming with me, and we are arriving in Bilbao a few days before the REI hike starts.
UPDATE: It turns out that Basque Fest is going on while we’re in Bilbao! Check it out!
http://basquefest.com/en/
We are going to do a tour separate from REI around the area – “Basque Coast, Biosphere of Urdaibai, Bermeo and Gernika.” Although we won’t be hiking these steps, we will be going to a lookout to see Gaztelugatxe – I’ve been wanting to see it for a long time!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaztelugatxe
And, we’re also planning to visit the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao – I’ve also been wanting to see that for a long time! I’m excited!
https://www.guggenheim.org/about-us
Anyway, the REI hike is 8 days. We’re not hiking the entire pilgrimage trail, but are doing parts. Here’s a breakdown:
Day 1 (4/20):Â We meet our trip mates for dinner and do a little walkaround tour of Bilbao.
Day 2: We go along the costa verde, ultimately going from Bilbao to Llanes. We’ll be visiting a cave and hiking 5.6 miles (elev gain/loss = 525 ft)
Day 3: We’ll be going from Llanes to Oviedo, where we will tour the San Salvador Cathedral and spend the night. Our hike today is 7 miles with elev gain/loss = 755 ft.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oviedo_Cathedral
Day 4: We’ll be going to Oviedo to Tineo, and will be hiking along the Camino Primitivo, the oldest of all the Camino pilgrimage routes. In Tineo we’ll be visiting an abandoned 12th-century Benedictine Monastery. Today’s hike is 10.3 miles, elev gain/loss = 1,350/1,590 ft (yikes!)
Day 5: We’ll be going from Tineo to Lugo. Apparently the trail this day is perhaps the most spectacular of the entire Camino Primativo. We may see wild horses! On our way to Lugo we’ll be stopping in Galicia which has 3rd century Roman walls surrounding the old town, and then visit the cathedral there. Today’s hike is 4.1 miles, elev gain/loss 1,795/321 ft.
Day 6:  We’ll be going from Lugo to Sedor. We start off visiting a museum and some ruins in Lugo. Then we’ll be hiking our last day on the Camino Primitivo and have lunch in Melide, which is where the Camino Primitivo and Camino Frances merge into a single Way. Our hike will be 6 to 7.9 miles elev gain/loss = 755/558 ft or 935/705 ft (I guess I’ll find out which when we get there)
Speaking of The Way, there is a movie by that same name. It gives a good feel for what the full pilgrimage is about. I thought it was pretty good. Here’s a link to some info about it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_(2010_film)
Day 7: We’ll be hiking our final section of the Camino, arriving at Santiago de Compostela. We were supposed to attend a pilgrim’s mass at the Cathedral there, and see the swinging of the Botafumeiro (incense censer – it is just over five feet high and weighs 180 pounds!) but unfortunately the Cathedral is undergoing restoration so it’s closed. Boo hoo!
We’ll be hiking 5.9 miles, elev gain/lost 730/930 ft.
Day 8: We spend time around Santiago and go out to Cape Finisterre. We’ll be hiking 3.2 miles, elev gain/loss 705/410 ft. Then we have a celebratory dinner for our last night together.
Day 9 (4/28): We all have breakfast together and then head out. Cilla and I are going to take a train to Madrid and spend the night there. Then, the next day, she’s flying home and I’m flying to London.
So, here is a break down of the rest of my trip. I will be updating the blog as I go, and when I can (probably not so much during the hiking trip though).
I’ll be in London for 2 nights, and plan to visit both the Tate Modern (I want to see the Dorothea Tanner exhibit) and the Design Museum (I want to see the Stanley Kubrick exhibit).
Then, catch a train to Pewsey where my friend Bill will pick me up. I’ll be staying with him and Anthea until I fly home on May 15. But, during that time we’ll be in Llanmodoc Wales for 4 nights – my first time in Wales!
That’s it for now dear readers! Talk soon!