We could never have imagined how day 12 would end up. Setting off early from our hotel, Santillana deal Mar looked even more attractive in the early morning without the huddle and bustle of tourists. Feeling relaxed after an exceptionally good breakfast with ham, cheese and fresh fruit, rather than the normal bread and jam, we took the opportunity to make up our lunches from the remains, as the shops don’t normally open on Sundays in Spain. The weather outlook was promising.
The overnight rain soon spluttered out and the next few hours were pleasant and solitary as my walking buddies went off ahead. I am becoming quite attached to these guys and in turn they seem to have accepted me as 1 of the Gang of Four.
Jannik: 27, an engineer by trade, on his first Camino. Mature and wise for his years (he reads this blog so I’m not going to say he’s dumb – which he certainly is not!) and very good company except when tired and grumpy, then aren’t we all? I spend more time with Jannik because of his good English.
I sometimes wonder why Jannik like to walk with 3 old men with combined ages of almost 200, but he seems to enjoy it.
Max: 67 and retired. I could imagine Max as quite a ladies man in his younger days and certainly he has a keen eye for them. A good sense of humour and always keen to try out his limited English. He and Anton have been walking their Camino in stages over several years, originally starting in Germany, and will have covered over 2,000 kms by the end.
Anton: Anton and I struggle to communicate at times but we get along just fine and my German’s very slowly improving. His daughter is married to Max’s son and they share two grandchildren. I imagine Anton as a kindly grandfather who allows his young grandchildren to tug his beard as he smiles benignly.
So all was good as we walked the undulating Cantabrian hills on our way to the municipal Albergue in Camillos.
About Camino Albergues: The albergues are rather like the UK youth hostels, but split between privately owned and municipal, the latter mainly run by volunteer ‘hospitaleros’ and only for peregrinos. They cost just 5 euros per night and provide a bunk bed in a dorm that could hold from 2 people up to 100 and usually offer very rudimentary facilities. .
The private albergues vary enormously in standard but the online Camino forums and guides help us select the best ones. Typical costs 10 – 15 euros a night. Some of them are very comfortable, almost like hotels, others are less attractive.
We decided to stay in the municipal Albergue in Camillos, formerly the town jail. Arriving late we were lucky to take the last 4 places. I had a mattress on the floor in a small room crammed with 2 bunk beds, but so what? – I’ve ear plugs and it was only 5 euros!
Camillos is an attractive seaside resort and we went into town for a meal and to savour the atmosphere. On returning, we found most of our fellow residents, mainly German, sitting outside chatting excitedly.
One girl had been contacted by a friend who was a few days further down the Camino to say they had received many bed bug bites, caught from this Albergue. We went inside and looked under the mattresses and most of them were infested with them, including mine. Fortunately I’d only put my sleeping bag out that had been given a hefty dose of anti bed bug spray back in the UK, but others had put their clothes out and had been lying on the mattresses.
Bed bugs are a massive issue on the Camino as an infestation in one albergue can easily be transported to other albergues down the line and they need a full scale fumigation to get rid of them.
So at 9:30pm we wondered what on earth to do. Yannik suggested walking through the night and we didn’t discount that idea. Fortunately a search on booking.com found a hotel nearby with 4 single beds in a large room so we rapidly packed and decamped there.
We booked a hotel for the next night in Colombres; we were now moving out of Cantabria and into the Asturias, with their more brightly painted houses and richly adorned churches, benefiting from the gold plundered from the Incas and Aztecs. It was a good day’s walking although too much spent on roads for my liking, but some wonderful views and locations.
Our hotel was slightly out of town but peaceful and this morning we moved towards Llanes, following the coast for a period along the cliff tops with some gorgeous beaches below us.
This was our fourth successive 30 kms days’ walking and I was glad to reach our private albergue. Probably the most chilled place on the Norte, close to the beach and also used by surfers. The 9 euro pilgrims’ evening meal was delicious, home made by the owner’s mother. A Spanish girl sang and played the ukele and guitar in the garden whilst we ate. At present the thought of a further 30 kms tomorrow has no fears. My feet are patched up and enjoying the TLC they’re receiving although still quite a mess.
The biggest dilemma now is whether to continue on the Norte in 3 days time or to turn off onto the Primitivo and head inland earlier. I’ve no idea whatsoever what the outcome will be and actually, it doesn’t really matter.
Peebeecat 