Camino Primitivo Stage 6 – Berducedo to Grandas de Salime

June 3, 2022

We left the Albergue after a quick breakfast and started our walk with clear skies. As per usual, we had to climb a relatively steep hill out of town. We walked on a road past meadows full of cows and could see rows of wind turbines on the surrounding hilltops. Then we entered the clouds. I could see maybe 50 yards ahead, making it seem so quiet and somewhat eerie. Today’s walk would include a long, steep descent to Embalse de Salime or the Salime Reservoir. We would end in Grandas de Salime about 13 miles away.

We left the road for a dirt trail which eventually turned into a logging type of road. There had evidently been a fire in this area that had scorched the hillside on this side of the reservoir. They were now in the process of taking down the dead trees and reclaiming the land. Being in such thick fog, we could hear tractors working close by but couldn’t see them!

We continued downhill through a series of long switchbacks until we finally started to break through the clouds. Finally, some glimpses of the reservoir below! As we continued our descent, we left the logging road for a forested trail that led us to the end of the reservoir and the dam. There was a nice little balcony type of viewing point for the dam. It was getting warm now that the sun was out and this was a perfect spot for a break. Our friends from Portugal and the Czech Republic were also taking advantage of the shade and views.

We followed the road over the dam and started the ascent on the other side. There was a perfectly-placed Las Grandas Hotel and restaurant with a huge terrace overlooking the reservoir. Time for lunch! This was probably one of my favorite meals of the whole trip. I had the menu del dia (menu of the day) and had a mind-blowing bowl of seafood soup, fish for the main dish, and dessert. Oh, and of course a Kaz Limon to drink.

We still had a few miles to go after lunch and it was all uphill. The Camino followed a two-lane paved road that was heavily treed with lots of switchbacks. We caught up with Julia and Pablo where we kept switching from one side of the road to the other to make sure cars would be able to see us as they came around the corner. Finally, we left the road for a wooded trail that took us into Grandas de Salime. I was staying at a different Albergue than Suzanne and Gary so I did the usual routine of unpacking, showering, and doing laundry.

Malthe was also staying at my Albergue and we headed into town to meet Suzanne and Gary for dinner. What an experience! This is a small village with only a couple of bars to choose from. We had a drink in one of them but noticed their dinner choices were limited to burgers. Not what we wanted! So, we went into the other bar that had a crowd of people gathered around the bar. We walked through the crowd to find a table and sat down only to be yelled at by the owner for not greeting him when we entered. After many apologies, he gave us menus and we had an enjoyable dinner.