Leaving Lugo
June 7, 2022
I met Suzanne and Gary at a bar on the plaza Mayor where we had a leisurely breakfast. Today would be our last day walking together as they were going to take an alternate route out of Lugo that meets with the Camino Norte while I would continue along the Camino Primitivo. In a couple of days, the Camino Primitivo merges with the Camino Frances for the remaining walk into Santiago. Since both Gary and Suzanne had walked the Camino Frances in years past, they opted to bypass the city of Melide by taking the alternate route. I was tempted to go along with them but it looked like it would add an extra day’s walk and I had a train to catch to get back to Madrid. Plus, I had already booked and paid for my accommodation for the remaining nights.
We left the city center and headed out of Lugo. We passed over the Rio Miño on an ancient Roman bridge. Soon after, our paths split but we would meet again in Santiago. I was now on my own for the next 4 days. It was a beautiful clear and sunny morning and my allergies were in full swing. I had picked up a cold a few days back and had bought some medicine in Lugo so I was hoping that would help stop the sneezing and coughing. The fear of Covid still lingered especially with sharing sleeping quarters at night. Thankfully, that was not the case!
As I left Lugo, a lot of the Camino was on roads walking past beautiful homes on the outskirts of town. The road walking continued for quite some time and there were many more pilgrims, some in large groups. This was to be expected since we were within 100 kilometers of Santiago now.
There were no towns to pass through before I reached my destination for the night. I was also told by the Albergue I was staying at that they would not be offering dinner this week. Thankfully, I passed by a rest stop that had some vending machines so I was able to buy a sandwich to have for dinner that night and get a cold drink since it was starting to get hot. There were also several familiar faces at the rest stop so it was nice to chat for a while before getting back on the road.
Eventually, we left the road for a logging path and a fairly steep downhill section. The remaining miles were spent on a country road that finally led into Ferreira. I was staying at the Ponte Ferreira Albergue which was about a half mile past the town on a farm. After 16 miles I was ready to be done for the day!
Daily chores
By this time, the daily routine of chores was starting to get old. First, I would check into the Albergue and get my bed assignment. They would give me a disposable fitted sheet and pillowcase and I would make my bed. I also carried a lightweight down sleeping bag and a satin pillowcase. Once my bed was made up, I would shower and change into my evening clothes/pajamas.
Next, time for laundry. Most of the places I stayed had the option to pay to use a washer and dryer. This could get costly since it averaged about 8 euros to wash and dry one load. It was nice to combine your laundry with others to split the cost when possible. About half of the time, I just hand-washed my clothes. There was usually a designated laundry sink and a clothesline available. I basically wore the same thing every day so my laundry mainly consisted of a dryfit shirt, shorts, underwear, bra, and socks.
Once the clothes were hung, it was time to eat. Since there was no dinner being served at the Albergue and I didn’t want to walk back to the town, I sat outside at a picnic table and shared my vending machine sandwich with one of the resident cats. Oh, and did I mention that Tex was staying here as well? Then it was time to take my cold medicine and go to bed.
Photos – Click to enlarge
