Oviedo to Avilés
June 1, 2023
I’d been dreading this day. 18 miles from Oviedo to Avilés where I would begin a segment of the Camino del Norte. I left at 7:00 AM and it was already warm and humid. After leaving the historic city center of Oviedo, the way followed quiet residential streets while making its way north. I didn’t expect to see any other pilgrims and I was mostly right. I passed one woman, we said a few words then she was gone. Aside from one stretch of gravel road through the woods, this day was spent on pavement.
The first two-thirds were fairly scenic with undulating terrain through the countryside. Then we joined the highway and would walk beside it (thankfully on a sidewalk) for 8 miles! Nothing but mostly flat and straight. And here is where the sun came out of hiding. I stopped at a bar and had a Kaz Limón to sit for a while before heading on. There were benches every so often along the highway where I stopped for a quick lunch.
Avilés
Once I entered the outskirts of Avilés, I had a false sense that the end was coming soon. It was not! It just kept going for miles with heavy traffic, businesses, and pedestrians. I was so tempted to get a cab because I was SO DONE! Finally, I arrived at the city center with its old architecture, saw a bar with tables outside, and sat down. That tinto del verano was well-earned! I also realized that my accommodation was only about a block away! I thought it was farther. A small Camino miracle!
I checked into my hostel, Hostal La Fruta Nueva. It is a quirky place on the 2nd floor above some shops. I had a private room and bathroom which was located right down the hall. After showering and doing laundry, I was excited to see that my floor-to-ceiling windows faced west and there was a clothesline right outside my window. Dry clothes!
I had dinner at the cafe recommended by the hospitalero and walked around a nearby park. When I got back from dinner, my room was now probably 95 degrees since I hadn’t closed the curtains before I left. So, it was a warm night for me! The next day was going to be the 2nd of 3 long walking days in a row so I needed to sleep well.
Photos from Day 7:
