Today wasn’t in the script and has been unlike any other on my Camino travels, but it led me to a hidden gem and a lovely albergue.
The wind was rattling the shutters and whistling through the trees outside – it sounded like it was going to be a cold start to the day. However it was warmer outside than in, and the wind was even warmer.
I left with Judith and we slipped-slided our way down a forestry path out of Priesca to Sebrayo, then followed the road that crisscrossed the highway into Villaviciosa. The rain had held off until we arrived.
Not a very attractive town with its industrial past evident. It was 9km by this point – time for a tortilla y potata. The rain was due to finish at 1100h; Judith is heading to the Primitivo so our paths part here. She was going to wait out the downpour as she had 10km left – I still had 22.
I donned my poncho and hit the wet streets, grabbing a stamp from the tourist office. The rain wasn’t too bad, nothing compared to Day 15. Sure enough, after about an hour it stopped just at the foot of the first big hill of the day.
It was a toughie. Wet forest paths with loose rocks, up a devilishly steep incline. The easy stages from Bilbao have most certainly come to an end.
The forest path gives way to a single track tarmac road and the rain returned in short showers – and stopped once I got to the top! Menacing clouds were prowling the hilltops, and as I followed the road down with Peón in the distance, around a bend, there was a wall of water driving in sideways up the valley.
Trees verging on horizontal and then it crashed into me. It was like I just jumped into the sea, all I needed was one of those surfboards I’ve been seeing over the last week.
My umbrella inverted, my trainers were instantly soaked and I managed to catch my hat! I darted under the shelter of three chestnut trees at the side of the road. Waves of water were being blown up the road – a reverse water slide! The spiky chestnuts were falling and bouncing off me.
It wasn’t stopping. I had to press on into Peón where there is a bar I can get some respite. I swam down the hill to the bottom of the valley to fined Casa Pepito closed – there goes my drink stop.
I found shelter in the ruined barn nearby to assess my options. Deva is 6km away and I have another big hill to tackle. There is an albergue in Capión which is 3km away but not on the Camino.
Not wanting to risk blisters, I called the albergue. They offered to pick me up and drop me back off in the morning – sold! 20 minutes later I was picked up in a green people carrier, then after a short drive, I’m drying off in front of an open fire in the bar area to the albergue.
A lovely little place, that looks like it was once the family home and now converted into an albergue. Very friendly, accommodating owners and pilgrims meal, that I shared with Joan from Taiwan.
Stu's Camino 