The Camino Frances

The Camino Frances

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Getting lost on the Camino

Day 25 Molinaseca to Cacabelos - 23 km

Did you wonder if it is possible to get lost on the Camino? Well, it happened to us today.

Usually the Camino is well marked. There are many yellow arrows pointing the way, plus more official signs of different sorts. But the styles and the frequency seem to vary with the terrain and the province and municipality that you are in. Right now we are in Castille y Leon, and the provice of El Bierzo - for just one more day, and the signs in El Bierzo and Ponferrada, where we got lost, are abysmal.

El Bierzo is famous as a garden, and yesterday we had fresh cherries and strawberries, picked in the neighbourhood. Stores were handing them out for tasting, and they were delicious. The roses are massive, and everything, including the hedges, are giant. There are grape vines growing everywhere, including the ditches. So I guess they are focused on a different kind of tourism, and we pilgrims don´t get the signage we need.

Getting lost - that is, no yellow arrows or signs - worried us, but I thought we were headed in the right direction. We went north then west out of Ponferrada, instead of west then north, and after asking about 6 locals and trying to puzzle out their answers, we found ourselves once more surrounded by pilgrims.

We also took the wrong exit out of another town, and walked on the road for a while, but at that time we had not yet lost our Brierly guide, so we puzzled it out sooner.
Last night we photographed the maps for the rest of the way from a borrowed Brierly guide, so we shouldn´t go too far off track in the future.

So, usually you can trust the signs.
Other pilgrims can help.
Locals want to help.
Keep the sun at your back.
Keep checking your guidebook.

We can recommend the John Brierly guidebook  http://www.caminoguides.com/guide.html
and the Confraternity of St James book
http://www.csj.org.uk/bookshop.htm

Meanwhile, here is what today´s walk looked like much of the time we weren´t wandering the roads.


8 comments:

  1. Ah I remember it well, that overpass is confusing. You are making such good time, maybe you could go an visit Tracy Saunders in Caratona, near Vimianco. If you need more info, let me know, she welcomes pilgrims to her Little Fox House, post camino. We had great fun walking yesterday, weather held and the sun even came out towards the end. Belated Happy Birthday to Wendy! Ingrid

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    1. I´ll pass on your wishes to Wendy. Glad the weather is improving. We just got in before the first rain in weeks started. I´ll think about the Little Fox House - we´ll likely arrive Sunday 25, and fly out of Madrid Fri 30th.

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  2. Happy B day W. Hi Darlene, we had a great walk yesterday. Linda has replaced Kai and we carried on til 5 pm, everyone else packed it in during the day.
    Lost in paradise? Good zen, and the guide book vanishes. Good opportunity to really wing it. Hard to imagine that Foncebadon was on the Roman road, and later (10c) was the home of church councils setting policy.
    I have stooped to giving answers, as our Friday walkers said they liked my counter blog, but I could tell they had no clue to the answers either.

    Pop Quiz: Villafranca is: A: a french/Italian/ German etc. settlement, B: the Roman way point where the Burbia and Valcarce rivers meet, C: pre-Roman, judging from the Castro's in the area?

    As you go through the narrow streets remember that not so long ago these dark alleyways were the home of all sorts of crimes.

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    1. Villafranca must mean french village, but likely b and c are true also. You are sooo tricky! Thanks for the answers. Missed the internet yesterday!

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  3. Whew...good to read that you found your way again....would be very disconcerting if you were on your own though. I remember getting lost a few times last year and, having a few anxious moments as a result......good vibes for the next stage of your walk.....hugs.

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    1. Thanks, Sue - we are missing having a map book. The alternate route, not through Samos, may be another test for us.

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  4. Darlene - your journey sounds absolutely wonderful! cannot wait to do it myself one day in future. totally enjoying all your info and insights...thanks as always!!
    continued good times to you and wendy!

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    1. We are enjoying it, in spite of the challenges and misshaps. When you do it, I hope to follow along.

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