In the Path of the Pilgrims

Episode Two

First stop the Parador de Argomaniz which was originally the Palace of Larrea. Now you’re catching on, I do like my creature comforts. Actually it is only a small Palace but very comfortable, built in the classical Renaissance style. It is located 13 km from Vitoria Gasteiz, but the main reason for choosing it was that it is just outside Bilbao. The Guggenheim Museum is there and that we wanted to see. Designed by Frank O Gehry we were keen to visit. It was murder to park but worth it.

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; this is not part of the Pilgrim’s Path as it was only opened to the public in 1997, but it is a must for anybody visiting the area. Designed by Frank O. Gehry it is a significant piece of modern architecture and has to be visited if only to see the buildings. The inside has a changing exhibition, plus some permanent items.


Parador Cangas de Onis; the second stop is the 12th Century Benedictine Monastery of San Pedro de Villanuerva. This is beside the River Stella and our room looked directly onto the river and surrounding countryside. No we were not in the tower but in a modern extension.The Roman Bridge in the town is a typical example of the Visigothic period which eventually led to the establishment of Catholicism in Spain.

ASTURIAS ; Close by are the Picos de Europa and the Austurian farming areas, it is a fantastic place to go rambling.
The cows give the most wonderful milk and are very friendly, but the grain has to be stored were the rats etc can’t get at it.

















Parador de Ribadeo; The Parador is a modern conversion of a Galician house situated on the mouth of the River Eo. Our room looked down on the estuary and the small port. We were able to watch the boats being loaded and also the rowing races on the river.

Playa de Cathedrales




This beach was quite close to Ribadeo and while exploring the Rias Alto (coast line), we called in at this beach, first at low tide when we were able to go on the beach, and then at high tide when it was completely under water.

Next Episode - 'Hostel dos Reis Catolicos de Compostela'

Northern Spain ‘In the Path of the Pilgrims’

A blog in several episodes so that there is something to follow!

Episode One
In the path of the ‘Peregrinos’ or ‘The Walk of St James,’ both titles signify only one thing – walking and I only walk under protest. The idea is to follow the path to the resting place of St James the Apostle (Santiago) whose remains were taken supposedly along this route to the coast of Galicia. Certainly in the Cathedral Santiago de Compostela there is a magnificent urn said to contain his remains and that of two of his followers. And I believe anything that does no harm.
We fancied visiting some more of the State hotels of Spain so we decided to follow the ‘path’. Did I walk it, did I heck! ‘Matilda’ our twelve year old Nissan was selected for the trip and across France we went to find the start for us, this was on the French/Spanish border.
Now followers of my blogs have by now worked out I like to treat myself, so the choice of State hotels doesn’t seem to fit. However there are in Spain, and on their Islands, over one hundred State hotels called Paradores. Try their web site http://www.paradores-spain.com I’ve been lucky and visited about fifty, but I digress.
The routes through Northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela are followed on foot by the pilgrims. The main ones are the French Path and the North Path; we are modern pilgrims and prefer a car. So the following photographs are taken as we followed the North Path in and the French Path out ‘sort of’. And this trip was without blisters.

If you can follow the map you will see the route for all four blogs (episodes).
The way in took in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and followed the coast via Argomaniz, Cangas de Onis, Ribadeo, Vilaba and into Santiago de Compostela. The route out was Tui, with a diversion into Portugal, Villafranca del Bierzo, Leon and Santiago Dominigo de la Calzada. We stopped for the night at the Parador’s as these were one of the main reasons for the trip being an historic treat themselves.

And on the drive back through France a visit to ‘Monet’s gardens at Giverny, which will be a blog another day’

Return to Blogging

For those that followed my blogs my departure was sudden and abrupt I shall explain. For some time we had planned to sell our house in Essex and buy a smaller ‘bolt hole’ nearer to my daughter and granddaughter. Our house went on sale the first week in April and an offer was made and accepted within the first week. We then looked for our ‘bolt hole in the village where my daughter lived but not keen on the properties for sale in the village. Our granddaughter who lived thirty minutes away was pointing out suitable houses in her village; we looked and found just what we wanted – all nice, and quick, and simple!
Now for those that know better I have now joined your numbers; selling and buying are both hells – sheer hell. They say selling your house is the worst experience you can encounter – they (whoever they are) are correct. I never realised that lawyers could find so many reasons to drag out the whole thing, and it took almost four months. Only four months the experts said when i mentioned it– gosh you were lucky! Luck, I didn’t think it was very lucky – but it seems I stand corrected.
Now when we had agreed the sale - and I thought it was going to be simple, it seemed a good idea to rearrange my book sales at the same time – just change the printers and the distribution system. Oh, and while we were at it sort out a national advertising campaign. Now I should have known better, but fools rush in where angels fear to tread. There is only one way this last summer can be summed up – a mad house. Certainly tweeting and blogging went out of the window, but now a little bit of sanity has arrived – oh yes, I forgot, the builders started work this morning putting in the footings for a conservatory; first thing to remove is an old tree root system that comes out of the ground with a seven foot bole to get in the way.
I shall endeavour to put my first blog of the season out this weekend so watch this space.
Did I mention I also set up my books with Amazon Kindle just to keep me busy
Signing off for now, and I hope my followers are ready for my assault on their reading time.

Patrick