Map and Elevation
Elevation Profile by Stage
Albergue de Peregrinos La Plaza, Tineo. Stage Distance: 13.99 miles (22.51km); Total Distance: 44.23 miles (71.17km)
Today began uphill, in the dark, and in the rain. The lack of breakfast was also a challenge.
A lesson we will continue to learn is what is open, when it is open, and how to accommodate. First mistake was leaving this morning. We packed up our gear and left the albergue with the intent of grabbing a quick breakfast at the cafe that was part of the albergue. The door latched clicked locked with an air of finality as we saw the darkness in the cafe. No sign of life. No indication when it would open. The street was dark. It was raining.
And it was Sunday. In Spain.
On my own, that would be frustrating but manageable – I would just begin hiking and find something on the way. My Beloved, however, was taking a bus ahead to Tineo and had hours before departure. Salas was still, shadowy and silent apart from the footsteps of pilgrims and the tapping of rain on our outerwear. We agreed that I should move ahead and she would find …something. At the edge of town, I saw the welcoming lights of the Casa Sueno albergue and texted Anna. The kind folks at Casa Sueno let us join them for coffee.
The Irish couple was staying there so we sat with them, comparing notes for the day. As the sky lightened a bit, we said our goodbyes and I headed out. Anna went to church and watched small town Spain come to life.
I climbed. The first 7k (4ish miles) was like yesterday’s initial ascent out of Grado. And there was every kind of weather. First, rainy and cold. Then the rain broke – change out of rain wear. Then the sun. Then the deluge. There was one guy (later identified as Swedish Patrick) using an umbrella. That seemed a clever alternative to constant changing in and out of raingear until I saw him later huddled under a tree when the downpour became too intense.
I took the brief detour to see the Cascada Nonaya (the Nonaya waterfall, sharing the name with the river running through Salas). It was recommended in the guides but not as stunning as it might be in the Spring. To be fair, the area was flooded with Influencers making TikTok videos. All I wanted was to see was the falls.
Spain continues to mock me. Powered by a breakfast bar and coffee, I knew my best chance for some proper food was the town of La Espina, about 8k (5 miles) in. The path approaching the town was awash in signs for lodging and – most importantly – food. Open early (meaning “open before 10am in Spain”). Open 7 days a week, which should mean Sunday. It seems, perhaps, that Spain has an 8th day in the week since the first two places showed no signs of planning to open. Third time was a charm. It was undeniably the only place open for miles since most everyone I saw on the trail that day was in there.
Fortified with coffee, tortilla, and bocadillo, I was back on the road to Tineo.
Tineo
This albergue is like a concrete bunker. The entrance is at ground level and you descend to the rooms. Not a lot of natural light. Due to the intermittent rain there is little interest in going outside. The weather is also a disappointment to the pilgrims who hoped to dry their laundry on the patio. Most pilgrims, like ourselves, only carry about 2-3 days worth of clothing so any hiccup to the schedule can be problematic.
Seven of the eight bunks in our room are occupied. Anna and I are two. Nicky from the UK and Finnish Patrick (separate from Swedish Patrick, who is also in this albergue) are next to us. The remaining four bunks are occupied by three young women from Taiwan. Team Taiwan enveloped their bunks in a spiders web of laundry and gear. This maze also serves as some Rube Goldberg-level security system since there is no way anyone could sneak up on them through it. They shipped at least one bag ahead per person; each bag large enough to contain one of them standing upright. I assume they are saving time and money by shipping one person ahead each day.
It is also Sunday and raining and Spain. While I have been pleased with the opening hours of shops – especially the pharmacy and grocery on a Saturday night in Salas – Tineo underscores that it is the rule and the others the exception. Grumpy pilgrims looking for an early meal – or at least groceries – are confounded. Albergues often have foodstuffs that previous pilgrims left behind – usually things like pasta – that other travelers can use. The stocks here are quite low. The dodgy weather makes staying outside unappealing.
So we get ready for the morning and tuck in. Each bed has a small locker for personal items, a private reading light, and a small shelf for stuff. I am on the top bunk and the curve of this particular bunk ladder is slippery and, with blistered feet, treacherous. No plans to get up in the middle of the night if I can avoid it.
Side note on architecture
Frequently, we have seen these unusual building across Asturias: it is a stone base with stone stairs leading up to a wooden structure that sits atop the base on short stilts. On our first day out, we stopped at one converted into a cafe. Some look like elevated tombs – with crosses and other religious symbols at either end. Many, not surprisingly, were in great disrepair.
I learned they are called “horreos” – a sort of granary common to Asturias and Galicia. The pillars are to keep the rodents and water out. Some have been converted to homes, which gives it that sort of “drawbridge in a castle” vibe if you are into that sort of thing. I mean, I am.
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