Day 1 - Oviedo to Grado

Planned distance 26km

The plan was to start early as I have it on good authority that the municipal albergue has a limited bed count and fills up quickly.

Alarm set for 5:15, up and about getting ready and managed to leave the hotel just before 6:00.

Walked to the cathedral and got the proverbial selfie and early morning picture before I said goodbye. Very quiet and hardly a breath of wind.

Next it was time to go to the first scallop shell indicating the route out of Oviedo. Thanks to many sources it was easy to find and I proceeded to follow the brass scallops, sometimes followed with a few yellow arrows close by. It was relatively easy at first, as I walked further away I had to keep a keen eye as they change directions quickly and if you miss one you lost (you don’t want that as it’s still dark). Walking through the quiet streets listening to dogs barking at owners to let them out, birds tweeting and a fluttering dried out leaf caught in a spider web, felt like it was waving me goodbye.

Eventually after about 3 or 4 kilometers I left the concrete jungle of Oviedo and found a happy space on various foot paths, roads, and jungle (Not quite, but some muddy paths can be found).

Enjoyed listening to the cow bells as I walked, sometimes hidden behind bushes and high fences. 

The early morning mist seemed to linger till around 10:00 and then the heat came, probably low 20’s, but when you walking you get hot quickly.

Sadly all the coffee spots were still closed by the time I reached them, perhaps closed due to a festival or something like that.

I just kept going. Enjoying the moment as much as I could, but my shoulders were starting to talk to me. As they say you the Camino will test you, endurance is required.

The last few kilometers into Grado were tough, all road walking and it was getting hot. Sadly if I had not followed the route markers and checked the Wise Pilgrim app, I might have stayed on a slightly cooler footpath (not sure about that, but will imagine it so)

I finally arrived at the municipal albergue around 12:00, first in the queue, so guaranteed that I had a bed for the night (you can’t book here, and it’s supposed to be a good one) waiting in a queue as it only opens at 14:00.

Time to relax and prepare for the 24km’s tomorrow.

Some pics of the day.

Spot the web


Is that mud I see (I was still smilling there)

Looks like a scallop doesn’t it?