Camino de Santiago 12 Portomarin to Ventas de Naron

Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright MCMLXIII Uncle Hargus ALL Rights reserved

ROF= Ring of Fire Odyssey  

MEF-H = Marine Expeditionary Force- Hargus 

CdS = Camino de Santiago journey            

Monday September 16, 2019         

Camino day 12 Portomarin to Ventas de Naron... to Albergue Ocruciero... 7.9miles 

Up and back on The Camino leaving Portomarin. 


Hiked down from the town square 

Crossed the foot bridge over a backwater of the Min~o River and onto the trail. 

About 4miles went thru Gonzar... a small hamlet. 


Another mile and come to Castro Major. This was one of the most phenomenal places on the Camino.

Castro Major is a Roman ruins. This is one of the best things we hiked thru on The Camino 

Castro in Spain/ Spanish is meant as : a ringed fortress... usually in rock. 

Hiked in thru  a couple of earthen berms/ parapets... 20+ feet of dirt ... in concentric circles around the ruins. Think of a moat, barrier of fortification... 3 to 4 of parapets protecting the settlement of the fort/ town/ village inside the walls. 

The 1st sight of the Castro Major I climbed up onto  the berm overlooking the ruins. 

My god... Wow!!!!! 

Is this a sight? 

Roman ruins in Galacia, northeast Spain. This was part of the reconquista... from the 700's to 1,200's pushing the muslims out of Spain. Amazing history!

I can't even begin to sort out the Western Civ history of all the wars and conflicts and power struggles of Northern Spain. 

Thank you for seeing this... beyond wow!

?Why was this fort here? ??Was this a Roman Trade route to Santiago, then onto Finessterre?  ?To take gold back to Rome? ?Or part of the Roman effort to push Islam out of Spain? I could stay and study here for a month this is so interesting. 

At the time, there were roof structures. -- much like these pallozas at O Cierbro thatched roofs? This was a village. ?There were Roman soldiers posted here? 

 More parapets ringing the fortress. 

 Military defensive engineering.

This was a magnificent stop on The Camino!  

On up another mile was Ventas de Naron, our stop for the night at albergue Ocruciero. 

 A 7.9 mile hike today and I'm ready to rest! 

Albergue Ocruciero and the Canadian sisters are also here tonight to talk with.

Resident pero "Coco".

Adjacent to the Ocruciero albergue was this small chapel. Didn't think much of it at 1st glance. Turns out is has a real interesting history. Albergue Senora said it would be open at 6 oclock. 

?The knights Templar were here? 

 Right on The Camino, right next to the trail

At 6 this guy with a blind walking stick comes and opens up the chapel. His name is Illiado, the Steward of this once Knights Templar chapel. 

This is a small room, maybe 20x30'.  

We asked Illiado where the Knights Templars had etched crosses in the stone...and he took us around and pointed out some. 

Look close, they are there. 

Back inside the Canadian sisters talk with Illiado and look at some Knights Templar pins and pendants.


A Pilgrims meal/ menu on Te Camino; 1st course... salad/ soup ect 

2nd course, main, beef, chicken, lamb, pork... 

  3rd, dessert, often Santiago cake... Almond cake w/ confectioners sugar sprinkled 

And with a bottle of Spanish red wine... 9-10euro... a bargain!

You never drink twice from the same stream. 

Just because you wander doesn't mean you're lost. 

Uncle Hargus: Last of the Independents  

Have Bear,    

          Will Travel 

StoneBearTracks Copyright Uncle Hargus MCMLXIII ALL blog posts/photographs/video ALL Rights reserved 

ALL Blog posts/photographs/video Copyright MCMLXIII ALL Rights Reserved