Every hiker or 90% of them goes through one of the most popular albergos of the Northern Path, ran by the catholic priest Ernesto. All guides and apps recommend him highly. It’s clear why when you meet the dude. I believe everyone experiences love towards Guemes and the Man running it. The guy dedicates his life to the guests of his Albergue La Cabana del Abuelo Peuto. Volunteers from all around the world help him and when I got there, they welcomed me with a smile, a glass of water and a cookie. Almost too nice.
After the bureaucracy part, an older guy took me to the room where I was supposed to sleep. Eight beds, four sets. He showed me the toiled and the washing room. There’s a huge library and a garden that’s perfect for a rest. It’s a neat and cozy place where you really feel at home. The space breathes and the people working there are well organized. It’s a well-oiled machine. When we arrived there it was 2 PM, around lunchtime, and a hearty meal was waiting for us. Hikers themselves usually lend a hand in donation-based albergos, preparing lunches, setting tables, cleaning up. The work is divided among the current guests.
Here, where 69 or even more people spend a night, volunteers do the work, probably to avoid chaos. Everyone knows their job and they are well-coordinated. Hikers can have a nice rest, socialize (or not) with others. This was the best and most wonderful rest I had on this year’s Camino. Five stars, no ifs.
We had a long rest after the lunch and after that, señor Ernesto took us to his giant “cabinet”, where he introduces his guests to the Path and the albergo. You could sit down on a wonderful carpet while there were padded benches all around the room. He had a beautiful speech, his energy engulfing the entire room. We all listened to him and answered his questions. He told us a story hundred years old about his family. Since there was no TV or condoms back then, his grandparents had 15 children. His mom was the youngest and she had five kids: four daughters and Ernesto, who’s also the youngest - 75 years. He knew how to relax us, make us laugh. He spoke Spanish, so an interpreter helped him (another volunteer). A really nice lady.
He told us the Path changed with technology and in a bad way. People forget how to write with their hands and when I looked around the room, I saw focused hikers with teary eyes. Ernesto has the power to touch your heart with his inspiring stories and the love he offers. I’ll call him Father Christmas of Spain like everyone who came before me.
There’s an unwritten rule in donation-based albergos: give five euros. It’s supposedly a fair price, but we all gave 20. No other place had food that good and even most of the restaurants could learn a thing or two. An old huge bell calls you to dinner. I always wanted that.
When the others enjoyed the dessert, I took a walk around the estate. All the money they earned went straight back to the albergo, which is well-maintained, and everything is where it’s supposed to be. Order and cleanliness. Father Christmas brings you presents while Father Christmas on the Path and his albergo are presents themselves.
Many hikers almost gave up that day because the road leading to said albergo is a motherfucker, but they all decided against it and got everything they needed to carry on. The location is perfect, the right place and the right time. I met my favorite German couple and Kitty with her cousin there.
Ernesto gave us a well-intentioned advice: put your phones away the following day and take the Path by the cliffs. Follow your heart, not road signs and apps. Like he said, we weren’t sorry taking that path. We wrote with our hands.