This morning, there was still no electricity. We had a cold breakfast in our room. Then, at 7:10, the lights flickered back on. Power had returned. We quickly charged our phones as much as possible and set out on the trail.
Leaving Villafranca del Bierzo, the path mostly runs squeezed between the A Coruña highway, the local road, and the Valcarce River. There was no coffee anywhere – all the bars were still closed.
Our first hope for coffee was in Pereje, but the village felt abandoned. Even the albergue where I stayed in 2014 had been closed for two weeks. Asphalt, asphalt, and more asphalt.
There are barely any new photos today – just what little battery life we had left.
Villages passed by one after another. Finally, we found a small tavern offering coffee. Later, we realized they still had no electricity – they boiled the water over gas. Not the best coffee, but it was warm.
We continued on and enjoyed a proper cold beer in Ambasmestas.
We debated where to stay for the night and decided on the municipal albergue in Vega de Valcarce (under the highway). The village has everything we need: ATM, restaurants, and two markets.
Now, everything feels good again. We replenished supplies, cooked ourselves a meal, and washed our clothes.
We are slowly approaching the border between Galicia and León. After that, only about 160 km to Santiago.
This morning we left quickly – just a banana, juice, and some bread. No coffee. But soon we came across an open bar (also an albergue), and enjoyed a fantastic coffee and a nougat-filled pastry. The bartender was incredibly kind – it made our morning.
At the edge of the village, a sign on a bench read: “380 km – you are halfway through the Camino.” Yay! We continued through the fields, realizing that if our legs hadn’t hurt so much yesterday, Terradillos de los Templarios wouldn’t have been far at all.
I recognized the albergue I stayed in back in 2014 – still going strong.
Morning fog wrapped around green wheat fields as we reached San Nicolás, where we treated ourselves to a second coffee. Then onward to Sahagún, hoping quietly to find a private twin room. Today was also shopping day: my shoes finally gave out – bought a new pair. My belt pouch? Done for – replaced. Found a pharmacy too and stocked up on gels, shampoos, and foot creams. Feeling refreshed.
We found an albergue, and at first, they said they had a twin room… but suddenly, it was “no longer available.” A bit of a letdown. More and more pilgrims book in advance, some even get taxied to their accommodations – and those of us walking the whole way might end up with nothing.
So, we moved on from Sahagún. Past fields and two vineyards (yes, I counted!) we reached Calzada del Coto – today’s final stop. A sweet village with an even sweeter volunteer host. The shop was closed, but a doorbell rang the owner, and he opened it just for us. Cash only. Love it.
A light meal, shower, and a small evening snack to end the day. Sending warm greetings to Slovenia – yes, we admit, sometimes we miss home too.
Good evening or good day, depending when you read this. Martina & Ive
Getting out of bed this morning was a struggle. The albergue was freezing cold. We had some tea, homemade coffee, bread with butter and jam, and yogurt. Then we packed up and left Castrojeriz, heading for what’s known as the Tabletop Mountain – Alto de Mostelares.
There were so many pilgrims that the trail felt like a quiet procession. Just before the climb, I took one last photo of our overnight stop.
The ascent was steep – a 12% incline. At the top, we found a covered rest area and caught our breath. Then came a long stretch across an endless plateau. Wheat fields as far as the eye could see.
Today’s goal was a calm 20 km, since yesterday was longer. Everyone walks in their own rhythm – some talking on the phone, others blasting music or using headphones. We prefer silence.
The views were stunning, the colors striking. It was windy again, but the breeze felt warmer today. The only village on today’s route was Itero de la Vega, where we had coffee and a croissant with Nutella. Then we continued – the trail seemed to drag, and our legs went on autopilot while our minds wandered.
Finally, we reached Boadilla del Camino – and a real bed! At the reception, the guy recognized Slovenia: Luka Dončić, Real Madrid, he said. Not bad!
They did our laundry, the fireplace was lit in the lounge, and the room had warm radiators. Outside, cold wind blew and rain started falling. The good things always come just when you need them.
No coffee this morning – just juice, bananas, yogurt, and some bread. We stepped into a cold, foggy morning. In Tardajos, locals were scraping ice from their windshields – it was -2°C. Cold, just like the last three days.
We walked toward Rabe de las Calzadas and had a wonderful coffee in a cozy pilgrim bar. Then we continued on through the fog and wheat fields. The trail felt endless. I literally had frost in my hair. My steps were steady, but my thoughts wandered.
Next came Hornillos del Camino – the place where I spent my first Camino night ten years ago. The same little shop, “469,” was still there, run by the same friendly man who has walked the Camino many times. We picked up a few essentials and moved on across quiet fields toward Hontanas. Fewer words, more thoughts.
There were many pilgrims on the trail. The fog finally lifted, and the wind wasn’t as biting anymore. Alongside the wheat now stood rows of wind turbines.
Hontanas appeared nestled in a small valley, sheltered from the wind. But no shop – so we had to continue. Another 10 kilometers on gravel paths running parallel to the main road. Tired, we came upon the ruins of the monastery of San Antón. There, pilgrims can sleep in very basic conditions. Not for us today.
Soon after, we reached one of Spain’s longest villages – Castrojeriz. It stretches along the hillside below a castle and is shaped like a crescent moon. We struggled to find Casa Nuestra albergue, and even more so to find a shop – tomorrow is a holiday and everything will be closed. In such a long village, finding a market wasn’t easy – but we managed.
Dinner: pasta. Then into the cold rooms – brrr! These old stone houses don’t hold much heat.
The day began with a 6 AM wake-up. The weather calmed down overnight. We had breakfast at the albergue – our food supplies had run out, and not every village has a shop.
We set off into a foggy morning. Rain was forecast, and fine drops were already falling from the dense mist. The walk to Belorado passed quickly. At the village entrance, blooming rosemary greeted us.
We wandered through the town, hoping to catch the Monday market – one of the oldest in Spain, held since 1116. Unfortunately, we were too early to see most vendors. We did, however, find a small shop and stocked up on essentials.
Today we walked slowly, with no rush. The path felt more important than the destination. Toward Tosantos, we followed a wide path, muddy in places from yesterday’s rain. Fog still lingered above the fields.
Between Villambistia and Espinosa, the wind picked up and a few drops started to fall. We reached for our rain ponchos. Luckily, the wind cleared the clouds and the sun came out. Still windy, we arrived in Villafranca Montes de Oca.
We decided to stop here. Ahead lies 12 km without villages or shops, and the wind was getting stronger.
At the hostel, we reflected a bit:
fog is actually not so bad
my shoes might give out soon – new ones in Burgos?
wind = fast laundry drying
different sources show different distances
thank goodness this town has a market – restocked!
pasta can be “cooked” in a microwave – confirmed by a curious Italian
and most of all: we make a great team, and tomorrow we walk on.
Thank you to Jadranka Smiljić (Sgeek s.p.), who makes sure you receive fresh and polished updates from the Camino every day.
Have a beautiful day or good night – depending on when this finds you!
Za zagotavljanje najboljših izkušenj uporabljamo piškotke, ki služijo shranjevanju in/ali dostopu do podatkov o napravi. Soglasje za te tehnologije nam bo omogočilo obdelavo podatkov, kot so vedenje pri brskanju ali edinstveni ID-ji, na tem spletnem mestu. Neprivolitev ali preklic privolitve lahko negativno vpliva na nekatere zmožnosti in funkcije.
Funkcionalni
Always active
Tehnična hramba ali dostop sta nujno potrebna za zakonit namen omogočanja uporabe določene storitve, ki jo naročnik ali uporabnik izrecno zahteva, ali izključno za namen prenosa sporočila prek elektronskega komunikacijskega omrežja.
Nastavitve
Tehnično shranjevanje ali dostop je potreben za zakonit namen shranjevanja nastavitev, ki jih naročnik ali uporabnik ni zahteval.
Statistika
Tehnično shranjevanje ali dostop, ki se uporablja izključno v statistične namene.Tehnično shranjevanje ali dostop, ki se uporablja izključno za anonimne statistične namene. Brez sodnega poziva, prostovoljnega izpolnjevanja obveznosti s strani vašega ponudnika internetnih storitev ali dodatnih zapisov tretje osebe informacij, shranjenih ali pridobljenih samo za ta namen, običajno ni mogoče uporabiti za vašo identifikacijo.
Trženje
Tehnično shranjevanje ali dostop je potreben za ustvarjanje uporabniških profilov za pošiljanje oglaševanja ali za sledenje uporabniku na spletnem mestu ali na več spletnih mestih za podobne trženjske namene.
