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!
We woke up at 6 AM. Neither of us felt much like breakfast – just some milk from a vending machine, homemade coffee, and bananas. Headlamps on, and off we went. We had to carefully follow the Camino markers through the vineyards to avoid getting off track. The vines have been our companions for days – the hallmark of the La Rioja wine region.
We headed toward Nájera. After ten kilometers with no villages in between, we arrived in this small town. We had coffee at a café and restocked our supplies at a grocery store. Nájera has a rich history, a monastery, and reddish hills in the background that frame the scene.
Next, we continued toward Azofra. There, we enjoyed a beer and filled our water bottles for the upcoming stretch. Our destination today was Cirueña. But the road dragged on endlessly.
Along the way, we saw many broken Camino signs. It saddened us – it’s clear they weren’t damaged by time, but deliberately. We’ve been seeing this since Ventosa. We also passed several memorials dedicated to pilgrims who died along the way. That too is part of the Camino.
By now, we were walking on autopilot. The body moved forward, while the mind was lost in thoughts, problems, and questions. It’ll probably stay that way for a while.
The vineyards gradually gave way to fields of grain – soon we’ll enter the region of Castilla y León, where wheat reigns.
In Cirueña, we found a place to stay with a rather quirky host who runs the albergue Virgen de Guadalupe. He cooked dinner for us, and the house was filled with his artwork. It wasn’t the best choice, but it will do for one night. He tried his best – and that counts.
Have a lovely day or evening – depending on when you read this.
After ten years, the Camino has called me again. In 2014, I walked 500 kilometers of the Way of St. James – from Burgos to Santiago. My number of vacation days at work was limited, but quietly, I wished that one day I would walk the entire Camino Francés.
Last year, my partner and I made the decision to walk this path together this year. Now, the time has come. Preparations are underway.
You set off on the Camino with minimal gear and well-worn shoes – and we began our preparations back in November. We’ve been walking regularly every day, as long as the weather wasn’t too dreadful.
I ordered the pilgrim’s credential here in Slovenia, from the Association of Friends of the Way of St. James. I also bought the updated guidebook The Spanish Way of St. James. We’ll be carrying the recognizable symbol of pilgrims – the scallop shell – on our backpacks. We bought the shells, ate the contents, cleaned them, and Ive made holes so we can hang them.
Of course, finances are an important part too – for food, accommodation, and transport. We spent the whole year saving two-euro coins, putting them into a piggy bank that can only be opened with a can opener. Just recently, we exchanged them and were pleasantly surprised. Wow… we saved a lot! Of course, we’ll still need to add a bit from other sources, but the basics are covered. Finances – check.
Now it’s time to finalize our gear: hiking clothes, shirts, shoes – all from what we already have. Medicines, band-aids, and other essential items are already prepared.
The plane ticket is booked – we’ll be flying from Venice to Bordeaux, and then taking a train to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where the Camino Francés begins.
And now – it’s time to hit the road.
They say the Camino has to accept you. If it accepts us, we have 800 kilometers of walking ahead to Santiago, and more than 100 kilometers beyond that to Finisterre. I can’t wait for it to begin.
This is just the beginning. I’ll also share with you highlights from the trip.
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.
