Walking the Camino

Half way there!

A fairly quiet day today, 21.5 kms on flat, straight paths. We had to wear our rain gear – raincoats and pack covers – for most of the day, although it only rained intermittently and even then it wasn’t particularly heavy.

We do have a reason for celebrating today, however. We passed the halfway point an hour or so after setting off this morning. 400kms! We celebrated by eating cupcakes for breakfast by the side of the road.

We wandered through a few small villages where the site of a passing pilgrim may well have been the highlight of the day. Yep they were really small and really quiet, but interesting for the mud brick builder (to those who don’t know us well, that’s Greg, not me) as many of the buildings are built from mud bricks, rammed earth or cob. Some are in extreme disrepair, and some are being renovated or repaired.

Tonight we’re staying at Sahagun, which is where the Camino de Madrid joins the Camino Frances (the French Camino, the route we’re doing). Tomorrow we have a 30km day planned, then a slightly shorter one on Sunday when we walk into Leon, and a rest day on Monday.

PS For our loyal readers who are following us each day, please check back to Day 20 Hontantas to St Nicolas. It took me a little while, but I have now added some text to Greg’s photos.

Having cupcakes for breakfast - celebrating 400kms and half-way!

a mud brick (adobe) building being given a brick veneer

walking in the rain and cold towrds Sahagun

What we do all day, following the yellow arrows.

Three weeks on the road

We left Saint Jean Pied du Port in France three weeks ago today.

We left our hostel room today at 9:00am (without breakfast) aiming for a 23km day. We headed up the road towards Carrion de los Condes, along the same boring track alongside the road. Arriving we found an information booth where a young lady told us where to find the Ferreteria(Hardware shop) and a Panaderia (Bakery) for breakfast.

At the Ferreteria we bought a plastic bowl to soak our feed in cold water. This treatment has been so good for our tendonitis, that we decided carrying a big plastic bowl around was not completely crazy.

While at the bakery we bought (for breakfast) Chocolate croissants, apple triangles, Baguettes(for lunch), and a cold Pizza slice (for Judy). We then went to a Supermercado (Supermarket), which is actually the size of a small convenience store in Australia, and got more supplies.

The reason we needed all the supplies is we had to do a 17.5km section with no towns after Carrion.

We left town, stopping to pick up water at a fuente (water fountain), and try soaking our feet in our new bowl. We followed a narrow country lane until it became a gravel track that covers an old Roman road built 2000 years ago, and still in great condition. The Roman road is built above the flood plain, and is constructed of 100,000 tonnes of rock that was brought in from elsewhere. Even though we are at 850 metres the area is very flat, covered in wheat fields.

It was a mostly cloudy day, which threatened to rain, but never did. We are both still suffering from foot problems. Judy with a new blister on her heel, and me with a couple of sore toes.

We made it to Caldadilla de la Cueza, looked at the Albergue with 100 beds in 2 rooms, and decided to hotfoot it to the luxury of the hostel.

The boring Camino de Santiago track out of VilalCazar

Shopping at the Supermercado in Carrion de los Condes

Greg carrying the new bowl, plus the usual drying washing

The 12km Roman Road

Arriving at Caldadilla de la Cueza

Our first 31.6 km day!

After a great nights sleep in Saint Nicolas church, and a candle-lit breakfast we set off as the sun was rising at 8:00am. We set off in cool overcast conditions, again nice for walking.After not managing to find a bakery (panderia) in Itero de la Vega, we continued on. We crossed a canal (canal pisuerga) on the way up to another (not very high) hill, although we are still walking at around 850 metre level.

We dropped off the hill down into Boadilla del Camino, which had nothing open, and seemed deserted. The track joined Canel de Castilla, and we followed along it for 3km which made for a change of scenery.

Eventually we reached Fromista, a fairly touristy town (bus loads of tourists seemed to be working their way though). After much walking past many restaurants I eventually found a bakery, and bought 2 baguettes. After lunch we both soaked our feet in the fountain, our new cure for our feet problems.

We had done nealy 18km, but we knew we had to do at least another 13km. There is a long stretch of 17.5km with no towns or Albergues tomorrow, so it was either walk 30+km today or walk 30+km tomorrow. So it was off up the road along a somewhat boring trail that followed the road. The cloud cover thinned, and it started to get hot. We stopped at one roadside stop where we soaked our feet in the fuente (water fountain) to keep our feet going. We passed a young italian man, with a polish girl, who was having tendonitis problems as well (we had talked to him about it yesterday).  There are a lot of people on the Camino suffering it.

We eventually made Villacazar de Sirga at 5:15pm. We booked a hostel room, which had a big bath, that we both soaked our feet in cold water.

Puente Itero Bridge

Judy soaking her feet in the fountain at Fromista

Walking along the Canal Del Castilla