DAY 19 : SPAIN : CARRION DE LOS CONDES to TERRADILLOS DE LOS TEMPLARIOS - 26.8 kms - 6.5 hours

Distance walked so far in France and Spain : 1127.3 kms

Weather : foggy until midday and then clear, sunny and cool : 18o



Destination : Terrelos de los Templarios



It's true - washing is injurious to your health! While handwashing my clothes in a stone sink I was stung by a wasp! A painful experience - now my finger is only swollen and itchy - but it has made me a little more circumspect about being so fastidious. There have been a few medical issues. Of course, there are some people with residual blisters and sore feet, who have opted to walk in Crocs or sandals and the odd cold and reaction to food but Ingrid had a major issue on Tuesday. She was walking with her hands in the straps of her walking poles, with a full pack on her back, and tripped on the stone path and fell head first onto the gravel. As luck would have it, a passing farmer, with a trailor-load of sugar beet, stopped and was able to organise transport to a medical centre in the previous village. She has recovered well and is so relieved that she had no other injuries.

We had heavy rain overnight and were expecting that today may be the same but fog was the order of the day. We were relieved that this was the case as the guidebook had warned us that today was a long, monotonous walk without water, shade and food stops. The fog distracted us and provided another facet of weather and scenery in this region

Fog in Carrion de los Contes...walking towards the cafe for breakfast

 

Walking on the original Roman road

 

No Miriam, there's no privacy on the camino.

 

 

No cafe..but a joint decision to stop and enjoy a rest
together.

Enjoying a rest on the long continuous road

 

The Meseta in fog

Arriving at our destination....yeah!!

from our window...

 

Hilarity next door - Claudia, Jacquie and Miriam

We now have had over 4500 hits on our blog - Mark thinks most of these are from my attempts to check my spelling but we are loving getting feedback, particularly from our French friends following the rest of our journey and families of the group with whom we are now travelling. Today is the half-way mark for our walk in Spain - there are 387.5 kms to Santiago from Terradillos de los Templarios, our destination today.

 

 

Pilgrim menu (9 euro including wine) in the
restaurant attached to the albergue.

 



M&M
25/10/12

DAY 18 : SPAIN : FROMISTA to CARRION DE LOS CONDES - 20.5 kms - 5 hours

Distance walked in France and Spain so far : 1100.5 kms

Weather : clear, cool - becoming overcast : 18o

Destination : Carrion de los Condes

 

Leaving in the early morning light

 

Passing through small villages

 

A long walk along the Rio Ucieza

 

The small town of Villalcazar de Sirga
with the huge Knights' Templar Church
of Santa Maria la Blancha.
The Knights' Templars were ex-Crusaders
who undertook to assist and protect pilgrims.

 

A carving of a Knights' Templar in the wall of the church

 

Continuing on the long straight road...

 

Arriving in Carrion de los Condes, passing
the church of Santa Maria del Camino.
Inside there is a frieze depicting the 'annual
tribute' of 100 maidens demanded by the
conquering Moors.
 

 

The albergue of Santa Maria next to the
church.

 

The sighting of one last stork still on its
nest.

 

Lunch in one of the local bars,where all the male population
of Carrion de los Condes were playing cards.

 

M&M

24/10/12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY 17 : SPAIN : CASTROJERIZ to FROMISTA - 25.2 kms - 6 1/2 hours

Distance walked in France and Spain so far : 1080 kms

Weather : warm, clear : 25o

Our destination : Fromista



 

Sunrise over Castrojeriz

We climbed 900m to Alto Mostelares before descending
to Tierra de Campos
 

Breakfast in Itero. John, an Irishman, is telling me that
he thinks that I should be known as the Washerwoman
of the Camino and it would be in my best interest to
read Death by Cleaning before I do myself damage.



 

Walking across the Tierra de Campos

 

In contrast, lunch in a albergue in Boadilla del Camino.
Like an oasis compared to the town and countryside
outside its walls.

 

Walking along the shady Canal de Castilla. An 18th century
construction which provided transportation of the cultivated
crops as well as power the turn the corn mills. It is now
used for irrigation and for relaxation.

 

We are staying at the Municipal albergue next to a hotel
with wifi. 56 beds. 7 euros.
 

 

View from our window of 11th century
Church of St Martin, an excellent example
of Romanesque architecture.

 

Another sunny afternoon - great for drying our washing-
maybe I am becoming a little too preoccupied! -
and sitting outside the local hotel, relaxing and planning
what we'll eat for dinner.

 

M&M
23/10/12

 



 

 



 

 

 

DAY 16 : SPAIN : HORNILLOS DEL CAMINO to CASTROJERIZ - 20.2 kms - 5 hours

Distance walked so far in France and Spain : 1064 kms

Weather : warm, clear : 20o

Our destination today : Castrojeriz

Today we were prepared for rain but it was a spectacular day. Beginning with a fabulous sunrise - we began walking with our headlamp at 7.30 - and the dawn over the expansive plain was breathtaking. Initially, we passed fallow fields, which seemed to reach the horizon. Windmills broke the monotony. After about 11 kms we descended into the little town of Hontanas, tucked in a fold of the meseta. The bar was a very popular rest point as it was the first port of call for breakfast.

Sunrise over the Meseta

 

Fallow fields reaching to the horizon

 

Wind turbines on the horizon

 

 

Hontanas - a fold in the meseta

 

Jeremy having tortillas for breakfast. He walked with us
on the Via Podiensis - lovely to catch up after a few weeks.

 

We walked along the road with popular trees, in Autumn colours, bordering our way. Then we passed under St Anthony's X1V century archway. It is now a ruin but part of the property has been developed as a small albergue, now closed for the season. There are alcoves in the arches on the road where bread was left for medieval pilgrims. I have to add, as you know I love the stories of the saints, some information about this order. The hermit, St Anthony of Egypt, was a patron saint of animals. The order's sacred symbol was a T, known as Tau, symbolising divine protection against evil and sickness. The order was known for its ability to cure the medieval scourge known as St Anthony's fire - a fungal skin disease which often turned gangrenous leading to death. Handy information!

St Anthony's Arch over the camino.

 

 

Local ladies who gave us lollies to wish us well.

 

Castojeriz - the castle towering over the town.

 

 

Our destination today was Castrojeriz. A population of 600 - and the guide says that they seem to be all permanently on siesta, except for the garlic season. In fact, we noticed a lot of activity today, particularly in renovation and restoration, from the 1X century castle on the top of the hill to buildings along the main route of the town. We are staying in a very friendly albergue, for a donation. The volunteers are an English/Spanish couple who welcomed us warmly and are very proud of the facilities, which include a wonderful view from a sunny terrace, garden..and a simple centrifuge, which spin dries your clothes in a few minutes...wish I could fit it in my pack.

Castrojeriz

One of the two municipal albergues in Castrojeriz

 

The welcoming volunteers with Ingrid (England),
Jaqui (Melbourne) and Sebastian (Austria)

 

The amazing spin dry centrifuge

 

View from our albergue terrace towards our destination
tomorrow.



It is such a gorgeous afternoon, quite a contrast from the cold (and wet) weather we have experienced in the last week. We are sitting in a hotel courtyard enjoying the sunshine with a group of fellow walkers, hoping that tomorrow will be the same...


M&M
22/10/12

DAY 15 : SPAIN : BURGOS to HORNILLOS DEL CAMINO - 21 kms - 5 hours

Distance walked so far in France and Spain : 1064.8 kms

Weather : rain and cold : 10o

First day on the Meseta

 

Leaving Burgos at dawn..revellers still out in the bars as
we left.

 

Today we began our walk on the second stage of the Camino, called the Meseta. In the guide book it says that we enter ‘the relative wilderness of the sublime There is little or no shade – a hot and desolate stretch in summer and a long and repetitious section in winter. Today it was wet, which meant that we didn’t have the extremes in temperatures, which in fact was quite pleasant if you were appropriately dressed. The paths were straight and mainly well covered in stone or pebbles but there were sections today that were quite muddy but nothing that was too uncomfortable or treacherous.

Mark in wet weather mode

 

Mud in only one section

 

Our destination today was Hornillos de Camino. It has a population of 70. We are lucky to be staying at the Municipal Albergue by the church of San Roman. It is another village that survives because of its importance as a respite for pilgrims en route to Santiago. (The albergue is full tonight -32 beds). The other main feature of the village is Bar Casa Manolo, which serves excellent food in a very warm atmosphere for cold and tired walkers.


　

One horse town - 30 bed albergue

 

Fun and warmth in the only bar
Great food - salads, white asparagus, black pudding,
bean and choritzo soup....



M&M

21/10/12