Daily posts

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Burgos

0 km. Another rest day.

Head off tomorrow towards León, around 174 km and eight days across the high basin (above 800 m) of the northern Meseta (plateau). I’m looking forward to the open country, to what I think will be a starkly beautiful landscape. But today, it’s a day of wandering Burgos.

Called into the markets to stock up on fruit for tomorrow.

Floral displays on many public buildings in central Burgos – this one the military museum.

Will be following these markers out of town tomorrow.

Lunch. Morcilla (blood sausage) on the left; zucchini wrapped around minced beef on the right.

Bought a new Camino guidebook. Michelin. Maps and elevation profiles only. (I bought John Brierley’s A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago last time I was in Burgos, but decided not to bring it as it added weight and I had downloaded basic maps to my phone. It’s almost the bible for many peregrinos though – as ubiquitous amongst them as Lonely Planet guides are for European backpackers in Australia.)

Route for tomorrow’s leg.

Burgos, from the castle. The cathedral -Catedral de Santa María – is prominent.

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Burgos

0 km. Rest day!

Breakfast. Most food groups represented.

A clear, sunny day. The Rio Arlanzón and the Arco de Santa María.

Lunch with the girls.

(L–R) Mercedes, Sara and Isi. Three generations. Maria (Mercedes’ sister) present in spirit.

Spied Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North for sale in a bookshop. Spanish edition. Wouldn’t mind reading it (I enjoyed his Death of a River Guide), but my Spanish isn’t good enough (yet) to tackle a novel.

Local bar with good variety of pinchos.

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Agés to Burgos

22 km and 4:24 (see map).

A foggy start, but the sun was out within the hour and it cleared to a beautiful day. Nice walking to the outskirts of Burgos, a bit of a slog through the outer suburbs and then back into interesting areas as the old city neared. Quite elated to be here. And looking forward to a rest day tomorrow and catching up with Maria and Manuel’s family.

First stop of the day, for coffee. 10 m from my albergue.

Didn’t see any bounding beasts …

… but there was a flock of sheep a little further along the path (only the second I’ve seen so far – the other was being driven towards Santo Domingo de la Calzada by a shepherd with dogs).

Loud explosions from the military area off to the right not long after I passed this point.

Over the top and down towards Burgos, which is somewhere on the horizon.

Getting close to outer limits of Burgos now.

The road skirted Burgos airport …

… and then I was at the outer edge of the city.

A long walk through the outer suburbs.

Later …

Domestic chores before dinner.

I’ll post some photos of the old town tomorrow.

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Belorado to Agés

A longer walk today, 26.7 km and 5:29 (see map).

Head and spirit in good places. Weather great – a cool start, clear skies, warming as the day unfolded. Through rolling agricultural land initially, not far from the N-120 sometimes, then a long (well, 12 km) and rather remote stretch up a hill and through forests, from Villafranca Montes de Oca to San Juan de Ortega. Lovely solitary walking in there, with the few peregrinos on the track scattered along its length. Considered staying at the monastery at San Juan, but the day was good and the feet in good shape so continued on a few kms to Agés.

19 km to Burgos tomorrow, and a rest day to look forward to.

Wifi weak everywhere in Agés so no photos for today’s walk until I get to Burgos.

Church at Belorado.

Bridge over the Rio Tirón at the outskirts of Belorado.

Snow on the distant ranges to the east.

Some decent overnight rain by the looks of things.

Church in the first village of the day.

The Camino crosses the N-120 at one point. Managed to avoid being splattered across the front of the truck.

Bridge over stream near Villafranca Montes de Oca.

Villafranca Montes de Oca. Last chance for food and drink before San Juan de Ortega.

On the way from Villafranca Montes de Oca to San Juan.

San Juan de Ortega. Monastery undergoing restoration.

Onward to Agés.

Church at Agés. Look closely and you’ll see a stork in the nest on top of the bell tower.

Agés.

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Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado

22.4 km and 4:33 (see map).

An early start, as (mostly) usual. Stayed at the municipal albergue – €7 for the night. Not many folk around when I departed a little before 7 am.

First stop of the day, for a coffee and an omellete roll.

The Rio Oja, on the outskirts of Sto Domingo.

Rain was forecast for the morning, but apart from threatening skies and rain in the hills to the south it stayed away from the Camino.

The Camino essentially follows the route of the highway (N-120) down to Belorado. Most of the time the path is set back from the road so traffic noise is not intrusive.

One of the villages en route.

Entering Castilla y Leon region, leaving La Rioja behind.

Heading towards Belorado.

Another village. Lilac in bloom.

Left turn ahead.

Religious procession from the cathedral in Belorado …

… and in the square a display of WWll military vehicles and men dressed in various uniforms. This table American GIs, replete with (hopefully disabled) weopons. At another table there were men dressed in Nazi uniforms (including SS). Didn’t photograph them. Don’t understand why anyone would want to dress up as oppressors of the worst order, but then again there are many things I don’t understand.

Folk dancing in the plaza in the evening.

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Nájera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada

20.8 km and 4:14 (see map). Or thereabouts.

Good walking through rolling country in dry, mild weather (the forecast afternoon rain didn’t eventuate).

One of the backstreets in Nájera, soon after the start of the day’s walk.

Heading into the countryside, beyond the Nájera town boundary. Still plenty of grape vines.

An hour later and arrive at this village for breakfast.

Company for breakfast – Margherita (from NZ) and Tim (UK).

Back into wheat and barley country.

Approaching Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The blue flowers are cornflowers.

Bike wash for the cyclists doing the Camino.

Tim is having a rest day tomorrow in Sto Domingo, but I’m carrying on. It’s likely we’ll meet up again in the coming wreks, further along the Camino and beyond Burgos. I’ve enjoyed his company these past days (since Los Arcos I think, which makes it four days).

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Navarrete to Nájera

A cold, damp and dull day mostly, but only a short walk – 17.6 km and 3:42 (see map).

The wind had a certain chill to it and the rain drizzled on and off. Nonetheless a good walk through easy undulating country, much of it given over to grape cultivation (it is the La Rioja region we’re in after all).

At the outskirts of Ventosa. Breakfast stop.

Kilometers-to-Santiago markers are becoming more common.

A new vineyard being planted.

Heavy rain skirting around the hills to the south east. I went south west.

Wild flowers blooming near Nájera.

Industry – cement works and gravel crushing – at the outskirts of Nájera.

Only 89 km by road to Burgos (a little longer on foot; it will take me four days at the rate I’m going – I expect to arrive there Tuesday next week).

Poppies.

The Rio Najerilla in Nájera.

The daily walking cohort is changing daily, as I catch up with others and others catch up with me. Makes for interesting conversations with new friends while walking and while stopped. Despite the changing faces, there are some familiar ones, peregrinos that have been level-pegging with me all the way from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port (seems like such a long time ago I was there).

Received a few days back a photo of the folk who stayed at Beilari in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port the first night I was there. I’ve added it to the post for that day.

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Viana to Navarrete

22.2 km and 4:39 (see map).

An overcast start to the day. It started raining soon afterwards and didn’t clear for a couple of hours. The stunning landscapes of the past week finally gave way to the drab monotony of a large conurbation, Logrono. Once into the old town though it was a different matter – another lovely medieval town to walk through. Stopped for breakfast for an hour (waiting for the rain to pass as well as filling up on coffee) then headed off again for the final 10 km to Naverrete. The rain stopped, the clouds broke up allowing the sun to shine through and the city was left behind.

At the border between Navarre and La Rioja regions.

Bridge over the Rio Ebro, leading into the old quarter of Logrono.

Tim, my walking companion.

Town plaza in Logrono.

Walking through the Logrono city streets.

Finally at the city outskirts.

Nearing Navarrete.

Only 576 km to Santiago.

Mother walking at least a part of the Camino with young son plus pushchair plus large pack. Didn’t get to hear her story.

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Los Arcos to Viana

An easy walk today – 18 km and 3:48 (see map).

The country is opening up now, out of the high passes and deep valleys of the past week. Land use is changing gradually too, from predominantly wheat, barley and rape to grapes and groves of olive and almond trees. Good weather for walking – mild, warm (but not excessively so). Not so many peregrinos on the path either through the day – numbers seem to have thinned out since Pamplona.

With Bill (from Ireland) at a coffee stop.

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Estella to Los Arcos

A shorter day today – 20.7 km and 4:28 (see map).

Easy walking, again through lovely rolling countryside.

At the outskirts of Estella …

Then, a stop at the wine fountain for a scallop-shell full of rioja …

The green crops are wheat and barley. The yellow-flowered crops are rape.

Have found a bed for the night in an albergue run by an Austrian (€11 for bunk in 4-bed room, €3.50 for breakfast in the morning). Los Arcos another medieval town with a large church. Nice square to sit in the sun in, and the wifi from the nearby bar is strong.

I’ve been on the camino now for seven days, with one day off. Settling in to a comfortable daily rhythm. Very affordable traveling: accommodation €8-18 a night, the cheaper end of that range in municipal hostels; €1-1.50 for a cup of coffee or tea; €4-5 for breakfast – orange juice, coffee, boccadillo (sandwich with ham and cheese) and about the same for lunch; €10 for three-course peregrinos dinner – salad, main (usually meat and sauce or chips, and tart for dessert, plus glass of passable red); €1.50 for glass of red in a bar.