Day 14: Terradillos to Calzadilla. 28 km

Left Terradillos de los Templarios 20 minutes later than usual. We both had great sleeps in a room away from the main dormitories. Made all the difference. We thought we’d walk alongside the road to Bercianos del Real Camino, but speaking with lovely Bea from Madrid the previous night, redirected ourselves away from the main road and onto an old Roman road for the next 10 km. Now in a very rural Albergue in Calzadilla de los Hermanillos, and have a barren 23 km walk out tomorrow towards Mansilla de las Mulas.

We have a group of very religious Hungarian elderly woman, that we suspect are nuns, walking the Camino alongside us. The surprise today was turning the corner and one of the nuns peeing in full view of all of us. Sometimes you just have to go on the Camino. Small Paul quite appropriately said to turn away and wait until she’d finished. We did this with grace.

We then went through a major town, Sahagun, walked through a local market and got some baguettes for the trail. Met two Danish young woman and walked with them till we took the alternative route, about half an hour later. Rest of the trail was spent walking 2-3 hours in isolation in hot 24 degree conditions with pretty bland rural and forest land surrounding us.

We are now in Calzadilla de los Hermanillos, relaxing and recovering outside a local bar while locals discuss issues intently and animately. After 28 km on a hot, barren Roman road, give these two men a beer. Tonight we will head onto a local restaurant with other pilgrims to have a €15 menu del dia; not the most exciting food but keeps us sustained with the kilometres we are covering.Read more