Cress on the Camino Francés 24

I'm taking time out to do something I have always wanted to do as part of celebrating turning 60. Read more

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Day 15
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 4:34 PM
☁️ 28 °C
Altitude: 876 m
Spain Plaza Mayor 42.343138, -3.7008842°20’35” N 3°42’3” W
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Not walking day
June 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Rest day in Burgos, and a lie in.
Then a lovely veggie cafe breakfast. We spent the morning in the cathedral and I'm off to the musuem shortly, via the ice cream shop.
There are plenty of pictures of Burgos cathedral out there as its a spectaculrly oppulent gothic pile, monument to rich families as much as a place of worship.
Here are a few of the patterns I noticed.Read more
TravelerReally lovely photos Cress, you have a great eye. Glad you’re taking rests 🥰
6/5/24Reply
Traveler Hi - hopefully some divine inspiration. Sounds a good idea taking a break today and pacing yourself. Enjoy your much deserved ice cream. X
6/5/24Reply
TravelerLove these!
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Day 14
Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at 9:31 PM
☀️ 21 °C
Altitude: 876 m
Spain Plaza Mayor 42.343167, -3.70084642°20’35” N 3°42’3” W
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Burgos
June 4, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
We are in Burgos, 12 days and about 250km walked. Today's walk from the lovely village of Atapuerca, one of many being revived by camino tourism, was 20km. Over a misty hill and down as the sun burnt off the mist, for a lovely breakfast stop. The walk from there to Burgos along a river seemed interminable as my head had already arrived. Fiona knew of a spectacular approach through the arch to the cathedral square which is very beautiful. We had a properly veggie lunch at last, and found some supplies for my 5 a day attempts. It is nice being able to eat loads of food without thinking about calories as we burn so much e nergy walking. We are staying in a 1903 hotel, faded grandeur, still beautiful with a lobby that looks frozen in time.
I have been relaxing this afternoon, and we met up with Bernie, Linda and David for supper as they are going on tomorrow so we may not see them again. It's sad saying goodbye to lovely people.Read more
Traveler That looks like a real treat 🍦
6/4/24Reply
Traveler Long way to walk for an ice cream 🍦 🤭
6/4/24Reply
Traveler I approve!
6/4/24Reply
TravelerLooks very peaceful x
6/5/24Reply
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Day 13
Monday, June 3, 2024 at 3:24 PM
☀️ 21 °C
Altitude: 958 m
Spain Atapuerca 42.37554, -3.50745642°22’32” N 3°30’27” W
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Beautiful 31km walk
June 3, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Today was one of the prettiest so far. We left Belorado before dawn and walked up through the forest stopping at a place called Espinosa for coffee, fresh juice and some cake to take away. It was a lovely place, where they tried to serve something other than the usual. I will stay there next time.
At the top of the hill there was a monument to 300 people killed by Franco at the begining of the civil war, and a man with mental health issues painting shells very badly and telling everyone his problems. Nobody was buying his shells.
After more coffee and food stops with our Irish Canadian friends and two of Fiona's friends from last year who we bumped in to, we walked through the most amazing wild flower meadows to Atapuerca where we are staying tonight. The hostel is newly opened in a beautiful old house, and we are in a dorm with a girl I nicknamed The Cool Korean, back when we started, because she dresses very cooly, in coolie style hat and colour coordinated everything with gloves and face cover for the sun. Turns out she is Japanese not Korean so I need a nickname to rhyme with that....
Quite a few people are getting secret nicknames.
Flowers in the pictures are for Portia to identify pleaseRead more
TravelerIt looks like you are a third way there on your trip? Amazing you are talking about your next trip already. The first plant (although I know you are waiting for the Botanist) looks like a camassia alba but I couldn’t see clearly the purple flowers with the poppies. Camassias tend to naturalise once planted. Looks lovely but looking forward to seeing coastline. Xx
6/3/24Reply
TravelerJazzy Jap??😉
6/3/24Reply
Traveler This is an Asphodelus albus, common names white asphodel, King's sear (or spear). Known in Spanish as Gamón blanco.
6/3/24Reply
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Day 12
Sunday, June 2, 2024 at 4:16 PM
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 778 m
Spain Belorado 42.420732, -3.1902242°25’15” N 3°11’25” W
Belorado
June 2, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Today we crossed over into Castilla León, still rolling wheat fields but no more Rioja grapes. We are staying in another pretty medieval town where there's a festival going on. There's a veggie menu on offer so Fiona is excited at the prospect of real food.Read more
TravelerIt all looks glorious Cress, I am suitably jealous 🥰
6/2/24Reply
TravelerEverything is real food!
6/2/24Reply
TravelerMaking good progress- well done.
6/2/24Reply
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Day 11
Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 9:23 PM
⛅ 13 °C
Altitude: 646 m
Spain Santo Domingo de la Calzada 42.440497, -2.95463342°26’26” N 2°57’17” W
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Jesus for sale
June 1, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
A lovely short 20km walk today through ondulating countryside to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a town founded by the saint of the same name who spent his life helping pilgrims and performing miracles with chickens and dead people. The cathedral is beautiful and features some live chickens and cockrells in a box, as well as Jesus for sale. See picture. We wa dered around, had some nice wine, less nice wine, chips and met up with people including one of Fiona's friends from last year.Read more
TravelerIt’s good you’ve met up with other people. I wonder whether you have the better deal escaping all the election hype. They’ll be celebrating in Madrid, as Real Madrid has won the European Championship at Wembley (for the 15th time) - that’s football to you. 😉 You are doing an amazing distance. Well done! Xx
6/1/24Reply
Traveler Love the colours
6/1/24Reply
TravelerHow much for Jesus ? ✝️
6/1/24Reply
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Day 10
Friday, May 31, 2024 at 6:10 PM
⛅ 17 °C
Altitude: 499 m
Spain Nájera 42.41608, -2.73453942°24’58” N 2°44’4” W
30km day from Logroño to Nájera
May 31, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Iam very pl3eaed tht I managed the 30km today without any pain other than my knee in its glamorous pressure bandage. The weather has been dark grey clouds and a bit of aun, making it much cooler to walk. Suprising as the southern half of the country has a heatwave of 40+.
The landscape wasn't particularly beautiful, urban, roads, grape vines, so I didn't take as many pictures. I met some parisians and four lovely ladies from Cheshire. Navarette where we had breakfast is a pottery town so I had,a nose at a factory, properly industrial, trolley kilns etc.Read more
TravelerYou’re not missing much weather wise, 1st June and it’s pretty cold 🥶
6/1/24Reply
TravelerVery happy to hear you’re walking almost pain free 👏🏻 x
6/1/24Reply
TravelerOoh whereabouts in Cheshire???
6/1/24Reply
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Day 9
Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 2:32 PM
☁️ 21 °C
Altitude: 404 m
Spain Plaza del Mercado 42.466433, -2.44661942°27’59” N 2°26’48” W
Bugs
May 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Interesting bugs
TravelerWhere are the photos gone...
5/30/24Reply
TravelerWe may never know!
5/30/24Reply
TravelerFrankly I’m delighted they’ve flown away
5/30/24Reply
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Day 9
Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 2:25 PM
☁️ 21 °C
Altitude: 404 m
Spain Plaza del Mercado 42.466433, -2.44661942°27’59” N 2°26’48” W
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More photos from today
May 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
I got a bit carried away, as I was walking so much slower, some interesting manhole covers and artistically arranged eu funded irrigation pipes. Tadpoles in a puddle and cool bugs
Traveler Que?
5/30/24Reply
TravelerHello??!!
5/30/24Reply
TravelerLove the manhole covers!!
5/30/24Reply
TravelerSo glad you are able to walk again 🤗
6/1/24Reply
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Day 9
Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 2:11 PM
☁️ 21 °C
Altitude: 404 m
Spain Plaza del Mercado 42.466414, -2.44657242°27’59” N 2°26’48” W
There's a guy behind those trees playing
May 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
After a lot of stretching I decided to walk today, much slower than the others. The first 10km were ondulating countryside with Viana as the breakfast stop.
I came across a man with an amp sitting behind a tree playing guitar shyly, so after a conversation he let me take a photo. That's today's drawing subject sorted. By the end of the 21Km my leg was hurting again, so am doing more stretching as that seems to help. On a positive my toes have stopped feeling bruised, so feet not hurting at all. Today I added Korea and Norway to my tally of nationalities. And French Canadians who are changing their socks three times a day.Read more
Traveler😆🧦
5/30/24Reply
TravelerHave you checked your toes are still there 😁?
5/30/24Reply
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Day 8
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 3:39 PM
⛅ 26 °C
Altitude: 478 m
Spain Torres del Río 42.551704, -2.27071442°33’6” N 2°16’15” W
Tourist Day
May 29, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
After a muscle hurting in my leg yesterday I did the sensible thing and stayed in Estella this morning while Fiona walked on. After a lie in I spent a couple of hours in the lovely hostel dinning room drawing, and then went to the palace which is now a gallery. Lovely paintings in a lovely building. I also checked out the pottery, and shops before catching the bus to our next stop. Lovely hostal with a pool, in a sleepy village.Read more
TravelerEvery cloud has a silver lining!
5/29/24Reply
TravelerYou’ve still made good progress looking on the map? Can you estimate how long you will take or is that impossible as this stage and too soon?
5/29/24Reply
TravelerI was thinking that too
5/29/24Reply
TravelerIts a 36 day walk, plus any I add on the end
6/1/24Reply
TravelerWell done Cress x x
5/29/24Reply
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Day 7
Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 8:21 PM
⛅ 22 °C
Altitude: 414 m
Spain Estella-Lizarra 42.668684, -2.02344642°40’7” N 2°1’24” W
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Estella
May 28, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Another very hot day walking up a steep hill, and then through ondulating coun tryside to this lovely medieval town.
I have managed to hurt my quad on right leg, so fell far behind making it a long painful day. The hostel has ice packs amd we met a nurse and an athletics trainer so loads of advice on what to do. Got good pain killers, but am going to rest tomorrow. There is plenty to do here.
The good thing about walking slowly is I noticed lots of things and too some nice pictures.Read more
Traveler Sorry to hear about the injury and hope you manage to sort it? I’ve had sciatica (for 3 days) however the Voltorol organic has really helped. You seem to have made a fair distance but remember ‘life is not a race - but indeed a journey’. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Xx
5/28/24Reply
TravelerHope you get better soon Cress, enjoy your rest day xx
5/28/24Reply
TravelerLove your shadow photos too ☺️☺️
5/28/24Reply
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Day 7
Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 6:54 AM
☀️ 8 °C
Altitude: 357 m
Spain Puente La Reina – Gares 42.676237, -1.80610142°40’34” N 1°48’22” W
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Pamplona
May 28, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C
I meant to post these yesterday. Just a few of the beautiful facades in Pamplona.
Traveler Interesting metal work
5/28/24Reply
TravelerLove the shutters ☀️
6/4/24Reply
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Day 6
Monday, May 27, 2024 at 4:35 PM
☁️ 19 °C
Altitude: 361 m
Spain Puente La Reina – Gares 42.672276, -1.8137442°40’20” N 1°48’49” W
Following Fiona
May 27, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Just arrived in Puente de la Reina, a lovely medieval town. Today my feet protested for the first time but managed 25km so far, so not too bad. Walking out of Pamplona the landscape has changed from mountains to hills, lots of wheat fields with poppies.Read more
TravelerBeautiful flora. Did you snif tonsee if they were manzanilla flowers?
5/27/24Reply
TravelerNo, didn't sniff anything!
5/27/24Reply
TravelerHad a lovely walk a
5/27/24Reply
TravelerDown a pebbly hill with just birdsong and me for a km or so. Fiona is much quicker than me downhill so I actually had to remember to look for camino signs, rather than mindlessly following which is more relaxing.
5/27/24Reply
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Day 5
Sunday, May 26, 2024 at 3:46 PM
☁️ 21 °C
Altitude: 479 m
Spain Pamplona 42.812122, -1.64262642°48’44” N 1°38’33” W
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Hedgerows and biodiversity day
May 26, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
After a lovely sleep, today was a long walk over a few hills and along the side of a fast flowing river into Pamplona. We are off to explore shortly. I am feeling a bit stiff, but otherwise, the walk is really enjoyable. There is so much biodiversity here. The hedgerows have about 20 different plants per square meter, and are really beautiful. The section before Pamplona was all honeysuckle and dog roses and smelt lovely.
We are starting to recognise people, and have met people from all over the world. Lots of Americans, flip flop man fom nz who has walked it 7 times in flip flops, lots of taiwanese and a Peruvian from Cuzco in her local dress including sandals made from rubber tyres. I am going to try to meet someone from all 51 US states and all European countries. We have also made friends with an Australian from Richmond, but there aren't too many English people which suits me.Read more
TravelerSomehow managed to upload a pic of the Thames. Hope nobody notices...
5/26/24Reply
Traveler😂
5/26/24Reply
Traveler 😯
5/26/24Reply
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Day 4
Saturday, May 25, 2024 at 6:24 PM
⛅ 24 °C
Altitude: 536 m
Spain Zubiri 42.934902, -1.50417942°56’6” N 1°30’15” W
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Zubirri
May 25, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Today was the day my knees were worrying about, but they were fine and I made it down the mountain. This area is so beautiful, green, lush and with too many wildflower types to count. I woke up a bit stiff, but still enjoyed the 23km up and down the rolling hills. Any pictures with me squinting or looking less than happy are because my glasses are upstairs, which is another hill.Read more
TravelerYour glasses are upstairs? 🤔
5/25/24Reply
Traveler Jeeps 🙈
5/25/24Reply
Traveler23km! That’s quite a walk. How are the shoes doing??
5/26/24Reply
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Day 3
Friday, May 24, 2024 at 5:11 PM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 963 m
Spain Real Colegiata de Santa María de Roncesvalles 43.010162, -1.31949143°0’37” N 1°19’10” W
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Over the pass Napoleon took to escape
May 24, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Today was the second big walk up over the pyrenees and down to Roncesvalles where we are staying in the monastery which has been updated and is lovely. Last night was a bit challenging. Bunks too flimsy for adults and a really stuffy room. Luke warm showers and not warm enough to spend the afternoon outside. Today by contrast is all blue skies and much nicer hostel.
Saw eagles ( I have decided they were golden) and all sorts of wild flowers and had lunch on a rock in the middle of nowhere. Most people are slower or taking the shorter route so we had the path to ourselves.Read more
Traveler Spectacular scenery. I guess the hostels will vary - sorry wouldn’t do for me. Enjoy and hope your next leg goes well. Xx
5/24/24Reply
TravelerAmazing view Cress. Sorry previous accommodation not up to scratch 😬. Guess that’s par for the course xx x
5/24/24Reply
Traveler Brilliant! ☀️ it’s done nothing but pour with rain since I’ve got to Edinburgh (in contrast).
5/24/24Reply
TravelerAmazing pictures! Beautiful 💕
5/25/24Reply
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Day 2
Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 1:02 PM
☁️ 13 °C
Altitude: 805 m
France Bois d’Orisson 43.108821, -1.23920143°6’32” N 1°14’21” W
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Having a beer in Orrison
May 23, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
We have just arrived in Orrison, only 8km from the start, but all up. Think 3 hours on the cross trainer at the gym. Luckily I have been doing a lot of that but I still struggled. Now trying a basque beer before hopefully spending the afternoon on the terrace drawing. It is beautiful here.Read more
TravelerBeer …. Already hahaha. Is that allowed? 🍻
5/23/24Reply
Traveler You look happy 😃 x x
5/23/24Reply
Traveler Look at the colour 💚
5/23/24Reply
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Day 2
Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 8:42 AM
☁️ 11 °C
Altitude: 177 m
France Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port 43.161724, -1.23741843°9’42” N 1°14’15” W
St Jean pied de Port
May 23, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
First night of dormitory life, in a lovely little hostel, where we arrived in a downpour. St Jean is a lovely little town, possibly a holiday resort back in the early 20th C. judging by the number of big houses.
We had dinner at the hostel, and met our first fellow pilgrims, from Cayman and the Netherlands. The meal was delicious and reminded me of childhood food, basque chicken and tarta vasca. Unfortunately it's unlikely to be repeated too often.
The dorm was quirky, but comfortable but it's going to take getting get used to living out of a rucksack with more pockets than I have things.
The ear plugs with ribbons on so I don't loose them worked really well Sue Preston, if you are reading this.Read more
TravelerThis is so worth it Cress, already it feels like you’ve been away forever! X x
5/23/24Reply
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Day 1
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 6:53 AM
☁️ 12 °C
Altitude: 19 m
England Saint Pancras 51.532845, -0.12836751°31’58” N 0°7’42” W
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We're off
May 22, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
On the Eurostar, waiting to go... very exciting!
TravelerBuen camino!
5/22/24ReplyTranslate
TravelerBuen Camino 😊😊. Look at all your stuff!
5/22/24Reply
TravelerYes, I'm eating and drinking my way through the contents of the pink bag whilst watching French countryside go by. Tomorrow only the one bag
5/22/24Reply
Traveler🤭 x x
5/22/24Reply
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Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 6:44 PM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: 9 m
England Norbiton 51.409706, -0.28492251°24’35” N 0°17’6” W
I am becoming indecisive!
May 15, 2024 in England ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
So, which size trainers will be most comfortable? I am really overthinking this. Cress indecisive? I must be loosing it
TravelerThe most comfortable and durable 👟
5/17/24Reply
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Monday, May 6, 2024 at 12:33 PM
☁️ 14 °C
Altitude: 20 m
England RHS Garden, Wisley 51.315321, -0.47408751°18’55” N 0°28’27” W
Countdown has begun
May 6, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Only two weeks and two days to go...getting excited!
TravelerNo way…. only two weeks to go. Your trip is going to be amazing x x
5/7/24Reply
TravelerHave you bought any walking trainers? 😅🤣
5/15/24Reply
TravelerJust a couple of pairs...
5/15/24Reply
TravelerKeep smiling, keep walking🚶‍♀️‍➡️🚶‍♀️‍➡️
5/23/24Reply
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Trip start
May 22, 2024