My Camino

mai 2024 - juni 2034
  • Sara Shelbourn
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Et 3687-dagers eventyr av Sara Les mer
  • Sara Shelbourn
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  • Spania Spania
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  • Day 23 not walking!

    1. juni 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    Decided to take the taxi with Linda first thing, stunning panorama as the taxi climbed to the Iron Cross at 1,505m. We got out at the top and joined short queue to take our turn at the Iron Cross. The tradition is that you lay a stone at the base of the cross to either leave a burden there or to remember a loved one. A very kind friend gave me a small stone from Dorset beach but I unfortunately managed not to pack it - sorry Clare! So I laid a virtual stone for my dad, Bettie and Kitty, and Alexis, uncle John, uncle Tom, aunty Mini and Nanny - no longer in this world but for ever in our hearts ♥️
    The area around the Iron Cross was atmospheric and felt on top of the world, and included a large sun dial and small chapel. Some of the Korean party that we keep bumping into, were also there, and an older Korean gentleman starting spontaneously singing Ave María, which was unexpected but lovely and he received applause in appreciation.
    The downward taxi ride was again stunning scenery as we went over the mountain and into the next valley but unfortunately there was no where to stop and take photos!
    I arrived at our destination Albergue Senor Oso in Molinaseca too early to check in and explored this historic medieval place, with narrow streets and overhanging bits. There is lovely pilgrim bridge which is based on a Roman bridge and we’re in small Albergue in bunks! The host Jose is very nice and runs the bakers next door. I was asking him about perhaps seeing a doctor and explained my big toe issue, and he suggested I see the local pharmacist. He also kindly prepared a bowl of cold salt water for me. The pharmacist was very helpful and felt sure that 10 days of antibiotics had got rid of the infection but I just need to protect the toe, continue ibuprofen to reduce inflammation, raise it and ideally ice it. So I shall be walking tomorrow 😊
    Fiona completed today’s walk and did say the downhill part was not fun at all, but obviously the views were fantastic at the top!
    Les mer

  • Day 22 walking!

    31. mai 2024, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    We ate our dinner last night in the Hostal and combined tables to eat with the other Peregrinos there, another Brit, a French lady who had cycled from Dijon originally towing her dog in a trailer but bad weather forced her to ask a friend to look after the dog, a French chap and a man from Taiwan who wanted to be completely disassociated with any groups of Koreans!!!
    We had some strange conversations and my French has come in very handy!
    We set off to another day of glorious blue sky as we headed out on the way, although we could see heavy ominous grey clouds in the distance over the looming mountains!
    We followed a road initially into Astorga, sort of market town size place with nice cathedral and castle type place by Gaudi. As we left Astorga, we’re passing into the mountains of Leon which will then lead us into Galicia. The way turned into a dirt track surrounded by mixture of farmland, scrub and trees but nearly always wild flowers at the edge and happy bird song including the enchanting cuckoo! It was a hot day, not as hot as yesterday and we had cool mountain breeze. We climbed gently and passed through quite a few villages and took every opportunity to stop and have a cold drink and rest for a bit. We climbed gently to just over 1,100m to our destination Albergue La Senda at Rabanal del Camino after about 24 Km. Nice enough Albergue but back to bunks! Lovely old village with cobbled streets and old buildings.
    I’m getting on ok with the walking sandals and socks, but the track is very dusty and the dust is clearly visible on my blue socks when I take the sandals off!! My toe felt fine walking today, but possibly it was little too far and doesn’t look good tonight. Tomorrow is the climb to the highest point of the Camino and the iron cross but I may share a taxi with an American lady who has bad knee (and can hardly walk) instead of walking up and down. I think going up would be ok for me, but the hardest bit is the steep downward path.
    Les mer

  • Day 21 walking!

    30. mai 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We started the walk in relatively nice temperature and were welcomed by the sound of a cuckoo as we started down a quiet country road. There were ditches on either side with water and lots croaking frogs! They seem to have an irrigation system rigged up to water the fields, perhaps from the snow-topped mountains that we’re walking towards! We passed by agricultural land and a farmer ploughing his field with a stork taking advantage of the overturned soil behind the tractor!
    We stopped for refreshments in Villavante and either there, or en route encountered many of the other Peregrinos from our Albergue!
    We also sort lots of nesting storks en route and can’t help by photograph them!
    We walked into historic Hospital de Orbigo across very old long bridge and under lots of unusual flags. It transpires that the town is hosting a jousting tournament this weekend and the flags all had heraldic symbols and we walked past the field for the event. We stopped here for lunch and it was starting to get very hot, and as we had walked about 17km, I elected to get the bus to our next destination while Fiona continued to walk. Think it got up to about 27 degrees …. bit too hot for walking comfortably…. but my toe seems ok so far 🤞
    Tonight we’re in private room (hooray!) in Hostal Juli in San Justo de La vega, about 3.5 Km before Astorga, after which we head into a mountainous area. We left the Meseta behind several days ago and so far the way has just been undulating, but it will get steeper again very soon!
    Les mer

  • Day 20 walking!

    29. mai 2024, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    So having bought walking sandals in León, today I started walking again - hooray!!
    As the first 8.5Km was walking out of urban Leon, we opted to get the bus out to La Virgen del Camino, and started walking from there, it was nice to see urban Leon disappearing behind as we went forward into the countryside side again.
    There have been various stages of the Camino where it rather boringly follows the road and there are alternative green routes which are more interesting and we took one of those. It was so nice to be walking again and seeing the wild flowers including wild lavender, and the birds, and hearing a cuckoo again today! There were mountains to the right/north of us with what looked like snow on top ?!
    We passed through couple of villages and after 14km arrived at our Albergue San Antonio Padua in Villar de Mazarife and have lovely cool private room and bathroom - bliss!
    It’s a village with a shop and a few Albergues and we sat and eat an ice cream watching the world go by! Because this village is slightly off the normal Camino route, it is quieter and we had lovely communal meal prepared by the friendly hosting family. I think the Camino must bring welcome revenue to some very quiet villages.
    It was good to do a shorter walk today and I took it fairly slowly in my new walking sandals - must confess, never imagined wearing socks and sandals before - not the greatest look!!!
    Les mer

  • Day 19 rest day!

    28. mai 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    As today the way was along side the main road and not very inspiring, Fiona joined me in getting the bus to Leon as rest day and we’ve played tourist all day. Plus as Leon is large place, I’ve bought some walking sandals and will wear them with socks and walk half the way to next stage tomorrow🤞Wearing them with socks is recommended and the sandals don’t touch the nail bed of my big toe, I’ve tried them this afternoon and we’ll have to see how it goes tomorrow!
    So we visited the 13th century Leon cathedral which has magnificent stain glass windows and fantastic gothic masonry and underwent massive maintenance and structural repairs in the 18th century - all very impressive!
    We also did train trip round the city which was fun and enjoyed the sunny weather and eating outside. Leon is lovely vibrant and green city, quite buzzy atmosphere, and we bumped into others pilgrims we’ve met before, which is nice.
    We’re in a hostel right in the centre of town, and very noisy from the outdoor cafes, ear plugs tonight!!
    We’re in bunk beds again and sharing small 4 bed room with 2 New Zealand ladies, and on the top bunk - no choice but to just get on with it! Buenos noches!
    Les mer

  • Day 18 not walking!

    27. mai 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    You will be pleased to know that yesterdays kitten was successfully delivered last night to Leon university vet clinic and is safe and well there 😊
    So today I took the bus to Mansilla de las Mulas with couple of German ladies, the bus took the scenic route through lots of villages off the beaten track, which was interesting but somewhat bumpy ride! Very agricultural with mountains in the distance.
    So we’re checked into fairly modern Albergue and currently sitting in the sun in the garden enjoying the tranquility, although sparrows flying very close!
    This town has 12th century fortifications and the old city wall is still visible in places with houses built into it or alongside, but the town has a ‘down at heel’ feel about it and has obviously seen better days.
    Les mer

  • Day 17 not walking!

    26. mai 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    I decided that as the infection in my big toe is still tender, the infection must still be present and so frustratingly I didn’t walk today. I will give it another couple of days on antibiotics and if still not gone, see a doctor again.
    So I shared taxi with Spanish chap who has walked the Camino 8 times previously and never known it as cold as it is this year! The taxi driver also picked up two hitch hiking pilgrims who were suffering leg and back issues en route, couple of French ladies who spend fortnight walking stages of the Camino each year but started back in Puy in France.
    I’ve checked into lovely small family run Albergue in Calzadilla de los Hermanillos, we’re now just over halfway to Santiago!! Not long after I got here, a young Kiwi girl came in asking for a box, she had found a healthy stray very young kitten walking along the road, no mum anywhere. Others said to leave it, but she couldn’t and was planning to take it with her and take it to a refuge in Leon tomorrow, shut today as Sunday. So I helped her rig up carrying bag using old bum bag I wasn’t using, and she got rice and put it into old cloth bag I had (for my flip flops) to make microwaved heat pad so the kitten would settle in the bag, it was clearly cold and prob between 2-4 weeks old and so cute 🥰 she will keep me posted on her progress walking with it for 2 days! Or if difficult, take a taxi.
    We’re in small village that’s biggest claim to fame is the Roman road that went through it that it still used, plus small nature reserve with some little ponds full of very noisy frogs!! There is also an old clothes washing place and a storks nest with 3 young, but I could only get 2 in the photo! Plus some rather kitch tea cup covers served to us here!
    Les mer

  • Day 16 not walking!

    25. mai 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    So I took a taxi by myself in the end, another chap was planning to go with me, he’s resting due to losing toe nail, but he was too unwell to travel. We’ve been refilling our water bottles from bought mineral water and just today several people have complained of upset tums, so we’ll be continuing our safer strategy!
    So I’ve checked into modern purpose built Albergue in Terradillos de los Templarios, obviously linked the Templar Knights. We have private twin room 😊
    One of the surprises to me, has been the mix of nationalities walking the Camino, prob approx 1/3 are from the East (Asia or the Orient), another 1/3 from America and last 1/3 from Europe, with scattering of antipodeans too! All seem willing to help others, although it’s very tricky when there is no common language and the culture is so different as we’ve seen with the Koreans. So there is good camaraderie and we do keep bumping into same people in different places or en route! One of the challenges in sharing a dorm is that a lot of people like to get up and start walking very early, and although they make an effort to be quiet, 3/4 of our dorm had left before 6am this morning!!!
    So my toe is improving every day and I did 5km test walk locally after I checked in, it feels ok but doesn’t look great, so I’m little unsure when to start walking again.
    Les mer

  • Day 15 not walking!

    24. mai 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    So had lovely seafood paella last night while chatting to California mum and son and Swiss lady from Zurich. It’s surprisingly cold at night here down to 4 or 5 degrees! So morning and evenings are chilly, even if it warms up in the middle of the day!
    I got a taxi this morning which I shared a with chap from Hong Kong, had very interesting chat with him on way to next stop. Again took Fiona’s rucksack with me while she walked the sane distance!
    I arrived early at the Albergue Esperitu Santo which you cannot book in advance, and joined short queue and was checked in by nun by 10.30am. It’s a converted convent run by nuns and has a very serene and tranquil atmosphere, best bit is no bunks and single gender dorms and facilities !! It’s the little things that matter!
    Had leisurely stroll in the welcome sunshine, around the pretty and historic town of Carrion de los Condes, nearly every town has the ancient remains of a pilgrim hospital…. so injuries en route are nothing new! I did succumb to buying warm light fleece top as didn’t bring enough warm clothes, don’t laugh girls!
    Just had very strange occurrence …. it’s quiet and lights out by 10pm ….. and the head nun just came round checking (at 9.45pm) and closing the window!! No idea why …. perhaps because we didn’t go to the 5pm service …..
    So antibiotics are doing grande job and my toe is improving 😊 but probably still needs bit more rest, so have booked taxi again for tomorrow morning. I’ve included some photos of the dorm, all the mattresses and pillows have plastic covering and they give you paper disposable sheet and pillow for them. Surprisingly there are large contingent of Koreans and Japanese walking the Camino and they do live to cook their own food if there is an Albergue kitchen they can use.
    Les mer

  • Day 14 not walking

    23. mai 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    So it was nice modern Albergue La Riconada last night in Castrojeriz, with lovely warm and welcoming hosts, although didn’t get there until 6.45pm! Lovely pilgrims dinner, salad and then roast chicken 1/4 and Spanish rice 😊 and nice company, met interesting Americans who also dislike Trump!
    Comfy modern bunks and I was on the bottom.
    I washed and dried washing in machines early this morning ready for 9am shared taxi with couple of others to our next stop at Poblacion de campos. We’re in private twin room of a hostel but seems more like family hotel, nice fluffy towels and sheets. Spent lazy day sorting out accommodation further along and various odds and ends with rucksack etc, and little siesta! When in Rome …..
    While Fiona walked here unencumbered by her rucksack which I had taken. So today only few photos of Albergue view from window, and nearby church this morning and couple from taxi on way, plus new walking shoes at request of Steph and Julia!
    Les mer