Day 9: Villatuerta to Los Arcos

Mileage: 17+ miles, some unintentional!
Altitude gain: 1.890 feet
Altitude loss: 1,775 feet
Weather : gorgeous - a little too sunny and warm for a little while in the afternoon but then the clouds came back and it was perfect. Continued luck!
Total mileage: 83.5

A long day! We started with a little detour to get our morning cafe con leche and pastry (a necessary ritual at this point!) and then walked to Estella. On the outskirts of Estella we enjoyed the wine fountain (!) at Irache before some ascending hiking through a scrubby forest. Lots more farmland after that until we finally arrived in Los Arcos. We have decided that the best meals are enjoyed by the side of the trail.

1. Angela pours some wine into her shell at Irache.
2. The monastery at Irache
3. Forest
4. Beautiful mountains in the distance today
5. Yes, more poppies
6. Down and back up midday - beautiful curves from a distance
7., 8., 9. More lovely views at every turn
10. *This* is how I imagined the Camino! There will be lots of this later but the variety was nice today.Read more