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Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago
  • Ina Sinclair
  • Andrea Sinclair
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  • Ina Sinclair
  • Andrea Sinclair

Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

following last year's Camino Baztan from Bayonne to Pamplona Read more
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    Carrión de los Condes
  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Day 22 Almost arrived

    Yesterday in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    At Villavieco this trail finds the river Uciesa which it then follows for many kilometres. It is dry now. But simply walking under trees in the shade was so wonderful. Finally this trail joins the official one in Villalcázar de Sirga. Knowing what type of path I was coming to a pause was indicated, obviously.Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Day 22. Cont'd: Alternative walk

    Yesterday in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    As soon as you come out of Población you find (if you look for it) the alternative path which goes in parallel at a distance to the official one - you see the other pilgrims like ants in the distance. Few walkers on the alternative.
    Walking between the fields I found the old irrigation systems again. Apparently they are being repaired - the joints are sealed with tar and in some places where the conduit is broken big tubes are fixed to take the flow of water.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Day 22 Población de Campos to Carrión de los Cond

    Yesterday in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    17.5 km. Arrived in Carrión at 13:15h having left at 8:15h - longish pause in Villalcazár de Sirga, the last village before Carrión. I thought I had activated my tracker as usual. However I found that I had not. So here I give you a screenshot of today's stage from the Gronze app I use for my planning. The only difference is the last section which for me was 6.6 km because my hotel is at the far end of the town.

    Trundled about looking for a shop, went into the church of Santiago which is a church no longer, but a museum. Went along the river to my hotel rather than along the road. So it was almost 3 pm by the time I arrived.

    Will "bundle" my photos in separate "footprints" according to subject to better explain my day.

    Out of Población the official camino goes in a straight line alongside the straight road all the way to Carrión, passing through four villages which may or may not have bars - I don't know because I didn't go that way. I came back to the official camino at the last of those villages and thus could feel what that camino felt like. Here is a photo of what it looks like    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Day 21 cont'd

    October 1 in Spain ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    So I am off on my own again. Am curious to see whether I walk as fast as I did when "carried along" by Leo. Thank you, Leo!

    Fast and easy walk - 8.6 km in 1 hour 38 minutes to Boadilla del Camino. Very long pause there where I met the two Dutch ladies again we had met several times before - Leo impressive with his fluency in Dutch. Not Leo any longer. Also met the German lady from Aachen again and various others I had not seen before.

    Quick and easy walk to Fromista, a major town for end of stage, mostly on what I assume is the tow path along the Canal de Castilla which we eventually crossed over lock gates. However this lock system is different from the one I had experienced near Beziers, on the Canal du Midi in France. There you have a succession of 7 levels each separated by lock gates from it's "neighbour". Whereas here you have 4 levels with one gate at the top and one at the bottom of the lot - no look gates between levels. The different levels are just huge steps the length of a boat. I saw a boat going on the canal carrying tourists - you can do part of the camino this way!

    I photographed the top level which I had to cross with the camino - did not stop to take my photo from the lock gate because the railing was so low that I preferred to get across quickly. Could not get close enough to the bottom one because of the high vegetation, but I could hear it.

    At one point I found that fields were green again, sunflowers, clover and what I think was kale. Came across parts of the old open air irrigation system again, but nothing modern like in the Rioja vinyards.

    Finally Fromista where I went all over the place having lost the arrows when going round an old church which very much needed renovation. Found what looked like the parish church, St Peter's, which is being renovated. Unusual high altar depicting Jesus being taken down from the cross. And after a longish pause leaving Fromista there was a beautifully renovated church, St Martin's. And at last the final straight never ending three or so kilometres to Población.
    PS I had opted for the communal dinner. A French couple with no English and four Americans and one Irish woman with no French. Not one language in common for all of them and I stuck between them. During the evening conversation became almost completely split between the two groups, me making part of the French.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago
    1

    Day 20 Hontanas to Itero de la Vega

    September 30 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    A very good communal paella last night. Shared the table with two American ladies from California, Sandra and ?.
    Out at 10 to 8h this morning and already reached Castrojeriz at 10h. Long haul the whole length of the town - no bar! Castrojeriz is about halfway of our stage today. And we arrived at our destination at 14:30h. 20 km. Considering how at the beginning of this camino I flagged after midday and took all day till late afternoon to walk 15 km this is wonderful! It is no longer hot and there is a strong wind blowing which makes walking so much easier.

    Nothing special to report except that there was an extremely long haul uphill followed by flat for quite a while on the top and then extremely steep downhill.

    Finished off the day by a good meal of cozido de Castilla in good company, a few of the pilgrims in this albergue - Italy, UK, New York and Hongkong. We are having a private room but shared bathroom.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Day 19 Rabé de las Calçadas to Hontanas

    September 29 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    This is an amazing day for me - 18 km and we arrived before 13:30h !!! Una caña y mi cama!

    So we left at 8h. Easy walk, gentle ups and downs, but very long ones. And of course Leo talking me along.

    This is the meseta - hated by many and loved by others. Vast countryside of fields, harvested now, where you can see the camino a mile ahead. And lots of wind turbines! And a lot of wind and hardly any sun today.

    Off to dinner shortly, a communal dinner was suggested, paella. Quite a number of people accepted the suggestion.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Day 18. Burgos to Rabé de las Calzadas

    September 28 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Up late, breakfast late, off late, 9 o'clockish. To find the camino again. Selfie in front of the cathedral and here I am in front of a Mercadona supermarket for Leo to buy some more food.
    And we walked at a good speed all along, even I, without noticing because we were talking a lot which helps passing the time.

    The only village along this way was only 2 km before our arrival here. It had a bar, so of course we had to stop. We had lots of little stops all along whenever I wanted to have a look where we were - I cannot look while I walk, hence the photo Leo took of me Consulting my phone.

    So we arrived at 13h already, 13 km. I think I am picking up strength. Will see what I am like when Leo is not here any longer to "talk me along".    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Burgos. cont'd

    September 27 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Back "home" for a bite to eat - sandwich from yesterday (or earlier?), will eat out with Leo, Andrea's eldest son, who will walk with me for a few days and who is expected to arrive by bus from Bilbao at 18:30h - and a minisiesta before going to the Museo de la Evolución Humana - thank you, Manuel, for the suggestion, especially after having walked through Atapuerca yesterday. Most interesting! And tiring!

    Have been sitting outside the bar next to the Museum working through my photos and will now amble back "home" for a lie-down before Leo arrives.

    PS Sculpture outside the museum. Looks like the "chards" of the skulls in the museum...

    PS 2 Leo arrived and we went out for a meal. When we came down we found it had rained a bit. Started again while we were sitting on the terrace of the restaurant next to the cathedral. Finished by the time we left.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Burgos - visit the cathedral

    September 27 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Spend a long time visiting the cathedral. You have to pay and come at a set time - not too long to wait for me. Didn't manage to handle the guide which you download on your mobile which did not worry me too much - there is so much too see and take in with all the explanations it is quite overwhelming.

    So I just walked around trying to understand the images etc without knowing who had painted/sculpted what. A catholic upbringing helps.
    - Found two naked Jesu Bambinos, no clothes or crowns.
    - Found two Madonnas Lactans ie breastfeeding.
    - Two Cristo de Burgos ie wearing a skirt on the cross and the whole body covered in wounds.
    - One Tree of Jesse growing out of Jesse's sleeping body, Jesse the Father of King David.
    - Twice Santiago Matamoros (Killer of the moors).
    - One Saint Anne carrying her daughter, Mary with a crown on her head and her grandson, Jesus on Mary's arm.
    - One tender madonna.
    - And finally a sculpture of a smiling Madonna with her child and two figures next to her which I did not identify.
    So my visit was quite successful as you can see.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Day 17 Burgos

    September 27 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Day of rest. Sleep late. Mass at 9h with pilgrims' blessing. Long telephone call from my sister Britta discussing, among other things - lots of other things - dates of visits in early November after my Camino. Telephone call during which I walked about on the square on front of the cathedral. And all the while I was looking at the cathedral and the style of the cathedral reminded me of Gaudi! (See photos)

    Gradually the square began to fill with people, all dressed in white T-shirts and many with numbers - a race in support of the mentally ill and the deaf.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago
    1

    Day 16 From past Villafranca to? Burgos

    September 26 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    This is will be a very peculiar day - am wondering how it will develop.
    I slept very badly although the bed was excellent. Yesterday the driver of the taxi which had brought me back "home" from Villafranca had suggested taking me to the top of the mountain instead of dropping me where he had picked me up. I refused straight away, but during the night my head didn't stop thinking about this horribly steep mountain up which I would have to haul my pack on my poor back.

    In the end I did go up by taxi and as a result after 6.5 km during only one hour walking fast I have arrived in San Julian de Ortega (see photos of the monastery). Having a second breakfast trying to think what now? I had expected to arrive here some time in the late afternoon and take a taxi to Burgos.
    So now 10:30h what????

    Decided to continue walking to Atapuerca. Another 6 or so km. Easy walk. Flat and a lot through forests. Came across horses grazing in the forest!

    As I was approaching Atapuerca there was a number of menhirs or standing stones set up as a group all dedicated to someone who had given special support to paleontological research in the area:
    "The Archaeological Site of Atapuerca is a world-renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site located near Burgos in northern Spain, containing the oldest and most extensive fossil evidence of human evolution in Europe dating back over a million years."(Google)

    Had a salad while waiting for my taxi. After installing myself in my hostal I am now on a walkabout, actually sitting on a bench in front of the magnificent cathedral.

    As to the photo of the green sunflowers, I saw one other such field. In all the others the flowers were very small and looked completely dry. And I would like to know why these survived reasonably well.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Day 15 cont'd - On to Villafranca

    September 25 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Having arrived early in Villambistia I have decided to leave my big pack - have a private room with private bathroom! - and continue to Villafranca thus shortening tomorrow's stage by 5 km. A taxi will bring me back from Villafranca and take back to Villafranca tomorrow morning. Had a siesta and am just having a coffee and orange juice before setting off again.

    Uneventful. I used my parasol all the way. However the heat tremendous, no shadow, hot under the parasol. Even the wind which was quite strong was warm.

    And then I forgot to stop my tracker and it continued during the return by taxi. But since on foot and by taxi was practically the same I can take about 6 km off tomorrow's planned 17 km. And I will have tomorrow's most difficult part first thing in the morning when the weather is cool and I am still fresh.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Made it to Villambistia...

    September 25 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    ....at midday. Difficulty as before. I was curious about my walking speed. Estimate 4 km/hr on the flat with my big pack. Not bad, I feel.
    As I was walking along a sunflower field I noticed some had a small yellow flower at their feet, even a very small developed flower - the mother plant's way of handling the contrasting messages the climate sends it.Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Stop in Belorado ...

    September 25 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    .....after only one hour walking - had promised my hosts in Villambistia that I would call when passing Belorado.
    The foot and handprint is the equivalent of the shells in other towns marking the camino. But gradually I realised that they were all different. The same principle: a footprint and a handprint - the hand was always a naked hand, but the foot might be naked or the sole of a shoe, different types of shoes.Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Made it to Villamayor del Rio

    September 24 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    This short walk (11.4 km) took many hours because of the bar crawl, long siesta in the shade of the church in Viloria de Rioja and a very long telephone conversation with Andrea about whether Leo (21), one of my grandsons, might walk with me for a few days. And when she realised the difficulties I was having booking accommodation for the next few days she booked for me all those of the remaining days which I had not yet booked. Great relief for me! I had not expected this problem.

    I am staying at an albergue in a private room, but shared bathroom. And when I unpacked my water sac it had not leaked at all, so even the protective drysack was dry inside!

    So this was another beautiful and not too difficult day. I enjoyed the bar crawl - there were so many of them. I think I will make a habit of bar crawling.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    And yet another one ...

    September 24 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    ....in Viloria de Rioja. Here is the first "donativo" bar I have ever come across, donativo albergues yes, donativo bars no - you pay what you think is right or what you think you can. Buffet like breakfast buffets in many hotels.

    The church is Santa Maria de l'Asunción. Lovely cool place for my siesta on a stone bench which is really cold.

    Another 3.5 km to go.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Another stop

    September 24 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Second stop, first after half an hour which took half an hour. Second stop 15 minutes later in the hope of finding breakfast. Result, see photo.
    Another stop after 20 minutes in Castildegado after Viloria de la Rioja. Here the only Bar is closed on Thursdays like today. I am stopping anyway. Am on a bar crawl including bars which are closed.Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Day 14. Grañon to Villamayor del Rio

    September 24 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Out late. At 8:30h.

    Last night I managed to identify the source of the water leak - the rubber seal around the bladder's opening. I discovered that propping up the half filled bladder it did not leak! I had kept the water level below the opening. So this I am trying out now. In addition I put the bladder into one of my dry bags - Andrea, the grey one you gave me when you left is just the right size. So if there is another leak it will leak into the drysack and my pack will stay dry! Hallelujah!

    So all of this meant my leaving latish. However with only 11 km today no problem. Having my first stop after only 30 minutes steadily uphill. So here are my photos leaving Grañon.    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Made it to Grañon

    September 23 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Grañon is not that far from Santo Domingo. Right away you come to the bridge which Santo Domingo is said to have built over the river Oja to make life easier for the pilgrims on their pilgrimage. There is this very large river bed full of pebbles and no water. Easy to cross, but on a bridge certainly easier.
    And the camino continues gently up and down, mostly flat.

    And suddenly there it is, Grañon, a lovely old town with a welcoming bar right there next to the church. The church needs investigation. Part of it houses the Albergue Municipal. Met an Autralian who stays there. No beds, she says, just thinnish sports pads you put on the floor. Will go out later on and have a look.

    On the other hand my acommodation merits description. The "Residencial El Cuartel". Sounds very military to me, like barracks. To get there you go through an abandoned area, wasteland some old houses, very peculiar and there is this big house with a bit of unkempt garden in the middle of nowhere. There was a young woman who had been cleaning who helped me - no reception. I got an e-mail through Booking with a code which opens doors for you. I have two rooms to myself with three beds and a private bathroom. Bare walls and no bedside lights - good thing I brought my headlamp. Have photographed it all, also the view from the window over the wasteland.

    Will go back into the center to have a look around and do some shopping.
    Weird, this setup...    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Santo Domingo de la Calçada

    September 23 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    This is my first stop. After almost 7 km. This is an important end of stage town, though not mine. I had expected there to be lots of bars around the cathedral. No, only one miserable looking one on the main street, but well before the central square. There is however the Parador Sto Domingo where a man was loading lots of luggage with the transporter's tags(?) into his van. This town has two(!) paradores. The other parador (on my photo) is the Parador de San Francisco in front of which I am sitting right now eating last night's bocadillo (sandwich) and drinking some of the water left in my pack.
    Off again, 10:35h. Another 6.5km to go...    Read more

  • Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago

    Day 13. Cirueña to Grañon

    September 23 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Start the walk with a water leak from my water pack. Felt my lower back and bottom getting sopping wet. There was a rest place just at the outskirts of the village. Lucky me! I unpacked my pack completely to reach the valve(?) at the bottom of the water sack - have had a problem with it before and forgotten to check it when packing last night.
    After this an easy walk to Santo Domingo de la Calçada with the rising sun in my back.    Read more