Enough with the canal already!

I can appreciate that this canal is an engineering marvel from the 18th century. I enjoy walking on mostly well drained packed dirt tracks. I love all the green fields, the constant singing of the birds, the really pretty yellow irises up and down on both sides. And all those locks are interesting. But this is my fourth day walking along it, and I admit, I am ready for some change of scenery.

The weather was cool and nice, even though the weather apps were warned about rain. The day started out very foggy, which was good because parts along this stretch are unshaded.

About 15 km in, lo and behold, I saw someone with a backpack walking towards me. This is the first person I have seen walking, except for that 5 km stretch two days ago on the Camino Francés. We stopped to chat for a while, compare Camino notes, talk about the weather, and get some intel about what was coming up for each of us. He was a Spanish guy just walking the Canal de Castilla start to finish, both branches, all 250 km of it. Yikes.

I got to the pretty sad town of Herrera about 1:30. The mayor (I think) checked me in and left me with a key. At her suggestion, had a good late lunch in the Asador El Roble. I am all alone in the municipal albergue. Clean, ironed sheets, towels, lots of hot water. It’s got a washing machine, but even if I had soap to use, I cannot figure out what any of those dials are for. So hand washing it was. My clothes dried outside on a rack in between the albergue and the bus station. No one seemed to care.

One new Spanish word I will never forget — eclusa.

31 km, 56 m elevation, Osorno to Herrera de Pisuerga.

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