AlSal Camino Santiago

A 60-day adventure by Alec Read more

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Day 16
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
☁️ 23 °C
Altitude: 677 m
Spain Villamayor de Monjardín 42.628965, -2.10390442°37’44” N 2°6’14” W
To Villamayor de Monjardin
April 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
Via the wine fountain and Azqueta with a fun musical interlude from the travelling Portuguese minstrels
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Day 16
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
☁️ 22 °C
Altitude: 677 m
Spain Villamayor de Monjardín 42.62901, -2.103942°37’44” N 2°6’14” W
To Villamayor de Monjardin
April 26, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
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Day 17
Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 1:06 PM
☁️ 23 °C
Altitude: 486 m
Spain Torres del Río 42.551667, -2.27166742°33’6” N 2°16’18” W
Torres del Rio
April 27, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
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Day 17
Thursday, April 27, 2023
☁️ 26 °C
Altitude: 482 m
Spain Torres del Río 42.551956, -2.27102242°33’7” N 2°16’16” W
To Torres del Rio
April 27, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
Hottest day's walk so far but 7.30 start made for cool and fresh air for the first half at least. Out of step with the hump of pilgrims in our wave so we walked alone quite a lot of the time. Arcos a bit scruffy and like everywhere else strangely devoid of locals. Where are they?Read more
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Day 19
Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 10:30 AM
☁️ 17 °C
Altitude: 402 m
Spain Plaza del Mercado 42.466312, -2.44609242°27’59” N 2°26’46” W
Los Arcos
April 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Through Los Arcos on our way to Torres del Rio. Los Arcos very sleepy and not as beautiful as other places but did find some faux-twisties!
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Day 19
Saturday, April 29, 2023
☁️ 22 °C
Altitude: 548 m
Spain Torres del Río 42.543333, -2.29166742°32’36” N 2°17’30” W
To Logroño
April 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Via Viana "Oooohh Vianaaa" with amazing sculptures on the portal to the church in the center of the town like an early C12th graphic novel. Bumped into Monty again. Still wearing jeans, the goose.
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Day 19
Saturday, April 29, 2023
☁️ 22 °C
Altitude: 400 m
Spain Iglesia de Santa María de Palacio 42.468359, -2.44377342°28’6” N 2°26’38” W
Second day Logroño
April 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Stuck in Logroño for an extra day - combo of long weekend - labour day (Monday, national), Madrid founding day (Tuesday), a wine festival (local) andvegetable celebration (local) meant all accom booked up even out to our next stop Ventosa. Panic to get to stay again in the same auberge (Santiago Apostol), but chatting up manager and throwing ourselves on her mercy early got us back in.
Nice day hanging out in Logroño. Found a second hand bookshop with a v small selection of English books but found one that will do. Found a sports shop and bought gaiters. Hung out at cafe Redondo (again) and happened to have ringside seat at a flash military wedding.Read more
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Day 20
Sunday, April 30, 2023 at 8:00 AM
☁️ 12 °C
Altitude: 649 m
Spain Ventosa 42.403632, -2.62680242°24’13” N 2°37’36” W
Logroño to Ventosa
April 30, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Bloody weekend party people from Barcelona raucous till about 3am. Others didn't even roll in till we were getting ready to leave.
Easy walk to Ventosa and a real bed! Tight accom meant we had no option but a hotel room. 75 euro expensive (compared to 11-18 in pilgrim auberge) but very nice. Shower all to ourselves - such luxury. Watching Basque handball (buruz) on TV.Read more
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Day 20
Sunday, April 30, 2023 at 8:42 PM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 646 m
Spain Ventosa 42.404216, -2.62633942°24’15” N 2°37’35” W
Ventosa
April 30, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
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Day 21
Monday, May 1, 2023 at 8:30 PM
⛅ 17 °C
Altitude: 753 m
Spain Cirueña 42.410157, -2.89445742°24’37” N 2°53’40” W
Cirueña
May 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
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Day 21
Monday, May 1, 2023
☀️ 20 °C
Altitude: 753 m
Spain Cirueña 42.410149, -2.89449342°24’37” N 2°53’40” W
Ventosa to Cirueña
May 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Long hot day with a trudge up to Ciruña past a golf course and ugly new golf apartments development. Old town of Cirueña a bit tired and dusty - not the most beautiful town we've stayed in - but the auberge is a well set up family home. Comfy though a come down to earth after the flash hotel last night.
Meet Dirk from Germany. GreatRead more
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Day 22
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Altitude: 799 m
Spain Viloria de Rioja 42.42723, -3.09949642°25’38” N 3°5’58” W
To Viloria de Rioja
May 2, 2023 in Spain
Walked with our new friend Dirk from 70 km outside Cologne. Separated from the mother of his children, quitting his job and not much use to his 15 year old daughter or 19 year old son, he's looking for a new direction. Kind hearted soul, warm and open. Easy but hot walk with several coffee stops to get here. Lunch stop in ugly truck stop just outside Castildelgado. Lost Sal for little while in Castildelgado while we tried to find the cafe. Scary. We won't separate out to reconnoiter again. We could have gone on as we felt fine (Dirk did), but the auberge is lovely and homely with a rumpty floor and uneven steps up to the rooms. And it's so quiet - delightfully so. And our feet are thanking us. Met Lise the Colombian- just divorced and just lost her job. Only 33 so too young for Dirk!Read more
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Day 23
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
☁️ 26 °C
Altitude: 959 m
Spain Villafranca-Montes de Oca 42.388419, -3.31003242°23’18” N 3°18’36” W
Viloria de Rioja to Villafranca de Oca
May 3, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
Delicious Paella dinner last night, with copious amounts of wine. Very friendly manager Mariela.
Another hot walk. Stopped in Belorado for second breakfast and watched the storks nesting on the church tower. Meet friendly Frenchman from Brittany now living in Montmartre in Paris. Promised if we meet again to swap addresses. Bumped into American twins who put their Dad in a taxi to here Villafranca de Oca.
Sat in a lovely little park for a snack and rest and watched an idiot council worker blow leaves round in circles.Read more
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Day 24
Thursday, May 4, 2023
☁️ 19 °C
Altitude: 923 m
Spain Cardeñuela-Ríopico 42.35951, -3.55931242°21’34” N 3°33’34” W
Villafranca Montes de Oca to Cardeñuela
May 4, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Villafranca hostel was the rear end of a very flash hotel. Checking in all sweaty and smelly at the same desk as the rich folk. Met Kubalin and Scarlett - lovely young couple, already been traveling eight months through laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Indonesia. Kubalin promised me his book when he finished it, and made a special trip to give me it in Cardeñuela Riopico.
Cool climb in the early morning up through ancient holy oak forest - strangely not very big trees. Rich when we bumped into him in Burgos told us a couple of wolves ran across in front of him on the same stretch of track. T happened so quick he didn't have a chance to get a fright.
Long walk down to Cardeñuela with my leg hurting.Read more
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Day 24
Thursday, May 4, 2023
☁️ 19 °C
Altitude: 918 m
Spain Cardeñuela-Ríopico 42.358923, -3.55933342°21’32” N 3°33’34” W
To Cardueña Riopico
May 4, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Cool start to the day - a bit chilly but we quickly warmed up on a steep climb through an ancient holy oak forest. Oasis half way across served life saving coffee and chocolate croissants. Increasingly sore leg - thinking shin splints - so appointment for physio in Burgos tomorrow. With Scott the Mountie in int auberge today.Read more
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Day 25
Friday, May 5, 2023
☁️ 20 °C
Altitude: 865 m
Spain Río Vena 42.343932, -3.69697742°20’38” N 3°41’49” W
To Burgos
May 5, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Lovely walk into Burgos via the green route along the river and awesome wild parks. Totally different view compared to the regular walk through the grimy industrial suburbs and gave me a completely different opinion of Burgos - loved it.
Great night - met up with Dirk as we walked into square and bumped into Rich as we were trying to get on touch with him. Beer to cool down at the (rugby themed, Scottish bar!) albergue, glass of red with Rich in the square, then April spritz when Dirk arrived, and crazy glasses Jill and dutch friend and David from St Jean joined us, over to a tapas bar, more red and lots of tapas, on to another ber for 10pm surprise! - singing the Burgos state anthem with a throng of locals - quite drunk, Sal took me home - no recollection of climbing up to our room or bunk - eek.Read more
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Day 26
Saturday, May 6, 2023
☀️ 22 °C
Altitude: 830 m
Spain Tardajos 42.34888, -3.81861442°20’56” N 3°49’7” W
Burgos to Tardojos
May 6, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Easy walk mostly flat but too much beside motorway. Tardajos not much to talk about but a nice garden bar and excellent menu de dia for Euro 13. Castilian soup was delicious.
Annie finally decided we weren't axe murderers and came over to say hi.
Met Alex and her Mum.
Lost my water bottle bugger it.Read more
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Day 27
Sunday, May 7, 2023
Altitude: 878 m
Spain Hontanas 42.312591, -4.04298242°18’45” N 4°2’35” W
Tardajos to Hontanas
May 7, 2023 in Spain
Finally, the Meseta! Do do doooo
Beautiful climbing up easy rate. Just birdsong and breezes and at some points the rhythmic whoosh of the wind turbines. First day and we're ok.
Hontanas lovely. Half an hour easing our feet in a local paddling pool.Read more
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Day 28
Monday, May 8, 2023
☁️ 24 °C
Altitude: 779 m
Spain Arroyo de Vallarna 42.287361, -4.25816342°17’14” N 4°15’29” W
Hontanas to Itero de la Vega
May 8, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Out of the albergue nice and early - just after 7. Still cool - cold hands on the poles - lovely walk along a river valley, past a huge derelict church and through massive arches by the church. Up a steep climb across a small plateau and down an even steeper descent, across a plain and down across a river and into Iterno de la Vega, but not before being stopped by a police check - smiling pilgrim police who stamped our pilgrim credentials.
Itergo another sleepy pueblo with a big church and attached storks. Just managed to get into the local grocery store before it closed at 2.Read more
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Day 30
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at 3:01 PM
☀️ 17 °C
Altitude: 866 m
Spain Calzadilla de la Cueza 42.33, -4.77166742°19’48” N 4°46’18” W
To Calzedilla de la Cueza
May 10, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Mostly long straight walk across the plain after Carrion de Los Condes. Supposedly no breaks but the summer only pop-up cafe turned out to be open so we scored a welcome coffee.
Practicing the wisdom passed on by last night's albergue manager, to think in terms of hours not Ks and walk two hours then long break then two hours another long break then last two hours makes for a longer but much more pleasant day- so we stopped for long breaks and enjoyed a tasty picnic lunch by the road before rolling into this nearly ghost town just before four.
Microwave dinner and bottle of wine shared with two kiwi women and a Singaporean woman just got the spot. Faux pas of the night - saying I'd met another Singaporean woman when in fact it was a woman from Malaysia. Oops.Read more
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Day 30
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
☀️ 17 °C
Altitude: 796 m
Spain Arroyo de las Frieras 42.297167, -4.49923142°17’50” N 4°29’57” W
Itero to Villarmentaro de Campos
May 10, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Got caught in the rain, just. Enough rain to get us to get out our rain gear. Decided me to get a poncho.
Great albergue. Lovely grounds, donkeys, attack geese, teepee and concrete pipe and hammocks as alternate sleeping accommodations.
Scummy homely dinner - vege soup, pasta, trumpet for dessert.
After dinner a Korean guy played guitar and sang some mournful songs (some of his own) plus sing-along - Country Roads - and his wife sang opera. Sally chose not to sing.
And the albergue manager shouted us all liqueurs - one plum and one herb - both Spanish.Read more
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Day 31
Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 1:28 PM
☁️ 14 °C
Altitude: 871 m
Spain El Burgo Ranero 42.422291, -5.21866942°25’20” N 5°13’7” W
To El Burgo Ranero
May 11, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Great night in Sahagún where we stayed in a monastery albergue run by Marist brothers and attended a Pilgrim mass! I've been blessed! Shared meal with great variety and had heaps of leftovers for a chocka breakfast. This was the most moving and caring place we've stayed. We talked about our booking anxiety and raised it at the pilgrim coffee meet with brother John. And today we have dealt with it better - applying the philosophy of the day: fuck it! So instead of struggling to find lodgings in Villamoros de Mansilla we're walking there tomorrow and bussing to Leon to meet up with Nicky and Charlie and Co for a big night and Eurovision madness. Bring your best boa!
Easy peasy walk to El Brgu - meant to stop for coffee at Calzada de Coto at Km4 but overshot and ended up at Km10.5 Bercianos del Real Camino. We just thought it was a long 4k - shows how fit we are now, despite blisters (Sal) and right leg tendonitis) Al.
Into La Laguna albergue but hospitallero couldn't find booking eek! But she had a cancellation so we were in and everybody happy.Read more
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Day 31
Thursday, May 11, 2023
⛅ 16 °C
Altitude: 824 m
Spain Sahagun 42.37, -5.0242°22’12” N 5°1’12” W
To Sahagún
May 11, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Great coffee day. After breakfast coffee and toast at Calzadilla de la Cueza, coffee stops at Ledigos, Terradillos de los Templarios and San Nicolas del Real Camino. Very easy day's walking but a bit of a drag on the list bit into Sahagún through tired industrial/ commercial before hitting old town and down to the Santa Cruz albergue, via a beer at an Irish pub.Read more
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Day 33
Saturday, May 13, 2023
☁️ 16 °C
Altitude: 851 m
Spain Plaza Santo Domingo 42.598459, -5.57242342°35’54” N 5°34’21” W
To Leon
May 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Easy walk across the last of the Meseta.
Mostly straights from El Bugo Ranero, but lots of trees planted by the path along the way made it a pleasant walk.
Rather than miss the Eurovision party in Leon by one day, we played the get out of jail card and caught a taxi the last 20k from Mansilla de Las Mulas, with no regerts.Read more
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Day 35
Monday, May 15, 2023
☁️ 17 °C
Altitude: 876 m
Spain Villar de Mazarife 42.484078, -5.72904142°29’3” N 5°43’45” W
To Villar de Mazarife
May 15, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Lovely dinner - paella - made by octogenarian - and served by friendly and attentive volunteers from Colombia who worked hard the whole time to make our start a good one.
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