DAY 4 – CAMINO LA RIOJA (our last day)

The one with… sunrise skies, sneaky Kit Kats, and a new stamp record

📍 Location: Sansol → Logroño

🥾 Miles: 15.9 miles

⛑️ Health: My left foot doesn’t hurt at all today (no idea why?) and thanks to regular stretching my hips are holding up nicely. Happy days!

🌦️ Weather: Overcast but warm – perfect hiking weather for our final day.

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🌅 I’m buzzing with excitement as I spot a splash of hot pink glowing through Tash and Donna’s window. A Spanish sunrise is never something you take for granted – the fiery oranges and deep pinks spilling across the sky pull me outside for a quick photo. What a way to start our last day.

🥾 8:00am – One final walkers’ briefing and off we go! Within minutes we’re in Torres del Río. Cheryl is beside herself with joy when she spots both a shop and a hostel, two stamps already. “That’s 49!” she announces proudly. She’s got her eye on beating the Camino stamp record of 57. The chase is on. Wendy, I think you may loose your crown today. 😢

Sadly, the famous Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Iglesia del Santo Sepulcro) is closed this morning. Built in the late 12th century by the Knights Templar, it’s one of the most striking Romanesque churches in Navarra – an unusual octagonal shape designed to mirror the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It was used as a place of worship, a hospital for pilgrims, and possibly even a beacon for travellers. But today… no stamp! Cheryl sighs, but keeps marching.

🌹 8:58am – We pause at the top of a climb to do yesterday’s “roses and thorns,” the little ritual we’d forgotten in the busyness of last night. With the mountains silhouetted against the fading sunrise, it feels like the perfect setting to reflect.

🙏 9:08am – A prayer garden appears, though it’s sadly a bit unloved these days. I take a quick snap and move on, preferring the natural beauty around me.

🤔 The path opens up and I take the chance to walk alone for a while. My mind turns to the future, and with each step, my thoughts become clearer. I don’t have all the answers yet, but the Camino has a way of unlocking things you didn’t know you needed.

⛪️ 11:21am – Viana! I wander in with Paul and Max, and memories come flooding back from past Caminos. This town has always been full of energy, and today it’s buzzing. We settle into a sunny café terrace with lemon beer, café con leche, and tapas. Cheryl darts around collecting stamps for everyone, while back at the table Kate and Allie are up to mischief. Cheryl had left her Adventure Geek cap and Kit Kats in the room, and Kate had quietly rescued them. Hours later, while Cheryl is still none the wiser, Allie clips the cap to Cheryl’s rucksack and sneaks the Kit Kats back inside. The game is on – how long before she notices?

✌️ The break is long and leisurely – as it should be on a final day – and we even explore the ruins by the municipal hostel, where crumbling stone walls open up to sweeping mountain views. It’s a real hidden gem. I spot Tash sitting quietly against a tree, soaking it all in, when suddenly the sound of Amazing Grace drifts through the air. It’s piped music from hidden speakers, but in that moment it feels as though it was meant just for us. I close my eyes and let the words sink in. It’s one of those Camino moments – unexpected, unplanned, and utterly moving.

🍇 1:36pm – Back on the trail, we weave through olive orchards and vineyards. I’m not an olive fan, but I can’t resist pinching a few grapes fresh from the vines – pure sweetness. At a picnic stop, laughter erupts when Cheryl announces she’s “just found her Kit Kat!” She still hasn’t noticed her cap swinging from her bag.

The descent into Logroño is lined with little stalls, each one tempting stamp-hunters with souvenirs, trinkets, and – yes – more stamps. I laugh with Tash: “The others will take forever; they can’t resist all these!”

🙌 3:08pm – And there it is. Logroño. We’ve made it. Paul and Max are already waiting, the rest drifting in not long after.

And the grand total? 61 stamps! An all-time Adventure Geek Camino record. Cheryl is officially crowned the stamp queen. Well done you.

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REFLECTION

As I sit here in Logroño with tired feet, a happy heart, and (finally) a hip that’s behaving, I can’t help but reflect on the last four days. The Camino is never just about the walking. It’s the laughter over lemon beers, the shared sweets at rest stops, the unexpected moments of stillness, and yes… even the silly games with Kit Kats and caps.

Every Camino writes its own story, and this one has been filled with colour – from blazing sunrises to overcast vineyard strolls. We’ve deepened friendships, discovered new strengths, and created memories that will last far longer than the aches in our muscles.

This group walked nearly 70 miles across La Rioja, through bustling towns and quiet forests, past chapels, ruins, and olive groves. Together, we’ve laughed, limped, stretched, and supported each other every step of the way.

As always, the Camino doesn’t end here – the lessons, the joy, and the clarity it brings all find their way back into our lives at home. For now though, we’ll celebrate our new stamp record, raise a glass of Rioja, and simply say: Buen Camino.

Thanks for following along and reading the blog. Until the next adventure…..Read more