Río Santiago

We were up early and on the road walking by 6:15 this morning, trying to beat the heat. It was still dark, which made it a little difficult finding the spray painted arrows that guide you through the towns. Outside of town a little bit is a pretty good hill hill that we climbed up as the sun rose. In the picture below you can see the sun about to break and if you look closely on the right, the village of Castrojeriz where we slept last night. A short walk across the top of the hill and we had a wonderful view of the countryside we’re heading into. We also found an 18% grade going down the other side. I walked backwards part of the way down to save my ankle.

Farther on we crossed the cool old bridge at Pontefiterro. The video only shows 1/3 of the bridge.

Breakfast at Itero del Castillo, and back on the road. We stopped for a break at the cool old town Bodilla del Camino, where there is an interesting column in the square next to the church. The rest of the day’s walk was spent along a canal that actually had a tour boat. We got to our destination for the day, Frómista, around 1:30, just catching the start of the HOT phase of the day. Showers, calls to home, dinner, and another day of walking the Camino de Santiago is winding down.

Tomorrow we have will stop for the night in Carrión de los Condes, a favorite stop of my brother during his first Camino in 2016. When he stopped there before, there was a convent where the nuns sang with heartbreaking beauty and prepared a wonderful communal dinner for the pilgrims. We don’t know what will be there in these days of COVID.

My ankle is doing much better. We went 14 miles today and it only got tired. Its still wrapped and I’m icing it now, but I think I can heal it up. I was seriously concerned I wouldn’t be able to finish the Camino a couple of days ago.
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