May | 2015 | Mr V's Camino 2015 May | To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8)

May, 2015

Day 23 – Sahagun to El Burgo Ranero (via Calzadilla) – 23km

May 6, 2015 by gerryv

A new experience, dense fog! After a promising start, a fog envelops the ‘way’ and provides for a completely different view of the day.

Day 23 elevation profile

Wandering into the unknown.

One of the beauties we have discovered on the Camino is that every day is different – no matter how similar the landscapes might be – there is a different feeling and outlook at every moment. Walking along, we take a different path to most, a path that takes us away from the main road. It is an eerie feeling as we see pilgrims who pass us disappear into the calm, misty countryside.

Pilgrims in the mist (apologies to Dian Fossey)

When the sun finally breaks through the fog, the day is beautiful. We stroll through healthy crops again and a forest area and soon reach our destination at El Burgo Ranero. We wait patiently outside our hotel for our friends from California, Cathy and David, to arrive. Cathy is struggling with a knee injury and we hope she will be able to join us. (little did me know they arrived via a different road).
Whilst we do, we are joined by many other pilgrims who we have met and soon there are 12 of us sitting around a table in the middle of the street sharing our stories of today and of the past few days since we last met.

12 people, 6 nations.

This is one of the great times during my Camino, the sharing at the end of the day. We know that everyone has travelled the same path, but we all experience different things along the way. The sharing is important and rewarding. It is a time for reflection. It is a time for which I feel thankful.

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Day 22 – Calzadila de la Cueza to Sahagun – 22.7km

May 5, 2015 by gerryv

Day 22 elevation profile

Upon waking, we are so glad we didn’t push on yesterday afternoon in the rain and wind, as many pilgrims decided, or, were forced to do. The sun was trying hard to shine and the morning looked much brighter. Earlier pilgrims had certainly made the way clear for us. Maybe they were having too much fun.

This way, I think.

We passed many curious underground constructions which we found out later were called BODEGAS. These used to be, and some still are, caves under the fields where the wine in the area was cellared. Some have been converted into small lodgings, or rest spots for the workers in the field. What do you think they look like?

A Spanish Hobbit village?

The last few kilometres into Sahagun were in the company of a man from Norwich, in England. He knew a lot about birds and gave us a great ornithology lesson as we walked. He identified for us everything that flew past, even the ellusive cuckoo that had been following us since San Juan.

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Day 21 – Carrion de Los Condes to Calzadilla de la Cueza – 17.1km

May 4, 2015 by gerryv

Day 21 elevation profile

I am excited, today, about walking on a road that was built more than 2000 years ago. We cross the bridge just out of Carrion to embark on this historic route. The Via Aquintana was built by the Romans by bringing in every stone of the 100000 tons needed to build this road through the marshes. I misread the guide book and our planned breakfast stop didn’t exist – so it was heads down and onto our destination.

The excitement of the journey on this ancient roman road was soon washed away by the constant rain that had set in after an hour or so. The relatively short walk of 17km became an arduous, miserable trudge, but at least there was no mud – well done, Romans.

Trudging along the Via Acquintanna.

After 4 hours or so of this straight road with no refuelling stops, we reached Calzadilla wet and cold looking for warm lodging. We found it and soon settled in. We showered, put on warm dry clothes and sat in the cafe to watch and give sympathy to our fellow pilgrims who were choosing to continue in the rain to the next village nearly 10km away. It would be a long afternoon for many – the wind was now blowing more strongly.

Sharing a hearty meal with other pilgrims.

After a short siesta the weather began to clear so we were able to go for a short stroll before sharing a pilgrims’ dinner with the other guests staying the town. The host were a treat and the dinner was hearty and filling. I hadn’t had rabbit since I was a kid. The forecast for tomorrow was for better weather and we slept well that night.

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Day 20 – Fromista to Carrion de Los Condes – 20.5km

May 3, 2015 by gerryv

Day 20 elevation profile

A new day dawns and there is a threat of rain, but we take the punt and leave the wet weather gear in our packs. It is a pleasant morning with a choice of paths ahead. The choice always seems to be a longer option. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. The road finally splits and we are treated to a beautiful walk along a river. Lots of wild flowers and trees line the path and the kilometres pass quickly.

My new friend – St James – keeps popping up everywhere.

Turning off from the river takes us along a road heading back to the original track. We have not met many pilgrims along our chosen route but the solitude is very calming. After passing a smouldering haystack, we stop at a cafe adjacent a very strange building. We learn that it is a dovecote. Inside this building are thousands of nesting niches for pigeons or doves. These were used for down (for pillows etc), for guano (fertiliser) and most importantly, for food, for the family and any hungry pilgrims passing by.

Outside our first dovecote – any pigeons on the menu?

We soon join the pilgrim highway ( the Senda) running alongside and parallel to the main road and join the queue into Carrion. During the evening, we are treated at the pilgrims’ mass with the beautiful singing of the local nuns, who, at the blessing at the end, presented all the pilgrims with a small gift, a Star of Hope. There were lots of pilgrims at this mass, from many nationalities. All acknowledging the same gift in their own special way.

A special treat at the end of the day.

Another special day draws to a close.

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Day 19 – Castrjeriz to Fromista – 25.5km

May 2, 2015 by gerryv

Day 19 elevation profile

After mud and rain the day before, the day opens with a foreboding cloud covering the climb out of Castrojeriz. The climb into the cloud is at 16%, very steep, but not too long. It would be easy to have been troubled by the challenge, but knowing I had overcome much harder climbs in the Pyrenees, I just kept a steady pace and was at the top before I knew it. It is like any problem encountered, just call on past experience and the answer is there somewhere. The descent was another story. My knees screamed at me as I slowly tackled the 19% slope downwards. They did not forgive me for this for the rest of the day, all the way to Fromista.

Climbing into the clouds.

We stopped at Itero de la Vega for the best bacon and eggs on the planet. We met another couple from California, Pamela and Daniel, who were experienced hikers and showed me a better way to use my walking poles. This proved to be a godsend and my knees were given some relief for the rest of the day… And the days to follow.

The walk takes us through more of the Meseta, beautiful fields of healthy crops and ancient remnants of past eras. We cross a bridge built nearly two thousand years ago, aqueducts that have been carrying water to fields for hundreds of years.

An ancient bridge.

The last part of the day is spent wandering along the Canal de Castilla into Fromista. A disused lock at the end punctuates our walk and we know we have arrived in Fromista. I (and my knees) thank God. It was a long day, but with beautiful inspirations and wonderful people to keep us going. An early dinner after a look at some historical sites, then an early night to bed. My knees stop complaining at last.

Relaxing at the end of the day.

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Day 18 – Hornillos to Castrojeriz – 20.2km

May 1, 2015 by gerryv

Day 18 elevation profile

We treat ourselves with a sleep in and quick breakfast before we set off for the day. The threatening sky comes to fruition with a steady drizzle settling in for the first few hours. We come to a small country road and crossing it sends us into another world – a clay track.

The Meseta has sent us a new demon to deal with. Thick sticky clay begins to cling to our boots and no matter how often we try to clear them, the mud sticks fast. It is like walking with an extra kilogram of weight strapped to each foot. This is our first real test but we get to Hontanas shortly and exchange our stories of the mud around a good hot chocolate or coffee.

The camaraderie of the Camino is wonderful. Eileen from the USA has a truly amazing story. She is completely, physically exhausted walking through the mud as she stepped Ito the cafe. The owner of the cafe brings her a blanket, warm dry socks, and rings her husband to take Eileen to their home and put her up for the night. Not a question was asked for payment, just the satisfaction of helping someone in distress. The true Camino spirit towards the Pilgrims on the way.

After a while we set off again to complete the rest of the day’s walk to Castrojeriz. The sun come out for a short time and are spirits are lifted a little. We walk toward the town and are greeted by the ruins of a great castle on top of the hill above the town as well as a beautiful old convent and church, the Colegiata de la Virgen del Manzano.

Castles in the air.

It seems we have treated ourselves to a rather luxurious overnight stay – I don’t think they looked at our boots as we climbed up the stairs to our room – perhaps they should have.

Wipe your feet.

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