El Camino Frances Week 3 29th September – 5th October 2017

September 29 Burgos
Day 15. 0 kms. Burgos. A very lazy day off. We checked out the Museum of Evolution which was fascinating and even had an entire display devoted to Mungo. (http://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/mungo-man-27704) Then we visited Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Santa María de Burgos. It is without a doubt the most spectacular cathedral I have ever seen. However, business hours are 1000 -1400 then 1700 – 2200. There were two framed revolvers in the hostel we stayed at. They are Le Mat pistols (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeMat_Revolver). Designed in and used by the Confederate rebel states in the American civil war. I’m sure there’s a story behind them.

September 30. Hontanas
Day 16. 34 Kms. Burgos – Tardajos- Hornillos del Camino – Hontanas. Camino Rumours abound. Peregrinos we’re getting robbed on their way out of Burgos by a balaclava wearing mugger during the morning darkness but when we stopped for cafe Americanos, 10 Ks out, no one had seen anything odd. Rumours run up and down el Caminos grapevine. We met the local neighbourhood watch in Rabe de las Calzadas. They patrol this section of the Camino and get considerable more funding than our guys do. We’re starting to do big Ks. 12 Ks before breakfast and another 10.5 Ks before lunch then 12 Ks here. Welcome to the Spanish Mesitas (plateaus). A long exposed walk across them today and more tomorrow. A dangerous place because, apparently, this is where you stop thinking extrinsically and start thinking intrinsically. It’s where the dark places are. Regrets? I’ve got thousands and, hopefully, I’m going to work my way through them by the end. I’ve always got Vivaldi, Steinman, Heywood and the Eagles to help me if needs be. Hontanas was a surprise as it is in a concealed valley on el Mesitas and we were in the town before we realised it. It was extremely welcomed. Albergue, shower, washing and cervezas. Leo went to the pilgrim’s mass while I was doing the washing and came back with a lovely Dutch woman, Ria. We all had a lovely evening, drank too much vino tinto and Ria instantly became part of our trail family.

September 30. Itero de la Vega
Day 17. 21 Kms. Hontanas – San Anton – Castrojeriz – Itero de la Vega. A lovely stroll up and across more mesitas with some interesting diversions to some medieval churches. Castrojeriz is a lovely town and, oh, look, more wind turbines. A lazy afternoon ahead with some washing and hanging out at the plazas. (Us not the washing) 😂

October 1. Villalcazar de Sirga
Day 18. 30 Kms. Itero de la Vega – Fromista – Villovieco – Villacazar de Sirga. We left our digs at 0700 this morning and wandered through the dark for a while until it got light near Poblacion de Campos. Then a very lovely meander along country lanes and followed the Canal de Castilla in to Fromista for mornos and on to here. I found a pair of sunglasses besides the canal on the way to Villovieco and carried them to the town. By the weirdest coincidence in the first group of peregrinas we met was an American woman who had lost them. She was quite vivacious in her thanks and, when we met up again in Villacazar over a couple of vino tintos, quite forward. One thing we have discovered on el Camino is that there is a huge difference between the stated distances on the maps, the guide books, the road signs and the gps. In the great scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. 🤗

October 2. Ledigos
Day 19. 30 Kms. Villalcazar de Sirga – Carrion de los Condes – Ledigos. We had another 0700 start to Carrion then a long, hot haul across the Royal Valley of East Leon to here.

October 3. Sahagun
Day 20. 17 Kms. Ledigos – Moratinos – Sahagun. A short day today so we could explore Sahagun. We got here at 1030 after a 0645 start. If you look closely at the main picture you’ll see a mountain range on the horizon. It’s quite a few days away but we’ll have to cross them. Sierra de Acares.

October 5. El Burgo Ranero
Day 21. 21 Kms. Sahagun – Calzadilla de los Hermanillos – El Burgo Ranero. We left @ 0630 this morning and left the Camino to follow el Via Romana through forests before rejoining it at El Burgo Ranero. We identified the two Ursers and the North Star before it got light but we had to walk 14 Kms before we could get coffee. We caught up with most of the usual suspects (Cameron, Jane, Kirsty, et al) at our albergue @ 1300.