September 20 Colmenar Viejo, Madrid, Spain
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 1. Madrid – Montecormelo (metro) – Colmenar Viejo. 25 km walked. We took the metro out of Madrid to avoid trudging through the post-apocalyptic wasteland then we were straight in rural Spain. A lovely stroll though very hot and sans lunch. We’ll take a picnic for tomorrow’s stage.
Castillo de Manzanares el Real. Built in the 15th century, it incorporated artillery defences in its construction
September 21 Manzanares el Real
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 2. Colmenar Viejo – Manzanares el Real. 15kms. We had a lovely morning’s stroll along an ancient droving road under a beautiful cool overcast sky. We started the climbing of el Sierras de Guadarrama. Manzanares has two claims to fame: the 15th century castle and excellent granite climbing. p.s. the picnic lunch was awesome and cheap @ 4 euros for all of us.
Fred. Dawn. 
el Sierras Guadarrama 
A very creative flechas amarilla
(Yellow Arrow)
September 22 Cercedilla ·
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 3. Manzanares el Real – Mataelpino – Navacerrada – Cercedilla. 24 kms. An early start in the dark along country lanes then in to a Regional Parque. Then the path started climbing el Sierras de Guadarrama. We had lunch in Navacerrada before a very steep climb in the rain till we dropped down via a forest track to Cercedilla.
Debbie 
Roman aquaduct, Sergovia 
Sergovia Cathedral
September 23 Zamarramala, Castilla y Leon, Spain
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 4. 7 kms. We decided to have a rest day wandering around the world heritage city of Segovia. Then we pushed 3 kms further on to the Municipal Albergue at Zamarramala. Super weird. We got there about noon but it was shut. Debbie saw a couple of guys in the kitchen and asked them if she could use the toilet. They let her in and told her they were the cleaners. We sat on the porch until the Hospitalerio showed up and checked us in. We asked him about the others and he told us they were the cleaners but there was half a dozen of them which was overkill for an albergue and they didn’t seem to be doing any cleaning.
Balloons rising as we left Los Huertos 
The rail trail 
Ane does not have a mouse problem 
Albergue de Peregrinos de Santa Maria la Real de Nieva
September 24 Santa Maria la Real de Nieva·
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 5. Zamarramalla – Santa Maria la Real de Nieva. 32 kms. A long day sauntering along country roads, forest tracks and a rail trail.
el Tierra de Pinares (Pine Forests) 
The sap is harvested for disinfetives 
Guard tower overlooking the meseta, Coca 
15th century Gothic-Mudejar castle, Coca
September 25 Coca
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 6. Santa Maria la Real de Nieva – Coca. 23 kms. We had a lovely stroll today through huge forests of Spanish Firs which are tapped for their sap. It took most of today’s walk to get through them.
The entire route is very well signposted 
Debbie 
Vinos tinto in the afternoons 
Villeguillo
September 26 Alcazaren
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 7. Coca – Villeguillo – Alcazaren. 27 kms. A drop dead gorgeous day. Cool and sunny and we had a wonderful saunter through a fir forest for the entire day. We were in our albergue by 3 pm. Showered, washing done and cervezas by 4 pm. 😁
September 26 Valdestillas
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 8. Alcazaren – Valdestillas. 19 kms. Another lovely stroll along the GR124. Fir forests and potato fields. We have habitacions (rooms) above Meson Tequita, a very nice bar. A room to myself with fresh towels. It’s the little things .
Fred & Debbie, Puente Duero 
el pucelana, Puente Duero 
Simancas archives 
An ancient peregrino shelter on el Tierra de Campos, the Gothic Fields 
Our albergue in Cigunuela
September 27 Cigunuela
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 9. Valdestillas – Puente Duero – Simancas – Cigunuela. 22 kms. We left our habitacions in the cool and dark and followed a road to Puente Duero for a cafe con leche. Then we followed the Rio Duero to the old Roman town of Simancas. From there we entered the Tierra del Campos, the Gothic Fields, which gave us a taste of what the next five days will be like. Tomorrow we climb up to el meseta.
Dawn on the meseta 
This is the meseta 
Our dinner 
The municipal albergue, Castromonte. A restored school.
September 28 Castromonte ·
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 10. Cigunuela – Penaflor de Hormonal – Castromonte. 26 kms. We got away at 7 am and walked in the dark. By the time the sun rose, we were up on the meseta. We had a chirozo bocadilla for lunch then got to our albergue by 2pm to find a Scout Group Council in progress. They organised beds for us then we wandered in to town.
There are literally thousands of wind turbines on the meseta 
Interesting wall decorations in Medina de Rioseco 
Medina de Rioseco 
Fred & Debbie. Menu dia, Medina de Rioseco
September 29 Medina de Rioseco
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 11. Castromonte – Medina de Rioseco. 19 kms. Another lovely stroll along the meseta through fields and an old rail line to Medina de Rioseco which is the main city on the Gothic Fields. It is certainly the place to be on a Sunday. It’s jumping!
Canal Castilla 
It is a very beautiful walk 
Villalon de Campos
September 30 Villalon de Campos
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 12. Medina de Rioseco – Tamariz – Villalon de Campus. 29 kms. Another start in the dark which was a shame as the first 8 kms was along the lovely Canal Castilla. Then it was a long bitumen bash across the meseta to Cuenca for lunch. We then followed a rail trail for the final leg in to Villalon.
Albergue, Santervas de Campos 
Conquistador armour 
The meseta.
October 1 Santervas de Campos
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 13. Villalon de Campus – Santervas de Campos. 17 kms. A very nice stroll along the meseta on the GR124. The guide book says, “Follow the Camino signs on to further farm tracks, giving open views of the meseta.” Or, as Fred says, “A whole lot of nothing.”We got to our albergue by 11.30. It’s an old monastery and definitely the best albergue so far. Clean, airy and spacious. After showers, our hospitalerio served us up a lentil stew with salad for lunch. He’s currently making a bolognaise sauce to go with pasta for supper. This place is getting one big donativo when we leave. not only is this the best albergue so far, it also has a museum in the monastery wine cellars dedicated to Juan Ponce de Leon, the first westerner to reach Florida and discoverer of the Fountain of Youth. Bear on mind, this is in the middle of the meseta. ⛲
The route through Arenillas de Valderaduey 
Sahagu. el Camino Frances and the end of el Camino de Madrid 
16th century military fortress, Grajal de Campos
October 2 Sahagun
Las Flechas Amarilla. Day 14. Santervas de Campos – Grajal de Campus – Sahagun. 23 kms. Unfortunately, Debbie has injured her ankle badly and our hospitalerio gave both Debbie & Fred a lift in to Sahagun to have it checked by a Fisioterapeutas (physiotherapist) so I had a solo trek for the last leg of the GR124/El Camino de Madrid. I left our albergue at 8 am and was checked in to the hostel by noon. 23 kms in 4 hours. My camino fitness must be cutting in. It was a lovely stroll by a river for most of the way and the last day on the meseta. So, one down, two to go. 😀
Lighten The Trip Fantastic 