September 1st 2021 – Day 1

• Burgos to Hornillos del Camino
• Distance: 21km
• Albergue: Albergue Hornillos Meeting Point

So my first day of walking had arrived. Today I walk from Burgos to Hornillos del Camino, a town I have never stayed in. I look forward to the day ahead. However, Burgos was greeted by a thunderstown during the night and when I got up at 7am, I peeled back the curtain, I saw the heavy rain. I had my rain gear at the ready though. On with the rain jacket and rain cover on my backpack. I hoped it was just a shower or two. After a short breakfast, I took my first steps. Ugh! Hardly ideal, but it was set to clear, the forecasters had told us. Leaving Burgos, the Camino takes us along the River Arlanzón until the Monastario de las Huelgas. I usually stick to the main road until I see the University of Burgos and that is what I did this year. The rain was beginning to ease at this time but not soon enough to take the rain jacket off. I see my first pilgrim at the University and in my vain attempt to introduce myself, she takes a long stride and is far away from me. I guess I am alone for the time being.

It is about this time the Camino from Burgos to Hornillos del Camino veers away from the city streets to the country walkways until Tardajos. I begin to find my feet and catch up with some pilgrims. Pilgrims from France, Germany and Spain – a wonderful mix. The scenery is just how I remembered it from 2017 – like someone through a beige blanket over the countryside. The odd flower / sun flower can be seen sprouting out and I stop to take a photo. The ground is wet and muddy from the recent rains. I look forward to Tardajos so I can stop for a much needed cafe con leche.

I had reserved a bunk bed in Albergue Hornillos Meeting Point in Hornillos so I was in no great hurry to arrive. Having walked from Burgos on three other occasions, I usually choose Hontanas as my place to stay which is another 10 kilometres. But I wanted to change things up this year.

I arrived at Tardajos close to 10am. The cafe here was full at the time so rather than stay, I bought some fruit and ate away from the crowd. The sun was starting to peak through the clouds at this stage. The next village was Rabe de Calzadas which is another 2 km away. I made the decision to walk on and get a cafe con leche in Rabe, which is noted as the gateway to the Meseta.

Rabe de Calzadas is an interesting town for two reasons – it has colourful artwork and it has the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Monasterio. I always prefer the bars for their Aquarius, which you cannot find in Ireland and a quick tapa. I must have stayed here for a half an hour, just taking everything in.

From Rabe de las Calzadas, the Camino changes dramatically. Everything is field upon field and rows and rows of sunflowers. There is no immediate end – the Camino goes onto the distance. There is a gradual increase in ascent here and I did struggle at times in the final 10 kms. The most recognisable photo from this stage is one taken at the top of Alto de Meseta – some 950 metres high. There is a 150 metre drop to Hornillos del Camino and for some, this can be challenging. Hornillos can be seen far in the distance however it does take about an hour to get there.

I arrived in Hornillos just after midday. This is a one-way street and it is very much a pilgrim town. My albergue wasn’t open at the time but there was a sign outside to say it was ‘completo’. I looked around the town. The other albergues seemed to be completo also (not including the municipal). I met a couple of American pilgrims staying in the same albergue (their names escape me), they had walked from St Jean. I met John from Missouri, USA who was walking his 4th Camino. And I met Laura from Florida who had started in St Jean also. Covid restrictions had cut back how many rooms were being offered in this albergue but it did not dampen the experience. Linda arrived with Linda from Germany and we had dinner with Andreas from Switzerland.

The next day would be much of the same – rolling hills and meseta until the eyes can see.

Handy links:

• ClearskiesCamino.com links page
• Gronze.com – for open albergues and distances between towns

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Buen Camino!

August 30th 2021 – Day 0
Dublin to Burgos via Madrid

From the 30th of August until the 9th of September 2021, I travelled to Spain to walk along a Meseta Camino from Burgos. It would be the first time I had been abroad since September 2019 and I was eager to throw on my pack and walk the meseta again. I set aside 7 days of walking with the intention of finishing in Mansilla de las Mulas. From there, one can travel to Madrid and that’s what I did. This was the fourth time I had walked from Burgos. I really enjoy it and some people find this bemusing. How and ever, I met some amazing people again, from all parts of the world, and had some special moments. I wrote about each day so please feel free to read about my experiences over the coming weeks.

Handy links:

ClearskiesCamino.com links page

Gronze.com – for open albergues and distances between towns

Booking.com

I had planned to wake up a little bit earlier than normal after reading about a hiccup at security at Dublin Airport. So I woke at 4am and was brought to Dublin Airport. The queue for security began at the entrance for Terminal 1….so that was fun! Once on the flight (and masked up), I was looking forward to Burgos. From the off, I saw two pilgrims – one who was sitting in front of me. Gerry, from Dublin, was on the way to Villafranca del Bierzo to walk to Santiago. He saw my Camino Society patch and knew a few members. The other pilgrim I would not speak to until I arrived in Burgos.

It felt so good to be in the air after all this time and I had such a long time to think about what Camino I would walk when I returned – a Meseta Camino just felt natural to me. I fell asleep and woke again closer to Spain. We were in the air close to 2 and a half hours and soon I had arrived at Madrid Barajas Airport – a sprawling metropolis of 4 terminals. I had to gather myself as it was a while since I was here. Yes, I remember now. There is the feeder bus to catch that brings me to T4.. This little nipper arrives every 5 minutes and carries passengers from Terminal 1 to 4 within 20 minutes. It was a joy to ride on. I was in T4 in no time at the bus station. I managed to change the time of my ALSA bus to Burgos from 1.30 to 11.15, without charge, which saved me a bit of a wait. I had a quick snack in Mahoudrid while waiting for the bus to arrive at 11.15 Spanish time. The sun was shining bright and I was glad to be in the shade while waiting.

On the bus I had a seat to myself so it gave me a chance to read a little, oh! and admire the views! At 4pm, we reached la Estación de Autobuses in Burgos on Calle Miranda, about 5 minutes away from the Catedral de Burgos. I met the other Irish pilgrim on the flight and had a brief chat with her. She was on the same bus as me however she was travelling to Hontanas and walking on the following day. We waved goodbye wishing each other a buen Camino. I was glad to be here and walked to my hostel that I had booked – Happy Hostal Carrales. It is close to the Museum of the Human Evolution. Now to wait for Linda (www.somewhereslowly.com) to arrive and settle in so we can do some sight seeing and eat some tapas!

I met Linda later in the evening on Calle San Lorenzo (off Plaza Mayor) for some tapas and 0% cerveza. There were two taparias that we would frequent over the next two days – Casa Pancho, with their ever willing staff some who have been on their feet since morning, and Mesón Los Herreros.

After a number of tapas, we would move to Viva La Pepa beside the Cathedral to pilgrim watch. And what a view it was as the sun was setting, the lights of the Cathedral lit up. I walked back to my hostal shortly after to wait for the next day – a free day in Burgos. More looking around, chilling, stocking up and getting ready for this short meseta Camino. I even bought my customary wooden pole before setting out – something I never walk without. So I figured I won’t write about this free day but rather get right into the meseta Camino itself leaving from Burgos the very next morning.

A Facebook memory appeared on my phone this week. Four years ago, I would move out of home and settle into a new home in the northside of Dublin once I complete a short section of the Camino Francés. That section was from Burgos to Astorga. How fitting it is that I return to the same starting point this Monday. Of course, many things have happened since 2017 but I return to Burgos a pilgrim in search of the yellow arrows.

Since my last post, I have finished up in the office, I have got the last few bits and pieces for the pack and checked in my flights. Since the pandemic, I have a few extra documents I need to carry with me. These include:

• EU Digital Covid Certificate
• Spain health passenger locater QR code – you need to complete this prior to entry to Spain and you need to know where you are staying on your first night.
• Along with the above, I have bus tickets to and from Madrid. It is very easy to book tickets in Spain. Movelia.es is a great website.

I have been looking at the weather for the last week also. At present, Spain is going through a mini-heatwave however it will cool down for my arrival. I expect temperatures in Burgos on the 30th and 31st around 24c to 27c, however there is a chance of rain on the 31st. There is a greater chance of rain on the 1st when we leave Burgos however. I am prepared and have brought my Helly Hansen rain jacket. I seem to be lucky when it comes to rain having seen rain 3 days in all my 11 Caminos.

The good thing about the Camino is that you don’t have to walk alone. I mean, you can choose to walk in search of the yellow arrows with a large group, or you can walk solo. The choice is yours. I am really happy to be joined by Linda from SomewhereSlowly.com in Burgos. We both know I am the faster walker, so we will probably see each other at the end of each day. It is not the first time we met, having met in 2018 on my Camino Francés when I walked from Puente la Reina and again in 2019 when I walked with my brother when we walked from A Coruna (page to be updated).

In search of the yellow arrows – What am I carrying?

As promised in my previous post, I wanted to list what I am carrying on this Camino. Some of you may find this useful. If you do, please let me know. I have divided this kit into a number of categories:

• What I am wearing
• Main Bag
• Electronics
• Toiletries and Foot kit
• Bits and Pieces

What I am wearing.

• Long zip off trousers
• Short sleeve tech t shirt (Helly Hansen)
• Baseball hat
• Rab light fleece
• Salomon X Ultra shoes
• Under Armour boxers
• Merino socks
• Buff
• Face mask
• Over the shoulder bag with important items (see below)

Main Bag

• Lowe Alpine 35l Backpack and rain cover
• Helly Hansen rain jacket
• Cotton liner
• Crocs
• Short sleeve t shirt x 2
• Shorts
• Socks – merino x 2
• Under Armour boxers x 2
• Lightweight towel
• All within a dry bag

Electronics

• Spanish plug adapter
• Phone charger
• Fitbit and charger
• DJI Osmo Pocket

Toiletries and Foot kit

• Travel toothbrush and paste
• Razor
• Suncream – to be bought in Spain
• Gehwol foot cream
• Prescription medication
• Paracetemol

Bits and Pieces

• Guide book
• EHIC / Health insurance details
• Shell
• Journal and pen
• Spork
• Zip lock bags
• Clothes pegs

Over the shoulder bag

• Phone
• Pilgrim passport
• Passport
• Debit card
• Flight Details
• Bus details
• EU Digital Covid Cert

If I need anything else, I will buy in Spain.

So that is it! I am as ready as I can be. If you want to follow me you can follow me on the links below:

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Until I return home, Buen Camino! Catch me on the above sites in Spain!

My last time on the Camino was in September 2019. Such a long time when I look back on it. I had walked from Lisbon to Agueda on the Camino Portugués – close to 350 kilometres. I arrived home and immediately made plans to return the following year. But, as we all know, that didn’t happen and here we are are today. At the time of writing, I have 9 days until my next Camino – the meseta is on my mind.

Let me tell you how I got here! Because Burgos was not my original destination. I had booked a Ryanair flight to Porto in early 2020 hoping for a April 2020 Camino but due to travel restrictions, I was unable to leave Ireland. I then changed that flight from Porto to Madrid and decided on a meseta Camino for 2021. I am looking forward to Porto for next year. Anyway, so seeing that the situation in Spain was improving, I gathered my thoughts and my Camino gear! I had to be positive. So I booked a return flight from Bilbao hoping to walk with my camiga Linda (www.somewhereslowly.com) from Burgos. Everything was looking rosey and the meseta was indeed on my mind.

There was slight disappointment last month when I received an email from Aer Lingus to say that the flight from Bilbao was cancelled. Luckily enough, I managed to find a replacement flight home from Madrid. All is well.

Am I ready for the Meseta?

So what preparation have I carried out this year compared to others? Well none really, I am sorry to say. I am hoping that I will gain my Camino fitness as the days go on. I don’t plan on walking huge distances each day and unlike previous years, I don’t expect to leave at crazy o clock. The terrain is relatively flat (other than the Alto de Mostolares) so I am just looking for good food and good company. Some pilgrims even skip this section altogether – however I am looking forward to it.

Mentally I am ready. I am super excited about this and happy to have the chance to go. I need to put more time into journaling though. I found from my last Camino I didn’t journal which meant I had no ideas to blog when I came home. This year I hope to write as much as I can so I can post here when I return – both about the scenery and the inner journey.

I will post my kit in my next post so you will get an idea of what I am carrying.

More to come before I go!

Well hello there..how are you all? I hope you are enjoying the sunny weather of what’s left of this weekend. The good news is that it is here to stay for the next while so it is a great chance to get outdoors. I have been dipping my toes (so to speak) with long-er walks as I prepare for my return to the Camino Francés at the end of August. With Spain opening up again and more pilgrims returning to walk these great roads, I would love to hear from others who are in my position. Tell me where you are walking, and when are you arriving? I return to Burgos and the meseta, a place I really love, for many reasons and I won’t be alone.

I was grateful to receive my second vaccination last Saturday (19th June). While it did knock me out for a few hours, I had a constant smile on my face afterward. At the very same time, pilgrims from all over the world were walking the sacred steps to Santiago de Compostela. 774 pilgrims were awarded their Compostela on that very day. It seems crazy that just a few months ago, barely a hundred pilgrims reached Santiago. Yesterday, more than 900 pilgrims arrived into Santiago. There is a great cause for hope but it is also important to stay safe and vigilant.

My plan is to arrive in Burgos on the 30th of August and walk for 10 days. Who knows where my final day will be and what town I will arrive in when I “finish” this Camino but my flight home is the 9th of September. I wish I had longer but alas! The walk from Burgos to Carrion de los Cóndes is very special. I have walked it in 2013, 2015, and 2017 – each year with different wonderful people, learning different lessons.

My return to Burgos and the Meseta is four years in the making having walked the Camino Inglés and the Camino Portugués from Lisbon. You will find many pilgrims who will use the Meseta as a reason to catch up if they are falling behind. I have talked to folks before who say they don’t find it interesting at all. I often find the stages from Burgos to León the most interesting and have provided me with the most enduring memories.

The landscape may not be the most captivating – with wheat field after wheat field lasting as far as the eye can see. While it may not be physically demanding, it lets your mind wander. Questions that may need answering or attending to can be challenged. If you meet a pilgrim during one of your days, a problem can be shared or halved.

I have been preparing for 15 months mentally. I just need to get used to longer distances again until the end of August. I can’t wait to see Burgos again.

Buen Camino!