September 5th 2021 – Day 5

• Carrion de los Condés to Ledigos
• Distance: 25.4 km
• Albergue: Albergue La Morena

I had one of my best sleeps yet in Carrion and I was refreshed for another day’s walking. I left early on my own before 7 am to avoid the upcoming heat. The walk from Carrion de los Condés to Ledigos is relatively flat (again) and is a major talking point amongst pilgrims. There are no steep climbs or large descents, there are no cliff or valleys. Pilgrims would wait until after Astorga for those kind of features. Quite the opposite actually, as the next town is 17kms away – Calzadilla de la Cueza. Now, we walk the flat Vía Aquitania without stop. I had plenty of water and some fruit to tide me over until the first town.

It was dark and, save for a few street lights in Carrion, there was no light. I was somewhat confused leaving the town but once I found the old San Zoilo Monastery, now Hotel. I said to myself leaving the town that I should know this town having being here 3 times. That said, I was on the right track. Before leaving, I was secretly hoping that something would be open in the Plaza Mayor but I didn’t mind. I had some fruit to keep me going for a few kilometres. I crossed over the Rio Carrion and made my way for the Roman Road. I was hoping that a van would be serving food further on – a perfect chance for 2nd breakfast. As the sun rose, I was caught up by Mike and Wendy from Cleveland in Ohio. We first met in Hornillos and they were happy to let me join them. We talked about their Irish ancestry – they seemed to have done alot of research. They had travelled to Ireland and I was giving them tips on where to travel should they return. I really enjoyed their company. The morning was quiet. I noticed a few cyclists pass us but my pace was faster than usual. I always seem to walk better with company. I don’t notice those niggling pains.

Shortly after, we stumbled across a van in the middle of nowhere selling cafe con leche and other snacks. There were tables and chairs beside it and there was Laura and Nicole! So there was my cue to sit down for a bit. Mike and Wendy walked on and I said I would see them later. This place was like a mirage to be quite honest as it arrived in the right place at the right time. We met a couple from France who had walked from Le Puy. They were very strong walkers and usually started walking very early so we rarely saw them.

I enjoyed my cafe con leche before throwing my pack back on and got walking. I walked with Laura and Nicole for a bit at a relaxing pace just talking. Nicole had some foot problems – she had started in Burgos like myself and was walking to Santiago. It was getting warm already. Linda arrived behind us with her turbo-powered pacerpoles and walked on picking up speed. I was quite happy strolling along until I arrived at Calzadilla.

Closer to Calzadilla de la Cueza. we all met up and arrived at the bar at the back of the village which seemed to be very busy. I was introduced to a Spanish pilgrim with little English who had walked the Portuguese Coastal Camino and loved it. She was walking to Moratinos today. Nicole would be staying in Calzadilla while Linda and Laura would be moving on to Ledigos, the next village. I left the town by myself, and kept passing large arrows made of individual stones and wondered how long it took to make these. There was one impressive one of an arrow leading to a heart, closer to Ledigos.

Albergue La Morena was not open (we were far too early) when I arrived so I walked to the nearest bar which is just off the Camino. I was joined by Laura shortly after and we had some cool drinks. I guess a half an hour passed before we walked to the plush (and new) La Morena and checked in. It seemed a little bit extravagant for a simple pilgrim in a small town. The owners were very kind and showed us to the bunks, which were cubby holes for each pilgrim and not bunk beds. It was not surprising that it was completo before too long. Linda arrived before us too while we were at the bar. We had the menu which was fantastic and had our clothes washed. I think I will be back there again. The walk from Carrion de los Condés to Ledigos had been really enjoyable. I was starting to meet the same people daily and we had our own little family. I was grateful. I was ready for another day’s walking. Tomorrow would take me from the small town of Ledigos to the big town of Sahagún, and I had began to fall behind on my Camino.

Handy links:

• My Instagram for more photos from the Camino
• ClearskiesCamino.com links page
• Gronze.com – for open albergues and distances between towns

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September 4th 2021 – Day 4

• Boadilla to Carrion de los Condés
• Distance: 24.5 km
• Albergue: Hostel Santiago

From Boadilla to Carrion de los Condés, the Camino is relatively straight and flat however we are introduced to the monotone Senda del Peregrino – the walkway beside the main road. The temperatures were predicted to be close to 30c also. I had a pension booked in Carrion de los Condés so I was in no hurry. Chances were high that myself and Linda would walk together today. After two years in the donativo albergue – Santa Maria, I decided to give it a miss. Most of the Italians staying in Boadilla del Camino were talking about it the night before and how great the singing nuns were – and they are! So they planned an early start! However, I would leave it to Eduardo’s breakfast to wake me up!

6am came and went and soon the entire albergue left with just me packing my bits and pieces. Four years ago, I would be the first out of the room. But this is now. I had a good sleep though with few interruptions. I looked out the door – darkness. I went to the hotel where Eduardo was talking in Spanish to a local. He seemed happy to see me and escorted me to a table. The Spanish news was on – rolling news – it wasn’t long before news became old news. When Linda arrived for some breakfast, I decided to walk with her for the first few kilometres.

From Boadilla to Carrion de los Condés, the Camino takes you along the Canal de Castilla. It was cool, misty and the sun was rising from our rear. We stopped at a field of sunflowers to enjoy the colour before walking to Fromista. You could hear small animals move in the reeds along the canal which peaked my attention for a while. I am always fascinated by the lock at the Canal de Castilla. What a marvelous work of engineering it is. We stop for a bit here, take a few photos and gather our footing before crossing.

Frómista was within sight and after a slight diversion which was confusing, I stopped by Bar El Manchego and ordered a café con leche and freshly made tortilla – second breakfast. We met Iwona from Holland and Linda from Germany who had stayed in Frómista. It is a larger town to Boadilla but after all these years, I prefer Boadilla. When I had finished, I visited the ATM across the busy road before we decided on the correct way out of town.

It wasn’t long until we reached the main highway. I saw the cutout statue on the overpass – a copper cutout of a pilgrim walking in the sun! We crossed the overpass and met the P-980 and Senda del Peregrino. For the next 18kms, I would be walking along the side of a busy highway. Hardly perfect Camino scenery but you take the good with the bad. On the whole, the road was quiet but every so often, a cyclist would pass waving. The sun was out and Linda decided it was time to bring out Polly to protect her from the rays. A wise decision.

We had the option of taking a diversion through Villovieco to Villalcazar de Sirga and we had seen some pilgrims taking this route. It possibly offered some shade, I’m not quite sure? We passed through the sleepy village of Revenga de Campos which offered little. We were in and out in a minute. Villarmentero is home to the slighly unusual Albergue Amanacer which has farmyard animals roaming freely in the large yard. We have a drink however the geese and hens come too close for comfort at times. We left with selIos and smiles on our faces.

Our next stop was Villalcazar de Sirga with its large church. We were both feeling the strain of the heat so we decided to stop for a drink at the nearest bar. Something cold please! Arriving in Villalcazar brought back some good memories. I had stayed here in 2015 with some good people. Ilwona and Linda were underneath the canopy beside the bar and had were staying in this town for the night. Linda wanted to stay here for a bit longer so I finished my drink and marched on to Carrion de los Condés.

It was a tough slog to Carrion de los Condés – 6 kilometres – but I arrived just before 3 pm. I found my hostel, Hostel Santiago, tucked away behind the Iglesia de Santa Maria and I rested. It was well into siesta at this time. Later on in the evening, I met Linda for some food in the Plaza Mayor. We were joined by Laura and later on, Nicole. We all discussed the 17 km gap before Calzadilla de la Cueza tomorrow morning. A number of pilgrims were going to the local mercado for snacks as tomorrow was going to be another warm day. I ran across and bought some fruit and a few cans of Aquarius – one for each of us. I was looking forward to the next day.

Handy links:

• My Instagram for more photos from the Camino
• ClearskiesCamino.com links page
• Gronze.com – for open albergues and distances between towns

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Buen Camino!

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September 3rd 2021 – Day 3

• Castrojeriz to Boadilla del Camino
• Distance: 19km
• Albergue: Albergue En El Camino

Another amazing morning started off with breakfast in the albergue. I gathered my things from the dorm room and made my way (bag in hand) to the kitchen. There were cereals of all types available, juices, teas and coffee and bread. I went with my usual – some fruit and coffee. In the kitchen, I was joined by the Johns from the USA and Holland respectively. John from Holland would be walking to Fromista so I would probably not see him again. You never know though! Castrojeriz to Boadilla del Camino is a handy stage but the nice climb to negotiate at the start.

The albergue is one of the last buildings in the village, so it didn’t take me long to wave goodbye. Part of me was unsure of what was ahead though – the Alto de Mostelares – a 1000 metre hill that brings us back on the meseta plains. Having climbed it 3 times before, you would think I would be used to it – nope! I just put each foot forward and when I was out of breath, I turned around and looked at the town below me.

The above photos was taken half way up the Alto and that is the town I stayed in the night previous. I learned alot about how fit I was during this ascent. It is a difficult climb but in years gone by, I didn’t find it as challenging. Maybe it is me getting older? I arrive at the top of the hill with an American cyclist and we talk for a bit. I must have been here for a half an hour until Linda and Andreas pop their head over the hill. This was a big surprise for me as now I have someone to walk with. We stop here for a bit before we march on however Andreas has a much faster pace than Linda and mine. I refuse to say goodbye and say “see you on the way”. He strides away in the distance in no time. He lives up to his Camino name “Andiana Jones” – Linda and myself try to figure out suitable names for sequels (for example…Andiana Jones and the Revenga del Campos)…it passes the time and Andreas has no problem with it!

Once at the top of the Alto, there is only way left to go – down! The road has been renovated in the last number of years so instead of gravel, you have concrete and it is impossible to fall. It is quite easy to pick up the kilometres from Castrojeriz to Boadilla del Camino but I choose not to. I am in no hurry. We are out in the open and the sun is coming out now. Our next stop is the Albergue de San Nicholas in Puente Fitero for a sello and then we are in Palencia. And we met Andreas again!

We were worried that there would be no cafes open in Itero de la Vega – our next stop. However, about a kilometre in our fears were put to rest. Bar Puente Fitero was open and serving food. We stopped for some second breakfast and application of sun cream. We met Nicole from Germany for the first time and said hello, although we wouldn’t walk for another few days.

To Boadilla del Camino, we had another 8 kms to go – another 2 hours walk. I was introduced to Linda’s sun protector – Polly, which is extremely effective. This was another day with very few pilgrims compared to other years. I was glad to have some company with me but my Camino was due to end in the next few days. In the next while, we could see the top of Boadilla’s church in the distance. We were near! But the nearer we made it to the town, the church seemed to disappear. Is the Camino deceiving us again? We arrived shortly to be greeted by the church at the rear of the village. Albergue En El Camino was open however the entrance to the albergue was closed and we needed to enter via the hotel. We were greeted by Eduardo – ever positive. It is the 4th time I have met him now! He brings me into the albergue from the hotels section and the garden is empty. Hopefully that atmosphere will return next year.

Linda had a room in the hotel section and I had the first bunk in the albergue part, which was full by 4pm. It was full of Spanish and French pilgrims. In 2017, the majority of pilgrims in En El Camino were from the USA. Later on, I received a call from my good friend Garry who lives in Santiago. He had been leading a group on bikes to Santiago and was passing through Boadilla. He wanted to meet. I met just outside the albergue. It was the first time since 2012 that we have met. He is an inspiring guy and if you are looking for a Camino guide check out www.spanishadventures.com. It it wasn’t for Garry, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be walking in Spain each and every year.

Handy links:

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

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Buen Camino!

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September 2nd 2021 – Day 2

• Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz
• Distance: 20km
• Albergue: Albergue Rosalia

After a fantastic evening in Hornillos, I woke up with the rest of the room packing their bags and gathering their things. I guess it was close to 6.30 am at this time so there was no excuse for me to stay in bed any longer. My first night of pilgrim life had been reasonable and I looked forward to just walk. Shortly, I had my pack ready and I was having some breakfast. I stayed to myself this morning but I think everyone did that in the morning time. The plan today was to walk from Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz – another town I have passed through but not actually stayed in. I managed to reserve a bed in Albergue Rosalia for the night. I probably wouldn’t need it, as there is a good amount of accommodation in Castrojeriz, but I just wanted to be sure. Anyway, I grabbed my walking pole and my pack and wished those who were still eating breakfast a “buen camino”.

From Hornillos del Camino and for the next hour, the Camino rises gently until I reach the Alto de Meseta. When I was walking all the way through to Hontanas, I would walk this uphill in the midday sun so it is a bit of relief to have the morning mist with me this time around. It’s a 2 hour walk to the next town Hontanas and I was looking forward for 2nd breakfast there. I arrived at the Alto about an hour later and this would be my first ascent of the day. Rather an ascent than a descent, I think. I am on the meseta plains now and there is literally nothing. The odd cyclist passes me shouting “buen camino”. They are probably bound for Fromista or some far off place! I start thinking about the life of a bicigrino – how different it must be to a peregrino. Anyway, back to me!

Arriving at Hontanas is a strange one to describe. You can sense it is there but you can’t see it until the top of the iglesia points its head over the hill. It is located in the best placed valley in Spain. Once I see the large yellow arrow on the giant slab of stone, it is some one has invited me in for coffee, scones and stories around the fire. El Puntido is open for business and I order second breakfast – tostadas con queso y cafe con leche. Once finished, I visit the large church which has been renovated since I have been here last. Such a beautiful town, the quietness disturbed by birds chirping and clacking sticks by peregrinos.

I didn’t leave Hontanas for a good while but when I did I had my energy back. 10 km done – another 10 km to go so 50% done. Now to see the jewel in the crown of the day – the ruins of San Anton Monastery. I had another few kilometres to go yet and from what I remember, it isn’t all easy. The Camino goes off road and you really need to watch your feet in case you don’t trip. There was a lot of loose gravel which hindered the walk. I was happy enough to arrive back on the main road within two hours. From there , it is a straight walk into Castrojeriz – but pilgrims, please keep to your left hand side!

I passed the old ruins of San Anton monastery and took a rest. I mean, you need to take this in! There is a refuge here for pilgrims also and they survive on donations. It is always worthwhile to give a few euro when passing. I wouldn’t mind sleeping under the stars in a Camino to come, maybe next year? I met Mike and Wendy O Brien from Cleveland who I had met in Hornillos. I would meet them later on in the week.

Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz is a handy stage to walk with some interesting places. I was glad to arrive in Castrojeriz however as the sun was starting to beat down. Castrojeriz is a large town at the base of a hill. My albergue was at the far side of the town but I was glad to find it. Javier, its owner, is a gentleman and showed me around.

Linda was also staying at this albergue also so I waited for her to arrive to have some food. We went to the nearby Iacobus for 0% beer and food. Andreas and his friend joined us before I realised that I had paid for a communal dinner back at the albergue! Time flies when you are having fun. At the albergue, I was joined by John from the USA, John from Holland, Linda from Germany and Illowa from Holland. All great people!

Up tomorrow for breakfast as we challenge the Alto de Mostolares – a hill over 1000 metres high.

Handy links:

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

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Buen Camino!

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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

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to my mailing list on the right hand side of this page.

Buen Camino!

Download my latest packing list!

Read my latest posts

Support Clearskies Camino