From St. Jean Pied de Port to Sahagun (400 km), October-November, on my own
On a dark overcast day, I set off to walk just 12 km to Sahugun. There, after coffee and bocadillos I said goodbye to some friends and others saw me to the train station, where I bought a ticket to Barcelona. In Barcelona I would decide how to get to Prague.. from there I still…
In Carrion de Los Condes, I got a message that my father-in-law had died, one month short of his 98th birthday. (He hadn’t been the same since he fell out of a tree he was pruning at 94.) I decided that my place is with the family now – the permanent one, not the ephemeral…
The walk from Carrion de Los Condes to Terradillos de Templarios is a long one. The first 17 km are without villages, food or water supply, following an excellent wide path through fields and gentle hills. No people except the occasional farmer or pilgrim in the distance. The day was glorious – bright and brisk.…
One of the Canadian Clan likened the stream of pilgrims to a slinky toy – that coil of metal wire that can “walk” across the floor and even go down stairs as it expands and contracts. In the morning people head out the door singly, in pairs or groups, some having had breakfast and others…
The mood is changing. I don’t know if it is the current group of personalities or the time walking, but I’m encountering a bit of silliness while the pilgrims relax with each other and their routines. Although walking alone, I’ve been eating and drinking with a lively group including several Spaniards plus an assortment of…
After an unusually warm and sunny October, we are into November, and I am on the long stretches of the meseta where there are endless fields with little shade in the summer. These days are heavily overcast, very windy (headwinds, of course) and threatening to rain, so I had a good test of my more…
Brierley’s guide shows three routes into Burgos but the signage is not good. It certainly wasn’t good on the “green” river route I took. I followed instructions provided on the Camino forum. I’m going to rephrase them below based on my walk a couple of days ago. 1. Follow the yellow arrows on leaving Orbaneja…
Not much to say today. Walked and walked and walked some more. Much of the terrain was on paths that had rocks of varying sizes so that one had to watch the route continuously, and place the feet carefully. The result is that I’ve got a touch of shin splints, in case you are interested.…
Seeing Clarely 