We started out from Castrojeriz at a cool 3C temperature. My toes were lubed with Vaseline which help in preventing the blisters and irritations. Thanks for the tip cousin Michael! We had a shorter day today, around 27 kms. We were able to slow our pace and take it easy. The days of rushing through 30 Kms + are over we’ve decided. They wear us down and take their toll on our bodies. We met our French friend from Lourdes again today and he said the same thing. The maximum he does is 27 kms to avoid injury and finds it generally to be a better pace.
The road certainly was kinder to my feet today in most parts and the slower pace helped with that too. As we left Castrojeriz we found ourselves facing another hill to climb. A few locals were out walking rugged up and were asking if we were cold walking in our shorts. I’ve worn shorts so far for the walk as they’re easier to walk in and I don’t feel the cold in my legs as much as I do my hands, head and torso. The beanie and gloves were worn this morning that’s for sure. Actually the beanie was worn all day today.
These signs and painted yellow arrows are everywhere to lead the way. You can’t get lost, it’s near impossible. The only time I ask Google for directions is when I get to town and need to find our hotel, even then most of the time they’re sign posted too.
Halfway up this climb we met a French couple who were on their way to Santiago then onto Fatima. Interestingly the husband wasn’t carrying a backpack but rather towing a converted golf cart behind himself. I suppose it’s possible to do that as the path is generally good. Just need to find someone now pushing a shopping trolley.
It was another pleasant day walking with the sun out. It was windy today though and we found ourselves walking into it. The wind turbines were certainly getting their winds worth today as we passed plenty of them. More pilgrims today too. Guess what? More Koreans! Also a couple from Willoughby in Sydney. Yay! Fellow Australians.
Soon after crossing this bridge we stopped for lunch at an Albergue in a small town called Itero de la Vega. There was a western playing on the TV in Spanish and Ron couldn’t order an omelette with both cheese and ham. He could only have one or the other. We figured it might’ve thrown the chef if something was ordered that erred from the menu slightly. I ordered a boccadillo with ham and cheese that turned out to be just ham, dry and stale. We ate with the sound of guns and horses playing in the background and sipped our cafe americanos while more Korean pilgrims entered in for lunch.
After lunch saw us climbing steadily with the wind blowing against us. It was fairly cool but not unpleasantly so. Walking keeps you warm. The beanie was still on but not the gloves.
We soon hit another town. This was about the 20 km mark on our walk today so we knew we were hitting the home stretch. The path was a bit uncomfortable now for the feet. The feet tend to feel worse towards the end of the day but with the added pebbles on the track makes it particularly arduous. Pebbled roads might look quaint but they’re a shocker for walking long distances on. Not that these roads were paved but pebbles were littered along so every footstep had a different footing if you know what I mean.
The sun is facing us as we walk west although it’s in the southern sky so not blinding us as we head to our home Frómista for the night. We met up with our young French friend from Lourdes again here and walk with him into Frómista.
The walk into Frómista is picturesque with both the canal, trees and fields. Pebbles on the path were still a nuisance.
We could see our town for the night up ahead which meant the walk for the day was nearing its end. What a relief!
The path wound its way around to a lock where we crossed the canal via a very narrow bridge. From then on we made our way through town with the help of Google this time.
We had a simple meal at a restaurant near our hotel. The restaurants serve a pilgrim menu and tonight it was €10 each for an entree and main and a beer. We met our fellow Sydney-siders there and had a chat to them about the walk.
Time now for bed.
For stats and a map of today’s walk you’ll find them here.
Buen Camino!
