El Camino Day 7

Man alive! We’ve been walking for seven days already. Time flies!

Our clothes and gear managed to dry through the night from yesterday’s deluge as we slept. We slept well. Yesterday we’d arrived at around 3pm and both were starving so we decided to eat straight away as the restaurant/diner across the road was closing its kitchen at 5pm. The meal was good but the meat overcooked and a bit hard to chew and swallow. The entree was lettuce hearts with tuna and anchovies which I enjoyed.

We didn’t want to venture out again in the wet to get a meal and as the diner was across the road we thought it was the best option. We ate and then went back to the hotel to shower and go through photos and write blogs etc. We were so relieved to be in the hotel after yesterday’s walk. This morning we went back to the diner to have breakfast which was carb heavy with a bit of dry toast and a pastry washed down with a couple of cafe americanos. Cafe americanos are long blacks to us Aussies. Once that was eaten we went back to our hotel only to find the key card to get back in didn’t work because we’d kept it near our phones and had lost its magnetic whatever to get us back in when we swiped it. So annoying! We had to call the hotelier and wait for them to come and let us back in which was about 40 minutes.

The forecast for today was patchy rain which was welcomed from yesterday’s deluge. 8ºC when we set out, warmer than yesterday. Leaving Estella we passed through a large winery that had buses unloading their contents of tourists which swarmed the property for their wine tastings and whatever else you do in a winery at that time of the morning. Drink wine I suppose.

Once past the winery we hit open country and farmland fairly quickly. The sun was breaking through the clouds and it was easy walking. Today’s walk had a slight incline for the best part then downhill for the rest of the day. There were a couple of towns to pass through where we thought we might stop to grab a bite to eat but didn’t end up doing. Most towns at this time of the year are closed for the season.

There’s not surprise here that there is snow around on the mountain tops. Yesterday’s temperatures were so low that there had to be snow falling somewhere.

This mountain above seemed to have what looked like an old fort mixed in with some contemporary building perched on its peak. From a distance we thought it was an old castle but as we got closer it became obvious it wasn’t the case.

Wine vineyards were still scattered in the countryside but more so fields that looked like grain crops. Many open fields we walked through and as it was so open the wind was high and cold and blowed us about a bit.

It wasn’t long till we started seeing signs of the town we were heading to for the night, Los Arcos.

We walked about 21 kilometres today and it was an easy walk. My body isn’t complaining although there is a small issue with one of the littlest toes on my left foot. Nothing to worry too much about. My body is holding up very well. Must’ve been all the walking I did throughout the year. I do walk nearly 10kms each day when it all adds up including all the walking about in the office etc. It has definitely helped here and I feel like I’m in the walking groove already or have been for a few days. Just don’t give me yesterday’s shitty weather and I’ll be fine.

Tomorrow we head for Logroño which is where Ron and I started our walk last year. We’ll be in familiar territory then. Hard to believe that we’ll be hitting that town already. It’s a long walk tomorrow, 28kms all up and rain is forecast.

That’s it from me for today. Time to wash clothes, shower and get ready for a decent meal to sustain us for tomorrow’s walk.

Thanks for reading.

For stats and a map of today’s walk, you’ll find them here.

Buen Camino! 😊