Camino De Santiago

Door Julia & James · 21 september 2024 – 28 oktober 2024 · 2 592 km · 111 pebbls

Landen: Engeland, Frankrijk, Spanje

Two newlyweds walking across the northern coast of Spain to start a world adventure

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Hoofdstukken

  1. Home To Gatwick, 3:15am · 1 pebbl
  2. EasyJet To Biarritz · 2 pebbls
  3. Train From Bayonne To St-jean
  4. St Jean Pied De Port -> Roncesvalle · 4 pebbls
  5. Day 2: Roncesvalles -> Larasoaña · 7 pebbls
  6. Day 3: Larrasoaña -> Pamplona · 5 pebbls
  7. Day 5: Pamplona -> Puente La Reina · 6 pebbls
  8. Day 6: Puente la Reina -> Estella · 5 pebbls
  9. Day 6: Estella -> Torres Del Río · 4 pebbls
  10. Day 7: Torres Del Río -> Logroño · 8 pebbls
  11. Day 9: Logroño To Ventosa · 4 pebbls
  12. Day 10: Ventosa -> San Domingo · 6 pebbls
  13. Day 11: Santo Domingo -> Belorado · 3 pebbls
  14. Day 12: Belorado -> San Juan D. O. · 1 pebbl
  15. Day 13: San Juan D. O. -> Burgos · 5 pebbls
  16. Day 16: Into The Meseta · 1 pebbl
  17. Day 17: Short Hop To Castrojeriz · 3 pebbls
  18. Day 18: Castrojeriz -> Población · 3 pebbls
  19. Day 19: Población To Carrión · 1 pebbl
  20. Day 20: Carrion -> Ledigos · 2 pebbls
  21. Day 21: Ledigos -> Calzada D.L.H. · 3 pebbls
  22. Day 22: Calzada D.L.H. -> Reliegos · 1 pebbl
  23. Day 23: Reliegos -> León · 2 pebbls
  24. Day 25: León -> San Martin d.Camino · 1 pebbl
  25. Day 26: San Martin d.c. -> Astorga · 3 pebbls
  26. Day 27: Astorga -> Foncebadón · 3 pebbls
  27. Day 28: Foncebadón -> Ponferrada · 4 pebbls
  28. Day 29: Ponferrada -> Villafranca · 1 pebbl
  29. Day 30: Villafranca -> La Laguna · 5 pebbls
  30. Day 31: La Laguna -> Triacastela · 2 pebbls
  31. Day 32: Triacastela -> Barbadelo · 2 pebbls
  32. Day 33: Barbadelo -> Gonzar · 4 pebbls
  33. Day 34: Castromaior -> Melide · 2 pebbls
  34. Day 35: Melide -> Salceda · 2 pebbls
  35. Day 36: Salceda -> Santiago! · 5 pebbls

Home To Gatwick, 3:15am

1.5 hours sleep, but on our way to catch our flight to Biarritz!

EasyJet To Biarritz

St Jean Pied De Port -> Roncesvalle

First part of the walk!

Refuge Auberge Orisson

· Frankrijk

Really steep ascent to here (about a third of the way), gonna be a tough day

Refuge Auberge Orisson, FrankrijkRefuge Auberge Orisson, Frankrijk

Made It 🥵🥵🥵

· Spanje

Feet are dead. Such a tough, long hike - hardest one out the way. Got a hotel room next to the monastery here, hopefully our feet recover overnight. Tomorrow’s walk mainly flat - phew

Made It 🥵🥵🥵, SpanjeMade It 🥵🥵🥵, Spanje

Nog 1 pebbls in dit hoofdstuk

Day 2: Roncesvalles -> Larasoaña

Today is mainly flat/downhill (apparently!). Heading 26km through Basque hamlets and forests to the riverside village of Larasoaña. Slightly late start but a shorter hike than yesterday time-wise

Quick Fuel-up

· Spanje

In a small town called Espinal, built in 1269 as a refuge for pilgrims running away from violent bandits. Realising Estrella Galicia is on tap around these parts 😏

Quick Fuel-up, SpanjeQuick Fuel-up, Spanje

More From Today

· Spanje

Constant sound of bells attached to all the sheep, cows, horses in almost every field. So peaceful. (Admittedly I was listening to the Hairspray! soundtrack for some of it). Closing in on Pamplona. Arrive there tomorrow after a “short walk” 🥵

More From Today, SpanjeMore From Today, Spanje

Nog 4 pebbls in dit hoofdstuk

Day 3: Larrasoaña -> Pamplona

A short hop (16k-ish) to Pamplona where we’ll be staying in a hotel that was one of Hemingway’s favourites. Possibly staying there for two nights depending on how we feel.

Off Again

· Spanje

Embracing the pilgrim lewk. Pamplona here we come 🥾 another beautiful, sunny day with cold breezes - ideal weather!

Off Again, SpanjeOff Again, Spanje

Made It To Pamplona!

· Spanje

Epic approach into Pamplona, home for the next two nights.

Made It To Pamplona!, SpanjeMade It To Pamplona!, Spanje

Pintxos 😋

· Spanje

Sitting in a backstreet in Pamplona trying out the famous ‘pintxos’ - cod thingy then an anchovy thingy. Delicious. Keep bumping into a Taiwanese couple who we have met at every stop. Husband bought it for wife as a 60th birthday present. They don’t seem tired at all really. He said today was “just a short walk” - hope he was joking.

Pintxos 😋, SpanjePintxos 😋, Spanje

Nog 2 pebbls in dit hoofdstuk

Day 5: Pamplona -> Puente La Reina

Rainy start. Walking with two lovely californians who are also relying on James’ map skills

Puente La Reina

· Spanje

Built in the 11th century by the Queen of Pamplona

Puente La Reina, Spanje

Nog 3 pebbls in dit hoofdstuk

Day 6: Puente la Reina -> Estella

A ‘short’ walk today (21km). James feeling great. Jules feeling a bit like the Tin Man but spirits are high. Think Tin Man post oil, skipping stiffly down the Yellow Brick Road.

Meltdown In Beautiful Settings

· Spanje

Met first full-on emotional block climbing up a hill. Legs so sore! Stopped to blub. But now walking along a vineyard towards lunch. Somehow spirits have lifted.

Meltdown In Beautiful Settings, Spanje

Estella

· Spanje

Made it to this random, beautiful town. Sounds of bells in the distance. At 8pm there’s a local festival where they hand out potatoes, apparently. Also, a picture of my tasty (despite its looks) artichoke lunch for good luck. Vegging ever closer to Santiago. Just a billion miles to go. 🥔🥦🧅🍅🥕🧄🍠🫑🫛🥬

Estella, SpanjeEstella, Spanje

Nog 2 pebbls in dit hoofdstuk

Day 6: Estella -> Torres Del Río

This is the longest yet - 28km. Feet bandaged up for support. Going to push through 5km at a time then take a foot massage break

Fuente De Vino

· Spanje

“Pilgrim, if you want to get to Santiago with strength and vitality, have some of this wine and something something” - a weak translation of the sign next to this free-flowing WINE FOUNTAIN!

Fuente De Vino, SpanjeFuente De Vino, Spanje

Nog 1 pebbls in dit hoofdstuk

Day 7: Torres Del Río -> Logroño

Closing in on our next big town - just 20km today as we pushed through the extra miles yesterday. Taking a day off tomorrow. Bet you can’t guess what we’ll be doing. (Hint: Logroño is in La Rioja) 🍇

Made It 🥵

· Spanje

Logroño is gorgeous. This afternoon felt quite hot and intense, although was cool walking past all the Rioja vineyards absolutely bursting with big juicy grapes. Going to try and start earlier the next couple of weeks as we’re headed straight West and the afternoon sun blasts in your face as you walk, even with a big sun hat on. Feet dead again. Day off so welcome.

Made It 🥵, SpanjeMade It 🥵, Spanje

Bodegas Ysios

· Spanje

Just letting the feet recover ya know?

Bodegas Ysios, SpanjeBodegas Ysios, Spanje

Sweet Sounds Of Logroño

· Spanje

Distant bells, wine pouring, happy chatty Americans nearby. Enjoying Logroño very much. And loved La Guardia, magical little town. Accidentally joined a Spanish-only wine cellar tour earlier - learned nada since my Spanish has seriously deteriorated since abandoning Duolingo, and got muchos evils from the elderly mujeres thanks to the dregs of clothing I am wearing (the rest is in the hotel laundry). Pink sky. This is the life. 30km to go tomorrow - hoping for an early start to avoid as much of that brutal afternoon sun as possible.

Sweet Sounds Of Logroño, SpanjeSweet Sounds Of Logroño, Spanje

Nog 5 pebbls in dit hoofdstuk

Day 9: Logroño To Ventosa

19km to Ventosa, and if feeling good will continue on for another 10k. Not the early start we hoped for - had a bad night’s sleep

Red Squirrel Showing Us The Way

· Spanje

A red squirrel guiding us along the way 👼🐿️. (But actually luring us into a trap where Daddy “El Pointio Earrios” Squirrel could attack us from the flank)

Red Squirrel Showing Us The Way, SpanjeRed Squirrel Showing Us The Way, Spanje

The Stamp Of Nutproval

· Spanje

After a perilous first encounter, we quickly learned that walnuts were key to gaining the trust of northern Spain’s squirrel community. Thank you to the friendly locals who showed us how.

The Stamp Of Nutproval, SpanjeThe Stamp Of Nutproval, Spanje

Nog 1 pebbls in dit hoofdstuk

Day 10: Ventosa -> San Domingo

Actually out the door by 7:30am! Rainy, cold, dark. Long walk today to San Domingo - expecting about 9 hours including a break for lunch.

Makeshift Lunch

· Spanje

Cannot wrap our heads around the seemingly random lunch times at restaurants around here. Too early for this restaurant, so made do with a banana, crisps and a twix (so healthy… nat. 16km still to go today though.)

Makeshift Lunch, SpanjeMakeshift Lunch, Spanje

That Was Horrible But We Did It

· Spanje

Horrid weather that made it feel like we were walking the backstreets of Slough, long windy paths that never seemed to end, and very painful feet (both of us). The closer we got, the further the destination seemed. Had a few moments where we were both thinking ‘wtf are we even doing, let’s fly to some nice beach somewhere’. Could not have made it 10m further than the hotel. BUT we managed over 32k today so feeling proud of ourselves. Much shorter walk tomorrow. We WILL make it to Santiago. Got a nice restaurant booked for tonight but both unsure if our feet can make it there - it’s a whopping 500 metres away.

That Was Horrible But We Did It, SpanjeThat Was Horrible But We Did It, Spanje

Restaurante Los Caballeros

· Spanje

Quite an emotional dinner after such a long, cold, rainy walk. Hobbled through torrential rain to get there. Hot Basque lamb leg and wine was amazing. Honestly such a great chef. 100000000000 stars.

Restaurante Los Caballeros, SpanjeRestaurante Los Caballeros, Spanje

Nog 3 pebbls in dit hoofdstuk

Day 11: Santo Domingo -> Belorado

23km. Let’s go.

The Story Of Lance-a-lot

· Spanje

Leaving late today after spending the morning at our wonderful hotel, which was formerly a convent. Not relaxing, no, but plucking up the courage to lance an enormous blister on my heel. It was truly a repulsive affair. Now off to see some chickens that roam freely around a cathedral, apparently. Then we’ll be on our way.

Cats ‘n’ Swings

· Spanje

Hobble hobble, hobble hobble, hobble hobble, hobble hobble, hobble hobble, etc etc.

Cats ‘n’ Swings, SpanjeCats ‘n’ Swings, Spanje

Officially 1/3 Of The Way To Santiago

· Spanje

Paella to celebrate 367,593 steps, 234km, and one third of our journey officially complete. Waitress said I needed to ‘go for a walk’ after seeing how I’d scraped every last drop of mine up. 🥲🫠☠️

Two more days to Burgos where we’ll take our next rest day. In the meantime, both waddling like penguins (today was not as easy as we hoped!)

Officially 1/3 Of The Way To Santiago, Spanje

Day 12: Belorado -> San Juan D. O.

Trying our luck at an albergue today as no accommodation was available to book online. Let’s hope they have beds for us. First, a ‘lovely forest walk’ according to guidebook. 24.5k-ish, mainly uphill.

Absolute Snoring Chaos In The Albergue

· Spanje

We took too long to get here due to blisters on my feet 🐌 so have ended up at the single worst reviewed albergue on the entire Camino. Room of 22 beds, we’re both on top bunks next to each other. The snoring is hilarious (thankfully we have ear plugs but as they always say, an ear plug is no match for the sound of an exploding steam train). Lights are on full throttle. American guy next to us was prepared to throw his cowboy hat at the snorer. Lady underneath me laughed. But now she’s asleep and causing the tectonic plates to shift with her heavy-metal nose grumbles. Lord give us strength. (We are in a monastery, in after all).

Absolute Snoring Chaos In The Albergue, SpanjeAbsolute Snoring Chaos In The Albergue, Spanje

Day 13: San Juan D. O. -> Burgos

After a hilarious night’s experience (although, to be fair, we slept quite well on our top bunks), we got kicked out of the monastery at 8am. So we march unshowered to a nice hotel in Burgos.

Day Off

· Spanje

Nice to rest the feet. Pouring rain. Slow-cooked lamb. Mucho vino 🍷

Day Off, SpanjeDay Off, Spanje

Nog 4 pebbls in dit hoofdstuk