Week 2 of the Camino de Santiago takes me from the beautiful Rioja wine region of Spain into the often dreaded Meseta – the arid central “plateau” of Spain that spans 400,000km2. The heat wave that plagued Week 1 of my journey remains a major feature of this week’s journey as well.
Contents:
- Day 8: Logroño to Navarrete
- Day 9: Navarrete to Azofras
- Day 10: Azofras to Grañon
- Day 11: Grañon to Espinosa del Camino
- Day 12: Espinosa del Camino to Atapuerca
- Day 13: Atapuerca to Burgos
- Day 14: Burgos to Hornillos del Camino
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Day 8: Logroño to Navarrete
13KM
7:30am – 2pm – 6.5 hours total time (3 hours stop time for a winery tour, 3.5 hour walking time)
Today is a “rest day” to give my body a rest and give my poor blistered feet a break – just 13KM to Navarrete. The heatwave is still raging, but given today’s walk is only going to approximately 2.5 – 3 hours of walking, I got up at the leisurely hour of 6:30am, and was on the road at about 7:30am.
Between Logroño and Navarrete, the Camino takes you through the famous La Rioja wine region of Spain. Once you leave Logroño; the trail is lined with vineyards all along the path to Navarrate. While beautiful, the vineyards unfortunately do not offer much in terms of shade for passing pilgrims. Right before you get into Navarrete, the rather imposing site of a what looks to be a wine castle with a shining copper roof appears right on the path of the Camino only 1KM from Navarrete. It was a winery called “Don Jacobo” or Bodegas Corral – one of the largest in the region. It was 11am – so almost “afternoon-ish” – I argued, so I was going in!
I splurged on a private room tonight at the Pension Peregrinando in Navarrete, which was absolutely worth it. Peregrinando, is set in a 16th century mansion. Every part of the rooms have thoughtful touches evident, and the property just feels incredibly clean and homey. Highly recommended for a stay in Navarrete.
Day 9: Navarrete to Azofras
23KM
5:30am – 11:30am – 6 hours total time (1 hour stop time, 5 hour walking time)
Today was forecast to be one of the hottest days of the heatwave, so I make the earliest start I’ve ever made on the Camino and headed on the road at 5:30am. I walked as quickly as I could during the cool morning hours to cover as much ground as possible.
I get to Azofras by 11:30am – so early the municipal albergue is not open yet, so I take lunch in the town café/bar while waiting for the albergue to open.
The Azofras municipal albergue is one of the newer and nicer ones on the Camino Frances. Instead of endless rows of bunkbeds, the hostel actually features small rooms, each with two beds – one each wall, and a storage closet at the foot of each bed. It felt like a private room, save for the one other person in the room with you. The albergue also had a kitchen and cheap laundry facilities.
Day 10: Azofras to Grañon
22KM
5:15am – 10:45am – 5.5 hours total time (30 minute stop time, 5 hour walking time).
Today is supposed to be the last and hottest day of the heatwave that has broiled most of my Camino experience, and I was determined to get out of the sun by 11am today. I got on the trail at 5:15am, and was hiking for about an hour in the dark with a headlamp through wheat fields and vineyards – not something I would ever do alone even in Canada – but the Camino is supposed to be very safe, and there was basically a horde of pilgrims in front and behind me if something were to happen so I felt comfortable. The trail was not well marked as we were hiking through farmland, however and I relied quite a bit on the Camino Ninja app, to make sure I was on the right path.
I arrived in Grañon just after 10:30am – my earliest arrival time ever. I was hoping to stay in the San Bautista parish tonight – which is essentially a church that allows pilgrims to stay for a donation. There were not a lot of accommodation options in Grañon, so tonight I decided to try one of the “donativos.” Accommodations in donativos are typically spartan – just a mat on the floor, and limited showers and bathooms; but they often include an evening meal and an evening church service. Many people that I met on the Camino enjoyed staying in donativos, so today seemed like a good opportunity to stay in one.
We were invited to help prepare a collective dinner at the Parish at 5pm. When I arrived in the parish kitchen, Petol – an older Romanian man, who was also a pilgrim staying at the parish – was directing the dinner preparations. We tried to help him, but he seemed flustered with the idea of too many people in the kitchen so we mostly watched him work. Most of us left to attend Mass at 7pm, as Petol was refusing all our efforts to help him.
Dinner was served shortly after mass. Petol had orchestrated a one-man masterpiece of a meal – turning the most basic ingredients into a delicious Nicoise salad, as well as a pasta dish. Before our meal, in lieu of a prayer, the hospitaleros instead rapped a blessing of thanks for our meal to the tune of “We will Rock” you – it was amazing, and I wish I had recorded it, but I will always remember it. The food was amazing, and we were stuffed by the end. A conveyor line of dish washing basins were laid out on the table after dinner and with everyone helping out, we made quick work of all the dishes, pots and pans.
Day 11: Grañon to Espinosa del Camino
24KM
6:45am – 2pm (7 hours 15 minutes total time. 5.5 hours of walking – 2 hour break)
The heatwave finally broke today, and I wake up for the first time actually feeling pleasantly cool. Instead of getting up to 40 degrees today, it’s only forecast to get up to a frosty 28 degrees. As I don’t need to race the sun, I had set my alarm for the leisurely hour of 5:30am, but people’s alarms were already going off at 3am in the morning; and by time my actual alarm got off, I was the last person out of bed. Breakfast was offered at the parish, and it was the best breakfast I had so far on the Camino. Bread, jams, yogurt, fruit and oh my gosh – REAL COFFEE – made from grounds and not freeze dried at all. Our hosts were up early to prepare breakfast and see us off – truly unbelievable experience of good hearted service from the people at the Albergue Parriochial de San Bautista in Granon. If you have the chance, I highly recommend staying here, attending the mass and the evening reflection.
I set off from Grañon at 6:45am, and was mostly by myself as most pilgrims in the town had already left hours earlier.
I arrive in Espinosa del Camino around 2pm. I’m staying at the Taberna de Espinosa tonight – which is the tiny town’s bar as well as an albergue. I’m greeted warmly by a woman in her 50s with a bright smile who is the owner of the bar/albergue. The albergue is not full tonight, and the hostel owner generously puts me in a dorm room by myself so I essentially have private room for the price of a bed.
Day 12: Espinosa del Camino to Atapuerca
22KM
7:30am – 2pm (2 hour break)
Despite my alarm ringing at 5am, I lay in my comfortable bed until nearly 5:45am. It was the first time in days I had not been pre-awakened by someone else’s alarm at before 5am, nor by the oppressive heat in the middle of the night, and I just wanted to enjoy the moment of finally getting a full night’s rest. I spend about 30 precious morning minutes booking myself private rooms for my upcoming stays in the larger cities of Burgos, Leon and Ponferrada before eating a quick breakfast and getting out the door at the late hour of 7:30am.
The path from Espinosa del Camino to the next town of Villafranca del Oro about 3KM away runs along the highway and its not particularly interesting. However the trail turns quite beautiful between Villafranca and the next town of San Juan de Ortega as the trail leads uphill though some forested paths, which are gloriously shaded for about half of the trail.
Just before Agés is the town of San Juan de Ortega where the 12th century church there contains the sacrophagus of San Juan, the patron saint of fertility. It is said paying respects at this church can result in surefire conception. A blessing for those who want it, and possibly nervous grounds for those who may not want the gift of life.
The town of Agés just a few kilometers away of Atapuerca is utterly beautiful and charming, and I’m a little saddened that I would not be stopping here for the evening.
The town of Atapuerca comes into view soon after I leave Agés. Atapuerca is famous for its archaeological sites where the remains of the first humans of Europe have been found. There is museum with artifacts from the area – but it was closed on the day I arrived. I stayed at the La Plazuela Verde, which is an albergue beautifully converted from an old farmhouse.
Day 13: Atapuerca to Burgos
21KM
7:30am – 1pm (30 minute break)
I forgot to set my alarm today and ended up waking up late around 6:45am. I quickly packed and was on the trail around 7:30am.
The trail coming out of Atapuerca is beautiful. The trail is quite rocky but is gloriously shaded by trees on either side.
From Cardenulea Ripoico I take an alternate Camino route that follows the river – and weaves through some beautiful city paths – and is an absolute delight to walk. (The normal Camino route follows the highway and into a pretty depressing industrial area for almost 10KM – which is half of the day’s hike – and I would strongly recommend avoiding). The Camino Ninja app outlines alternate routes on the Camino – and was very handy for helping me get on and stay on the alternate route today.
The walk today (thanks in huge part to the beautiful alternate route) was one of my favorites so far on the Camino.
I decided to splurge and use hotel points to book into the AC Burgos Hotel by Marriott and got upgraded to a suite upon my arrival! The room is very luxurious and has views of the river.
Once I get showered and settled into the hotel I head out again to visit the Museum of Human Evolution. After the museum, I attended Mass at the beautiful Cathedral de Burgos (reduced entrance fee with your pilgrim credential), and had dinner with some Camino friends afterwards.
In the evening, I find out that wildfire have sparked all over Navarra (the start of the French Route) which was the section that I had just completed. The fires extended all the way to Logrono. The section between Roncesvalles and Logrono of the French Camino was essentially closed – with pilgrims required to stay put in their accommodations until the danger from the fires have subsided. While my path ahead was clear from the fires, the fact that the already deadly heat wave is now starting to set the Camino on fire, was disconcerting to say the least.
Day 14: Burgos to Hornillos del Camino
21KM
8:30am – 3:30pm (7 hours total time, 2 hour break)
I set my alarm for 7am today, because I wanted to sleep in as much as possible at a comfortable hotel – the bed was soooo comfortable and had a pillow menu! I had the luxury of sleeping in as today’s hike is just 21KM and the temperature will barely break 20C. I don’t eat much of a breakfast, as I do find myself starting to worry about the time a little once I drop off my backpack at the hotel reception and the clock starts to move past 8am, so I settle for a coffee from the in-room coffee machine, some chocolate that the hotel left as a welcome gift in my room and a few slices of cured sausage that I bought the day before at the store as hiking snack. I figure I would just get breakfast on the road once I leave Burgos.
Once I leave Burgos, I start to enter the Meseta or “plateau” section of the Camino. The Meseta is often a dreaded section of the Camino due to its desert-like climate and unchanging scenery.
My destination tonight is Hornillos del Camino – a tiny one street town. You can essentially walk from one end of the town to the other in a matter of minutes. I stayed at the municipal albergue tonight, but soon heard from other pilgrims in town that there is a communal dinner being offered at another albergue in town: the Hornillos Meeting Point. There were not many dining options available in town, and the prospect a nice dinner with other pilgrims made my dinner plans an easy choice. For 15 Euro, we had an amazing paella dinner with salad, as much wine as we liked and dessert, along with the wonderful company of other pilgrims, my evening in this tiny town was a lovely one.
Despite walking largely by myself these past few days since breaking off from the initial group of pilgrims I was walking with; the Camino was still providing opportunities for me to connect with others on the journey.
