Ages – San Nicolas del Real Camino

From Ages I headed to Burgos, a stunning city and one of my favourite places. I ended up staying a few nights so I could explore it properly, and I loved every minute. The cathedral was so beautiful, and the whole city had a really lovely feel; lots of greenery and open public spaces. The atmosphere was especially heightened whilst I was there, as El Noche Blanco was happening, one of Burgos’ biggest fiestas. The whole city was abuzz, and the streets (and bars) were full of revellers and pilgrims alike.
When I finally dragged myself away from Burgos’ beauty, I walked 21km to Hornillos del Camino. It was a sad day of walking, as I said goodbye to Ineke after much time spent together; she stayed longer in Burgos to meet a friend who was starting the Camino. Hornillos was a small place, and looked like the set of a spaghetti western. I expected to see Clint Eastwood riding down the street at any second, and when I commented on this another pilgrim told me that many of the old western films were filmed in northern Spain because so many of these towns had the right aesthetic.

The following day held a pleasant 20km walk to the town of Castrojeriz. It was a very picturesque place set on a hill in the middle of broad plains, with a few nice bars and restaurants. I, along with the British pilgrims I had been walking with, met up with some Australian walkers and had a few (too many) beers while making the most of the afternoon sun.

I was up not so bright but fairly early the next morning to start the 27km walk to Fromista. The first kilometre was along an original Roman road and bridge, followed by a very steep incline and very, very steep descent. I was feeling the beers of the night before by this stage, and feeling very frustrated that I had to walk up a big hill AND back down. I would’ve really appreciated if the Romans could have built a tunnel through, or at least a path around. I think the meseta was working it’s special brand of magic on my fragile head; the meseta is a long flat platform that stretches over several days and is infamous for being the length of the Camino that is the most mentally tough. There is little variation in path or landscape, giving pilgrims a lot of time to think.

Although unrelentingly straight and monotonous, the meseta was beautiful in its own way. I was, however, very glad to reach Fromista, even with it’s claustrophobic municipal albergue. A bed is a bed.

The day I left Fromista is an amazing example of the power of chance. A few kilometres into the walk, the Camino splits into two routes from a town called Poblacion. This is not uncommon along the Camino, and the paths normally meet up on the same day. I chose one over the other for no particular reason, and it led me to a town called Villarmentero de Campos. This tiny town has a resident population of ten (one family of five, and five bachelors; ladies, get in there) and consists of a church, a handful of houses, some crumbling ruins and a slice of heaven called Albergue Amanecer.

Amanecer is a small acreage on the edge of town, and when I entered it felt like an oasis. The road into town is a long and dusty stretch, broken only by the green of albergue’s yard. Many animals roam Amanecer freely; there are two donkeys, Emilio & Mache, three dogs, and countless chickens, geese and ducks with the most beautiful little babies. Hammocks hang from the trees, and orchestral covers of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd complete the picture of serenity.

Although I hadn’t planned to stay in Villarmentero, it was simply too good to pass up! I hired a small wooden hut around the back, which was such a nice change from the cramped dormitories filled with the Symphony Orchestra of Snorers. I didn’t take long to settle in; I found a hammock and a beer and was one very happy pilgrim!

It was the epitome of paradise and impossible to leave, so I ended up staying for ten days! It was such a privilege to spend time in such a beautiful place with beautiful people. It was run by a Dutch volunteer/pilgrim called Wilbert, who has dedicated his life to helping people in various ways and is one of the most special people I’ve had the honour to call a friend. Two other pilgrims, Vita from Lithuania and Bernart from Hungary, also stayed for an extended period – we renamed Amanecer ‘Hotel California’ because you can never leave! By the end, Wilbert referred to us as his children, and would often disappear with Jesus, the owner of Amanecer, for hours at a time and leave us in charge!

Jesus was also a really lovely person; he spoke no English but helped me very much with my Spanish, teaching me how to say important phrases such as “I hate walking”, “I will be a pilgrim tomorrow” and “Santiago is here, no more walking”. When one of the baby chicks was rejected by its mother, Jesus adopted it and wasn’t seen without it for days, determined that it would survive if he hand-reared it. He named it Libby, because that way I would always be at Amanecer!

Although I seriously considered taking up Jesus’ kind offer of living at Amanecer forever, it finally felt like it was time to hit the road again and carry on to Carrion de los Condes. By this stage I had well and truly sacrificed the walking schedule, but nothing could have been more worth it. It was really emotional saying farewell to my new home and family, and quite surreal to put my boots and pack back on!

Carrion was a really beautiful town; I stayed in the monastery and spent the afternoon wandering it’s ancient streets. After being in a town with a population of ten people for a stretch of time, it was an adjustment returning to civilisation! Carriom has a population of a few thousand, and it was quite stressful with all of the cars and bars and people!

The following day I was back on the flat stretch again; the walk from Carrion to Calzadilla de la Cueza is 17km of Roman road, and one of the longest stretches of the Camino without a town. Although complaining about 17kms without a town sounds ridiculous to Australians, I have become very accustomed to regular coffee/snack stops and so was not enthused! I had also been warned by many pilgrims that it was another stretch that was notorious for its mental toughness, because of the long, flat monotony and the aforementioned lack of snacks. I actually found it to be really pleasant; maybe because I was still fresh after my mid-Camino holiday! The only downside was that the blisters were back…

I ended up staying two nights in tiny Calzadilla to give the blisters a chance to heal, and was very well looked after by the lovely locals. When I hit the road again, I headed 16km to San Nicolas del Real Camino, a very cute little place that is the last town in the province of Palencia – the next day I entered Provincia de Leon!

P.s. sorry it’s been a long time between posts, and thank you for your messages. I haven’t sorted through photos yet, but will hopefully add some in in the next few days!