My Camino de Santiago walk in June 2003 started in Pamplona and here are some brief notes:
30th May: Flight to Bilbao, then bus to Pamplona.
1st June (Sunday): Pamplona to Puente la Reina, 25km. Hot and sunny, warm rise up to Ridge of Sierra de Perdon from which there are nice views. Green countryside. Nice Albergue (new one, 3euros) with good grass area for sitting on.
2nd June: Estella, 23km, 48 km in total. Nice fields and hill views until Lorca, then more industrial and some road sections. Estella a nice town with central plaza with outdoor bars. Albergue (first one on arrival, 4 euros) has a good courtyard for eating in.
3rd June: Torres del Rio, 28km, 76km in total. Great to have some nice wine at the generous wine fountain at Irache which is live on the internet! Stayed on south route through nice forest to Loquin, nicest section until Los Arcos, thereafter drier countryside. Great Alberque, but no cooking facilities and 6euros. Bar in town does some food and there is a shop. Interesting church with vaulted ceiling.
4th June: Navarette: 32km, 108km in total. Long road sections and warm, got caught in storm last 15 minutes. Nice old Albergue (3 euros) but no garden.
5th June: Santo Domingo del Calza.34km, 142km in total. Mostly dirt track along occasional vineyards. Some stone track sections. Nice old Albergue – free, though no garden.
6th June: Villafranca, Montes de Oca. 34km, 176km in total. Rolling small hills through some vineyards and fields, nicer from Redecina del Campo. Albergue free but the building needs to be condemned, I do not recomment staying in it!
7th June: Burgos.38km, 214km in total. Nice easy forested walk up into Montes de Oca. Hot exposed (no trees) descent to the lovely village of Ages and the interesting village of Atapuerca with its pre neanderthal man caves – presently closed but rumoured to be reopening in July. Last section from Villafria into Burgos industrial and boring on road, but statue of El Cid welcomes you into the lovely historic old area with its spectacular cathedral. Stayed in Hotel in old area to have a bath and be normal for a day!
8th June: Rest day in Burgos. Looked around the old area and later shifted to the Albergue, 2km on from the city centre in a nice park with the municipal swimming pool next day. Albergue (3 euros) pleasant with garden, but somewhat overcrowded.
9th June: Castrojeriz. 38km, 252km in total. 10 hours walking on a hot day. Castrojeriz has a nice hill behind it, with a ruined castle on top. Nice Albergue, free! No garden or kitchen, but I cooked and ate on the balcony.
10th June: Villalcazar de Sirga. 38km, 290km in total. Nice sunrise from hill just out of Castrojeriz, thereafter flat track and hot. Church in Villalcazar has a famous statue (White Maddona) but it is presently closed for refurbishment. Met at very pleasant (and free) Albergue by pleasant hostellier Daniel who poored me some ice cold water and carried my pack upstairs, what hospitality!
11th June: Sahagun. 44km 344km in total. A long day, 11 hours in the heat and flat until Calzadilla del la Cueza. 12km before the later village very flat and monotonous, and hot! St Juan festival on in Sahagun so saw the running of the bulls and was given wine from a poron by friendly locals. Albergue crowded but with nice friendly receptionist, and minimal kitchen, but in nice old church hall, 3 euros.
12th June: Mansilla del las Mulas. 36km (9.5 hours), 370km in total. Hotish day, around 32 degrees. I took the more direct camino Frances. Long 12km straight stretch from El Burgo Ranieros to Reliegos.Slept on floor in crowded Albergue for 2 euros.
13th June: Leon. 17km, 387km in total. Easy walk up small hills then down along roads and industry towards Leon. Stayed in the YHA Albergue, 3 euros but with washing machine and ok rooms. Spectacular stained glass windows on the cathedral.
14th June: St Martin del Camino. 25km (5 hours, 40 minutes), 412km in total. Flatish day and hot, not too far. Albergue pleasant and 3 euros. 2 bars and 1 shop in town.
15th June: Astorga. 23km, 435km in total. Nice path, more so from Orbiga which is a very nice medieval village. Asorga very pleasant old town with great cathedral. Stayed in newly opened private Albergue San Javier, 4 euros and very nice facilities including a fountain to cool your feet of in! It is at 6 Calle Porteria near the Cathedral (and Gaudi palace), phone 987 618 532. Looks like they hope to have an internet café section working sometime, but in any case there is an internet café behind the Albergue.
16th June: El Acebo. 36km, 471km in total.Nicest section to Rabanal. Climb up to the Iron Cross easy. Some sections along road.El Acebo small old village with Albergue section behind only bar. No kitchen facilities, I cooked next to village fountain.
17th June: Villafranca del Bierzo. 39km, 510km in total. Pleasant mostly track descent to pleasant town of Monlinaseca and camino loops around a bit to arrive in Ponferrada which is boring on its outskirts but nice in the old central area with a spectacular castle. Flat from Ponferrada until few small hills just before Bierzo. I stayed in the private Jata family Albergue, 5 euros, though the municipal one also looked nice.
18th June: Rest day in Bierzo. Villafranca del Bierzo is lovely in hill on side of river, with the higher mountains just beyond. Several interesting churches, shame the castle is privately owned and closed to visitors. Calle del Agua is nice as the guidebooks say, but so are other streets and plazas!
19th June: O Cebreiro, 28km, 538km in total. I took the hill camino out of O Cebreiro and it was very pleasant with nice views and some locals working the fields. Camino then near road for a bit but great from lovely little village of Herrerias and also La Faba. The ascent is fine, not hard. O Cebreiro a pleasant small touristy village with a good selection of bars, nice views, and lovely old stone houses, including some pallazos – barns made in the old style. Albergue run by a Cofradia and hence free.
20th June: Samos, 30km, 568km in total. Slight up and down until Alto del Polo then nice easy descent to Triacastella after where there is about 2km alongside the road followed by a nice river track through forest. A very warm day, around 36 degrees! Monastery spectacular, I liked the modern wall paintings in the cloisters. Albergue free and with pleasant staff and ample space. Woman are allowed in the Albergue!
21st June: Portomarin. 33km, 601km in total. Mostly nice path through small villages and some small hills, a hot day. Albergue free and with several sections. Kitchen has nice coolpark behind, good for eating and resting. Nice views over the reservoir – swam there, water was cloudy but nice and some fish in it.
22nd June: Rest day in Portomarin. Nice town with interesting fortified church. A cool change came through, very welcome!
23rd June: Melide. 39km (8 hours), 640km in total. Nice rural path through some very small villages and cooler day making walking easier. Didn’t have any food until after 23km at Palais del Rei! Albergue free.
24th June: Arca do Pino. 34km, 678km in total. Mostly nice rural path but small sections of road after Salceda. Albergue large but free and fine.
25th June: Santiago de Compostella! 18km, 696km in total. Nice track at start but modern sections into Santiago not so nice. Monte Gozo (Joy Mount) is not very pleasant with its modernbreeze block buildings and pepsi shops. I couldn’t see the cathedral from there! Nevertheless it is a fantastic relief to arrive, go to the famous lovely Cathedral and to the nearby pilgrims office to receive ones Compostella. Stayed in cheap Pension just down from Pilgrims office at No 10 – on 1 st floor but there is also the Pension Jaime on 3 rd floor for 10 euros, if it isn’t already full! In eve ate with many other jubilant pilgrims in the famous and cheap Casa Manolo, Plaza de Cervantes (phone 981 58 29 50) and they catered ok for my strict vegetarian (vegan) diet. 5.50 euros for set menu and 3 euros a bottle for ok house wine.There is also an excellent vegetarian restaurant in town run by a friendly American.
Click here to see a list of gear that I carried on the trip.
If you have any questions about the camino, please feel free to get in touch !