Thursday, June 2, Day 11 on the Camino

Today we trekked 14.34 miles to the village of Belorado, population 2,000. It was a pleasant walk with a total elevation gain of about 1,400′. I mention the elevation gain because no part of the Camino is totally level. It’s always that beautiful level stretch through the rolling hills, and then the downhill, and then the usual uphill.

Today when we started out it was a little brisk, but the afternoon brought warmer weather in the low seventies. Still great weather to trek in.

This stretch of the Camino goes through four small villages, Granon, Redecilla del Camino, colorist de la Rioja, and Vilamayor del Rio. All are typical in appearance, on a hilltop with the beautiful church and its steeple sticking out in the distance. It’s really amazing how many of theses small villages there are on the Camino. Most were founded for the purpose of supporting the pilgrims, and they still do. There are usually a few restaurants and stores in most, even the smallest village.

We started our day out of Santo Domingo De Calzada on a little less tranquil note. The high school pilgrims that I encountered yesterday left from the hostel today about the same time we did. It was a string of kids stretched out for about a half mile with their radios or music devices blaring their tunes. I like kids, and even their music, but not on a tranquil morning on the Camino. I tried passing them but they were just too fast without backpacks, so I just let them pass.

I had originally planned to go a little further to the next towns so we could possibly break away from the majority of pilgrims that were going to the villages noted in the guide books as around 15 miles apart.

When I arrived in Belorado I found more hostels and hotels than noted in the guide book. I found a hostel that was newer, very clean, and had private rooms, a pleasant change from last night in the dorm style room. Our room looks out at one of two churches that are within two blocks of each other.

The village is small but the plaza is just around the corner and there are numerous places to eat. Most villages usually cater to the pilgrims and are generally inexpensive.

Tomorrow it will be about a 15 mile trek to the village of Dan Juan de Ortega and it looks like we will have several steep uphill climbs. We will taken them as they come.

Best wishes,

Ted