2022 the dates are down

Its only a brief spring camino which has rolled into the summer. Wednesday May 25th to Wednesday June 1st. (Me, Jim and John) or Sunday May 29th to Wednesday June 1st. (Chelsea and Paul) Walking Routes Wednesday - Stay at the Hotel Picos / or Apartments and bus/train to Bilbao at 10am Thursday. Thursday - Arrive Logrono, check into apartment and check out local bars.

Friday - 7.30am bus to Najera/Azofra. Walk to Ciruena (9km) lunch at golf club and then Santo Domingo (7km). (DAY 9) Bus back at 6pm. Saturday - Bus to Estrella wine fountain, walk to Los Arcos via montjardin. Bus back to logrono 4.20pm Sunday - Stroll around Logrono or sightseeing in Bilbao/Pamplona - meet Paul and Chelsea off plane 16.35, 6pm to bilbao then Logrono 8-9pm might not be an option so we will take the bus down to Vitoria or Pamplona - If we all go up to Bilbao Jim and John can enjoy an afternoon while I nip along to the airport to collect the others. Sunday travel is a bit tricky so we might go via Haro or stat walking at midnight.... Monday - 7am bus to Pamplona/cizur menor - 20km Walk over to Jakue 5pm bus to Estrella then walk to wine wine fountain.or straight to..Logrono. (DAY 4/5) Tuesday - Bus to LOS ARCOS and walk to Sansol (7km) then Torres Del Rio (1km) then Viana (12km). The energetic can walk from Viana to Logrono, the bus at 5pm will take the others. Walking to Logrono is another 2 hours 20. Wednesday Logrono to Santander via Burgos - 12km - 7.30am bus to Belorado stat walking 8.15am. - 2.5 hours flat gradient walking, 1.5 hours coffee - Belorado - Tosantos - Villambistia then Villafranca Montes De Oca. (DAY 11) Bus 13.07 (or 14.22) Villafrance Montes Des OCa to Burgos arrives 13.48 (15.00), Euro$2.38. 4 (3) hours Burgos then bus to Santander 2 hours 30mins sleep on bus. Arrive 20.30pm a few cheeky wee tapas then hop 15 mins aeropuerto bus at 21.30. Check in by 22.00. Airport bus and taxi both take 15 mins (!) Logrono bus station 7.30am to Belorado 9am then Villafrance Montes des Oca to Burgos at 13.00 (timings may change with updated timetables) We need to leave Burgos by 17.30

The difference between theory and practice in management

I did a lecture to the Newcastle business school on this subject and my recent Camino brings it all back into focus.

At the time I'm I tried to describe what management was. In economic terms we had everything from managing a task to a business. We had the marketplace, the capacity to expand or contract and this led into the times marginal costings marginal revenues vs the average cost and revenues.

We had the personnel, the skills gaps, the recruitment, the branding of our people with our philosophy.

I could go on but I need to take it back into the Camino.

The difference between theory and practice is in theory you choose how much to carry knowing that you can carry this. In practice many people ignore the theory and carry 2 litres of water from town to town. They buy bananas and fill their pack.  They spot a tee shirt they like. They pick up foot cream, sun cream and after sun. What was a well organised 3kg pack becomes a 6kg pack so quickly.

The difference is reality. You have one hot day where you run out of water and you'll always carry more than you need.

In the work place I often did tenders where I sit and explain why I used average not marginal costings. I explained to the class that while our profitability did come from the marginal costings at the extremes of one additional unit, in practice tenders were for 590 units with delivery on request. As a stockbroker that meant us staffing to answer calls. Far from squeezing one extra deal that day out of our staff we may have to relocate the whole business because of capacity issues in our building. If the tender was seismic, 10%+ to our existing volume, not only was average cost right but it's was AC+. The plus referring to the additional management disruption large expansion would bring.

We were one of the best in the industry at this expansion. This was quite simply because we recognised it existed. It is probably the most obvious between theory and practice as capacity constraints are so varied.

When I put my rucsac on at home with 3kg, I can walk 20 miles in 6 hours. Notwithstanding the terrain, if I double the weight my time will change. We factored this into the plan whenever we did a tender. 

I remember standing firm on a huge potential partnership with Standard Life for their SIPP Business. They wanted unit pricing which was fair but not when they wanted it at marginal not average ratea. I quoted AC+ owing to the level of ambition they had. My side as well as their side were raging with me as I stood firm at £20 while openly saying £11.78 was the marginal cost of one more transaction.

They just didn't get the difference between MC and AC. If we gave them the MC we would've been out of business in under 2 years. In my opinion it is the job of the supplier to stay in business so they can fulfil a contract.

They used my figures to secure a deal with another party. Within 18 months they were back at our door having put the other party under so much pressure they buckled. We got our AC+ and their customers got a service we were able to fulfil.

So I carried a laptop, plug and adaptor on my Camino this year. I also had 5 cotton tee shirts and an army of useless stuff including books and past Compostelas. I thought I would write using the laptop. I hadn't factored in that I was totally goosed from having carried it. 

I thought I'd read the book and teach myself more basic Spanish ....

Every day I walked and thought aboutt the difference between theory and practice is.......

A wee train journey home

Followed by the bus to Zarautz. An hour I look forward to seeing tomorrow.

Never spoil a surprise 😂

Camino calm Karma

Its hard to describe the end of a camino. The calm you feel. The karma from all those small events. It can make you motionless. I've been that way since I left Ponferrade. Some would say the way I contolled the football down towards Molineseca, and going into Ponferadde demonstrated everything. That is it. That is the camino. The fun and the closure. You want to keep the door open. You want the draught from the camino to blow riches into your life. That is not how it works. The camino does blow riches. It scatters seed on fertile and barren soil. People grasp the seed and act. Some kick it in the dust and say it'll never work. Everything is what you velieve. I studied Economics and I believe too much reliance is placed on irrelevant stats like GDP. Go Describe Poverty. That's what I would say to GDP. Its so glib to suggest poverty is because of the economy. No, its because of a lack of community. When you walk through cities, towns and pueblos you see it differently. Yes, this is a tourist trail like the West Highland Way. Its like coast to coast and amy other traipsing contest. What you see and experience is real. You will be in most people's life, for one hour maximum. If they do or dont like you, its fleeting. You learn to live a different experience as you encounter 1000;s of people. Not social media, socialability. You see the masked face and the smiling eyes. You smell the omelette. You hear the kind words You taste the omelette Then you thow it back!! How touching

One of Ponferrade's star pubs

I've been coming here since 2007, it's great. Tapas are good, staff are great, atmosphere can be mental or really chilled. From the church walk it's 10 minutes to the back right of the plaza mayor then go right onto calle obispo osmundo and if its late follow the music. Not the Osmond's but you get the idea!

St Jacques provides

Candles at long last! My poor Mum and everyone else who I've been waiting for real candles need wait no more. As churches go this one was not full of gold, more full of damp! I felt the candles will go a long way to helping dry the place out and my Mum would approve as would the many others on whose behalf I lit a few candles.

Tomorrow is the Cruz de ferro and then El Acebo or molineseca. I'll lay a few stones and look forward to the journey.

Tonight though I will fine in El Tesin. The bar made famous when Michel- Andre showed me pictures of his wife, Bernadette. When she appeared having iced her ankle for an hour I said that Andre had shown me pictures of how she looked before she started the Camino.

He took the bait and said that was before we were married in the last century......oh how we all laughed!

Buen Camino 

Magnificent Leon

Leon cathedral, tapa and ice cream

Kiko adjusts the camera

News flash from Camino - WiFi email what's app

Email good

What's app bad

I can update website with email but can't phone home

A technical person can explain but I just want to let you know.  

Use email! 

The new snail mail sensation

Or just walk and leave phone at home!

Chocolate pudding at CASA FLOR *****

Fantastico!! Muchos Gracias!

Casa Baztan - uterga

SERENDIPITY

The father and daughter from Denmark stayed here by mistake and it was a lucky mistake!

Check out the Facebook page!

Cinqo Estrella 5 *****

Great meal and chat at casa flor  on Camino 

Bar Groucho

I've said a few times that few bars rival la trebede and Jamon Jamon for our and out service and value but in 2017 I stumbled into this bar and loved it. It's in a high octane corner of the old town off to the right 47m after Jamon Jamon up a nice blind alley. Like both my favourite bars they have a simple philosophy and they do it well 

Good drink, clear tapa and execute

I'll be back!

Again again and again

Mas mas mas

Al

El bar de pichi carrion de Los condes

Just before you head down the hill to hotel Xio the monastery is the bar - WiFi password EL BAR DE PICHI - AN ESSENTIAL  guide for the average pilgrim as we move forward to using our phones and not our brains.

Camino 2011-2018 credentials

Today, in Castrojeriz, is a rest day!

Seems so and the sun is out so the washing is on the line. Time to put photos up and to do another plan to rip it up! Alas I've spent an hour and still not got one photo up.... So the plan Today is Monday 27th so Tuesday Fromista - we climb the hill then stop at Itero for a tea, aka elevenses, Boadilla at 1pm then Fromista fo 3pm. Ideally walk onto the Amanceaur in Poblacion de campos for 5pm. Next day 3-4 hours to Carrion de Los Condes for 11.21 and bus to Terradillos Thursday a short day to Sahagun and at a push Bercianos Friday walk down to MAnsilla De LAs Mulas, via el acebo and Religeous and maybe bus to Leon Saturday definitely in Leon and Sunday bus to somewhere and walk to Astorga and have two nights, if needed so Monday/Tuesday head up to cowboy town and into mountains of cruz de ferro wednesday and stay at swimming pool albergue then town before ponferrade thursday. Tick tock so ponferrade bus to hotel before O'Cebriero, Saturday climb O'Cebreiro and stay over. Get bus down to Palas Del Rei and walk back to Eirexe before starting trip back. Lots of action to review and movement updates not just the lavatorial stuff which is legend as usual. I now understand a lot more about fat burn but thats for another day. We made Pamplona to Burgos without too much trouble.

Josie's diary - Tommy turns cars

It has always been hard to keep a diary but it has been so much harder keeping fourteen diaries.

I feel at times i'm writing stuff down with hysterically contrasting recollections on the same speech. Its like Bahktinian theory gone mad. We thought the novel was democratic but the fantasy land of pilgrims have no boundaies.

I know my fellow prilgrims are different  from me but it is quite funny to see the exaggerated views especially when i have a clear and sound mind and they don't.

Sometimes it's a language thing and I apologise in advance.

I have tried to be succinct whilst allowing them the licence to verbalise in an irrational and irritating way.

I met them all along the Camino to Santiago de Compostela, along the way of the stars.

They were going the same way as me so we had that in common. As unlikely as it sounds, it was enough to cut them some slack. When you meet them you may ask why.

I liked them all in this Camino way, it's a stylised liking akin to people who like Dancing on ice, love Island or even big Tommy C's glorious Hibees. A common bond that disregards every other personal and social attribute. 

It's a religion with or without a cross, a pew or a prayer mat.  A celebrant or prayer book, but it is a religion.

Pardon the pun but it's a movement. It goes through your body from sunrise to sunset. It pulses across the North of Spain towards Santiago de Compostela. One giant intestine, and the physical activity pushes the point home.

It's a slow and steady flow of humanity.

Characters drift in and drift out of your daily walk. They speed up and you lose sight of them. They slow down and you never see them again. They hop buses or hit hurdles, see doctors or return to work. 

They disappear and reappear at  the whim of the Camino conjurer, St Jacques, who quite simply provides. Like all great magicians you are too busy seeing what St Jacques provides, to worry about what he's forgotten. Such is the beauty of the Camino.

And now the story.

 Josephine Archer - Tommy Turns Cars

2023 three day jaunt!

So we fly to Santander and train to fromista - our base for 3 nights. We get early bus to Burgos and get off at tardajos. We walk to Rabe +30mins) - hornillos (70mins) - San bol (1.2 hours) Hontanas (1.1 hours) then to castrojeriz 1.75 hours. 

Walking time 6 hours drinking time 3 hours.

Then get the bus back at 6.30pm to Fromista.

Next day we get off at Castrojeriz and walk to Itero (1.75hrs) boadilla (1.25hrs) then Fromista (1.25hrs)

Walking time 4.25 hrs 

Drinking time 3.75 hrs

We all know how Jimmy goes for it on Day 1

😂

As life support sang in the 80's

You better stop, and look around

Puente la Reina

It was a long and sweaty walk but we made it. Muruzabal and Uterga were the drink stops before this wee cheeky one as Stu ran on ahead and got the albergue. Santiago Apostol is as grumpy as ever and kicked us out at 8am looking for all the world as if we'd shat on more than his doorstep. I've stayed here 7 times now and I never tire of it. Someone has to get me started in the morning!

San Sebastian

A wee stroll along the front then a wee run to the WC! Funny how 2L bottles of water get me moving.

Thunder is due today but don't tell the swimmers. They're loving it and Stu is getting all the bets on for tonight!

Pamplona bus about 4 and cafe iruna about 7

Pont Neuf Stuart Donald just giving

He is the gift that keeps on giving is our Stuie. Here he manages to get his 16 London bridges 25k charity walk shirt to match the buses of gay Paris. Quite simply a wonderful gesture as he starts his Camino bridges trek!

Next stop the bridge from Hendaye to Irun, or France to Spain.

We managed to get a drink at the station but when we went for the meal at night the lack of a pass meant we could only go in and order a take away and sit inside whole we waited. You could see the staff were unhappy about it but wools is wools and we didn't care, we just wanted to get fed and a taxi home worked fine as this house we had was brilliant. Rue general Michel Foucault isn't a name I knew before but it worked for comfy bed and great host.

Camino video time

Updates see us confimed for Burgos on September 23d and Cardenuela Rio pico on the 22nd, which means we walk over from Montes Des Oca on Tuesday September 21st. https://youtu.be/IxsL4q5pras shows Paul, Stuart and I in 2015 I never like to book too far ahead as it stops you doing long or short days, even when you know the bus timetable! There is always the community thing. You build your community over a month and its always a shame if you lag behind or bolt ahead. The best caminos I've had have seen me drift in and out of communities as we slow down to let others catch up or bus along a stretch after falling a day behind. Pamplona - Wednesday 15th https://youtu.be/kFy5-lhVnZc a wee video from the first 6 days pics going past the wine fountain, Fuente de irache Estella/los Arcos - Friday Logrono - Sunday Navarette - Najera - Azofra Monday Santo Domingo/Belorado/Montes de Oca - Tuesday We've no idea how the accomodation will be with the current covid situation but will keep you all posted!

Camino 14 -2021

How happy we are to be considering the Camino again.

It's definitely been too long!

The plan is to take the train on Tuesday September 13th from London to Biarritz.

A night on the French coast before a train up to to St Jean Pied de Porte.

On arrival we will have a beer and then walk up to the albergue at Hunto. If we are feeling strong we might make Orisson.

On Thursday we should arrive at Roncesvalles, possibly walking on to the town of Burguette where Hemingway, the author, did a bit of fishing. 

Friday is zubiri or larasoanna and Saturday night is alright for fighting according to Elton so Pamplona it is.

Sunday then Monday sees us through puente la reina and Estella and possibly even halfway up the hill to villamayor. Logrono by Wednesday would be good. Navarette Thursday and then onto Azofra. 

I love a Friday night in Azofra.

I've had so many great stays and calamity too. Stu and I got locked out of our room one night, i've been in the old overflow albergue twice and Harry famously got cuatro puntos after falling asleep while walking down stairs.

Yes Friday night in Azofra will be a belter. There are many videos through the ages of cafe Seville. The food and wine are always the same!

Saturday September 25th will see us do the bus dodgems as we make our way to Santo Domingo before bus to belorado and onwards to Montes de Oca and the luxury of the hotel or possibly the hostal at the bottom of the hill.

Sunday sees us trip the light fantastic as we march to Santa Fe in cardenuela riopico. It's the number 11 stop on the Camino and my favourite

Monday 27th will be a Burgos bonanza and it may be the end of the road for young Stu, or we may have a trip to Leon!!

Either way I'll be looking forward to Castrojeriz to Fromista. Stu and I stopped here when my Mum died in October 2019. 

It was quite surreal.

I'd bought a bail out £9.99 flight from Santander 4 months earlier and all I had to do was jump on the train at Fromista and I'd connect with the flight that evening. 

We discussed it that night as Stu was on his way down to Alicante in the morning and I remember hitting the pillow saying I'll decide in the morning. I had an inkling that meant that I'd bought that flight for a reason and it seemed to be the end of that Camino as Stu was heading off, I should too.

I decided in the morning to prevaricate. Stu headed off at 9.30am and my train was 11 if I was to go up to Santander or else I could just walk on to the next town.

I left the hotel at 11 and decided to walk on, all the time thinking, get on the train, go to Santander, if you don't get a call, get a train back down.

I stopped at the next town, 3km,  got a nice room and it was cheap as chips. I sat chatting with Pellegrino people who had head chef children in Copenhagen s 5 star kitchens! They were a great bunch then I got the call.

My mum wasn't looking good. Then I got the real call. Yes, 45 minutes later she's dead. Yes, what a dozy half wit I was. My autism on numbers, that said why bother going up to come back down, had only selected a flight on the day she died as insurance 4 months earlier. What a fuckwit. The clue was there. The whole plan had been given a blessing by Michael O'Leary saying get back for yer mum at £9.99.

I was ok, she was okay, so light candles today. I wasn't there to help my dad which was lucky as he had the care staff who were off the clock great. I visited many a church and lit some outstanding candles for Mum, Maisie and Francis. The three women who held community together and proved that matriarchy was strong in our world. The three of them left this world in 2019 like a wee random domino collapse. 

I just lit candles.

The thing about candles is they burn bright and they dance.

After Stu goes I will get morbid lighting candles but I'll love it.

I'll probably get to a place in Galicia called Eirexe before I turn tail and head for phone.

A lot will depend on fellow pilgrims and how we do on the way. I'll just be happy to see the sunrise, walk another few kilometres and smell the dawning of the day.

The PB big 50 Camino 2022

Its a tough gig to narrow the camino down to 3 walking days while staying handy for an aiport from Edinburgh so over the next few months the May camino will take shape as we pick and choose from a menu full of the views, the walks, the smells of the albergue and some of the best food you'll ever enjoy. The best part of the camino is the communoty of pilgrims you walk with and we'll possibly do these walks in different orders so we meet the same people and for those doing the full camino (like me!) there'll be a bit of continuity. We'll arrive into Bilbao and have lunch in Cafe Iruna before heading down to Pamplona(/Logrono) for the evening. Thursday morning will see us climb the hill to the wee tin pilgrims at mont del perdon before sliding down the other side and enjoying a beer in Muruzabal and Obanos before carrying on to Puente La Reina for 2pm The old boys will jump on a bus while the young team carry on to Maneru (1 hour) where a gentle stroll to ciraqui (1 Hour), then lorca(1 hour) before meeting up and walking to villatuerta (1 hour) and Estrella (1 hour 20) for a drink before carrying on to the evening in Los Arcos by bus (15 minutes). Los Arcos is a fantastic wee place which is a great pilgrim stop. I love Estrella, the vegetarian albergue at Azqueta is a delight and Villamayor Montjardin has superb views in evening and morning but I've chosen Los Arcos as that wee square the pilgrims congregate in has a great day 6 buzz and also it was the topwn with our favourite camino meal in 2007. Friday will be an early start on the stroll to Sansol (1 hour) before jumping the bus to Logrono and a lunch at Calle Laurel before jumping a local bus to Ventosa. The walk fom Ventosa to Najera is a lovely 2 hour stroll through vineyards before a wee drink by the river and getting the bus to ciruena and a 6km or one hour stroll to Santo Domingo for 3pm. There is another option where we get the bus from Santo Domingo back to Ciruena at 8am to then walk back over for 9.30 and pick up our gear if we choose to bus and stay in Santo Domingo! We will then get the JIMINEZ bus to Belorado for the last billiant 3 hour and 4 beer stroll to Villafranca Montes Des Oca. This is one of the top late afternoon strolls on the camino. The first hour takes us to Tosantos and the wee church/cave just a 5 minute stroll from the albergue bar. Next up is Villambistia after a 30 minute stroll, where one of my favourite hospitaleros runs a small albergue with delicious food and has a few chairs in the sun. A quick beer here before another 20 minute stroll to espinosa del camino and another beer and ice cream stop before we arrive 40 minutes later in Villafranca Montes Des Oca. As we will have reservations in the hotel we can relax that we will arrive about 8pm. On the plus side the bus is regular along the route so flagging it down at Tosantos or Villambistia is an option to arrive at the hotel before 6pm. Villafranca Montes Des Oca to St Juan de Ortega is a good morning walk. It's a full 3 hours through a forest and at a fair clip you can save 30 minutes but it is easier to think 12km, have a wee break in the middle if the juice bar is open and then lunch or have a beer in St Juan de Ortega around midday if you start at 9am. Then we hit Ages at 2pm, Atapuerca (3pm) and climb Olmos de Atapuerca over and down into Carednuela Rio Pico (6.30pm). There's a lot of camaraderie especially with pilgrims who stopped at Belorado (2pm), Tosantos at 3pm, Villambistia (4pm) or even Espinosa as they all get up so much earlier than Stu and I and are off and running at 6am to watch the sunrise. They wont catch us rising before 8am by which time they're already up the hill. IT's probably my favourite chuckle on the camino as the push pull nature of the camino pilgrim pass us by in the morning while we sleep and we pass them by as we walk into the setting sun. Those late afternoon beers as we joke about battering on up the trail to get an extra hour in bed! A foolish nonsense argument but past performance has always suggested early into town does not mean early to bed, it means 2 extra bottles of red!!

One option has always been to get the post lunch bus out of Logrono to ciruena and miss out the walk to Najera thus getting to Santo Domingo for 2.45pm before beer and bus but like all caminos the fun is in the planning and the laugh is when we "Rip it up and start again!" On the ground you are having such a good time, or the weather dictates, you just go with the flow. The next day could be Burgos - Castrojeriz - Fromista. Burgos for lunch and a bus to Castrojeriz before walking to Itero Del Rai and then a 2 hour walk to Fromista where the train goes to Santander. Or it may be bus from Burgos to Bilbao and back home! The only issue of note is we dont know what the flight times will be but an early Wednesday out with a late Sunday back from Bilbao has plenty of appeal but so does out via Bilbao and back via Santander. The current timetables for trains and buses suggest that we can get a train to Logrono which might be a good way to see Calle Laurel and then in the morning get out to Ventosa and walk 2 hours to Najera then get bus at 1.30 to Ciruena. Missing PAmplona would be tough but to miss any section is a shame. Thursday would therefore be a big day finishing in Villafranca Montes Des Oca. Friday would see us leave Montes Des Oca and finish in Cardenuela before arriving Saturday in Burgos. So many options but let's update nearer the time!

2011-2018 passports