on the 500m.wordpress.com blog we did the section in 8 days.
If you google 500m.wordpress.com and then Azofra to Belorado – days 9 – 12 you'll get the pages below with pics from when Harry and I walked in 2011 which I posted 27-01-2012.
Arriving in Azofra had been a joy – its the best Albergue on tour, although outside lights would be beneficial and Harry’s bloody hand and headprints still cover theside entrance, a tumbling experience after some excellent wine from the restaurant. We’d both been victims of an expresso on the westbank in Najera and one hour later were to be found hiding in squat positions at the side of the trail, but Azofra was a blast. The health centre there was thankfully open on Friday and after Harry was stitched up we rested a day and then headed to Domenico de la Calzado, a short walk and an easy uphill climb to Ciruena preceded a gentle roll downour village. Ciruena is the town with the golf club and we had a coffee overlooking the course. The walk from there to Domenico de la Calzado is superb. Its one of the many views where it stretches out in front of you. When you arrive is Calzado its full of places to stop and there’s quite a few backstreets that lead to more main streets and shops and bars abound. It was a short walk so we had loads of drinking time, whoops! The Cathedral has an entrance fee so we took a picture of the inside of the cathedral from the blurb outside. As walks go, it was fairly gentle and the next day as we rolled out towards Granon (Granyon) we climbed very gently and all the signs take you away from the road. The last time we walked the busy noisy road, the quiet extra km to walk on the trail was worthwhile. When the trail crossed the field we follwed our neighbours but the truth is, the trail down the side road and back up would’ve been easier on the ankles. Shortcuts are often assessed afterewards on the camino and not always fondly!
Granon has a very good reputation for a spiritual experience in the monastery and yet again many walkers told us about how good it was, with music and the general vibe, we walked on after coffee and the usual pit stop to Redecilla. We passed the usually boundary markings as you move out of one Spanish region into another.
After Redecilla we walked to a superb cafe and made a wee mistake. It was 12.30 and it seemed not too hot. It wasn’t but when we left at 1.30pm and traipsed along the road to Belorado it was clearly roasting hot and we were burning. That alone guaranteed we’d stay in the first place on hitting Belorado.
Day 15, 16, Day 17 Belorado, Montes de Oca, St Juan de Ortega, Ages, Atapuerca & Burgos
23
11
2011
Leaving Belorado was a joy, it was a place we hadn’t enjoyed as we stopped at the Albergue on the edge of town on the hillside and were too lazy to walk on into the town. The afternoon sun had hit us and the last hour walking alongside the road in the open sun proved the Spanish heatwave was for real. 32 degrees is too hot for the Scots. Belorado is when your body is fighting with your mind. You’ve been two weeks on the camino and you want to see a psychiatrist. You’re miles from the start and still even further from the end and your body starts asking you why you’re walking. We responded with our accepted wisdom and got a beer and a wash. We had a washing machine and there was a menu so we ate, but it was perhaps the worst meal on the camino. As we walked through town in the morning we saw loads of places including the hotel at the far end of town. The walk out takes you over a bridge, passes a petrol station – your last place for ablutions before a gentle stroll along the side of the motorway then cross country to Montes de Oca, the town at the bottom of the hill that you climb over to get to St Juan de Ortega. There are two cafes at the bottom of the hill and we chose the one on the left – the one on the right was busier and we figured faster ablutions going to the other. After a light lunch we filled our bottles for 4 hours, then climbed the hill. Its a long way up and best you keep your head down for 15 minutes. Even the cyclists give up on this stretch. You pass loads of them as you meander up the shady hillside. Once at the top you get a great view of many of the surrounding peaks. 3 hours later having walked through the forest, past the 1936-39 war monument you reach St Juan de Ortega. The best place to stay is on the edge of town but the Albergue in the centre or the pub in the centre also have rooms. We filled our bottles and walked on to Ages, it was a superb idea. The sun was hot but the walk offered enough shade and we were rewarded with 4 albergues to choose from and enough nightlife and WiFi to keep us happy. Some days walking 3km further gives you a feeling of getting ahead of the game and instead of being knackered you have a new lease of life. I stayed in the 8euro Albergue and Harry got a single room in another place for 30euro.
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Categories : 200-420km
Day 18, Day 19 Burgos, Rabe, Hornillos
8
11
2011
We had a great night in Burgos and then headed out along the busy road through Tardajos and continued on to Rabe. A superb town with Wifi in the main street, and a great cafe, an important stop before heading off through the meseta again to Hornillos. Its a great walk, described in some places as desolate but peaceful trails away from the roads work for me. The next day we left Hornillos and walked to Castrojeriz, stopping for breakfast at Hontanas. That was a long stretch, the albergue at San Bol offered a breakfast but funny how 200m off piste looks so far. Silly really when you walk 4000m to the next cafe! We were spoilt for choice when we arrived at Hontanas. There were three cafes and the obligatory shop and fountain on the way out of town. Its only a few steps after the last cafe but as usual when its a long stretch to breakfast you eat , drink and make merry.
