Once we left Pamplona, we knew the forecast for the next 3 days was hot, in escalating temperatures until Friday, so we planned our cycling accordingly, with distances and elevation gain decreasing in proportion to the escalating temperatures. So with high temps forecast for 102, 105 and 105 degrees, we planned 48, 37 and 27 miles per day, and then a 50-miler on Friday to get into Burgos, when temperatures are forecast to drop about 18 degrees and stay there for a few days! Yippee!
And so today, we left Los Arcos from our gas station hotel at the crack of dawning light to join a pretty good number of perigrinos on the trail.
We rode in Northern Spain in 2014, and occasionally intersected the Camino that trip but this year we are right on the French Way of the Camino, which is the most popular route, accounting for more that 2/3 of all the walkers. In 2014 we intersected the Northern Route, which had fewer walkers by far.
You can see on the map above where multiple routes converge at Puenta la Reina where we crossed the eponymous bridge a few days ago!
Over 200,000 people walk the camino each year. It’s a major source of tourism along its path.
The Camino takes us along mostly dusty paths from church to church, town to town. Most of the churches are at the top of a hill in a picturesque town, the pathway marked by the scallop shell symbol of the Camino. Even though it’s almost always a climb to the top, we don’t mind. The Camino street is typically lined with cafés and stores and is often the most lovely and lively street in the town. And the churches are amazing.
Perigrinos today have a “passport” that they get stamped at each church or cathedral along the way, and people who assume we are doing the Camino often point us towards the place to get our passports stamped.
Alas, we will follow the Camino only until Burgos and then head south towards Madrid. At the end of the Camino when pilgrims arrive at the cathedral in Santiago, they show their passport to get a certificate of having completed the Camino, but you have to walk at least 100km to get a certificate.
Today, we enjoyed each town in turn, but it would be hard for us to identify them from just one picture since they are all very similar in feel, and yet each one brings the same pleasure as the last as we cruise slowly down the streets and think how beautiful everything is. Like potato chips!
We have left Navarre region and are now solidly in Rioja. Our wine choices have shifted. We passed a LOT of vineyards today and even took the time to identify the small, almost black, dense clusters of grapes that hang off the vines. .
We stopped today in Najera, and had drinks in a bar before dinner and then dinner at a restaurant recommended by our hostess at the pension where we are staying. We had a nice bottle of Rioja with dinner!
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