O’Cebreio Well yesterday it was the cross that we left all our burdens that some of us were carrying, and now today it is “Foregiveness. Our tour guide David “No Pain No Gain”. We departed our hotel in cloudy conditions which was perfect for our climb, again we were blessed. How to make it to the top? Choices – walk, [….]

The group started  the day in high spirits after a wonderful rest day in Leon. We set out from Leon in our orange bus driving for approximately 1 hour to our starting point for today ‘s walk to the town of Rabinal del Camino. from here the track criss crossed the asphalt road providing us with spectacular views of the [….]

LEON Just when I begin to imagine that the last Cathedral or church can’t be topped, another one with different features comes along Leon’s stained glass windows are outstanding in colour, design and size. Attached to the cathedral is the Patheon Real, the royal burial vaults, which have been called Spain’s Sistine Chapel. The frescoes which tell stories from the [….]

Last night we stayed at Carrion de Los Condes in a wonderful quaint monastery, converted to a hotel San Zailo. Dinner was delicious, (lamb shanks), accompanied by a full bodied red, all served in the homely restaurant which was full of beams and quirky artefacts.  The next day after A delicious breakfast our orange coast with our trusty driver behind [….]

Burgos Cathedral is the 13 th century Catedral de Santa Maria and is amongst the most beautiful in Spain and is also one of the largest. Essentially, Gothic it never the less combines many different styles, having embellished by the great master builders and architects down through the centuries . During our guided tour of the city we soaked in [….]

After an overnight stay in an Abbey run by delightful Nuns and a fairly meagre breakfast after a substantial dinner the evening before, we all set out to our next drop point. My (Leila) new boots have replaced the troublesome well worn pair that have trekked Africa and Nepal without any hiccup. The old boots were donated to the Nuns, [….]

Day 5 on the Camino has been kinder on our feet and weary bodies as the walk was over even terrain and devoid of any significant climbs and with a cool breeze blowing for much of the walk.  We got off to an earlier start today and the bus drove us from Estella to the Benedictine Monasterio de Irache which [….]

The legend tells that among the many pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela who stopped in this city to venerate the relics of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, get a marriage with her eighteen years son, called Hugoneil, from the Xanten, Germany. The girl in the Inn, where they stayed fell in love with the young but their feelings were not [….]

We departed Pamplona after our best breakfast so far on the Camino and were coached to Puente  La Reina to begin our walk for the day.  I was not only leaving a beautiful city, but I was leaving unwanted feelings behind.  The three months of preparation with strong support from so many friends and also concerned colleagues who doubted my [….]

After a very relaxin night at the beautiful renovated hotel in Roncesvalles we headed off on our 2nd day, trekking to Zubiri 23 klms. Unfortunately, I  (Ruth) had only walked 2 klms when my calf muscle became too sore to continue so I  decided to make the sensible decision of getting on the bus. The remainder of the day for [….]

Another day on the trail and we are starting to get into our own rhythms. They were  different walking partners today to hear different stories and share the experiences of the day, plus time alone to think and enjoy the sights and sounds. Breakfast was substantial again to fuel up for the day, before we left Osteritz – our 1725 [….]