We stayed at the Hostal Restaurante Camino Real, a 1-star masquerading as a no-star. It’s a long time since I’ve slept on what was basically a put-you-up-bed with a saggy mattress and to say the bathroom was bijoux would be overstating its size. When we stayed here 3 years ago the manager firstly claimed he had no details of our reservation, eventually giving us rooms. Thankfully no such shenanigans this time.
The view from my room oversaw a bit of a rubbish area and some kind of heating duct – but the moring sunrise more than made up for it.
As we left this morning, with a promise of a no rain day, it actually started spitting on us for a few minutes but we were rewarded with a rainbow to see us on our way. The wind, though, was bitterly cold and would stay that way for the whole day. We walked alongside the road for quite a bit, before crossing the Arroyo de la Cueza (a stream) and then back onto the path.
The pathway hedgerow had recently been cut back and cleared which made for an easier passage. As we entered Ledigos we took a photo opportunity (excuse the puzzled look) at the “halfway between Roncesvalles and Santiago” signpost, before passing through the village. Next up was another small village called Terradillos de los Templarios with a metal statue of a Knight Templar.
Starting to go gently downhill now we came to the town of Moratinos, famous to Peregrinos for “el castillo de Moratinos”, an ages-old hill in the town centre studded with family owned wine-storage caves. As we left town, we could see Mount Peñacorada (1834m) in the distance. This mountain hosts a wide range of native animals – deer, wild boar, wolves, foxes and the occasional bear.
We were on the last leg of the day now, passed a small vineyard and caught our first glimpse of Sahagun in the distance. The path was lined with Spartium junceum, also known as Spanish Broom, with its heady and sweet honey-vanilla scent, that is often used in perfumes and aromatherapy. Today was notable for the absence of pilgrims on trail – we don’t know where they all went!
