Update 4

The mosquitos (remember them) and I left Carrion de los Condes heading for Terradillos de Templarios, a place reknowned for it´s Templar history. The difficulty is that (according to the books) there is a 17km stretch of absolute ziltch before the next wee town. This was verified by the people in the albergues. So extra water has to be taken and a few morsels of bread to fend off the inevitable hunger. No scones and jam at 10am here.

The land is very flat, very few trees and little if any shade. 8.00am and it was hot and getting hotter. I saw a couple walk about 200m off track to sit under the only tree within sight. However I discovered that human enterprise is not dead in this part of the world when out of the blue a bar appears, stocked with all sorts of goodies at slightly inflated prices. I treated myself to a cafe solo grande (a new addiction) and continued on my way.

At about 11am, I shambled into the next wee town (name forgotten) to find mark sitting enjoying the shade and another Cola light. We star and chatted with a few of the fellow travellers for a while before heading out on the last 9km of the days target. Natalie, one of the German walkers, was not feeling too well and decided to stay there.

I have a rule that means I walk 1 hour and rest 10 mins. This has served me well on the trip but that day I could only walk 30mins before needing to take a rest. The heat is that intense. Mark and I slumped under a scrawny wee tree but Mark, who was really suffering from the heat, decided he needed to get going or possibly he would be there for a lot longer than would be good. I follwoed 10mins later and found to my joy that the albergue was within sight (round the corner from the slumping tree).

Showereed, shaved, and beer in hand we all congrugated at the terrace (it was a very modern albergue). The talk of the steamy though was about all the other people who had taken to their beds with stomach ache and associated problems. Turns out that the people staying at a particular albergue had all come down with the bug, most probably from contaminated water.

This was a rest day and so we rested. We didn´t even have the energy to go and see the Templat castle. Some did and assured us that we had made the correct decision.

The following morning we were awakend at 5.00am by a huge thunderstorm and a deluge of rain, the first we had seen since our arrival. It only lasted for an hour but it was a wonderful sight and sound.

We all put on the wet weather gear, stepped out the door (approx. 6.00am) and the rain stopped. Change of clothing and we were off to the wonderfully named "El Burgo Ranero".

Greg, the Dublin man from Canada, joined us for the journey that day.
We passed through a number of towns but at that time of the morning they all look the same. At Sahagún, Marita left us to catch a train to Leon. Her shoes were falling apart and Leon was the only place where she was sure to get a suitable pair.

The walking was fine and the chat was easy. Many people come on the Camino to get space for thinking. All well and fine but it really does help pass the time and shorten the distance when you have good company.

On the way we passed through one of the most representative villages of that region of the meseta. It is called "Bercianos del Real Camino". Not pretty but representative. We had actually planned to stay overnight but the extra 8km to El Burgo was a short plough after seeing that village.

Not that El Burgo was much bigger but it was a lot better. I asked foer directions to "centro del pueblo" and was told this is it.

Good food, internet access and a long sleep. And so we are off to Leon.

Leon stories next.
best,
Arthur