Day 15 - 7 May - Burgos to Hornillos del Camino

As The Animals famously sang:

There is a house in Hornillos                                  

La Casa del Abuelo                                               

We ate, we drank, we dried our clothes                

Washed down with vino tinto

I was awake at six thirty this morning, after an intensive night of rubbing Mrs C’s leg. Between us, we watched the How to treat Anterior Shin Splints with Kinesiology taping video and applied said tape accordingly. Fingers crossed. Down to breakfast and the Spanish version of sausage, bacon and egg was actually very tasty. A good start to the day.

The walk out of Burgos was much more pleasant than yesterday’s walk in and Burgos was certainly our favourite city of the three (the other two being Pamplona and Logroño) through which we have passed in the last two weeks.

We had thirteen miles ahead of us today, the first six miles or so on easy, level terrain and the sun was shining, even though the breeze carried a chill. Once out of Burgos we were back in the English countryside, all very pleasant until we started to track, then pass over and under a stretch of motorway. One final underpass and suddenly it all changed. We emerged alongside a river and then followed the road into Tardajos where we took our first coffee rest stop. This was a real village, as opposed to ghost village, with a population, facilities and an attractive mix of new and old. The next village of Rabe de las Calzados was even nicer, the sun was shining, it was now getting warm and it would have been rude not to stop and have a beer. 

Then, a long gentle ascent through a Spanish terrain of wheat fields and barley as we headed up towards the Alto Meseta at nine hundred and fifty metres above sea level which plateaued for around two miles before we reached, what was for me, the view of the Camino. The town of Hornillos del Camino lay two miles ahead and one hundred and fifty metres below, the downward path before us dotted with peregrinos heading towards the town.

Hornillos was our destination for the night with a double room booked at La Casa del Abuelo (Grandad’s house). We would have checked in at two o’clock but the father and daughter team who were running the place were so busy serving thirsty, hungry customers that we just sat in the sun and had a beer. Two hours and a couple more beers later, we did check in to the room. It was lovely so we went back to the bar to celebrate. Other than a quick freshen up and a ten minute stroll to see the rest of the village, we spent the entire afternoon and evening at Grandad’s house, sitting in the sun as our washing dried on the line behind us. Much of this time was spent chatting to Carolin from Germany who was delightful company. Carolin is on a sabbatical from her job as a marketing executive with Nivea. I have to confess, anyone who can convince Liverpool players that a good complexion is key to their success on a football field deserves the utmost respect. 

This has been our favourite day on the Camino so far. The walking, the scenery, the sunshine and the camaraderie of fellow peregrinos has been exactly what we signed up for. Mrs C’s shin splint problem has been as if it didn’t happen. Another Camino miracle? Personally, I think it’s down to a combination of three things;

1. Dr Michael’s magic tape.                                    2. My expert massaging skills and whispering, throughout the night “you want I wub your leg?”   3. The magic of Grandad’s house. We loved it!