Castilla y Leon Region

From the beautiful wine region of La Rioja  I now enter the largest autonomous region in Spain, Castilla y Leon. I will spend over 50% of my time traveling through its provinces. 

I miss the forest regions of Navarra. Here the path lies directly next to busy roads and highways. Very difficult to endure when you have 12 kilometers between bed and breakfast! The spainards are not early risers and even when the sign says abierto 7, it has never been so. Most places open between 9 and 10am, close at 1pm, and reopen between 5 and 5:30pm. The guide suggests you stock up on  snacks for early morning walks. And for the most part, I've done so, or had access to vending machine coffee. Today was not a good day to start out without such luxuries. 

But tourists demand and pilgrims thank, so I was blissfully thankful in Belorado! 

This was a beautiful town and its church is built up against limestone cliffs with ancient cave dwellings. From Belorado into Tosantos there is some reprieve from the roadways. And here is an interesting hermitage built into the cliffs. 

Mileage and kilometers have been somewhat confusing of late. In La Rioja, there were frequent posts updating your progress in kilometers, (the last at 555k). But earlier in Santo Domingo, there was a 550 k sign and recently I saw a 576k sign. According to Brierly's guide I'm 539 kilometers away from Santiago. With that figure I've walked 251 kilometers in nine days. Aside from caffeine withdrawals and the one blistered toe, my body is doing amazingly well. And for that I am most thankful!! Buen Camino!