We were excited that walking the full Camino de Santiago on Day 13 would take us to the beautiful city of Burgos. We visited Burgos on a road trip the previous year, finding it an unexpected pleasure.
In contrast, on Day 14, we ended up in a little town, Hornillos del Camino, where we were collected by our accommodation host and transported two kilometres to the equally small village of Isar.
Day 13 – San Juan de Ortega to Burgos
It was still dark when we heard our fellow guests leave. Many wanted to arrive in Burgos to attend the midday mass at the cathedral.
We get out of bed at 5:30 am, shower, and have our breakfast packs which had been delivered the evening before. Breakfast includes cheese sandwiches, chocolate cake, muffins, bottled orange juice, and apples. We had this in the hotel’s small guest dining area. Our hot coffee had to wait until we reached the next town as the coffee machine wasn’t working.
Daylight began appearing when we started at 6:30 am—the track immediately led us into the forest. The path was rocky and unstable. How did the early starters traverse the terrain in the dark?
Ages
Out of the forest, rolling hills appeared as we followed the track downhill to the small but charming township of Ages where we stopped to warm up with a hot coffee.
Atapuerca
Sierra de Atapuerca holds great significance for pilgrims and visitors to the region because it is where the oldest human remains in Europe were found.
One kilometre from Atapuerca Village there is an opportunity to visit the archaeological sites through the Visitor Centre. We continued without stopping as the centre wasn’t yet open. We were told by a fellow pilgrim that they found the site very educational and interesting. If you’re staying in Burgos you may wish to include a visit to the Museum of Human Evolution.
Cruz de Matagrande
Leaving the village behind, we soon descended the steep, rocky path to Sierra de Atapuerca. We passed a young girl (the first pilgrim we had seen since we left San Juan de Ortega) struggling her way up the hill.
A large wooden cross, Cruz de Matagrande stands atop a pile of rocks and stones at the top of the hill. The cross is one of a few pilgrims will find walking the full Camino de Santiago. It’s custom to place a stone or rock on the pile symbolizing leaving your burdens behind. Some pilgrims will leave photos of loved ones, mementoes, or ribbons.
Not long afterwards we were standing on the ridge looking down into the valley. We could see Burgos in the distance.
Cardenuela Riopico
The rocky trail took us down to a road winding through golden wheat fields towards the village of Cardenuela Riopico (pop 90). A few hundred metres before we reached it, we encountered a group of enterprising young people selling Camino souvenirs
A quick comfort stop at the small cafe at the village entrance before we carried on. The only landmark to admire on the way through is the church.
At the far end of Cardenuela Riopico, we caught up with our injured Canadian pilgrim. We chatted as we walked together for a while. Her ankle injury has improved and is not hampering her progress as much as it had in the past few days.
She was a teacher taking her summer holidays and was trying to complete the Camino in a shorter-than-normal time to get back to Canada for a conference. Her son, studying in London was meeting her in Sarria on a pre-arranged date to walk the final 100km of the Camino de Santiago with her. She was determined to reach Sarria by walking a few extra kilometres daily.
The path to Burgos
There are several paths into Burgos. We took the most straightforward roadside path around the airport stopping in a park in Villafria for a fruit break.
The final stretch to Burgos seems long and neverending. The path through the outskirts of Burgos is largely industrial without scenery to distract us. We caught up with Debra, the English lady who has been staying in the same accommodation as us since Santo Domingo de la Calzada and our time passed as we acquainted ourselves.
Debra was walking a portion of the Camino solo over five days from Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Castrojeriz to make up for missing this section when her friends had completed it earlier in the year. They were walking the Camino together in small portions over time.
Debra had completed a 130km one-week hike from Bologna to Florence in Italy before coming to Spain. Her husband was collecting her in Castrojeriz and from there they would drive to the Algarve in Portugal for their summer holiday.
Burgos
Having visited Burgos the year earlier we know the old city well.
Our hotel room wasn’t ready for an early check-in so we went to find a laundromat to do our laundry later. On the way, we came across the Museo de Burgos. We did not see this the year before. The museum, full of Roman artefacts is housed in the Condes de Miranda Palace which was impressive itself.
It was nearly lunchtime so we made a beeline for Plaza Santa Maria. There are numerous eating establishments in the square. The main attraction is the impressive Gothic Cathedral de Santa Maria.
Pilgrims emerged from Mass in one of the Cathedral’s side chapels as we arrived. Amongst them was Martin and an Asian walking companion. We shared the day’s walking experience before going inside to stamp our Pilgrim’s Passports. We would return after freshening up to visit inside the Cathedral.
Following lunch in the square, we returned to the hotel through Plaza Mayor, completed our arrival routine, did our laundry and returned to the Cathedral.
A visit inside Cathedral de Santa Maria
Our Pilgrim’s Passport allows us to visit inside at reduced rates however, we agree it’s worth paying the small extra amount to see inside if you’re not a pilgrim and visiting, the interior is as extravagant and intricate as the exterior and we spend a couple of hours exploring the chapels, choir and cloister. It’s magnificent!
The stroll back to our hotel to collect our journals takes us through familiar streets. The old city is as elegant and lively as we remember it. And probably more so now that we are visiting while walking the Camino.
We found the tapas bar where we had a lovely meal and drinks a year earlier. A couple of hours were spent journalling and people-watching before dinner at our hotel.
Our accommodation
Our accommodation for the night is the four-star Hotel Silken Gran Teatro. The hotel is located on the leafy street next to the Arlonzen River. The Cathedral and the Museum of Human Evolution are within easy walking distance as are all the other notable sights of the city.
Our hotel room was modern, quiet and comfortable. Both breakfast and dinner, which were included, were of the high standard expected in a reputable city hotel.
Reflections of the day
- While sunny, it was cold for most of the day’s walk.
- Many of our fellow pilgrims were experiencing minor injuries and blisters which we had evaded until now. One of us had the beginnings of a small blister halted and treated with a Band-Aid Blister Block. We should have used our hiking poles on the steep, rocky trail up Sierra de Atapuerca. The unevenness of the track led to the movement of our feet in our shoes causing friction. We had our hiking poles folded and stored at the side of our backpacks and had not thought to use them.
- Burgos is a beautiful city with much history and worth visiting whether or not you’re walking the Camino de Santiago.
Walking statistics
- 22km
- 5:15 hours including rest breaks
Day 14 – Burgos to Hornillos del Camino
After enjoying our afternoon and evening in Burgos we wake lazily at 6:45 am and are packed and ready by 7:15 am. We take our bags to reception for collection before having breakfast in the same dining room where we had dinner the previous evening.
We’re on the road at 8:15 am after a hearty breakfast stopping at the Porte for a photo.
We consult our walking notes to lead us out of the city. Despite the grey clouds our walk out of Burgos over the old Roman bridge and past the University along an oak tree-lined footpath is pleasant.
Tardajos
The 10km path to Tardajos is generally flat and surrounded by rolling hills and harvested wheat fields. Though pretty, there’s not much to see in the town and like many other small towns we have come across on the Camino, the old parts of Tardajos seem abandoned. Some newer homes are on the outskirts but not a soul was to be seen.
Rabe de las Calzades
Two to three kilometres further found us in the larger town of Rabe de las Calzades. It’s a pretty town with a small square where pilgrims will find the Iglesia de Santa Marina to have their pilgrim’s passports stamped.
A small chapel, Ermita de Nuestra Senora de Monasterio appeared after leaving the township. It houses a carving of the Virgin Mary found in the ruins of a monastery close by.
Hornillos del Camino
Pastures with farmers herding sheep accompanied us further out of the town up and down Cuesta de Matamulos, a hill from which there are vistas over the wheat and barley fields to Hornillos del Camino in the distance.
The views indicated what the Meseta, the large flat open plains between Burgos and Leon which pilgrims need to pass through on the Camino would be like. Many pilgrims find this section of the Camino the most challenging and some even skip it by taking the bus between the cities before carrying on.
The small town of Hornillos del Camino’s main function on the Camino is to provide food and accommodation. The church at the top of the street houses a sculpture of the Black Madonna and there is a cafe/bar, Bar Casa Manolo, which is said to be popular. Both were closed when we arrived.
Bar Casa Manolo was the meeting point for our transport to our accommodation two kilometres away in Isar and there were still two hours before collection The streets were deserted so we retraced our footsteps to the albergue at the beginning of the town to have lunch and walk to our accommodation.
Martin’s Korean walking companion was having lunch at the table beside us. He was nursing a huge blister on his foot and told us they had arrived in town a couple of hours earlier and Martin had walked to Isar.
Isar
Debra arrived a little while later and called her travel arranger to ask them to arrange an earlier collection. With no indication if anyone was coming to collect us, we looked at Google Maps and the three of us started the short walk to Isar.
The road was long and straight with no safe path to walk on. Just as we wondered if this was a sensible thing to do, a van came hurtling towards us, screeched to a halt a few metres past us, and backed up. The driver jumped out making wild movements indicating that we climbed inside.
A few minutes later we were in Isar completing our check-in formalities before we settled into our room. After yoga and stretching were completed and refreshed, he explored Isar. He was back within minutes. Nothing to see here!
We saw this as an opportunity to relax in our room and watch a couple of episodes of The Crown on Netflix before going downstairs to the bar for a pre-dinner drink and journalling.
An evening in Isar
One by one, our fellow guests file into the small bar. British Debra arrives a little after us closely followed by a British newcomer, Louise. British Martin arrives shortly after and following introductions, we enjoy chatting about our day’s walk. Martin tells us he arrived at 10:30 am and had spent the day mostly sleeping. Louise tells us about her job as an interpreter in Brussels.
Our driver cum host was the bartender and it seemed the cook as well. He informed us that dinner would be served at 7 pm in the small dining room leading off the Reception and checked for dietary requirements. I requested a vegetarian meal and he happily provided alternatives for the first and second courses. Debra told him she is vegetarian too and his answer was “You. No vegetarian.”
Kevin from Mexico who we came across on Day 12 joined the rest of us for a convivial meal sitting around a communical table in the dining room. Kevin’s mother, Veronika is his walking companion and prefers an early night did not join us. Veronika was fulfilling a lifelong wish to complete the Camino de Santiago, and Kevin had realised his dream of participating in the Running of the Bulls in the early stages of the walk.
Our accommodation
Hotel Rural La Consulta de Isar provided our overnight accommodation. The small five-bedroom hotel gave us a glimpse into life in the small rural towns on the Meseta.
The rooms were spacious, clean and comfortable. The cosy community bar, which could have been cleaner, was perfect for guests to mix and mingle. The evening meal was simple and hearty local fare as was the hot breakfast the next morning.
Our host accommodated us by making two transfers to Hornillos the next morning when a few of our fellow pilgrims decided they wanted to have their breakfast and leave before sunrise the next morning.
The highlight of the day
People walk the Camino de Santiago for spiritual and religious reflection; to take a break away from the rat race; for a physical challenge; to see the Spanish countryside; for solitude and many other reasons but you are never alone on the Camino.
We have found “our crowd”. We are a group of people who have come together by our separate travel arrangers. We’re there, each for our reasons and by the pure nature of spending time together on our daily walks and socially at the end of each day we are bound.
Walking statistics
- 20.5km
- 4:45 hours including rest breaks
Walking the full Camino de Santiago
In case you’ve missed it, we’ve compiled an account of our earlier days walking the full Camino de Santiago. You can access the full account here.
If you’re contemplating walking the Camino de Santiago and want to know more about what it entails, check out our post on everything you need to know about walking and how to prepare for the Camino.
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