This morning I walked the alternate route along the river. Very few other pilgrims as most of them were along the highway route. Very peaceful and lovely.
The sign says it, but the camino route to Santiago was actually a bit shorter than the highway route.
12.5 easy miles to Carriòn. I did take the longer route along the river. Most pilgrims took the route along the highway, so I had almost an hour and a half by myself. I am being careful with the sore big toe and have had no further problems. The next two days will be 16 and 17 mile days with small towns and lots of farmland. I just walked around town, but it is 3 pm and most everything will be closed till 5 or 6 pm.
Last nights dinner was shared with the Finnish couple, one of the Australian couples, and Rudy from Switzerland.
Hi John,
ReplyDeleteI took that peaceful river option as well and couldn't understand people belting along the road route.I wonder did you take the next section of alternative route as well?
When I got to Ermita Virgen del Rio instead of turning left to Villasirga on the road I took a useful little path, described in Miam Miam Dodo guide, that runs the west end of the church heading NW and then after about 500m turns W to Castrojerez. This is an old route with one or two iron signs but it's wonderful walking on empty tracks through fields. It rejoins the main road, and other footsore pilgrims who have slogged it out along the road, just before the town.