The Madrid Route - new edition of the guide

The route passes the Roman Aqueduct in Segovia

I'm pleased to tell you that the third edition of the CSJ guide to the route from Madrid to Sahagún is now available to download here: Guide: Camino de Madrid (Madrid to Sahagún)

This guide is one of a series of on-line guides published by the Confraternity of Saint James http://www.csj.org.uk/guides-online.htm and will also soon be available on the CSJ website. If you download a guide please leave a donation.

The on-line guides are written by pilgrims and are kept up to date with the information which pilgrims send to the editor when they have walked a route. Pilgrims providing guides for other pilgrims. The guides are updated regularly and up dates are available here http://www.csj.org.uk/guides.htm

Max walking the route

I wrote the second edition of the guide and I received a very helpful e mail from a pilgrim called Max Long. He had walked the route and had a lot of current information. I'm glad to say with very little persuasion Max agreed to edit the third edition and the fruit of his hard work is now available.

This edition of the guide has up to date information on accommodation,more walking notes, better elevation graphs and topographical maps to give some context. The maps are thanks to the work of another pilgrim Peter Robbins http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/

A summary of the route:
The way from Madrid to Sahagún designated by the Amigos de los Caminos de Santiago de Madrid was never a major historic pilgrimage route but there are documented accounts of pilgrims who passed that way. Regained from the Moors early in the Reconquest, Madrid grew in size and prosperity to become a medium-sized town by the time Felipe II chose it as his capital in the sixteenth-century. Its population and economy grew further and today Madrid is a major, modern, European capital city. With the renewal of interest in the Jacobean pilgrimage in the twentieth-century, especially its huge popularity in recent years, the Madrid Amigos decided to create this route to enable pilgrims from Madrid and central Spain to journey to the Camino Francés without taking transport. The route is about 320kms long and can be walked in about 12 days. However, Segovia, Simancas (for Valladolid) and Medina de Rioseco merit more than a brief visit.

The way is excellently waymarked throughout, so detailed walking directions are generally not necessary. Where they are needed Walking Notes have been provided in this Edition. Physically, the route is easy to walk. With the exception of the climb over the Sierra de Guadarrama, there are no hills or gradients of any significance. Graphs of the elevations throughout the route have been included in this edition, although these  are to be read with caution as they merely indicate the height difference between towns rather than being an accurate relief graph of the route.

Remarkably for such a direct route - almost a straight line from Madrid to Sahagún - there is virtually no road walking. The route uses footpaths, Vias Pecuarias (VPs), cañadas, farm and forestry tracks and even a short stretch of paved Roman road, and the paths are clear and well maintained. As a consequence, the journey is stress-free and one which lends itself to reflection and contemplation, a true pilgrimage route. But the corollary is that there are fewer towns, villages or pilgrims than on other routes with the exception of parts of the Via de la Plata, which the Madrid route closely resembles.

Buen Camino!

Guide: Camino de Madrid (Madrid to Sahagún)

Practical Pilgrim…a word about preparation

I was recently sorting out some folders on my computer when I came across a file of packing lists. I had collected these from different websites and people. Then I made my own. In fact I made several including a list for warm weather, a list for hot weather and of course a list for winter. I remember the hours I spent looking at these then assembling the gear on the list then laying it all out on the bed. Over and over again.

I’d read all of the advice given by more experienced pilgrims. There was a great variety. However one thing on which everyone was agreed was that rucksack weight should be kept to a minimum. Having read the advice I promptly ignored it. Not consciously of course. It was simply that I considered everything in my pack to be essential. Within a few days of starting my first pilgrimage I got blisters. Very painful, can’t walk another step, type blisters. Only then did I review what was in my rucksack. Before leaving I had been self-righteously proud of the fact that even although I had bought a sleeping mat I had decided to leave it behind.

What I hadn’t realised was that in my caution to prepare for all eventualities I had too many of EVERYTHING - including 2 torches in case one broke down and of course extra batteries. A thermos and powdered soup (for those bitterly cold days in Extremadura which were 2 weeks ahead of me!) That got left behind on the second day. A tin cup - for the soup of course!

I also took a little short wave radio to listen to the BBC on those long winter evenings when it gets dark early rather than spend all evening in the bar - whilst this was a good idea it soon became apparent that the rhythm of each day didn't work like that and I could work out my walking day so that I arrived at 6pm just before dusk.

I also had far too much in my first aid kit - in case I needed field surgery! And of course that little bag of "spares" - matches, clothes pegs, sewing kit etc. That actually took me another couple of Caminos to dump. The ubiquitous but in fact redundant and expensive Swiss army knife; a pencil AND a pen.

But to keep my weight down I planned to meticulously rip out the pages of the guide book and dispose of them at each stage!

Blisters are powerful teachers and I soon learned that light is best. But I could have avoided a lot of problems if I had just walked with my pack more in the weeks before my first pilgrimage began. Although I had been out walking for a couple of long walks, these couldn’t prepare me for the 8 hours walking day after day I was going to undertake with a fully laden pack. I now know that only regular walking including spending some full days with a rucksack on your back is the only way to build fitness and stamina and get your legs, joints and feet ready for the trial in front of them.

There are many ways to prepare for a walk such as the Camino. I recommend http://www.walkit.com/ for people living in the UK. This website is ideal for charting walking routes around the major cities of the UK. There are equivalents in other countries. Then there are the many routes popularised by the Ramblers Association http://www.ramblers.org.uk/. For those living near a UK or other European airport there is the opportunity to practice in Spain itself. If you have 3 or 5 days holiday you could walk to Santiago from A Coruña or Ferrol. Madrid is another obvious option. Spain’s capital is readily accessible and the Madrid route presents a very straightforward way of preparing over a few days for a much longer journey on another route. The slideshow at the top of the page will show you more of this wonderful route.

Wherever you live there will be walking opportunities. I keep discovering them. Although I’m a foreigner living in London for the last 10 years I still haven’t visited Windsor Castle or Hampton Court Palace. But I discovered a walking route that would take me right past them. The Thames Path is a 294 km trail from the source of the great river on which London stands. I’ve been exploring it recently and I think it turns out to be one of the best practice walks ever. For those in the UK this is a very accessible route which would be great practice for the Camino. For those travelling through London on their way to the Camino a stop-over in London would give time to try out the Thames Path.

To conclude. Practice makes perfect they say. When it comes to long distance walking, practicing walking including with all the kit you are going to take is the best way to ensure a pain free Camino.

I was impressed with the Thames Path trail. Here are a couple of stages to give you a flavour of it:

Itchy Feet

Arghhhh. October is gone and the diary for November is full. My plans to return to the Madrid route to finish the new Guide have disintegrated. That will have to wait until next year. As the rain hurls against the window this morning I was drawn to vivid memories of walking that route earlier in the year. Crossing the mountains again into Segovia to stand gazing at the Roman Viaduct will have to wait. But my feet are itchy to be walking again so I have hatched another plan! Next year is a Holy Year in Santiago. Whenever St James's day (25th July) falls on a Sunday, the cathedral declares a Holy or Jubilee Year. Holy Years fall every 6, 5, 6, and 11 years: the most recent one was in 2004. The next Holy Years will be 2010, 2021, 2027 and 2032. The Puerta Santa (Holy Door), which gives access to the Cathedral from the Plaza de la Quintana is opened on 31st December on the eve of each Holy Year, and walled up again a year later. (For more on the history of the Jubilee year, the plenary indulgence, and the Compostela document, click here.)
Next year over 5 million visitors are expected in Santiago and the Pilgrims' Office estimates that the number of walking or cycling pilgrims will more than double to 250,000. Local authorities and groups of Amigos are furiously preparing extra accommodation along the pilgrim routes to cope with these vast numbers. On New Year's Eve thousands will cram into the Plaza de la Quintana to see the wall being torn down and the Holy Door opened. It is considered great fortune to pass through the door on this night and to pick up a fragment of brick. In the summer Joaquin the organist in the Cathedral invited us into the organ loft to witness the ceremony on CCTV and to have a bird's eye view of the ceremony which follows. I've thought hard about this and decided I'd rather be walking. For me this is a better way to mark the beginning of this special year.

So the flights are booked and me and companero Esteban will fly to Madrid on 28 December after a punishing schedule of Advent and Christmas musical events. We will make our way North to Ponferrada and walk into Santiago by about the 7th of January.

This is the approximate itinerary:

Ponferrada to begin walking on Wednesday 30 December.
Wednesday - Vilafranca del Bierzo or Pereje.
Thursday 31st - O Cebreiro
Friday 1st - Triacastela
Saturday 2nd - Sarria
Sunday 3rd -Portomartin
Monday 4th - Palas de Rei
Tuesday 5th - Arzua
Wednesday 6th -Pedrouzo
Thursday arrive Santiago

Total - 211 kms. A good walk. I'll try to keep everyone posted as we go along.


The weather is unpredictable and on my last winter camino I got a very nasty chest infection. I also experienced freezing conditions in some albergues. So using the new Camino Travel Centre I've booked hostals along the Way for this trip. It was all remarkably straightforward apart from the fact that it is not yet clear where we will stay or eat on the last day of the year, the Noche Vieja, or for us two Scotsmen, Hogmanay. But one thing is sure wherever we end up the bar takings will certainly be boosted that night.

One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given was to treat winter walking in Spain exactly the same as I would in Scotland. The cold can be just as cold and of course in Galicia the rain and wind can be just as fierce. In saying that I've also needed sunscreen and had to roll up my trousers into makeshift shorts in January in Spain. So preparations have already begun selecting the gear. I expect the rucksack to be heavier than the 5kgs I managed to get it down to in the Summer but the target is no more that 7 kgs or so.

The key, of course, is good layering with lightweight but highly effective "technical" clothing plus an outer rain shell.

As I've mentioned before on the message boards for the last three or four years I've relied on advice and supplies from a really good company called Itchy Feet They have two shops, one in London and the other in Bath. They also have an excellent on line shop. This is a company run and staffed by experienced travellers. They try out the gear they sell and they know exactly what they are talking about.

Over the years I've always advised people preparing for their Camino to only go to suppliers during the week to avoid being served by inexperienced weekend temps. That may be true of other companies but with Itchy Feet I've always found the sales assistants interested, knowledgable and quick to seek advice from other members of staff if they don't know the answer to a question.

And it isn't all about sales or profits. I went to buy walking sandals before going to write the Guide to the Portuguese Route as I knew it would be very hot. Alex in the London shop waxed eloquent about sandals he had walked in in very rugged conditions. Alas they aren't made in the size which fits me best. I was going to make do with a slightly bigger sandal but Alex was quick to point out I'd run into problems. I plumped for a pair of cheaper Tevas that did the job just as well.

I have also noticed particularly on the American message boards a number of people recommending Patagonia raingear. The Patagonia range isn't particularly cheap but it is very good. The R2 Jacket is for me the rolls royce fleece and is indispensable. I also purchased a Patagonia Rainshadow jacket as an outer shell. It sat in the cupboard for nearly a year before I brought it out recently to try out in heavy rain. It felt good. But by the end of the walk I felt cold around the shoulders and when I took it off my shoulders were wet to the touch. Without really thinking more about it I found a couple of complaints on walker message boards about these jackets not being waterproof. I wrote to Itchy Feet asking if any other customers had complained of this problem. Within a few days I got a reply. No they hadn't but they would happily send the jacket back to Patagonia for testing and if shown to be faulty then they would replace it or offer a refund. Really good service.

But that got me thinking. Had I been too hasty to assume the jacket was faulty? Heavy rain was predicted all of this weekend in London so I thought I'd try it out again. First I stood under the shower for 15 minutes. I was dry under the jacket. Hmmmm. Then a brisk walk in the rain. After an hour or so I checked again. Yes - I was wet. Then it dawned on me. This was condensation not rainwater. I'm cold blooded so I always wear layers and have to take them off when I heat up. No matter how breathable outer shells are if you generate heat and perspiration - moisture will build up. This time searching the message boards I found reviews which said things like..."and the only time I felt wet with this jacket was from my own sweat".

Therefore on the second walk in heavy rain I properly adjusted the pit zips for ventilation and wore only one layer. Result: Less wet.

Lesson learned. Take my own advice and try things out properly. But thanks to Itchy Feet for great equipment and a speedy response.

Roll on Hogmanay.

Keeping going

Some letters in my in box this week have reminded me of the strength of the human spirit to endure in the face of great difficulty. Some people live with serious infirmity, pain and disability and yet their spirits soar. One of these pilgrim friends who tackled the challenges and went on to make several Caminos to Santiago has written to me about his experience. His story will appear here and I’ll send it to the Confraternity of St James hopefully for wider circulation.
Reading the correspondence again reminded me of the challenges of life that all of us face, some more than others. In many ways making the pilgrimage to Santiago is a symbolic walking of the road of life with all of its joys and pleasures, physical and mental challenges, its obstacles and set backs. The many different people encountered along the way.

Some people travel the journey of life until old age. Others are stopped in their tracks much earlier. The first of my contemporaries died tragically in the last week and maybe that has me thinking in this vein. But rather than dwell on those with short Caminos I’m trying to keep my eye on a more distant horizon!

That’s why I’ve been thinking about the long-livers in the Johnnie Walker dynasty. So far the women have lived well into their 90’s with the men like my father living well into their 80’s. By rights I should be walking for many years yet!

I’ve also been thinking about where people draw their strength. For my Dad, a working class man with no education, surprisingly it was poetry and literature.

When he died the priest at his funeral spoke of his last visits to him.” He was a quiet and unassuming man. He had no “if onlys” in his life. No regrets. Beside his bed lay the sources of his pleasure – the bible, the letters of Henry Root and Palgrave’s Golden Treasury of poetry. In these three the character of the man was revealed. Faithful to what he believed and the family he loved. The driest sense of humour. A deep and creative spirit. “

Some months ago on the outstanding blog of the Solitary Walker, I read his appreciation of the poetry of Worsdsworth. I’ve kept going back to the series of posts. For a poet who never walked to Santiago - as far as we know! Wordsworth has keen insights into this journey we make on our own:

Therefore let the moon

Shine on thee in thy solitary walk;

And let the misty mountain-winds be free

To blow against thee: and, in after years,

When these wild ecstasies shall be matured

Into a sober pleasure; when thy mind

Shall be a mansion for all lovely forms,

Thy memory be as a dwelling-place

For all sweet sounds and harmonies;

oh! then,If solitude, or fear, or pain, or grief,

Should be thy portion, with what healing thoughts

Of tender joy wilt thou remember me,
And these my exhortations!

A few weeks ago on the Route from Madrid there were many miles of endless paths to walk in the baking sun. I find the rhythm of walking in this completely open landscape very hypnotic. Balm for the mind and soul. The words of Wordsworth came back to me then and so too did the words of Seamus Heaney in his poem Keeping Going.

This was a work I was introduced to many years ago. Again I go back to its passages from time to time.

So here is the first and last stanzas for those who may be unfamiliar with it. Heaney wrote this about his brother who suffered from “turns” or “seizures”.

The piper coming from far away is you

With a whitewash brush for a sporran

Wobbling round you, a kitchen chair

Upside down on your shoulder, your right arm

Pretending to tuck the bag beneath your elbow,

Your pop-eyes and big cheeks nearly bursting

With laughter, but keeping the drone going on

Interminably, between catches of breath.

My dear brother, you have good stamina.

You stay on where it happens. Your big tractor

Pulls up at the Diamond, you wave at people,

You shout and laugh about the revs, you keep

old roads open by driving on the new ones.

You called the piper's sporrans whitewash brushes

And then dressed up and marched us through the kitchen,

But you cannot make the dead walk or right wrong.

I see you at the end of your tether sometimes,

In the milking parlour, holding yourself up

Between two cows until your turn goes past,

Then coming to in the smell of dung again

And wondering, is this all?

As it was In the beginning, is now and shall be?

Then rubbing your eyes and seeing our old brush

Up on the byre door, and keeping going.

And there we have it. Every pilgrim in their own way keeps the old roads open by walking on the new paths and sometimes in our Caminos whether on the Mesta or not, all we can do is keep going.

Keeping best until last

Castromonte - Medina de Rioseco - 19 km - Villalon de Campos - 30km

What a couple of final days this has been. Yesterday the route into Medina de Rioseca was very straightforward including the first road walking of any significance. That continued today for a few km but the roads were quiet and a path was available adjacent to the road.

In Medina de Rioseca we visited the most stunning Church of Santiago I have ever seen. Now a national monument it bears witness to the old devotion to St James on this route.

From a temperate start the afternoon got hotter and in the town centre the thermometer clocked 34 degrees. We visited the Oficina de Turismo to collect information for the new guide and the lady there was very friendly.

The restaurants kept traditional Spanish hours and the earliest opening we could find was 9pm. The Menu was very ordinary but for 3 courses including wine and bread at 11 euros who could complain? But the indifferent food and service was the opposite of a couple of days before when we headed towards the noise in a little pueblo to find it came from the one room bar/social centre. It was full of older men chatting and playing cards. Two women behind the bar were obviously in charge.

We ordered a couple of ice cold cokes and glasses of water. "Do you have anything to eat?" We enquired. Starving. "Tenemos peregrinos'' (we have pilgrims) we heard an older man announce in a stage whisper.

The woman behind the bar asked, "what would you like to eat? We don't do food here?". "We'll have whatever you can do.". We replied.
"We have to wait for the bread." She said solemnly. We waited.

A boy emerged through the curtain which covered the doorway with sticks of bread in a sack. Within 10 mins we were presented with the softest, freshly baked bread filled with an omelette. I know hunger can determine these things but this was one of the best things I have ever tasted.

After the pedestrian fare in the restaurant we were asleep by 10.15! 9 hours later we rose to breakfast at 8am. The thermometer read 14 degrees. Cool.

Breakfast was a very quick coffee, orange juice and piece of cake and soon we were on the road.

The lady in the Tourist Office had given us a little map which indicated two routes out of town. Proudly she had advised that we should take the new route which follows the canal. It was slightly longer, but she said it was worth it.

This turned out to be an understatement. We turned to the canal and the view was beautiful. We could smell the cool of the morning as a breeze rippled the water. Birds sang in the trees which shaded the path. We strolled, carefree for 10 km beside the water. What a start to the day.

Along the way we met the young pilgrim from Madrid again. Pablo is 27 and was walking this route "because I live in Madrid". His rucksack was heavy and he was walking in his regular trainers and socks. "But I only have one blister", he reported in broken English. We had seen him before over the days and lost sight of him frequently. "That's because I take the siesta in the shade every afternoon before walking to the destination". He explained. He was finding this route quite tough with its longer stages and lack of drinking fountains but he was enjoying the solitude. We discussed the dangers of walking alone on these long etapas and he said that he texted home every morning when he set off and every night when he arrived. A sensible measure.

We left Pablo to sleep under a tree in the afternoon and pushed forward into town. It was 34 degrees.

After showering and beering we went for a stroll.

We found the church door open and we followed the sound of baroque organ music inside. The church is a huge and magnificent edifice and there was an organist rehearsing for an upcoming concert. Alas the music stopped when the Mass began at 8pm and we heard the organist leave.

The priest didn't mess around and he gave the final blessing 17 minutes after saying the opening prayer! He looked a forbidding character but we went to the Sacristy for the sello as usual. "Pilgrims!" "From Scotland!" He positively glowed with welcome. "Musicians!" he declared half way through the conversation. He shouted a few instructions and soon we were shown to the organ loft. There was a visiting group of young people from Burgos who followed us up the stairs. One or two were musicians and soon one after the other we were playing our party pieces.

We thanked the priest profusely as he handed back our stamped credenciales. He had turned out to be the opposite of my first impression.

A little later the same priest arrived in the bar with a few worthies. He beamed across at us and then continued on his way.

A little later we called for the bill. "The priest has paid" said the barman.

I'm not often taken completely by surprise these days but a priest paying the bill for a couple of strangers was memorable.

It was a fitting end to this stage of our trip exploring the route from Madrid. Later today we visit Rebekah in Moratinos.

Change for the better

Coca - Alcazaren - 25 km - Valladolid

The 25 km or so yesterday to Alcazaren would normally have been an easy and attractive day. The route is substantially on sandy forest paths. But as the day progressed so too did the heat and by afternoon it felt extraordinarily hot. Although we had ample water supplies I've showered in cooler water than came out of our bottles. Lone walkers would have to treat this route with caution in winter and the height of summer. More of that another day.

As we had planned, after arriving we made the short 15 min bus journey to Valladolid. For the life of me I can't understand why the Amigos didn't plan the route to pass through this town. Perhaps they just continued their objective of creating a series of country walks and by passed it.

It is a lovely city with parks, fountains, the Cathedral and many museums and restaurants. There's plenty to do including a visit to the Church of Santiago pictured above.

Whenever I've stopped to enjoy a town or city on a route such as Merida or Caceres on the Via de la Plata I've thought of these days as "days off". I also hear other pilgrims using the same description. I think what we mean is breaking the momentum of walk - eat - sleep which day upon day forms the routine of most pilgrim journeys. Many pilgrims don't stop until they get to Santiago and plan their flights home according to the number of days to get there.

I also think that the pattern of albergues which has emerged particularly on the Camino Frances can also mitigate against visiting towns and cities along the way. I recently read a comment by a pilgrim that they "always just walked through Pamplona to get to that lovely albergue several km outside".

Pilgrims' accommodation was always meant as infrastructure, support, for pilgrims on their way. And yet nowadays moving from albergue to albergue has become the done thing.

It seems to me that this was not the case with the original pilgrims in whose steps we follow. Theirs was an essentially penitential journey and so they stopped to pray at cruceiros and shrines along the way or nearby and they certainly visited the Cathedrals, churches and shrines in towns along the route.

Pamplona, Burgos, Leon on the Camino Frances, Sevilla, Merida, Caceres on the Via de la Plata, Valencia, Toledo, Avila on the Camino Levante. These are the great cities of Spain. It is inconceivable to me that a medieval pilgrim making the once in a lifetime journey to Compostela would hurry past those great places they would probably never have the chance to visit again. So why should we? Rather we should stop and drink deeply of the rich spiritual and historical heritage of these places. It is also an opportunity to clean clothes, attend to blistered feet and prepare mentally and physically for the next stage. And we should ditch notions of doings so being a "day off" as a false application of a modern work ethic.

We could also try to thoroughly enjoy these visits - fun is also food for the soul.

When we arrived last night the thermometer on the wall read 41 degrees. The same thermometer this afternoon read 26 degrees. There's been a significant change.

So too it has been a journey of change for companero Esteban. I can testify to the fact that from St George's Hospital in London and that lecture from the doctor not a slice of Tarta de Santiago has passed his lips. Liquor de Cafe usually drunk in significant post prandial quantities has given way to thimblesfull of cerveca diluted with soda and he's now proclaiming that salad is his new best friend. I'm hugely impressed.

Over the next two days we will walk the last of two etapas before meeting Rebekah Scott with whom we will stay in the Peaceable Kingdom in Moratinos before heading to Santiago. Let's hope the weather stays cool until we get there.

The arrows have it

Segovia - Santa Maria la Real de Nieva 32km - Coca - 22km

The Madrid members of the Amigos of the Camino to Santiago have never claimed that this is an historic route. Common sense tells us that pilgrims must have passed this way over the ages and the authors of the 2000 guide found some evidence of this. We know that the Amigos charted this route as a kind of representation of what might have been.

And so this route feels different from others. It has taken me a wee while to work out what that is. Other routes follow the description laid out in the medieval Codex. Therefore if an industrial estate has been built across the route we pilgrims try to follow faithfully where the route would have been - through the industrial estate.

None of that on this Madrid Route. It has become obvious over these last 6 days that is has been designed for walkers by people who are themselves walkers. This is truly a "no roads camino" and each day has been a joy. In fact each day could stand on its own as a brilliant walk. Although albergues are popping up so that pilgrims can walk different distances if they wish I'm beginning to sense the personality of this route. I think it may have been conceived as a series of one day walks which run together - each beautiful and complete on their own. What I have been trying to do is identify where the cadences are.

The last few days are good examples. The stage over the mountains is arduous and long. But it felt right to arrive in Segovia. For me, whilst convenient, an albergue in the middle of no where en route just wouldn't make sense.

Yesterday to Santa Maria was also 31 km. The same distance as the previous day but totally different. It was smooth, gentle walking along some forest paths and miles of meseta surrounded by vast open areas, clear as far as the eye could see. Walking the long lines of the meseta brought that rhythmic pace which is almost hypnotic. What a contrast to the previous day. It was a long day as we tool plenty of breaks. Also we are coping well with the heat as our kit is less that 5kgs so we are carrying lots of water.

Today (and tomorrow) are shorter days at just over 20 km or so. The seem to naturally follow on. We set off this morning in glorious sunshine. The skies were cloudless. It was warm. Walking through some fields frequently led to miles of walking through shaded forests on white sandy paths. The blessed breeze followed us. Walking on sand can be tiring and Coca came at the end of a long stretch. 22 km today felt just right.

This Camino has been thoroughly and thoughtfully waymarked. The arrows have been painted and repainted. The experience of the arrow painter shows - they are right where they are needed. It is entirely possible to walk this route following the arrows. This raises the question in my mind whether with a route as well marked as this the Guide style of, " turn left at the oak tree and KSO for 1.5 km and turn right at the red house," is necessary or appropriate. Maybe all pilgrims need is a list of mileages between places and details of where to find food/water/bed with some historical information and of course: the arrows.

I need to think about this and get the opinion of others. But today, the arrows have it.

We arrived last night at a very friendly hostal. A man in the bar started talking with us. He said his idea of pilgrimage was driving to Santiago but he was very respectful and bought us a drink. "What are the three things pilgrims should avoid?" He asked with a twinkle. We shrugged. "Barking dogs, preaching priests and sore feet." He laughed.

Amen to that!

Up the rocky way

Cercedilla - Segovia - 31km

I woke up in the dark at 5.45am thinking about death. Specifically I was recalling my Aunty Maggie who would proclaim at every funeral, "ah well, we're all born to die". At the time I was young enough to believe that there was lots of time laid up in store and so I thought this was most peculiar. "Not so odd now, John," I thought to myself. No doubt the thought was inspired by the Mass in the Iglesia del Carmen last night. The Church was packed and the priest explained that the mother of the family present Maria Angeles had died a few days earlier. As is the Spanish custom they had buried her almost immediately. This was now the funeral Mass. I watched the faces particularly of the women. Stoic. As if set against the inevitable hurt that nature brings to everyone.

My mind was drawn then and this morning to another family in London who had lost their mum and buried her only a week ago. This is the loveliest of families made all the more painfully beautiful as they stood together, dignified and etched with grief.
It was an honour to be with them at the funeral and they remain very much in my thoughts.

Strangely though these weren't melancholic thoughts just some of the surprising array we experience walking these pilgrimage routes.

A breakfast we had prepared last night was consumed and we set off at 7.30am. It was fully light, the thermometer read 18 degrees and there was a light breeze. Perfect walking weather.

It took us about 2km walking gradually but steadily uphill to reach what appears to be the start of the measurement of the 31km to Segovia. This additional 30 mins walking doesn't really matter at the start of the day. It sure does at the end!

We ascended 650 metres in about 8km - steep but able to be walked at a steady rate. As we rose higher so did the sun. We were on forest paths then the old Roman Road. By 9am the path and the new day was bathed in sunlight. The mountain air was clear and cool. A final push and we were up. YES!

The sign confirmed we would walk a further 23km to Segovia. The route then proceeded to take us down gradually and gently through pine forests and open tracks. Then the final straight stretch right into the heart of Segovia.

The whole route is well waymarked and this is a stage to be enjoyed if a long day is planned as rests are needed.

And I never thought again about Aunty Maggie until I wrote this. She's still around of course!

Breezing through the valley

Mataelpino - Cercedilla - 12km

Today was relaxed. Only 3 hours or so walking and a stop for lunch after 7km in Navacerrada.

The route passed through lush valleys with cattle grazing. The sky was clear and the temperature hovered around 30 degrees. But there is change in the air and there was a balmy breeze all day. With plenty water we were very comfortable. This led the Big Man to invent a new verb: to breeze. He uses it the same as his other verb: to beer. So after a day of calling on the weather to "breeze me" he's now instructing me to "beer me".

The route was flat and very pretty today. This is all the more welcome as tomorrow we rise at dawn to cross the mountain with a rise of 650 metres in 8km then a further 23 into Segovia.

Today we also met a lone pilgrim who had also walked from Madrid. "Poco agua" was his only comment on the route so far referring to the lack of bars or fuentes. More ideas for the revision of the Guide.

Wish it was tomorrow :)

Sol y calor, las dos protagonistas hoy

22 km - Colemar Viejo to Mataelpino

"Sun and heat, the two central characters today", boomed the TV news commentator. Such was the unexpected spike in temperatures country wide bulletins reported Weather Alerts.

Yesterday was very hot. So much so after 15 km a cyclist in distress begged for water. We had little left but shared what we had. We could have walked on to buy more but the heat was breath stealing and the Guide told us we had 3 more hours to go in shadeless open countryside. When a bus came, we got on! I'll walk the stolen 12kms another time.

Arriving in Colemar Viejo the heat was worse. 42 degrees. Walking along the street to the hostal an elderly lady just collapsed in front of us. She went down with a crunch and lay there with blood flowing from a gash in her arm. We went to her assistance and fetched a shopkeeper who with some local women took charge. I hope she is ok, but I fear not.

With dinner and 8 hours sleep the world seemed better this morning. We set off at 8am having breakfasted well. We loaded up with 7 litres of water between us and set off in the relative cool of the morning.

The Guide, written in 2000 is proving to be remarkably accurate. As it predicted we were shortly into the countryside following frequent yellow arrows along pleasant country lanes. The weather was temperate and we drank liberally.

The Guide told us to look to the mountains ahead. We would eventually cross them. The weather forecast hadn't discouraged the joggers or sports cyclists and throughout the day they occasionally passed with a warm greeting. They were probably thinking "mad peregrinos" in the same way we were certainly thinking the same about them.

We were very touched when a man stopped his 4 wheel drive to make sure we were ok and had plenty water. He accepted our thanks but turned down my invitation to walk with us!

We stopped for lunch after a straight 4 hours walk to Manzanares Real. The thermometer in the Square registered 28 degrees. So, it was much cooler today.

We had thoroughly enjoyed the walking so far. Wide expanses of countryside lay in the shadows of the mountains. We left Manzanes Real with families paddling in the reservoir and set out again.

The route continued to be beautiful but poco a poco we noticed the temperature rising. As we walked uphill to Mataelpino it seemed as hot as yesterday. We stopped in the little main square. 40 degrees.
Time to stop.

As ever on these little used routes plans are dependent on the availability of accommodation. Our original intention of walking on either a further 7 or 12kms was ditched. Not in this heat.

We went into the bar. As we sat with an ice cold Coke the men at the next table struck up conversation. "Where were we from?", "where had we walked from", "where were we going?' When they heard we were undecided about next steps the four of them offered suggestions. Then the guys at the bar joined in. Then the barmaid shouted her opinion. Many alternatives were examined critically. Eventually a consensus emerged. We would get a taxi forward 12kms to a hostal and return the next morning.

We arrived in a jiffy. The room has a bath! A sight which gladdens every pilgrim heart. A long bath this evening and only 12 km to stroll tomorrow. Heaven.

Live from the Camino Madrid: The best laid plans of mice and men...

I quite like to plan ahead but my walking companero Esteban takes planning to a whole new level. At 6'4" he's the first of the three musketeers mentioned in a previous post a wee while ago. He's also got the sweetest Irish tenor voice and I've accompanied his for many years. Those musical exploits are another story.

I've discovered that having an obsessive planner involved in guide writing is invaluable. For a new guide in English we both been preparing. For me researching the original guide, contacting Javier in Madrid who is active in the local Amigos. Esteban planned the flights, where we would stay in Madrid, the route out of the city, the length of stages and accommodation. He also, as ever, checked the weather forecast many times. It will be a temperate 32 degrees max", he reassured me.

Then 2 days before departure he phoned me from hospital - "in for tests, told to take it easy, time for a life style change" is a summary of the conclusion.

So we've sensibly decided this trip will be a thorough recce for the new guide rather than step by step dictation of every arrow and hostal.

Just as well:

The flight was delayed 2 hours, we didn't get to sleep until after 2am then up at 7.30 am. Then it became clear that the 32 degrees was speculation - when we stopped after about 15kms at Tres Cantos the temperature was registering 42 in the street!

But already it is clear that this is a route full of promise. It is well waymarked and today was entirely off road. We started in the Plaza de Castilla then passing three huge fabulous modern buildings which followed us as we looked back throughout the day.

Then after only 6kms into open countryside. Beautiful. The route follows the wall of the huge walled estate Monte el Pardo, former royal hunting ground and residence of General Franco. It is vast.

As we passed Esteban remarked with typical Glaswegian understatement, " See that Franco guy, he was good to himself."

Well, quite!

I am now about to press "send" and I have no idea if this will work. If it does I'll try to post more in the days to come.

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Final decisions

Today is packing day. The socks are washed and the gear is laid out. It is like the photograph in the last blog: Thanks to those who posted comments and e mailed me. The point I was making is that we all find our own things which are light and comfortable and through trial and error we know what quanities of toiletries etc to take.

For those who asked for specific information. For the bigger items I use:

Osprey Atmos 50 rucksack - light and comfortable

Rab Top bag - lightweight sleeping bag - fantastic even in deep winter conditions. Use with a bed or mat.

Patagonia R1 Jacket - doubles as a fleece or worn on its own for early mornings. Multi purpose.

Patagonia rain shadow jacket - excellent with full armput zips.

North Face waterproof trousers - full leg zips.

I experimented with boots and shoes and three years ago settled on Salamon Mid ankle shoes - from the Sensifit range. They have a gortex lining and are very comfortable. I was considering changing them recently but the shop had the same pair in my size at half price. I didn't resist.

But today I have made a decision.

I've worn these boots over a couple of thousand kilometres but I know they aren't the best in the hottest weather. I've looked at the 10 day forecast. There is no rain predicted. It is sun all the way.

Therefore I have decided to take a new pair of Merrell Ventilator shoes instead of boots. They are the lightest I have ever worn and with lots of mesh they should be cooler.

Teva sandles will be my backup/evening wear.

I've taken a huge decision to leave the rain gear behind too. It isn't going to rain! Being Scottish this goes against the grain. It rains in Scotland. Particularly in Summer! You know what they say, "How can you tell it is summer in Scotland?" answer "the people wear sunglasses and carry umbrellas."

But I feel quite strongly that kit should be taken appropriate to the route. The weather looks good for the 10 - 11 days walking from Madrid. I'll take the risk.

The sleeping bag is replaced with a silk liner. I'm going to use hostals mostly and if I'm cold I'll use the merino wool base layer which I always carry.

Whilst this trip is purely to scout out the route as the basus for a new guide in English the notebook etc has been replaced with a digital recorder which is featherlight and records 1000 hours of dictation. That's what I use to record the route as I go along.

I've discovered through experimentation that one charge of my camera battery let's me take 300 photographs - I'm sure time would be an issue but I already know the charge will last for two weeks. I'm not taking the battery charger.

Also because I am only en route for 10 or 11 days I'll only take 1 razor which should satisfy the more observant commentators.

All of this plus 2 pairs of socks and liners and 2 pairs of underpants instead of the traditional three. Two quick drying tops, one to walk in the other sleep in plus hat and sundries make up the list.

So there it is. I'll soon be off. I got an e mail from a pilgrim the other days saying, "this is the lovliest route I have ever walked." We'll soon see...