31 Belorado

The Pilgrim Albergue offers a variety of bed options at different price points. During my stay, I had the pleasure of choosing a single bed instead of a bunk, sharing the room with three other roommates, which was a delightful surprise. Upon entering the room, I was pleasantly surprised to find Rita already occupying one of the beds. After a couple of days, our paths crossed again, bringing together a diverse group of individuals. My other two roommates were Manica, from Texas, and Daniel,  from Germany.

It rained right after I checked in and Daniel informed me that it would take about a 40-minute walk to reach the town center. I decided to take it easy and enjoy the amenities of the Albergue. After a brief nap, I joined my roommates for dinner at the Albergue's cafeteria.

The Albergue itself was quite spacious includes a full-service bar, a restaurant with a large dining area, and numerous beds to accommodate larger groups of pilgrims.

For dinner that evening, four of us, including another young woman from Europe, gathered at the cafeteria: myself, Rita, Daniel, Monica, and Nikki who was from another room. Our dinner conversation ranged from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict to the governmental systems and social programs in our respective home countries, such as health insurance. Daniel aged 31 was taking a year off from work to embark on his second Camino journey. Monica, a 30-year-old schoolteacher from Texas, was enjoying her first Camino during her summer break. Nikki, a warm 25-year-old from Hungary works in hospitality industry.

Despite having met Rita a few times, it was during this gathering that she revealed her remarkable age of 77, a fact that was truly astonishing given her youthful appearance. I would have guessed her to be around 65, considering her brisk walking pace and vibrant energy. She had faced significant challenges, having lost her husband and one of her sons, while her surviving son battled illness. Remarkably, none of these hardships seemed to affect her demeanor. Rita impressed us with her multilingual skills and her dedication to learning Spanish on Duolingo, boasting an impressive streak of over 400 days. She also shared some captivating stories from her Camino experiences. Here is a photo of five of us in the cafeteria.

30 Day 14 Walking Camino- from Santo Domingo to Belorado

Day 14: San Domingo to Belorado, 22.67km

Villages passed: Santo Domingo de la Calzada -(7km)- Grañón -(3.7km)-Redecilla del Camino -(1.7km to)-Castildelgado-(1.9km)-Viloria de rioja-(3.5km)-Villamayor del rio-(4.8km)-Belorado

(June 12, 2023)

Today, as I left the Albergue, I walked past some vibrant murals and soon arrived at a picturesque bridge. Leaving the town behind, I reunited with Rick and Elena in the serene countryside and continued our walk together. That morning, both Elena and I wore some purple wildflowers on our hair for charming photo, and I couldn't help but admire our appearance.  Some how, the wildflowers makes me extra happy!  Elena loved them too! Along the roadside, I encountered a variety of wildflowers, some of which I had seen before on the Camino. The landscapes transformed with each step, offering a palette of colors that felt like something out of a postcard. 

On the way, we came across beautiful vegetation with large green leaves and white flowers. The roads were pleasantly uncrowded, with only occasional bikers passing by as we made our way.

We stopped for coffee break in Grañón.

Later we took another break in Redecilla del Camino where we briefly visited the post office and snapped some pictures with the pilgrim monument, a metal cutout symbolizing the Camino. Nearby, there was a charming water fountain where we refilled our bottles. Rick proudly showed me his custom-made water bottle, engraved with his name.

Redecilla del Camino marked our entry into Castilla y León along the Camino Francés and had historical significance as a stopping point for pilgrims in the 12th century. Two pilgrim hospices, one of them named San Lázaro, served weary travelers. The town's jewel was the Romanesque baptismal font in the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Calle, notable for its unique decorative theme which is detached from the usual motifs related to the Camino de Santiago and the influence of French Romanesque.

Leaving Redecilla, we continued through breathtaking landscapes, enhanced by the emerging sunlight, which made for even more picturesque photographs.

I continued my walk with Elena and Rick.  At one point, when one of us needed to go pee two of us would  be  on the lookout.  It was quite safe and easy since road were full of small bushes, and it was a relatively quiet day we did not encounter many pilgrims. 

Shortly before reaching Castildelgado, I unexpectedly ran into my former Polish roommate Adam. We hadn't seen each other in days, and our reunion was a joyful one. We took a few selfies together before parting ways. Adam informed me that he planned to stay in Castildelgado.

Our next destination was Viloria de Rioja, purportedly the birthplace of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, commemorated by a statue in the town. Unfortunately, his house did not survive the passage of time, but but the font in which he was baptized remains in the church. We enjoyed our lunch at tables outside the church, sharing bread, boiled eggs, and oranges. Rick showed us the meticulously planned book he had created for this Camino journey, detailing each day's route, starting and ending points, maps, and accommodations. Their journey was well-organized, while I, on the other hand took each day as it came.

As we left Viloria de Rioja, the temperature rose, and exhaustion began to set in. I made the decision to stop at the next town, Villamayor del Rio, and encouraged Rick and Elena to continue without me. They pressed on with their journey, and I ventured ahead alone. However, upon arriving in Villamayor del Rio, I discovered it was a tiny town without any Albergues. I continued walking until I reached the next town, Belorado, where I checked into the first pilgrim's Albergue I came across.

Me and Elena with wildflower on our hair

Arrived Grañón.

Elena and I walking with other Pilgrims (in the pilgrim monument)/Redecilla del Camino

Me with Adam

Arrived Viloria de Rioja

Statue of Santo Domingo de la Calazada

the font in which Santo Domingo de la Calzada was baptized\

Rick's homemade Camino book

Arrived Belorado!

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Grañón-Of the two monasteries which once cared for pilgrims in Grañón, only a single altarpiece remains. It is in the Iglesia de San Juan, which also houses one of the towns albergues.

Redecilla-Redecilla is the first town in Castilla y León along the Camino Francés and was an important stop along the way during the 12th century, when two pilgrim hospices cared for pilgrims.  One of them, San Lázaro, lends its name to the municipal albergue.

Castildelgado-Small town with little more than a church, an ermita, and a truck stop restaurant with a reputation for serving up some decent hot chocolate. The only albergue in town is also the first house you come to.

The town gets its name from the born-here Francisco Delgado López, before that it was known as Villa de Pun. Francisco served as the Bishop of both Jaén and Lugo and was one of the most respected Counter-Reformation theologians at the Council of Trent.

Useful reference website:

The Camino Francés in La Rioja | Camino de Santiago Apps and Maps (wisepilgrim.com)