San Nicolas del Real Camino to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos

Thursday 19 May 2016 - Day 22

San Nicolas del Real Camino to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos - 21km

A 7am start, after a banana for first breakfast, outside our albergue. Already pilgrims were moving past, having made a pre-daylight start from places we passed through yesterday afternoon. I felt strong as we made our way alongside the highway in the beautiful dawn light.

The path here was quite rough underfoot, but nothing could prepare us for what was to come. Here's me with Helen when we still had energy to pose for photos.

We left the highway and made our way via a lovely bridge and parkland into Sahagun, which was quite a large town. We found a fabulous cafe/ bakery and proceeded to have cafe con leche and something delicious. I couldn't decide, so had two somethings...yum! Found Basil indulging as well, I think he'd been there a while. Always craving my homemade toasted granola at breakfast...have managed to find some sort of cereal only about three times.

Our way continued alongside the highway for around 3.5km, before we turned off the main Camino path and took an alternate route along the original Roman road via Romana (Trajana).This was my suggestion, as a means to avoid the highway walking. As we took off into a very desolate area I began to doubt my decision.

Once we got going though we loved that we had the way to ourselves, with no other pilgrims in sight. The only people we saw was a delivery guy and two fellows doing maintenance work in a tiny overgrown pilgrim rest area.

The day warmed up and the track surface was incredibly hard and uneven. My feet and legs started aching. I stopped to check a hot spot on my right foot and realised that I now have a similar between the toe blister happening there too...bugger! Also have a couple of big ones developing on the outsides of my heels. Will it never end?

Helen, Steve and Jackie seemed to power on, though we were all feeling it. This 8.5km stretch was tough, but parts of it reminded us so much of home...red earth, scrubby bush and a riot of wildflowers. Loved seeing deep purple lavender bushes edging the road.

The funniest thing we saw was a smallish derelict swimming pool right beside the road, literally in the middle of nowhere. We could see our destination in the distance and as usual it took forever to get there. I was struggling by then and had dropped behind the others, though still in sight.

We arrived by lunchtime at our albergue accommodation, Via Trajana. What a beautiful place...a true oasis. Helen and I are sharing a lovely little room with bunks and our own bathroom for €15 each. Lunch and cold drinks came before showers and some serious stretching and downtime. Can see distant snowy peaks from this town.

Helen and I took off for a look at the town, hoping in vain to find a pharmacy. Instead we found, with the help of two young Aussies staying at the municiple albergue, the one small store in town. What an unexpected delight, both the goods and the experience.

The tiny shopkeeper was a great salesman, producing boxes of the most amazing sweet treats to tempt weary depleted pilgrims... all done with a proud knowing smile. After I'd organised yoghurt, a banana and an apple I then HAD to have a profiterole that melted in my mouth, and the most amazing cookie I've ever eaten... all for €1.40. Can you believe that?

Had a salad dinner at the local bar and am hoping for a good sleep. Did my feet before bed. This all takes about 20 mins to have everything ready to go. Usually prepare my feet before bed to save time in the morning. Didn't have my usual l foot dressing materials tonight so had to improvise. Had run out, in what has to be the only town in Spain with no pharmacy! Both feet look like this. Picture does NOT show how they feel!

Tough day ahead tomorrow, with about 17km of isolated walking before finding the highway again.