I am now eight walking days into my Camino and as I sit here in Logroño, wine in hand, I have been casually flicking through my guide in readiness for tomorrow's leg. In the course of a couple of pages I can check the route, its distances and profile plus suggestions of where to stay for each stage of the journey. I am 20 pages through some 80 pages of these informative maps and words. Spare a thought then for the medieval pilgrim who had far less to guide him across the whole of northern Spain. This is the totality of what the Codex says:
'From the Pass of Cize to Santiago there are thirteen stages.
The first short stage is from the village of St Michel at the foot of the Pass of Cize, on the Gascon side, to Viscarret.
The second is also short, from Viscarret to Pamplona.
The third is from the city of Pamplona to Estella.
The fourth is Estella to Najera, of course by horse.
The fifth, also on horseback, is Najara to the city called Burgos.
The sixth is Burgos to Frómista.
The seventh is Frómista to Sahagún.
The eighth is Sahagún to the city of León.
The ninth is León to Rabanal.
The tenth is from Rabanal over the pass at Foncebadon to Villafranca del Bierzo, at the mouth of the Valcarce.
The eleventh is Villafranca to Triacastela, over the pass of Monte Cebrero.
The twelfth is Triacastela to Palas de Rey.
The thirteenth is a short stage from Palas to Santiago.'
Being at Logroño places me about half way along the fourth stage of the medieval guide. All I can say is: where are those horses...?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Final thoughts....
Some time ago Rob the Canadian asked me why I was doing the Camino. I told him that it was going to be a ‘booster’ to my faith in human natu...
-
Roncevalles Last night I ate the set meal in the hotel, which included wine. A group of four Austrians eating the same had a bottle on t...
-
As I lie on my top bunk during the small hours in the big dormitory of the San Juan albergue, listening to the gentle snores from around the...
-
Staying in a monastery seems to have its benefits. This morning we experienced what I can only describe as the miracle of Santa Clara: 5am c...
No comments:
Post a Comment