Day 16 - Castrojeriz to Fromista - 26km

I was on my way before 7 and out of the town very quickly. It was not as cold as yesterday and the surrounding countryside looked lovely through the low-lying mist. The track soon led up on to the meseta again with a very long and very steep climb. I was really pleased with how my body coped with this strenuous start to the day, a few weeks ago it would have finished me off.

At the top there was a rest area where I stopped for some water and a snack and to admire the view back over the valley floor. The path from then on was rather rough and stony and it was about 8km to the first coffee. This was served for a donation by a man in a picnic area at a fountain called Fuente del Piojo (Fountain of the Lice). The name intrigued me, did lousy pilgrims bathe here?

I stopped for another coffee in the next village and to stock up with water as the following 10km were through an isolated area with no fountains or houses. It was a long hot walk to Boadilla where I rested in the shade and watched people using the water fountain. This was apparently the only water supply in the village and in order to get the water up from underground a wheel had to be spun very quickly. The pilgrims who came to get water were giving the wheel a few feeble turns and wondering why nothing came out until someone showed them how to do it properly.

After Boadilla it was another long hot walk mostly along a canal and then across a deep lock and into Fromista. Falling from some trees near the lock were what looked like wisps of cotton wool. It was like walking through a snow-storm and the illusion was perpetuated by the drifts of "snow" on the ground. In town it was very confusing as there were yellow arrows pointing off in several directions. Some private albergues were trying to sidetrack pilgrims to their doors so it was rather confusing trying to find municipal albergue and I had to ask the way.

After registering and leaving my things I went for a drink and saw Luis, the Brazilian who had been laid up with a badly twisted ankle. He had recovered well and was covering long distances as he was behind schedule. I decided to go out for a pilgrim menu that night and was given an enormous meal. I was the only customer in the restaurant so I felt a bit uncomfortable and didn´t dawdle. Back at the albergue I chatted to a Dutch lady in the next bunk. She and her husband were cycling the Camino and they had started in Holland. They had been on the road for about two months. I had to admire her as she must have been about 65 years of age if not older.

Most cyclists were rather a nuisance when you are walking along. You don´t hear them coming until they are right behind you when you suddenly hear a "Buen Camino" or the tinkling of a bell. You have to move to the side of the path rather sharpish as they swoop impatiently past and then make sure how many there are as they tend to travel in flocks and the ones behind assume you know they are there.

In Fromista there is the church of San Martin, built in 1066. It is supposed to be one of the most perfect Romanesque churches in Spain and has hundreds of carved figures around the outside at roof level. I tried to photograph it but unfortunately there was a wire barricade all around and I couldn´t get close enough which was very frustrating. Instead I went and sat in the shade (it was still very hot) in a lovely arbour in a square until it was time for bed.