Camino Francés Stage16: Boadilla del Camino.

Camino Frances, Canal lock at Fromista

Trail Notes

Camino Francés Elevation

The Meseta is hot, with little shade and endless flat horizons.

• Quick Snapshot

  • Distance: Approx. 20–21 km(12.8 - 13.1 miles

  • Terrain: The trail starts off with a steep climb; the descent opens up to the open fields of the Meseta

  • Difficulty: Moderate

  • Time: 4-5 hours

• Food, Water & Stops

  • Alto de Mostelares (approx. 6 km from Castrojeriz): A seasonal white food truck at or near the top.

  • Fuente el Piojo (approx. 7.5 km from Castrojeriz): Natural drinking fountain on path. I would use bottled water if it has been raining.

  • Ermita de San Nicolás de Puente Fitero (approx. 9.1 km from Castrojeriz): Water and basic stamp/rest hospitality may be available. There is a small hostel.

  • Itero de la Vega (approx. 10.8 km from Castrojeriz): bar/café, a supermarket selling bocadillos, fruit, and snacks.  NOTE: Itero de la Vega to Boadilla del Camino is an exposed, shade-free stretch of about 8.1 km with no intermediate services,

• Where to Stay

  • Hotel Rural el Camino 45.00€

  • Juntos Albergue de Peregrinos 18-45€

  • Hotel En El Camino. 50€

  • Special Note: If you don't want to stay in Boadilla del Camino or Fromista, stay in Población de Campos at Hotel Casa Rural Amanecer en Campos!40-55€. It is a beautiful little hotel with great food. and wonderful rooms. Personal recommendation

  Nearby essentials: cafes

• Tips for Future Pilgrims

  • This town is famous for its stork nests.

  • Recommend a UV shirt.

  • This is where layering and merino wool are handy.  It's cold in the mornings and hot in the afternoons. You will be peeling off your layers as the day gets progressively hotter.

  • You may think flat is easy; for me, the daily repetitive motion on the same set of muscles was harder on my body than the mixed-elevation trails on the Camino Frances.

  • Kinesiology tape (K-Tape): If you have a foot, knee, or achilles heel that is bothering you, buy Kinesiology tape (K-Tape). It’s available in every pharmacy on the Camino Francés. You need to know how to apply it for specific problems. Google or search YouTube for instructions. I promise—it will save you!

Journal

The Meseta was empty — I think a lot of pilgrims skip it, and I understand why. The flat fields wore on my body more than any of the mixed terrain before it. Hours on a straight, flat trail leave you nowhere to hide from your own thoughts. The Meseta shows you who you are — the identities you have been throughout your life. To view the truth of your life is to stand apart from it, to see the consequences of every thought and action, good and bad. You can't outwalk any of it. This is where you finally set down the things you've kept hidden. -That Eva!

• Your packing list post

• Your “Start Here” post