Day 16 - From Fromista to Carrion de Los Condes. (And exhaustion)

After Ada spent the night comatose and Pat was stressed about a total inability to walk the next morning, the Hospitalalero turned on the lights at 6:20 am with a "Buenos Dias"  and reminder to exit by 7:30am. Somehow the cool of the morning brought renewed vigour to our steps.  

We stopped for breakfast in Poblacion de Campos. We thought we had ordered omelettes (solo) and got the "tortilla France's" in a half loaf of baguette each! At this point the pilgrims are discussing "too much bread"! It comes with everything! The bar owner was most obliging in seeing that his washrooms were supplied and even gave us tinfoil for the leftover baguette. 

We opted for the scenic path following the Rio Ucieza. At Villovieco we stopped at what looked like a kids summer sports camp for cold drinks/coffee and crossed over the bridge to continue the river path on the opposite shore. The shade was glorious! At the next bridge, we did our foot treatments (vasoline/Glide and air) on the ledge of the Ermita de la Virgen del Rio  (church). Ada found foot issues and knee stresses.

The last 5 kilometres to Carrion de Los Condes were absolutely brutal! We walked along the  roadway beside the pavement in the blazing sun, finding it harder and harder to lift our feet to complete the 20 km stage.  Knowing that the next day's suggested route was 26.8 km, with only one town break, and with no alberge booked in Carrion, we came upon a bus heading towards Leon. We bought the last two seats to Sahagun and booked ourselves into Domus Viatoris right beside the bull ring.  

The town is famous for it's three churches but because of the clay construction, many of the buildings are disintegrating. 

Alberge  - cyclist friendly

Bull ring 

Interestingly, this alberge was mainly a cyclists connection. We had the luxury of a half empty alberge (8 showers to ourselves).  We found a Farmacia for arnica cream and a tensor bandage.  The drugstores here thrive on pilgrims' blisters and sore muscles. 

We had an excellent Pilgrims' Menu and the owner's son helped us to book our bag delivery through Jacotrans to the next village, Bercianos del Real Camino.  Rest day here we come.