86km
70 miles, St Jean to Estella
11
days
Easy–Medium
difficulty level
Max 10
women, fully guided
Welcome
Burgos to Carrión de los Condes
Hello, welcome to Camino Confidence and Beyond and thank you for showing an interest in our Camino Slow Stroll walk on the middle part of the Camino Francés, called the Meseta. It is sometimes known as 'the flat boring bit' in the middle of the camino, but I can assure you that it is not always flat and definitely not boring – especially not in the early summer, when wildflowers and poppies burst out of the fertile soil. This is the breadbasket of Spain; vast fields of wheat, oat, and barley spread out before us as we walk, and in autumn it is golden with sunflowers.
We start our 86 km walk to Carrion de los Condes in the city of Burgos, birthplace of legendary medieval knight El Cid and home to one of the camino's most beautiful cathedrals, a magnificent, UNESCO-listed 13th century masterpiece, constructed primarily using white limestone and crowned with delicate spires.
Why women walk with us
Pilgrims walk the Camino for many different reasons, be it to reconnect with the church, search for a spiritual experience, walk in someone's memory, search for answers, take time to reflect or simply for the fitness benefits. Whatever your reasons, it will definitely challenge you both physically and mentally. We have walked with women who have experienced the death of a loved one, a devastating divorce, loss of their roles due to children leaving home but also women looking for adventure, excited about discovering Spain and the Camino, determined to make the most of this exciting time of life. We look forward to you joining us for what will be an unforgettable experience.
Our groups of no more than 10 women come together from all over the world with one common goal - to follow their dream to experience the Camino. Over 11 days, with a manageable average daily walking distance, you will walk close to 90 kilometres, over 50 miles, with the added support of a circle of like-minded women who will share these moments with you and encourage you to keep going.
On this journey you will be walking, talking, eating and laughing with pilgrims of all ages, from all over the world, sharing your joy and tears with strangers who soon become friends. The Camino can be a deeply emotional and spiritual experience – there will be moments of joy, excitement, trepidation, happiness and hilarity, but also discomfort, even sadness – and many find this shared experience will create a bond for life.
We openly encourage you to enjoy every moment of your Camino, whether you walk with the other members of the group or choose to walk alone and meet up with the group in the evening. It is important to us that you walk your Camino your way, see the Camino through your own eyes, but all the while aware that your luggage is being transported, your accommodation is booked and there is a guide to help you.
Our guides will share wonderful stories with you about the Camino, its rich history and fascinating legends to help you to fully immerse yourself in this wonderful experience.
As Founder and Guide at Camino Confidence and Beyond, I am so proud of the women in these groups. It gives my guides and I great pleasure to see them come together in the WhatsApp group, helping each other, booking activities together, often even arranging to travel together to and from the start and finish point. We observe as their confidence grows every day as they become a unit, often becoming such good friends that many come back to walk with Camino Confidence and Beyond time and time again.
For a full itinerary please contact Carol Alexander-Price by email contact@caminoconfidence.com.
Some facts about this wonderful route
A little history along the way
The Meseta is an elevated plateau covering about 40% of the Spanish mainland and is often called 'the breadbasket of Spain'.
Excavations in a cave complex in Atapuerca, just outside Burgos, have found remains of a previously unknown human ancestor, Homo antecessor (Latin for 'pioneer man') which lived in the area from 1.2 to 0.8 million years ago. The finds are presented in the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos city centre.
The monastery of San Antón, near Castrojeriz, once specialised in treating people suffering from Saint Anthony's fire, described as 'the loathsome rot' and crueller than the Black Plague.
The Camino Francés is often divided into three parts, testing and building in turn the body, the mind, and the spirit. Starting in Burgos and ending in León, the open landscape and wide views of the meseta are said to turn the pilgrim's attention inward to create a state of profound calm and peace.
Is a Camino Slow Stroll for me?
Do you enjoy walking with like-minded women? Do you prefer to walk reasonable daily distances at a more leisurely pace? Are you happy to share private accommodation within the group? Then a Camino Slow Stroll is definitely for you.
What is a Camino Slow Stroll?
Slow Strolls are mindful fully guided walks along various stages and routes of the Camino de Santiago.
They are usually between 7 and 14 days long.
Difficulty level is easy/medium.
The daily distances vary between 10 and 15 kms.
They are designed for small friendly and supportive groups of women.
Your luggage will be transported so that you can relax without the strain of carrying a heavy backpack.
You will be offered two online meetings prior to walking to help guide you on issues such as what to pack, what equipment to buy and other tips. You will be added to a dedicated WhatsApp group where you can get to know the other walkers and the guide and have a chance to coordinate your travel.
Our route
Day by day
1
Arrive in Burgos
Burgos is the gateway to the meseta, the wide open fields in the middle of the camino. It is a beautiful city, rich in history and also offering anything a modern pilgrim could want. No matter what time you get there, you will have a whole day to look around tomorrow.
When you arrive, your guide will meet you and check you into your hotel with comfortable twin ensuite rooms. After a short informal meeting where the guide will provide information for the journey ahead, we'll go for lunch, dinner, or maybe a late tapas crawl together, and you can start to get to know the rest of the group.
2
Exploring Burgos
We know some of you will have travelled far to get here and might need a day to relax, so we've added a day for you to explore the historic town of Burgos at your leisure. Your guide will help with any directions and information. No visit to Burgos is complete without a wander around the old town, and we highly recommend a visit to the stunning cathedral and the Museum of Human Evolution. Take time to saunter along the esplanade, explore the narrow streets, and let's meet up for a leisurely lunch to get to know our fellow walkers. In the evening you can go to pilgrim mass before meeting the group for dinner before our first walking day.
3
Burgos ➜ Tardajos, approx. 10.8 km (6.7 miles)
Your pilgrimage begins at the front of the cathedral, and from there your guide will lead you through the busy city streets and onto a quieter trail through the suburbs. We'll head out into the countryside to the small village of Tardajos, where we'll be staying in a small guesthouse with twin ensuite rooms, a small restaurant and a garden to relax in after our first day.
4
Tardajos ➜ Hornillos, approx. 10.2 km (6.3 miles)
On our second day we'll have another relaxed walk through the rolling fields and really enjoy the scenery. The trail offers some great views from the highest point, and as we arrive in Hornillos, we are rewarded with a nice lunch. Your guide will check you into a nice rural pension with twin ensuite rooms and a restaurant on site.
5
Hornillos ➜ Hontanas, approx. 10.7 km (6.6 miles)
The trail winds deeper into the open countryside to the town of Hontanas, hidden in a shady hollow rather than on a hilltop. The name means source or fountain, and these days you can enjoy a visit to the small spa in town where you can rinse off the meseta dust. Our accommodation is a small, but comfortable restored stone house, where we'll stay in twin rooms with private bathrooms.
6
Hontanas ➜ Castrojeriz, approx. 9.5 km (5.9 miles)
From Hontanas we have a fairly easy walk on narrow dirt paths, quiet country lanes and tranquil trails edged with colourful wildflowers either side. We will pass the ruins of a 12th century monastery now housing a basic Albergue, and arrive in the charming town of Castrojeriz, with an intriguing castle on top. The group will be accommodated in twin ensuite bedrooms in an old, rustic guest house with a small restaurant downstairs.
7
Castrojeriz ➜ Itero de la Vega, approx 11.2 km (7 miles)
From open countryside the camino now moves up and over one of the few hills on this route, providing stunning views of the meseta landscape in both directions, before meandering through the fields towards the small town of Itero de la Vega. There are a few Albergue's here and usually more pilgrims than locals. We'll be staying in a rural hotel, in twin ensuite rooms, and there will be a pilgrim menu available in the evening.
8
Itero ➜ Boadilla del Camino, approx. 8.3 km (5.2 miles)
This will be a short day because there is no place to stop for coffee or lunch. Our destination of Boadilla del Camino is a typical meseta village and has long been a firm pilgrim favourite due to its oasis of an Albergue. We will arrive early, giving you some free time which you can choose to spend relaxing and reflecting, catching up on journalling or laundry, or even lounging by the pool in the Albergue next door, run by the same family. We'll be staying in twin ensuite rooms in the hotel, which also has its own restaurant and offers a pilgrim menu as well as a la carte.
9
Boadilla ➜ Frómista, approx. 5.8 km (3.6 miles
This is our shortest day, and one of the prettiest ones, as we follow the narrow 18th century Canal de Castilla towards the town of Frómista, with two notable churches and a fabulously comfortable hotel, where we will be staying.
10
Frómista ➜ Villalcázar de Sirga, approx. 13.7 km (8.5 miles)
On this stage we'll follow an alternative trail alongside a little brook to get what little shade we can. After a stop in a little oasis in the middle of seemingly nowhere, we will soon see the very large, fortified church in Vilalcázar de Sirga rising up over the flat surroundings. We'll stay in twin ensuite rooms in this small, typical meseta town, and enjoy dinner together on the penultimate night of your very special journey.
11
Villalcázar ➜ Carrión de los Condes, approx 5.9 km (3.7 miles)
On our last day we will walk a relatively short distance, joining the crowds of excited walkers heading into this historic town – the next stage is 17 kms long with no facilities, so Carrión de los Condes is a very popular stop. But for us, this is where the journey ends. We have arrived, well done, everyone! Time to put our packs down and our sandals on and enjoy the last day with the group.
We'll be staying in twin ensuite rooms in a hotel on a lively square in the old town, with a wide choice of bars and restaurants nearby.
Since we will arrive fairly early, you will have time to walk around and really soak up the atmosphere in the stunning old town. Your guide will be able to advise on the must-see landmarks and will book a table for a long leisurely lunch or dinner to celebrate your achievement with the group.
12
Onward travel ➜
What next? From Carrion de los Condes it's easy to get to Sahagún, the exact half-way point of the Camino Francés, and from Sahagún there are frequent trains to León, one of the biggest cities on the camino and considered the end of the meseta – and from León there are excellent transport links by road, rail and air.
If you joined us with the aim of carrying on towards Santiago from here, we hope to have given you the tools, insight, experience and confidence to keep going – Buen camino!
The details
What's included
What is included
12 nights shared good standard accommodation sourced and personally checked by Camino Confidence and Beyond
Luggage transported from accommodation to accommodation
A friendly guide with extensive camino experience and good local knowledge
Advice on travel and logistics within Spain
Your credential (pilgrim passport for stamps) and scallop shell for your backpack
Two question and answer zoom meetings
What's not included
Health or travel insurance
Travel to and from start and finish point
Food, drinks and snacks (allow 35-50 euros a day)
Taxis, buses and incidentals not included in the itinerary
Tips for guides
We recommend travel and medical insurance. If you choose not to take out an insurance policy then you will be ask to complete an option out form.
Good to know
Everything else you need to know
We will stay in a variety of excellent standard accommodations from rural hotels, rural houses, apartments and city hotels. All accommodation is selected by and approved by Camino Confidence and Beyond.
As a rule, you will be accommodated in twin rooms with private bathrooms. You can choose who you would like to share with, or your Guide will allocate rooms. Very rarely, due to the remoteness of some of the stops, you may have to share a larger room or dormitory, but we always ensure that the accommodation is good!
Many people ask us if they have to walk as part of a group, and the answer is that it is entirely up to you. We usually like the group to walk together on the first day, just while they familiarise themselves with the terrain and signage, but after that, we at Camino Confidence and Beyond encourage you to see the Camino through your own eyes and walk it your own way.
What most women enjoy about walking as a group is the camaraderie, and the fact that they have company for evening meals and extra activities if they wish. Please bear in mind that taxis can be organized for you should you require extra support.
During your Camino you will meet up with your guide each day to have a chat about the day's events. You can discuss how you found the route, how you feel physically and mentally and any issues you may have.
We will also take a look at the following day, the weather, the time you prefer to start walking, organize any taxis required, decide what to carry, point out where the facilities are along the route and confirm what time you can check in to our next accommodation.
Communication will be via messaging app WhatsApp, and there will be two dedicated private groups. One is for general chat, where members of the group can keep in touch and even share photos. The other is for specific information like links to accommodation – the group will have read-only access to this, but only the guide will be able to post.
Although we do not expect you to walk a Camino before walking the Camino, we highly recommend that you take steps to prepare yourself both physically and mentally. Even though this part of the route is not overly difficult, there are some steep ascents and descents and a strong body, and a positive mindset will not only help prevent injuries, which could result in you ending your Camino early, but it will also enhance your enjoyment.
The cost of transporting 1 bag each of no more than 18 kgs or 40 lbs is included in the price. If you require more than one bag to be transported, this can be arranged at your own cost. Your guide will provide a label and zip ties to secure the label to your transported bag.
You must not attach anything to the outside of this bag, or you will be charged extra, and although the transport company is reputable, I would not transport anything of value or very fragile. If you have to transport a CPAP machine or anything else that is necessary for your trip then make sure they are wrapped up carefully in your luggage.
Try to make your luggage as obvious to you as possible with perhaps a bright coloured ribbon or luggage tag. The bags must be left where instructed by your guide before 08.00 every morning and are guaranteed to arrive at the next accommodation by 15.00 at the latest.
Be aware that it is your responsibility to get your bags to your room from the drop-off point and to return them the next day. Please bear in mind that not all accommodations have lifts so you may be required to carry them upstairs.
There is free WIFI available at all of our accommodations and also at cafés and bars on the route.
As a rule, meals are not included in the price, but occasionally our accommodations do include breakfast in the price, please check with your guide. This is to offer you more flexibility to eat what you want, when you want. There are plenty of cafés and restaurants on the route with lots of choice on offer, as well as supermarkets where you can buy fruit, snacks and water. Spanish stores and most eateries will also have some gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options.
While we highly recommend that you prepare physically for this walk, we also understand that life happens and you may need a little more support.
There are bus routes along the Camino, but in some areas, buses are few and far between, so any such travel arrangements need to be made as far in advance as possible. The same applies to taxis — a limited number are available, so should you need one, you must alert the guide the night before at the latest, so that she can reserve one for you. Please note that taxis cannot be flagged down in the street.
It is customary to tip a guide in Spain if you are happy with their service, however it is not obligatory. If you do choose to tip, the amount you tip is entirely up to you, but around 10 euros a day is a good guide.
It is also customary to tip waiters, local guides etc. if you are happy with their service, 10% of the bill is recommended if you are eating, if you are just having a coffee then it's normal just to leave the difference – for example if it's 1.40 euros and you only have 1.50 euros, leave the 10 cents.
We are here to help you. You will be provided with a range of information including what to carry and what to transport, how to prepare physically, tips on what backpack or footwear to take etc. All you need to do is ask. Camino Confidence and Beyond is a small bespoke company, and we are proud to offer you very friendly and personal experience.
