Camino Francés week 2: A mental & physical challenge | Travel journal

The second week on the Camino Francés is quite a challenge: both physically and mentally. How to continue? Read all about it in this travel journal.

In March 2025, I am walking the Camino Francés from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela. Along the way, I am keeping a daily journal. These are my stories from the second week. Did you miss the first part? Read it here: Camino Francés Week 1: Getting used to it and beautiful encounters.

Camino day 6: Alone vs. a group

I did not expect to sleep well in a municipal albergue, but I wake up feeling rested. Yes. After a healthy breakfast (there is a refrigerator, so I was finally able to have yogurt again) I head out. As soon as I leave the urban area, I pass the famous Fuente del Vino, a fountain where you can tap wine. I take a sip, but it does not taste great at 7:30 in the morning.

That is also where I meet Chris from Germany. He is making a documentary about the Camino and has a drone with him. So far, he is the only person I have met who is carrying a heavier backpack than I am, and I have a large camera and a laptop with me. We walk together to Azqueta. This tiny village actually has a bar that is open. Time for a tortilla and a café con leche.

And what do I find? Dutch games, Dutch licorice, Cup-a-Soup, and stroopwafels. It turns out the owner is Dutch and walked the Camino a few years ago. He found love in this little village of fewer than fifty inhabitants, took over the old bar, and turned it into a cozy stop for pilgrims coming from Estella. By the way, the bar also has a jukebox with songs by the Snollebollekes, famous for their Dutch carnaval hits. Who would have thought.

After an hour’s break, I continue on my own. I feel the need for it. I hardly see anyone for the next few hours and walk alone along an endless country road through green hills. I slowly start to reflect on what the Camino will bring me. For example, I have now made friends with people who have completely different political views than I do. I did not know that was still possible in these polarising times. And I notice that, as an introvert, I actually feel quite good in a group of pilgrims. Normally, I always need time alone after too much social contact. But here, I have not really felt that need.

After a short break on a bench in the middle of nowhere, I am suddenly no longer alone. I join a large group of people, almost all of whom I already know. They are not talking much, and sometimes that is exactly what you want. Just before we reach the village of Los Arcos (which is beautiful, by the way), the group naturally drifts apart. That too is part of the Camino.

In Los Arcos, I drink coffee Jacqui and then walk the last few kilometres to Sansol. Apparently, this is one of the nicest hostels on the Camino, and it really feels like a celebration. I know almost all the other guests. My early Camino friends Johannes and Patrick are here too. A big pan of paella is being made for dinner, and someone is playing guitar while everyone sings along. The atmosphere is wonderful. I am so glad I walked the extra kilometers to be here.

• Kilometers today: 29
• Kilometers total: 147
• I stayed in: Albergue Sansol – Spacious dormitory and good atmosphere.

Camino day 7: Bluuuuugh

A little before four o’clock I am awake and I cannot manage to fall back asleep. So I am the first to leave and I step out the door around a quarter to seven. I am greeted by dozens of cats. So cute!

Within the first five minutes I already feel that this is going to be a tough day. I am feeling a bit down and I am walking much slower than usual. Unfortunately, it is part of the journey, and I remind myself: every step I take is one step further. When the sun slowly rises above the horizon and I walk among the grapevines, I feel a brief moment of happiness. How wonderful it is that I can do this.

My mood changes again just a few minutes later. I suddenly walk through what looks like a memorial, with pictures of people who have passed away, ribbons and personal objects. It feels like I can sense the sadness of those who left them behind. I even tear up a little.

For the rest of the walk, my mood stays unpredictable. The big city of Logroño has been visible for hours, but it feels like it is taking forever to get there. Along the way I only see one pilgrim I do not know, and no one else at all. This is the first day I am completely alone. In the picturesque village of Viana, I stop at a café for coffee and a tortilla.

From there, thankfully, things go a bit more smoothly. I cross into La Rioja. After a week, I have officially left the Spanish region of Navarra and I walk into Logroño under a lovely afternoon sun. I can fortunately check in at my hostel right away and go in search of a laundromat to do my laundry.

As I sit waiting for the dryer to finish, I start to feel a bit nauseous. Back at the hostel I make myself a cup of tea and prepare a sandwich. I probably just need to eat something. One familiar face after another walks in. I chat a little, but meanwhile my stomach is starting to turn. I manage to finish the tea, but I only eat a few bites of the sandwich. I crawl into bed at five in the afternoon. Not much later, everything I ate comes back up. Yuck. This really was not my day. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

• Kilometers today: 22
• Kilometers total: 169
• This is where I stayed: Winederful Hostel & Café – Very nice hostel in the center of Logroño. The beds have curtains and there is a small kitchen.

Camino day 8: Bluuugh part 2

It is a restless night. I wake up often, but just as often fall asleep again. In the morning I feel at least a little better than the day before, so I get up in good spirits. The apple I have for breakfast goes down without a problem. I do not feel well enough to go out for breakfast, so I hope I can find something along the way.

Around eight o’clock I set off. I think all the other pilgrims have already left. Most of them are heading to Nájera, about thirty kilometers away. That is probably too ambitious for me today, but fortunately there are places to stay at twelve and eighteen kilometers, so I have options.

It takes me a while to get out of Logroño. The city is a lot bigger than I expected. It also starts to rain lightly. This is the first time I have walked in the rain on the Camino. For a long stretch I walk through a city park.

Of course there is no shop or café in sight, so after about six kilometers I take a break at a public toilet building, together with a cheeky squirrel. It is the only dry spot I can find. Luckily I still have some cookies in my bag, so I snack on those. Things are not going very well yet, I feel like my stomach still has not quite settled.

Next comes a climb. Normally that would not be a problem for me, but today it is brutal. Especially with the added mud, it is really tough. I feel awful.

So I am incredibly relieved when I arrive in Navarrete around eleven o’clock. As soon as I enter the village, I decide: I am not going any further today. After a cup of tea in a café full of pilgrims, I look for an albergue and check in straight away. I treat myself to a private room and spend the rest of the day in bed watching tv shows. A lazy day, but I am still fourteen kilometers closer to Santiago than I was yesterday.

(By the way, I heard I was not the only one with stomach issues. There must have been something in the water or food.)

• Kilometers today: 14 (according to Strava, 12 by the book)
• Kilometers total: 183
• I stayed in: Albergue El Cántaro – A good place to unwind.

Camino day 9: The sunshine is back!

I sleep like a log and feel so much better. I have a big breakfast and leave around 7:30. The route is not very interesting today, as it mainly follows the busy A12 freeway. Every now and then, trucks pass right by me, although luckily there is a fence in between.

After five kilometers I have a choice: continue along the highway or take an 800 meter detour through a village. I choose the detour, and it turns out to be really beautiful. There are lots of artworks along the path and I no longer notice the highway at all. In Ventosa, a bar has just opened. Perfect timing for a break with a cheese sandwich and a cup of tea.

I notice how much my mood has improved as I step outside again. At that exact moment, the clouds break and the sun shines full in my face. I walk on with a big smile. This really lifts my spirits. It is still quite cold today, around three to five degrees Celsius, but as long as you keep walking in the sun, you barely feel it.

For miles I walk through vineyards. Not surprising in La Rioja, since if the region is known for anything, it is wine. By 11:30 I am already standing in front of the albergue in Nájera. Far too early, as it does not open until two. I hesitate for a moment. Should I keep going?

Unfortunately, the next place to stay is fifteen kilometers away, and I do not feel fit enough for that. I wander through town for a while and then check in at two, along with Peter from Hong Kong, who is also far too early.

It is a donativo, so you decide what you pay (with a minimum of six euros), and to me it is the best municipal albergue so far. Very spacious, good beds, a nice washroom and even a kitchen. I am lucky to be assigned the first bed by the door, so I have no neighbours at all.

After a few hours of relaxing, I head into town to visit the large monastery. This is the resting place of the kings of Navarre and is built into a cliff. In the cave behind the church, someone once claimed to have seen Mary. There is now a slightly odd statue there to commemorate it.

Together with Johannes and Wojta from the Czech Republic, I enjoy a nice pilgrim meal in a typical Spanish café. It feels so good to be feeling better again. I am really looking forward to doing a longer walk tomorrow.

• Kilometers today: 17
• Kilometers total: 200
• This is where I stayed: Albergue municipal peregrinos de Nájera – Run by friendly volunteers.

Camino day 10: Many kilometers ánd snow!

It is a big snoring fest in the albergue, but miraculously I sleep well. I set off well before seven, planning to walk 31 kilometers today, and I feel really good. The path out of Nájera is beautiful, with red rock formations, vineyards, and above it all a bright full moon.

In the first village, five kilometers in, there is actually a café open. Perfect for a second breakfast. Then I take off like a rocket, put my music on, covering one kilometer after another along a long unpaved country road. The visibility is great today. I can see dots of pilgrims in front of me and behind me. There are a lot of people on the trail. I wonder what it will be like in the busy months of May and June.

It is quite cold again, and around Cirueña it actually starts to snow. Much better than rain, since it does not really get me wet. Still, it feels pretty special. I cannot remember having snow before on any long-distance hike. In Cirueña, there is a bar called Jacobeo. Of course I have to stop there as an almost namesake. After that, I walk for a while with two other pilgrims: Yoshi from Japan and Fabio from Italy.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada is the biggest town of the day and has a beautiful historic centre. I do not really feel like sightseeing though, so I keep walking. I feel great today, and my legs do too.

Once again I cross a regional border: from La Rioja into Castilla y León. This is the largest region along the Camino Francés, so it will take a while to walk through it. A little after three o’clock, I arrive in the tiny village of Redecilla del Camino. There is a small inn here with very good reviews, and I wanted to see it for myself.

Yoshi and I are the only guests and we are completely spoiled by the owner, José. He talks endlessly about all the special people he has met and serves us a delicious pilgrim meal — vegetarian especially for me. I barely notice any tired legs. It is such a lovely place to relax.

• Kilometers today: 33
• Kilometers total: 233
• I stayed in: Albergue Essentia – Small inn run by José, incredibly hospitable.

Camino day 11: Easy peasy

It is a bit of a puzzle getting to Burgos. Few albergues are open, and the ones that are either fall in the wrong places or have bad reviews. Together with Yoshi I decide to split the route to Burgos, which is over sixty kilometers, into three sections. That way we have three relatively easy days. After that I will increase the daily distance a bit, otherwise I will not arrive in Santiago on time. I am not stressing yet though, it should be doable.

After breakfast at the albergue – which we added last minute because it is Sunday and we do not expect many places to be open along the way – we head out. It is freezing cold and there is even a thin layer of snow on the mountains and rooftops. It is the first time I put on my gloves. We walk from one tiny village to the next, regularly bumping into Jose from Mexico and Gene from the US. Apart from that, it is quiet in terms of hikers.

After about six kilometers we pass a small bar run by a Colombian owner who is just taking pão de queijo out of the oven. I know them from Portugal, they are a Brazilian snack, so I quickly order one. The Colombian version is a bit sweeter and larger. It tastes great.

Belorado is the biggest town on today’s stage, but even here all the stores are closed on Sunday. We duck into a café and order a few things from the display case. Every single one of them is incredibly delicious. This is also the last place before Burgos where you can withdraw money, and since I only have ten euros left, it is kind of necessary. I pay for almost everything on the Camino with cash, since most albergues do not accept cards – or at least not the ones I choose to stay. The first ATM is broken, but luckily I find another one. Now I have enough to last me a while.

The trail finally turns away from the highway – we have been walking next to it for most of the morning – and climbs steadily up a quiet country road through the green hills. With the sun shining, it is truly enjoyable.

By 1:30 we arrive at the albergue in a village with just forty inhabitants. Again, Yoshi and I are the only two guests. There are two bathrooms, so we each get our own. What a luxury.

The rest of the afternoon is relaxed, and for dinner we are served no less than four courses, with lots of vegetables and fruit with yogurt for dessert. Look at me eating healthy for a change, haha!

• Kilometers today: 21
• Kilometers total: 254
• This is where we stayed: La Taberna de Espinosa – Small but nice, run by a hospitable family.

Camino day 12: -5 degrees, full of sun

I slept wonderfully in my almost private hostel. It is really cold when we step outside, only minus five degrees Celcius. Still, bundling up too much is not really necessary. The sun rises higher and higher in the clear blue sky, and at times it even feels quite warm. In any case, the landscape is beautiful with the thin layer of frost.

After only three kilometers we duck into a café for breakfast. All the locals who come in after us greet us with a “buen camino.” People in these small villages are generally incredibly friendly.

After Villafranca, a nice challenge begins: a steep climb and twelve kilometers through the forest. I think this is the longest stretch so far without any facilities. It even reminds me a bit of the Arizona Trail.

The trail, apart from a few muddy parts, is not particularly difficult, so we arrive in San Juan de Ortega quite soon. Nothing is open there at all, but we run into Jose and Gene and continue walking together for the rest of the day. The final stop is Agés, one of the prettiest villages on the Camino so far. It is a great place for lunch, and the last two or three kilometers to Atapuerca are really a breeze.

In Atapuerca we stay at a lovely new hostel, with real beds and even curtains for privacy. Unlike the previous albergues, it is a bit busier here, with as many as eight guests, including Johannes and Jacqui. It is nice to see some old friends again. We chat, relax, eat something and go to bed early. A wonderfully peaceful day. It almost feels like a holiday.

• Kilometers today: 21
• Kilometers total: 275
• Where I stayed: Hostel La Plazuela Verde. A new, nicely decorated hostel with firm beds and curtains for extra privacy.

Week 2 on the Camino was truly an ordeal, both physically and mentally. But as always, I recover and can continue my Camino without too many problems. I think it is going surprisingly fast, and life on the Camino is much more fun than I expected. On to week 3!

Keep on reading: Camino Francés week 3: The infamous Meseta

Read more about the Camino de Santiago

Looking for more great stories or Camino tips? I wrote these articles about the Camino de Santiago.

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• Camino Francés stages explained: route planning & where to stay

There are also great books full of stories of experience. For example, the books below are great fun to read.

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The Walk of a Lifetime: 500 Miles on the Camino de Santiago

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