Belorado to San Juan de Ortega
Day 12 Belorado – San Juan de Ortega – 24km
As has been the way for the last few days the Camino Frances hugs the N120 for the most part of the day. For some reason this day has always been one of my least favourites. I found myself having to walk along a particularly open and hence noisy part of the road.
For the first half of the day there are villages to stop and have coffee or food; however after Villafranca Montes de Oca there are no villages to buy take away food until the next day in Ages. There is a café in San Juan de Ortega, and not a very friendly one either – they have a captured customer base as they are the only one.
Most of the day is easy walking until you leave Villafranca where the route starts to climb into the Montes de Oca. The climb can be steep a times and it is un-pleasant if it is raining as the path will turn to mud quickly. The one saving grace are the trees where shade is available for this part of the Camino. The day starts at about 800m and climbs to 1150m then back down to 1000m.
I have not stayed in the albergue in San Juan, but all reports I have heard are not good. It is run by nuns who by all accounts are rather strict and hot water is in very short supply. There is a small plot of grass to the side of the albergue to camp.
What to see:
- Tosantos – Ermita de la Virgen de la Pena – built into the side of the hill
- Church of Santiago – Villafranca
- The Monastery Church – San Juan
