- Starting Point: Navarrete
- Ending Point: Azofra
- Daily distance: 14.17 miles (22.8 km)
- Total distance: 125.00 miles (201.17 km)
Today was a day of grapes. We walked through miles and miles of beautiful vineyards. There was a cool breeze most of the day and it was mainly a flat easy hike.
My feet are feeling much better. I’ve developed a kind of callus on my right heel. Laura read that it is a good thing. It’s protective and I should let it be.
My bag feels like a part of my body now. Over the past week, I’ve gradually let go of items I haven’t needed or used. I left behind a battery storage bank, my mini-keyboard, hair conditioner, small poetry book I finished, pen & small notepad, Spanish phrase book, plastic spork and traded out the extra pair of insoles I packed. My clothes are also becoming looser. I imagine all together I’m carting around at least 4-5 pounds less than what I started with. My body, especially my knees, are quite happy about that. I now consider weight in anything I pick up along the way. A snack? Hmmmm…do I really want to tote that for miles?
Around noon we passed through Najera and had a bite to eat. I selected an amazing goat cheese tapas with jamón (ham in Spain, but more like our prosciutto) and jam on it. It was delicious. The goat cheese here is top notch.
Upon exiting Najera, we climb a small pass and when we came through on the other side it felt as though we have been transported into the desert. The rocks were red, the plant life was scrubby and it was hot. And then the flies descended on us. We named it “Valley of the Flies”. We flicked our ponytails back and forth to keep them away from our heads. The flies followed us all the way into Azofra.
Azofra is a very small town with one albergue. It is a gem because all the rooms are double private rooms for only $10! It also had a small pool to soak your feet in.
We had dinner in a local restaurant with Cam (our dinner companion from the previous night) and Catherine from France. Catherine is a Camino veteran and recommends we stop at Ganon the next day. She indicated there is a special parochial albergue there where you sleep on mats in the bell tower of the church. We are intrigued and decide to adjust our plans to check it out.
The Way to Land's End 