The Way to Land's End

• Starting Point: Burgos
• Ending Point: Hornillos del Camino
• Daily distance: 12.92 miles (20.8 km)
• Total distance: 187.51 miles (301.77 km)

There is a saying on the trail that the first third of the journey is about the body. And I can attest that my body has been worked over through and through. Yes, I have become intimately familiar with each achy joint of my body, the tight muscles in my calves and the tingly numbness in my worn out toes. But, I have also come to know my body’s strength, vitality and resilience. And I am in amazement of its ability to adapt daily to the conditions I encounter. In the beginning, I honestly wasn’t sure how I was going to do this for 40 days. It is physically the most exhausting thing I’ve ever done. But now I know I can do it….and that is an awesome feeling. 

Now I am entering into the second third of the journey. The word on the trail is that this part of the hike is about the mind. The setting is called the Meseta. It is a central high plateau that comprises 40% of Spain and the elevation ranges from 400-1000m. Many people dread this section because the scenery is repetitive and plain. There are few trees and, during this time of year, open expansives of brown grass and dirt. During other times of the year, there is wheat as far as the eye can see.  The Meseta is known to have inspired spiritual mystics such as St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross. 

I was honestly a bit nervous for this stage. 

Did I really want to delve that deeply into my mind? Maybe those mystics weren’t really enlightened but mad?!? Or perhaps my mind is not so deep and I would just teeter on the edge of ennui and boredom for days. 

Well, it’s only day one on the Meseta but I can tell you that so far I am pleasantly surprised. The beauty of it is unique. The contrast between the dull landscape and the expansive sky is striking. Several times today I lost all sense of time while staring at the sky. It is mesmerizing. The clouds dance in front on you in their own ballet. I twirled in a circle and the 360 degree panorama made me feel so open and free. Apparently, wide open spaces make my heart happy. 

The temperatures are expected to soar over the next two days, so we will see how I feel about the Meseta tomorrow. It’s nickname is “The Spanish Frying Pan”, after all. But today was visually stunning and good medicine for the soul.