“So, how do you like this lovely sunny Spanish weather?” This comes from a young man who has moved up beside me on the road out of Carrión. With a shrug of his arms, he moves quickly on, at a young man’s pace, and leaves me to ponder his question. He is referring to the cold wind blowing into our faces, damp and dark and biting. The guidebook describes today’s section as being “flat and somewhat featureless”. It also says that there is little shade. I think it means from the sun.

As I look after him, I can’t help but wonder about this Camino. This seemingly endless procession of people, young, old and everywhere in between, moving westwards. Ever westwards. Just people walking. To what? To a challenge? To a decision? To enlightenment? It’s amazing how many will say that they have just given up their job and are looking to the Camino for guidance on what to do next. Or for what God has in store for them. All walking. Westwards!

There is nowhere to stop for 18 kms, so we hike on to Caldadia for a long slow lunch. We deserve it! When eventually we get back on the road, everything seems better. It’s warmer. It’s dryer. The feet feel better. The kms shorter.

As we approach San Nicolás del Real Camino, we notice that we are in Hobbit land. Yes, real hobbit houses! I ask the girl at the albergue about them and it turns out she lives in one. She proudly shows me pictures of the inside. It’s a funny old world!

Oh and by the way, today we passed the halfway mark. Not that we’re counting, of course. Not half!