Day 16 - Fromista to Carrion de Los Condes

We leave Fromista ready for a down pour but it didn't come.

Last night we found a really nice newly converted barn that had a bar and restaurant that just did salads and French bread meals, it was amazing, and dirt cheap. Bringing home a few recipes.

The Hostel as I said was little, Tony said he would probably sleep in the sink as it was bigger than his camp bed.

The Camino in front of us today follows a road and is predicted to be the most boring of all our walks.

We pass through Poblacion de Campos and this is just about all there is in this tiny village.

Interestingly they force the trees to grow like this and join then together to make a sun shaded walk when in full foliage.

Oh and him. No idea who he is though.

We stop for a drink in Villarmentero de Campos, a strange little road side bar that played English rock music.










We then found a detour route that ran along side the river, this was brilliant as it took us away from the boring road.

We stopped here and had our picnic and laid in the unexpected sun shine next to the river. Marvellous.

You can just see Tony playing with his blister plasters again.

We rejoined the road again for the next 6km into Carrion.













We can now see Carrion de Los Condes which occupied a strategic position in this volatile border area and at the height of its influence had a population of in excess of 10,000 now reduced to 2,300.

This interesting town retains its medieval atmosphere within its meandering side streets and was home to no less than 14 pilgrim hospitals.

We arrive at our stop for tonight. It's called “Real Monasterio de San Zoilo”

It's a converted monastery from 11th to the 16th Century connected with the Order of Cluny (which I think has something to do with the Benedictine monks, need to look that one up) and largely influenced by the Renaissance period including the splendid Plasteresque cloisters.

This is the view from my room widow, a monks dormitory.

The spender of the architecture can not be captured on film, it is quite unbelievable that these master pieces were constructed 900 years ago.

This is a second inner court yard that we found while wandering around the many corridors.

Like this corridor that encircled the cloisters of the court yard below.

This being that inner court yard (at dusk).

This is the now the Hotel entrance which the camera does not do justice.

Tomorrow we have a 30km hike to Terradillos and back to roughing it in a Hostal but with our batteries recharged.

They forecast rain tomorrow, nice.