Camino Frances in 150 Photographs


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St Jean Pied de Port
Starting point for the 800-km
Camino Frances

How many pilgrims have passed
through this town in the last
thousand years?




























			Porte D'Espagne





















Refuge Orisson, approximately 3 hrs walking from St Jean Pied de Port.
A convenient stopping point for those who do not go as far as
Roncesvalles on the first day.






















The climb of the Pyrennes awaits.





















Vierge d'Orisson, one of the many Marian shrines
to Our Lady along the Camino.






















Col d'Ibañeta at 1,040 meters elevation, with a modern
chapel and a stone statue to Roland.





















The monastery at Roncesvalles. The albergue here is the first stopping
place for most pilgrims and offers really good accommodation.





















Puente de la Rabia medieval bridge over the River Arga
at the entrance to Zubiri.





















Trinidad de Arre bridge, on the approach to Pamplona.





















		Pamplona, made famous for the Running
		of the Bulls by Ernest Hemingway.






















			Pamplona Cathedral





















Heading for Zariquiegui






















Alto del Perdón, at 790 meters height, represents a stiff climb.





















	Romanesque Church of Santa María de Eunate,
	with ancient links to the Knights Templar.





















	Puente la Reina medieval bridge.





















	Looking back towards Puente la Reina.




















	Ciraqui, illuminated by the sun's rays.





















		Medieval bridge between Cirauqui and Lorca.





















An interesting weather vane in Lorca.




















	12th century Church of Santo Sepulcro, Estella.




















Fuente de Vino
Who can resist the temptation of a free glass of wine
even early in the morning when leaving Estella?





















Monasterio de Irache.





















		Cantabria Mountains.





















	Heading towards Los Arcos, after Villamayor de Monjardín.






















	Church of St Mary, Los Arcos.





















		Approaching Viana.






















Viana Iglesia de Santa María and the tomb of Cesare Borgia.





















			Town Hall, Viana.




















		Puente de Piedra, Logroño.






















	Santiago Matamoros, Iglesia de Santiago el Real, Logroño.






















			Leaving Logroño.





















	Distinctive trade symbol of a bodegas near Navarette.





















Ruins of ancient pilgrim hospital "San Juan de Acre".





















	16th century Church of the Assumption, Navarette.




















	A monument to Roland near Nájera. A stone hut shaped like
	a Frankish helmet commemorating Roland's fight with the
	giant Ferragut, nearby at Alesón.






















	The bridge into Nájera.






















		Monasterio de Santa María la Real, Nájera.






















	Tomb of a Navarrian King.






















Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada.






















	Detail of statues above the doorway.






















		Cruz de los Valientes.





















Approaching Redecilla del Camino.






















	Belorado.





















	Monte de la Pedraja, a tribute to the 36 victims assassinated for
	their political beliefs during the Spanish Civil War.






















	The Church and Monastery at San Juan de Ortega.






















Burgos Cathedral.




















		Tomb in Burgos Cathedral.






















	Santiago Matamoros, Burgos Cathedral.






















Arco de Santa María.






















			Statue of El Cid, Burgos.





















	You get a better class of graffiti in Rabé de las Calzados.





















On the way to Hornillos del Camino.






















	Hontanas.






















	San Antón Monastery ruins near Castrojeriz.




















Looking back towards San Antón Monastery in the morning sun.






















			Approaching Castrojeriz.






















	Iglesia de Neustra Señora del Manzano.






















	Unusual symbol on the walls of Iglesia de Santo Domingo in Castrojeriz




















			Looking back to Castrojeriz
			from Alto Mostelares.





















		Heading to Boadilla del Camino.






















		Ermita San Nicholás, Itero de la Vega.

















Puente Itero bridge over the Rio Pisuerga leading into Palencia.






















On the road to Boadilla del Camino.





















Some people hate the meseta, the high central plateau,
but it has a special attraction of its own.






















The Church in Boadilla del Camino.






















Albergue "En El Camino", an oasis for pilgrims in Boadilla del Camino.











































Ancient cross, Boadilla del Camino.





















			Resident storks,
			Boadilla del Camino.





















Along the canal to Frómista.






















	Romanesque San Martín de Tours Church in Frómista.






















		Saint James.



















Bridge over the Rio Ucieza near Población de Campos
The alternative route to the right through Villovieco
is much nicer than going along the road.






















The alternative route via Villovieco.

















Templar Church of Santa
María la Virgen Blanca,
Villacalcázar de Sirga.






















Villacalcázar de Sirga.






















		Iglesia de Santa María, Carrión de los Condes.






















		Albergue Espíritu Santo, Carrión de los Condes.





















The Roman "Via Aquitana" between Carrión de los Condes and
Caldadilla de la Cueza.





















Wide open fields with nothing for three and a half hours walking!





















Entering Caldadilla de la Cueza.





















	Albergue Los Templarios, Terradillos de Templarios.






















			Good facilities at the albergue.





















Crossing the Rio Valderaduey near Sahagún.






















	12th Century Ermita de la Virgen de la Puente.





















	The Church of San Tirso, Sahagún,one of the oldest
	Mudejar churches in the province of León.






















The Arch of San Benito, Sahagún.






















Leaving Sahagún by the Roman bridge over the River Cea.






















The walk out of Sahagún.






















	El Burgo Ranero.






















	Heading towards Mansila de las Mulas.






















	The town walls, Mansila de las Mulas.






















Mansila de las Mulas.





















The bridge at Villarente.






















		On the way in to León.






















León Cathedral.






















Calle Mayor, León.






















			Parador San Marcos, León.




		ó





















Bronze statue of a pilgrim outside of
Parador San Marcos.





















On the left is Casa Botines, one of only 3 Gaudi
buildings outside of Barcelona.


			San Isidoro, León.






















Palacio de los Guzmanes (1560-1572).






















			The Courtyard.





















Heading off across the paramo to Villar de Mazarife.



















	Puente de Órbigo.






















			Leaving Santibanez.





















Cruceiro de Santo Toribio.






















		Approaching Astorga.






















Astorga Cathedral.






















Palacio Episcopal (Gaudi's Castle), Astorga.






















Iglesia San Francisco, Astorga.






















	On the road from Astorga to Rabanal del Camino.






















			Rabanal del Camino.





















	Church of Santa Maria, Rabanal del Camino.






















Approaching the highest point on the Camino Frances.





































Cruz de Ferro, the highest
point on the Camino.




















			Descending to Acebo,
			enroute to Molinaseca.





















			Molinaseca.






















	Crossing the medieval bridge into Molinaseca.





















Early morning start enroute for Ponferada.






















Puente Mascaron, Ponferada.






















		Castillo de los Templarios, Ponferada.



		Capilla San Roque, Cacabelos.






















		Medieval bridge at Villafranca del Bierzo.






















Las Herrerias.





















Looking back towards Las Herrerias on the climb to O'Cebriero.






















Iglesia Santa Maria a Real do Cebreiro.






















		O'Cebreiro.





















Heading towards Triacastela.






















		Triacastela.





















	Path between Triacastela and Samos.






















Courtyard of Samos Monastery






















		Saint James.





















		Heading towards Portomarín.

















Crossing the River Miño into Portomarín. In the 1960s the Miño River was
dammed to create the Belesar reservoir, putting the old village of
Portomarín under water. The most historic buildings of the town were
moved brick by brick and reconstructed in the new town, including the
church.





















	Main Street, Portomarín.








































12th century romanesque church of San Nicholas,
sometimes referred to as San Juan or San Xoan due to its
links with the Knights of Saint John.





















A Galician grain store or hórreo.





















View from the Cathedral steps across Plaza Obradoiro towards
Hotel Reyes Católicos.






















	Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela.






















	Pilgrims celebrating their achievement on completing the camino.





































Image of Saint James
in the Cathedral.


	The swinging of the botafumeiro, a tradition
	every pilgrim wants to see.

















	And finally, below,
	The Compostela.