Day 17 - Carrion de los Condes to Ledigos

End of day 17 means halfway through in terms of time. Halfway through the distance comes tomorrow! Thanks to everyone sticking with me on the blog and for all those who have commented!! I love finding out I'm not just doing it for only me to read!!!

Today, we got up about 6.00am, had breakfast in a local cafe and were on our way around 7am.  Carrion was really beautiful and I ended up taking a whole bunch of photos as we walked out.

The start today was 16.8km without any towns, or places to get food. Fiona and Martin went to the supermarket last night for some snacks and we all made sure we had plenty water. Fortunately after yet another overnight storm it was pretty cool as we started. 

As we left the city of Carrion de los Condes, Fi spotted a credential on the path. Your credential is important as you need it to get your Compostela at the end. It is the evidence you have walked the Camino. You only really need 2 stamps and day for the last 100km but it is also said you need at least 1 per day before that. So to lose it is devastating! 

We have now completed the first side of ours, mine looks like this....

Anyway we picked up the lost one and kept walking. The rule is to pick up lost things and take them forward as no one goes back!!  Our plan was to ask around when we finally reached Ledigos and if not try some of the Camino facebook pages. 

Unusually for us, we caught up a young couple ahead of us!!! We asked if they had lost a credential, the girl immediately said no and the boy checked his bag and said yes! He had dropped it as he took his phone out to take photos!! He was delighted and we were relieved! And I told him to put his name and number in it as we could have called if he had completed those!! They were Austrian and very nice.

We are still on the Meseta, so the paths are long and straight and the view is crops all around.

After a snack stop at a picnic area we carried on and eventually reached Calzadilla de la Cueza. Sadly there was only a small shop open so we had a drink and kept going. 

We were on a pathe that followed a road from there to Ledigos, but it was scenic and almost traffic free and the weather was cool, so we managed it OK, apart from poor Mitch who continues to be plagued by blisters. 

The albergue here is very nice, we had drinks and shared a pizza and paella between us and Tess from Australian joined us for a drink. 

We then headed to our rooms to get ready for the pilgrim meal at 6pm.  Laurie and Tia (aka Tia Maria) are staying here too and so we ate on a table for six. It was a lovely evening and we were all done by about 8pm!! 

Today's route...