Information about stage 15: Stage from Boadilla del Camino to Carrion de los Condes
| STAGE 15 |
KM 24.6 |
TIME 05H 20′ |
Itinerary
- Km 0. Boadilla del Camino(Shelters. Bar)
After a final review of the decorative watermarks of thejurisdictional scroll and theNuestra Señora de la Asuncióntemple, which, incidentally, exhibits an interesting baptismal font, we leave Boadilla del Camino along Calle Mayor to take a path that, shortly and after the last ships in the town, turn left and advance towards theCanal de Castilla.This engineering work was conceived by the Marqués de la Ensenada (1702 – 1781), an enlightened statesman and politician.The purpose of the fluvial network of canals, built between 1753 and 1849, was to transport the Castilian cereal to the Cantabrian Sea by means of barges pulled by draft beasts.It worked until the implantation and regularity of the railway left it in disuse in 1959. Since then it has conducted irrigation and supplies the riverside populations(Km 1.8). Our path continues parallel to the Canal for more than three kilometers and reaches a set of locks that at this point allowed the boats to save a drop of more than fourteen meters(Km 5).We cross to the other side of the Canal and enter the urban area ofFrómista.In the center there is a tourist information point and the valuableRomanesque church of San Martínthat is worth a visit and, of course, some photos.It looks like a model, such is the perfection of its scale and its forms.It was built in the 11th century thanks to the patronage of Doña Mayor de Castilla and is made up of three naves, 46 capitals, an octagonal dome and two cylindrical towers facing west.
- km 5.7.Frómista(All Services)
After this artistic license we resume the previous itinerary and head towards the P-980 in the direction of Carrión de los Condes.You have to get around a couple of roundabouts, placed between the bridge over the A-67 motorway, to take a not very comforting path that runs parallel to the road.Jacobean cairns, mathematically aligned two by two;the fast rolling of the cars and our fellow “bicigrinos” and the seeded plain that seems to have no end are the only elements of distraction throughout the section.The first town to come out to meet us isPoblación de Campos.
- km 9.2.Population of Campos(Shelter. Rural Tourism Center. Bar. Shop)
At the exit, before crossing theUcieza river, those who want can take the alternative variant that runs through Villovieco and ends up connecting with the official path.The others, after crossing the river, resume the monotonous path to the next town of Campos.
- km 12.6.Revenge of Campos(Bar)
We cross Revenga by the road, which coincides with General Amor street, and we pass next to thechurch of San Lorenzo, which shows its tower conquered by stork nests.At the exit the andadero awaits again, which brings us closer to the nearbyVillarmentero de Campos.
- km 14.7.Villarmentero de Campos(Hostel. Rural Tourism Center. Bar)
Small population with a bar at the entrance and a rest area at the exit and in the shade of some stone pines.As a marker we continue toVillalcázar de Sirga, a town that is crossed on one side but that deserves a careful visit (Km 18.8).
- km 18.8.Villalcázar de Sirga(Hostel. Hostel. Bar. Shop. Los Palomares Interpretation Center)
In the square stands the great Templar church ofSanta María la Blanca, built at the end of the 12th century in transition from Romanesque to Gothic.One must not leave without taking a look at the south portal, which presents aPantocratorsurrounded by the Evangelists and Apostles on a pointed arch with rich archivolts.Those who spend the night in Villalcázar (those who have started from San Nicolás de Puente Fitero or Itero de la Vega will have covered 27 kilometers) will be able to appreciate how the last lights of the day turn the church gold. We leave Villalcázar de Sirga to return to our beloved walkway.In this final section, it breaks the horizontal line with the occasional insignificant slope.There are no surprises untilCarrión de los Condes, the end of the stage.On the banks ofthe Carrión River, it was once a walled city structured into two divided neighborhoods.As in the 12th century, various hostels, shops of all kinds and churches, such asSanta María del Caminoand Santiago – whose figure of thePantócrator has already become an icon– accompany the pilgrim’s passage through Carrión.
- km 24.6.Carrión de los Condes(All Services)
Difficulties
- Without difficulty: The distance is affordable and the unevenness insignificant.Between the lowest point (777 meters of altitude at the exit of Población de Campos) and the highest (850 meters between Villalcázar and Carrión) there is only a 73 meter difference.
Observations
- In all the locations of the stage we can find at least one bar where we can recharge our batteries.Frómista, with about 900 inhabitants, and Carrión de los Condes, with more than 2,000, have all the services.
- At the exit of Población de Campos we can take the Villovieco variant, before crossing the bridge at the end of the town we have to take the street on the right, less monotonous than the official one and which takes us through said town to Villarmentero de Campos or to Villalcazar de Sirga, extending the stage by one kilometer, but in exchange for a pleasant walk next to the Ucieza river instead of the andadero next to the road.The variant is signposted,
- InVillalcázar de Sirgathere is an interestingInterpretation Center of the Palomares de Castilla, with a cafeteria (menus with prices for all budgets).It is located just upon reaching the town, to the left of the alternative Camino de Santiago that leads from Población de Campos to Villalcázar next to the Ucieza river.They open every day from Easter to November 1, starting at 9:00.Telephone:653 91 66 00.http://www.palomardelcamino.com/
What to see, what to do
- FRÓMISTA: The beautifulRomanesque church of San Martín, from the 11th century and commissioned by Doña Mayor de Castilla , stands out above all the monuments .Arriving at the center of the town, the first thing that is appreciated are its three apses and the original octagonal dome.On the other side are the two cylindrical towers, rare to see in Romanesque art.In the Plaza de Tuy is theparish church, dedicated to San Pedro, Gothic and with a Renaissance façade designed by Juan de Escalante.In addition to being a parish, it houses a museum with sculptures, pieces of goldsmithing and the 29 tables of the main altarpiece of the church ofSanta María del Castillo .Some of them were stolen, later recovered, by the notorious art thief Erik the Belgian.Next to the church there is also an ethnographic museum that shows a tour of the different professions and trades.In thechurch of Santa María del Castillothere is a 3D multimedia tour that lasts 35 minutes, calledVestigia, which walks through the history of Frómista and the Camino de Santiago.Extensive information about the project and this town in Palencia can be found atwww.vestigia.es.www.fromista.com.
- POPULATION OF CAMPOS: Population of Campos was themost important command that the Order of the Hospital of San Juan had in Tierra de Camposalthough currently there are no vestiges.In the shade of a grove, at the entrance to the town, is the smallhermitage of San Miguel(Romanesque from the 13th century).Worth mentioning are theparish church of La Magdalena, from the 16th century and three naves, and thehermitage of El Socorro, from the 13th century and in a transitional Romanesque style, which houses a polychrome carving of the Virgin.
- VILLALCÁZAR DE SIRGA: Popularly known asVillasirga, it wasthe headquarters of an important Knights Templar command.All the attention is captured by the church ofSanta María de la Blanca(13th century), a Templar church-fortress that belongs to the transitional Romanesque.It has three naves and the imposing portico shows great sculptural wealth.Inside is theimage of Santa María to which Alfonso X the Wise dedicated several of his cantigasDe él.
- CARRIÓN DE LOS CONDES: Its name refers to the Counts who ruled the two neighborhoods of the city when the Christian kingdoms arose.Carrión de los Condes was the feudal seat of the powerful Beni-Gómez family, historical rivals of El Cid.It was the home of kings, played a fundamental role in the founding of Castile and was a prosperous medieval city that once had 12,000 inhabitants (2,231 today), 12 churches and 12 hospitals.The church of Santa María del Camino has a sober Romanesque portico in which the tribute of the hundred maidens is staged.Thechurch of Santiagohas a magnificent portal where 22 figures – in their archivolts – show different trades and Above them – in the frieze – the twelve apostles are represented, presided over by anextraordinary image of the Pantocratorthat overwhelms the pilgrims.The monastery ofSan Zoilo, now converted into a luxury inn, preserves a magnificent Renaissance cloister.