Richardson Rambles

Sharing travel experiences with family and friends.

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Here is the map of our 2022 Camino Frances:

The Camino Frances

The first video below is the complete collection of video blogs we created for our Camino Santiago, from Roncesvalles to Santiago de Compostela; a route known as the Camino Frances. We made these videos for friends who wanted to follow along with us. We’re not professional videographers, but rather adventurous nomads seeking to find out more about the world and about ourselves through our travels. Come along and see what a magical experience walking the Camino provides to anyone willing to try!

Below are the original video posts:

Madrid and Retiro Park
When we land in Madrid we usually head into Retiro Park for a long walk.
We took advantage of the absolutely gorgeous weather and made a little video to share our experience. We think it turned out pretty well given that it was our first ever. Kudos to Dave – our newly minted tech wizard!

Days 1 to 4 : Roncesvalles, Zubiri and Pamplona- Beginning our Journey on the Camino
Passing through woods where in the 17th Century witches gathered, through towns where Hemingway dallied, and over mountain peaks that tested our perseverence, we stopped along the way to appreciate nature and historic and religious monuments. This first Camino video is from Roncesvalles to Pamplona, a total distance of 28 miles.

Days 5 – 8: Pamplona to Puente de la Reina, Estella, Los Arcos, and Viana
We continue to explore Navarra, a traditionally Basque area, as we travel west along the Camino. We climb several Altos and contemplate structures and statues dedicated to saints, heroes, and humble pilgrims. We are rewarded with wine from a fountain “for the road” and see vestiges of Navarra’s Roman past.

Days 9 & 10: Viana to Logroño, and Tapas Crawl in Logroño: Along the way, we see the 13th-century Church of Santa Maria in Viana, (one of the most beautiful churches on the Camino), the 12th-century Puente de los Peregrinos (Bridge of Pilgrims) in Navarrete, and the remains of the 12th-century Puente de Piedra (Stone Bridge) in Logroño spanning the Ebro River.

Days 11 – 14: Logroño to León, Villar de Mazarife, Hospital de Órbigo, and Astorga: From Logroño to León we bypass the Meseta plain on a scenic high-speed train. In León, we stay at the Parador, a former Monastery dating back to the 16th-century. We continue walking west to Astorga passing through Villar de Mazarife, Hospital de Órbigo, and landmarks including the iconic Puente de Piedra bridge in León, the medieval bridge in Hospital de Órbigo, the magnificent Roman walls and the Episcopal Palace of Gaudí in Astorga, Spain.

Days 15 – 18: Astorga to Rabanal del Camino, El Acebo de San Miguel, Villafranca del Bierzo, and Herrerías: We take in stunning mountain views, and historical landmarks like the Cruz de Ferro where we leave a stone at the foot of the cross to symbolize leaving one of life’s burdens behind, the 14th-century Hospital de la Reina in El Acebo, and the 12th-century Church of Santiago in Villafranca del Bierzo.

Days 19 – 22: Herrerías to O Cebriero, Triacastela, and Sarria: We pass by the 9th-century Church of Santiago in O Cebreiro (one of the most important churches along the Camino), the 13th-century Monastery of Santa Maria in Sarria (the starting point of the last 100km of the Camino Frances, the minimum distance required to obtain the “Compostela”, a certificate of completion of the pilgrimage), and the 14th-century Castle of the Marquis of Triacastela.

Days 23 – 25: Sarria to Portomarín, Ventas de Narón, and Palas de Rei: We see stunning medieval architecture including the Monastery of Samos which dates back to the Roman era, the 13th-century Romanesque Church of Santiago de Barbadelo, the medieval bridge of Furelos, and the 12th-century Church of San Xoán in Portomarín, Spain. Neither rain nor crowds can deter our mission.

Days 26 – 28: Palas de Rei to Melide, and Arzúa: Passing through charming towns, beautiful landscapes, and historical landmarks, such as the 14th-century Church of San Tirso in Palas de Rei, the medieval bridge over the Río Furelos and 12th-century Romanesque church of Santa María in Melide, and the 18th-century Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Boat in Arzúa.

Days 29 & 30: Arzúa, to Amenal, and Santiago de Compostela!
Arriving in Santiago de Compostela and celebrating reaching our destination, albeit with bitter-sweet emotions. We have so loved this adventure and wish it would go on and on…

Day 31: Trip to Finisterre – “The End of the World”
For our last day, we explore the Galician coast to see beautiful seaside villages, the world’s largest waterfall into the sea, and the famous lighthouse on the western edge of Europe. This is the “Death Coast” from the large number of shipwrecks that have happened here.