Leslie Gilmour

The earliest references to El Burgo Ranero is from 1126, there are a few interpretations of the town’s name: one is the town of frogs, … Read more

A pilgrimage is a term primarily used in religion and spirituality of a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a … Read more

The hotel attendant walked me down a very long, wide, immense stone hallway and showed me to my room. It was just what I needed! … Read more

The patron saint of the village is Santiago and the local parish church is dedicated to him. Inside it has one of the most warlike … Read more

Santo Domingo de la Calzada is named after Saint Dominic, (pop. 6,700), and has been declared a site of historic interest. The tourist office is … Read more

San Juan de Ortega is a tiny hamlet with a population of 18 permanent residents. Nestled in a calm landscape and rich in cultural and … Read more

The Camino Madrid joins the Camino Frances from the south in Sahagun. Today Sahagun is a small dusty market centre on the Meseta, with a … Read more

Navarrete is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja ( Spain ). It lies on the Camino Frances route. Because of the culture … Read more

Najera contains a population of 8,400 in a bustling market town that is increasing in size each year. The name is derived from the Arabic … Read more

Leon’s status as a country town was cemented by the definitive settlement of Legio VII Gemina in the year 74, but it began as a … Read more

Fromista, population circa 800, comes at the end of the sixth stage in Picaud’s original pilgrims’s guide. It is believed the town was first inhabited … Read more

Another small village that owes it continued existence to the Camino Frances, population 68. In 1999, Hontanas was declared an “Asset of Cultural Interest.” Its … Read more

Burgos was founded in 884 by Count Diego Rodriguez Porcelos and now has a population of approx 200,000. The city was the seat of Franco’s … Read more

Villafranca, with a population of just over 5,300, has all you expect of a modern town. There are many restaurants, cafes, bars, and hotels; along … Read more

Dara Haskins was my friend. He died, on the 18th Aug 2005 aged just 30, while I was walking the Camino in 2005. It was … Read more