Allison Cowie

Logroño to Navarette / 7.96 miles

The Stingy Nomads itinerary I’m following had a short day built in this day, which I was very ready for after pushing the pace irresponsibly the day before. The walk out of Logroño was underwhelming. Much of it was through a city park, which was a nice park, but didn’t give me the feeling of being out in the open that I’ve loved the most about the Camino. After leaving the park, I was walking on a paved path along roads the rest of the day — an uneventful walk, other than my knees starting to scream with tendinitis on all of the downhill sections.

Despite a lackluster start to the day, Navarette itself was wonderful. I found the most comfortable albergue I expect to find on the entire Camino — La Casa del Peregrino Ángel. It had memory foam mattresses and capsule bunkbeds, making it easier to rest. It was another chilly, gray day, but that made it perfect for resting and eating comfort foods, like the beef stew I had for lunch at a restaurant down the street. I met some Germans in the albergue over dinner, and made friends with the hospitalero, Sr. Martin, who flattered me by assuming I was from Spain. (On that note, I definitely notice my Spanish, and Spanish accent, getting stronger the more time I spend here.)