Camino Day 13: Entering the Meseta

Updates from walking the Camino de Santiago

The Meseta is Spain’s central plateau: a long, flat stretch of the Camino between Burgos and León, known for big skies, open farmland, and long gaps between towns.

I got a massage the other day. Honestly, my muscles were so tight it felt like a medical necessity. I booked it at 2 am after waking up way too early and left at 5 to walk 15.5 km to make my 10 am appointment. Priorities. It was at Peregrino Massage in Belorado, and it was amazing.

I even managed another 12 km afterward and felt so much better. Really glad I carved out the time. It’s those well-timed comforts that are really helping me keep going.

In case you missed it: I’ll be sharing updates from the Camino de Santiago, covering everything from the joyful to the painful, the random to the meaningful. As someone who cares deeply about holistic health, loves being outside, and can overthink a pair of socks, I’ll be paying close attention to the food, the physical challenge, and the inner shifts that come with walking across a country.

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Day 10-13

Kilometers Walked

Day 10: 27.4 km, from Grañón to Villafranca Montes de Oca

Day 11: 24.3 km, from Villafranca Montes de Oca to Cardeñuela Riopico

Day 12: 26.7 km, from Cardeñuela Riopico to Rabé de las Calzadas

Day 13: 27.1 km, from Rabé de las Calzadas to Castrojeríz

Total so far: 323.9 km (201.3 miles), from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Castrojeríz

I’m over a third of the way there!

Favorite Fuel

Tortilla Española (aka tortilla or Spanish omelette) has become my favorite breakfast on the Camino. It’s a mix of eggs, onion, potato, and olive oil. It’s like a frittata but cooked slowly on the stove. Since I’m gluten-free and dairy-free, I always ask if they add milk, but most keep it simple. Perfect after a few hours of walking, and sometimes it even shows up for dinner at the albergues.

Spanish omelette on the menu tonight!

State of My Pack

My pack’s been feeling a bit lighter lately since I’m carrying fewer snacks and stopping at the first open café for a bigger breakfast. I usually start the morning with something small I picked up the day before. By 9 am places are usually open.

Pain in My Butt

The massage was a lifesaver. My calves and glutes fully approved! Marcelo, the massage therapist, suggested I run cold water over my feet at the end of the day. I’ve been doing that, and it really helps.

I’ve also been more diligent about rolling out my legs and feet before and after walking, and I actually look forward to stretching each morning and after I’m clean and settled. I’m trying to be more mindful about distance, too. Pushing past 30 km for several days in a row was just too much for me, especially in that first week.

Thoughts from the Trail

I’ve been wrestling with this over the past few days.

After my rest day, I found myself behind the group I’d been loosely traveling with. I’d gotten used to seeing the same faces at dinner, greeting them on the trail, sharing quiet camaraderie. When I fell behind, I wasn’t sure who I’d see again. But new faces turned familiar quickly—people to share a café table with or walk beside for a while. Old friends pop up too.

Still, the social part is complicated. One woman told me she’d hate to be in my position, behind her group. She’d even taken a bus that day to catch back up. I was surprised. It felt strange to be pitied for something I’d chosen.

The truth is, I do understand that anxiety. It can be lonely. It’s hard navigating confusing sections alone (like entering and leaving Burgos!), or deciding when to get moving again after a break, or simply not having someone beside me to say, “Look at that view.” Sometimes it’s just lonely in the simplest ways: eating lunch alone, or needing to make small decisions with no one to confer with.

The hardest part for me is getting moving again after lunch, when the sun is blazing and there’s barely another pilgrim in sight. That’s when I really have to dig deep. But every shout of “Buen Camino” from a passerby or cyclist helps more than they know.

Now that I’ve left Burgos, I’m entering the Meseta. It’s the long, flat middle part of the Camino that many call the mental challenge of the walk. Big skies, endless grainfields, and long stretches between towns. It’s the part some pilgrims even choose to skip entirely. I’ve been enjoying it so far, but it is challenging. Fewer distractions, more space to think.

Wisdom Along The Way

Let people do so as they do. — a fellow pilgrim

You either love the Meseta or you hate it. — a fellow pilgrim

Book your accommodations in Santiago de Compostella now. — several pilgrims… who booked before even starting the Camino. I’m realizing I missed that memo.

Photos!

“Peregrino” means “pilgrim”—perfect name for a Camino massage stop.

I love spotting sunflowers in wheat fields. They make me smile.

View while entering Burgos

Sun rising over the Meseta

Thanks for following along. Sending a big Buen Camino from the Meseta!

Until next time,
Rebecca Grace