After yesterday’s extended effort, I now have two ‘cool down’ walks, as I come to the end of this stage. Today I did just 11 kms to Viana, which leaves nine to get to Logroño. After that I will get a bus to Bilbao, and, after a day off, a bus to Bordeaux, and from there, three trains to get me back to Newark Northgate on Tuesday evening.

Knowing I was not under time pressure I let myself doze, while the dormitory around me emptied. Today was supposed to be the last day of really hot weather, and people with a distance to travel started early. Even so, I had time to get up, pack, and have breakfast, and still leave before 08:00.

Sansol is a hilltop village, but it is also on the edge of a very steep river valley.

The guidebooks usually warn about a dangerous descent, but, in fact, a very good quality new path had been laid recently. When you go down you have to come up, and the entry to Torres del Rio was steep. The place was tiny, but it contains a jewel of a building, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This octagonal 12C building has a vaulted roof influenced by the architecture of Cordoba, and it is thought that it was designed and built by Muslims working for Christians.

The whole thing is very small, with a diameter of no more 12 metres. Exquisite.

The first part of this shortish walk was very very up and down with some steep sections, lifting the path up to 600 metres.

From that elevation, we could start to see, between folds in the landscape, the plain that we were approaching. .

Falling in with Sándor we talked happily together as the kilometres ticked by. We passed through no villages, and saw little of great interest, though once past the top point the walk was very pleasant.

Before we knew it we were walking into Viana. The old part was walled, with a fine view over the plains to the West, and the mountains protecting it from the north.

I learnt in town that Viana was the border town for Navarre, and Logroño, in the valley, was in Castilian territory, with whom the Navarese were frequently in conflict. Add to that the fact that the mountains behind were under the control of the Umayyid caliphate, and the medieval pilgrim required a steady nerve and real courage to enter this uncertain region on their way to Compostela

Behind these walls, with their wonderful views, stands the ruins of St Peter’s church

A bit of an architectural hotchpotch, the church had fine romanesque and gothic elements with a classical eastern apse,  some fragments of wall paintings, and a stunning baroque south porch.

I checked in to my digs: I am sharing a room with ensuite with Denis an Australian, and Astrid from Utrecht. I had a siesta, went for a stroll, ate a meal (one of the better ones I have had, chicken breast, salad, croquette and chips – and all for 11.50€!), and am now back in the hostel.

This is my last night on the Camino for this stretch. I will only be in Logroño for a few hours, before the bus to Bilbao marks my turn towards home. I will enjoy every last minute of it, and do some reflection over the weekend, when cooler and damper conditions are due to arrive.