Railway lines on the Caminos.
They seem to go off into infinity.
Merida – Seville near Almendralejo
My Caminos often begin by a train journey, sometimes in the middle of the night.
Night train Irun – Lisbon stops in
Ciudad Rodrigo
I don’t know why I like railway lines.
The slow track Madrid – Alicante, near Villena
I like the old ones.
In Zamora the old line follows the Via de La Plata towards Astorga
I’m sorry they closed this line because it used to link Extremadura to Cantabria.
Camino Francés in Astorga
Maybe one day they will make it a Via Verde.
Astorga.
The Vias Verdes are old railway tracks now made into pathways.
Via Verde into Burgos.
This is the pleasant way into Burgos, from the Ruta de La Lana.
Into Burgos with tunnels.
This is another one, in France, between Alençon and Mortagne au Perche, on my Pilgrimage to Iona.
French Via Verde
And another converted railway line in Scotland between Kilmarnock and Irvine on my way for the boat to Arran.
Ayrshire cycleway.
Now here’s a living station in Scotland.
Kirkconnel
And one in England which I had to use to take the train across the Thames.
Twyford
England was a pain to walk through but the canals and railway lines are wonderful relics.
Near alton towers
Derbyshire
Someone near Henly-on Thames has converted his garden into a landscape for a minature railway track.
He has built minature stations, too.
The English section wouldn’t be complete without this.
Leven-crossing southern England. Plumpton Green
A barrier which is closed in Spain does not deter this runner.
Early morning exercise is risky near Tolosa
French railways are impressive.
Hendaye.
I was in Hendaye station at the time of the Portuguese revolution and it was full of refugees with all the toilets blocked.
Biarritz. Arrived here one night long ago and put the car and family on the train to Paris.
There is an elegance about French railway lines.
Flat, straight, Les Landes, S.W.France
And the new Spanish ones, too.
Nearing Santiago on the Camino Mosarabe
The Camino via Sanabria followed the railway line to Santiago.
A solitary figure on the platform.
Through the mountains of Galicia.
After A Gudiña, Venta de Bolaño
Many stations are now fine albergues.
Albergue Vilavella
and here
Albergue, Campobercerros
On the Via de La Plata there are a few rickety bridges to cross.
Over the Rio Elsa just before Benavente
That was a wet day!
Bridge near La Bañeza
The Camino Francés also has an albergue in the station at Fromista
Albergue, Fromista
Here in Sahagum, the Camino from Madrid joind the Camino Francés
Sahagun
The trains are fairly infrequent on these regional tracks, but I like seeing them when they appear.
Leaving Almendralejo
and this one in the Basque country
Just missed the runner
and another passing really close
goods train headed for Seville
This was in the Alicante region on the way to Caudete.
near Caudete
The Ruta de La Lana crossed the regional track in Sigüenza
Sigüenza
and also the great Madrid – Barcelona AVE
Ave north of Las Inviernas, south of Mirabueno, Guadalajara
Here at La Melgosa, just south of Cuenca, a train stops in the completely ruined station
The station in La Melgosa is in ruins.
I love the tracks in mountains
A mountain bend in Galicia
And over the plains
AVE, Guadalajara
And into forests
Saintes, France. Camino Paris – Santiago.
I thought this line was disused till a train arrived
South of Cuenca, still in use.
And, finally, ready to begin another CAMINO, on the way to Alicante for the Ruta de La Lana
From the train 218 km/hr
This has been a diversion from blog writing!!!