![\"Merids](\"http:\/\/www.the-raft-of-corks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/P1010526.jpg\")
<\/a>Merida – Seville near Almendralejo<\/p><\/div>\n
My Caminos often begin by a train journey, sometimes in the middle of the night.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Night train Irun – Lisbon stops in
Ciudad Rodrigo<\/p><\/div>\n
I don’t know why I like railway lines.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The slow track Madrid – Alicante, near Villena<\/p><\/div>\n
I like the old ones.<\/p>\n
<\/a>In Zamora the old line follows the Via de La Plata towards Astorga<\/p><\/div>\n
I’m sorry they closed this line because it used to link Extremadura to Cantabria.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Camino Franc\u00e9s in Astorga<\/p><\/div>\n
Maybe one day they will make it a Via Verde<\/a>.<\/p>\n Astorga.<\/p><\/div>\n The Vias Verdes are old railway tracks now made into pathways.<\/p>\n Via Verde into Burgos.<\/p><\/div>\n This is the pleasant way into Burgos, from the Ruta de La Lana.<\/p>\n Into Burgos with tunnels.<\/p><\/div>\n This is another one, in France, between Alen\u00e7on and Mortagne au Perche, on my Pilgrimage to Iona<\/a>.<\/p>\n French Via Verde<\/p><\/div>\n And another converted railway line in Scotland between Kilmarnock and Irvine on my way for the boat to Arran.<\/p>\n Ayrshire cycleway.<\/p><\/div>\n Now here’s a living station in Scotland.<\/p>\n Kirkconnel<\/p><\/div>\n And one in England which I had to use to take the train across the Thames.<\/p>\n Twyford<\/p><\/div>\n England was a pain to walk through but the canals and railway lines are wonderful relics.<\/p>\n Near alton towers<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Derbyshire<\/p><\/div>\n Someone near Henly-on Thames has converted his garden into a landscape for a minature railway track.<\/p>\n He has built minature stations, too.<\/p><\/div>\n The English section wouldn’t be complete without this.<\/p>\n Leven-crossing southern England. Plumpton Green<\/p><\/div>\n A barrier which is closed in Spain does not deter this runner.<\/p>\n Early morning exercise is risky near Tolosa<\/p><\/div>\n French railways are impressive.<\/p>\n Hendaye.<\/p><\/div>\n I was in Hendaye station at the time of the Portuguese revolution and it was full of refugees<\/a> with all the toilets blocked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Biarritz. Arrived here one night long ago and put the car and family on the train to Paris.<\/p><\/div>\n There is an elegance about French railway lines.<\/p>\n Flat, straight, Les Landes, S.W.France<\/p><\/div>\n And the new Spanish ones, too.<\/p>\n Nearing Santiago on the Camino Mosarabe<\/p><\/div>\n The Camino via Sanabria followed the railway line to Santiago.<\/p>\n A solitary figure on the platform.<\/p><\/div>\n Through the mountains of Galicia.<\/p>\n After A Gudi\u00f1a, Venta de Bola\u00f1o<\/p><\/div>\n Many stations are now fine albergues.<\/p>\n Albergue Vilavella<\/p><\/div>\n and here<\/p>\n Albergue, Campobercerros<\/p><\/div>\n On the Via de La Plata there are a few rickety bridges to cross.<\/p>\n Over the Rio Elsa just before Benavente<\/p><\/div>\n That was a wet day!<\/p>\n Bridge near La Ba\u00f1eza<\/p><\/div>\n The Camino Franc\u00e9s also has an albergue in the station at Fromista<\/p>\n Albergue, Fromista<\/p><\/div>\n Here in Sahagum, the Camino from Madrid joind the Camino Franc\u00e9s<\/p>\n Sahagun<\/p><\/div>\n The trains are fairly infrequent on these regional tracks, but I like seeing them when they appear.<\/p>\n Leaving Almendralejo<\/p><\/div>\n and this one in the Basque country<\/p>\n Just missed the runner<\/p><\/div>\n and another passing really close<\/p>\n goods train headed for Seville<\/p><\/div>\n This was \u00a0in the Alicante region on the way to Caudete.<\/p>\n near Caudete<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n The Ruta de La Lana crossed the regional track in Sig\u00fcenza<\/p>\n Sig\u00fcenza<\/p><\/div>\n and also the great Madrid – Barcelona AVE<\/p>\n Ave north of Las Inviernas, south of Mirabueno, Guadalajara<\/p><\/div>\n Here at La Melgosa, just south of Cuenca, a train stops in the completely ruined station<\/p>\n The station in La Melgosa is in ruins.<\/p><\/div>\n I love the tracks in mountains<\/p>\n A mountain bend in Galicia<\/p><\/div>\n And over the plains<\/p>\n AVE, Guadalajara<\/p><\/div>\n And into forests<\/p>\n Saintes, France. Camino Paris – Santiago.<\/p><\/div>\n I thought this line was disused till a train arrived<\/p>\n South of Cuenca, still in use.<\/p><\/div>\n And, finally, ready to begin another CAMINO, on the way to Alicante for the Ruta de La Lana<\/p>\n From the train 218 km\/hr<\/p><\/div>\n This has been a diversion from blog writing!!!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Railway lines on the Caminos. They seem to go off into infinity. My Caminos often begin by a train journey, sometimes in the middle of the night. I don’t know why I like railway lines. I like the old ones. … Continue reading <\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>