San Juan de Ortega - Burgos

(S) From your campsite or accommodation, head to the Monastery of San Juan de Ortega and head west. At the left-hand bend, follow a beautiful forest path to the right, marked by a cross. Continue along a slightly downhill stony path until you reach a clearing.

(1) Keep heading west and continue along a gravel path until you reach the crossroads.

(2) Keep heading west and continue to the fork.

(3) Leave the woods and continue across the fields to the entrance to the village of Agés, in front of the Albergue Restaurant Fagus.

(4) Cross the village, staying on the main street, then, on the outskirts, continue along the BU-V-7012. Carry on to the River Vena. On the left, you can see a Romanesque-style bridge with a single arch, attributed to San Juan de Ortega, as well as a picnic area.

(5) Taking care, continue along the road to a crossroads next to a prehistoric site, built by the local community in tribute to the first inhabitants of the Sierra de Atapuerca.

(6) Continue straight ahead to reach the village of Atapuerca.

(7) Walk through the village, staying on the main street, and continue until you reach the sculpture of the Atapuerca Man just before the village exit.

(8) Turn left and continue along a stony path to begin the climb. Carry on until you reach a fork.

(9) Continue straight on, climbing up to reach a vast plain where there is a large wooden cross.

(10) Continue the climb by going straight on at the crossroads, before arriving, a little further on, at a viewpoint and a picnic area, the highest point of this stage. A large metal sign explains that the view here, from Burguete, is the most beautiful on the entire Way.

(11) From the summit, descend along a stony path and then along a wide dirt track until you reach a crossroads.

(12) Continue straight on until you reach a junction.

(13) Turn left (south-west) and continue until you reach the junction with the path leading to the village of Villalval.

(14) Note: ignore the signposting here, which leads you towards the village and takes you on an uninteresting detour. Continue straight on (west) along an alternative route, which is not signposted at the start, and carry on until you reach the fork.

(15) Turn left and continue down through the fields. Pass a crossroads, keeping in the same direction until you reach a small pumping station.

(16) Turn left and pass under the high-voltage power line before turning right. Pass below the church of San Millán Abad and continue to a small wooded area.

(17) Head left, then right, onto the road to Orbaneja Riopico. Cross over the Del Norte motorway, then continue to the rubbish bins.

(18) Note: ignore the signposting here, which directs you straight through a long stretch of town and industrial estate. Turn left to follow an alternative route via Castañares, which avoids tarmac as much as possible and is shaded all the way along the River Arlanzón. Continue along the first path on the left and carry on until you reach the fork.

(19) Head off to the right and stay on the stony track through the fields. Caution: here you are completely exposed, not even a tree to take shelter under! Continue to the wire-mesh fence of Burgos Airport.

(20) Turn left, then right, following the fence, and go round Burgos Airport on your right. Continue to the Rio Pico.

(21) Carry on straight ahead, passing under a high-voltage power line before reaching the first houses in Castañares. Continue to the traffic lights at the junction with the N-120.

(22) Continue straight on along Calle Obidus, skirting a sports ground, and head due south until you reach the entrance to the S2J2 factory.

(23) Turn right (south-west), follow the tarmac road and turn left in front of the electricity pylon. Cross the footbridge over the River Arlanzón and continue to the signpost.

(24) Turn right (west) to walk alongside the motorway on your left and continue to the underpass beneath the motorway.

(25) Go through the underpass and, after the underpass, turn right to walk alongside the Rio Arlanzón on your right. Continue to the bridge/viewpoint over the Arlanzón.

(26) Do not cross it. Continue straight ahead (west) and carry on until you reach the Fuentes Blancas campsite.

(27) If you wish to pitch your tent at the campsite, go round the back to find the entrance. If, as per the route, you prefer to continue on to Burgos and spend the night in a lodge, carry on straight ahead. Pass the Fuente del Prior riverside beach, then under the Capiscol bridge. Continue along the river and walk on to the La Quinta calisthenics park.

(28) Carry on. Go under a dual carriageway, then you’ll come out onto a more developed promenade, the Paseo de la Quinta. Continue to another playground just before reaching the Gasset Bridge.

(29) Turn left and head back up to the promenade running alongside the N120. Pass the roundabout and the sculpture of Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Continue straight on along the river, keeping it on your right, and carry on until you reach the Evolución Humana footbridge.

(30) Cross it, turning right to enter Burgos proper. Turn left onto Avenida del Arlanzón (against the one-way flow) and continue to the traffic lights opposite the statue of El Cid Campeador.

(31) Turn right, then left onto Calle Espolón. Continue along this street lined with plane trees. Pass the entrance to a park featuring the Los Cuatro Reyes sculptures and continue to the Plaza de la Audiencia.

(32) Pass to the right under the arch of the magnificent Arc de Santa María, to find yourself in Plaza Rey San Fernando, opposite Santa María Cathedral.

(33) If you have managed to book a bed in the municipal hostel, walk past the cathedral on your left and continue along Calle Paloma. Walk on until the^second junction opposite a pharmacy.

(34) Turn left onto Calle del Cardenal Segura. Walk past Plaza Huerto del Rey. Continue straight ahead, climb the wide steps to arrive in front of the Casa del Cubo municipal hostel (E).

Provisions available at the campsite and in Burgos.
Fuentes Blancas Campsite. Tel: +34947483480 https://www.campingburgos.com/
Casa del Cubo Municipal Pilgrims’ Hostel. Tel: 947 460 922.
Please note: book in advance as there aren’t many hostels in Bugos. Most accommodation options are hotels or apartments to rent.

In Atapuerca, the current Casa Hospital was preceded by a pilgrims’ hospital which operated until the 18th century.

A visit to Burgos I hope you have set aside enough time to properly explore this beautiful city with its rich history. It would be impossible to list everything this superb city has to offer, but I will mention the Cathedral, San Nicolás, right next to it, a 15th-century Gothic building, and not far from there, San Esteban, built between 1280 and 1350, and a little further on, the Arco de San Esteban, part of the city walls and dating from the 12th century in the Arab style, flanked by 13th-century towers.
Finally, you simply must take a stroll through this old quarter, dominated to the north-west by the ancient Castillo, a castle of which only ruins and two rebuilt towers remain; destroyed by fire, it also withstood the French siege led by Wellington in 1812.