Day 3- Cirauqui to Villatuerta

Walked: 6.8 mi. Camino2025: 25 mi.

We walked on a Roman road as we left Cirauqui this morning at 8:15.

A few more steps took us across the ruins of a Roman bridge

For the first 2 miles of our walk this morning, Roman road remains were observed and walked on. In some cases, gravel had been added to smooth out the walking surface but still revealing the stone mosaic patterns placed there two thousand years ago to aid the transport of treasures collected in Northern Spain and carried back to Rome in carts and chariots.

Typical terrain and path between Cirauqui and Lorca.

on the right is a Roman bridge and a section of roman road ruins paralleling the ” modern” deviation of the Camino.

This part of the walk was much more narrow but still revealed the evidence of the Romans,

Looking back at a less traveled section of Roman presence.

Erosion of modern crushed rock overlay revealing the Roman road Stone patterns underneath.

Walking into Lorca after avoiding a steep section of path by taking the more gradual inclining paved parallel option.

Linda finding and taking possession of her Lorca bench for the 7th time.

After a brief breakfast and rest in Lorca, we continued on to Villatuerta, our destination for the day.

We left the paved road though Lorca, where we have stayed the previous 6 Caminos, and began walking through the fields… looking very different in May than our previous walks in the summertime.

Villatuerta, Estella and Villamayor del Monjardin in the distance.

We reached Villatuerta too early for checkin, so we stopped for a drink and rest stop to kill some time at a favorite breakfast stop. We then proceeded to our destination, a first time visit. On previous Caminos we have stayed in Lorca, but chose an untried accommodation for Camino2025, as Lorca accommodations were not available.

Walking across the medieval bridge in the center of Villatuerta.

Juan, the manager of CR 643 km, checked us in as soon as he arrived, a few minutes before the usual time. Our transported backpacks had not yet arrived, so we decided to get lunch/dinner first. Juan graciously called and made a reservation at (according to Juan), the “better” one of the only two restaurants in this small town of 1122 persons.

We walked the half-mile to the restaurant (needing more exercise?), had an ok lunch, returned to our room. The skies began clouding up so we did our daily chores, blogged, read and stayed off our feet in the room the remainder of day while the heavens released their forecasted precipitation.