Stage 10 Belorado-Atapuerca

Description of stage 10 Belorado - Atapuerca of the French Way

From Belorado to Tosantos 5 Km

We begin the day next to the church of Santa Maria in Belorado (0h 00min), leaving it on our back we find a decorated wall that cuts our way, where we have to turn right.

Following this street a few steps away and at the first crossroads we find ourselves, we must turn left again to start walking the long street that will take us out of the town.

Forgetting how many crosses come out to meet us, we reach the height of the road that reaches the town from Haro and after crossing it we continue our straight route along Avda. de Santiago, somewhat wider than the street that brought us here. A little further on, just after leaving behind a street that enters from the nearby road, we arrive at a crossroads where we are presented with three options.

The one on the right goes towards the Convent of Santa Clara, the one on the left takes us directly to the road and the one in the centre where we will continue, lengthens the meeting with her a little more.

Following this track that runs through the outskirts of Belorado, we find the national. On the other side, a little displaced to our right is the beginning of a track next to a house.

After crossing the national road and as soon as you enter it, the Way turns right, bordering the house, continue parallel to the road. This section, a magnificent walkway, crosses the River Tirón and begins a gentle ascent that takes us past the back of a petrol station.

Shortly after we must cross a local road to continue on a dirt track that will take us to the next locality of the day.

The track crosses the deceptive plain of cereal fields and some trees, leaving behind the paths that reach it, approaching step by step to Tosantos (1h 00min), at whose entrance we must continue straight along the boundaries of the town.

From Tosantos to Villambistia 1,7 Km

Our journey through Tosantos reaches the height of a small park next to the town hall building, where on our left begins a dirt track away from the town.

Following this track we are gaining a little height that allows us, looking back, see the curious chapel that is introduced into the wall of the hill that crosses the town we just passed. The route almost without realizing it is saving the short distance and the gentle slope that separates us from the next objective, which we already see in front of us.

Shortly after crossing a path on our left, we reach Villambistia (1h 20min), which welcomes us with its beautiful church.

From Villambistia to Espinosa del Camino 1,6 Km

As soon as you pass the church, the path divides in two, one turns right and enters the locality and the other continues more or less straight down to the old washing places, protected from the elements by a roof.

When we arrive at the square where the washing places are, we find a fountain and in front of us the dirt track that will take us definitively out of Villambistia.

This track then begins a short ascent to reach the national, which we will be forced to cross again, but not before continuing a few meters on the shoulder in search of the path on the other side leads to the next town.

Shortly after crossing the road and after crossing a conditioned path we arrive at Espinosa del Camino (1h 45min), so that we can go straight on, getting to know this town.

From Espinosa del Camino to Villafranca Montes de Oca 3,5 Km

The Way quickly leaves the municipality to find an old house whose façade shows the distances that separate us from some points of the Way.

Upon reaching this building, the itinerary continues to the right and then leaves the cement track on which we travel and turn left to continue along a dirt road that will climb to the hills that stand in our way.

Without leaving this track at any time and just after passing the ruins of an old chapel or tower, we are forced to turn left, the path ends in another that enters from the nearby road.

On reaching the national road, on our right begins a small trail that avoids us to follow the shoulder of the road.

This trail crosses as many obstacles on its way to a large car park that we will carefully cross straight until we come across the façade of the house in front of us, at which point we must turn left to follow the national route that takes us into Villafranca Montes de Oca (2h 35min). ​

The national road accompanies us for a short distance until we reach the church of the municipality, at which point we definitively leave the road and, on our right bordering the church, begin the long ascent that awaits us in front of us.

From Villafranca Montes de Oca to San Juan de Ortega 11,9 Km

As soon as we leave the church behind along the steep street, we see in front of us the beginning of a cobbled trail that goes straight on between a wall and a slope of earth, leaving the path on the right. This trail meets again a little further on with the track, thus avoiding us to cross the turn that this one draws to avoid a plot.

The route now in clear ascent, passes through a dirt track in quite good condition, we are gradually gaining height allowing us, to reach a lookout, to contemplate the landscape that surrounds us.

The route continues along this track, leaving behind us some path that comes out to meet us as well as a small rest area, to get into a beautiful forest.

The itinerary continues gaining height, the vegetation gives way to some clear, the forest becomes of pines that escort us on both sides of the route.

The profile of the itinerary is smoothed, allowing us to walk a little more comfortably to incorporate ourselves shortly after passing an antenna, to another wide track that comes from the road and go up the short distance that separates us from the top of Mount Pedraja, a place that houses a monument in memory of the Fallen.

From here we continue straight on, leaving on our right a path that goes into the forest, to start the famous slide that so worries some pilgrims. The track parallel to the national one starts a vertiginous descent after crossing a narrow wooden bridge that crosses a stream to go up again the lost height.

The long straight that impresses view from any of its extremes, but that calmly is overcome without problems.

The route converges again with another wide track that comes from the nearby national and following it we are moving away from the road and ascending with a much less demanding slope.

The route continues straight on along the main track, crossed by rows of trees and stumbling over a good number of paths that we should not follow, giving us the impression that the track is rather a firebreak conditioned as such.

The Way leaves to the right the wide track that becomes clearly a firewall, to begin a gentle descent that takes us to our next destination.

Shortly after this detour and now clearly descending, the forest that accompanied us here gives way to the clear fields that allow us to sense the nearby San Juan de Ortega (5h 50min), which is on our left as the Way passes by the monastery of the same name that is located at the entrance of the town by the road that gives access.

From San Juan de Ortega to Agés 3,7 Km

We pass by this beautiful monumental site and continue straight on along the route of the small road that leads to here, which although it is not a road with excessive traffic, its non-existent hard shoulder and its small width make us watch out to avoid unnecessary scares.

Not long after leaving San Juan de Ortega we reach a crossroads and it is in this place where we are given the opportunity to continue on the road to our left joins the national and from there through a conditioned andadero next to it continue to Burgos. Claro is resting in one of the towns that we will find in the remaining 25 km to reach the capital.

This option may be advisable for the less skilful cyclists as it will prevent them from climbing the short but cobbled and uncomfortable high of the Sierra de Atapuerca, and also for those who are seduced by the idea of constantly having the national one on their side, as the towns they pass through are provided with services for pilgrims.

The Way leaves the road and continues along the track that begins next to the sign that signals this variant near an old telephone pole that many give by a huge cross.

The track in quite good condition is introduced back into the forest, going up a small hill that is between us and the penultimate population of the stage.

Leaving behind some crossroads in which we do not have to turn off and shortly after passing through a gate, the forest gives way to the fields, and through them the track we go along takes us to Agés (6h 35min). We arrive at this village flanked by the stone walls that delimit the orchards of the houses.

From Agés to Atapuerca 2,5 Km

Following the street by which we enter the town we find the road, just next to a house whose entrance is decorated with the typical scallops santiagueras.

The route of the road will lead us through Agés towards the end of the stage. The final part of the route is made entirely by the local road that joins these two towns, without abandoning it at any time.

The final point of the route is already close, before we pass a small rest area next to a medieval bridge.

The road is not excessively narrow but without hard shoulder leads us to Atapuerca (6h 55min) which we enter following its route as it crosses the town and brings us closer to the centre of the town.

Technical details of the stage

Distance. 29,9Km

There are several possibilities to set a different final stage destination, thus reducing the distance to be covered.

Time. 6:55h

Since there are no great shortcuts that can reduce the time spent, we will find places that deserve to waste some time getting to know them and enjoying them.

Time of year

Althoug:in winter it is likely that the stretc:of road that runs throug:the pass of La Pedraja we find snow, being the stretc:of greatest distance between towns. In autumn, the woods we cross and the characteristics of the surroundings offer us colourful panoramic views. Colour contrasts are common all year round. In autumn, of course in winter and until well into spring the temperatures of the area especially at night can become quite low compared to the day.

Required equipment

We have to take into account that althoug:in summer temperatures are high, in autumn and spring we can find hot days and quite cold nights, so we have to adapt our equipment to this circumstance. For the rest of the usual, footwear and hiking clothes according to the time of year and weather conditions, equipped backpack, canes. We can not miss the canteen wit:water and food, especially in the stretc:from Villafranca Montes de Oca to San Juan de Ortega, in addition to the camera, sunglasses and sunscreen. Consult our list of material and equipment to make the Way. Read more

Difficulty. Moderate

Physical

A demanding stage, whic:allows us to be warmed up little by little to face the ascent to La Pedraja, a long ascent that has more unevenness at the beginning, but whic:then becomes quite soft. The slides that we found in previous stages continue in this one, reaching their maximum exponent just after crowning the pass, where as if it were a roller coaster we have to face a strong descent and its subsequent ascent. The final part is more comfortable almost at all times losing height but in a gentle way. The distance added to the orography of the terrain make this an intense stage, but bearable calmly and without losing too muc:energy in the mountain pass.

Caution

The national road crosses our path, forcing us to cross it several times and even to walk a short stretc:along its shoulders. This road withstands a lot of traffic so we must take extreme precautions. We will also have no choice but to travel a few 3 km by local roads not very narrow but without hard shoulder. The rest of the route does not present great complications unless the weather does not accompany. In the section that goes from Villafranca Montes de Oca to San Juan de Ortega we cannot lack the water and some food, it is the longest between localities and the few points of water that we will pass do not have the sufficient sanitary guarantees. In addition they are almost to leave Villafranca, so the summer days bring enoug:water is very important.

Orientation

The route is well signposted, wit:some signs coinciding wit:those of the GRs that cover the area, but as practically all of them run along wide, well-defined paths, they do not pose a problem. At the exit of Belorado just after crossing the road is the point, whic:althoug:it is signposted, causes more problems to pilgrims, as the moment you enter the track the Way deviates and it is usual to skip the signs, especially if it is night. For the rest the good state of the tracks that follows the Way also serves as a guide in case of doubt. The problems can be found in winter if we want to face the mountain pass snowed, having then the line of trees almost as the only reference to follow.

Coordinates UTM Datum WGS84

Stage Profile

Cartography, maps and tracks

This sketc:of the route is not made to scale nor does it contain all the information relating to the area, it is merely indicative.

This schematic wit:the pat:is approximate and has been created from the derived cartographic base © Instituto Geográfico Nacional "Cuadrantes 201, 1:50.000".

Senditur has manipulated the tracks to correct the aberrant points that may exist, caused by problems wit:the reception of the GPS signal. In any case the tracks are always approximate. SENDITUR encourages you to use the new technologies within your reach, using them as support and consultation in your activity, not basing the realization and orientation of the same only and exclusively on them, since they may see their functioning altered by very diverse causes, not functioning correctly and their indications may not be precise.