DAY III – A SHORT STAGE FROM BOADILLA del CAMINO to FROMISTA

7 Km does not present a challenge and that is no bad thing; it does provide opportunities, however – some respite after a hectic three days, or a chance to revisit Castrojeriz , maybe take a walk to ESCLUSA,a peaceful vantage point on the Castilla Channel with its 200 year old engineering works and four locks.

There is also the possibility of a boat trip from hereabouts.

“I am curious – what is the rush to get through the meseta? Perhaps another way to approach it is to choose some of the ‘recommended places on the meseta and plan your walk to reach those each day. For example…

“I prefer Hontanas over Hornillos, and Hospital San Nicholas over Castrojeriz. Albergue En el Camino in Boadilla is a great stop, for the garden and the warm hospitality,” QUOTE FROM “ Six Reasons Not to Skip the Camino” .

“ The first five kilometres of this stage are easily the most beautiful in terms of landscape…..you soon come to a man made feature which will make the rest of your walk to Fromista pleasant and interesting: The Canal de Castilla” . From SR.

“ The walk along the towpath,beside Elms,observing the birds in the reeds and hearing the slow movement of the water goes all the way to Fromista.

*“Frómista* is the southernmost city along the *Camino Francés* and the epicenter of wheat growing in Spain. Its rises and falls over the centuries were finally steadied with the arrival of the canals in the late 18th century; they brought proper irrigation and an abundant source of power for mills.
In the center of town sits the *Iglesia de San Martín*, which underwent a rather unfortunate renovation in the 19th century. In the process, many of the more artistic elements were removed for reasons of decency. Quite a few decorated capitals make for an interesting, if not amusing, visit. Two other churches, *San Pedro* and *Santa María del Castillo*, are generally open to the public.” WP

“The town of Fromista is one of the most attractive sights to be found along the Way ….“SR

“ The importance of Fromista to the Camino is evident in the fact that there were several pilgrim hospitals here in medieval times…Fromista is derived from the Latin word for cereal frumentum this area having provided copious supplies of wheat to the burgeoning Roman Empire.JB

Fromista, population circa 800, comes at the end of the sixth stage in Picaud’s original pilgrims’s guide. It is believed the town was first inhabited by the Celts, then Romans, to be completely destroyed by the Moors during the 8th century.

It was repopulated during the 10th century; aided in part by Donna Mayor, wife of Sancho III, who founded a Benedictine monastery.

Today the only surviving part of the monastery is the Church of San Martin. A statue of San Telmo, (St Elmo), the patron saint of sailors, presides over the village square; he was born here in 1190 and his remain are interred in the cathedral in Tuy, Pontevedra, on the Camino Portugues.