Railway lines on caminos de Santiago

Railway lines on the Caminos.

They seem to go off into infinity.

Merids - Seville near Almendralejo

Merida – Seville near Almendralejo

My Caminos often begin by a train journey, sometimes in the middle of the night.

Night train Irun - Lisbon stops in Ciudad Rodrigo

Night train Irun – Lisbon stops in
Ciudad Rodrigo

I don’t know why I like railway lines.

The slow track Madrid - Alicante, near Villena

The slow track Madrid – Alicante, near Villena

I like the old ones.

In Zamora the old line follows the Via de La Plata towards Astorga

In Zamora the old line follows the Via de La Plata towards Astorga

I’m sorry they closed this line because it used to link Extremadura to Cantabria.

Camino Francés in Astorga

Camino Francés in Astorga

Maybe one day they will make it a Via Verde.

Astorga.

Astorga.

The Vias Verdes are old railway tracks now made into pathways.

Via verde into Burgos.

Via Verde into Burgos.

This is the pleasant way into Burgos, from the Ruta de La Lana.

Into Burgos with tunnels.

Into Burgos with tunnels.

This is another one, in France, between Alençon and Mortagne au Perche, on my Pilgrimage to Iona.

French Via Verde

French Via Verde

And another converted railway line in Scotland between Kilmarnock and Irvine on my way for the boat to Arran.

Ayrshire cycleway.

Ayrshire cycleway.

Now here’s a living station in Scotland.

Kirkconnel

Kirkconnel

And one in England which I had to use to take the train across the Thames.

Twyford

Twyford

England was a pain to walk through but the canals and railway lines are wonderful relics.

Near alton towers

Near alton towers

 

Derbyshire

Derbyshire

Someone near Henly-on Thames has converted his garden into a landscape for a minature railway track.

He has built minature stations, too.

He has built minature stations, too.

The English section wouldn’t be complete without this.

Leven-crossing southern England. Plumpton Green

Leven-crossing southern England. Plumpton Green

A barrier which is closed in Spain does not deter this runner.

Early morning exercise is risky near Tolosa

Early morning exercise is risky near Tolosa

French railways are impressive.

Hendaye.

Hendaye.

I was in Hendaye station at the time of the Portuguese revolution and it was full of refugees with all the toilets blocked.

 

Biarritz.  Arrived here one night long ago and put the car and family on the train to Paris.

Biarritz. Arrived here one night long ago and put the car and family on the train to Paris.

There is an elegance about French railway lines.

Flat, straight, Les Landes, S.W.France

Flat, straight, Les Landes, S.W.France

And the new Spanish ones, too.

Nearing Santiago on the Camino Mosarabe

Nearing Santiago on the Camino Mosarabe

The Camino via Sanabria followed the railway line to Santiago.

A solitary figure on the platform.

A solitary figure on the platform.

Through the mountains of Galicia.

After A Gudiña

After A Gudiña, Venta de Bolaño

Many stations are now fine albergues.

Albergue Vilavella

Albergue Vilavella

and here

Albergue, Campobercerros

Albergue, Campobercerros

On the Via de La Plata there are a few rickety bridges to cross.

Over the Rio Elsa just before Benavente

Over the Rio Elsa just before Benavente

That was a wet day!

Bridge near La Bañeza

Bridge near La Bañeza

The Camino Francés also has an albergue in the station at Fromista

Albergue, Fromista

Albergue, Fromista

Here in Sahagum, the Camino from Madrid joind the Camino Francés

Sahagun

Sahagun

The trains are fairly infrequent on these regional tracks, but I like seeing them when they appear.

Leaving Almendralejo

Leaving Almendralejo

and this one in the Basque country

Just missed the runner

Just missed the runner

and another passing really close

goods train headed for Seville

goods train headed for Seville

This was  in the Alicante region on the way to Caudete.

near Caudete

near Caudete

 

The Ruta de La Lana crossed the regional track in Sigüenza

Sigüenza

Sigüenza

and also the great Madrid – Barcelona AVE

Ave north of Las Inviernas, south of Mirabueno, Guadalajara

Ave north of Las Inviernas, south of Mirabueno, Guadalajara

Here at La Melgosa, just south of Cuenca, a train stops in the completely ruined station

The station in La Melgosa is in ruins.

The station in La Melgosa is in ruins.

I love the tracks in mountains

A mountain bend in Galicia

A mountain bend in Galicia

And over the plains

AVE, Guadalajara

AVE, Guadalajara

And into forests

 Saintes, France. Camino Paris - Santiago.

Saintes, France. Camino Paris – Santiago.

I thought this line was disused till a train arrived

South of Cuenca, still in use.

South of Cuenca, still in use.

And, finally, ready to begin another CAMINO, on the way to Alicante for the Ruta de La Lana

From the train 218 km/hr

From the train 218 km/hr

This has been a diversion from blog writing!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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