All images ©Copyright: Earthy Photography®
Day 13 | 7 August 2025 | Walking the Camino Francés
From Naverette to Nájera | 16.4 km 10.2 miles
Thankfully, with our new routine of setting out early we had already walked for an hour before sunrise at 07:00 – and it was absolutely magical to witness. The sunrise caught us as we passed through the vineyards of La Rioja. The red clay soil here is said to be treacherous when it rains, sticking to shoes, but fortunately that was not going to happen today.
Along the way, we came across our second stone Guardaviñas (Traditional beehive shaped shelter) once used by farmers to watch over their crops.
When we arrived in Nájera, we were greeted by a group of cheerful women sitting together, chatting and working on their embroidery.
Most albergues (Hostels), offer a Menú del Peregrino (Pilgrim’s Menu), but Nájera was the first place where we noticed restaurants openly advertising them – and nearly every restaurant seemed to have one on offer. They are great value: for around €18 per person, you get a three-course meal including half a bottle of wine.
We chose a restaurant on a sunny plaza, and for our first course, we had Alubias a la Riojana (Rioja style beans with chorizo in a rich paprika sauce), a classic dish from northern Spain. It was absolutely delicious … and in two days time we were to have it again in a home cooked version. Nice.
