Belorado Info

[vasque]

Will be starting Camino in June from Belorado (long story). Two questions -
1. Is there a hiking / equipment store in town?
2. Can I pick up a Credential there?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SabsP]

Will be starting Camino in June from Belorado (long story). Two questions -
1. Is there a hiking / equipment store in town?
2. Can I pick up a Credential there?

Thanks in advance.

As for as my internetsearch goes no tienda de deportes. Belorado is not that big.
As for as a credencial goes : albergues might provide it but why make it complicated?
I see you are USA based so you could order it through your APOC association or buy it here online via the Caminostore.

Although there is a Ferreteria and a Bazar Chino so you might find some stuff there.

Belorado

En Belorado dispones de supermercados, tiendas, farmacias, cajeros y mucho más. Conoce sus ubicaciones y horarios. ¡Vive el Camino!

vivecamino.com

 

[J Willhaus]

Albergue Cuatro Cantones | Albergue de Peregrinos en Belorado | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Albergue Cuatro Cantones, en Belorado: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

This one in Gronze.com says they sell credentials.

 

[Vacajoe]

I can’t imagine you are somehow landing directly in Belorado from wherever you live, so if you are passing through larger towns enroute (Leon? Madrid? Burgos? Santiago?), credentials may be available at various church offices or cathedrals in those places.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Just curious how you plan to get to Belorado?

 

[trecile]

Request a credential from American Pilgrims here:

Request a Credential - American Pilgrims on the Camino

americanpilgrims.org

 

[memusic2002]

Will be starting Camino in June from Belorado (long story). Two questions -
1. Is there a hiking / equipment store in town?
2. Can I pick up a Credential there?

Thanks in advance.

I stayed at an Alberque and recall there being very little in Belorado except a church. We ate at the Alberque. The Alberque was Cuatro Cantones. Good luck.

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

My wife and I stayed in Cuatro Cantones during our first two Camino Frances. We walked from Santo Domingo de la Calzada both times. It was a long and hot hike. As we hiked on a dusty senda, a kind man approached us in a small truck and handed us cold bottles of water that had the name of their private albergue on the bottle (Cuatro Cantones). We decided to stay there. It was wonderful! When we checked in, we told the kind young woman about getting bottles of water from a man in a truck and she said "that's my dad!". She offered to wash and dry our clothes, which was great. We made reservations for dinner and breakfast. While we were resting later that afternoon, they offered us fresh fig fruit. The meals were outstanding! A note of caution. We stayed in Belorado during our third camino, but in a different albergue since we wanted a private room. We arrived on a Sunday and there was virtually no places open. No tiendas, and the bar / restaurants on the main plaza were closed. We finally learned of a single place that was open for dinner. Belorado is a nice town with interesting painted murals on several walls, but be aware that most places are closed on Sundays. Bob

 

[DTCamino]

I stayed at an Alberque and recall there being very little in Belorado except a church. We ate at the Alberque. The Alberque was Cuatro Cantones. Good luck.

The first time I went into Belorado I thought it wasn’t worth stopping for as nothing was open and the town looked deserted and so I walked on to Villambistia for the night. In 2022 I got to Belorado earlier and there was a farmers market in the square , the bars and restaurants were open and I went to the grocery store and bought supplies.
Shows the difference of getting there before siesta.
I stayed at Hostal Punto B and had a nice room and meal there as well.

 

[Gerard Griffin]

I've just finished a Camino starting in Belorado, another long story.

It's a fine town, pleasant and low-key, rock solid people living a frugal but good lifestyle. I liked it a lot but most pilgrims don't spend time there.

I stayed in the parochial hostel, which was fine but with the usual nervous hospitalero types fussing around. Much better is the Albergue Municipal El Corro, which is the perfect Camino hostel ... Welcoming, impeccably clean, good basic kitchen, keypad entry, nothing is too much trouble for Marta who runs it. It gets a good varied crowd.

It's easy to get a Credential in Burgos, two stages away. If you haven't got one ask the hospitaleros to stamp a paper for you and that'll do you as far as Burgos, where the big muni sells them. Or you could whiz into Burgos by bus, pick up a credential and hiking gear, and bus back to Belorado and begin.

Good choice, Belorado. Such a lovely name for a town. I like the fact that so few people have heard about it. You'll see what I mean when you get there. For me that's the true Camino, and not Santiago.

 

[vasque]

My wife and I stayed in Cuatro Cantones during our first two Camino Frances. We walked from Santo Domingo de la Calzada both times. It was a long and hot hike. As we hiked on a dusty senda, a kind man approached us in a small truck and handed us cold bottles of water that had the name of their private albergue on the bottle (Cuatro Cantones). We decided to stay there. It was wonderful! When we checked in, we told the kind young woman about getting bottles of water from a man in a truck and she said "that's my dad!". She offered to wash and dry our clothes, which was great. We made reservations for dinner and breakfast. While we were resting later that afternoon, they offered us fresh fig fruit. The meals were outstanding! A note of caution. We stayed in Belorado during our third camino, but in a different albergue since we wanted a private room. We arrived on a Sunday and there was virtually no places open. No tiendas, and the bar / restaurants on the main plaza were closed. We finally learned of a single place that was open for dinner. Belorado is a nice town with interesting painted murals on several walls, but be aware that most places are closed on Sundays. Bob

Thanks so much for the reply. What month were you there?
I stayed at Cuatro Contones last May. Loved the friendly service and great food. Just prefer private room in the future.

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

The last time we stayed there was mid-September, 2017. We hiked the camino with my brother and his wife.
Since that camino my wife and I have always booked ahead and stayed in private rooms with private baths.
Bob

 

[Bert45]

How much hiking equipment do you think you need? The Camino Francés is not so much a hike as a stroll with a couple of hills. You'll surely be bringing spare clothes with you in a rucksack. That, together with a good pair of shoes or boots, is all you need.

 

[Bob Howard]

I've just finished a Camino starting in Belorado, another long story.

It's a fine town, pleasant and low-key, rock solid people living a frugal but good lifestyle. I liked it a lot but most pilgrims don't spend time there.

I have a thing for Belorado, meaning I really like it. I've stayed there on my four previous Caminos. Last year stayed at Hostal B in a private room (they also have a dorm). Great host and perfect location. Not sure why I find Belorado so appealing, but I do.

 

[vasque]

How much hiking equipment do you think you need? The Camino Francés is not so much a hike as a stroll with a couple of hills. You'll surely be bringing spare clothes with you in a rucksack. That, together with a good pair of shoes or boots, is all you need.

Useless reply

 

[HopefulServant]

I stayed in Cuatro Cantones in May 2012. I recall it was at the far end of town and I internally grumbled that the people who I was walking with didn't want to stop at the first available place. (It was a very hot day and my shins were killing me.) I'm so glad we stayed there -- it was a lovely place, but the major bonus to me was that they had a swimming pool! I didn't swim, but I sat on the side and let the water jet massage my feet and calves for an hour. Talk about healing waters! That totally set me up for the continuation of the journey. If only I could remember the silly song we made up earlier that day on the way to Belorado to the tune of the Eagles' "Desperado"...

 

[memusic2002]

Yes. I was at Cuatro last year and they had the pool. It was a cool day (don’t recall anyone swimming) but sunny and everyone was hanging out back in the sun having a few beers til dinner. A good time.

 

[J Willhaus]

We stayed at the Santiago Hostel once at the beginning of town (they also have a pool) and one winter we stayed at Hostal B and had a shared meal with other pilgrims that we prepared together after a group trip around the corner to the grocery store.

If you are walking on further, San Rogue in Villambistia is also a nice place, but they are closed on Wednesdays. The parroquial in Tosantos is a place with a traditional hospitality vibe.

 

[SabsP]

I liked Casa Waslala.

Pensión Casa Waslala - Belorado | Pensión | Gronze.com

Información del Pensión Pensión Casa Waslala, en Belorado: precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

I went into a bar where I was the only pilgrim and some elderly men were playing cards and tried to explain me the rules. I nodded politely but could not understand those rules. Then again, I hardly understand the rules of our local cardgames...

 

[Tincatinker]

Useless reply

Really? I think @Bert45 was asking a sensible question. If you need a Hiking/equipment store in Belorado it might help anyone who wanted to provide an helpful reply just what, or how much, hiking gear you were hoping to obtain. Part one of your question has, however, already been answered: no there isn't a hiking goods store in Belorado.

Now, if you had the simple courtesy to tell us what equipment you need then the generous and helpful members of this forum might be able to offer you some assistance. Particularly if you told us where in Spain you will be before you beam into Belorado

Humff

 

[vasque]

Thanks for following up. Ended my last Camino in Belorado last May. Would like to finish in Santiago this summer so I plan on starting from where I left off. Meeting a friend in Belorado. His first time and hopefully he has the right equipment. Hence my question about an equipment shop. Wasn’t looking for a lecture- just information.

 

[good_old_shoes]

Wasn’t looking for a lecture- just information

The thing is, even if a town has no hiking store, it might still have shops where you can buy certain things that can be useful for the Camino. So, the question what exactly you want to buy is not a bad one and not a "lecture". It could lead to giving you the information you're looking for.

Since the Camino Francés is not a wilderness trail and there's not much "specialized" gear that is needed, sometimes the local shops are all you need to find what you're looking for.

For example I bought a pair of sandals in a smaller town. No specialized hiking gear shop but a local shoe shop. A pair of flip-flops and some underwear in the modern equivalent of the '100 pesetas shop". A flashlight could be bought in a ferreteria. Ect.

So, if your friend arrives in Belorado and you realize he hasn't brought a pair of flip flops for the shower, a piece of soap, a tooth brush, extra pair of socks or a rain poncho, ect., the local shops might still have those.

If you're looking for certain fancy outdoor brands, then of course that will be different (and difficult even in the bigger cities and the hiking stores there).

One thing you can always do is ask in the albergues. They might know where you can buy what you need, and some even have a "give and take" box that might have just what you need.

Buen Camino to you and your friend.

 

[Paul_Garland]

For travel to Belorado: fairly frequent daily Jiménez buses from Burgos, Nájera, and Logroño, the nearest transport hubs. The bus calls at all the Camino villages between Burgos and Logroño, except those between Burgos and Villafranca Montes de Oca. If you board at Burgos or the new Logroño bus station, buy ticket at Jiménez office at bus station. The Jiménez office at Burgos wasn't open when the the first bus left last year and in 2022, payment on bus was accepted for that service. There are always seats, I use Jiménez regularly, no need to book as it is a commuter service. Many of the villages shown on the timetables (website) are followed with the word 'Empalme', this simply means junction, ignore, the buses use the National road and most of the villages themselves are about 500m to 1km away.
Jiménez link:

Taquilla Web