Video Stage 5: Puente la Reina to Estella | Camino Frances with Jhonatan Barrios
Stage 5: Puente la Reina to Estella | Camino de Santiago Frances with Jhonatan Barrios
Today Jhonatan Barrios shares a detailed account of Stage 5 of the Camino de Santiago Frances, which runs from Puente la Reina to Estella, covering a total distance of 22 kilometres. This stage is part of a longer journey that he completed between 26 April and 26 May 2022.
In the video he presents, Jhonatan talks about his own experience along this stage. Along the way, he came across stunning scenery, full of beautiful fields shining in different shades of green and yellow. During the walk, he also had the chance to get to know charming little villages along the route, each with its own history and charm. All these places gave him a unique experience before reaching the beautiful city of Estella, which awaits at the end of this stage.
Jhonatan hopes you enjoy the video and that his experience inspires others to follow their own path on this wonderful journey.
Stage 5: Puente la Reina to Estella with Jhonatan Barrios
Jhonatan Barrios was leaving the hostel and explaining why the town is called Puente la Reina. It was 8 in the morning and they had woken up very early. The sun was behind them, rising as it does every day. Just because of breakfast, Jhonatan had fallen a little behind, but they were already on the road to Estella, 22 km ahead.
Since it was 8 in the morning, everything was closed. Jhonatan noted the opening hours, which ran only until midday, with few places open again until the evening, since they close from 2 to 4 in the afternoon for a break. Crossing an old bridge, he was struck by how well these structures have been preserved over the centuries.
Jhonatan kept climbing, leaving Puente la Reina behind. The town had been fairly tough, especially after the fifth day of walking, when his pack and his legs were no longer quite the same. After a climb and a descent, they rested for a while in the village of Mañeru and carried on, with three more villages (Cirauqui, Lorca and Villatuerta) before reaching Estella. He was hoping to enjoy visual landscapes in the countryside, like the vineyards they had seen over the previous two days.
They reached two more villages before Estella. They kept walking along steep streets typical of the area, and enjoyed the services available for pilgrims.
After resting a little, Jhonatan and his group continued the remaining 10 kilometres to Estella, hoping for fewer climbs than the day before. They passed alongside the motorway and kept climbing, enjoying the scenery. In front of Jhonatan stood the Church of the Holy Saviour, dating from the 12th century, which preserves a Baroque figure of Saint James the Pilgrim. About 7.5 kilometres from Estella, they passed through Villatuerta, the last village before their destination.
As they walked, Jhonatan chatted with a resident of Villatuerta, who explained to him the difference in shades of green in the countryside. Little by little, they reached Estella, also known as Lizarra. Beside the fountain that greeted them stood a text from the Codex Calixtinus describing the town as a place of good bread, excellent wine and happiness.
Finally, Jhonatan showed what the municipal hostel was like, with its facilities for sharing meals, washing clothes and resting. He enjoyed a lentil soup, part of the pilgrim’s menu, and got ready for the sixth stage of the Camino.
