Santelices is small and peaceful. Rucksack off, boots off, let your legs dangle for a moment. Only then do you realise how full the day has been. You set off from Espinosa de los Monteros and have been on the road for almost 7 hours.
This isn’t a day with one big climb. It’s the sum of many parts: up, then down, then up again. In the end you descend more than you climb, and you’ll feel that mostly in your knees. The highest point, a good 800 metres, your legs take in their stride. It’s quiet along the way. Look back and you’ll see the hills behind Espinosa slowly sinking into the distance, while ahead of you meadows and fields stretch out wide open.