Dew on the grass, a dog barking somewhere behind a gate. That’s how you start the day in Santelices: green, peaceful, nobody in a hurry. The first few kilometres pass by almost effortlessly.
Then the path starts to climb. Not all in one go, but in stages, until you’re above 900 metres. It’s no monster of a climb, but enough to make your calves feel it. After that the route drops again, though you don’t quite come back down to where you started. Allow about 7 hours of walking, not counting breaks. You’ll arrive in Arija with heavy legs and a contented mind. Break the day into sections and walk at your own pace. Arija isn’t going anywhere.