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Wise Pilgrim APPVillafranca Montes de Oca sits at the foot of the Pedraja pass, the last outpost before 12 km of forest walking with no water and no services. This is where you fill bottles, buy food, and prepare yourself.
The town straddles the main road, and a pair of bar-restaurants cater to a mixed clientele of pilgrims and truck drivers. The Albergue San Antón Abad, set back from the road at the far end of town, has a large garden and a bar-restaurant that provides a welcome escape from the road noise.
The Iglesia de Santiago anchors the town. It was built on the site of earlier structures and has a Romanesque font worth a glance. The ruins of the Hospital de la Reina, founded in 1380 by Queen Juana Manuel (wife of Enrique II), sit nearby — a reminder of how important this stop was for medieval pilgrims facing the dangerous mountain crossing ahead.
The town's name translates loosely as "free town of the nettle-filled mountains" — fair warning of what awaits on the climb.
From Villafranca there are 12 km of camino without a water supply. There is a source called Mojapán along the route, but its reliability varies. Fill your bottles here and carry enough for the full stretch to San Juan de Ortega.
San Antón is celebrated on January 17. A Romería to the Ermita de Oca is held on the second Sunday of August.
Villafranca's history is older than its name suggests. It sits on the site of the Roman city of Auca, and from 589 it served as an episcopal seat — the Diocese of Oca, with its first bishop Asterio. That seat held until 1075, when it was moved to Burgos.
The Monasterio de San Félix de Oca, whose ruins lie outside town, dates back at least to 863, when Count Diego Rodríguez Porcelos — the founder of Burgos — donated churches and properties to its monks. The monastery's origins may be even earlier, placing it among the oldest foundations in Castilla.
In the medieval period, the Montes de Oca were feared. The dense forest and confusing paths made ideal terrain for bandits, and the pilgrim guides of the era warned travelers to cross in groups. The establishment of hospices and monasteries along this stretch was a direct response to the danger.
The climb out of Villafranca into the Montes de Oca is the first real forest walking since the Pyrenees. Turn right uphill toward the church to follow the camino — don't continue along the main road.
The path gains elevation steadily through oak, pine, and beech woodland. The beginning is steep and should be taken at a measured pace. You'll cross a small ravine at the Carratón river with two steep ramps before continuing through forest.
At the Alto de la Pedraja, there are picnic tables for a rest. En route to the alto you'll pass a monument dedicated to men from Burgos whose bodies were dumped here after execution during the Civil War — a sobering reminder amid the forest quiet.
The path intersects with several ATV trails on the descent. It's well-marked but requires attention at junctions. The dense scrubland was notorious bandit territory in the medieval period, and the pilgrim guides of the era warned walkers accordingly.
San Juan de Ortega lies at the bottom of the descent. There are no shops, but two bars serve food.
