Day 36 Sun 27 Apr
Today was cold and clear, pleasant walking in the sun and only a light breeze. We were enjoying the strange solitude …. until somehow we got caught up in a large group of very boisterous day walkers. Oh well such is the Camino. Calzadilla de la Cueza to Sahagún is 20 kilometers and the path rises and falls with bends and a few villages to keep it interesting. Sahagún is a wonderful old town, full of beautiful Mudejar (Muslim techniques and styles in Christian Spain) brick buildings.
Sahagún to León
Day 37 Mon 28 Apr
The meseta after Sahagún is a strange area. Hundreds of pilgrims disappear, only to mysteriously reappear in León. We were glad of some (almost) pilgrim free time on the 18 kilometers to El Burgo Ranero. The day was cool and clear, but with a 20-30 kph headwind. In 2001, this was a hot and boring stage, but more than 4,000 trees had been recently planted about 10 meters apart the entire way. They have now grown, so today it is lovely dappled shady path with rest spots every so often. The trees attract nesting birds, and ranas (frogs) croak from marshes beside the road.
We remember El Burgo Ranero well. Here, 13 years ago, our friend Andrew was forced to retire injured with a fractured foot. Back then we arrived exhausted and the only Albergue was full so we 3 slept on the floor under a table.
Day 38 Tue 29 Apr
El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas – 19 kilometers, no need to search for Camino shells or yellow arrows to find the way out of town just look for the line of trees leading off into the distance – 100 meters in today’s fog. As well as the shade trees, about every kilometer or so there are places to sit and picnic tables. It’s nice. At Reliegos, old bodegas built into the hillside and used to store wine once abandoned are now being restored. Mansilla de las Mulas is one of those wonderful old towns that still exist in Spain, relatively unspoilt.
Day 39 Wed 30 Apr
From Mansilla de las Mulas to León – another day, another 19 kilometers. It was the warmest day in a long time. This stretch is a bit tedious; none of the pilgrims had any oomph today. We had to make up stories about the other pilgrims to pass the time, thankful the Way has been changed to a dirt road parallel to the very busy highway. We have an apartment in León, very close to the cathedral, for 2 days so we can rest, wash our clothes and cook some food.
León
Day 40 Thu 01 May
We had a day off in León, staying in a new apartment in the old seminary next to the Cathedral. Now you pay to enter the magnificent Gothic Cathedral with its 1800 square meters of stained glass windows. Somehow its lost the power to move you that it had when it was still just a church.
It was Labor Day so all shops were closed. The bars all shut about 4pm and don’t open again till 8pm so we did our tapas crawl at lunch time. Turns out the tapas were all free (with a drink) and every bar had different ones. Also every bar makes its own Limonada which is not what it sounds like, but red wine with spices and lemon, a bit like Sangria, but only made at Easter so we had to sample quite a few. But we are not here to drink; we are here to walk!
León to Astorga
Day 41 Fri 02 May
Trying to think of nice things to say about a 20 k walk to Villadango del Páramo on hard surfaces beside the busy, noisy N120. Lovely sunny day, cool breeze on our backs?
Day 42 Sat 03 May
Only 12 kilometers of character building today but we got to walk on the other side of the N120 on the way to Hospital de Órbigo. Shortly after leaving the highway, suddenly a magnificent 19 arch medieval bridge appears. The weather was nice – in May 2001 here the temperature was over 40C and we had to stop for water every 15 minutes with a rest every 30.
Day 43 Sun 04 May
It was a lovely walk today, cool and clear, some ups and downs, different plants and flowers – 20 kilometers to the old Roman crossroads of Astorga, although little remains of the Roman occupation. We tried the typical meal called Cocida Maragatos consisting of 7 different meats, followed by chick pea and cabbage stew followed by chicken noodle soup and finished off with custard and cake. We got through about a quarter of it.
Astorga to Ponferrada
Day 44 Mon 05 May
From Astorga at 873 meters to Rabanal del Camino at 1149 meters it is a steady climb with many pilgrims. The flat lands of the mesata are behind us now. Although snow was visible on the mountains, it was a very warm day. Rabanal was, and still is, a strategic point where pilgrims gathered to confront the mountains ahead. In the middle ages they were protected by the Knights Templar. Today Rabanal is a lovely stone village.
Day 45 Tue 06 May
A glorious days walk across the mountains full of wildflowers with a gradual climb followed by a steep descent. 300 meters up, 300 meters down – 16 kilometers to the beautiful Bierzo stone village of El Acebo (pop 15) where we stayed at Casa Rosa del Agua a beautiful traditional Bierzo stone house. Today was cool and overcast.
Day 46 Wed 07 May
What happened to yesterday’s hundreds? Today was tranquil on the Camino,we saw less than a dozen other Peregrino on the 16 kilometer walk to Ponferrada. Weather cool and clear, warming as we descended the 650 meters. We are now in the fruit and grape growing region of Beirzo. Ponferrada has a spectacular and well preserved Knights Templar’s Castle dating from the 12th century, but go one street back and the buildings are decaying, some abandoned and all covered with crude grafitti.