Camino de Santiago: Into León

There is a certain routine to days on the Camino starting with an early rise and ending with laundry and checking the route map for the following day. Basic tasks aside, each day is shaped differently. You don’t know exactly how it will go when you take your first step in the morning. What you see, who you meet, how you feel…this happens as you go.

Sahagún to El Burgo Ranero – 19 km

El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas – 19.3

Mansilla de Mulas to León – 18.1 km

Route out of Sahagún was not particularly well marked; I waved at a passing car with a quizzical look and they readily pointed me in the right direction as they zoomed by. Lovely walking conditions along a straightforward gravel path. Nothing ordinary about my morning stop: another handmade stamp! This man was a friend of Mateo (from Moratinos), also Italian, but called himself a “cuidadano del mundo” since he has lived in many countries. It’s his cheeky signature however, “Guru improbabile”, imprinted on his stamp. José from Barcelona and his little dog Pepi stopped for a stamp too. He completes a section every year with Pepi (“es buen compania“) and yes indeed Pepi can get a credential. Pepi tucks into the backpack when he’s tired.

Some routines form organically. I seem to regularly find my friends from Nothern Ireland at a café along the route, in this case at Bercianos. We walked together until our destination in El Burgo Ranero, discussing (me mainly listening) the complexities of Irish politics, constitutional structure and outlook for a united island.

The church tower in El Burgo was covered with 4 huge stork nests. Fabulous lunch and dinner at La Costa del Adobe, including a bolognese made with chorizo. Ended the day talking with José about training for the Camino and travelling with Pepi who was already resting (descanso) for the night. Pepi wears a scallop shell on his collar, a gift from someone running a rest stop when José simply stopped for a banana. “Eso es el Camino,” he said. This is the Camino. You receive many gifts. Like my lunch; the pilgrim from Belgium that I had lunch with picked up my tab without me knowing it.

I walked out of El Burgo Ranero uplifted. My hostess María kept bringing José and I her homemade food (eggs, smoothie, apple tart) to make certain we had enough energy for the 12 km walk to Reliegos. I did. Fun stop at the Albergue. The gregarious owner from Bruxelles was wearing a red cap and long pointy beard. He loves to talk with passing pilgrims…and take photos. He showed me photos from the morning and I recognized many pilgrims (who all had an earlier start as I had my leisurely breakfast!)

As I walked on my shadow got shorter and shorter, the day got warmer and warmer, layers off by the time I passed through the thick walls of Puerta del Castillo (above) in Mansilla de las Mulas. Imagine the pilgrims that have entered through these walls for centuries.

Good relaxing stay in the Alberguería del Camino, yummy lunch in the rustic restaurant and wrote my journal to the cooing of doves on the terrace overlooking the church tower.

Much earlier start leaving Mansilla under a dusty pink sky. Here’s a unique pilgrim staff – a hockey stick! Guess where this pilgrim was from, eh? Toronto area but not a Leaf’s fan (Calgary Flames.) He chose to put the wax stamp from “Guru Improbabile” on his hockey stick, making both of their days.

Stopped for a tortilla and had a fun conversation with a family from Valencia about the merits of tortilla with or without onion (cebolla). Hotly debated. They declared the tortilla at this cafe muy bueno. It was good, but I do prefer with onion.

Cool air soon warmed up and by the time I arrived in León it was positively hot. Glad I had company to navigate into busy León: a pilgrim from Cork who had his map handy and was consulting it regularly. He was completing the Way in stages whenever he had free time, ending this time in León. Seemed to be a trend, José (and Pepi) and the Valencian family were also ending in León (for now).

Evening out in the Plaza Mayor. Shared a delicious vegetable paella with pilgrim from New Zealand. Her hometown was Napier (I attended a most beautiful wedding of a good friend there almost 20 years ago). It was her second time walking the Camino Francés. The three of us polished off a bottle of vibrant pink rosé while discussing musicians from our homelands. Our pilgrim routines have us to bed early. We returned to our accommodations through boisterous streets; it was clear the festivities were only starting on Friday night in León!

That’s approximately 180 km walked over 9 wonderful days. Each day unfolding in its own way. As it was meant to be. Feeling grateful and content. I have a rest day in León before heading into new and more mountainous terrain.