Pilgrims on the Way

So after several hours of mucking about, we come to a broad, dry path, for which we are extremely grateful. Someone has thoughtfully marked out for us the way to continue. Date: 20 April 2016 Place: Approaching San Justo de la Vega (Castilla y León, Spain) Today’s map:

After a brief respite, and what should have been our third and final warning, we came to this. Miles and miles of this. The surface of Mars. The clay stuck to the bottom of our shoes in layers that we had to scrape off every dozen steps. Puddles were impossible to avoid for long. There was no dry or firm […]

After we’d made it past the initial morass, the Way was clear for some time. It wouldn’t last. But for now, proper drainage for the win! You can already see the final omen, though, in the tire tracks of an agricultural vehicle on the road. Further on, these tracks would tear up the wet clay into something resembling no-man’s land. […]

Ten minutes past our first warning, we came to a stretch of red clay mud that covered the Way from side to side for a length of maybe a dozen yards. It was slow, sticky going. Still, we were undeterred: we could see the end of the mess, and the road didn’t look too bad after that. Date: 20 April […]

With the villages of Villares de Órbigo and Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias firmly behind us, we head back out into the rural countryside. This rolling landscape is dominated by a red clay soil. Less than twenty minutes out, we passed this sight. Had we any brains at all, we would have realized a warning when we saw it. Date: 20 April […]

Once more proving the adage that the smallest towns have the longest names, the village of Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias boasts a population of 150 on a good day. It contains a very odd church, as you can see, and an albergue parroquial that includes a small outdoor café. In 2013, Eamon and I stopped for a bite there and were […]

How can you resist a little critter like this? We followed the garlic sign and popped into Restaurante Bar Arnal for a sello and a quick second breakfast. And yes, the stamp contained the same garlic critter. Date: 20 April 2016 Place: Villares de Órbigo (Castilla y León, Spain) Today’s map:

We made it to Villares de Órbigo with little trouble. The Way was wet and a little muddy, but not too bad. The village itself is small but remarkably tidy, and it definitely has a whimsical side, which perhaps you discern from the albergue’s paint scheme. Date: 20 April 2016 Place: Villares de Órbigo (Castilla y León, Spain) Today’s map:

This is a sign in so many ways of what was to come as we walked from Hospital de Órbigo towards Astorga. Standing water. Clay. And a certain lack of alacrity. Date: 20 April 2016 Place: between Hospital de Órbigo and Villares de Órbigo (Castilla y León, Spain) Today’s map:

Here we take our leave of Hospital de Órbigo and head out into farmland on our way to the small city of Astorga, some 15 km distant. Notice the red clay soil poking up through the Camino path? This will become very important in a few hours. But for right now, the air is cool and the Way is clear. […]