León to Oncina de la Valoncina

Having only arrived in León late in the day (yesterday), I initially pondered the possibility of taking a rest day today in order to take a proper look at the city. But I then decided I’d get back on my feet and keep following the Camino, albeit to have a relatively short day.

I was already planning to follow the alternative route which diverges to the south of the traditional Camino Frances after La Virgen del Camino, just outside León.

It took a while to emerge from the city and its suburbs, but the countryside immediately looks very different from the Meseta.

Looking at the guidebook and apps, I found what sounded like a delightful albergue, the Albergue el Pajar, in Oncina, only 13km outside León, and so thought I’d aim for there. There’s only space for 9 at this albergue, and the last bed was mine (the others being pre-booked).

The albergue is run by a very welcoming family who live in the same building, which is beautiful and relaxing, as you’ll see from the photos. It’s very much a family enterprise: The father was here to welcome me and show me to the room, and has been fixing drinks. The daughter checked me in and we’ve just been introduced to the son. We’re promised the mother’s wonderful cooking for dinner tonight, and the rest of the family say she’s in charge! There’s also at least one cat and a small dog to complete the family.

So far, in the albergue, there’s also a German lady who speaks almost fluent English, Spanish and French, and is currently learning Italian. An Italian man and a French lady have also just arrived. A man from Manchester was here when I arrived but had stopped only to get a drink, and then left.Read more