Villavente to Astorga

After getting up at about 6.30, and getting ready, we went downstairs to open our pre-packed breakfast bags, from the albergue, with some disappointment. We would probably have been better to find a bar serving breakfast!

The three walking amigos (me and the Dutch and German ladies) set off at about 7.35, into the cold and pre-dawn gloom. We were soon following the same track between the fields we’d been following yesterday afternoon. This led to a railway crossing, and we then began to head toward the main road, which until now we’d been avoiding on the ‘alternative route’ since La Virgen del Camino (on the outskirts of León). Where we rejoined the main Camino, it was a few hundred yards on the far side of the busy road.

We turned left and were soon in sight of Puente de Orbigo, where a magnificent wide medieval (and part renaissance) bridge stands on the site of a Roman bridge. The river today seemed tiny in comparison to the huge bridge but a lot of water is deployed to irrigate the local fields. A famous joust took place in 1434 beside the bridge, where a jousting list still stands.

We stopped for a coffee and pastry in a cafe overlooking the bridge and list, and were soon joined by our British friends from last night’s albergue.

Once refreshed we walked into the town of Hospital de Orbigo, which adjoins the smaller village of Puente de Orbigo.

After heading through Hospital de Orbigo, the Camino was soon back amongst fields and we began to climb into the rolling hills. The path led towards the small village of Villares de Orbigo. Can you spot the theme - all 3 places are named for the river, the Rio Orbigo. We had our passports stamped by a man running a stall offering a slice of his homemade sweet pastry, and all three of us took a small scallop shell (the sign of a pilgrim). As you might have seen from the pictures of my bag, I started with a large white shell but the string broke a few days ago and I lost the shell.

The path led next to another small village, Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias, where we hoped to find a bar for second breakfast or an early lunch, because we knew the next stretch of 10km would not pass through any villages. Initially it appeared there were no bars or shops, and only a couple of albergues. The first did not offer food, but at the second, we were invited through a door and hallway into an oasis of a small garden, with several tables and chairs. The menu was limited but we ordered a slice of tortilla each plus cold drinks. The tortilla (an egg and potato omelette an inch or so tall) arrived with a plate of huge diameter sliced tomatoes with dressing, which was absolutely delicious.

The path from Santibáñez led up and out of the village past a cattle farm, and then continued to rise up the hillside, gradually at first but then becoming a little steeper. Eventually we reached the top where there were a couple of benches in the shade under some trees.

The Camino continued relatively level for a while before descending and then rising swiftly once again. I could see what looked like a large bird of pray soaring high above on the thermals. It was too far away to have any chance of identification but I suspect it may have been an eagle.

The path levelled off eventually and we soon came to a rather bohemian cantina. My first thought was that this would not have been out of place in a Mexican desert. As we got closer, I could see a large table covered in fruit and other snacks, with drinks available too, all on a donativo basis. I took a refreshing slice of watermelon and they had a sello for our passports too. Apparently, they have no running water or electricity and so volunteers who run the cantina (mostly former peregrinos) have to walk water in every day from 2km away.

Once we set off again, the Camino led on to a stone cross at a viewpoint, overlooking the city of Astorga far below us and just under 6km away.

We descended steeply into San Justo de la Vega, and then entered the fringes of Astorga. We had one last climb ahead, as we ascended the plateau on which most of the city sits, in order to reach the large parochial albergue of Las Siervas de María (Servants of Mary), which is in a former convent building. This albergue has space for 144 pilgrims with additional overflow capacity, but they had some 60 available beds when the three of us arrived.

We were shown to a small room, with space for 4, presumably formerly a nun’s cell. A little later, we were joined by an Italian lady, who took the 4th bed.

Today’s distance 24.7kmЧитать далее