Cruz de Ferro

Once I decided I’d taken the best part of a hundred photos of the sunrise, I turned to continue up and along the Camino. There wasn’t much further height to gain before the path tracked along a contour across the mountainside.

Just over a kilometre later, I saw my first glimpse of the Cruz de Ferro (iron cross) ahead. The iron cross itself is at the top of a 5m high wooden pole.

The tradition is that pilgrims leave a stone they’ve brought from their home to leave at the foot of the cross, to symbolise the laying down of a burden, or sometimes in memory of someone dear.

At tea yesterday, an experienced pilgrim, who’s walked this way before, suggested that as well as laying down a burden, it was important to take up something in your life in place of the burden you leave a the cross (or the burden would return in time).Read more