Day 24 - Ponferrada

We leapfrogged a 102 kilometer section of the Camino by taxi today, covering in a 90-minute drive what would have taken us four days to walk.

We lucked out with our driver, Lautico Fernandez Fernandez. He offered excellent commentary along the way, pointing out where the Camino went when we couldn’t see it from the car, providing highlights of the towns we passed by, and sharing a bit about his family’s background as blacksmiths in the Gradefes area of León.

When we finally reached Ponferrada, the GPS system wasn’t helpful getting the car to our hotel’s door. Lautico was reluctant to let us walk the final bit despite our assurances that it wasn’t a problem.

After it became clear that a short walk was in order, he insisted on carrying both of our heavy backpacks up the steep hill—and then refused to accept a tip. “Just call on me the next time you’re in León,” he said.

Our hotel is very close to the Castillo de los Templarios, so we were looking forward to checking it out after lunch…but it is closed on Mondays. Since we have a short hike to Camponaraya planned tomorrow, we may stop in when the castle opens at 10 a.m.Read more