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Camino Mixto

April - June 2025
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This year I explore the Camino Frances and the Camino Invierno, with a detour as an Hospitalera in Rabanal del Camino. Topped off with a Mediterranean Cruise! Read more
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  • Spain
  • Canada
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Backpacking, Couple, Cruise ship, Culture, Hiking, Self discovery, Solo travel, Spirituality
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  • TravelerCamino Mixto
    Day 29

    Borrenes to Puente de Domingo Flórez Par

    Yesterday in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    I only saw three pilgrims today and they were Canadian! From Montreal and Toronto. They were coming up the mountain when I was heading down. They didn’t have backpacks with them, and I’m not sure where they were staying. I’m glad I did the Mirador as part of my walk, though it would have been nice without the pack, lol.

    I booked a private room for tonight as there were not many choices. They give a pilgrim discount, and I have a shower and sink in my room but the toilet is down the hall. Last night’s accommodation was so quiet. Here it sounds like parties happening. Or fights, I’m not sure. I guess I will be using my earplugs.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mixto
    22
    Day 29

    Borrenes to Puente de Domingo Flórez

    Yesterday in Spain ⋅ 🌙 3 °C

    One of the reasons I wanted to walk the Camino Invierno was to see the Roman gold mines. Today was the day!

    The first photo explains it, but basically the Romans destroyed the mountain by using water at high velocity in order to access the gold. In the first to third century AD. Amazing engineering feat, beautiful scenery, but actually an ecological disaster.

    I wasn’t actually certain how to get to the best viewpoint, Mirador Orellán, so I just walked until I saw a sign indicating a path. At that point I left the Camino and followed a hiking trail. It was well marked and had several explanation signs. Very helpful.

    So today I walked about 22 km. Half up, up, up. Followed by down, down, down. I was pretty tired when I got in. And hungry, too.

    What a day! The scenery was outstanding. It kind of reminded me of crossing the Pyrenees on the Camino Frances. The mountains in the distance were gorgeous, and I did climb a mountain!    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mixto
    2
    21
    Day 28

    Molinaseca to Borrenes Part 2

    May 5 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Part 2 is from Ponferrada to one of the villages I walked through.

    Along the trail was sort of tunnel called el Caléyon. It was associated with the Romans and their gold mining. More on that tomorrow.Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mixto
    2
    Day 28

    Molinaseca to Borrenes Part 3

    May 5 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Just a few more, plus my Relive videos.

    You can see the shortcut I took. Seemed like a good idea but boy was it steep! I did save some kilometres though, so maybe okay.

    We have a very nice albergue, there are only two pilgrims in a three bed room. Real beds with sheets plus towels! Luxury! We washed clothes, had a cerveza from the fridge, and walked around the village.

    There is hardly anyone here. The lady at the farmacia called the lady at the one restaurant in town and she stayed open to serve us bocadillos. Very nice people!    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mixto
    Day 28

    Molinaseca to Borrenes - Camino Invierno

    May 5 in Spain ⋅ 🌫 9 °C

    I walked about 25 km today but it felt almost as hard as yesterday. I did make two errors which probably added an extra kilometre or two.

    First, in Ponferrada, I thought the start of the Camino Invierno was close to the Castillo de Templarios. In fact, I had walked past it and if I had turned around I would have seen the sign. But instead I got to walk with Giorgio from Vancouver and have coffee with Umberto from Italy. And I helped some Spaniards find the Invierno route as well.

    The other mistake was when I got to a junction where I chose to take a “shortcut.” After walking a bit I realized I was on the wrong trail. And the trail I wanted was straight up! I did save some kilometres but it was very hard.

    Otherwise the walk was lovely. Mostly flat to Ponferrada, then quite hilly. You will see if you look at the Relive videos. One is the Camino Frances to Ponferrada and the other is the Invierno to Borrenes. I didn’t mean to zero my watch, but since I did, it worked out.

    You might be wondering what is this Camino Invierno. If you know Spanish you will know that means winter. There are many Camino routes in Spain 🇪🇸, all leading to Santiago de Compostela, the resting place of the remains of Santiago, the apostle St James.

    The most travelled route is the Camino Frances. At one point someone decided that there should be an alternative route in winter, when some of the mountain passes are impassable due to snow. The Camino de Invierno was born. It is a bit longer than the same part of the Frances, and quieter, as few people know about it.

    You may have guessed that you don’t have to wait until winter to walk this route. So far I have seen nine pilgrims. Tonight in my albergue there are just two of us. Very quiet.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mixto
    Day 27

    Rabanal to Molinaseca Part 3

    May 4 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    I think I’ll include the flower 🌺 photos here, though you can see many flowers along the trails already.

    Also, the Relive video of the walk. Have a look at the elevation!

  • TravelerCamino Mixto
    22
    Day 27

    Rabanal to Molinaseca Part 2

    May 4 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    The views were so amazing that I took a lot of photos.

    Manjarin is an interesting place a bit past the Iron Cross. A man named Tomás used to live there, and said he was the last living Templar Knight. He has been ill, but his place was open and I got a stamp and a photo with Oso (bear).

    There is also a food truck nearby. I waited until El Acebo to stop for lunch, then carried on to Molinaseca.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mixto
    Day 27

    Rabanal del Camino to Molinaseca

    May 4 in Spain ⋅ 🌫 7 °C

    It felt really great to walk again today. While I really enjoyed being a hospitalera, I am super happy to be a pilgrim today.

    This was the most difficult day of my trip so far. The morning started with a climb to the highest point on the Camino (from 1150 m at Rabanal to 1530 m), then down to 580 m at Molinaseca. That’s a lot of elevation change!

    Other than muddy patches, the uphill was fairly easy. It was the down that was hard. Some was fine, but a lot was rocky and/or wet and/or mud. The photos are good but don’t do it justice. Towards the end of the day I was walking with Umberto from Rome. We gave each other moral support, paused for flower 🌼 photos, and congratulated each other on arrival to the albergue.

    Near the highest point is the Cruz de Ferro, the Iron Cross. The hermit Gaucelmo (for whom the albergue in Rabanal is named) lived in the area and was involved in adding the cross. Initially it was just a wooden pole that was significant to Celts and then Romans. Once the cross was added it became an important symbol of the Christian pilgrimage.

    Pilgrims carry a stone to the Cruz that represents a burden, sin, or worry. When you leave the rock at the foot of the cross, you symbolically leave your burden as well.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mixto
    1
    Day 26

    Hospitalera Day 18

    May 3 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    This is it, our last day as volunteers at Refugio Gaucelmo! Our relief came by in the morning and helped us to clean. Then we had to count the money.

    As I mentioned yesterday, there was a special celebration today, actually more than one.

    First, there was a bench donated to our garden for which some important people gathered for a blessing.

    Then there was a special mass in honour of the former prior of the monastery next door. He has now returned to Germany to the ‘home base’ and been promoted. To Abbott Presidente. So this mass was attended by several priests, nuns, and local dignitaries. This was followed by special luncheon, to which I was not invited. The bishop of Astorga did get an invitation, so he attended.

    Later on Abbott President Javier stopped by for a drink. He is actually a very funny guy.

    Please check out the video on the footprint. The man who does the music for church had a back up today. I call him the Maragato music man.

    He lives in Rabanal and plays during mass. A recorder and a drum at the same time. And today the extra musician had some kind of instruments in his hands. Maragato are the people who have lived in this area around Astorga for generations. They have special music, dancing, and food.

    While we were at mass we had an abundance of pilgrims and the ‘barn’ was opened, so I got to take a look.

    Now I am a little superfluous but will soon start packing as I leave in the morning. I am walking westward to Santiago. Llew will be walking eastward to Astorga, then catching a bus to Burgos where he will meet his friends who are walking the Camino. They will walk to Santiago and beyond, to Finisterre.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mixto
    Day 25

    Hospitalera Day 17

    May 2 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    It definitely more chilly today 🥶. If you ever volunteer here, bring warm clothes. And O’Keefe’s Working Hands lotion.

    I got Diego to help with desayuno (breakfast) and té (tea) today. He had his friend the kiwi help with tea as well.

    We are completo again today. 20 pilgrims - full! In the summer we have more beds but also more hospitaleros.

    Also our relief has arrived! Normally they would arrive tomorrow but there are some special events tomorrow in the village that they have been invited to attend.    Read more

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