• ShaunLCCamino de Santiago - May 2025Traveler
    Sunrise over Ponferrada on the way to Cruz de Ferro
    Cruz de FerroYesterday and tomorrowSunriseThe start of the rock and rubble, but pretty spring bushThose views...The cows with their bellsYes!1Still one teamBlister country, but my new boots ate up the pathThose views...A very late breakfastWild lavenderThe outskirts of MolinasecaSpring is hayfever seasonEntry to MolinasecaGood spot for a picnic lunchLots of dry stone walls

    Day 26 - Cruz de Ferro

    May 25 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Foncebadón to Ponferrada
    28.6km
    Accumulated distance 622.5km
    Up early in my mountain hotel in Foncebadón and walked the half hour up the hill to Cruz de Ferro to see the sunrise. It was worth it, the sunrise was perfect with some wispy clouds and the Cruz wasn’t yet crowded with pilgrims.
    Summiting the highest point on the Camino at about 1500m was a big deal for me, another milestone achieved. The climb wasn’t as tough as the Pyrenees on days 1 and 2, so pleased to have reached this point without too much damage. The significance of the Cruz is to symbolically lay down one’s burdens in the form of a stone. I didn’t have many burdens to lay down so instead lay down 2 stones, one for all my yesterdays and one for all my tomorrows. The yesterdays represent me being grateful to all those people who’ve come through my life to contribute to me being me, especially close family and friends. I’m excited about the tomorrows with my family and friends, especially Rosanne, Matthew and Emily, and Christy and Declan, such exciting times ahead. But also parents and in-laws who mean so much to me.
    The second milestone was my personal 600km walked, I still am in a state of denial that my skinny legs have carried me this far, but the GPS says so, so it must be true. And on the blister front, Brown makes his presence known from time to time, but in generall pain free since León , which is just soooo good.
    The walk down from the Cruz was brutal, it must have been 10-15km of limestone rock and rubble, I was super grateful for my poles, but my toes took a hammering.
    There were also some really pretty villages and towns on the approach to Molinaseca, and the town itself was lovely, maybe the prettiest so far. I treated myself to a picnic sandwich on the river edge, even dipping my feet into the freezing water.
    It was a reasonable walk today at 28km so happy to get to Ponferrada and enjoy another lovely Spanish town, this time with a real Templar castle to explore. 28deg at 2pm was a bit hot though so I waited until about 4.30pm.
    The two moments of the day were spending time at the Cruz de Ferro, and reaching my personal 600km mark. A great day.    Read more