Astorga

It's a beautiful climb in the Leon mountains to one of the highest points on the Camino. The temperatures these days aren't quite as high as last week, so we are a bit more relaxed with our days.
At the top of the hill is the Cruz de Fierro, or Iron Cross. On a knoll of stones deposited by the pilgrims, stands an oak trunk about 5 meters high, topped by a simple iron cross from which the monument takes its name. There is an important tradition, regarding the Iron Cross which includes a ritual that most of the pilgrims usually fulfill: It involves transporting a stone from the starting point of the Way to the Iron Cross, and once there, drop it in the knoll. The size of the stone should be proportional to the sins that the pilgrim wants to atone, and it represents the release of those sins through the sacrifice involved in carrying that stone.
We perform our own ritual with stones we had picked up. Other pilgrims have left articles representing what they want to release in their lives. There was a half-full packet of cigarettes so we presume someone had ditched that habit symbolically at that point. Lou was tempted to nick them, but I feel that would have been bad karma!
Lunch today is just amazing - we're in a wee village high up in the mountains, in a cafe run by an American that is worked off his feet and a bit tense - he later tells us a relationship fell through and that now he is running his cafe alone, and it's hard, and hard to get any time away - pilgrims come through all hours of every day. But he cooks for us big steaming plates of fresh vegetables, pasta and pesto.
There is a 15km descent down to Molinaseca that is too treachorous by path, so we take the road and are there in minutes, delighted to come upon our first swimming hole!
We are only 7km from the night's home at Ponferrada so we indulge in swimming - bliss, and lounging in the shade of a tree with big glasses of sangria and ice creams.
Who knew 7km could be so long and arduous. By the time we tackle it, the sangria is taking effect, the sun is, well, scorchio, and the road is slightly uphill and completely free of all shade. Ponferrada is another town on a hill, with a traffic-free centre and a castle.
Plus a fantastic Italian restaurant and a gelateria right on the plaza we are staying on.Read more