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Museo del Bierzo

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    • TravelerOne More Camino in Spain 2023
      1
      23
      Day 49

      At Ponferrada, another lovely day

      May 15, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

      Today was easy for me, and a hard downhill walk for Amr. He left at 8am and set off for the hardest downhill bit to Molinaseca….some loose stones, and some sloping slate…so glad it wasn’t raining…after Molinaseca it is ok walking, but a not very interesting path along the road into Ponferrada. As I got my taxi at 9.30 (Luís from yesterday) I was amazed seeing from the road how steep and mountainous this section is. But I rode past in my taxi, and was dropped near the Plaza del Ayuntamiento where our hotel is. Much too early to check in, but was able to get a map and info on how to find a laundromat and the bus station. Also could leave my main backpack and just take my valuables in a small bag. Easy.

      A lovely day, and much warmer now that we are down from the heights. Ponferrada is a comfortable city, and found the nearby laundromat and set off for the bus station, which turned out to be a 2 km walk along an Avenida in the modern part of the city. Good to know where to find it tomorrow when I get a bus to Villafranca del Bierzo. The bus station was undergoing renovations, as they all seem to be, and not organised from what I could see, and a long line waiting at a ticket machine, so decided to do it online…never quite sure if you can hop on and just pay cash. When I did do it on my ipad I had to charge the credit card €1.85!! A little cheaper than the €30 taxi rides…I guess it all balances out!!

      So that was quite good walking, and when I got back Amr was soon going to arrive…sat on a bench in the square and waited…so good. Arrived at about 12.15 I think. He said it was as tough as I had remembered, and we sat at a bar and had beers and tostadas…and a nice chat with Kelly from Port Macquarie who we had shared a dinner table with last night, and I also saw Lucy from Wales (also at dinner) as she arrived into Ponferrada, but she is going to stay a little further on today. You keep seeing the same familiar people popping up from time to time.

      By that time it was almost ok to check in and our room was ready, so unpacked and took all the dirty clothes to the laundromat! A clean start tomorrow! Had a wander, only in shirts - the first time not in layers and jackets…it will cool down overnight, but only to about 6 and soon warms up again, specially if you are walking…we are having dinner tonight at a rather nice looking restaurant attached to the hotel..La Violeta.      Read more

    • TravelerCamino Francés
      1
      11
      Day 25

      Day 25 - Camponaraya

      October 4, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

      Before we left Ponferrada today, I spent an hour touring El Castillo de Los Templarios. After walking past so many castle ruins along El Camino, it was a treat to wander around this restored property.

      The Templars occupied the original structure in 1178, and expanded upon it until they were disbanded in 1312. They were tasked with protecting pilgrims on El Camino de Santiago from the Moors, securing an adjacent iron bridge with strategic importance between Galicia and León, as well as serving the Kings of Spain.

      Informational panels around the grounds explain how it has been fought over and changed ownership during subsequent centuries.

      Walking its ramparts, it’s easy to feel transported to times long past.

      After leaving Ponferrada, we ran into Bronwyn, a pilgrim from Australia who we first met at Orisson, and who we’ve since encountered several times along the Way. We chatted for a bit, and then she sped off, as she was hoping to go three times as far as our 10k today.

      We stopped for lunch in Fuentesnuevas, opting for Restaurante La Casona based on its 4 1/2 star Google rating. It was fantastic, and it seemed we were the only pilgrims there.

      We only had another 2 kilometers to walk after lunch, and we were happy to be settled into tonight’s hostal room shortly after 4 p.m.

      Tomorrow’s destination is Trabadelo, 24 kilometers away.      Read more

    • TravelerCamino Francés
      Day 24

      Day 24 - Ponferrada

      October 3, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

      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

    • TravelerCal’s Camino Adventures
      1
      1
      Day 28

      Day 28

      September 20, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

      Messed up getting out of town this morning, so another couple of km’s added on 😂.. I’ve decided ( so has Steve 😬 ) I’m seriously rubbish at reading a map!! The Camino ninja app Norbert told me about is definitely a must for other rubbish map readers out there.
      For some strange reason, I was expecting today’s section to be flat.. it wasn’t at all .. no out and out climbs or descents, but really up and down through lots of villages and unbelievable scenery that just doesn’t come across on a photo as it’s so vast !!
      I had also assumed after last week that the weather had definitely turned autumnal… wrong!!! Absolutely boiling today ( it was still 28 degrees at 8pm ) not a cloud in the sky and not a breath of wind !!
      Note… today I saw my first Croc wearer!!! Why!!!that’s all!!!
      Villafranca del Bierzo is absolutely beautiful and well worth staying a night in… another fab meal and obviously.. red wine 😬!!! It tastes so much better in Spain.. I’m going to be the only person who goes home from a mammoth walking holiday fatter than when they started 😳
      I caught up with Yvonne and Hazel today, they’ve booked the donkey ride for O Cebreiro, so I hope I catch up with them again before we’re done to hear all about it.
      Although it seems in some ways like I’ve been away for such a long time, I can’t believe that I’m down to my final 10 days!! I was pretty confident I’d be ok with the walking, but have to admit I had massive fears and doubts about dealing with everything else on my own… I’ll be super proud of myself for doing so next week…      Read more

    • TravelerCamino Santiago de Compostella
      Day 27

      Ponferrada 2

      June 13, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

      As stated I have a very short stage today so basically took all the extra time I wanted to walk around Ponferrada look at various things...

      So there's this sculpture about the legend:

      In Ponferrada, León, there is a very large castle. The castle is from the 12th century, it is on a small mountain and it is impressive. It was an imposing castle and belonged to the Knights of the Order of the Templars. The castle of Ponferrada was the most emblematic, most important and largest castle of the order of the Templars in the Iberian Peninsula.

       Legend has it that there is a hidden treasure in the castle of Ponferrada. This treasure was the greatest treasure of Christianity:
      The Holy Grail.
      The tablets of Moses with the ten commandments from Mount Sinai.
      King Solomon's table with all the knowledge of the universe.
      And gold, lots of gold...
      It's possible? It is true? Is the treasure of the Christians in the castle of Ponferrada?

       It's a posibility. This is the story, it is the legend of the Castle of Ponferrada..

       The 11th and 12th centuries in Europe were very complicated and dangerous. The Crusades, the terrible battles of Christian warriors against the infidels, were permanent.

       The 11th and 12th centuries were also centuries of pilgrimage. Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostela were very important cities in Christianity... The route to Santiago de Compostela grew and grew, in Santiago de Compostela there is the tomb of the apostle Santiago. The pilgrims were very numerous and the attacks on the pilgrims were cruel and intense. The protection of pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compostela was absolutely necessary.

       The Order of the Templars was a very powerful Christian military order in Europe in the Middle Ages. The Templar warriors were brave and relentless warriors. The white tunic and red cross were distinctive signs in Christianity, the sign of protection for the Christian faithful.

       The Christian faithful headed for Santiago de Compostela needed protection! The Templars made their way to the Iberian Peninsula and effectively protected the pilgrims on the Santiago de Compostela route from attack.

       The Templars built many castles on the Iberian Peninsula. There were many, many new castles.

       Legend has it that the Knights Templar hid the treasure of Christianity in the castle of Ponferrada: the gold of the Crusades, the Holy Grail, the Ark of the Covenant with the tables of Moses and King Solomon's table. They were the guardians of the treasure...
      Hmmmm... not the Legend I was talking about but heck the Holy Grail? Moses's 10 tablets? and King Solomon table of knowledge?... all in this Castle? I would probably keep it locked every day of the week not just Monday 😇😁

      And no thankfully we did not have to go up that streetI      Read more

    • The World is Out ThereCamino De Santiago
      Day 11

      The Mystery of Water

      May 29, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

      Walking through any small town,village, or hamlet you will see these bottles filled with water. Apparently, natives believe it will turn away unwanted pests. I have seen similar things with ziploc baggies of water stapled to the wall of a café to keep flies out in the US Southwest. The belief works like this: a dog, or cat, will pee on the bottle which keeps from eroding the adobe or plaster.
      Most likely it’s more like this:
      Typically the way this works is a homeowner leaves the bottle out front. A cat comes along and rubs its face all over the bottle. A dog smells the cat has been there and pees on the bottle to mark it. A swarm of flies is attracted to the dog pee. And then along comes a pilgrim, “Hey! Free water!”      Read more

    • TravelerCamino De Santiago
      Day 26

      Day 26: Foncebadòn a Ponferrada

      May 25, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

      Well, what a freezing cold night that was. On my mat on the floor in a church in the mountains, there was nothing I could do to get warm. Luckily Jim had left a sleeping pill on the mat for me, so I think it took the edge off somewhat. There was a sense of camaraderie to the morning, someone had brought a kettle we all huddled around and I had a coffee. It was so, so cold as I headed out into dawn at the top of the mountains.

      Today was the Cruz de Ferro, an iconic moment in the pilgrimage where you leave a stone to symbolise the leaving behind of the weight you are carrying. I had a small stone Chris and I had collected in London. I walked today with Simone, an Italian archaeologist who was my companion for the Cruz de Ferro at sunrise. He is travelling so light, he wrapped his sleeping bag around his shoulders for warmth. It was bitterly cold, so after leaving the stone and feeling pretty much the same as before, I walked on. I don’t think this was ever a real moment for me but it is an achievement to have made it this far. The walk is beautiful today, cold but as the sun rises the warmth comes. Simone tells me all about the history of Spain, I learn he is very interested in the fall of the Roman Empire in the country. He is a baker by trade, but he has always dreamed of working in a museum as an archaeologist. I said he should be a teacher, as he is very good at explaining things!

      We walk through the mountains and down, down down. I slip! My ankles give away and I hit the dusty path, scraping my knee but my trousers are saved! I am thankful for this. The day is tough down about 25km to the beautiful town of Ponferrada. Simone and I celebrate with a beer and he tells me more archaeological things. I am thankful for company but also feeling very weary, I often end up hiking one on one and this can be challenging! We tour the castle and he tells me fascinating clues to help age certain parts of the building. He concludes that the site may have Templar origins, but the main structure is much later.

      The town is beautiful but I don’t really explore it. I turn down an offer for dinner so I can spend some time in solitude, maybe the pilgrim gods will forgive me? No dinner for me tonight!

      2 more days to Galicia.      Read more

    • HeiluJakobsweg Spanien
      2
      Day 27

      Ponferrada 26 km

      September 26, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      Mit leichtem Nebel ging es Richtung Chruz de Fierro. Sehr Eindrücklich und mit Gänsehaut durfte ich nach über 2000 km zu Fuss meine mitgebrachten Steine ablegen. Danach ging es meisten abwärts bis ins Ziel. Superschöne Natur durfte ich geniessen.Read more

      See translation
    • TravelerJakobsweg - Camino Frances
      Day 25

      Ponferrada

      August 26, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

      Wie immer tauchen natürlich auch heute wieder einige bekannte Gesichter (Alessio, Carla, Martin, Cecile,...) in der Unterkunft auf, ohne das man sich irgendwie verabredet hätte. (Und es gibt unzählige Herbergen in Ponferrada) Aber das ist hier halt so. 😂

      Nach Dusche und Waschen besichtige ich mit Martin gemeinsam die Tempelritter Burg und gehen anschließend gemeinsam mit Cecile zum Abendessen.      Read more

      See translation
    • TravelerEl Camino
      Day 19

      Sixteenth stop - Ponferrada

      May 17, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

      Villares de Óbrigo -> 15km (+52km by train) -> Ponferrada
      After yesterday's beautiful diner, which was a real melting pot of nationalities, today we walked to Astorga, where we visited the beautiful Cathedral and walked around town. From there we took a train (and skipped a huge storm it seems) to Ponferrada from which we will continue the road tomorrow!Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Museo del Bierzo

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