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Riego de Ambros

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    • TravelerJacqueline is Walking 2022
      1111111
      Day 34

      Fonçebadon - Cruz de Ferro - Molinaseca

      May 17, 2022 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

      Cruz de Ferro ist einen ganz besonderen Ort auf den Camino Frances. Es liegt auf 1504 Meter auf einer Hochebene des Monte Irago. Es ist einer der schlichtesten, aber eindrücklichsten Orte am Jakobsweg. Aus einem großen Steinhaufen ragt ein langer, schlanker Eichenpfahl, darauf das kleine Eisenkreuz. Der genaue Ursprung liegt im Dunkeln. Sicher ist, dass seit Jahrhunderten die Pilger am Kreuz einen Stein niederlegen. Für viele Pilger bedeutet das Ritual auch heute noch das symbolische Ablegen einer Seelenlast. Ein Stein hinlegen, oder eine Blume, ein Bändchen oder eine kleine Muschel so wie ich. Eine Muschel mit einer ganz besonderen Bedeutung. Ich hatte mein Moment schon am Vortag am Cruz de Ferro, bin abends um 19 Uhr hingelaufen und war ganz alleine dort, so wollte ich es auch. Ich war mir erst nicht sicher, so alleine, aber ich habe es trotzdem getan. Der Weg dorthin werde ich nie vergessen, es fühlte sich an wie eine Magie, als ob das Kreuz mich dort hingezogen hat.
      1 1/2 Stunde später war ich wieder an der Albergue und am nächsten Morgen bin ich mit Beatriz um 6.15 Uhr hingelaufen. Ich wusste das viele Pilger schon sehr früh beim Sonnenaufgang da sind und so war es auch.
      Danke für diesen besonderen Moment, unvergesslich, die Muschel bleibt für immer am Cruz de Ferro 🫶.      Read more

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    • The World is Out ThereCamino De Santiago
      Day 10

      Reigo de Ambrós

      May 28, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

      Another day of sharp declines. Some of The Way has been painstakingly cobbled and walled, but much has fallen into disrepair, leaving a tricky track to navigate. The small hamlets here are in a similar state. In some places, you can imagine thousands of carts having carved the ruts in the native slate, or portions where the feet of so many of the faithful have eroded the path four to six feet below grade. I documented a rare switch back about 2 km below Regio.Read more

    • TravelerCamino Santiago de Compostella
      Day 26

      Ugh 2

      June 12, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

      There were two ladies from Canada who ordered a taxi into the restaurant and were going to Ponferrada
      they offered me and another Pilgrim who is also staying in Molinaseca give us a lift ( Molinaseca is on the way to Ponferrada) but we tactfully declined and said we would walk
      it was our understanding that The Descent would be steeper but the trail should be more level and do not have Rolling Stones and shale.... guess again      Read more

    • TravelerCamino Santiago de Compostella
      Day 26

      Ugh3

      June 12, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

      So this now officially qualifies as the worst descend for the whole trip up to date
      even the horrible sharp shale that was sticking out on descend to zubiri on day three has nothing compared to this
      practically the whole rest of the day was spent on this Trail
      it took me close to three and a half hours to walk perhaps 3 km      Read more

    • TravelerCamino de Santiago
      Day 33

      Day 31 - To Riego de Ambros

      October 9, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

      Day 31 - To Riego de Ambros
      22 kms; Difficulty 3/3
      23-24°C

      Today I came upon a place called Cruz de Ferro. As you will see from the photo it is a huge wooden pole with an iron cross at the top and an enormous pile of rocks at the base. Everyone walking the Camino is aware that they will come across this site. The idea of it is to bring a rock from home or anywhere really. The rocks represent the burdens that people carry. As they leave their rock behind, they hopefully unburden themselves of whatever troubles them, and hopefully are able to live a happier life. Needless to say it can be very emotional for people.

      This place is believed to be “an ancient monument which was first erected by the ancient Celts, then dedicated by the Romans to their god Mercury (protector of travelers), and later crowned by the cross and renamed as a Christian site in the 9th century. For centuries, pilgrims have brought a stone to the place (from home or the flatlands below) to represent their burden. The stone and the burden are left here, leaving the Pilgrim lighter (literally and figuratively) for the journey ahead.”(Camino De Santiago, Village to Village Guide).

      All sorts of items are left. Stones with messages on them, memorial pictures, etc. A friend I met on the trail left a picture of his deceased wife and sprinkled her ashes.
      After being on top of the rocks, at the pole, I sat near the little church thinking. And while looking at the enormous pile of rocks that have been left for centuries, I couldn’t help but think of the enormity of burdens unloaded here over the centuries! I pray that each and every “unburdening” was successful at the time and that they remained successful permanently.

      Most of the trail today was not good, as you’ll see in the pictures. I really don’t like trails like this. They slow me down, they’re dangerous, and I cannot take my eyes off the trail to see the beautiful views. It was tiring.      Read more

    • TravelerCamino de Santiago
      Day 28

      Foncebadon to Ponferrada - part two

      April 19 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

      What followed was a bit more climbing, to the highest point of the whole Camino, then a 1200m elevation change coming down over the next 10 or so kilometres which was humbling on the knees but truly breathtaking. The buildings in these (to borrow from Yates) 'bee-loud' villages show, as much as the landscapes, that we have travelled to a different region. Rammed earth is out, stones and wooden balconies are in. They are beautiful and quiet and half for sale. It swells and bruises your heart.

      The whole thing actually felt like I was in one of those videos you can watch on the gym treadmill, which made me realise I could probably have made mad bank by strapping a Go Pro to me and hocking the footage for that purpose. Speaking of under-explored revenue streams, there is SURELY a market for Camino feet pics and dare I say, undergarments. I can't really be bothered, but it might be lucrative. I could sell my socks?      Read more

    • TravelerThe Camino
      12
      Day 30

      Rabanal to Riego de Ambos

      June 21, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

      For the first time we had coffee before leaving our accommodation- I was sad to leave Albergue Guacelmo with its lovely English hospitaleros. The reluctance to get on the way was exacerbated by being even more disorganised than usual owing to having to go to bed in the dark and try to sort stuff out in the morning while others were still sleeping.
      Finally left about 7.45 expecting a very steep climb up to Cruz de Fer. In the end it was pretty gentle -coffee on the way at Foncebaden but was glad we stayed at Rabanal as clouds would have meant no magnificent sunrise and Foncebaden did not have the same sort of atmosphere as Rabanal.
      Cruz de Fer was not quite what I expected but we were lucky that it was not too busy and I left my stone, brought from home, which is the traditional thing to do.
      From there I was expecting a steep downhill walk but in reality it was gently undulating for quite a while and the steep part (which was pretty steep with loose rocks and slate) started quite a bit later.
      It was a long tricky descent into El Acebo, where we ate very good cheese baguettes, then down further in Riego de Ambos. Had a moment of stress about whether we should continue into Riego or stop in El Acebo where there was a big modern hotel with both rooms and dorms (only the dorms would have been affordable) but so pleased we came to our Pension in Riego as it’s a lovely family run place. Very simple but we have an amazing view, a balcony where we’re drying our washing and where they made us a delicious meal - including Padrón peppers. There is a cherry tree in the garden that we were encouraged to pick from. Beautiful blush coloured cherries and so many of them!!
      I’m writing this listening to birdsong and looking out at the mountains. Very happy.

      If you watch the video I’ve attached make sure you have the sound turned up!!      Read more

    • TravelerCamino
      1
      Day 30

      Day 29, Rabanal to Riego de Ambos

      June 21, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

      I didn’t sleep as long as I would have liked last night - I didn’t get to sleep until past midnight, partly because of noise in the dormitory and partly just me. Nonetheless I woke early and was up by 6am. We had a slow start and left Rabanal a bit later than usual - it was nearly 8 before we hit the road. We began the day, unusually, with a leisurely breakfast. The English volunteers at the Confraternity hostel provided tea with bread and marmalade in the kitchen and I loved it! I have been missing breakfast.
      The day began with a 7.5km climb to Cruz de Ferro (elevation of 1490m) the site where modern pilgrims place stones. Fiona had brought one from home and placed it at the foot of the iron cross and I think it was significant for her. Lots of other people seemed to be there just for the photo opportunity and I found this place less moving than other people I’d spoken to had suggested.
      As we started to walk downhill the sky cleared and we enjoyed the first wonderful views of a day that delivered hour upon hour of beauty. It was so refreshing to be back in the grandeur of the mountains surrounded by heather, birdsong and trees.
      The walking was pretty hard though. The long descent to Riego, where we are staying tonight, was tough going - we were walking on a mixture of bedrock, shake and dirt tracks. I was very grateful that we were doing it in dry weather (despite some threatening clouds) because I wouldn’t fancy it in slippery conditions.
      Eventually we arrived at the tiny village, still in the mountains (elevation 929, population 40) where we are sleeping tonight. We’re staying in a family enterprise which provides beds and the only bar or restaurant in the village. After a wonderful nap (didn’t want to wake up) we went for a little walk, picked more cherries and then settled for dinner on their terrace. The young man who looked after us clearly thought we were bonkers to want to sit outside but we insisted and held our nerve through a curious light shower which was accompanied by warm evening sunlight. We ate salad, padron peppers, bread and a plate of goat’s cheese, the usual (v nice) hard sheep’s cheese and walnuts washed down with red wine. It was delicious.
      We are now planning an early night.      Read more

    • TravelerCamino Frances
      Day 32

      Riego de Ambrós

      April 15 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

      I started walking after Lauds with the Benedictine community. It was relatively easy walking to Cruz de Ferro (340 m ascent).

      The decent to Riego de Ambrós (580 m from the highest point of the Camino) was rather more difficult, with steep inclines, often on slippery slate, shale and occasionally schist bedrock.

      Riego de Ambrós is a quiet town, no bars/restaurants open on Mondays. It has a comfortable alburgue, and today’s pilgrims seem rather nice.

      [Day 28, 20 km walked, 563 km from St Jean Pied-de-Port, 220 km to Santiago.]      Read more

    • TravelerThe Camino
      Day 31

      Riego to Ponferrada

      June 22, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

      A short day today - only 11km - so had a bit of a lie in and set off around 8.30. A very quiet alpine type walk, with some very steep rocky sections, to Molinaseca. Before leaving the Albergue we picked some more cherries from their tree - sadly there were some already beginning to rot on the tree - clearly only pilgrims are eating them.
      Molinaseca is a wonderful little village accessed over a medieval bridge. The architecture of the previous villages of the Bierzo continued with wooden balconies, often covered in geraniums, overhanging the street. As well, there were some very grand houses in this village with coats of arms displayed on their corners.
      Stopped for coffee and toast and met up with Anna and Ramona.
      Then on to Ponferrada, mainly along roads, but nevertheless pretty quiet.
      Our hostal (vegetarian/vegan) is on the outskirts of town. It’s run by a lovely quite elderly couple who were very keen to help us with anything we needed. It’s a dorm but only is at the moment. Hoping we may get it to ourselves but think it’s unlikely.
      After dropping our bagels and sorting ourselves out a bit we are now in Astorga with a glass of the local Bierzo wine.
      Bought more gazpacho and yoghurt at the supermarket so have eaten cheaply and well.
      Later: visited the Templar castle (see very scenic pictures!) and met up with Anna again - also sharing our room at the hostal. Dinner at the hostel was wonderful - for me, vegan, with lentil soup, tofu with vegetables and salad and then an orange - perfect.
      It’s hot now - I actually love the temperature although it means we will have to leave earlier so that we are not walking in the very hottest part of the day. In a way it’s been a bit strange up until now because it’s been quite cool most of the time, with the odd exception, so at last I can see what walking in the heat is like. Another challenge but I’m up for it!
      New people at dinner. As well as Anna there is Paul from Belgium who has walked from Le Puy and a Spanish man who is at the end of a cycle route on the Camino de plata and who will be home in Galicia in two days time. Also a woman from Mexico walking with four South American friends and a gentleman from Japan (he didn’t seem to want to speak and so I didn’t get to practice my Japanese).
      I am very happy and just want this experience to continue.      Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Riego de Ambros, 24413

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