Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada
We left our hotel around 7 am. We told them we would not be there for breakfast, so they gave us a picnic lunch to eat along the way. We turned on our headlamps and started up the hill. Today we noticed the incline!
We came across a highlight of the Camino as we reached the Cruz de Ferro, or Iron Cross. It is at the highest point of the Camino and consists of a wooden pole topped with an iron cross. Surrounding it is a pile of rocks that has been forming for centuries. If you have seen movie The Way starring Martin Sheen, you may remember it. There is a tradition where pilgrims place a stone that they brought from their hometown. You add it to the hill and symbolically “leave your burdens behind.” Jim and I both brought rocks from the Pleasanton Ridge and have been carrying them in our packs to represent the burdens we all carry. They were added to the pile.
About 16 miles into the hike we came across a little village, Molinaseca, that had a stone bridge crossing a river. There was a little restaurant/bar nestled against the river. They had a welcoming patio, a grassy area that sloped to the river, music playing, and a great view! We stopped and had a couple of beers and stayed about 45 minutes. That’s a long break for us but it was a slice of heaven.
We continued hiking. It was a fairly strenuous day. We hiked 20.3 miles. Our moving time was six hours and 51 minutes, but overall it took us about eight and a half hours. Our ascent was 1,406 feet and our descent to our destination, Ponferrada, was 3,469. Whew! Overall, we have walked 363 miles and are 74% complete. Tomorrow we head to Villafranca del Bierzo.
2 Comments
Rick Knight
9/23/2021 12:24:30 pm
Another 20 mile day. You guys are killing it. Nice tradition on the Cruz de Ferro, and your load will be lighter with the rocks you left!
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Greg
9/23/2021 01:16:39 pm
Thanks! It was a REALLY long day. Tomorrow will be easier!
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AuthorsGreg and James live in Pleasanton in Northern California and are on a pilgrimage on the Camino De Santiago in Spain. Their adventures are captured in this blog. Archives
October 2021
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