Walking the Camino de Santiago
After Manjarín the Camino follows a dirt and gravel path that parallels the highway, sometimes taking a much steeper route than the highway switchbacks. The going was only a little rough, but the view was pretty good. Of course, being up in the hills means that eventually you have to come down. Date: 22 April 2013Place: between Manjarín and El […]
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About thirty minutes past Cruz de Ferro, the Camino comes to the mostly ruined village of Manjarín, population 1. The only actual standing building here is this crazy-fantastic albergue, the Refugio de Manjarín, where you can get a cup of coffee or sleep in what is essentially a stable with no running water. I hear the evening pilgrim dinners are […]
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After Cruz de Ferro, the Camino traverses some scrubby ground with views of the surrounding hills and the mountains ahead. Off to the left, you can see a fire in the hills. Eventually, we saw two helicopters come to put it out. I suspect that as dry as this area gets, brush fires are common. I recall seeing a fire […]
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This last look back at Cruz de Ferro gives you somewhat of an idea of the scale of it. That mound containing all of the stones left by pilgrims, is reportedly cleaned out/reduced monthly. I’ve no idea where the stones end up. Date: 22 April 2013Place: between Foncebadón and Manjarín (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: Rabanal del […]
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We’re back! Now that our 2022 Camino Primitivo is in the books, we return to our regularly scheduled look at our 2013 Camino Francés. When last we left, our dauntless pilgrims were were at Cruz de Ferro – the Iron Cross – one of the great moments for the pilgrim on this route. In today’s photo, we stand atop the […]
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After Foncebadón we come to Cruz de Ferro – the Iron Cross – the highest elevation on the Spanish portion of the Camino Francés. This is a place of importance for those pilgrims walking this route. It’s easy to explain, but the experience of it is something else again. At Cruz de Ferro there is an old tradition. Although I’ve […]
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These last few ruins of Foncebadón were our last view of the village. Looking at the current Google map and images, it appears that these ruins may now be rebuilt, though it’s difficult to say. Certainly, the rough road of previous images is now paved; perhaps this portion is as well. Date: 22 April 2013Place: Foncebadón (Province of León, Castilla […]
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This is the center of the village of Foncebadón. Even here, the area is mostly ruins with only the albergue and a couple of houses having been rebuilt. Not pictured (just off to the right) is the other large intact building in town, the church. In the years since, I am given to understand that the village now has seven […]
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Apologies! I was out of town for work, and the dodgy hotel Internet did not provide an opportunity to post. Welcome to the village of Foncebadón, population 18. This village was an abandoned ghost town in the 1990s after the last elderly inhabitant died. It has seen a resurgence due to the increasing popularity of the Camino, and now features […]
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It turns out that Rabanal is only halfway up the slope. Here Francine walks up, up, up towards the village of Foncebadón, and just beyond that, one of the great markers and moments of the Camino Francés. Date: 22 April 2013Place: between Rabanal del Camino and Foncebadón (Province of León, Castilla y León, Spain)Today started: Rabanal del Camino (Province of […]
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