Tuesday 13 may. Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias – Astorga – Rabanal del Camino.

32 km, total 537,5 km. Very hilly.

Steve left the shelter a quarter before me. About 10 minutes after I started I met Steve. He was unsure if he was on the right track, he had not seen the yellow arrows for a long time, so he went back. We found an arrow and Steve went before me.                                     

In San Justo de la Vega I caught up with Steve, he had some problems with his feet. I continued, now I was before him.

In Santa Catalina, I stopped to eat a lunch of tortilla con Jamón. Just when I was ready to go Steve came out of the next bar. We walked along a bit, then Steve slowed down and I was alone again. We had agreed to meet in Rabanal the Camino. The last 2 km before Rabanal the Camino was very poor. Roots from the winebushes where everywhere which is likely to stumble on. 1 km before Rabanal Steve caught up with me. We arrived at 14:30 and the shelter, "Refugio Gaucelmo", opened first 15:00. There was already a queue of pilgrims waiting. This shelter had only room for 24 people. At 15:00 a man came and opened, he counted to 24 pilgrims, then closed it. It is a shelter with style.

It's pretty cold up here, we are 1150 meters above sea level. We had a good dinner at a restaurant opposite the church. The next day gave, also, a fairly difficult hike. Next day we ended up in Ponferrada>>>

STAGES

På svenska Bayonne – St. Jean Pied de Port – Orisson Orrisson – Roncevalles – Bizcareta Bizcareta – Pamplona – Cizur Menor Cizur Menor – Puente la Reina – Lorca Lorca – Estella – Los Arcos Los Arcos – Logroño – Navarette Navarette –Santo Domingo de la Calzada – Grañón Grañón – Villamayor del Rio – Villafranca Montes de Oca Villafranca Montes de Oca – Atapuerca – Burgos Burgos – Rabé de las Calzadas – Hornillos del Camino Hornillos del Camino – Castrojeriz – Itero de la Vega Itero de la Vega – Frómista – Villalcazar de Sirga Villacazar de Sirga – Carrión de los Condes – Lédigos Lédigos – Sahagún – Bercianos Berciano – Mansilla de las Mulas – Puente Villarente Puente Villarente – Leon – Virgin del Camino Virgin del Camino – Hospital de Orbigo – Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias – Astorga – Rabanal del Camino Rabanal del Camino – Molinaseca – Ponferrada Ponferrada – Villafranca – Trabadelo Trabadelo – O Cebreiro – Viduedo Viduedo – Samos – Sarria Sarria – Portomarin – Hospital de la Cruz Hospital de la Cruz – Palas de Rei – Melide Melide – Arzua – Sta. Irene Sta. Irene – Monte do Gozo Monte do Gozo – Santiago de Compostela The journey home