From León to San Martín del Camino

 

 

 

The dormitories of the Albergue Santa Maria de Carbajal in León come to life even before dawn.

With the lights still off, to avoid disturbing those who wish to sleep a little longer, the early risers go through their morning routines by heart and, at times, fumbling in the dark as they prepare for another day on The Way.

Packing a backpack in the dark requires considerable logistical effort to fit everything back inside neatly. At the same time, closing the bag always fills me with apprehension, as I constantly worry about forgetting something.

– The little I carry is unique and indispensable! –

 

In the hostel dining hall, volunteers carefully set the table for breakfast, offering plentiful portions of a few simple items: tea, coffee, bread, butter, and jam.

Driven partly by the desire to get started and partly by the need to make space for others, those having breakfast come and go quickly, clearing and cleaning their dishes afterward.

The “hospitaleros” ensure we pilgrims feel well cared for, accompanying every action with a smile.

 

The hostel charges only 5 Euros for accommodation, while breakfast, being optional, can be acknowledged with a donation of one’s choice. Here, too, there is a small box where contributions can be left anonymously.

 

At 6:40, along with Rocco, I begin today’s stage, which will end at San Martín del Camino.

Before leaving, I place my backpack in a designated corner at the hostel entrance, leaving it with many others.

I attach an envelope containing 5 Euros and write my details and the address of tonight’s accommodation on the back.

Later, the courier responsible for this specific service will come to collect the backpacks and deliver them to their respective destinations.

Starting today, and for the next few days, I will walk without my backpack. I want to try this new approach to reduce the load on my legs during the journey.

The shin pain that has plagued me for several days still lingers, although the ice treatment I began yesterday seems to have provided some relief.

 

Yesterday afternoon, I purchased a lightweight daypack to carry food and the few items I might need during the day.

 

I left home with a backpack weighing just under eight kilos. Inevitably, during The Way, another two kilos or so get added due to water and food supplies.

Packing the backpack requires careful consideration, as it is essential to carry only the bare necessities, weighing every item meticulously.

For instance, the day before leaving, I bought a new sleeping bag that was two hundred grams lighter than the one I already had.

Until the last moment, I was unsure whether to bring the guidebook, which weighs three hundred grams. In the end, I left it at home but photographed every page with my smartphone beforehand.

Pilgrims who realize during The Way that they are carrying an overly heavy backpack, filled with unnecessary items, can correct their “oversight” by shipping a parcel back home.

This is precisely what my friend Rocco did when he reached Burgos. However, in his case, it’s worth noting that he sent home many useful items while keeping others of little necessity. But that’s another story!

Thanks to the Spanish postal service, it’s also possible to send parcels addressed to oneself at Santiago de Compostela, where they are stored for up to two weeks, awaiting collection.

 

I set out with a 40-litre backpack containing: 3 t-shirts; 1 long-sleeve shirt; 3 pairs of underwear; 3 pairs of socks; 2 lightweight trousers with zip-off legs; 1 pair of leggings; 1 pair of shorts; 1 medium-weight fleece; 1 windbreaker jacket; 1 neck warmer; 1 sun hat; 1 pair of flip-flops; 1 poncho; 1 pair of gaiters; 1 windproof K-way; 1 swimsuit; 1 small umbrella; 1 waist pouch; 1 lightweight sleeping bag; 1 pillowcase; 1 bath towel and 1 small towel, both in microfiber; 1 headlamp; 1 toothbrush; 1 mini toothpaste; 1 bar of Marseille soap.

Additional small items: 3 clothespins; 1 roll of packing tape; 1 clothesline; 1 sewing kit; 5 safety pins; 2 padlocks; 1 sunscreen; 1 roll of toilet paper; 1 pack of wet wipes.

On top of all this, I also brought a small travel pharmacy with basic first aid items: disinfectant wipes; gauze; plasters; aspirin; insect bite ointment; anti-inflammatory cream; painkillers; cortisone; petroleum jelly; eye drops; and 10 maltodextrin energy gels.

I forgot to bring magnesium and potassium supplements, which I recommend adding to the list.

The common advice is that the backpack should weigh about ten percent of the carrier’s body weight; in my case, it should have been no more than seven kilos.

When I learned this, considering I’m someone who travels to the other side of the world with just hand luggage, I thought I wouldn’t have any trouble staying within this limit.

– But I was wrong! –

When I packed the backpack with everything I considered necessary, I realized I had exceeded the recommended weight by quite a bit.

After further sorting through the items, carefully weighing each one, I managed to get it down to just under eight kilos—less than that was impossible.

 

***

Today’s stage poses no particular difficulties; it’s flat, and the distance is within the average daily range.

To leave León, we head west, crossing much of the urban grid.

I pause for a few minutes in the vast Plaza de San Marcos, admiring the impressive sculpted facade of the monastery of the same name.

Inside, the Spanish hotel chain Paradores has transformed it into one of the most extraordinary monumental hotels in Europe.

The monastery’s construction began in the 16th century, intended to serve as the main seat of the Military Order of Santiago.

Though I don’t visit the interior, I’ve heard it houses a beautiful museum with majestic halls, a large cloister, a spectacular chapter room, spacious and elegant rooms, and a magnificent library.

The building now accommodates wealthy tourists, but in past centuries, the resident monks cared for weary travellers en route to Santiago de Compostela, tending to their battered bodies.

The monument in the square is dedicated to these past pilgrims, depicting a pilgrim resting, exhausted after a long journey. The patches on his feet and his simple sandals highlight how The Way was far harsher in ancient times, lacking modern sturdy boots and conveniences.

 

We cross the ancient stone bridge with irregular arches that spans the Río Bernesga just beyond the square. Although it’s commonly referred to as the “Roman Bridge,” very little of the original structure remains. After several destructions and reconstructions, the current version dates back to the 18th century.

 

Passing through the industrial area marks our exit from León.

 

After just over a kilometre, we arrive at La Virgen del Camino, the first village encountered after leaving the large city.

Many pilgrims, in order to skip the unattractive outskirts of León, take a bus from the city centre directly to this point.

 

In La Virgen del Camino, we stop for a second breakfast.

At the same time, we take a look at the sanctuary built in the 1960s in devotion to the Virgin Mary, who, according to tradition, appeared in 1505 to either a shepherd or a priest.

The current religious building, shaped like a horizontal parallelepiped, was erected in place of a 16th-century hermitage. Personally, I find the modern structure so unattractive that I don’t even bother to take a single photo of it.

 

Around nine o’clock, we resume The Way.

Having quickly left the unremarkable village behind, a fork in the road forces us to choose between two alternative routes that will later merge at Hospital de Órbigo.

The path that detours through Villar de Mazarife passes through more rural areas, offering peace and tranquillity.

The other route, however, follows the original French Way: it’s shorter but runs closer to roads frequented by motor vehicles.

For logistical reasons, dictated by the distribution of kilometres to be covered today and tomorrow, we reluctantly choose this second option.

By extending today’s stage slightly, tomorrow’s stretch will be reduced to just twenty-three kilometres instead of thirty-one.

 

Above us, the sky is relatively clear, with patches of blue scattered with harmless white clouds.

However, the “big bad monster” can be seen looming on the horizon, right in the direction we’re heading. A menacing dark cloud seems to be waiting for us poor, defenceless pilgrims, ready to drench us with heavy rain.

 

The route fails to inspire me; it often runs alongside paved roads and occasionally even merges with them.

The only moments that briefly stir me from my lethargy come when I spot storks’ nests perched atop the church bell towers we pass along the way.

The weather also takes a turn for the worse, but contrary to expectations, it spares us from rain.

The temperature is low—bearable, but it still requires me to keep wearing my fleece and windbreaker jacket.

 

Walking through the main street that cuts across San Miguel del Camino, a farmer working in his small garden greets us.

On the low wall separating his plot from the public road, he has arranged baskets filled with biscuits, crisps, and peanuts, inviting us to take whatever we like.

He has also set up a small table on the pavement, displaying his personal Way of Saint James stamp, which pilgrims can use to mark their Credentials.

For those needing a break, the farmer has even placed a bench to rest and catch their breath.

 

It’s nearly 12:30 as we pass through Villadangos del Páramo. From here, there are still four kilometres left to complete the stage.

The pain in my shins flares up again, forcing me to slow down. Rocco has pulled ahead, leaving me to continue alone, struggling step by step.

– I can’t wait to arrive! –

My suffering eases slightly, and I draw strength to keep going when I spot a sign painted on a house wall indicating that there are only 298 kilometres left to Santiago de Compostela.

The first time I saw a similar sign, the distance was over seven hundred kilometres. Now, seeing the first digit reduced to a “2” fills me with pride for the progress I’ve made so far.

 

At 13:30, I reach San Martín del Camino and stop at the municipal Albergue: a simple but clean hostel with about seventy beds distributed across several dormitories.

The accommodation costs just 5 Euros.

Rocco arrived much earlier and, once again, had the thoughtfulness to reserve a spot for me.

The backpack delivery service also worked perfectly, and I find my bag among those delivered by the courier.

 

I arrive at my destination in pain, and the first thing I need is to soothe my legs.

Immediately after check-in, I ask the “hospitalero” for some ice, then sit down with my legs stretched out, resting my feet on another chair.

I place two bags filled with ice cubes on my shins and remain like that for quite some time.

Once again, the cold treatment brings relief.

After the ice therapy, I lie down for an hour on the bunk and finally finish my post-stage recovery with a refreshing shower.

The rest and recovery make me feel much better.

Regaining some strength, I take the opportunity for a short stroll to explore the village.

 

Along with Rocco, we now have a new friend, someone we just met at the hostel, who will accompany us for many stages all the way to Santiago de Compostela.

Her name is Giulia, a cheerful young doctor from Brescia who specializes in childbirth.

Among the many fields of Medicine, I find hers one of the most beautiful, as it intervenes in the happiest moment of human life.

Since she has only a few days off work, Giulia started her Way from León, completing her first stage today.

 

San Martín del Camino is a very small, desolate village with no particular attractions.

The sleepy atmosphere, on this late May afternoon, feels even more melancholic under a grey, drizzly sky.

There’s absolutely nothing to see or do in the village, so after buying a few items in a small family-run shop, we return to the hostel.

We spend the rest of the afternoon in the common room, chatting and reading while sipping tea.

I also take this chance to apply more ice to my legs.

 

For dinner, we go to a bar-restaurant near the hostel.

From the “pilgrim’s menu,” we’re recommended Cuban-style rice as the first course. Since the restaurant owner is originally from the Caribbean island, we accept the suggestion without hesitation.

In reality, the dish is rather disappointing—plain white rice topped with tomato sauce and a conspicuous fried egg.

We make up for it with the second course, choosing “lomo,” beef strips sautéed with onions and peppers.

We finish the meal with “flan de leche,” a Cuban-style dessert similar to crème caramel, very popular across South America.

© Aldo Lardizzone 2020

CREATIVE COMMONS