29.71 km
Leon -Trobajo del Camino-La Virgen del Camino-Fresno del Camino-Oncina de Valdeocina-Chozas de Abajo-Villar de Mazarife-Villavante
It was quiet on the Camino today. We left the Parador in Leon (yes, we started this journey with a little luxury!) later than we wanted at 6.25 am, having been up til 11 pm (ooh, so late!) the previous night.
But we passed only one group of peregrinos on our route, though a number of cyclists passed us.
The route is hard; not physically but once out of Leon, there is little variation to the long, flat trails that roll on mile after mile. It messes with your head, especially drawing nearer to Villavante with tired legs and feet as it disappears with awkward slowness, one step at a time.
The Albergue Ste Lucia was a welcome sight and gratefully we checked in, all before 2pm. Slowly, other peregrinos appeared, those who started later, walked further. By 4.30 pm, the ones arriving looked exhausted, hot, flushed and sweating from their effort. If we all wanted a trial, this was it.
But we were ahead of schedule already. The more we had done today, meant less in subsequent days but at what cost, we wondered as we checked our swollen, throbbing feet.
talestrailsandtravels 