Camino Frances Pyrenees to Santiago
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Leon - Santiago de Compostela 15 days /14 nights / 13 walking days (or few by doing the last week only).  | This last section of the Camino Frances will leave you with some wonderful impressions. After the celebrated 'Puente de Orbigo', the route pass through two highly characteristic regions, the Maragataria as far as the 'Cruz de Yerro' at 1500m/4950ft, followed by the 'Bierzo'. Then the arrival into Galicia and the superb village of O Cebreiro. Finally the journey continues across Galicia's green countryside to the foot of the great cathedral at Santiago de Compostela |
Day 1: Arrive Leon.
Day 2: Leon – Hospital de Orbigo
Altitude at departure: 822m/2713ft
Today it is better to start by taking the local bus through the Leon suburbs, which departs every 20 minutes from Plaza Santo Domingo, to Virgen del Camino. Two itineraries are then possible from here: the Camino Real that follows the main road, or the Calzada de los Peregrinos further to the south. In either case we have to cross the Paramo, literally 'the desert', to reach Hospital and the famous Puente de Orbigo.
Altitude at arrival: 819m/2703ft, 36 kms/22.5 miles, 9 hours Day 3: Hospital de Orbigo - Astorga
Altitude at departure: 819m/2703ft
A section that is one of transition from the implacable Meseta to the Montes of Leon and short enough to allow you to enjoy Astorga on arrival. Astorga, with its Gothic cathedral, Gaudi palace and Roman mosaics, is a fascinating city.
Altitude at arrival: 869m/2868ft, 17.8 kms/11.1 miles, 4 hours 30 minutes
Day 4: Astorga – Rabanal del Camino
Altitude at departure: 869m/2868ft
With the Meseta behind us, the landscape is more mountainous – not vertiginous peaks but large hills, with rounded crests. Nonetheless, the isolated nature of the countryside, and the stone houses, are redolent of mountain places. At 1149m/3792ft, Rabanal del Camino will allow us to recharge batteries before tomorrow's long section.
Altitude at arrival: 1149m/3792ft, 20.6 kms/12.9 miles, 5 hour  |
Day 5: Rabanal - Ponferrada
Altitude at departure: 1149m/3792ft
The route soon leaves the village and climbs gradually among the mountains. We are in the heart of the countryside, the air is fresh and morale is high. At 1504m/4963ft, the Cruz de Ferro is the high point of the route since Le Puy-en-Velay, and the view is wonderful. However, no time to delay, as we can see Ponferrada is away to the west below, and there is still a long way to go. We tumble down to Acebo and Molinaseca, two superb villages with their wooden balconies. Then across the Bierzo plain and finally we arrive at Ponferrada and its templar castle.
Altitude at arrival: 543m/1792ft, 32.7 kms/20.4 miles, 8 hours 15 mins  |
Day 6: Ponferrada – Villafranca del Bierzo
Altitude at departure: 543m/1792ft
Today the route wanders across the river plain of the Bierzo as far as Cacabelos (483m/1594ft), then Villafranca, 'the Frankish town', charming nestling against the foot of the mountain.
Altitude at arrival: 511m/1686ft, 22.5 kms/14.1 miles, 6 hours 15 mins
Day 7: Villafranca del Bierzo – O Cebreiro
Altitude at departure: 511m/1686ft
Another beautiful section through the mountains as we pass from Catille to Galicia. Leaving Villafranca to avoid the motorway that accompanies the normal route, we can take a path that climbs through broom to the village of Pradela (940m/3102ft) and then redescends to Trabadelo (600m/1980ft) to rejoint the main route. Several possible variants bring us to O Cebreiro, a lovely town with wonderful views of the Galician countryside and which has always been an important point of pilgrimage.
Altitude at arrival: 1300m/4290ft, 30kms/18.75 miles, 8 hours
Day 8: O Cebreiro - Triacastela
Altitude at departure: 1300m/4290ft
After O Cebreiro the route meanders over ridges with tremendous views over green Galicia (high point at Alto del Poyo 1337m/4412ft). We pass an astonishing bronze giant struggling with the elements and then plunge into the valley with its landscape that has the look of the Pays Basque.
Altitude at arrival: 665m/2195ft, 21 kms/13.1 miles, 5 hours 15 mins  |
Day 9: Triacastela - Sarria
Altitude at departure: 665m/2195ft
There are two possibilities today – one predominately follows roads via Samos (532m/1756ft) and its imposing monastery, whilst the second, shorter route meanders across the pretty Galician countryside.
Altitude at arrival: 420m/1386ft, 17.5 kms/10.9 miles, 4 hours 30 minutes
Day 10: Sarria – Portomarin
Altitude at departure: 420m/1386ft
Tracks and baths take us through hamlets and villages to Portomarin, a village reconstructed higher up on the slopes after the original in the valley had to make way for a lake created with the construction of a dam.
Altitude at arrival: 550m/1815ft, 22.5 kms/14.1 miles, 5 hours 45 min
Day 11: Portomarin – Palas de Rei
Altitude at departure: 550m/1815ft
The route after Hospital de la Cruz follows a charming path that meanders through woods, hedges and prairies, dotted with the very distictive local granaries ('horreos'), and crucifixes similar to those in Brittany that remind us that we are in Celtic country.
Altitude at arrival: 565m/1865ft, 24.5 kms/15.3 miles, 6 hours 30 mins Day 12: Palas de Rei – Arzua
Altitude at departure: 565m/1865ft
Almost without realising it we lose altitude as we approach the sea and lots of greenery and forests of eucalyptus. Half way, Melide (454m/1498ft) marks the meeting point of the Camino Frances and the northernmost variant of the Camino del Norte.
Altitude at arrival: 389m/1284ft, 29.4 kms/18.4 miles, 7 hours 30 mins
Day 13: Arzua – Lavacolla
Altitude at departure: 389m/1284ft
The last long stage, so that we can arrive in good time tomorrow to explore Santiago itself.
Altitude at arrival: 320m/1056ft, 28.8 kms/18 miles, 7 hours 30 mins Day 14: Lavacolla – Santiago de Compostela
Altitude at departure: 320m/1056ft
A formality today but savour these last few paces and prepare to enjoy the delights of Santiago.
Altitude at arrival: 264m/871ft, 10.1 kms/6.3 miles, 2 hours 45 mins
Day 15: end of holiday after breakfast. |
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