Bus forward out of Leon

[Amused212]

At the end of April I am picking up my Camino where I left off last year: Leon. Would like to bus forward a ways to skip the urban walk. What bus, where to catch it (am staying near the cathedral), and how far to get me out of town (Virgin del Camino)?

 

[SabsP]

At the end of April I am picking up my Camino where I left off last year: Leon. Would like to bus forward a ways to skip the urban walk. What bus, where to catch it (am staying near the cathedral), and how far to get me out of town (Virgin del Camino)?

Hi , do take a look a this older thread.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/bus-from-leon-to-la-virgen-del-camino-specifics-please.55169/

 

[alexwalker]

You are choosing th)e wrong way: The ordinary walk from Leon to Astorga is terrible, along a highway. Much traffic and noise. But if you take left (well marked) shortly after La Virgen del Camino, you can walk to Vilar de Mazarife (good albergues), and the next day to Hospital del Orbigo: A peaceful , easy walk. I will never do the highway walk again, but the one I recommend here, is very nice.

It's no use taking the bus just to La Virgen del Camino: The walk is just as bad afterwards. Follow my recommendation, and you'll have 3 nice days of rural walking Leon-Astorga.

 

[SabsP]

You are choosing th)e wrong way: The ordinary walk from Leon to Astorga is terrible, along a highway. Much traffic and noise. But if you take left (well marked) shortly after La Virgen del Camino, you can walk to Vilar de Manzarife (good albergues), and the next day to Hospital del Orbigo: A peaceful , easy walk. I will never do the highway walk again, but the one I recommend here, is very nice.

Or after Hospital de Orbigo there is also the possibility to stay in Villares de Orbigo.

 

[alexwalker]

Or after Hospital de Orbigo there is also the possibility to stay in Villares de Orbigo.

Yes: Nice little place. But one of the albergues (two exist) has changed owner. It was OK before; do not know now. But yes, it is also a possibility. But this year, I'll stay in Hospital de Orbigo: Have not stayed there before.

 

[mspath]

Just the name of Hospital de Orbigo brings back memories of where after falling
flat on my face I met my first unforgetable camino angels.

November 1, 2004, after crossing the long medieval bridge over the river Orbigo I entered the town of Hospital de Órbigo. Attempting to photograph the parish church I lost my footing and fell head first onto the irregular pavement! My pack crashed into my right shoulder. Flat on the ground my forehead and shoulder hurt like hell! Gently two pilgrims helped me up. An egg was quickly swelling on my forehead (by day’s end I resembled Cyclopes). After exiting the Día de todos los Santos mass a kind Spanish couple appproached and the man said “Don’t worry, madam, I am a Chevalier de Santiago and will help”. They quickly took me to the regional hospital, where I was told to rest, and see a doctor again the following day.

The couple graciously invited me to lunch at their house. My host explained that the Chevaliers de Santiago are a group of Catholic men, who have been nominated to become members and who pledge to foster the Camino and help all pilgrims. In the Spanish custom lunch lasted at least four hours! Two charming adult sons cut my food while I alternately held ice to my head and tryied to eat with my left hand since the right shoulder and arm were extremely painful. Nevertheless, how, lucky I was to be able to move and to have met a family of guardian angels.

Early next morning the Chevalier and the local priest walked into the albergue dorm to see how I was doing! The priest, the Chevalier and his wife accompanied me to the local doctor's office adjacent to the church. When we four entered the examination room, the Chevalier said to the doctor “Another one has fallen!” It seemed that earlier other pilgrims had also stumbled on that same paving where I tripped. Again I ate with the Chevalier and his family.

..Now after all these years I still fondly remember their kindnesses and spontaneous gracious hospitality. It was, indeed, heartfelt camino caritas.

Margaret Meredith

 

[SabsP]

Yes: Nice little place. But one of the albergues (two exist) has changed owner. It was OK before; do not know now. But yes, it is also a possibility. But this year, I'll stay in Hospital de Orbigo: Have not stayed there before.

Rest assured that the new owner ( a member of this forum ) will keep up the high standards of the former owner!

 

[alexwalker]

Rest assured that the new owner ( a member of this forum ) will keep up the high standards of the former owner!

Then I should try it! Which member, may I ask?

 

[SabsP]

Then I should try it! Which member, may I ask?

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/where-do-you-come-from.66093/page-2#post-816522

See post 197!

 

[alexwalker]

At the end of April I am picking up my Camino where I left off last year: Leon. Would like to bus forward a ways to skip the urban walk. What bus, where to catch it (am staying near the cathedral), and how far to get me out of town (Virgin del Camino)?

Here is the way of the alternative (much better!) route, with a possible stop in Vilar de Mazarife, from Leon to Astorga. The hospitalero in Vilar said that this route is becoming increasingly more popular:

Update: I have indicated the village where a forum member has her albergue:

 

[ELHS220]

At the end of April I am picking up my Camino where I left off last year: Leon. Would like to bus forward a ways to skip the urban walk. What bus, where to catch it (am staying near the cathedral), and how far to get me out of town (Virgin del Camino)?

I forget the number, but you get it at the big traffic circle down from the cathedral. Near that Gaudi building that is now a bank (I think). It goes to V del C.

 

[paddington]

Albergue el encanto is a lovely spot to spend the night in villares de orbigo. I stayed there in October 2019. Relatively new owner. It is both a pension with private rooms and an albergue. Limited options for lunch in villares de orbigo so u might want to grab lunch as you pass through the much larger hospital de orbigo.

 

[Yoyo]

At the end of April I am picking up my Camino where I left off last year: Leon. Would like to bus forward a ways to skip the urban walk. What bus, where to catch it (am staying near the cathedral), and how far to get me out of town (Virgin del Camino)?

This is where you can take the bus to La Virgen del Camino on Plaza de Santo Domingo. As you can see, it's only a short walk from the cathedral. I don't remember what number the bus was, just ask the locals.



Once you get to La Virgen del Camino, rather than staying on the N-120, take the small road to the left (the Basilica de la Virgen is behind your right shoulder):



Then, shortly after, turn left through the fields until you get to the roundabout. You have to cross once over and once under the highway, and then it's all pleasant walking away from traffic to Villar de Mazarife.



Buen camino!

 

[C clearly]

Last time I did this stage, I did exactly what @Yoyo suggests. This is the same route that @alexwalker shows, so I think there was a bit of misunderstanding in the first couple of posts. We all seem to agree that the route through Villar de Mazarife is better than the route through Villadangos del Paramo. They diverge right after La Virgen del Camino, so it is fine (and easy) to get the bus from Leon to La Virgen.

 

[Amused212]

This is where you can take the bus to La Virgen del Camino on Plaza de Santo Domingo. As you can see, it's only a short walk from the cathedral. I don't remember what number the bus was, just ask the locals.

View attachment 69312

Once you get to La Virgen del Camino, rather than staying on the N-120, take the small road to the left (the Basilica de la Virgen is behind your right shoulder):

View attachment 69313

Then, shortly after, turn left through the fields until you get to the roundabout. You have to cross once over and once under the highway, and then it's all pleasant walking away from traffic to Villar de Mazarife.

View attachment 69314

Buen camino!

Thank you! Great information.