• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Largest stone pile (don't laugh) as seen in The Way

TricieSue

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
wanted to April start but now late Aug-Sept 2013 start
First off, let me make clear for the purists
that I have dreamed of walking the Camino de Santiago for over 15 years and my health is finally improved to the point I am able
(allow me a woohoo, please .... lol thanks)

Anyhoo - AFTER I started planning ... I started searching for a way (pardon the pun) to help my family understand this drive (errrr bad choice of word lol) ... to walk the Camino.

In Google-ing I came across a movie called The Way
which I watched yearrrrrrrrrrs after knowing about the Camino
(only clarifying this for the purists)

It was somewhat sappy - although it Was quite useful for my family/friends to have more empathy for this passion of mine.

During the movie, there was a large pile of stones the characters left their stones on ...
does anyone know where that is?
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
That's the Cruz de ferro. It's a wonderful place where you leave a stone you brought from home. For me, it meant leaving behind things that weighted me down. I recommend getting there early, before the bus tourists arrive.
 
The Cruz de Ferro (Iron Cross) is located at the highest point along the Frances Route just short of 30 km past the town of Astorga. It is one of the more significant Camino landmarks.

If my understanding as well that it is customary to bring a stone from your home to lay at the cross. Likewise I understand that the significance is that upon leaving the stone behind that had until then been weighing down your backpack it is symbolic of also leaving behind the burdens that you carry in life. For many this brief stone leaving ritual becomes very powerful and emotional.

There are assorted other seemingly arbitrary points along the Camino where people have piled stones, although none nearly as great in number as here. Having heard of this prior to setting out on my first Camino I brought a stone from home. However not knowing what to expect I left my stone at the first somewhat large pile that I encountered thinking that it was there where traditionally the stones were left behind. I soon realized that I jumped the gun a bit. To salvage what I could I picked another stone along the way to take to the Cruz de Ferro. It all worked out OK in the end. My life has not been troubled since!

P.S. CaminoGen didn't mention in her post ... the photo of her in the profile is atop the stone pile at the Cruz de Ferro. Very appropriate!
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
There is a piece of pumice from Oregon there....rock so light it floats.

We are indeed lucky to have that as a stone to carry from the homeland!!
 
CaminoGen said:
I recommend getting there early, before the bus tourists arrive.
I second that! I intentionally didn't carry a stone from home as I didn't feel the need to have a physical representation of my worries - heck, I didn't even know I had any worries until the Camino revealed them to me. My stone was therefore a virtual one but the Cruz de Ferro experience was powerful nonetheless.

However, just as I approached the Cross, a busload of tourists pulled up. To the sounds of their laughter as they ran over the mound and read the heartfelt pilgrim messages, I retreated to sit under a tree where I promptly burst into tears because of my own heightened emotions at being there and also in indignation at their insensitivity.

To my shame, I didn't have the courage to speak to them, to try to help them understand. At the time I didn't want to be the weeping pilgrim in their photo albums.
 
I must be lucky as I've not encountered any bus tours on my 2 Caminos passing the Cruz.

On my second Camino I hadn't intended to walk that far so I hadn't brought a stone from home. I just picked one up along the Way. For me the symbolism is 'leaving behind something from where you've come from' so it didn't have to be specifically from home. It could just be from Rabanal! :D

Buen Camino!
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
tyrrek said:
I must be lucky as I've not encountered any bus tours on my 2 Caminos passing the Cruz.

On my second Camino I hadn't intended to walk that far so I hadn't brought a stone from home. I just picked one up along the Way. For me the symbolism is 'leaving behind something from where you've come from' so it didn't have to be specifically from home. It could just be from Rabanal! :D

Buen Camino!

For me personally Cruz de Ferro doesn't hold any form of symbolism. I did leave my symbolic stones at certain places, with certain people on the Camino...
 
There is a stone there from the beach at Halifax harbour, Nova Scotia.
 
efdoucette said:
There is a stone there from the beach at Halifax harbour, Nova Scotia.
There's a stone from my less beach-like front yard in Halifax, West Yorkshire (from last year). I think your Halifax is a bit more happening than mine! :D Buen Camino!
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
When passing through airport screening on the outbound flight enroute to Spain, the stone in my bag got scrutinized by security personnel. One official showed it to another who began a short discussion. The official asked "what is this?" I said, "It is a stone. That may seem odd to you but I can explain". Without an explanation he replied that stranger items are carried onto airplanes by people. Then he confiscated my jar of peanut butter.
 
It can be found here on google maps and somebody has even gone to the lengths of making a 3D model of it in Google Earth.


Despite that I can't spot which stone is yours, Tyrrek :)
 

Attachments

  • CruzFero.jpg
    CruzFero.jpg
    34.7 KB · Views: 2,354
I couldn't swear to it, but I think it's the one... :D
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
The Cruz is just before the highest point of the Camino Frances - higher than the pass in the Pyrenees.
The original pile is thought to have been started by the Romans in hobnour of the god Mercury. The hermit who lived closeby (Gaucelmo) topped the pile with a cross, thereby Christianizing a pagan monument - not unusual on the Camino as many of the cathedrals and other monuments are thought to have pagan foundations and origins.
 
There are eleven stones there from our yard in New Zealand....as we were about to hop in the van to drive to the airport I said to everyone, "Ask no questions, just do as I say....go an pick up a little stone that you like and put it in your pocket and don't lose it" Of course, they did ask questions, but I told them they would know why they were carrying it when we got there. And they did. Before we climbed to the top and laid them down I explained to them what it was all about and we talked a bit about God's grace freely given to us which allows us to not carry burdens through life. It turned out to be one of the thoughtful and moving moments of the Camino - even with a bunch of kids!
 
Kiwi-family said:
There are eleven stones there from our yard in New Zealand....as we were about to hop in the van to drive to the airport I said to everyone, "Ask no questions, just do as I say....go an pick up a little stone that you like and put it in your pocket and don't lose it" Of course, they did ask questions, but I told them they would know why they were carrying it when we got there. And they did. Before we climbed to the top and laid them down I explained to them what it was all about and we talked a bit about God's grace freely given to us which allows us to not carry burdens through life. It turned out to be one of the thoughtful and moving moments of the Camino - even with a bunch of kids!
Lovely! Buen Camino! :D
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Back in the day, pilgrims carried the stones to actually make the journey harder so their penance and indulgence would be complete! :shock:

Now we just carry backpacks!! :D
 
lizlane said:
Back in the day, pilgrims carried the stones to actually make the journey harder so their penance and indulgence would be complete! :shock:

Now we just carry backpacks!! :D
...and mobile phones, iPods etc. Ha ha! :lol: Buen Camino!
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
sillydoll said:
The Cruz is just before the highest point of the Camino Frances - higher than the pass in the Pyrenees.
The original pile is thought to have been started by the Romans in honour of the god Mercury. The hermit who lived closeby (Gaucelmo) topped the pile with a cross, thereby Christianizing a pagan monument - not unusual on the Camino as many of the cathedrals and other monuments are thought to have pagan foundations and origins.

Although not on "the Camino" the church at Lebena in the Picos is a good example.
Santa María de Lebeña C. 920
The frontal piece of the main altar is occupied by a large flagstone, which was part of the old floor that appeared when some works took place inside the church in 1971. When the flagstone was lifted it revealed some interesting carvings, the most outstanding representation being a solar symbol. This could be an antique Celtic stella.

Blessings
Tio Tel
 

Attachments

  • Lebena - Picos de Europa.jpg
    Lebena - Picos de Europa.jpg
    74.5 KB · Views: 1,598
There are a lot of boulders at the Cruz de Ferro; I doubt anyone carried them to the pile...
 
cruz_de_ferro.jpg

Can you do the Camino by truck :?: :lol: (laughing)

Personally I didn't take a stone, it was very moving, said a prayer & moved on saying more prayers down the new path. It was very cold & we were in the clouds........more like this:
cruz+de+ferro.jpg
(thank you Margaret, Kiwi Nomad)
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-

Most read last week in this forum

Could I ask what may be naive question. This will be my 1st Camino and I will be mostly staying in alberques. Could you please explain the bathroom/shower etiquette to me? I have no idea what...
Do i need both these apps? I want to spend as little time my device as possible so if one app will do fine that’s my preference.
I was planning to document my journey through my blog (or Vlog, as I would probably take lots of videos). I was thinking of using my iPhone, and I ordered a foldable keyboard to facilitate typing...
I did the Norte in 2017. This set off a wild ride of changes in life - shifting many things. I am now at a new plateau and it feels like the right time to do Camino #2, this time the...
Hi to all, I'm looking for a really, really good place (an artist) to get a Tattoo in Santiago, it could be before Santiago but I presume in Santiago I will be ready to have my first one. The...
My daughter and I will be on the Portuguese on June and July starting in Lisbon. We will arrive in Porto about the 27th of June. We want to stay for three nights. Can we stay in an albergue for...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Similar threads

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top