Leon to Santiago July 15th

[bobkorzo]

Starting our Camino in Leon on the 15th. I will be with my son (21) who just graduated from college and my daughter (25) who is soon headed back for her Masters. I had been planning to walk alone in Sept but the Lord has graced my window of opportunity to share the experience. Expect the limited training schedule will mean a slow start as we get our hiking legs but looking forward to each step and a chance to meet fellow pilgrims. Have been reading the forum for months but any specific advice appreciated....If anyone starts in Leon on the 15th give a shout back....

Buen Camino

Bob
Great Falls, Virginia USA

 

[mspath]

Hi Bob,

What a wonderful opportunity you have to walk as a family threesome!

Be prepared; walking out of Leon is DREARY. However, it is only 7 km to the town of La Virgen del Camino and an extraordinary 20th century church. Located directly on the Camino Frances at Av Astorga, 87, in the midst of this chaotic suburb the church is a superbly maintained architectural gem as well as a haven of peace. Be sure to enter it; the calm interior is splendidly lit with deep chrome yellow glass.

The town is named for a famous 15th century figure of the Virgin holding the dead body of Christ. Today the figure is within this splendid church designed in the 1960s by a Dominican monk, Francisco Coello, a follower of the Brutalist style of Le Corbusier. This is basically a glazed concrete box with giant stylized metal sculptures of the Apostles across the west façade. . See for more info >> http://virgendelcamino.dominicos.es/webvirgen/

Opposite the church you can choose to either continue on the main CF which parallels the busy highway or pick up the peaceful alternative camino route going slightly southwest towards Villar de Mazarife. It is always very pleasant to escape the N120 highway noise and suburban sprawl while crossing wide flat plains up to V de M where there are several pilgrim albergues. From V d M the alternative camino continues to Hospital de Órbigo to rejoin the main CF. You can read more about the alternative route in this earlier Forum thread
>> el-camino-frances/topic16883.html

Buen Camino to the 3 of you,

Margaret Meredith

 

[magda.k]

Hi, I'm Magda and I'm from Poland.
I start my journey in Astorga 16.07. (alone but working on finding some company)
Hope we'll meet there.

Buen Camino!

 

[AtlantaPilgrim]

Bob, I'm taking the same route at the end of Aug. Are you flying into Madrid? If so, how are you getting to Leon - bus? Train? You're start is just days away

 

[ChrisMO]

Hi Bob, I will start in Leon on the 13 with my family too. We will meet another family there, so if you see 4 teenagers and 4 crazy adults it will be us.