Skip Leon?

[elleley]

On May 2 I will be commencing my second Camino, this time starting in Leon, walking to Sarria. Will then take a train to Ourense and walk the Sanabres to Santiago and then on to Muxia. I will be arriving in Leon around 1:30 in the afternoon after a train from Madrid and flight from the US. I spent 5 days in Leon in September last year due to my severe tendonitis and loved the city, but here is my question to you dear forum readers: would it be too much to arrive in Leon, after all my traveling and then walk the 7 kilometers on to Virgin del Camino? Have any of you arrived after 25 hours of traveling and started walking? A reality check would be very helpful!! Love this forum and all of my fellow peregrinos who are a part of it! Buen Camino!!

 

[trecile]

I suppose it would depend on how I felt when I arrived in León!
It's less than 5 miles, so I guess that it's doable. It's whether or not you feel like doing it after traveling.

 

[Oravasaari]

Elleley - I arrived in Leon in Sept 2015 at 0100 in the morning! Helsinki - Madrid then bus...So with limited accom options decided to party with the locals till 0300 when all the bars closed. Then sat in all night kebab bar for a couple of hours before setting off towards Villar de Mazerife. By the time I got my head on the pillow in Mazarife I'd been awake for 38 hours. Doable but not a great feeling.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Have you walked it before?
There are city buses you can take if you'd like to skip that industrial section and just begin in Virgen del Camino.

 

[elleley]

No, I haven't walked it. I had to take a train to Sarria and thus covering that section in May. So I wouldn't be missing much???
Thanks for the idea.

 

[Mark McCarthy]

Have a night's rest in Leon and give your body a break after 25 hours travelling.

 

[BShea]

I love starting my walk the same day I arrive. Travelling from Mexico to Europe always includes several flights through several airports over several days so by the time I reach my destination, I'm ready to go. In 2015, I landed in Pamplona, bussed to the city and immediately set out for Zarquiegui (around 11 kms). I would have walked from the airport if I hadn't been advised against it. Last year, I walked from the San Sebastian airport to Hendaye, but could have easily gone further. Each time, this is despite several sleepless nights as I cannot sleep on a plane. After being cramped up for so long, it feels so good to stretch your legs. If I were you, I'd definitely go for it!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

A couple of times, when there was actually airline service to León, I walked from the airport to Virgen, then on to Villadangos or Mazarife.

You can walk easily to the hostales or albergue from either estacion to Virgen.

 

[elleley]

Thanks so much for your responses!!!
I think I will see how I feel and if I have the animo to walk, I will. If not, will take the bus to the albergue in Virgen. Gracias!

 

[elleley]

Elleley - I arrived in Leon in Sept 2015 at 0100 in the morning! Helsinki - Madrid then bus...So with limited accom options decided to party with the locals till 0300 when all the bars closed. Then sat in all night kebab bar for a couple of hours before setting off towards Villar de Mazerife. By the time I got my head on the pillow in Mazarife I'd been awake for 38 hours. Doable but not a great feeling.

Wish I had your energy!!!

 

[Felipe]

There is an albergue in Virgen del Camino. It has goods reviews.
http://www.aytovalverdedelavirgen.es/turismo-y-ocio/albergue/index.html

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Elleley - I arrived in Leon in Sept 2015 at 0100 in the morning! Helsinki - Madrid then bus...So with limited accom options decided to party with the locals till 0300 when all the bars closed. Then sat in all night kebab bar for a couple of hours before setting off towards Villar de Mazerife. By the time I got my head on the pillow in Mazarife I'd been awake for 38 hours. Doable but not a great feeling.

LOL. i love it.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

You'll have plenty of time to nap on bus/train from airport to Leon. By all means. Start walking, it will help with jetlag. And if when you get there you feel you can't do it, jump on the city bus to Virgen del Camino.

 

[Mark Lee]

There is an albergue in Virgen del Camino. It has goods reviews.
http://www.aytovalverdedelavirgen.es/turismo-y-ocio/albergue/index.html

I have stayed there a couple of times. It's a nice albergue. Clean. Lot's of beds. I remember a library/common area with tables and couches and such. The albergue is about 100 meters or so off the main roadway. On the left side as you are walking towards Santiago.
On the main road there are a few cafes/bars and a grocery/market as well.

 

[Mark Lee]

Thanks so much for your responses!!!
I think I will see how I feel and if I have the animo to walk, I will. If not, will take the bus to the albergue in Virgen. Gracias!

It's really not all that far to the albergue at Virgen and it's all flat walking.
ultreia

 

[Felipe]

There is also a shop at Virgen, to your right, before the chapel, a kind fo pilgrim-o-rama, in case you need something. Poles, coats, shells, you name it.

 

[Davie Blisters]

If it were me I'd go to the Cathedral and view the amazing stain glass windows and then start my walk

 

[Anemone del Camino]

If it were me I'd go to the Cathedral and view the amazing stain glass windows and then start my walk

She has already spent 5 days in Leon... Honnestly, albergues in Leon is also an issue. I have only stayed at Carbajalas, bit those bathrooms just don't cut it after so many hours of travel. A nice looking one is at the entrance of town: no good. Tried to book another (La muralla leonesa) and they ask me to contact the, 10 days before to book. Uh? No! I'll be somewhere on the Invierno then and not likely to remember to book the albergue. St-Francis is open to the public and partiers...

 

[Saint Mike II]

On May 2 I will be commencing my second Camino, this time starting in Leon, walking to Sarria. Will then take a train to Ourense and walk the Sanabres to Santiago and then on to Muxia. I will be arriving in Leon around 1:30 in the afternoon after a train from Madrid and flight from the US. I spent 5 days in Leon in September last year due to my severe tendonitis and loved the city, but here is my question to you dear forum readers: would it be too much to arrive in Leon, after all my traveling and then walk the 7 kilometers on to Virgin del Camino? Have any of you arrived after 25 hours of traveling and started walking? A reality check would be very helpful!! Love this forum and all of my fellow peregrinos who are a part of it! Buen Camino!!

Well it will depend on how you handle the jet lag - a short nap on the train followed by lunch and the walk. It should ensure that you sleep well at La Virgin del Camino (maybe try for a private room??) Buen Camino!

 

[xin loi]

Take the bus out of Leon! the walk outside of town for two hours is boring! Actually, not a bad idea to just bus it to Astorga.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Why push yourself? Get a bed, get some sleep, start fresh the next day.
This is a pilgrimage. Boring scenery, jet lag, hill climbing and good and bad albergues are all part of the scene.

 

[Irish Bernie]

How i hated that walk out of Leon,def busing it in June,is first main stop Virgen ?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I couldn't agree more. But where does the pilgrimage have to start for someone who travels from Minnesota, USA: from an albergue in Leon or from an albergue in Virgen del Camino?

My guess is from home, since Rebekah mentions jetlag.

 

[jpflavin1]

On May 2 I will be commencing my second Camino, this time starting in Leon, walking to Sarria. Will then take a train to Ourense and walk the Sanabres to Santiago and then on to Muxia. I will be arriving in Leon around 1:30 in the afternoon after a train from Madrid and flight from the US. I spent 5 days in Leon in September last year due to my severe tendonitis and loved the city, but here is my question to you dear forum readers: would it be too much to arrive in Leon, after all my traveling and then walk the 7 kilometers on to Virgin del Camino? Have any of you arrived after 25 hours of traveling and started walking? A reality check would be very helpful!! Love this forum and all of my fellow peregrinos who are a part of it! Buen Camino!!

Elleley:

I always walk the day I land. It helps get rid of jet lag for me. When I walked the Salvador/Primitivo, I landed in Madrid, took a train to Leon, Picked up my Credential for the Salvador and walked 17 km's to Cabanillas.

Last year, I landed in Madrid and started walking about 9:00 am and walked to Colmenar Viejo 30 km's.

So the simple answer is yes, imo. Everyone should, imo, walk to their own comfort but I believe you could easily walk the 7 km's to Virgin del Camino.

I do not walk in the dark and have found walking upon arrival gets my body and mind in sync with the local time.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[AlwynWellington]

Have any of you arrived after 25 hours of traveling and started walking?

Something very similar.

All flights to my antipodes take at least 25 hours plus any local ground transport. Last April I jumped (cattle class as we affectionately call economy/coach class) from Auckland to Charles de Gaulle (with a connecting stop in Singapore), then fast train to Lyon. On arrival at Lyon I walked about 3 km to a hostel, booked in and then started a short sightseeing walkabout (sans back pack). And I do not sleep well, if at all when travelling. The flight from Auckland was late afternoon , so I had been up most that day as well.

The next day was a relatively long walk of about 15 km down to the musee des confluences and back through the city centre. But again, sans back pack.

Amazing what the body can do.

 

[Hutton24]

Take the bus out of Leon! the walk outside of town for two hours is boring! Actually, not a bad idea to just bus it to Astorga.

I did that too and it worked well. The walk from Astorga is lovely

 

[Thornley]

Thanks so much for your responses!!!
I think I will see how I feel and if I have the animo to walk, I will. If not, will take the bus to the albergue in Virgen. Gracias!

Bus No 1
Don't hesitate , 15 minutes on bus , terrible walk from centre .
But see how you feel , you will arrive around 2 pm , if not raining have a very slow walk for 2 hours , a few beers in Virgin and then sleep.