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Peg and I enjoyed our stay there. You'll be happy.In Leon the Benedictinas (Carbajalas) next to their albergue also offer the Hospideria PAX with private accommodation which is very nice and which you can reserve.
Here is their web--
http://www.hospederiapax.com/
A heretic thought. The walk out of Leon is ghastly - unless you just enjoy sad beauty parlors, garages and gas stations, used furniture stores, ironmongers, iffy bars, and narrow sidewalks. Hop a bus for La Virgen del Camino leaving often from Plaza Santo Domingo a 5 minute walk from the cathedral - get off at the last stop the Camino is right in front of the stop the left fork is the one you want- save yourself 5k and walk out from there hitting your 15k limit!
There is nothing ghastly about León, the walk out passes the wonderful San Marcos convent, the Roman bridge, and as you leave Leòn, wonderful views of the City and Cathedral in the distance, I live in León just slightly down river from the Roman bridge, and one of the walks I do when practising for the Camino, is to walk up to Virgen Del Camino and back Also there are a couple of Supermarkets for topping up any supplies you may needA heretic thought. The walk out of Leon is ghastly - unless you just enjoy sad beauty parlors, garages and gas stations, used furniture stores, ironmongers, iffy bars, and narrow sidewalks. Hop a bus for La Virgen del Camino leaving often from Plaza Santo Domingo a 5 minute walk from the cathedral - get off at the last stop the Camino is right in front of the stop the left fork is the one you want- save yourself 5k and walk out from there hitting your 15k limit!
Take a bus for the first 7 K. If you are only doing 15 K per day this will happen again. Take a bus from where you sleep. In the last 100 K you should not take the bus at all in order to get a credentialHi! Some advice please...
1. I fly into Madrid, stay one night and my travel agent is booking on the train from Madrid to Leon and into a posh hotel in Leon, which seems a little unnecessary, so I was wondering what recommendations people might have of where to stay in Leon the night before I start walking? I would like a good nights sleep so thinking my own room somewhere central but does not need to be fancy. I won't be jetlagged as I am coming from Australia but via a stay in Italy.
2. Will I be able to pick up my credencial that afternoon at the Cathedral? Or can I organise that now from Australia somehow? I would visit the Cathedral anyway that day assuming my train arrives in time (but I don't have that info yet).
3. I can only manage 15km a day....but it looks like the first accomodation options are more like 22km out of Leon. Any suggestions?
Thank you!
On your question 3: Have you checked the app ‘My Camino Bed’ - it gives several options well befor 22 kms. The walk out of Leon is not hard and there are lots of villages several with accommodation all along the way. My Camino Bed is worth getting. It lists both albergues and hotels and everything in between. Buen Camino.Hi! Some advice please...
1. I fly into Madrid, stay one night and my travel agent is booking on the train from Madrid to Leon and into a posh hotel in Leon, which seems a little unnecessary, so I was wondering what recommendations people might have of where to stay in Leon the night before I start walking? I would like a good nights sleep so thinking my own room somewhere central but does not need to be fancy. I won't be jetlagged as I am coming from Australia but via a stay in Italy.
2. Will I be able to pick up my credencial that afternoon at the Cathedral? Or can I organise that now from Australia somehow? I would visit the Cathedral anyway that day assuming my train arrives in time (but I don't have that info yet).
3. I can only manage 15km a day....but it looks like the first accomodation options are more like 22km out of Leon. Any suggestions?
Thank you!
It is only their opinion, and I have mineOnce you get off the bus at La Virgen del Camino, and visit the modern church (it is an amazing place), the walk to Hospital de Obrigo is only about 15 km. There are plenty of albergues and hostals there. You can book ahead on www.booking.com.
The first 5 - 7 km out of Leon to La Virgen del Camino is bleak. It is a major highway with big box stores, car dealerships, businesses, and light industrial parks on both sides of the divided roadway. Great, if you have a car and are looking to buy something. But, not so fun if you are a pilgrim on foot.
The bus ride takes maybe 15 minutes. I usually get the bus from the main bus terminal.
You can use the ALSA app, available for free at the Android and Apple app stores to find the bus schedule. Easy and cheap...
Both Scruffy and MSPath are long-time veterans, and have seen and done it all. You can take their advice "to the bank..."
Hope this helps.
Ah Scruffy, now you're talking my kind of townThe walk out of Leon is ghastly - unless you just enjoy sad beauty parlors, garages and gas stations, used furniture stores, ironmongers, iffy bars....
I have never took buses to skip the urban slogs out of Leon or into Burgos, but I have stayed an extra day in a town when the rain was coming down outside like a monsoon and no let up in sight. I don't like being wet and cold. Been there, done that enough in the army and used to curse I would never do it againThose who bus out of Leon miss the hobbit houses.
I don't mind the walk out. You see another aspect of Spain. In my view, skipping the unpretty parts is like not walking when the weather is bad.
A heretic thought. The walk out of Leon is ghastly - unless you just enjoy sad beauty parlors, garages and gas stations, used furniture stores, ironmongers, iffy bars, and narrow sidewalks. Hop a bus for La Virgen del Camino leaving often from Plaza Santo Domingo a 5 minute walk from the cathedral - get off at the last stop the Camino is right in front of the stop the left fork is the one you want- save yourself 5k and walk out from there hitting your 15k limit!
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Oops wrote my reply in the wrong spot...I think this is brilliant advice. As I am not starting at the 'beginning' it doesn't really matter where exactly I start....it's MY beginning
Thanks I had seen there were a few different apps and didn't know which to get!On your question 3: Have you checked the app ‘My Camino Bed’ - it gives several options well befor 22 kms. The walk out of Leon is not hard and there are lots of villages several with accommodation all along the way. My Camino Bed is worth getting. It lists both albergues and hotels and everything in between. Buen Camino.
One time I took a rest day on a beautiful sunny day. The next day I walked it drizzled half the morning and poured down that afternoon. Murphy's law I guess. Go figure.Isn't that called a strategically timed rest day?
Same here. After I had read the description of the walk out of Leon in this thread I started Google Earth to view it again since I did not recall it as described.I don't mind the walk out. You see another aspect of Spain.
Hi domigee - good suggestion about buying the credential from Ivar - I always buy mine from the Forum shop as I like to support Ivar and the Forum as much as I can.Hi! Regarding the Credential, you could always buy one from the forum shop, something less to worry about.... But do check the postage, I do not know what it is like for Australia.
Buen camino!
I recall having a fantastic breakfast in one little cafe in that ‘industrial’ area, on the right handsideSame here. After I had read the description of the walk out of Leon in this thread I started Google Earth to view it again since I did not recall it as described.
A large part of this walk are housing areas, either small houses or higher buildings, frequently with a small shop of some kind or other on the ground floor. The industrial areas are not factories with smoking chimneys but low level functional buildings. It's where people live and work. Maybe the busdriver lives there and the bus gets serviced there. I see no reason why I should not set my pilgrim's eyes on it and my pilgrim's soul did not get destroyed there. In fact, now that I think about it, I recall several moments of an encounter with people or environment that were quite nurturing.
I spent two nights in Leon. I needed a good nights sleep and I wanted to see the city. I stayed at an older hotel with a charm of its own and maybe 35€ per night...but I needed the rest for a couple days. I stayed at Hotel Quindos. Nothing fancy, very close to the Camino on its way out of town, and a short walk (maybe 15 minutes) from the cathedral. Several tapas bars nearby and a great little sporting goods shop almost next door ( I needed a new daypack and they even opened the shop after they closed).Hi! Some advice please...
1. I fly into Madrid, stay one night and my travel agent is booking on the train from Madrid to Leon and into a posh hotel in Leon, which seems a little unnecessary, so I was wondering what recommendations people might have of where to stay in Leon the night before I start walking? I would like a good nights sleep so thinking my own room somewhere central but does not need to be fancy. I won't be jetlagged as I am coming from Australia but via a stay in Italy.
2. Will I be able to pick up my credencial that afternoon at the Cathedral? Or can I organise that now from Australia somehow? I would visit the Cathedral anyway that day assuming my train arrives in time (but I don't have that info yet).
3. I can only manage 15km a day....but it looks like the first accomodation options are more like 22km out of Leon. Any suggestions?
Thank you!
I took your advice and it arrived last week! Not expensive, and one less thing to do when I arrive!Hi! Regarding the Credential, you could always buy one from the forum shop, something less to worry about.... But do check the postage, I do not know what it is like for Australia.
Buen camino!
Brilliant!I took your advice and it arrived last week! Not expensive, and one less thing to do when I arrive!
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