Starting in Leon

[Tully]

Hi folks,

This year i have decided to start midway in Leon ... i have been given different advice about my next rest point... so just seeing if there us any advice? Mazarife or Hospital de Orbigo?

Many thanks, hope to see some on road ..

 

[november_moon]

I would go to Villar de Mazarife on Day 1. That's about 21 km, which is a good chunk of walking for your first day. You don't want to walk too far initially - you want to give your body the opportunity to adjust to walking and not overdo it at the start. Hospital de Orbigo is a really neat town, but it is 31km from Leon. Some people choose to take a taxi out of Leon - usually to Virgin del Camino to avoid the Leon suburbs and industrial areas - in that case, Orbigo is about 23-24 km, which is doable, but I think still on the long side for the first day.

 

[Tully]

Thank you for the reply... then it will be Mazarife straight to Astorga... i have kind of a set timetable that im on... i walk fairly regularly but guessing doing the 30km second day is probably better then? Or Orbigo and just do 19km the second day? Its a tough choice but you are probably right... i can always see how i feel tomorrow i start early too...

 

[Saint Mike II]

The camino trail leaving Leon is far from an impressive starting point. You might be better served by getting a bus for about 10km (say about Trabajo del Camino or even La Virgen del Camino) and then start walking - taking the track via Villar de Mazarife. Regardless of your training/preparation on the first couple of days I suggest you take it slow and steady. After Astorga you have the 300/450 meter climbs (255 m to Rabanal and then another 350 to the Cruz). Good luck!

 

[november_moon]

Everybody is different, so 30KM might be ok for you on Day 2, but it wouldn't be ok for me. In 490KM (I started in Burgos - finished a month ago), I never walked a 30KM day. I averaged 4KM/hour, and while muscles would have been fine with almost 8 hours of walking in a day, my feet weren't interested in that kind of pounding. I found that 25KM was about the maximum that I could comfortably do, but most of my days were more like 20KM. Remember, this is an endurance challenge, so whether or not you can walk 30KM in one day isn't the question - the question is whether or not you can walk 30KM one day and then get up the next day and walk another 20, and then 23 the day after that...

 

[Seabird]

Everybody is different, so 30KM might be ok for you on Day 2, but it wouldn't be ok for me. In 490KM (I started in Burgos - finished a month ago), I never walked a 30KM day. I averaged 4KM/hour, and while muscles would have been fine with almost 8 hours of walking in a day, my feet weren't interested in that kind of pounding. I found that 25KM was about the maximum that I could comfortably do, but most of my days were more like 20KM. Remember, this is an endurance challenge, so whether or not you can walk 30KM in one day isn't the question - the question is whether or not you can walk 30KM one day and then get up the next day and walk another 20, and then 23 the day after that...

Ditto all of this. I met so many people of all ages who were surprised how hard it was doing this day-after-day. All the running the young multi-marathoner had done did not save his achilles tendon during the Camino.

 

[Felipe]

As you are beginning your walk, you can start wherever you like. I'd also recommend skipping urban León and taking a bus to Virgen del Camino. It stops in Plaza Santo Domingo, near a BBVA bank. Upon Google Maps, it is the A1. This would save you 7 km, which also could open other options.
Remember that after Virgen del Camino there are two variants. Prefer the Chozas de Abajo and Villar de Mazarife way. The other is shorter, but goes mostly along a highway.

 

[Felipe]

As for albergues, I stayed in Albergue Casa de Jesús in Villar de Mazarife; it is very basic but also quite funny. The walls are entirely graffited, and you can add your own philosophical comments about life, world and pilgrimages. I rather liked it, but probably is not for everbody....For a more foreseeable experience, there are other modern private albergues in the same town.
As an alternative stop for your first day, there is a brand new albergue in Villavante, between Mazarife and Orbigo.

 

[jsalt]

As an alternative stop for your first day, there is a brand new albergue in Villavante, between Mazarife and Orbigo.

I was intending to stop in Villavante but it is, for me, the most unlovable village on the whole camino,



so I kept going to Hospital de Orbigo.

 

[november_moon]

I met so many people of all ages who were surprised how hard it was doing this day-after-day

YES! When I talk to people at home, they invariably ask how many miles or km I did in a day - and most say something along the lines of "oh, that's not so bad". Most people don't realize the toll it takes on the body to do that day after day for a few weeks. Your body gets used to it, but there is definitely a break-in period. And then as you go along, there are still difficult days when the body is just not feeling it.

 

[VNwalking]

Hi, Tully,
Hard choice. Leon to Mazarife is a OK as a first day. But then from there to Astorga's a bit long.
Leon to HdO is the other option--but having done that on the first day of my first camino...not recommended. It's also a pretty long day. On the other hand, HdO to Astorga is quite pleasant.
I think the best idea is to do as @filipe suggests and take a bus to VdC and start from there, staying the 1st night in HdO and then the next day to Astorga. That gives you a relatively 'gentle' start.

 

[La Rubia]

While I always say I started in Leon (shorthand for peeps with a limited knowledge of Spanish geography), I actually did what many here suggested and taxied to Virgen del Camino and started my walk there - and seeing the not-so-pretty route on the way out of Leon was very happy that I did! Spent my first night at Molino Galochas in Villavante - a wonderful casa rural with great owners and an interesting United Nations mix of fellow guests (I landed my first joke in Spanish, it was a proud moment). The next day was on to Astorga, which was perfect.

 

[High Endeavours]

I agree with many opinions posted here. Next month I'll begin my Caminos from Leon and like others it will really begin from Virgen del Camino and I'll again follow the southern option to Hospital. The next day a shorter stage to Murias followed by Foncebadon and Ponferrada before setting off on the Camino de Invierno. Listen to your body and you will be just fine. Have fun!

 

[Seabird]

YES! When I talk to people at home, they invariably ask how many miles or km I did in a day - and most say something along the lines of "oh, that's not so bad".

I realized that when I told people how many hours a day I walked, rather than the distance, they seemed to understand better the commitment required each day.

 

[C clearly]

The route through Villadangos del Paramo to Hospital de Orbigo is not very nice, in my opinion, so I'd also recommend going to Villar de Mazarife.

 

[Shoshanah Crookes]

Hiya
Well I wouldn't even plan where you are going to walk to. I and my friend used the Brierley guide and noted where the alburgues were on the rough stage we were doing and then just walked until we'd had enough! Hospital is beautiful and the bridge very photogenic and people very friendly. We went to church and then ended up in a bar with a really nice landlord who kept topping our glass up and genuinely looking after us. That's the heart of the Camino. Listen to your heart and your feet And I know people say don't do this stretch and don't do that. but you know what, if we'd listened to all the people who'd said don't walk the Meseta because it's boring, we would have missed a really stunning and fantastic experience. It has all been beautiful all the way from SJ.
Buen Camino

 

[Davey Boyd]

As for albergues, I stayed in Albergue Casa de Jesús in Villar de Mazarife; it is very basic but also quite funny. The walls are entirely graffited, and you can add your own philosophical comments about life, world and pilgrimages. I rather liked it, but probably is not for everbody....For a more foreseeable experience, there are other modern private albergues in the same town.
As an alternative stop for your first day, there is a brand new albergue in Villavante, between Mazarife and Orbigo.

Yes the albergue in Villavante is Santa Lucia, it is excellent. If you stay there say hi to Coco the parrot. But don't mention my name to him, he didn't like my singing. So much so that he bit me. He is very chatty though!

Davey

 

[kayagee66]

Yes the albergue in Villavante is Santa Lucia, it is excellent. If you stay there say hi to Coco the parrot. But don't mention my name to him, he didn't like my singing. So much so that he bit me. He is very chatty though!

thanks for the memory (there are so many) I had forgotten the parrot. Didn't stay there but stopped for a coffee, a tuna salad baguette and a custard tart. All of which were very good.

 

[Djimbo]

Hello, and thank you all for the interesting and illuminating comments here. The information and opinions have been most valuable. I too am starting my (first) Camino in Leon around 15-16 September. The original plan was to walk with my best mate of 44 years, who is also a stroke survivor from a couple of years back. Sadly, he called last week to say that he has had another (minor) stroke and is now having to deal with the onset of pneumonia. Though he is supported by a loving family and many friends, he's had to cancel his plans to make this trek with me this year. So with this news, and the passing of my mum last March, I've resolved to continue being a moving target... I'm well chuffed to be in this wonderful world in a completely different context and I will dedicate this experience to my Mum and my best mate.

Thanks to the forum participants for all of the thoughtful and helpful input!

Adelante
JIMMY!