Hikes in Astorga

Your route, to the end of the Camino, is not extremely complicated, the average of its stages is around 24-25 km/day, something very normal on the Jacobean route. If we take a look at its profile in search of big slopes, the most notable is the climb to O Cebreiro, a classic. This climb is somewhat complicated, so much so that, hundreds of years ago in winter times and due to its snowfalls, there was a need to avoid this climb. That is why one of the main routes of the Camino called Winter Route (Camino de Invierno) emerged, which diverted south of Galicia and thus avoided the mentioned climb. Nowadays, even in winter, it is not complicated to make that climb due to all the equipment available and even a much better physical preparation by the pilgrims who make the Camino.

The closer we get to the Montes de León, the hillier the landscape becomes, which helps us forget the—admittedly—rather monotonous plain. In Astorga, we reach another very beautiful town along the Camino, where there is plenty to see and marvel at.> After leaving Villar de Mazarife 01 via Calle Mayor, a dead-straight road—almost exactly 6 km long—awaits us, lined with cornfields and other farmland. Here, too, there is little traffic, which makes for a very peaceful walk. We’re getting closer and closer to the Montes de León, so we can enjoy the last stretches of flat terrain one last time. After a intersection, we continue straight ahead, no longer on the road but back on the wide gravel paths. Rounding the curve, we catch a glimpse of Villavante 02 in the distance, where we turn right off the straight stretch. Passing the bar and church, we cross the railroad tracks and walk alongside them for a bit. When the path turns right, we walk along a particularly muddy trail directly toward the highway and from there onto the bridge, where a wide, secured shoulder leads us down.At the end of the bridge, there are conflicting arrow signs. We ignore the ones pointing left and continue straight ahead, where we meet the now very busy N-120. Due to the lack of crosswalks, crossing may take a while (be careful!).Continuing straight ahead, we soon reach what is rightly considered the town’s biggest attraction: the longest and arguably most beautiful bridge in one of the most picturesque towns on the Camino Francés—Hospital de Órbigo 03. The town invites you to linger and explore.Despite few signs in the town itself, just keep going straight on the main road. At the edge of town, there’s another fork in the road 04. Go straight ahead—about 1 km shorter, but along the road—or turn right through more nature and two small villages. Both routes meet again before San Justo de la Vega. We turn right onto familiar gravel paths and walk along the fields through nearby Villares de Órbigo 05. On the other side of the road, we climb slightly uphill on gravel paths, soon pass a rest area, and walk about 400 m along the fairly new gravel path on the left.Strictly speaking, we’d have to continue straight on this path and turn right at the next road, but after 400 m, next to the three oak trees on the right, there’s a small footpath that takes a shortcut. We keep to the left and come to another new gravel path, which we follow to the left to reach the main trail. From there, turn right toward Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias 06, which soon comes into view. Passing the two hostels, the route climbs again along a gravel path and through farmyards into the countryside, into quieter and more natural surroundings. Surrounded by fields as well as oak and pine groves, over hills and through valleys, we arrive about 6 km before Astorga at a very special gem, La Casa de los Dios 07 (The House of Many Gods). David, a former pilgrim, has been preparing small meals and drinks day in and day out, summer and winter, for more than 10 years, offering them free of charge (though donations are welcome) to passing pilgrims. After a while, following the main trail, we reach a rest area where we can enjoy the view of Astorga in the background. We head down the hill on well-maintained paths, following the N-120a through San Justo de la Vega 08, across the bridge over the Río Tuerto, and shortly after that, turn right onto gravel paths running parallel to the road.Passing cornfields, we soon cross a small stream again and turn left over the large, winding green railroad bridge to the other side. Afterward, we can walk straight ahead to the roundabout and continue following the arrows into downtown Astorga all the way to the cathedral 09.

After days of hiking across the plains—with little variation in elevation and many roads—we’re now back in nature and the mountains! The closer we get to them, the more beautiful and impressive the surroundings become. Rabanal has another small shop where you can buy supplies, but Foncebadón does not.> From the entrance to the cathedral in Astorga 01, turn left at the next cross street, then soon turn right to reach a large intersection. Continuing straight along the LE-142 (on the right), we soon pass the Ermita del Ecce Homo with its rest area. After crossing the bridge, we take a gravel path that leads us through Murias de Rechivaldo 02. Through idyllic heath and scrubland, we climb steadily but almost imperceptibly uphill, leaving the noise of the road behind us. From the next road we’ll cross, it’s still a good 2 km until we reach the charming Santa Catalina de Somoza 03. It’s a beautiful, quiet mountain village—the first we’ve seen in a long time—that seems to have sprung straight out of the Middle Ages. Inns and bars invite us to stay a while. Straight through the village, more fantastic views of the nature and landscape around us await us. In Santa Catalina, we’re already approaching the 1,000-meter elevation mark and continue on with a gentle ascent. After a while, we reach our second picturesque mountain village, El Ganso 04. Right in front of it and also a bit behind it, there are pleasant rest areas where we can enjoy the tranquility and the views. Shortly past the eastern exit, we walk along the road but turn right again shortly afterward onto the gravel path. Running parallel to the quiet road, we reach the highest point so far, catching a glimpse of Rabanal in the distance and, situated above it—though somewhat indistinct—Foncebadón. We now swap the sure-footed scree path for a sandy trail running alongside the pine forest, which can quickly become soft when it rains. As soon as we cross the road, we walk another good 2.5 km to the next village. The path that follows through the oak forest winds over rough and rocky terrain, and since the ground is uneven and slippery, we should be especially careful to avoid tripping hazards! After rain, it’s better to use the road! When we emerge from the forest, there are pastures and meadows on both sides. With excellent shops and places to rest, we reach Rabanal del Camino 05. There are also several hostels here. As we walk out of the village, we come to a wide sandy path, reach the road, then walk on gravel, and finally over rockier and more uneven terrain again. About halfway to the stage’s destination, we find a covered rest area with drinking water. The route continues, alternating between extremely rocky paths (with rivulets when it rains) and fairly easy-to-walk, flat stretches. However, the higher we climb, the worse the trails become. The landscape also becomes more open, and the forests give way to heathland. The first dilapidated buildings greet us at the entrance to Foncebadón 06.

Giv en oversigt over din rute med maksimalt 180 tegn

Chemin de StJean Pied de Port à santiago de Compostella