Somewhere Slowly

CF21 Day 14 – Rabanal to Acebo

16/09/2021

Some of the rain must have passed us during the night, but even though I waited as long as I could, the thick fog I woke up to only got thicker. In the end I just decided to be excited about trying my new rain trousers, yay! With the leg zips at half mast I … More CF21 Day 14 – Rabanal to Acebo

CF21 Day 13 – Astorga to Rabanal

16/09/2021

After a good night’s sleep and a quick cup of coffee in the Só por Hoje I went on my way. Leaving Astorga is never easy at the best of times but since 2015 and the disapperance and death of Denise Thiem it has been even less so. The florists would open a little late … More CF21 Day 13 – Astorga to Rabanal

CF21 Day 12 – Hospital to Astorga

14/09/2021

I started my day in the San Miguel albergue the way I ended the last one, chatting and exchanging stories with the wonderful host Arturo. He told me how camino magic had brought him and his wife to that place, and stories of other camino workers, helpers, characters. In the end I had to leave … More CF21 Day 12 – Hospital to Astorga

CF21 Day 11 – León to Hospital de Órbigo

14/09/2021

Th distance between León and Astorga is a very clunky 54 kms or so, with Hospital de Orbigo placed at the far end, making it awkward to plan a fabulous and not too strenuous itinerary. As I am principally here to enjoy post-pandemic life, I decided to cut out some of the kms of asphalt … More CF21 Day 11 – León to Hospital de Órbigo

CF21 Day 10 – Rest day in León

13/09/2021

So what do you do on a rest day in León? Answers are many – sightseeing, visiting the cathedral, taking a historical tour, going to the museums like Casa Botines, planning your route forward, meeting other pilgrims… Or you can follow my rather boring lead and do lots of laundry and invent clever ways of … More CF21 Day 10 – Rest day in León

CF21 Week 1 – some observations

10/09/2021

The first and most obvious difference between Spain and the UK, where I live, is that everybody here is wearing a mask, almost everywhere. Not just indoors and when they are in close proximity to others, but even on the streets and sitting outside. You may have brought a favourite reusable one from home, but … More CF21 Week 1 – some observations

CF21 Day 9 – Mansilla to León

10/09/2021

I was in no hurry to start walking towards León – I had my room booked and it looked to be a slightly cooler and more comfortable walking day. I had a good breakfast, chatted to some French cyclists in French-Spanglish and then off I went. Mansilla isn’t big, and soon I was at the … More CF21 Day 9 – Mansilla to León

CF21 Day 8 – Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas

08/09/2021

This morning I woke up early and went outside to look at the stars seeing as I was in a place with so little light pollution. It really was stunning out in the little huerta at the albergue Laguna. I didn’t realise why it was called Laguna until I went for breakfast at the place … More CF21 Day 8 – Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas

CF21 Day 7 – Sahagún to Burgo Ranero

08/09/2021

My little bed in my little room in my little hostal Bastide was lovely, so I woke up refreshed and took my time getting ready. When I was almost done, there were unmistakeable coffee making noises downstairs, so I ended up with the breakfast of champion pilgrims, a café con leche and a piece of … More CF21 Day 7 – Sahagún to Burgo Ranero

CF21 Day 6 – Ledigos to Sahagún

08/09/2021

As we woke up in our cubbyholes, we realised that the main door to the bar downstairs, and the exit, was closed. Were we locked in? … but earlier pilgrims had made it out… Or had they? Turns out the bar/café doesn’t open until 7, and there is a second door leading to a corridor … More CF21 Day 6 – Ledigos to Sahagún

Nidarosa the hiker, traveller, pilgrim