Photography, Travel, Walking

Adios León – El Camino Day 13

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After a days rest in León it was good to get moving again today. We caught a taxi to the edge of town again as we didn’t want to walk through suburbia and the industrial side of town which would’ve ended up being about 9km. We also have to make up a bit of time for the rest days we’ve had. We’ve got 12 walking days to go.

A man smiling while standing near a foggy road, wearing a red jacket and carrying a backpack, with blurred buildings and traffic lights in the background.
Ron fresh out of the taxi at La Virgen, our starting point
A hiker with a backpack walking along the Camino de Santiago trail on a foggy day, with a signpost indicating the route and various markings on the side.
We’re on the right path

It was a misty morning to start with and not a very interesting or scenic track for the day. The path followed the busy highway which had the constant sound of cars and trucks passing by. I plugged in my ear phones for some of the time and listened to my favourite band Deacon Blue. Other moments just to walk in silence or chat with Ron. We were discussing today what blessings we may have despite the fog, gloom and noise of the highway or what the Lord has been saying to us individually as we’ve walked the past couple of weeks and if the Camino has had any impact on us thus far.

A foggy pathway lined with dry vegetation and a bare tree, leading towards a highway sign in the distance.
A gloomy looking morning
A misty view of a graffiti-covered underpass, leading out to a dirt path and surrounded by overgrown vegetation.
Another good scene for a murder or hip-hop music video, the path goes under the highway

Mmm, interesting questions. I’d need to think about some of them a bit more. Walking at this slow pace and watching the cars wizz by on the highway today made me realise that everything has really slowed down for me. At times today I wished I was in one of the cars speeding to the destination so I could get home where it’s summer, comfortable and familiar.

The pace is definitely slower. We’re talking 20 – 30kms per day rather than 100kms/hour with all that I do in a day getting to work, doing work and getting home again. It’s good letting go of that and realising that it all won’t fall apart without me being there.

A person walking along a misty path surrounded by communication towers, with fading visibility due to fog.
We walked through a lot of industrial areas today
A foggy dirt road with power poles lining the sides, leading into the mist.
Yellow arrows all the way
A misty morning view of a narrow dirt path leading alongside a busy highway, with a large blank road sign in the foreground.
Highway all the way
A misty landscape featuring a bare tree beside a gravel path that runs parallel to a busy highway, shrouded in fog.
The mist hung around
A hiker stands on a misty path, holding a phone, with a backpack on and a walking stick by his side. Bare trees are visible in the foggy background.
We have reception!
A hiker walks along a dirt path surrounded by trees and autumn leaves, creating a serene and quiet atmosphere.
The path did venture off the highway every now and then
A misty path alongside a busy highway, bordered by tall grass and overgrown vegetation, suggesting a quiet yet uninteresting walking route.
Then alongside the road again
A dirt path alongside a busy highway, with bare trees lining the sides and a cloudy sky above.
Through some industrial areas

It was a hard walk today with the weather and the scenery being as bleak as it was but with the conversations we had and the thinking time I had I don’t think it went to waste. The feet weren’t too bad today either.

We were deciding throughout the day whether to walk longer and push on to Astorga but that would have been pushing the day’s walk to 40kms plus. As it’s a Winter walk we need to choose our towns carefully and make sure hotels or Albergues are open. This at times determines where we stay and how far we need to walk.

Now for the funny part.

An image of a gas station and hotel complex in a sparse urban area, with a cloudy sky overhead.
Tonight’s hotel is a roadside diner

Who’d have thought? At least the clouds played their part and made the whole scene look dramatic. Our room is facing the back so at least it’s quiet. Thankfully being a diner the food is on tap here so no need to wait until 8pm till a restaurant opens for dinner.

For stats and a map of today’s walk you’ll find them below.

See you tomorrow. Buen Camino! 😊

Newer
Adios Hospital de Órbigo – El Camino Day 14
Older León, Rest Day – El Camino Day 12

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