Farewell to the Meseta, and time to prepare for mountains ahead! En route, more glorious green countryside, and a surprisingly action-packed small city.

First a final patch of less-lovely roadside walking but swiftly passed by and interspersed with some nice lil’ patches of off-road paths. Shortly before entering the charming town of Hospital de Órbigo (the “h” is silent, unlike in English) our path – the traditional Camino route – rejoins a major split that some pilgrims took yesterday outside León, to enjoy a greener, longer and more remote route. Strange experience to feel that your footpath is merging with another like two motorway on-ramps; on my route was me and one other peregrino / pilgrim merging with four others coming from the Villar de Mazarife leg.

And then the town itself, which has just the most ASTOUNDING bridge. I really doubt my pictures can capture how neat and winsome this structure truly is. So, this was the spot for the day’s sole break, for a coffee in a bar overlooking the clear winner of the Bridge of the Week award from this blog.

Back on track and away from roads and into proper backcountry. Up hill and down dale – mostly up – and with those mountains first glimpsed yesterday pulling closer and closer into view.

The path came to a quite simple wooden cross at a point where the land shifted in profile and tilted away gradually, leaving views in between trees to the city of Astorga. And those mountains – there they are again!

Around some more corners in between forests and fields, and to a far sturdier stone cross with the hill dropping away sharply down towards the city. From there, a simple stroll along suburban and then city streets, a beautiful garden and some inviting plazas and to our albergue for tonight, nearly opposite the cathedral and its Gaudi-designed bishops’ palace.

This albergue is really special and quite unique. No bunk beds and indeed no dormitories – instead, a series of smaller rooms each with two single beds apiece. The place is run by the Franciscan Order, and the priests hold a Pilgrims’ Meeting in the evening which is a general chat around why we’re all here on a pilgrimage, and then a Mass and Pilgrims’ Blessing at the indoor chapel. Set over four floors, it gives me a little of the Hogwarts or boarding school vibe as the very first night on Camino, three weeks ago today (!)

One of the pilgrims kindly cooked a fabbo meal, and with added food from those who had it, there was enough for maybe twenty to thirty of us to sit down for a shared dinner.

And somehow that’s twenty-two days done, and two-thirds of the days.

Into the mountains tomorrow!

Stats for today:

• 24.5km
• 262m ascent
• 250m descent
• 511km walked