Camino a Santiago Day 24: Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada

Distance: 33k (20.7mi)

Elevation gain: 585m (1,918ft)

Elevation loss: 1100m (3,609ft)

Duration: 9h 6m

Steps: 43,039

Calories: 2,232

What a day. It was filled with kitty cats and salamanders. And a chorus of croaking frogs after the rain. Just enough to bring out the waterproof gear, then put it away again. There were stunning mountain vistas, valley floors, and an incredibly treacherous, rocky descent that went on for miles. There were moments of profound symbolism, followed by folk dancing. And there were school children on Camino with a Templar Castle at the end. It’s almost too much to wrap my head around.

So much happened on this nearly 21-mile stage. I even managed to do a bit of grocery shopping on my way into town. Right before before checking into my apartment, trying to regain some level of coherence, running across the street to visit the castle before it closed, and then, trying to determine what and where to have dinner, when all I wanted to do was collapse in bed. Phew! I’m glad I didn’t. Not just were the wine and black truffle risotto delicious, the life Ponferrada’s historic center exuded on a Sunday night was enough to revive me, at least partially.

I left Rabanal del Camino around 7:30am knowing I had a few miles of climbing before reaching the Cruz de Ferro. One of the most powerfully symbolic stops along the Camino, at first glance it is nothing more than a small cross sat atop a long wooden pole sitting on a pile of rocks. That is until you notice the detail in that pile of rocks. Sitting on an important regional crossroads, the origin of the cross in unclear, but it’s believed it may go back as far back as Roman times. Over the centuries it’s become a place where pilgrims leave behind a small stone, traditionally brought from home, as a gesture of leaving one’s burdens behind. And while many treat the spot as another photo opp, there is tremendous grief there. The mementos left behind tell the tale: wedding rings, pictures of family members lost, prayers for healing. After some pensive moments, I continued on my way.

Initially, I believed the road would turn downward immediately following the cross. This was not to be. We climbed and climbed until I could see Ponferrada in the distance. Surely this couldn’t be it. The city looked too close and I still had 10 miles to go. What I did not take into account was how high up we were, and the distance that would need to be traversed just to get off the mountain. I also completely underestimated how difficult the descent would be.

At other times during the Camino I’ve read about how this descent or that one is so awful and dangerous. Mostly it’s folks who are inexperienced at hiking. This, I can now confirm, was NOT that. The descent was long, it was steep, it was very rocky, and it went on forever. I think that was the hardest part. Just staying focused for so long. In a strange, masochistic way, I quite enjoyed it.

When I finally arrived at the village of El Acebo I celebrated the end of the descent. Until ten minutes later when I realized I still had more than half left to go. Great. A chocolate croissant and some commiserating with fellow Camino friends later, I stumbled onto a celebration of Corpus Christi, where one of the locals insisted I dance with him before continuing. I also picked up a group of high school sophomores on an 8-day walk to Santiago. Yep. You read that correctly. In Spain, it’s quite common for schools to teach students about the Camino by having them walk it. It’s quite cool when you think about it.

I lost the group just before Molinaseca. Classified as one of Spain’s most beautiful towns, it is where most pilgrims today would stop as well. Not me. It definitely looked appealing, but I had 4 miles left to go. Four miles on pavement, walking alongside a road which was killer to my poor tired feet. But the city of Ponferrada and its Templar Castle was my goal. I arrived filthy, exhausted and hungry, but the Castle view from my apartment for the next couple of days, and the rich, varied experiences the day offered me, made it all worthwhile.

Accommodation: Apartamentos Guiana. Location, location, location. Much like my little piece of Heaven in Burgos, this apartment has an unbeatable location and view directly across from Ponferrada Castle. The apartment itself is comfortable and modern, but very plain and lacking in several kitchen basics that you would want when renting an apartment where you plan to do, even the most rudimentary cooking. Napkins, salt, and essential cooking utensils come to mind. I never met the owner, but she was very helpful in getting my lugagge both delivered and picked up, as well as with recommendations around town. One bedroom apartment €82/night.

Dinner: Trastevere. The food and wine were on point and very welcome, as by now I’ve become quite tired with the repetitiveness of Spanish cuisine. The funny part is I came here for pizza, ended up ordering something else and when I came back the next day determined to get my pizza, it was closed. Ah well. My only complaint would be that the host clearly didn’t want to seat a table for one and chucked me in the much less attractive bar area, rather than in the dinning room. €21