She Ventures

Distance: 30k (18.5mi) Elevation gain: 842m (2,763ft) Duration: 7h 17m Steps: 41,584 Calories: 2,175 I love O’Cebreiro. There is literally nothing to do here. But the tiny mountain-top village, with its stone buildings and clear Celtic influence is right out of a fairytale. The town’s biggest draw is a IX century church, inside which there is grail credited with turning wine into blood. Back in the day, Santa María La Real used to ring its bells at night to guide pilgrims through the mist as they made their way up the long, hard climb. O’Cebreiro is the first village along the Way in the autonomous region of Galicia: rainy, lush,…

This is what a true rest day on the Camino a Santiago looks like. There was no sightseeing. No nights on the town. There was rest and a manicure. That’s about it. My last rest day along the Camino, I always knew this one would likely look a little like this. I chose to stay in Ponferrada because of the Templar Castle, but having visited it the day before, I was quite aware there was little else to see or do in town. I have to say I truly enjoyed the previous evening in Ponferrada. This is clearly a city that comes to life on Sunday nights. And it does…

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.…

Distance: 13.35mi (21.5km) Elevation: 705ft (215m) Duration: 5h 05m Calories: 979 Steps: 37,594 I got serenaded today!! And got a really big hug from my hostess as I departed her wonderful country home….and then, as if some invisible line was crossed, the road turned upward and I began walking into a forest. The Meseta is finally over!!! WOHOOO!!! I’m not sure I could have taken another day of that monotony.  This was a good day. It was also the first day since my journey began I legitimately got really crabby for a while there. I left Molino Galochas around 7:15am. The promise of another 95 degree day making me leave…

Distance: 25k (15.5mi) Elevation gain: 111m (364ft) Duration: 5h 15m Steps: 39,249 Calories: 1,469 What a fun night. And what a lovely homemade meal. My guesthouse today really was like coming into a person’s home and spending the night with friends. But more on that later.  I took a cab today. Yes. You read correctly. A cab. Not for the whole distance of course. Just the first three and a half miles out of Leon. This is something I always planned to do. Skip the completely uninspiring, industrial way out of the city in order to cut down some of the distance, which otherwise would have been close to 19…

Of all the city’s I’ve spent a rest day in so far in, León is the one that feels the most like an actual city. What I mean by that is that it’s not just a big tourist center, but a place where people live and work and play. Mind you, there are still a ton of tourists. But not just Pilgrims. I really enjoyed that about León. While I do like the pilgrim vibe, sometimes it gets a bit wearing and you want to see “normal” folks out and about. In the smaller towns we mostly stop in that’s not a thing because they are for the most part,…

Distance: 13.12mi (21.1K) Elevation gain: 367ft (112m) Duration: 4h 34m Steps: 44,395 Calories: 1,303 Leon is a fantastic city. And omg, is this really a hotel and really MY hotel? I felt like a fairy tale princess walking through the doors of the Parador San Marcos today. Calling it a former convent and pilgrim hospital makes it sound pedestrian. This place is more like a palace. Mind you a palace where the exterior blows you away. The interior is a mixed bag. The historic parts that have been preserved are beyond stunning, but the hotel area is completely renovated and feels too modern and out of place. Like why would…

Distance: 24.8km (15.4 mi) Elevation gain: 69m (225ft) Duration: 5h 23m Steps: 37,246 Calories: 1,509 I almost got mauled by four sheep dogs today. I’m not joking. I could see the Camino flashing before my eyes as I stood as still as I possibly could while the dogs barked viciously at me just feet from my face.  I get it, they were doing their job. I happened to walk up just as the herd was crossing the road. But I’ve never been so afraid of a dog in my life. It didn’t help that the sheep herder took his sweet time to come over and call them off. Felt like…