Camino Francés 2023 – Day 8 – Mansilla de las Mulas to León

September 22nd 2023

Mansilla de las Mulas to León
Distance: 18km
Pension: Hotel Le Petit León

So the day has come. The last day on anyone’s Camino can be a bittersweet one, but for me, I was happy. I would arrive in León later that on that day and fly back to Dublin the following day. It was a short trip – one of my shorter Caminos but I really enjoy walking along the Meseta. I try to encourage any pilgrim to walk it if they have a week spare. Anyhow, it’s been a fun few days meeting people and having time to myself. The albergues have been busy in the evening which is the general trend over the years. Hopefully, it calms down soon.

I started my last day’s walk late as it was a short day – just the 18 kms. It was cloudy, but the sun was peaking her head over the hills. I had some breakfast at the restaurant Albergue El Jardin – enough to keep me going until the first town. Unfortunately, my feet were bothering me again, so I took my time. I decided that I needed to call my podiatrist when I arrived home – something needed to be done with the nail. Slowly, slowly! Oh, and don’t forget to look back and view the Roman remains from Mansilla de Las Mulas when you are leaving the town.

The Camino is pretty flat for the next few kilometres and and it is a pretty easy walk as you approach León. I was alone for the first few kilometres. After 5km, I arrived at Puente Villarente and met Eileen from Long Island, in the US. We decided to have a coffee here and a chat. I remembered this is the same cafe I stopped at with Tom and the gang back in 2015, but it looks like the owner has refurbished the place. We talked for a while about her relations from Ireland. She has been many times. One tortilla and cafe con leche later, and we walked on. Walking through Arcahueja and San Felismo, it didn’t feel like the meseta anymore. The camino path followed a main road and there was quite a bit of traffic. I remember the first time I walked into León, back in 2013, one of my pilgrim friends caught a bus to the city to avoid the traffic. The increase of traffic and people after days away in the meseta can be a little disorientating.

León is a huge city, as big as Burgos, dare I say. It takes more than 2 hours to arrive at the Cathedral once you see it on the outskirts. I arrive at the Cathedral before midday, and I check in to my hotel, just outside the main plaza. I pick up a sello on the outskirts and was given directions by a very kind Guarda Civil. I haven’t been here since 2017. Not much has changed, but the walk into León certainly has. My feet were tired and I enjoyed listening to the Cathedral ring her bells at midday. The plaza filled up at that stage with pilgrims and locals alike and I had a lot to process.

Restaurants are plentiful in León and I found a great place for some lunch beside my hotel. It was a great place to take a few notes and soak up the sights and sounds. I’m glad that it was my last day walking but I was busily planning ahead for future walks. I might even make a trip to the meseta in the coming years, who knows? Watch this space!

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