We are back! Let’s get right into it! Again, if you have stayed in any of these towns, please feel free to comment and let me know of a good or bad experience.

Itero de la Vega (map)

Yet another small town with just over 200 people living there. It is situated between Castrojeriz and Boadilla del Camino in Palencia and is the first town you will encounter after climbing the rugged Alto de Mostalares. You are on the Meseta plain now. Your feet will thank you if you stop here for a rest. I have passed through this town on a number of occasions and stopped for a bite to eat before stopping in Boadilla del Camino for the night. The town has plenty of albergues (Gronze) and all in all, from my time passing through, it looks like a pleasant place. In 2013, before entering the village, I was greeted by a BBC filming crew who were recording a series about Pilgrimages across the world. While I was asked a number of questions, there were no cameras used. Shame….I could have been famous! 🙂

Laguna de Castilla (map)

The last town in Leon you will pass and the last town before arriving at O Cebreiro. Laguna de Castilla or La Laguna is home to just over 30 people and is pretty rural. There is also a great albergue there – La Escuela (Gronze). This albergue is probably overlooked as most people want to reach the top of the hill and O Cebreiro.

Larrasoaña (map)

While technically not on the Camino itself, it is listed as an end-stage town in Brierley’s guidebook, causing a bit of confusion. To access Larrasoaña, you cross a gothic bridge aptly named “Puente de los Bandidos“.

It is situated in Navarra between Zubiri and Pamplona and is home to over 130 people. The town has plenty of albergues (Gronze) and many people walk from Roncesvalles and stay the night there. I chose to stay in Zubiri a few kilometres before, in September 2014. The Dutch volunteers in Roncesvalles placed a notice in the albergue that bed bugs were found in the main municipal in Larrasoaña, causing a little bit of panic. However, when I reached Larrasoaña a number of days later, it was discovered that they were in the middle of their fiesta. I didn’t cross the bridge to enter the town that day, but chose to walk on.

Lavacolla (Map)

When you reach Lavacolla, you will know that you don’t have far to go to Santiago. Home to just under 200 people, it is also home to Santiago airport. Watch out for the planes flying overhead as you pass through this suburb. It is in fact 10km away from the cathedral. Should you wish to stay here, there are a number of hostales (Gronze) although personally, I would be eager to reach my destination! Lavacolla is also where medieval pilgrims used to wash before arriving at Santiago.

Leboreiro (Map)

Another town within a stone’s throw of Santiago, 60km in fact. It is located between Palas de Rei and Melide and has a population of just over 60 people. There are no listed albergues or hostales in this hamlet so Melide is the next town, 5km further on, should you wish to find somewhere to stay.

Lédigos (Map)

Further back on the Camino, Lédigos is located between Carrion de los Condes and Terradillos de los Templarios. It is in Palencia and is home to barely 6o people. It is so small that you can pass through it within minutes.

In 2013, I walked through it, but in May 2015, I stayed in El Palomar albergue. At that time, there was one albergue but now there are two (Gronze). Lédigos is very much a rustic town so if you are looking to stay somewhere that is not an albergue, then Terradillos would be the place.

Lestedo (Map)

Back in Galicia, Lestedo is situated just outside Palas de Rei. You will have just over 70 kms to walk when you reach here. It is home to just under 50 people and has a few albergues to choose from (Gronze). My tip – keep walking to Palas de Rei as you will have a greater selection of facilities there.

Ligonde (Map)

Ligonde is another hamlet in Galicia, situated between Portmarin and Palas de Rei. You will have just under 80 kms left to Santiago when you arrive here. Not that far to go! It has a number of albergues that are popular (Gronze). This is another town I passed through, the last time I walked in Galicia in 2011.

Liñares (Map)

The final town in Galicia for this post is Liñares. It is the first hamlet after O Cebreiro (3km afterward). It has a population of just over 60 people and has one casa rural to its name (Gronze). It’s not noted as a Camino town but as it is on the Camino, it was best to mention it!

Linzoáin (Map)

Linzoáin (or Lintzoain) is situated in Navarra, between Roncesvalles and Zubiri. It is home to just over 60 people. While based on the Camino, it does not have any albergues nor does not have any facilities.

Lorca (Map)

Lorca (or Lorka in Basque) is also based in Navarra, close to Estella. It has a population of just under 150 people and has a number of albergues (Gronze). I have stopped off here for a cafe con leche in 2014 and again in 2018. The stage from Puente la Reina to Estella hugs the main road so the stop off here provides some light relief. The albergues have received some good reviews so I will pencil in a stop the next time I walk through this area.

León (map)

León is the capital of the province of the same name and one of the most important cities on the Camino. It is situated between Sahagun, to the east, and Ponferrada, to the east. It is also the place where the Camino del Salvador starts. Over 131,680 people call this city home. It was originally founded as a Roman city, and their walls still stand to this day (below). I passed through in 2013 and witnessed a celebration of this Roman heritage. Actors celebrated the past by role-playing combat, just outside the large Cathedral de Santa Maria.

León’s historical and architectural heritage make it a destination of both domestic and international tourism. Some of the city’s most prominent historical buildings are the Cathedral (below), the finest example of French-style classic Gothic architecture in Spain, the Basilica de San Isidoro, one of the most important Romanesque churches in Spain and the Hostal de San Marcos.

One of my greatest memories of León is from 2013. I had finished my Camino for that year and was due to travel back home to Ireland the following day. I had said my goodbyes to my fellow peregrinos who were staying in the main albergue. I was downbeat. I decided to visit the Cathedral. While inside, I spent a good 30 minutes listening to a choir sing. They lifted my spirits. I later learned that they were also pilgrims who were travelling on to Santiago. That memory will stick with me.

On reaching León, you will have over 300km to walk before arriving at Santiago de Compostela. Many pilgrims use León as a starting point to Santiago and gain their compostela. Here you can find plenty of albergues and hostales, as with all major cities (Gronze). In 2012 and 2013, I stayed in the very comfortable Posada Regia and in 2015, I rested my weary head and feet in Leon Hostel, which is just beside the Cathedral.

If you have a few hours to spare after your walk into León, talk a walk around the small streets and plazas and soak up the atmosphere. This video shows you some of this fine city.

Logroño (Map)

Logroño is the capital of the La Rioja province in northern Spain. The population of the city is just over 150,000 and is the largest city you will walk through after leaving Pamplona 3 to 4 days earlier. The city is the centre of trade in Riojan wine. You should arrive in Logroño in 7 or 8 days if you follow Brierley’s guide.

Walking into Logroño is far from attactive as the Camino hugs the main road. Some choose to by-pass the city as a result and walk to Navarrete. You will spot the large green “Comunidad de La Rioja” sign before you enter the city and later on the “Puente de Piedra” bridge over the Ebro river. Logroño awaits you at this stage.

There are plenty of places to stay (Gronze) also. There are over 50 “taperías” located near the town centre. The traditional tapas restaurants often serve only one tapa, meaning one serving, or media ración (half portion), a small plate of tapas. Calle de Laurel, known as “the path of the elephants” is the main street where restaurants and tapas bars offer some of the best pinchos and tapas in northern Spain. Calle Portales is the main street in the old town, where people like to walk and sit in the terraces to eat a meal or drink wine. Finally, make sure you visit the Co-catedral de Santa María de la Redonda close to Calle Portales. It is also in the old town and was designated a protected building in 1931. The cathedral, while not as large as Leon or Burgos, is a fine work of art.

And here is Logrono in 5 minutes:

Los Arcos (Map)

Los Arcos (meaning The Arches in English) is a town in Navarra, much smaller than Logroño, with over 1,000 inhabitants. It is situated between Estella and Logroño. It has a number of albergues, all of which have received good reviews (Gronze). The town has a large main plaza which always seems to be filled with pilgrims. The church of Santa Maria is worth a visit for its exquisite design. I managed to stay in Los Arcos in September 2018 on my way to Burgos. The albergue Casa de la Abuela is one of the best and I loved my time there.

Onwards we go to the next letter in the ‘Towns Along The Way’ alphabet. There are 3 towns beginning with G; one in Castilla y Leon, another in La Rioja and the last in Galicia. Again, please comment if you have stayed in any of these towns.

Grañón (map)

Roughly 8 days into your Camino, you will meet Grañón. It is situated between Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Belorado in the La Rioja province of northern Spain. It has a population of just over 300 people. On entering the village, it seems like it doesn’t have much to offer but one of its highlights is Iglesia de San Juan Bautista. The church offers basic accommodation to pilgrims, and you can sleep in its bell tower and look at the stars if you wish (gronze.com). I have passed through Grañón on 2 occasions, preferring to walk to Belorado. In 2013, I passed through in minutes as the weather was poor; however, in May 2015, I stopped for over an hour for a few cervezas. So if you are passing through, my advice is to stop here and stay in San Juan Bautista.

El Ganso (map)

Calling El Ganso a village is a stretch as it consists of a number of derelict buildings, a cowboy bar and is home to 36 people. Nevertheless, the Way passes through it and I will mention it. El Ganso is Spanish for “The Goose” and it is based in Castilla y Leon. On reaching this town, you will notice that the terrain starts to gradually ascend until you reach the highest point in Spain – the Cruz de Ferro. As mentioned above, the Cowboy Bar is one of the oddities of the Camino. I stopped by in May 2015 and again in 2017 for a second breakfast and was treated very well by the owner. There is an albergue here and I know of people who have stayed here (gronze.com). It is advisable to pit-stop either here or at the town previous (Santa Catalina) as you have a nice climb ahead of you.

Gonzar (map)

Gonzar is one of many small hamlets in Galicia. It is 8 kms from Portmarin and you have approximately 90km to walk before reaching Santiago. I have little memory of this town since walking through Galicia in 2011. Some pilgrims choose to stay here instead of the usually busy Portomarin (gronze.com).

My next post in this series will move on up the alphabet and focus on Honto, Hornillos del Camino, Hontanas, Hospital de Órbigo, Hospital da Condesa, Hospital da Cruz and Las Herrerías. See you then!

Welcome back! I hope you are enjoying this series and your memory is being refreshed! It certainly is helpful for me and interesting to see the many different types of accommodation being provided since I started walking way back in 2011. Hopefully, this won’t be the last “TATW” post of 2019 as I am on a bit of a roll.

Today, I will talk about F. Again, let me know if you have stayed in any of these towns.

La Faba (map)

Yet another village I haven’t stayed in but keep meaning to, La Faba means The Beans in Spanish. It is a small mountain town between Villafranca del Bierzo and El Cebreiro. It has a population of just over 30 people. While the name of the village doesn’t stand out, there is quite a lot of love for it from the pilgrim community and it has one of the best albergues on the Camino Frances; Albergue de la Faba. I have not stayed here myself, preferring to walk on to O Cebreiro, another 5km on. Once you reach La Faba, and it’s a long climb, you won’t have far before arriving at the Galician border.

Ferrerios (map)

One of many many small Galician hamlets that you will pass through while on the Camino. This particular town has 50 or so inhabitants and is approximately 14 km from Sarria. There is nothing very eye-catching in this town, however, keep an eye out for the Iglesia de Santa María de Ferreiros which has an unusual cemetery. The scenery is very shire-esque and when passing through, make sure you stop at Casa Cruceiro for a cafe con leche and sello. There are a number of places to stay there also (gronze.com). Just another 104km to go to Santiago.

Fillobal (map)

Another Galician town and one so small I almost considered leaving it out from the list. Fillobal is situated some 4 km before Triacastela and has a population of just 9. The town does hold a cafe and an albergue for pilgrims however at Albergue Fillobal. On walking through here in 2012, I was so focused on arriving at Triacastela and the albergue. I passed Fillobal in the blink of an eye.

Foncebadón (map)

From Galicia, we move to Castilla and the Leon hills. Like Fillobal, it has a small population. It is situated between Rabanal del Camino and Molinaseca. More and more people are choosing Foncebadon to finish walking for the day. It is very close to the Cruz de Ferro and watching the sunrise from there is pretty special. The climb up to Foncebadón can be challenging but the views are worth it. When you walk in to Foncebadon, it looks like a town in ruins, but the Camino is bringing growth to the area. During the summer months, it can be busy and there are accommodation, albergues, and bars (gronze.com). I haven’t stayed there myself, choosing to stay in the town beforehand, Rabanal del Camino. Maybe next time.

Fonfría (map)

From Leon, we return swiftly to Galicia and not too far from Fillobal. Fonfria is some 9 km from Triacastela. Again, it is a typical Galician town with green the predominant colour and many of the buildings are made of stone slabs. This is rural Spain at it’s finest. The town does have a selection of albergues and pensions also (gronze.com). On leaving Fonfria, you have a steep climb to Alto do Poio and then a further 150 km to Santiago! Enjoy your final few weeks!

Frómista (map)

The final town beginning with F and close to 450 km to Santiago is Frómista. It is situated in the province of Palencia and has a population of just under 1000 people. It has everything that a large town would have so many people choose here to lay their heads for the night (gronze.com). One of the main attractions of the town is the Iglesia de San Martin (pictured). I prefer to stay in Boadilla del Camino. You will be close to the halfway point at this stage on reaching Fromista, although the official halfway point is just before Sahagun.

The next instalment will feature towns beginning with H including favourites of mine Hospital de Orbigo and Hontanas. If you have stayed in or have any comments about the above towns, please comment below.

I need to buy a new pair of shoes soon as my current pair are a little run down. I embark on the Kerry Camino in May. And there is no better place for hiking shoes/boots than the Great Outdoors on Dublin’s George’s Street. I usually buy shoes at the start of the year and they last me 12-18 months.

My preferred brand is Salomon. I have worn shoes from North Face, Colombia, Meindl, and Merrell, but Salomon X Ultra GTX is the most comfortable for me so far. There are people that can walk a full Camino with a pair of €20 tennis shoes or even sandals(!) however I would prefer not to take my chances having experienced blisters and sore muscles on previous Caminos.

Here are just a few tips before you consider buying a pair of new shoes/boots:

1. Be sure what you need. What is the type of terrain of the route you are taking? Is it flat or rocky with ascents and descents or a mixture? Are boots really needed?
2. What season will you be walking in? If you are walking in March or April, you may need to choose boots instead of shoes. If you are walking in Summer, boots might be too heavy.
3. Practice, practice, practice. When you buy your shoes/boots, wear them as much as possible, break them in, get used to them. They will be your best friends on the Camino.
4. Buy a 1/2 a size extra. On the Camino when you walk, your feet will expand due to heat so the extra space is helpful.
5. Talk to an assistant in the store and have your feet fitted. Listen to the advice. Try on as many shoes/boots as you can. It’s probably a good idea to buy insoles with them too. Superfeet is a good brand.

So have you any stories or advice you want to share about buying footwear? Let me know in the comments!

Hi folks. If you are planning your Camino, the information you receive from people who have walked the Camino previously can be more valuable than the information you find in guide books. So the following may prove valuable to you. I came across a podcast owned by Dave Whitson from Portland, Oregon, called “The Camino Podcast”. There are over 20 episodes uploaded on iTunes, Soundcloud and on his website www.northerncaminos.com. Dave is also the author of “The Northern Caminos” guidebook which dissects the Caminos north of the French Way.

A number of episodes on his podcast form a series where Dave “re-walks” the Camino with previous pilgrims. I was delighted to be asked to discuss the stretch from Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Burgos. You can hear me at the 29-minute mark in part 2. Below are all three episodes and you can find further uploads from Dave by clicking here.