Ray's 2025 Camino

France - Spain - Portugal

Part 3

Camino Francés from Carrión

After an eight hour bus ride from Santiago, I arrive in Carrión de los Condes. This is where I left off in the Spring of this year (Part 1).

Day 14

Nov 4, 2025

Carrión to Calzadilla

x km (x)

Bridge crossing the Carrión River

Sign for pilgrams leaving Carrión:
"Carrión de los Condes wishes you a Buen Camino".

Monasterio de San Zoilo

"En la vida eres un peregrino a la eternidad de dios"
(In life you are a pilgrim to the eternity of God)

Early November, this stretch was pleasantly warm and windless.

Early November, the sign was still there, but the food truck had gone.

I'm not meeting many other peregrinos along this stretch, but I'm still enjoying the walk very much.

Approaching Calzadilla de la Cueza

I didn't stay here, but this albergue was hard to miss.

Calzadilla de la Cueza: Hostal Camino Real where I stayed.

Dinner at the Hostal Camino Real. When at home I don't eat eggs and meat, but on the Caminos I don't have much choice. But I'm very thankful for food like this; and it sure tasted good after the day's hiking.

Private room

Someone had a flock of chickens and this cat acted like one of them. It looked like the cat was guarding the chickens, and wherever they went, the cat was part of the group.

This late in the year, most albergues were closed, and so where most stores that supported the pilgrims.

This lady happened to walk by and saw me looking forlornly at the closed tenda, and said she will open it for me. Turns out, she was the owner and said she just closed it for the season today.

Day 15

Nov 5, 2025

Calzadilla to Sahagún

x km (x)

Looking back at the sunrise.

Coffee stop in Ledigos

Terradillos neighborhood council

Friendly barista filling my water bottle in San Nicolás del Real Camino.

Cabbage and egg frittata.

Approaching Sahagún

Interesting old bridge and church.

Ermita de la Virgen del Puente

Sahagún

Reaching Sahagún, I checked in to the Hostal Escarcha then with my bag of hiking clothes, I walked halfway across town to a Laundromat.

With my clothes in the washing machine, all was well - until a big storm rolled though town and cut the power.

Five minutes later the power came back on, but the washing machine was on a different circuit and was dead. So the door of the washing machine was locked, and I couldn't get my clothes out.

There was a sign on the wall with a phone number, but it was not listed on Whatsapp, and I couldn't place a local call because my phone eSIM was data only. So I walked to a bar across the street, and explained the situation to the bartender, but I couldn't get him to understand that my phone wasn't working. finally someone in the bar offered to make the call. He dialed the number, someone answered, and they proceeded to talk for several minutes, as though they were good friends. But soon a women drove up to the Laundromat, and went in and restored the power to the washing machine. she couldn't get the machine to finish the cycle, so I had to start the washing all over again.

Washing my clothes took three hours, and by then the grocery stores, cafés and restaurants had closed for the afternoon. So returning to the hostel, I went to bed hungry. Never mind that I had not eaten all day.

Day 16

Nov 6, 2025

Sahagún to El Burgo Ranero

x km (x)

Leaving Sahagún

Historic bridge over the Cea River

Reaching Bercianos del Real Camino, I was famished, but couldn't find a café, restaurant or grocery store that was open. Everything was closed, it seemed. The day was very cold, and made even colder by my lack of food. Then the rains began.

Reaching El Burgo Ranero, I stopped at the Área de Servicio Castillo El Burgo, and got a room. This was my first food in 36 hours. And I photographed it to show the deep yellow color of the egg yolks of home raised chickens - just like we have at our home. I had trouble with the meat. No molar teeth in the back to chew, so had to cut it in very small strips. I wasn't aware of the problem before, because I haven't eaten meat like this in years.

The season is very late, the weather is cold and rainy, and I didn't see any other pilgrims today. Or take many pictures.

Day 17

Nov 7, 2025

El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas

x km (x)

View of the truck stop, taken from my room's window.

All set to go into another rainy day.

The pilgrims were out in force today. All five of them.

Reliegos

I stopped for lunch at the Bodega Gil II

Approaching Mansilla de las Mulas

Mansilla de las Mulas

La Pensión de Blanca. Small room but comfortable.

I saw no other pilgrims this afternoon, none in town, and none in the Hostal.

I'm taking short days because I need to go home soon, to take care of Jenny's situation, and the city of León is the best place to leave the Camino - owing to its high-speed trains to Madrid. I have been staying in private rooms for health reasons. Too many disease-producing pathogens flying around some of the albergues. And for some reason my immune system can't cope.

Day 18

Nov 8, 2025

Mansilla de las Mulas to León

x km (x)

From the medieval bridge over the Esla River

Ice on the footbridge.

I stopped at the bar El Meson in Puente Villarente.

first good view of León

I hiked with (mostly behind) these three Spanish gents most of the day. Or rather, tagged along. They didn't speak English, but were good company. Mainly because I hadn't seen any other pilgrims for a few days.

While walking into the outskirts of León, the pilgrim just ahead of me was approached by a beggar, apparently asking for money. The pilgrim brushed him off, then the beggar approached me. I ignored him, but he wouldn't go away. He kept walking uncomfortably close to me, hands clasped. finally I had enough, and gave him a hefty shove. Only then did I realize how much bigger and younger he was. Fortunately he went away.

Also Fortunately this happened in Spain, and not America. But it reminded me to keep my guard up, wherever I am. And in turn I am reminding my readers of the same thing. The Caminos are very safe, most of the time. But I would caution a woman, especially, to not hike into a big city alone. Away from a big city, you are perfectly fine. But in a big city, its better to walk with someone else.

Casa Botines Gaudí

Jenny makes my accommodation reservations ahead of time, usually with Booking.com. And they usually work, but not this time. She booked me into a hostel that had no receptionist, and when I tried to log-in with the keypad on the wall, it said that I was a no-show. My reservation was for yesterday, not today. the hostel was full for today, so Booking.com had changed the date to the previous day, and Jenny didn't notice.

Using the wifi in the lobby, I made a reservation with the Palacio Real Hostel, and this worked out fine.

This gentleman was the ultimate peregrino, having walked all the way from Pakistan!

This guy was a Spanish tourist, not a peregrino. I met him at a restaurant in Leon, and talked with him and his friends for a while. He invited me to go out drinking beer with them later. I don't drink, but it's the thought that counted.

Day 19

Nov 9, 2025

León

I enjoyed my stay in the Palacio Real Hostel. It was very clean and practically brand new. It was an albergue, not a hostel, and I was assigned a top bunk in a four person room. Come night, the guy in the bottom bunk went to sleep with his light on, so I had to climb down and turn it off.

I slept well, but awoke in the wee hours with the typical feeling that I had better get out of that room. Even though none of the three guys appeared sick. I was laying there, debating the matter, when the guy in the adjacent bottom bunk phone's alarm went off, and he didn't wake up to turn it off. I took it as a sign, placed my belongings in the backpack, and relocated to the common room on the ground level.

I had an extra day to kill before my flight left from Madrid, so I left the albergue early and set out to explore some more of the city.

Later in the morning and the tourists have arrived.

Pensión Sandoval

dinner & snacks.

I stayed in the Sandoval last spring, and like it. So it was a natural choice this time. I wanted a private room, and it had to be cheap. The place hadn't changed but this time the receptionist was gone, replaced by an off-site management firm. Meaning that it was very difficult to get in - especially with my cheap phone. I called Jenny and she unlocked the doors for me. would I stay here again? Yes, now that I know the procedure.

However, come early morning I wanted to leave in the dark, and I and I couldn't figure out how to open the door leading to the street. I tried everything but brute force, and finally had to use that.

Day 20

Nov 10, 2025

Madrid

For the train ride from León to Madrid, Jenny surprised me with an upgraded ticket with a seat in the premium coche.

Actual Speed 290 km/hr (180 miles per hour).

From the Madrid train station I took a taxi to Hostal viky.

A man feeding pigeons at a nearby park. Plaza Mayor de Barajas (Barajas Main Square)

Green Parrots

Pigeons bathing in the fountain.

Day 21

Nov 11, 2025

Flight back home

This is Olivia from Belgium. We spent 10 hours together on the flight back to the US, and enjoyed each others company.

Reverberate on the Premium Hum

I sometimes end my "ride reports" (as I call them) with a few words intended to motivate people. Things like "Get out of your easy chair, grab yourself by the bootstraps, and venture into the outdoors. It doesn't have to be a five month trip, or even a three weeks trip like this one. It can be a simple walk in a city park, breathing the fresh air and admiring nature's beauty. But the point is to get out of your daily routine - leave it all behind, for a time - and get back in touch with your fundamental self. Call it a bath for the soul.