Day 17: Mansilla de las Mulas to León

We were ready in plenty of time for our 10km taxi ride back to Mansilla, though it ran a little late.

There were only three of us staying at the hotel of Sally & Mike, an Australian couple, Steph and Sharron. We had dinner together and enjoyed some good conversation.

We met Mark and Ron for coffee in Mansilla before setting off on our 18km hike to León. We left at 7:36—late for us—but we were well-fed and caffeinated!

It was cold—just 3°C. I had my fleece and coat on, but my hands were still freezing. The sky was clear, and the sun had just begun to rise over the horizon.After 6km, we stopped again for coffee, cake, and a very large donut. I bumped into Hosse Mi, a kind, gentle man I’d spoken with at a hostel two days ago. The first 10km took us through countryside with minor hills in the distance. The Camino was busy with lots of fellow pilgrims.

Eventually, the landscape became urban—car showrooms, DIY stores, and then a ridge. Once we crossed it, we were immediately in the suburbs of León. As we got further in, we could see the cathedral rising in the northwest of the city. There was a cold wind on this side of the ridge, so I put my coat back on and stayed in the sun where possible, weaving through tree-lined streets. About halfway in, we stopped at a welcome kiosk run by two men offering Camino passport stamps and advice. From there, we headed straight for the cathedral.

Afterward, we enjoyed a beer and some lunch nearby. We sat for about an hour before I said goodbye to my two Camino amigos and made my way to the train station, just 10 minutes away. While having coffee at the station, I met an Australian man in his late 60s who had planned to walk the Camino for a year. Unfortunately, he suffered heart complications two months before the trip, which affected his training. He and his wife had walked sections, but were now heading to Sarria to complete the final 110km and qualify for their certificates. He wasn’t sure he could manage it.