Day 26 - San Justo de la Vega to Foncebadon (30km)

Today has been fewer roads, less rain and more flowers. Once we had walked the two miles into Astorga, had breakfast in front of the cathedral and a Gaudí designed palace and then headed off, it was not long before we felt we were in open countryside. Once again the path stretched ahead but instead of crops we were surrounded by yellow gorse bushes in all directions. The route was flat and we made good progress. Occasionally we would hit roads but they were quiet and wooded. In many ways it was very British, made more so by the overcast sky and the misty, almost-drizzle that accompanied us all day.

Astorga

We had lunch in Rabanal del Camino, a small town with a rich and important heritage and links to both the Camino and to the Knights Templar who had an outpost here to protect pilgrims crossing the Leon Mountains. Only a few decades ago the town was all but abandoned but now it is a busy (for the Camino at least) place with restaurants and accommodation for those walking the route. 

From Rabanal it was an uphill walk of just over an hour as the path weaved up through more countryside, purple heather and other flowers of white and blue and yellow that I didn’t recognise. We are now in the few buildings - a couple of bars and a handful of bunk houses - that make up Foncebadon. No private room tonight: we are in a small room crowded with bunks and people. And I have left my towel somewhere in the last couple of days and my glasses in San Justo last night.