Mountainous terrain and empty roads
Lunch stop in an idyllic location
Camino de Santiago deserted
Cross marker on the Camino de Santiago
Molinaseca was deserted
Day 5 - León to Molinaseca
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Here at León on the area de autocaravanas we sleep well and wake sometime after 7.00 am, clocks now on Spanish time. Breakfast first and then we plan our walk around the old Roman town of León. Gill calls at Mercadona supermarket again to see if there is any milk. She doesn't even bother to look. Every checkout is open and about 15 to 20 shoppers with trolleys fully loaded are waiting to pay. Panic-buying madness!
We walk across the plaza outside the Museum de Leon and pass the old Roman walls to the city. First to San Isadora, a beautiful old Mesquita now a museum. We do not visit as it is only by hourly guided tours. Next to the cathedral which is €6 to go in (so we don’t) but we do enjoy the storks roosting on the remembrance column and the ambiance of the plaza.
Next, down narrow streets to the Plaza Mayor, a magnificent open space with eglisia, town hall and colonnades, there are two other people in this huge open square and a delivery van parked right outside spoiling the photos, fortunately the driver returns and drives away, we take our photos very quickly. We follow the narrow streets back to the Roman walls, find our way to the river and walk the mile or so back to the camper, noting the high level of brushwood and evidence of the river flooding.
When we return, the grey clouds have rolled away, and the blue sky and sunshine have returned. Another call at Mercadona yields the much-needed milk (and some UHT just in case), plus other needed supplies. We have lunch, service the Hymer (empty the grey water, toilet cassette and fill with fresh water - all without charge - UK take note) and then on our way towards Braga. We decide on a drive of about 120 km for today.
From Leon we take the N-120 towards A-Caruña. The road follows the Camino de Santiago and we pass quite a few Pilgrims making their way along the well-marked track towards Santiago (de Compostello). At Astorga we take the A-6 west, climbing up and up into the Cordillera mountains, through Manzanal to the summit at 1220m. We drop down on the other side to the valley bottom and to the large industrial town of Ponferrada. Here, we join the commuter traffic and skirt around a very busy outer ring-road to the LE-142.
A short drive through the district of Patricia takes us to the Pilgrim village of Molinaseca (about 117 km). We park on one of the five spaces dedicated for motorhomes in the large mixed parking area and enjoy the warm and sunny afternoon, now 18˚C, we are the only motor home here.
Molinaseca is on the Camino de Santiago (way of St James) and we see several pilgrims arriving hot and thankful to be at their journey end. It is a lovely place with an old Roman bridge that crosses the Rio Meruelo and follow the narrow Calle Real between the eglise and old stone cross. We walk through the village and enjoy the ambiance. The town seems deserted, the only people we have seen are those couple of pilgrims, this place would normally be heaving with tourists and pilgrims.
Back at the camper we make stir fry for tea and enjoy a bottle of cava.
Summary of motorhome journey
Total miles |
mpg | average speed mph |
hours driven |
71 | 31.9 | 35 | 1:58 |
Totals for this journey |
|||
528 | 28.5 | 33 | 15:43 |