From León to Santiago de Compostela (summary 4)
Door: kees
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Kees
02 Juli 2016 | Spanje, Ourense
From León to Santiago de Compostela
León is a very nice city where I stayed for two full days. Here I also had to buy and change my backwheel Tire, because the current one was almost finished, too much kilometers!
The cathedral in León was lovely, and so the centre with all the narrow streets. And it was quite busy with tourists here, so also nice to stay and sit on a terras for a coffee or beer. In the centre is also a building of Gaudi, the Casa Botines, with several characteristics of this architect; unfortunately it is not possible to go inside which was a bit disappointing. The second day in León the weather turned into rain and cold temperature.
From León it was not very far to reach Astorga, a small town also situated on the Camino de Santiago route. So here a lot of pelgrims pass this town. I have stayed one night, but had enough time to visit the town, the cathedral and the Palacio de Gaudi, or Episcopal Palace. This is really a wonderfull building and typically Gaudi in the construction and used materials.
After Astorga it went again up to the Cantabrian coast, but of course I had to cross the mountains to come there. The first day in these mountains it was terrible cold, I had not felt so cold since the Pyrenees. The route to the coast was lovely with pure nature and wonderfull views. The second day in these mountains I had to climb up to 1500m but thereafter I could go down for about 30 kilometers which was very relaxed of course. The day thereafter became I think the most heavy day to bike until now. Not because it went up to 1100 meter, I knew I had to, but because of the next 35 kilometers. In this second part of that day the road went up and down with large differences in height and very steep hills; two times I had to walk a few hundred meters. I survived but was almost exhausted when arriving in the hotel. Nevertheless the route that day was very nice, with amazing views from that top on 1100m.
The day thereafter I arrived on a campsite in Riante very near to the beach, only 50 meters. But more important it was near to the Playa des Catedrales, a beautiful coastline with rocks formed by nature as if they were parts of a cathedral construction. I visited this place at low tide, because only then you can see the ‘cathedrals’ and even walk underneath them. Very impressive.!
After this lovely stay at the coast I biked in four days to Santiago de Compostela. All the route went over small and most of the time quiet roads. In this area there were a lot of woods with eucalyptus trees. On a Saturday I arrived at the hotel in Santiago de Compostela. For me it was a town to visit and then go further again, but for a lot of bikers and wanderers it is their final destination as being a pelgrim having followed the Camino de Santiago. The city is nice and cosy, and because of the pelgrimage it is also very busy. The cathedral is a special there of course and it was a long time ago that I had seen a church completely filled with people waiting for the service to start. For all those pelgrims there are several services a day, and in between tourists can visit the cathedral. In the evening you could listen to musicians playing on the different squares of Santiago. I had a very good weekend here with sun but also a hard and (too) cold wind. On Monday I left Santiago for a trip to the coast at the Atlantic.
León is a very nice city where I stayed for two full days. Here I also had to buy and change my backwheel Tire, because the current one was almost finished, too much kilometers!
The cathedral in León was lovely, and so the centre with all the narrow streets. And it was quite busy with tourists here, so also nice to stay and sit on a terras for a coffee or beer. In the centre is also a building of Gaudi, the Casa Botines, with several characteristics of this architect; unfortunately it is not possible to go inside which was a bit disappointing. The second day in León the weather turned into rain and cold temperature.
From León it was not very far to reach Astorga, a small town also situated on the Camino de Santiago route. So here a lot of pelgrims pass this town. I have stayed one night, but had enough time to visit the town, the cathedral and the Palacio de Gaudi, or Episcopal Palace. This is really a wonderfull building and typically Gaudi in the construction and used materials.
After Astorga it went again up to the Cantabrian coast, but of course I had to cross the mountains to come there. The first day in these mountains it was terrible cold, I had not felt so cold since the Pyrenees. The route to the coast was lovely with pure nature and wonderfull views. The second day in these mountains I had to climb up to 1500m but thereafter I could go down for about 30 kilometers which was very relaxed of course. The day thereafter became I think the most heavy day to bike until now. Not because it went up to 1100 meter, I knew I had to, but because of the next 35 kilometers. In this second part of that day the road went up and down with large differences in height and very steep hills; two times I had to walk a few hundred meters. I survived but was almost exhausted when arriving in the hotel. Nevertheless the route that day was very nice, with amazing views from that top on 1100m.
The day thereafter I arrived on a campsite in Riante very near to the beach, only 50 meters. But more important it was near to the Playa des Catedrales, a beautiful coastline with rocks formed by nature as if they were parts of a cathedral construction. I visited this place at low tide, because only then you can see the ‘cathedrals’ and even walk underneath them. Very impressive.!
After this lovely stay at the coast I biked in four days to Santiago de Compostela. All the route went over small and most of the time quiet roads. In this area there were a lot of woods with eucalyptus trees. On a Saturday I arrived at the hotel in Santiago de Compostela. For me it was a town to visit and then go further again, but for a lot of bikers and wanderers it is their final destination as being a pelgrim having followed the Camino de Santiago. The city is nice and cosy, and because of the pelgrimage it is also very busy. The cathedral is a special there of course and it was a long time ago that I had seen a church completely filled with people waiting for the service to start. For all those pelgrims there are several services a day, and in between tourists can visit the cathedral. In the evening you could listen to musicians playing on the different squares of Santiago. I had a very good weekend here with sun but also a hard and (too) cold wind. On Monday I left Santiago for a trip to the coast at the Atlantic.
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
