Starting at Leon

[Puli]

Wow! An amazing video! Thanks for your help, we are getting sooo excited

[Anna-Marie]

Hi Puli,

I sometimes really missed my SLR when I was walking, especially in dim church interiors, which I knew would be completely pixellated if I cranked the ISO of my point-and-shoot up over 400. But then to really get the photos I wanted, I'd have needed a tripod and several lenses, too, which most days wouldn't have been worth the weight.

But then, when the late fiddler Oliver Schroer walked the Camino, he carried his fiddle and a portable recording studio, and his photographer friend had a tripod and a heavy-sounding camera. Between them they produced an album that's visually and auditorily gorgeous, so I'd say it was worth the extra weight. I guess it depends on your priorities.

Buen Camino!
Anna-Marie

[Puli]

Thanks for your input Anna-Marie, I'm still mulling over the camera issue especially as we are now considering doing the whole walk from St Jean - it's a looong way so maybe the lighter the pack the better!!

[Anna-Marie]

I know what you mean. I walked from Le Puy in France--that's one of the reasons I didn't bring my SLR. Good luck with your decision!

Anna-Marie

[danabagg]

I did the entire Camino two years ago & am returning in April/May to walk from Leon to Santiago (time limitations this trip). It's infectious! I started out last time thinking I would stay in hotels, but soon learned that I did not want to miss out on the camaraderie of the albergue's. I felt very cut off from the people I had grown use to seeing, if I left them to stay in a hotel. The benefit of a hotel, especially in the beginning, is to be able to have long soaks in a hot bath. They're nice your first week. Anyway, I can't wait to get back.

[Loretta]

I'm arriving 14:15 to Madrid Barajas airport on a Tuesday in April. Is there a bus I can take to Leon from Barajas? How much and what is schedule? I've looked on line and the sites are always down.

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Loretta ~
Not sure you received my reply to your separate post on this same topic. Now that we know your day of departure (though not the exact date yet) we can approximate the options available. Using April 12 as an example there are www.alsa.es departures from Barajas Terminal 4 at 13:45, 16:45, 21:45, 23:00, and 23:59. Duration varies between 4 and 5 hours. One way cost is 22.09E. The Alsa website is now working perfectly, so you should have no problem reserving your seat.

As I mention in my other post, the Renfe train is also an option from Madrid. It requires a subway transfer to Chamartin station. Renfe departures after your flight arrival using April 12 as an example are at 14:30, 14:40, 18:29, 18:30, 20:20, 22:30. Durations are as little as 2 hrs 42 mins and prices as little as 17.80E. You can find the Renfe departures at Renfe. Their site is working just fine now, too.

Hope this helps. Buen camino~

[Covey]

I tend to use the coaches when moving around Spain and ALSA are good and reliable. I would suggest the coach for you as you can get on at the airport and get off at Leon coach station.

When you exit the Leon bus station, look to your left and about 50m away is a bridge over the river. Cross the bridge and walk in a straight line up the road from the bridge to the top of the hill cos there is the Cathedral and the road you walk up is the Camino route.

As you are crossing the bridge you will see about 10m from the bridge on the left hand side a bus stop. The following day, or when ever you start, walk back down from the town to that bus stop and catch the local town bus to Camino de Las Virgins which is on the edge of Leon. The bus saves you an 8kms walk through the industrial area where you walk on a pavement breathing traffic fumes for a couple of hours. Not much fun at all unless you are an avid student of 1960's industrial architecture!!