Introduction

[Paul Newfield]

I must admit that the walk from Leon to La Virgen del Camino is a bit of a blurr (for me, May 13, 1999).  I was walking with a companion from Belgium that day, and he had the guide book.
At La V del C, I know there was a decision point (go this way or that way).  Although I do not recall the details, I can say that we ended the day at Villadangos del Paramo, indicating to me that we followed the "traditional" route, which apparently goes along the asfalto.  We therefore bypassed Villar de Mazarife, which seems to be more rural, and without all the asphalt. 

I do not have the CSJ book, but I do have El Camino de Santiago a Pie (El Pais/Aguilar, 1998, 213 pages in 14cm x 23cm format, in Spanish), which promotes the V de Mazarife option.
I also have Millan Bravo Lozano's A Practical Guide for Pilgrim  (Everest, 1997, 264 pages in 17cm x 28cm format - DON'T EVEN THINK OF HAULING THIS ONE WITH YOU ON THE CAMINO!); it promotes the Villadangos del Paramo option without even mentioning V de Masarife.  For me, one of the continuing frustrations that I had, was the lack of good maps and guide materials.

Paul Newfield


<snip..>  Note that there are two routes between Leon and Hospital del Orbigo.  The traditional route follows the highway and is somewhat shorter, but there is also a "walkers route" slightly to the east that follows farm roads and trails through an agricultural area.  When the weather is good, the "walker's route" is much more pleasant.  The routes split at the hideous (in my eyes at least) basilica at Virgen del Camino.
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