SDC11 Gallguillos de Campos - Ponferrada

Eleventh leg from Oekene (Roeselare) to Santiago de Compostela: from Gallguillos de Campos (Sagahun) to Ponferada: 159 kilometers and 1332 meters of elevation.

Initially, it is quite flat and slightly rolling. We remain at an altitude of about 800 meters. Until Saelices de Mayorga, we follow the ‘rio Cea’ in a southwest direction, after which we zigzag further to Valencia de Don Juan where we cross the ‘rio Esla’. We continue along the CL 621, a very straight road, to Santa Maria del Páramo (km 72). Next, you ride on winding roads to Astorga (km 110). After we have left Astorga, it climbs gradually at first and then more steeply to an altitude of 1503 meters. Yes, so still a mountain.

Past Rabanal del Camino, between Foncebadón and Manjarin, roughly at the highest point of the day and the journey, lies the ‘cruz de Fierro’. Around a large iron cross, there is a mound of stones left behind by the pilgrims. Some bring a stone from home, others one from the road. With this stone, the pilgrims leave their sins behind… Some also write something on that stone. You are in the ‘Montes de León’ and stay at that height for about 10 km before we descend to Ponferada.

Ponferrada is a municipality in the Spanish province León in the region Castile and León and has a population of 68,549. The ‘rio Sil’ flows through the city. Ponferrada is the last larger town on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela. In Roman times, gold was mined in the vicinity of Ponferrada. In the Middle Ages, Ponferrada was briefly the Spanish headquarters of the Templars, who owned a large castle there. In later times (19th century/first half of 20th century), coal was among the resources extracted. In September 2014, the World Road Cycling Championships were held in Ponferrada.