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the frequent signs and the growing number of pilgrim hostels along the route, where one can rest, eat and sleep for the night at very modest prices, often in shared dormitories. And, of course, so can we.
León welcomes us with its lively atmosphere and crowded bars, as so often happens in Spain. Santiago is getting closer, though it still lies ahead. At the foot of the León Mountains, after Astorga, the road climbs steadily towards Foncebadón at 1,600 metres. Here, atop a mound of stones left by passing travellers, stands the humble and austere Cruz de Hierro, a simple iron cross mounted on a tall pole, symbolically marking the end of hardship. At its base, each pilgrim leaves a stone, traditionally said to represent the
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