To Ganso and Rabanal del Camino

The Knights Templar maintained a garrison in Rabanal in the 12th century to protect pilgrims crossing from Monte Irago to Ponferrada.   A tiny village with only one tiny market, Rabanal has a several wonderful albergues for the pilgrim to rest. 

I love Guacelmo, but it doesn't allow you to stay if you've used pack transport, so for my groups, we stay in Mesón El Refugio.

Be sure to plan your dinner around Vespers, said at Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, right in front of the Monastery and the Gaucelmo Refuge.

2012 Summer

In 2012, it was still cold in June

but the walking was good in the crisp sunny air.

Ganso

The walking was a little windy, but beautiful

Joe sitting under the Pilgrim Tree.
Two years later, it had blown down.

Miranda is ready for a cold one

Fred and April rest at El Refugio

Laundry Day at El Refugio

2012 Autumn

Leaving Astorga, 

we always stop at the tiny medieval hermitage,

which has been restored, 

Ecce Homo.

There, you can get a stamp for your credential

and get an extra credential if yours is getting full.

 Ecce Homo

Only 249 kilometers to go

Between Astorga and Sta. Catalina is a stop for a picnic

El Ganso is a wee town between Santa Catalina 

and Rabanal del Camino.

El Ganso means "The Goose."

As you enter the town, you pass THIS fountain,

which is clearly marked,

"NO POTABLE!"

This mean "NOT POTABLE"

which means

DO NOT DRINK!!!

There is a good fountain up past the Cowboy Bar.

The Cowboy Bar in El Ganso is a place everyone wants to stop.

And by all means, stop in and peek inside.

However, if they are busy,

there is a lovely bar right next door

where the beer is cold

and the food is great!

The name of the little place is La Barraka.

If you would prefer to picnic, 

soon after you pass the Cowboy Bar,

right across from the church,

is a bench and a fountain and a dumpster,

everything you need for a picnic.

I love the doors in Spain!

Most of the track on this stage is flat

A fallen peregrina, "Trudy" died here in 2011

Rabanal del Camino

Dinner at El Refugio

2013 - Summer

Love the 1844 date.

When you go slow and look, you see things you might otherwise miss.

The beautiful Pilgrim Tree,
now gone.

Looking through a window...

2014  Spring/Summer

This pilgrim had a great way to pull his pack behind him

The walk to Rabanal is flat and easy.

It is a pretty stretch.

I was sad to see the beautiful old Pilgrim Tree blew down this year!
I sat and had lunch by the stump,
remembering how majestic the tree had been in past years.


Joe at the Pilgrim Oak in 2012

From the looks of it, though, it was completely hollow

which probably led to its demise.

A good reminder of how important it is not only to have roots,
but a good strong core.


The Pilgrim Oak 2014 :(

Rabanal del Camino is one of my favorite stops on the Camino.
And El Refugio is my favorite Hostal there.

One reason is the staff.
They are always friendly and helpful.
Christina handles the rooms.
Her brother runs the bar.
And man, oh, man, can her sister cook!

We had a great dinner!
The fish soup is sooooooop good!

The fish soup is incredible!

After a beautiful meal,
most of my group attended Vespers at the church across the street.
I stayed home and caught up on laundry.

It was a good day!


2015 Autumn

Joe and the Peregrinas just finished the stretch 

from Astorga to Rabanal del Camino.

Here is what he reports:

We are here. 

A fine day for walking, not too hot not too cold, just right.

Saw at least 2 police cars on the caretera, so they are patrolling.

Here are some pics.

All will attend the mass here and get stones blessed.

Peregrinas buying necklaces from Manuel on the way to El Gonzo

Sharon and pat at cowboy bar and Kristen checking out cowboy memorabilia

Posters about Denise Thiem, a missing peregrina, were all along the route.
She was later found to have been murdered. The man was caught and imprisoned.

2018 to Molinaseca

To see photos of this stretch in the Spring 2018,
go to this link:

2018 Spring to Molinaseca

Trouble Between Astorga and Rabanal del Camino

It appears an attempted abduction of a local woman has taken place between Astorga and Rabanal. This is the third problem reported in the past few months. The first was actually a male pilgrim who was tazed and robbed as he went off the main Camino to take the alternative route to Castrillo de Polvares. The second was a German pilgrim (female) who was tazed in the same area. She managed to escape. Then Denise Thiem disappeared in the same section, and now a woman has escaped from two men again.

I've also read accounts of men flashing female pilgrims in this stretch going back to 2007. So it has a bit of a history.

I've always thought the Camino was perfectly safe, but until police catch these men, please consider walking with a group on remote stretches. 

I would caution you to not use earphone in your ears, to walk with a buddy, and NOT to take the Castrillo de Polvazares stretch until these men have been caught.

No need to be paranoid.
Simply be aware.  

Worrying too much about this event when you're anywhere else on the Camino would be like worrying about a kidnapping in Seattle, Washington when you are in Portland, Oregon. 

It's one very short 12 mile section of a 500 mile-long Camino. 

Be smart, use the buddy system in that section, and have a Buen Camino!