At Granja de Moreruela the routes part ways. The Camino Sanabrés goes off in a different direction, while you stay on the Vía de la Plata towards Astorga. After that, everything around you goes quiet.
It’s a flat day. There’s hardly any climbing, but at around 26 kilometres through open country, it’s still a stage where you need to find your own pace. Shade is scarce and the villages are small. Let your thoughts wander.
After all those peaceful kilometres, Benavente feels like a proper town, with traffic, café terraces and shops. There’s a public albergue, so you don’t need to worry about a bed. On the way, take another look behind you: fields stretching all the way to the horizon, with a huge sky above them.