This day is mostly about patience. About 24 kilometres, a good 6 hours of walking, but the profile is friendly: hardly any climbing, hardly any descending. You settle into a steady rhythm and let the kilometres pass. Your legs barely protest; it’s your head that has more to process. This is the last stage of the Vía de la Plata, from Sevilla to here.
Astorga slowly draws closer. Then you see the cathedral and Gaudí’s palace. This is where the Vía de la Plata ends and you join the Camino Francés. You’ll notice it from the pilgrims: the road suddenly gets busier. If you’re walking on to Santiago, start thinking about whether to carry on straight away tomorrow or stay an extra day here first.