My Journey to Santiago de Compostela Part XXIV
From Astorga to Foncebadón, I started to resume climbing, something I had not done in the past few days. It was a rough day but I had it easy for the past two to three days, so no complaints. My blister was starting to heal and I was doing fine. The thermometer was also showing lower temperatures due to the altitude we were gradually moving into.
Foncebadón is the last town in Maragato, settled on a hill, on the slope of Monte Irago, right on the Camino de Santiago, very close to the well-known Cruz de Ferro. Being the only pass to Galicia through the mountains of León, the road was used by travelers of all kinds, so this mountain town also suffered the consequences of the opening in 1764 of the current road through the nearby port of Manzanal ( 1,230m).
The town was razed in its entirety in the War of Independence, to be rebuilt later moving it a little to the East, apparently due to the remains of a belfry from the tower of its old church.
The town began to be abandoned at the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s, mainly due to the economic difficulties of the moment. Much of the population emigrated in search of employment and a life away from agriculture, livestock or mining, the only jobs in Foncebadón at that time. In a few years the population was drastically reduced from a hundred inhabitants to two people. Due to this massive abandonment, it was the victim of looting, which in most cases seriously damaged the houses, which would end up collapsing after a few years. Today, the population is less than fifty souls, mostly the people who work at the only restaurant/general store and the few albergues still operating.
The town has more cats than people. They wander around the entire area and are fed by the pilgrims and few inhabitants of Foncebadón. After the usual shower and clothes washing, I had a delicious dinner at the restaurant before heading to bed and get ready to make a stop at Cruz de Ferro the next morning to drop my stones.
