The Vía de la Plata

The Camino Sanabrés turns left and due west from Granja. It follows farm tracks to reach the Puente Quintos (6.7km) over the Río Esla. 

Once over the bridge, the river splits into two distinct routes to get to Faramontanos de Tábara. The right route follows the road and is preferred when rains have been heavy. Follow the road to the first paved left turn to descend and rejoin the left route. The left route turns left at the end of the bridge to follow a more scenic trail along the river.

Beyond Barcial de Barco a bit of care is needed to keep to the camino. If you have any doubts, speak with the owners of the bar Borox (adjacent to the albergue), they sometimes provide a map of the way.

The confusion has to do with the recent development of a disused railway line into a pedestrian path known as the Via Verde. This is the recommended way as it delivers you directly to the albergue in Benavente (which itself is in a repurposed rail yard building).

After leaving Barcial de Barco the camino returns to the N-630 and crosses it; at this point you can see (ahead and on the left) the elevated Via Verde. The camino will eventually pass beneath it, and it is here that you can take the stairs up to the walkable level. From there it is a simple matter of following it all the way to the railway yard in Benavente.

Note that it is technically possible to follow the Vía Verde all of the way to Villabrázaro, but that the arrows don’t really give you a good way to find where to depart from it and resume the camino. 

From the albergue in Benavente, follow the Vía Verde a short distance until the road that it is parallel to it (on your right) turns away from the path. Here the camino leaves the Vía Verde and follows the road to the right. A short distance on it turns left and follows the road out of town and all the way to Villabrázaro

The camino follows a paved country lane to Maire de Castroponce, well marked.

The way to Álija del Infantado is complicated by only one turn. The camino follows a paved road most of the way and eventually arrives at a larger paved road after crossing the Puente de la Vizana over the Río Órbigo (and into the province of León). Pilgrims who have walked the Camino Francés may recognize the name, this crossing is downstream from the famous bridge at Hospital de Órbigo. 

Here the camino arrows indicate a way straight ahead. However other arrows direct you to turn left along the road. If you plan to stay in the albergue, choose the latter option along the road. Both will get you there but the path ahead brings you to town well past the albergue.

Follow the road to La Nora del Río (3km). Arrows at the start of town are conflicting, the smaller ones send you through town (no services) while a giant one encourages you to turn left along a trail adjacent to the river. The river choice is the best option and you will follow it for the next few hours.

The camino ahead passes near the villages of Villanueva de Jamuz (bar) (3.4km) and Santa Elena de Jamuz (3.8km) but does not actually enter them. At the far edge of Santa Elena it joins the road but only for a short distance, keep an eye open for the arrows which turn right and away from the road.

The path follows farm lanes to the A-6 motorway and here the camino turns left in search of a way beneath it... which happens to be along the road you left earlier. The camino follows the road until it bends to the left, where it instead turns to the right to enter La Bañeza via the back roads.

The camino here leaves the last of the plains behind and begins, slowly at first, to climb. The ascent is slow and gradual until Rabanal, where it begins a more steep ascent to the alto and an equally quick descent into Molinaseca. On the way up it passes through several small but equipped towns (no ATM’s but plenty to eat).