Day 2 – Rabanal del Camino to El Acebo

By Carine | Camino de Santiago 2026

A tough second day, with a steep descent on loose shale — yet never taking away from the time to stop and smell the roses.

The day began with a gentle climb through carpets of purple heath, with colours of yellow scattered about. Wonderful photo opportunities, and for me, a time to stop even if for a couple of minutes. Taking photos is a way of capturing the essence of a scene and looking back at the details of what I might have missed due to my vision loss whilst walking.

Cruz de Ferro — The Highest Point

The climb led us to Cruz de Ferro (1,505 m) — the highest point on the Camino Francés and one of its most iconic moments.

Here I left a few Ribbons of Love at the simple iron cross, which stands on a tall wooden pole atop a cairn of stones. Many of these stones are left by pilgrims, each carrying whatever weight the bearer chose to assign to it.

Many cairns are seen along the way of the Camino, either at the start or finish of a section which was tough, or if the outlook is one that is special or meaningful. The tradition is old and the practice is straightforward: carry a stone from home (or pick one up along the way), add it to the pile, and leave behind whatever you need to leave behind. Some pilgrims treat it as a profound spiritual moment. Others toss a pebble and move on!

Into El Acebo

Our descent was steep, into El Acebo where we spent the night.

El Acebo is a beautiful mountain village strung along a single stone street, clinging to the hillside at about 1,150 m. Slate roofs, stone walls, and balconies overhanging the narrow road give it an alpine character that’s quite different from the meseta villages we had previously passed through.

The Montes de León — the mountain system in north-western Spain, extending across the provinces of León and Zamora and reaching above 2,000 m in the highest areas — form the dramatic backdrop to this stretch of the Camino.

A memorial at the entrance to El Acebo honours a pilgrim cyclist who died on the steep descent from the Cruz de Ferro — a sobering reminder of how demanding this section can be.

We got caught in the rain going to dinner — a welcoming coolness, much needed after the day’s exertions.

About This Journey

Carine is walking the Camino de Santiago from Astorga to Santiago (12–28 June 2025) in support of Retina South Africa — carrying with her the Ribbons of Love purchased by supporters before her departure, and leaving them at meaningful moments along the way, just as she did today at Cruz de Ferro.

Each ribbon represents a person who chose to walk with her in spirit — and at every stop, she carries that with her. Thank you to everyone who is part of this journey. 🎗️

Follow Carine’s journey on our social media pages for updates from the Camino