Stage 18: Lédigos → Sahagún

A New Stage Day – Introduction & Mood

The day begins in Lédigos, a small village still characterized by its adobe houses and the church of Santiago. From here, the Camino leads you deeper into the Castilian plains. After the long and demanding previous stage, this section almost feels like an invitation to breathe: shorter, easier, and with regular villages that provide small oases of supplies.

The landscape remains open and vast – a horizon without end, fields full of grain, interrupted only by scattered poplars and the rooftops of small settlements. Today you cross an invisible border: you leave the province of Palencia and enter León – a transition that for many pilgrims also marks a new inner chapter.

Route & Elevation Profile

• Distance: 16.2 km
• Elevation gain/loss: +90 m / –100 m
• Difficulty: easy
• Character: Pleasant, short stage. Mostly flat, easy to walk, several villages with supplies and albergues.

Variants & Notes

• Variant Calzadilla de los Hermanillos: Instead of going to Sahagún, an alternative route leads to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos. This variant later rejoins the main way.
• Mobility: No particular difficulties. The section is also manageable for pilgrims with limited mobility.
• Cyclists: Very good to ride, no obstacles.

Description of the Way – With All Senses

From Lédigos you leave the N-120, turn onto a dirt track, and after just a few kilometers you reach Terradillos de los Templarios. The name reveals the history: here the Templars once owned land, and legend says that the last Templars buried the “Hen with the Golden Eggs” here. A place full of mystique – and the church of San Pedro recalls this ancient story.

Shortly afterwards you arrive in Moratinos. A tiny village with traditional adobe houses and the church of Santo Tomás. Characteristic are the bodegas – small earth mounds with doors that conceal old wine cellars. They look like hobbit houses and form the charm of the village.

After another 3 km you reach San Nicolás del Real Camino. Here the Camino leaves the province of Palencia. As early as the 12th century, there was a hospital of the Augustinian Canons here, which cared especially for lepers. Today the church of San Nicolás Obispo invites you to a short rest.

Beyond the village you cross the Río Sequillo, enter the province of León, and soon reach the Ermita de la Virgen del Puente, idyllically surrounded by poplars. From here it is only a few kilometers until you reach Sahagún. The town welcomes you with bridges, towers, and its typical Mudéjar style in brick.

Intermediate Villages & Special Features

Packing & Shopping Tips

• Today a light day’s supply is enough – regular small villages with bars and shops.
• Sun protection remains important, as even here the Meseta offers little shade.
• Those staying in Sahagún will find supermarkets, banks, and a train connection.

Food, Accommodation & Supplies

• Lédigos: Albergue El Palomar, Albergue La Morena.
• Terradillos de los Templarios: Albergue Jacques de Molay, Albergue Los Templarios.
• Moratinos: Albergue Hospital San Bruno, Hostal Moratinos.
• San Nicolás: Albergue Laganares.
• Sahagún: Wide selection, including municipal albergue (64 beds), Santa Cruz, Dormero, Viatoris – from traditional to modern.

Today’s Special Features

This stage is rich in legends and history. Already the first stop, Terradillos de los Templarios, bears in its name the heritage of the Templars. They owned land here, and tradition tells that the last Templars buried the mysterious “Hen with the Golden Eggs” at this place – a symbol of lost power and fleeting wealth. The church of San Pedro recalls that time when the Templars were guardians of the pilgrimage route.

Moratinos surprises with its underground wine cellars, visible as earthen mounds. They are a living example of traditional construction adapted to the conditions of the Meseta. Even today they tell stories of rural life and communal work.

San Nicolás del Real Camino was the site of a hospital of the Augustinian Canons in the 12th century. Especially noteworthy: the hospital was dedicated to lepers – an expression of Christian charity and part of the social network that has provided pilgrims with safety and care for centuries.

And finally, the destination Sahagún, a center of culture and spirituality. According to legend, its founding goes back to the martyr brothers Facundo and Primitivo, who were executed for their faith at the Río Cea in the 3rd century. Over their grave rose a monastery, which later became one of the most powerful Benedictine monasteries in Spain: San Benito de Sahagún. In the heyday of the Middle Ages, this monastery was a spiritual, cultural, and political center – kings, bishops, and knights met here. The unique Mudéjar architecture of the town is still a visible legacy of this epoch.

Thus this short stage connects the mystique of the Templars, the charity of medieval monasteries, and the strength of martyrdom tradition. A day full of small places that tell great stories.

Reflection at the End of the Stage

When you walk through Sahagún in the evening, past the church of San Lorenzo or the ruins of San Benito, you feel the layers of history. Here, where legends, martyrs, and monks have their place, you are reminded: the Camino is more than movement – it is a fabric of faith, myths, and places that still provide soul and community today.

📊 Tabular Overview

🌌 Camino of the Stars – Stage 18

Lédigos → Terradillos de los Templarios → Moratinos → San Nicolás del Real Camino → Sahagún

Have you ever experienced the Templar legends in Terradillos or the Mudéjar churches in Sahagún? Share your impressions – every memory enriches the Camino.

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