Iconic Locations: Cruz de Ferro

The first three kilometers out of Foncebadón this morning put me at another of my Camino milestones – the Cruz de Ferro. The simple iron cross is mounted on top of a 20 foot pole surrounded by stones.

The tradition is to bring a stone from your home and leave it here on the rock pile beneath the cross. It symbolizes leaving behind a burden you’ve been carrying. I was lucky enough to arrive just at sunrise with no more than a small handful of other pilgrims milling about. Reaching the Cruz de Ferro is a moment every pilgrim looks forward to.

My visit lived up to the anticipation I had imagined. It was one of the emotional moments most pilgrims have along The Way to Santiago.