Trepidatious traveller – camino blog | Camino de Santiago de Compostela – before, during and after

Ruta de la Lana, stage 16, Salmerón to Trillo, 31.5km

Posted on 23/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 31.5 km

Elevation gain, 603. m

Elevation loss, 709 m

Total distance, 466.5 km

Daily average, 29 km

We make an early departure this morning as rain is forecast for later in the day and we want to make a good start before it comes. At 06:30 it is completely dark and we are immediately on tracks already muddy from earlier rainfall. We take a wrong turn and it is quite a while before I check our progress on maps.me and discover our mistake. Rather than retrace our steps we take a path through olive groves, some firm underfoot, others freshly ploughed to remove weeds. We eventually regained the rightful track but probably added at least one km to our journey, and not an inconsiderable amount of mud to our boots!

Then there was a continuous climb – 300 m over 4 km, through petty natural woodland on narrow rocky track. When we reached the summit there was a long stretch of flat track. Flat track in rainy weather = a lot of water hanging around. And there was A LOT of water, and boggy, sticky clay of the type that clings tight to your boots. And then the rain started – sometimes heavy and sometimes not so heavy and occasionally not at all. The flat track made up around half of our distance today, perhaps 15 km of slippy, slidey, heavy booty slog. But the scenery was very beautiful and on a fine day it would have been a heavenly walk.

The problem with these conditions is that it is not appropriate to stop for a break. There is nowhere dry to sit and if it’s chilly you need to keep moving. So we just kept going until we reached the village of Viana at 23.5 km when we had been walking non stop for six hours. Even then we only stopped for a few minutes as the bar does not open during the week – there are only five weekday inhabitants. I ate a bit of the bocadillo I had made for myself, which left a lot to be desired, and we were up and off again within 10-12 minutes.

Overlooking the village are twin mountains known as the Tetas de Viana (tetas/tits!). Today was definitely not a day for a side trip. Apparently after a steep climb on track, there is a chain to pull yourself up and finally a metal ladder to reach the top.

The track from Viana to Trillo was beautiful – narrow, steep, winding, woodland, far reaching views, rock formations, green forested valleys. And rain, even hail for a few minutes. But luckily the soil was not the sticky type and for the most part the rain cleaned our boots.

It’s such a shame that we couldn’t make the most of this stage, taking our time and picnicking along the way.

Trillo is, I believe, a tourist town. There are a series of pristine tumbling waterfalls cascading through the town from the Rio Cifuentes. In contrast, the Rio Tajo also flows through the town from another direction and at the moment it is totally swollen with brown muddy water.

The tetas that overlook Trillo are of a different kind – a nuclear power station!

The albergue here is alongside the bullring. There is a room with four beds and two showers and loos. All very clean. But no blankets or pillows. My sleeping bag is very lightweight, so it might be a long cold night! And guess what tomorrow is due to bring? Rain and temperatures that feel like 0 degrees. Hey, ho!

Posted in Camino de la Lana, Camino de Santiago de Compostela | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de la Lana, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., long distance hiking, Ruta de la Lana, Spain, travel | 15 Comments

Ruta de la Lana, stage 15, Villaconejos de Trabaque to Salmerón, 30 km

Posted on 22/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 30 km
Elevation gain, 365 m
Elevation loss, 318 m
Total distance, 435 km
Daily average, 29 km

Well, that was a night to remember! I had heard about the legendary hospitality of Pepe, and expected that we would be invited to his bodega for the evening. Sadly, as it happened, Pepe wasn’t able to join us. He is a taxi driver and had a fare all the way to Valencia and didn’t expect to be back until very late. But he arranged for very capable substitutes to look after us. Antonio arrived with his cousin Martin and showed us to the bodega, which was in fact a cave dug into the hillside. We were welcomed at the door by Paulino who had prepared a beautiful table, decorated with irises, a ceremonial ‘buen camino’ jug and plates of tapas. There was a roaring fire in a corner grate and a wonderful friendly ambience.

We were taken through to a rough hewn cave, with an oil lamp to light our way. There are huge ancient clay vessels, and we heard an explanation of how the wine was made, trodden, poured into the vessels and stirred daily for 40 days until it was fermented. Antonio, who spoke good English, explained that once you had been in the cave for some minutes your eyes became accustomed to the dim conditions and were able to carry out the necessities. And then, Antonio announced there was a miracle, and someone turned on an electric light. It was all very jolly and our hosts seemed to take great pleasure in explaining all aspects of their wine making, although they now use a large stainless steel vat instead of clay.

We returned to the dining table and took our seats. I was provided with a plate of tomatoes, lettuce and olives and someone had gone to the trouble of making me a potato salad which included tuna and eggs, so I declined. The others feasted on chorizo, belly pork and loin, all cooked on the open fire and washed down with lashings of light red wine. There was bread that is especially baked when pilgrims are in town, toasted on the fire and sprinkled with Pepe’s own olive oil and salt. Really delicious. Afterwards we were offered orujo and a coffee infused liquor which was very tasty. Finally Paulino acts as master of ceremonies and presents each of us with a wooden medallion and a flecha amarilla.

What a fabulous night. What wonderful, kind people to give up hours of their Easter Sunday to entertain a selection of strangers. How grateful I am to have experienced such hospitality.

So it was a late night for us – gone 23:30 by the time I shut my eyes, but still I woke at 06:00. It had rained during the night and we were once again advised to take the road in order to avoid the inevitable mud. It is a very quiet road without much traffic but there is almost no shoulder. The scenery is very pretty with cultivated land to the left end craggy scrubland to the right. And there is no wind. At all. All day.

We have walked about 14 km when Paulino pulls up in his car and says he will meet us for coffee in the first village, so we resist the urge to take a break by the roadside and keep going until we reach Albendea at around 17 km. We say a final goodbye to this charming man and return to the road. At 11:00 precisely the sun peeps out from behind the clouds – our first sighting for days. Oh, to feel the heat on our backs and see our shadows. We remove several layers of clothes, but by the time we reach the next village of Valdeolivas 5 km down the road, the sun has dipped back behind the clouds.

But there is a new delight in store. We are assured that the track from this point to our destination is unlikely to be muddy and we hop and skip the first few metres (well, Nina does while I take her photo!). It is indeed a joy to be walking at last on a track and the scenery is lovely…olive trees, crop fields, undulating hills, indigenous trees lining the track, a bright yellow flashes of broom from time to time, and even the odd wild flower!

Six km of this joy brings us to our destination at Salmerón. The town looks very charming from a distance, but rather less so close up! There is a nice albergue (in Calle Real), in an ancient building. The key is collected from Bar Cazador, a dim, and at first encounter, unpleasant place, darker than the cave from last night! The cost is 5 euros. Five beds with blankets for all. Luckily we find a spare mattress in another room to accommodate the sixth in our group. There is a pellet stove in the corner and the hospitalero tries to get it going, but all that seems to happen is an expulsion of cold air into the even colder air of the building.

There is a bar behind the albergue with a very nice courtyard. No hot food is available in the village, the shop is not open, it being a fiesta day, and there are absolutely no facilities for 30 km tomorrow. So we are all beholden to the bar to provide us with a bocadillo for tonight and tomorrow. I have a little food left from today but will need to buy some bread for tomorrow. It’s cold outside and in, it is due to rain hard for most of the day tomorrow and there is no alternative to the track.

I have really tried to keep a positive spin on this camino, but what with the cold and the rain, the lack of facilities and the likelihood of mud, I am running out of good things to say.

Let’s just see what the morrow brings!

Ruta de la Lana, stage 14, Villar de Domingo García to Villaconejos de Trabaque, 23.5 km

Posted on 21/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 23.5 km
Elevation gain, 0 m
Elevation loss, 157 m
Total distance, 405 km
Daily average, 28.9 km

Today was walked entirely on the road. It rained a lot during the night and we didn’t want a repeat of days past, struggling through the deep mud. As we left town I commented to Nina that although it was cold, at least there was no wind. Well, “don’t tempt fate” and “don’t speak too soon” are phrases that come to mind. A bitter wind picked up as soon as we left the confines of the town and entered open farmland. F-f-f-freezing on my poor bare knees. The camino track was very close to the road most of the way. We started on the CM 210, very quiet on Easter Sunday. Not much shoulder but without fail all drivers gave us a wide berth, although without fail they drove at very high speed. I forgot to turn on Wikiloc until we had already covered 4 km.

We reached our first village, Torralba, at 8 km. As we arrived we saw two unknown pilgrims leaving. There is a bar, but sadly not open until 9:30, but happily there is a small shop next door which is open. They sell fruit and veg. Oh how I have been craving some fruit. I buy tomatoes (the really sweet irregular shaped ones) and a couple of mandarins and a packet of Oreos (just because they are vegan, not because they taste so good 😉). Most spanish biscuits are sold in bumper packs, really heavy and bulky. Oreos come in a manageable single size. So that’s two good reasons for buying them, although I could probably think of many more bad reasons!

We spy the new pilgrims walking on the track 100 m or so from the road. We hope it is muddy and difficult to walk, not because we wish bad things for them, simply to reinforce our choice to walk on the road.

We have walked 16 km by the time we reach Albalate de las Nogueras and find a bar at the entrance to town. We have been there for a while when the new guys walk in – a Swiss couple who took the alternative route on yesterday’s stage. And we were happy to see that they had very muddy boots and were planning to take the road the rest of the way. So there are now six of us walking the same stages. Quite unusual on this camino I think.

5+ km more take us to our destination, a town of 400+ inhabitants which, judging by the rather grand properties dotted around, has been a wealthy town. We find the albergue, which is situated in a house attached to the ermita de la Inmaculada, the former residence of the caretaker of the church. We are met by the very friendly hospitalero Pepe (646 128 868). We have heard very good things about Pepe, relating to food and drink and true enough, after checking us in he tells us he will be back at around 20:30 to take us for dinner. Now there’s an offer that would be hard to decline. There are several bedrooms at the albergue with plenty of blankets to go round. We are allocated a room with a bunk and a single. There is one small fan heater to share between the various rooms. The kitchen has a microwave and hot plate and there is a lovely garden which would be delightful in warmer weather.

We’re pleased to see that there’s a shop open in town so I quickly change into practically every item of clothing in my pack and trot back into town to buy some supplies. I will make another bean dip, it is an easy and cheap source of protein. We then squeeze ourselves into the bar which is heaving with jolly, chatty, friendly people. We learn that most of those present don’t actually live here anymore, but are visiting family over the long Easter holiday. One guy tells us he has walked parts of a camino and another has walked the Frances twice and last year was hospitalero in Ponferrada.

Once again I miss out with the very generous tapas, all meat or fish based, but on our third round I ask for olives, which come with the addition of anchovies! I’m past caring about contamination – just push them aside and let me get at the olives!

I didn’t actually take any photos whilst walking. Grey cloudy skies are not very inspiring and I had no inclination to remove my two pairs of gloves in order to take a dull photo.

I invented a new item of camino clothing this year. The cut-off hoodie. A lightweight fleece from which I cut the sleeves and the lower back. I do not like my back to be too warm. My preference is for sleeveless t-shirt and arm warmers but that leaves a gap on my shoulders. In previous years I have used a scarf to wrap over my shoulders and across my chest. This year’s model has worked extremely well. With no back or sleeves, I can pull it off without removing my pack. The hood keeps my neck and ears cosy and when I start to warm (which hasn’t been that often on this camino) I can pull up the front and tuck it up behind the sternum strap. Not very elegant, but extremely practical.

On the advice of a guy in the bar we take a trip up to the statue of Christ overlooking the village, and indeed, as promised, the views were impressive. We have some interesting days ahead of us. I just wish for a bit of sun and blue sky to go with them!

Ruta de la Lana, stage 13, Cuenca to Villar de Domingo García, 30 km

Posted on 20/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 30 km

Elevation gain, 371 m

Elevation loss, 364 m

Total distance, 381.5 km

Daily average, 29.3 km

As predicted, it was dry when we left our cosy hostal this morning, but quite cold with a brisk wind. It didn’t take long to exit the city and we were walking along quiet country roads for 16 km, passing through several villages . The scenery is very pleasant – passing by crop fields, sadly for the most part freshly ploughed, showing the deep red colour of the clay hereabouts. I think this camino would be better walked several weeks later than our 7 April start, when possibly the bitter winds might have died down, the cereal crops will have grown and the vines be sporting bright green new growth.

However today the sky was grey and we covered the ground on asphalt at an average of 5.4 km per hour. We passed through Nohales at 4 km; through Chillarón de Cuenca at 8 km (where we stopped for hot drink and toast). Chillarón is the only village we pass through with facilities. The hostal we called into was buzzing with locals looking for their coffee and croissant fix. We passed through three more villages, but no more opportunities for refreshment.

For much of the way we were escorted by dozens of soaring eagles. A magnificent sight.

Our first track was perfect – freshly laid compacted sand. Easy to walk on and not at all sticky. It changed soon enough to dirt but still was not a problem.

Bottom right, the point at which the camino divides (but meets again on the next stage)

After the last village at Noheda there were a few kms on a busy stretch of the N-320 with cars whizzing past at tremendous speed. We were glad to get off the shoulder onto another track. But our pleasure was very short-lived. This track proved to be of the very sticky clay variety that instantly clung to our boots. We tried walking on the sparse shrubs that lined the track, but they kept disappearing and the mud was thickening on our boots. We decided that we couldn’t bear to trudge over another 5 km of this stuff and crossed a crop field to regain access to the N-320.

At the exact point that we reached the road the Spanish pilgrims that we had lost sight of a week or so ago were walking along the road with pristine clean boots. They had sensibly taken the road for the whole stage on the good advice of Luis from the albergue in Cuenca. We were a bit miffed that we hadn’t received similar good advice.

We reached our destination and found the Bar Goyo to collect the keys for the albergue. The bar was rammed to the gunnels with locals out for an Easter Saturday drink and tapas. The noise was something to behold. Way above the acceptable safety level for healthy hearing. We stayed for a drink and then continued to the albergue. As expected it was very small and rather damp and had been left in a very dishevelled condition by the previous occupants – beds left with rumpled bedding in situ, no attempt to make good their mess. What bad form! There are two bunks in very close proximity and a very basic shower/lavatory.

When the spanish guys arrived they told us of a feast at the end of town being presented to neighbouring villagers. We were all invited. The alcalde welcomed us and offered us a wonderful array of food. All types of meat, apparently from local animals, rabbit, lamb and pork. And luckily for me a very nice bowl of salad and the best bread I have tasted in a long time. All washed down with beer and wine. Such a nice welcome at the end of a camino stage.

We returned to the Bar Goya to warm up. It is the most lively, noisy, buzzy bar I have ever entered. Packed with happy people, playing cards and other games, laughing, drinking and eating delicious tapas. We get the impression that this is a very happy town. We sampled their local drink which tasted a bit like anis. Sadly there is no shop and I have completely demolished every edible item in my pack, so the first 12.5 km of tomorrow’s stage will be walked on fresh air!

We visited the church for the changing of the virgin’s clothes, which I think involved adorning her with a black veil. They have a small statue of Christ on the cross dating from the 16th century and a very lovely backdrop to the altar. All the villages we have passed through, even those tiny ones that seem almost deserted, have huge churches.

We were lucky that the day was dry, but it has now rained again so the tracks will remain hard to walk. Our friends Javier and Pablo advise taking the road again tomorrow. We shall see what the new day brings.

We have seen many protest signs hanging from the windows of local houses. Apparently complaining about the practice of intensive pig farming. The official banner says…”for a sustainable livestock that preserves our environment”. And the hand written one…”you take the water and leave us the sh*t”. Heartfelt sentiments and I wish them luck with their endeavours.

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A spectacular city in the rain

Posted on 19/04/2019 by magwood

Today is our mini-break. A day off planned so that we could explore this beautiful city. And we have explored, both after arriving yesterday and today – and every step in the lashing rain.

“Cuenca is a city set in the mountains of east-central Spain. Founded by Moors, it retains its Historic Walled Town with steep cobbled streets and medieval castle ruins. Perched on a limestone spur high above the Júcar and Huécar rivers, it’s most famous for its well-preserved “casas colgadas,” or hanging houses. Cantilevered over the Huécar gorge, they seemingly cling to the cliffs’ edges.”

I can only imagine how much more beautiful it would look with the backdrop of a blue sky. It is definitely on the list of places to revisit.

Despite the rain, the city is abuzz with soggy, umbrella wielding tourists. This morning we walked up to view the cliffs from the other side of the river, and found ourselves in the vicinity of the parador. It is a bit of a tradition to call into any parador en route to check that the hot chocolate is up to standard (which of course it always has been). Sadly I should no longer indulge, but luckily the Cuenca parador has a supply of soy milk so I could at least order a very poor substitute of a cola cao. Nina ate her cup of chocolate from a spoon as it is so thick it’s impossible to drink. We whiled away an hour or so in the luxurious surroundings and took a couple of silly selfies. When we came to leave Nina found that her tiny, expensive (Sea to Summit) umbrella had been taken from the entrance. We searched through the mound of dripping brollies hoping to uncover it, but alas we had to admit that it was not there. Luckily a replacement was easily found in one of the tourist shops, but not as small and not as lightweight.

I think that we can all agree that the light shines brighter for me 😉

We called into a convent and listened to some nuns singing and chanting and then made our way back to our hostal. We had long ago pre-booked the hostal, believing that we would only be allowed to stay in the albergue for one night. But in the event Luis gave us permission to stay for two nights, although it was too late to cancel the hostal and so we arrived at 09:00. I cheekily suggested that as we would be leaving too early tomorrow for the included breakfast, perhaps we could partake of what was on offer today instead. No problem.

The Green River Hostal is situated very conveniently at the edge of the old town, overlooking the river and up to the cliffs. It is spotlessly clean – it’s the only public place where I’ve felt comfortable walking in bare feet. Really well planned and laid out. We have a room with three bunks to ourselves. Crisp cotton sheets and cosy duvet. I think there have been many cancellations due to the weather. We have stuffed all of our clothes into the washing machine and they are now drying in the tumbler, all for the cost of 2 euros. And we can hire a nice soft fluffy towel for 2 euros to make a perfect ending to a lovely hot shower. It’s a really great place – highly recommended. Booked via hostelworld.com €23 each.

On the subject of travel umbrellas, I’m very happy with my new acquisition. Last year I took one on camino for the first time and it was quite useful as a sun shade in very still weather, telescopic with quite a shallow dome, and the merest hint of a breeze would turn it inside out. This year I have opted for the more robust medium fixed shaft version which (according to the blurb) only weighs 207 grams but in reality was 30 grams heavier. I have placed bungee cords at appropriate intervals on my pack straps and yesterday when I tried it out for the first time it stayed very nicely in place, allowing me to use my walking poles whilst keeping relatively dry (although sadly not mud-free) There is another longer “hands-free” version that comes with fixings for pack straps and waist belt, but I felt this was too long to easily transport. They come with the option of a reflective silver coating which gives uv protection of 50 sfp. Maybe too much information for some of you but I know others will appreciate the review. My version can be seen here

Our fellow pilgrims in the albergue last night – two spanish young-ish men and the older french guy are all starting out from Cuenca. The spanish guys told me they would be walking and running, but they had full-sized packs which I would think will be very difficult to run with. Unless of course they had one of these clever inventions (I would like to know what they weigh, and they are very expensive). They all left very late, this morning, well after 09:00. We would have covered 10 km by that time!

After 48 hours of hard rain the tracks are likely to be horrendous tomorrow. The first 9 km are on asphalt which in these circumstances is a godsend, and I think it will be easy to continue on the road rather than divert onto track for the remaining 19 km if we think it prudent when the time comes to make a choice. Vamos a ver!

Posted in Camino de la Lana, Camino de Santiago de Compostela | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de la Lana, Camino de Santiago blog, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., Cuenca, long distance hiking, Ruta de la Lana, Spain, travel | 6 Comments

Ruta de la Lana, stage 12, Fuentes to Cuenca, 24 km

Posted on 18/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 24 km
Elevation gain, 244 m
Elevation loss, 321 m
Total distance, 351.5 km
Daily average, 29.3 km

We knew it was going to happen! I looked at every weather forecast hoping that at least one of them would give us some hope, but alas they were all in agreement. It hadn’t begun as we left our cozy albergue at a few minutes to 07:00, but about two minutes later it started. Lightly at first, but building up to a good lashing. I got my umbrella out for the first time and attached it to my pack straps with strategically placed bungee cords so that I could use it ‘hands free’. As there was no wind it worked well.

It didn’t take long for the dirt track to turn to thick, sticky clay – the type you could build a house with. Unfortunately our job was to walk, not to build. The only thing that built, was the depth of clay clinging to our boots. One might suppose that there is a finite amount of clay that can cling onto a boot before naturally dropping off. But nope. The amount is infinite. I reckon I was at least three inches taller and four kilos heavier. Every step collected more of the sticky stuff, making the walk very hard-going – really tiring. And on a dry day this track would have been an absolute delight – interesting scenery including lagoons, rock formations, undulating crop fields. All that we have wanted from this camino came today.

We passed through a village with no facilities at 9 km and 4 km further brought us to the small town of La Melgosa where we stopped for a hot drink, being careful to rid ourselves of as much clay as possible before entering the bar. We needn’t have worried, the floor was covered in sawdust and a fire was roaring in the grate.

The rain had all but stopped when we left, still spotting, but nothing worthy of an umbrella. But all too soon our feet were once again feeling like lead weights. Kicking and flicking achieved nothing, except testing ankles and knees to the extreme. We walked on the grass verge when available, which helped a little, but there were so many gaps that we were constantly carrying half the weight of our packs on our feet. When we came upon a jagged rock we would do a quick scrape off, but two steps further would bring a full load again. We had another 7 km of this and hard ground was never more welcome than when we reached the outskirts of Cuenca.

The rain came down in earnest as we entered the city, by the bucket load. We found our way to the very nice municipal albergue and were met by Louis Cañas, the hospitaleo (phone ahead on 636 351 061). The albergue has 3 bunks and a single, a separate lavatory and shower, large table and a microwave, but sadly no heating – and it is really cold (although we did find an ancient radiator hidden behind a door that we plugged in to dry off our insoles). My boots held up quite well and didn’t let much water in at all. The rain isn’t really the problem but walking in the wet grass is what causes trouble.

I chose to walk this camino because I have wanted to visit Cuenca for many years. We have planned a day off here to take in the magnificent sights of the ‘hanging houses’ clinging onto the edge of a very deep gorge. Our stay also coincides with the Semana Santa parades which I would imagine to be spectacular…if they were to go ahead that is. We are informed that today’s parade is definitely cancelled due to the weather and most likely tomorrow’s as well. So much for a pilgrm’s holiday! I really think we deserve better. My halo isn’t serving me very well. Rain is forecast for days to come, just when this camino is due to get intresting!

But we didn’t allow the weather to spoil our holiday so we have been out and about in the pouring rain visiting el casco antiguo and popping into a couple of bars.

A french pilgrim was waiting for Louis when we arrived. He was starting from Cuenca, having walked here from Alicante last year. And when we return from our sightseeing, there are a couple of additional backpacks, but no pilgrims, although a peek in the registration book tells me they are spanish guys.

Ruta de la Lana, stage 11, Monteaguado de las Salinas to Fuentes, 24 km

Posted on 17/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 24 km

Elevation gain, 310 m

Elevation loss, 248 m

Total distance, 327.5 km

Daily average, 29.8 km

A late start for us this morning. We didn’t wake up until 06:30, but were up and out by shortly after 07:00. No coffee and toast to delay us today, we couldn’t persuade Joaquin to open up early, so off we toddled without the benefit of a hot drink. We left the village on a wide gravel track (for a change!) Walking steadily uphill for 2 km. It was cloudy and still and although chilly, not cold enough to wish that I had worn my leggings.

After the climb we were walking through a cultivated pine forrest, which had been felled close to the path. Not particularly interesting.

At 7.5 km we encountered a forbidding gate. There were very definite indications that we should pass through said gate. Arrows pointing in that direction and even the bolt was painted yellow. But the signs attached to the gate are quite alarming. Nevertheless we cautiously pass through the gate and are rewarded with a lovely rough winding rocky track through natural forrest with holm oaks alongside the pines, and it is much more intimate and interesting. But soon enough we return to wide track with crop fields on one side or another. We pass the impressive homestead where a horse grazes freely upon the rich green grass and a cheeky bodegera escorts us away from the property. We have covered 4.5 km through Finca Navarramiro before we leave the property by a similar gate.

We pass through natural moorland before descending into a basin of crop fields and on to our destination.

On arrival in the town we are greeted by a cheery street cleaner. He escorts us to the ayuntamiento where we obtain a stamp for our credenciales and the rather gruff guy manning the desk makes a phone call and arranges for us to be met and taken to the ‘albergue’. Along comes señora and probably her daughter carrying an armful of bedding and we are guided to a small room attached to the church. There is one bunk bed and tiny bathroom. We had been warned that there was only one blanket and pillow available. Sure enough there is just the one the pillow, but happily there are two blankets. I demand the top bunk as Nina insisted I had the best bed last night. It is very far from salubrious – paint is falling from the walls and has landed on the mattress, but there is a small heater and hot water for the shower and we appreciate the kindness of strangers. Whilst this is a lesser walked camino we cannot expect the infrastructure of more popular routes.

We meet said cheery chappy again after we have settled in. He directs us to a shop so that I can buy supplies for another ¡delicious! bean dip. A peregrina has to get her protein somewhere!

I love this artwork from the Sunday school on the wall outside our room…

Posted in Camino de Santiago de Compostela | 5 Comments

Ruta de la Lana, stage 10, Campillo de Altobuey to Monteaguado de las Salinas, 36 km

Posted on 17/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 36 km

Elevation gain, 408 m

Elevation loss, 371 m

Total distance, 303.5 km

Daily average, 30.35 km

Last night, just as we settled down with our shared blanket, the darkened room suddenly lit up, followed by an almighty crash and then the sound of heavy rain on a hot tin roof. I don’t know how long it lasted as I must have fallen asleep despite the loud pattering. It wasn’t the most comfortable night, sleeping on a thick plastic mattress in a very cold hall, but it was free and we were treated very kindly.

We left via the emergency exit at around 07:00 prepared for a very long day. It was quite cold and as we passed through the church square we were very pleased to see one of the bars open. Hot drinks were supplied, but no toast was available. We were walking on tacks immediately on leaving the town, between huge fields of newly planted peas with wind turbines flanking us on both sides.

It was a beautiful morning, although cold there was no wind and the sun shone brightly from a blue sky. I had another ‘halo’ moment, but couldn’t see one around Nina. But she could see her halo and not mine. It must be a case of ‘in the eye of the beholder’

We met some new friends on the way, but I was a bit horrified when I saw the dog take a poop in the middle of the pea field. Not that I am trying to put anyone off their peas, but I’d never thought about that happening before.

At 7 km there starts a long slog on the road. A quiet road, but 9 km on asphalt takes its toll. The road passed through a pine forrest and Nina was intrigued to see processionary caterpillars for the first time. The pesky things were trailing all over the place and we needed to watch our step so as not to squish them.

At 16 km we arrived at the village of Paracuellos. There is apparently a bar in town but we didn’t go out of our way to find it, preferring to take a break sitting on the grass that surrounds the impressive castle and overlooks the gorge below. We could have stayed there indefinitely – it was warm and comfortable and the view was magnificent, but we still had 20 km to cover in the increasing heat and so needed to get on our way.

We had to clamber and climb down over rocks to reach the foot of the castle and then we were walking along a lovely trail around the edge of the gorge. And then, sadly, we were back on the road, climbing for 3+ km until reaching another gravel track. By now the day was really heating up and I had stripped all but sleeveless t-shirt and shorts.

Today we came upon our first sighting of farm animals…goats out for the day and and being allowed to feast on newly planted peas. I’m sure the farmer would have been livid, but it was great to finally see some animals out and about.

36 km is a long hard walk and we were very glad to finally see our destination in the distance with a castle sitting atop a huge mound of rock. We were equally glad to see a casa rural / bar at the entrance to town and promptly made straight for it. Villa de Pedalillo is a quirky mix of bar / restaurant / pensión / albergue. Apparently there are beds in the attic as a sort of albergue, but it was full when we enquired. But Joachim, the owner, offered us beds in the pensión and talked himself down from 15 euros to 12 euros without us saying a word. The outside of the place is a bit on the scruffy side, but it is decorated in an interesting way with lots of paraphanalia adorning every surface.

We asked if there was a shop. Yes, but we would never find it because it was in a house! We were escorted by a woman who at first seemed a bit remote, but as soon as we started communicating, she became our new best friend. The shop was closed. Our friend phoned the owner who was at hospital for the birth of her grandchild. So we took a look around the village, which didn’t take long and we resisted the urge to climb up to the castle, which seemed too much effort for our tired feet.

Joachim made me a delicious salad for dinner – so big that I couldn’t finish it and piled the leftovers into my carry pot. Our new friend returned to the bar and introduced us to her husband and his cousin. A fire was lit in the pot bellied stove and all was very jovial. The guys disappeared for a short while and returned with camino baseball caps for us. All in all, a very pleasant evening rounded off with hugs for all.

Joachim can be contacted on 691 539 206 or artballes@hotmsil.com.

Ruta de la Lana, stage 9, Villarta to Campillo de Altobuey, 32 km

Posted on 16/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 32 km
Elevation gain, 394 m
Elevation loss, 220 m
Total distance 267.5 km
Daily average, 29.7 km

We had to wait until 21:00 for the restaurant to open last evening. I don’t think they get many customers asking for food without animal products in Restaurante Los Tubos and the only thing the waitress could offer me was salad. The standard Spanish salad does not appeal greatly and I asked if I could have a plate of vegetables. That apparently wasn’t possible either, so I gave up on expectations of dinner. But the friendly waitress went off and had a word with the chef and came back with an offer of mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes which I happily agreed to and very much enjoyed. Unfortunately the restaurant is not open on Mondays, so there was nothing to eat this morning and no shops were open yesterday so our supplies couldn’t be replenished. We each had a satsuma for breakfast and set off.

Consequently we left bright and early, that is we were bright, but the sky was still quite dark. There was a lot of cloud this morning – what is known as a mackerel sky – very pretty. The light from the rising sun was spectacular, projecting a deep red onto the hillsides. Yes! I said hillsides! We were walking on gently rolling ground, on paths that were not arrow straight, and suddenly the vineyards took on a whole other persona. No longer the monotonous monoculture, but a beautifully lit theatre of stunning shapes and shadows. It wasn’t, after all, the vineyards that were so boring, but simply the flat land and straight tracks.

So the culmination of the clouds, the incredible light and the ancient vines made a fairly perfect start to the day. And at around 6 km we had the added bonus of green crop fields – cereals and lots of peas. Having been starved of variety for so long the landscape this morning was a joy to behold. The pea field had a few less sprouts after I walked by – they are really tasty and I have been lacking good green nourishment. My careful pruning will have caused the plant to divide and multiply.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned the quality of the arrows on this camino. They have, for the most part, been excellent. Some towns would have been difficult to navigate without the track I uploaded onto the app ‘maps.me’. And on the rare occasion when we have made an unintentional diversion it is always useful to have the track to refer to, so at least we can see how to get back to where we should have been.

Charming workers retreat

This has been a camino, thus far, of very few animals. Virtually no farm animals. We spied a couple of cows many stages back and heard some goats on leaving Alcalá del Júcar, but other than that…zilch. But rabbits abound in the rough scrubland. This morning the earth looked alive with movement – bunnies springing off in all directions – everywhere we looked there was movement.

At 10.5 km we reached the town of Graja de Iniesta. At the entrance we spied a hostal and a cafe, but we thought it would be cosier to walk into the town to find a more intimate establishment. There wasn’t one – not one that was open at 09:00. So we had to walk back again to the outskirts and opted for the cafe. Nina ordered a plate of bacon and eggs and I had tostada con tomate. We thought it was overpriced, but Nina in particular enjoyed her late breakfast. There were no shops open in the village and no other opportunities to buy food for our journey, so I purchased a big bag of crisps for unhealthy sustenance.

On leaving the town we see hills and trees dotting the landscape. Yay. More variety. At 21 km we stop for a rest in the shade of a magnificent hacienda, sparkling white with freshly painted walls (still being painted as we arrived). Boots were removed and crisps were eaten.

The last four or five km were a bit of a slog on asphalt, with a short diversion on a scrubland track that we managed to botch, but after realising our mistake we fought through the undergrowth and found our way back on track.

Campillo de Altobuey is a smallish town with some nice properties. There is accommodation offered by the ayuntamiento in the polideportivo (sports hall). As we passed by the ayuntamiento we called in to ask for directions and were offered a stamp for our credenciales. The polideportivo is on the north-west edge of the town. I phoned ahead to warn of our arrival (townhall number 969 337 001 and was given a contact number for the delightful woman who runs the hall 617 792 817). We are offered the visitors room, basically a shower/changing room plus a couple of yoga mats and one blanket. Beggars can’t be choosers, so we are very grateful for what is generously offered.

I do my laundry and hang it to dry on the fence and then we walk back into town in search of food and drink. On a Monday afternoon we are out of luck. We don’t find a bar until we have circumnavigated the town and happen on a bar called (I think) La Tasca with wonderful service and generous tapas.

We give up on finding a restaurant and visit the supermarket to buy supplies. I dream of hummus and fruit, but end up buying a small jar of white beans and mashing them into a dip with lemon juice and my special ingredients. It is definitely an improvement on my last attempt! Strawberries and satsumas complete the feast. Back at the polideportivo the hall is buzzing with a five-a-side football match, so we take our supplies up to the stands and watch the game.

When it finally finishes at 21:30 we decide that the deep landing mats in the hall look more comfortable than the changing room. The one blanket can be shared and we arrange ourselves and hope for a good night’s sleep.

Ruta de la Lana, stage 8, Casas Ibáñez to Villarta, 28.5 km

Posted on 14/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 28.5 km
Elevation gain, 146 m
Elevation loss, 83 m
Total distance 235.5 km
Daily average, 29.4 km

Unfortunately the dining room at Hotel Aro’s was not open in time for us to partake of the included breakfast. We were told that we could have coffee and toast in the bar instead. But there was no toast, just cakes (no good for me), and so I made do with a cup of hot water and some biscuits from our supplies.

And that is about the most exciting thing that happened today! Weather was ok – a bit chilly to start, but the wind warmed up by mid-day. We walked on wide gravel or dirt tracks all day passing a handful of crop fields and a few almond orchards but 98% vineyards.

Nina doing her Medusa impression!

Interesting fact…Bodega Vitivino was established in 1969 and now has a production of 6,000,000 kilos of grapes from 1,570 hectares, mostly producing the Bobal variety, red and rose

We passed through two towns enroute, stopping in the first for a drink and the second to sit on a bench and eat some supplies.

I found it hard-going today – a bit of a slog. There isn’t much to spike the attention. But I know this walk will become much more interesting very soon, I just hope the weather forecast for later in the week is wrong!

We arrived at Villarta in the early afternoon and although there is an albergue here it is run by the ayuntamiento and I didn’t expect to get any response on a Sunday. So we toddled off to Pension Los Tubos which has been recommended by others. We arrived mid lunch service for the feeding of the 5,000. The huge dining room was rammed with adults and children all speaking very loudly, all at the same time. The manager was very calmly dealing with the many demands on his time, but found a moment to tell us that the room couldn’t be prepared until a couple of hours later, after the rush. There was a bouncy castle for the little ones which was totally unsupervised and totally without mishap. When all the kids were called indoors for a presentation, Nina took her chance to go have a bounce!

We gained access to our twin room around 17:00 – a nice room but freezing after sitting in the sun whilst waiting. Cost 35 euros for a twin, 25 euros single. Avenida Cuenca 84, 962 189 132 / 675 726 655.

Ruta de la Lana – weekly round-up

Posted on 14/04/2019 by magwood

I’ve had a request from a friend (the sort that expects action 😉) to include a weekly summary map, showing all stages walked in that period. I’m not sure how many would be interested in this info, so please let me know if you would like me to produce this on a weekly basis. Here goes for starters…

And here are links to the tracks on Wikiloc where you can see additional information for each stage.

Posted in Camino de la Lana, Camino de Santiago de Compostela | Tagged Camino blog, Camino de la Lana, Camino de Santiago de compostela, Camino de Santiago., long distance hiking, Ruta de la Lana, Spain, travel | 12 Comments

Ruta de la Lana, stage 7, Alatoz to Casas Ibáñez, 32.5 km

Posted on 13/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 32.5 km
Elevation gain, 298 m
Elevation loss, 452 m
Total distance 203 km
Daily average, 29 km

I am writing this in the absolute lap of luxury. But more of that later.

The albergue last night had extremely comfortable beds and our companions, the two spanish guys, were silent sleepers…no snoring – so unusual when sharing accommodation with men of a certain age. My notes told me it would cost 7 euros, but when I offered that to the hospitalero he declined and pointed to a ‘donativo’ box. So I put the 7 euros there instead. Thank you to Alatoz for providing such a comfortable place for us to stay.

We left before 07:00 in the knowledge that we could get some breakfast in the bar on the way out of town. By the time we left the bar the sun was about to rise and we were very soon walking along gravel track through olive and almond groves. There are many, many almonds growing in this area.

The sun rises spectacularly quickly to our right. Nina has walked ahead whilst I stop to take photos. And then a rock rises up from the track and trips me – leaving me sprawling like a starfish on the beach (but it was a bit harder than sand!). Not much harm done, just a grazed knee. I remove my pack whilst I regain my feet, brush myself down and start all over again!

There is not a breath of wind, glorious sunshine and no clouds. The countryside is beautiful, undulating fields of green crops and orchards.

I’ve noticed before when I am between the rising sun and a green field my shadow has an aura about it. A brightness around my shadow’s head that moves with me. It makes me feel quite saintly. Although I discover this phenomenon is not peculiar to me, as Nina later mentioned that she noticed the same thing. Perhaps we are both special!

For some reason my Wikiloc tracking app stopped working as we left the village and I didn’t notice until I reached a road some time later. When restarted, it just drew a straight line and told me I had walked 5 km. A short while later we were on an enchanting track through a pine wood on a carpet of needles. The path is really narrow, barely discernible, weaving through the trees, but there are lots of arrows and dots to show us the way.

Soon enough we were back on a wide gravel track, passing by a haystack bigger even that the one we all know from the Camino Frances, an absolute hay high-rise.

We reach the village of Casas del Cerro (at around 16.5 km) and are astounded to see the huge canyon where the town of Alcala del Jucar is cradled. I knew it was coming but nevertheless it was a surprise when all we have seen for days are km upon km of flatlands. The view is so dramatic with the river running way down at the base, and the castle high upon the hill. We drop 150 m into the basin and immediately climb almost the same height up to the castle, where we pop into the shop, buy a couple of cans of beer, sit on a bench and eat red pepper and hummus, whilst feeling all is well with our camino world.

We exit the canyon on a narrow ledge around the rim of this extraordinary basin and soon find ourselves in the village of Las Eras, and then back onto the monotonous wide, straight gravel tracks running between fields of cereals and vines. So many vines! Ancient knarled vines , newly planted vines, and everything in between. So it shouldn’t have surprised us when we see, in the middle of nowhere, a huge building with massive vats alongside and discover that it is a wine cooperative. But what did surprise us was that alongside was a go kart track and assault course and a gaggle of guys obviously out on a stag weekend acting in a very bloke-ish manner.

As we are walking the wind picks up, but not the bitter wind of days past, this is quite welcome in the heat of the afternoon. At one point we see a whirlwind of dust taking off and heading towards us. We turn our backs and can feel the grit being hurled against the backs of our legs. Shortly afterwards we discover we have taken a wrong turn and have to consult my track on ‘maps.me’ to see how to make amends. We have probably added a couple of kms to this already long stage. But we both feel surprisingly strong today and stride on to our destination.

It occurs to me that this whirlwind might have been a ‘sign’, making us turn in our tracks and perhaps encouraging us to regain the correct path. Maybe something to do with our saintly aura earlier in the day? Whatever the intention, we kept walking in the wrong direction. We shall have to be more aware of possible heavenly interventions in future!!

We arrive at our destination Casa Ibáñez and decide that the ayuntamiento albergue would most likely not be available on a Saturday afternoon and opt instead to stay at Hotel Aro’s, and there we return to the luxury mentioned at the beginning of this post. A (double) room each for 25 euros with endless hot water in a powerful shower. Oh what bliss. And as an added extra, a balcony in the sun to dry all my washing.

We visited the church to see if we could obtain a sello for our credenciales. It was approaching time for mass and quite a crowd had assembled. We found a very helpful man (a curate?) who happily stamped our passports and gave us interesting information about the church, including pointing out the huge chandelier/disco ball that was hanging from the vault above the alter, telling us it was a Christmas decoration made of coffee machine capsules. How clever, apparently made by one man from thousands of those pesky pods.

A truly lovely day on the camino.

If you want to stay in the albergue in Casas Ibáñez, it is situated in the bullring, Calle la Tercia, phone ayuntamiento in advance on 967 460 003.

Ruta de la Lana, stage 6, Alpera to Alatoz, 27 km

Posted on 12/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 27 km
Elevation gain, 263 m
Elevation loss, 245 m
Total distance 170.5 km
Daily average, 28.4 km

Can I say a big thank you to all who are joining me on this adventure via my blog. And thanks so much for all the comments you have left. I really appreciate them, even though I don’t get much chance to respond.

A special hello to Nina’s and my camigas from last year, Marilyn of course who we miss with very step, and Gwen, Clare, Laurie. And then later when we were joined by Aurelio and Paul. I have heard from you all (and Dave) and it makes my heart sing. Eli, are you here for the ride?

Og en hilsen til alle mine danske følgere.

And now back to business…There was a quick exit from town this morning, past the church with the rising sun bouncing off the walls.

We passed some ‘hobit’ houses, probably used as wine cellars. There are acres of vines growing in the area. Then there were the beautifully tended allotments – even when they’re not planted they look so neat and tidy with their regular rows of mounded earth awaiting seedlings.

There was a cloudless sky and the sun was strong, but still the bitter wind persisted, strong and gusty again. There was frost on the ground in places sheltered from the sun. The path was a little more varied today, mostly on wide agricultural tracks, but there were a few stretches of uneven, winding, rocky ground, a walk through woodland, and only a short distance of asphalt. There were many orchards, mostly chestnut, but also almonds, cherries and apples.

We managed to find shelter amongst bushes and trees to hide from the wind and take our breaks, never far away from the towering wind turbines that whirl away on every ridge of every hill. If the weather of the last few days is typical, they must generate a lot of electricity!

At 14.5 km there is another division of the path – to the left for the Levante and to the right for la Lana.

We arrive at Alatoz and follow our instructions to ask in bar Ovi in the Plaza Mayor for keys to the albergue. We’re told that the hospitalero is working and won’t arrive until around 15:00. But there is a slight problem, there are four beds in the albergue and there are six pilgrims – the Spanish guys, a German couple and us. A very sweet spanish man from the bar tells us that two are welcome to stay at his house, and we are pleased when the Germans volunteer. Meanwhile, whilst waiting for the hospitalero to arrive we are kept amused by a most delightful and very talkative six year old boy who is very interested in our backpacks and all the things we have hanging from them.

The albergue is in a large room attached to the polideportivo at the top of town. It is very cold inside but luckily there is an AC unit that we can turn to warm air. There are separate bathroom facilities which are absolutely icy. After doing our washing and hanging it to dry on the fence, we return to the bar for some lunch. When I explained my diet I was given a plate of fried aubergines and potatoes, the first hot meal I have eaten since the end of day 2, and it tasted so good. After lunch all six pilgrims sat down for a chat with el Presidente of the local amigos association

Someone posted a comment asking about what I have been eating. I eat a plant based diet (vegan) and last year I self catered quite a lot, cooking up healthy stews whenever a kitchen was available. So far this trip a kitchen hasn’t coincided with a supply of suitable food, but I have been doing quite well, one evening a cous-cous salad from Dia, supplemented with cherry tomatoes and rocket. The next day a quinoa salad from the supermarket ‘Consumer’. Last night I made a concoction from mashed chickpeas with additions from supplies to give some taste, eaten as a dip with carrots and red pepper. Lunches have been granary roll with avocado and salad or with hummus. All washed down with plenty of fruit. I’m doing alright, if not exactly eating gourmet style!

And so another day ends.

Ruta de la Lana, stage 5, Almansa to Alpera , 26km

Posted on 11/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 26 km
Elevation gain, 323 m
Elevation loss,163 m
Total distance 143.5 km
Daily average, 28.7 km

No wind, no rain…🎼

Well, there was a fresh breeze, but none of the high winds and blow-you-off-your-feet gusts that we have experienced for the last few days. And no clouds, so when the sun came out, it was with us all day. What a difference a day makes…🎼 !

We left a little later this morning and then stopped for a hot drink at the petrol station cafe at the exit from town. When we left a couple of guys (French & Swiss?) who had stayed at the albergue last night were just ahead of us. So we followed them. The wrong way! Luckily we all realised our mistake fairly soon and didn’t add more than 500 m to our journey. The first part of our walk was on agricultural tracks and quiet roads, but at around 8.5 km the track starts to climb through green wilderness with a long ‘table mountain’ as a backdrop. What with the sun to counteract the increasing wind, and interesting scenery, I really enjoyed this stage.

We played cat and mouse with the spanish guys – they passed us when we took a break and vice versa. At one point we had to walk in fields alongside a railway line. Mostly the farmers had left a path free of crops, but one huge field was planted to the very edge and we picked our way through trying not to trample the newly sprouting crops. I can imagine in a month or two, when the crops have grown or in wet weather, this would be a bit of a slog.

At Almansa the Ruta de la Lana and the Camino Levante meet briefly. The Levante starts in Valencia and passes through Toledo and meets with the Via de la Plata in Zamora. At the 20 km point of today’s stage the paths diverge, and the guys that led us in the wrong direction earlier went straight on as we took a right turn.

It was still very windy today, but with the sun on our backs it was not an issue. The albergue in Alpera is in a house, downstairs is a community room that seems to be used for art projects and upstairs are two bedrooms with a total of five beds, bathroom and sitting room. We have use of the microwave in the kitchen below and washing can be hung to dry in the garden. Unless it is hung out when a downpour begins as it did for Nina and me. Luckily there are radiators downstairs and I am hoping it will dry by the morning as I need to wear some of it. Albergue 7 euros, keys from ayuntamiento. If likely to arrive after 14:00 ring ahead and let them know you are coming 967 330 001.

Ruta de la Lana, stage 4, Caudete to Almansa, 28.5 km

Posted on 10/04/2019 by magwood

Distance, 28.5 km
Elevation gain, 262 m
Elevation loss,172 m
Total distance 117.5 km
Daily average, 29 km

We leave at 07:00 in the dark and are instantly bombarded with a vicious bitter wind. Normally the weather doesn’t present it’s true colours until you reach open land, but today the wind was howling around the town leaving us in no doubt about what was in store for us.

After a short spell on a quiet road led us to agricultural service tracks – wide, gravel, flat, monotonous tracks. Although there was plenty to take my interest during the first stage – a backdrop of the biggest marble quarry I have seen, the regular features of the stepped terraces gave the impression from a distance of a small city built into the hillside. The rising sun bounced off the marble and gave a stunning colour, enhanced by a line of wind turbines on the ridge above.

But the wind was so strong, and so cold, that we had to lean into it in order to remain upright.

The rising sun always provides good photo opportunities and so I happily clicked away for the first 8+ km, although it entailed countless removal and replacing of two pairs of gloves. I normally walk in shorts – my legs don’t get too cold on brisk mornings, but this camino has tested their endurance. My knees were bright red this morning and in need of protection from the elements.

At almost 9 km the track took a left turn and instead of a side wind we were once again ploughing through a full-on headwind, and to add insult to injury the track was closely adjacent to a motorway, so the noise of the wind was supplemented by the noise of vehicles rushing past. Nina and I had agreed to take regular rests, especially on a stage like today’s when there are no services between start and finish. But when it is so bitterly cold and there’s no shelter, there is no inclination to stop, even when you are feeling tired.

We finally spied a cluster of trees a 100 metres or so from the track and sheltered from the wind whilst we removed our boots and ate a snack, and I changed into my merino leggings under my shorts.

At some point the motorway was exchanged for s rail line and then back to the motorway until finally we leave the traffic behind us at 18.5 km, but still walking across flat land with no wind-break and absolutely no shade at all on this stage. I wouldn’t want to be walking the start of this camino in the hot months.

After another hour or so we spy a well placed haystack and we find some shelter to eat our lunch before setting off again for our destination.

We have passed by much uncultivated land, some ploughed ready for planting, some cereal crops, many newly planted almond saplings. And I see a team of men bent double planting something. It is a huge field and they have only planted two rows into perforated plastic sheeting. I take a closer look and have no idea what it is that they are planting. They are thin sticks with shoots emerging which look like the shoots that grow from aged potatoes. Who can tell me what they are?

Almansa is another big town with all services. There is an albergue run by the nuns of the Convento Esclavas de María (telephone the day before, 967 341 557 / 620 856 934, 7 euros, no facilities, nowhere to hang washing, but lovely hot water). There are three or more rooms each with two single beds and a bathroom. Far from luxurious, but very welcome. The next stage is another with no facilities en route, so we have shopped for a picnic lunch and are hoping that it won’t be so very cold tomorrow.

We have been wandering the town, taking advantage of every showing of the sun and soaking up its warm rays, whilst drinking a glass or two of wine. We went to visit the castle, but sadly it was closed (maybe I wasn’t so sad as I didn’t have to climb any more steps). Almansa is famous for a battle in 1707, look it up if you are interested. Our walk today led us directly past the field where it was fought.