The departure point, Zamora A cool but dry day, so ideal for walking. If we'd been near the ocean I'd describe it as marine cloud. The scenery was the usual trudge through the light industrial areas of the city, and then into farm land. The large solar panel arrays were not generating much, and the … Continue reading Via de la Plata day 29: Zamora to Montamarta, 19.4 km →

As I was ahead of schedule having foregone rest days earlier in the walk, I had two "0" days in Zamora. It's a beautiful city - at least the traffic free old town is. We visit the 'burbs tomorrow on our way north. The city was one of the mansios on the via north from … Continue reading Via de la Plata day 27 & 28: Zamora →

This replica milario features in all the guidebooks, so I figured I should include it too! A pleasant morning walking initially up a shallow valley beside a disused railway. Bug I'm glad I didn't walk it on a rainy day as there were mud holes that could hide a peregrino. When the railway veered right, … Continue reading Via de la Plata day 26: El Cubo de Tierra del vino to Zamora, 31.2 km →

The milario 'garden' in Calzada's dawn While the route was parallel to the N630 road and or the A 66 Autovia, it was relatively peaceful as being a Sunday, the big transport trucks were not operating. In addition, although there was a perfectly good gravel road all day, the via path followed its own 'sheep … Continue reading Via de la plata day 25: Calzada de Valdunciel to El Cubo de Tierra del vino, 20.1 km →

The Calzada camino welcome sign, with typical meseta scenery as a back drop! A short day, but the stretch between Salamanca and Zamora doesn't divide up very nicely. Some folks do it in days of 35 and 32 km. I've decided to do it in three days, so I get two easy days before the … Continue reading Via de la plata day 24: Salamanca to Calzada de Valdunciel, 15.4 km →

Celebrating the halfway mark with a large coffee and Red Velvet cake for second breakfast A shorter day emerging from the dehesa forests and on to the agricultural lands of the meseta, heading to the beautiful city of Salamanca. Not an oak tree in sight Unfortunately Salamanca is a peregrino boot camp: there's no admittance … Continue reading Via de la plata day 23: Morille to Salamanca, 20.5 km →

Milario del dia The forecast was ugly, so we headed out as promptly as possible in an endeavour to beat the rain, putting our faith in the hourly forecast. A front passed through around dawn followed by generous winds ab'aft the beam, so with my rain poncho on, I had a great spinnaker run for … Continue reading Via de la plata day 22: Fuenterroble de Salvatierra to Morille, 29.5 km →

Descending into the valley by dawn's early light I left an albergue in full wet weather gear for only the second time ever, bit the forecast wasn't 100% accurate, so after 30 minutes I stripped off the poncho. A quick descent on the Roman road into the valley meant the moist clouds were above us, … Continue reading Via de la plata day 21: Puerto de Bejar to Fuenterroble de Salvatierra, 29.9km →

Not too many highlights today. The first 12 km were on the "via verde", which while it wasn't the official route, it was more pleasant than road walking to get back on the official route. The via Verde is an old railway line that's been given a second life as a cycle (and pedestrian) path. … Continue reading Via de la Plata day 20: Hostal Asturias to Puerto de Bejar, 24.5 km →

The arch of Cáparra It's an indication of the challenges of this part of the camino that today's end point is not a town, but a hostal & restaurant complex beside the highway. The alternative was to walk an additional 10 km to the next town. No thanks! Despite the ending and the last 5 … Continue reading Via de la Plata day 19: Carcaboso to Hostal Asturias, 28.3 km →