The Via de la Plata, only for two days.

I am now back on the road and it feels good.  Lots of green crops, wildflowers, and generally quiet tracks.  I had planned to do many more days on the via de la Plata, but due to a variety of reasons it has only amounted to two days, before I head North West on the Camino Sanabrés.   I did give a passing thought to continuing on the la Plata to Astorga, and then turning west to Santiago, but decided I didn't want to deal with the crowds on the leg from Astorga.  



I thought I had seen quite a lot of Zamora, but as I headed out of town I realised I hadn't seen much at all.  The path stays along the old town walls, before descending and then heading the 20kms or so towards Montemarta, my destinationfor the night.
Leaving Zamora with the first sign (for me)
The walls
The path takes me past those towers.

Supposedly, there was a bar in the one small village, Roales del Pan, that the path passes through, but no such luck.  I went into a tiny little panaderia there, and ordered three small cakes, which turned out to be macaroons, and only got two.  I thought I said "tres" quite clearly, and it is quite different to "dos", but there we go.  Fortunately the two were enough to sustain me till my destination, though I made a hasty beeline for the only bar in town for a late lunch / early dinner.


I was quite brave while walking this route and made a reservation in a private  albergue using SMS.  I even texted the hospitalero to let her know that I  was on the outskirts of town, so that she could meet me.  This was all done with google translate.  Success!  What was even a greater success was that for €25 I had a private room (shared bathroom) with a proper bed and didn't have to use my inner sheet!  I was toastie warm, but the other two men, 1 Aussie, 1 Dutch, were cold apparently and had to resort to turning on heaters.
Leaving Montemarta...
... and just on the outskirts of town (above & below)

Heading out of Roales del Pan

The next day my destination was Granja de Moreruela.  On the way I ended up having a few unintended diversions.  One was particularly annoying as I took one path only to reach the waters edge of a reservoir.  A fisherman and I had a wordless conversation with hand signs.  He gestured to me that I had to go back and go around.  I replied with a gesture, "what about the bridge"?  His answer was "go round" - which I did, only to discover that the shorter, and quicker route would have been to go across the bridge!  Lesson learned, check maps.
The reservoir, the bridge, the road I took, and the fisherman!

Soon after the reservoir I passed a sad sight.  A deserted village, Castrotorafe, now in quite a state of ruin.  One wonders why, and where did the people go.
Castrotorafe

In Granja I stayed in the municipal albergue at the grand cost of €6.  It was fortunate that I was able to get the last of the bottom bunks, as I  don't climb onto top bunks - for me, especially given my recent history, an accident waiting to happen!  As it turned out I was one of four Aussies in the dormitory,  Karen and Mark from Queensland, and Garis who I stayed with the night before from Castlemaine.
The albergue

The last few kilometres into Granja, like is often the case, seemed to go on forever.  We had to register at the bar so I was able to sit down and have a cool drink, the first of the day as for the whole 25 kilometres there had been no bar or Cafe open.  The weather has started to warm up, and believe me, a cold drink, with ice, is very welcome on such days.
Heading into Granja de Moreruela 

The albergue is on the main road very near the church.  As I have come to expect, the bell tower was adorned with a storks nest, with storks in residence.  They never cease to bring a smile to my face, or cause me to waste time watching them.

It is here in Granja that the path divides, either continuing on to Astorga, or, as I  have already mentioned, heading West on the Camino Sanabrés.  Thus, the next post will be about the first stages of that Camino.

























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