Tábara to Calzadilla de Tera to San Salvador de Palazuelo

I've had no access to Internet for the last couple of days, so no posts. First world problems. Meanwhile we carry on. 

 

From Tábara we headed for Calzadilla de Tera. This was quite a long day as we decided to leave behind the early risers who began rattling things before six am.

 

It was a pleasant walk through scrub and forest along a well formed sandy track. I stopped off for coffee and toast mid morning at Villanueva de las Peras. I got a little lost leaving the village and headed for the Church thinking that the Camino would pass by there. It didn't but some friendly locals were there and showed me the path. I think I was the first kiwi they had met! 

 

In one very small village in this leg is the oldest statue known of St James. It dates from the 12th century.

 

Sheep dogs are different here. Typically they accompany the sheep guarding them, even when the shepherd isn't around. They are big aggressive animals. A flock of sheep were corralled not far from the track - with their guard dogs, who upon spotting  me came bounding across. Trouble was they prevented me from passing. I had to make a big detour through bush to get around them.

 

At one stage the camino crosses the route of the New high-speed line they're building. Work seems to have stalled after pouring hundreds of millions in. The bridge in the photo is for pilgrims!

 

Eventually, after following the River Tera for most of the day I arrived at Calzadilla. The place was deserted. Small town, rural, public holiday etc. Eventually I found someone to give me directions. I still couldn't find the albergue, but as I wandered around, A door was flung open. It was the German pilgrim, Manuel. He'd found the albergue. It was tiny - just six beds, (beds not bunks!) but clean and tidy. There was no kitchen so Manuel cooked pasta on his tramping stove. We ate a half a kilo dry pasta between us (cooked of course). We had the place to ourselves! And there were beds, not bunks. Beds!

 

I was last out the following day. We'd decided to head for Cernadilla, where they supposidely had a good albergue. Not so, so we had to walk on to the next place, San Salvador de Palazuela. Even there It was only luck we asked directions at the very house where the key was. No wonder the albergue hadn't been used in a month - no-one know it was there!  Again, no kitchen - and no bar in the village. Manuel did his thing with the stove again. I used my little coil to heat water for cup of soup! Pasta and soup with bread on the menu again!

 

It was cold so early to bed - for warmth at least. Also I was tired, 33km walking!