12. Moclin to Alcalá la Real

It was a superb morning for walking and the route matched the conditions perfectly. We began with breakfast and a farewell to Alba who was walking back to Pinos Puente to catch the bus to Granada and thence to Malaga before flying back home to Barcelona. It was a huge gift of time and energy for her to meet up with us and it was such a gift to us to spend time with her again. Yesterday we also met Esther and Karsten from Switzerland. It was a nice connection and we caught up with them again at our morning tea stop in Ermita Nuevo.

Our way took us from the hilltop town (and fortress) of Moclin, down some steepish gravel paths, with slopes of olive trees stretched out before us. In the province of Jaen, where we are, there are 70 million olive trees.

This man was hoeing between what we thought were asparagus plants, which interspersed rows of olive trees. Alba had commented yesterday that the current generation of farmers in these parts might be the last - the work is hard and not well paid, and the next generations are leaving the land. 

And despite the seemingly deep peace of these hills, there are other challenges. Last year the olive crop failed because of drought (Europe’s worst in 500 years) and there is still no rain this year. At the same time, efforts are being made to transform this vast monoculture into a more biologically diverse landscape through regenerative farming. On farms where this approach is being taken, numbers of insects, birds and other plant life are markedly increasing and the soil health is being restored. Reflections on these themes gave rise to today’s haiku.

Peace-filled hills striped with

olives. Idyll of history,

surviving the times.

After about twelve kilometres, we stopped for refreshments (zero alcohol beer!) and (wait for it) a tapas of olives, at a well placed bar.

The second half of the walk continued in similar country, though the day was heating up and our legs were starting to feel it. The gates and walls of this house were colourfully decorated in an informal mosaic of broken, reused tiles. 

We passed a yard of contented goats, looked after by a couple of large dogs. 

An encouraging sign near Alcala La Real.

From one fortress to another - it turns out that this town too has its castle on a hill.

It was a longish slog through the town to our private albergue, but it’s very comfortable here and it has a washing machine so we’ve had a break from hand washing and been able to refresh some of our gear (sleeping bag liners, fleeces, etc!). 

Sunday afternoon can often be a challenging time to find food in Spanish towns, but we were directed to a lively bar where we ordered a tomato and tuna salad (with olives) and a plate of fried anchovies to share. Perfecto!!!

So, as we have recently learned to say, ‘todo bien’ - all is well. And we’ve heard from Alba too - she caught her bus to Malaga and should be on her way to Barcelona soon. 

Buen Camino,

Sarah and Neil