27. Mérida to Aluéscar

I’ll start today’s post with a couple of maps. The first shows the route I will be taking to Santiago and Finisterre, which includes (for the next two weeks) walking the Camino Via de la Plata. I joined this route yesterday at Mérida. The route itself follows an old Roman road which went from Mérida to Astorga. 

This second map, shows the Camino Mozárabe (the purple line) joining the VdlP (the green line) at Mérida.

So now I am in Alcuéscar, 36kms north of Mérida. It was a longish stage, and I have more ahead, as I am behind schedule. In fact, today I have 30 days left and 33 stages to walk!! I wasn’t great at maths at school but even I can see that I need to make up some stages if I am going to place my feet in the Atlantic Ocean before I have to leave Spain. I’m not sure yet how I’m going to do that but (legs willing) I’ll give it a red hot try!!

I left the albergue in Mérida as soon as the troops started stirring this morning, had a quick coffee and tostada with Antione in a little bar a kilometre or so after starting, and then got going in earnest. It was a long uphill climb out of Mérida and then down the other side to the embalase de Prosepina, a old Roman dam. The sun was rising as I walked beside the old dam and that made for some nice colours in the sky and across the water.

From here, the road led into some very quiet country.

There were a couple of other very small villages along the way, and I was struck by how much attention is given to the Camino, even down to these mosaic tiles incorporated into the road.

A little further on, I entered into the Parque Natural de Cornalvo - a very pleasant section to walk in

These seem to be the new Camino markers for the VdlP, and there were blocks with this symbol every 500 metres or so along the route.

These are the famous black Ibérico pigs. They apparently feast to their hearts’ content on the acorns from the oaks that grow everywhere in this part of Spain, and then humans feast on them!! Reputedly, they make the very finest ham. These guys seemed very content, oblivious it seems to what awaits them at some future date.

I try to have a break after every two hours or so of walking. This was the six hour point and it was definitely time for a couple of squares of chocolate to boost dwindling energy levels.

All up , I walked for about 7 hours. The last hour or so was slow grind uphill in the rising heat of the day. It seemed to take forever for Alcuéscar to appear but finally it did. 

It had a cute entrance sign (those are little model houses on top) and, I was pleasantly surprised to discover, the albergue was situated right opposite.

The albergue itself is in an old school and monastery that was founded to educate and re/skill the poor after the Spanish civil war (photo below). Today it offers hospitality to pilgrims and serves as a refuge for homeless locals. It has a lovely spacious, peaceful and cool feel. I suspect there will be less pilgrims here tonight as well. It’s been a hot and windy day in this part of Spain, and I image quite a few of those who left Mérida this morning will stop in villages before they get here. 

The other lovely thing about this place is that they offer a community meal in the evening.

And what a meal it was, simple and delicious!! For the graces of the Camino, humble and hearty thanks. 🙏

Buen Camino 

Neil 💜👣

PS. Sunset from the albergue window.