On the Levante again!!

Sunday, 18th February 2018
I'm off again to finish this camino that has caused me so much bother. Down to Ourense for the train, as usual I felt sick and was questioning why on earth I was doing this. I managed to park without any problem but I was far too early really. I found the walk to the station exhausting, that boded well for the walk. There were lots of people waiting for the Madrid train but my compartment was relatively quiet until Zamora, then it filled up but I only had another half-hour to travel. the journey seemed interminable, the carriage was hot and there was a woman who kept going to the toilet for a smoke, the smoke was piped through the carriage by the air-con, this was kind of odd as other unpleasant smells do not get piped through, it was also very unpleasant.
I got to Medina del Campo high velocity station and found no bus, last year there was a shuttle bus down to the main station. I asked another traveller and he said that it had been stopped, now one has to get a taxi, or walk.  There was only one taxi and this had been ordered by someone else, so I opted to walk, I thought it would be good for me! I could see the town, it really wasn't very far and I arrived into the centre of town and not at the station, this was a bonus. I was anxious as the accommodation here is in a monastery and I have found several times that monasteries and convents frequently decide to stop.  I got to the Carmelite Monastery, there was no info but I found a bell and was let in. I had to wait a while for the right person to attend me but the albergue was worth the wait. it is a floor of the old seminary, single rooms, beds with sheets!! No kitchen but a sitting room with a TV, heating, and I had the place to myself.  I found a bar that opens at 06.00 so I was happy, ready to start.
Day 2: Medina de Campo to Siete Iglesias de Trabanco 24 kms
Up at 07.00 and off to the bar for a leisurely breakfast, then I started walking at 07.45, it was just starting to be daylight, not far to the edge of town, then a walk on a long straight path between the river and the railway line. The river was nothing to right home about, I thought that it was just rushes until some ducks flew up, then I discovered there was quite a lot of water, it has rained heavily recently. I passed one elderly man who wished me a 'Buen camino' this was good for my morale.

The walk seemed heavy going but I got to Nava del Rey about 10.30, it was market day and an old man on a bike, who had put his helmet on top of his cap, offered to show me where I could buy a roast chicken ready to eat, I declined the offer but the chicken did smell good. Nava del Rey is an interesting town but my photos seem to have gone astray, I only have 1 left.

From there it was only 9kms to Siete Iglesias  and I was anxious to get there before the Town Hall shut, as that  is where the accommodation is, I did fine, I had time to get the key, have a beer and check with the local shop what time it would open later, all before 13.30. I had intended to have lunch out but the restaurants were a couple of kilometres back and I had food with me so I stayed in. I was certain I would be alone so I happily spread myself around the place but, to my surprise 2 more pilgrims arrived later in the afternoon, a Spaniard and a Korean. The first pilgrims I have met on this camino!
Day 3: Siete Iglesias to Toro 32 kms
David go up very early so as we were all awake and Lee and I got up early too. The first half of the walk was all ups and downs, more than I expected and they were fairly steep, not to my taste at all, fortunately it flattened out later.  There ware 2 coffee stops, Castronuño and Villafranca del Duero.

The signs were excellent up to Villafranca but after here they were weird, almost all signs for something completely different and very few arrows. I bought bread in Villafranca so I could stop for a picnic later on.

The walk was long, especially for a second day, but what was worse was that Toro is on cliffs and the last few kilometres were killing. I planned to stay at the convent so I added some extra distance to my walk only to discover that they have stopped doing pilgrim accommodation so I had to walk back to the main square and join the boys in the Pension Zamora. Toro is a wonderful old town also famous for its wine!

The alcazar

looking back down

the convent I thought I was staying at!!

Day 3: Toro to Villalazan 20 kms
I had a wonderful nights sleep and woke up fully recovered, I set off after breakfast and felt fine.

It wasn't long before I realised that I had missed a sign, but it was far enough back for me not to want to return. The result was that I walked up a road nearly all day, the upside to this was that I found a village with a bar so I had a coffee. Eventually I came to a sign and followed it off the road but there were no more signs and I ended up walking about two kilometres on what was essentially a track used for motocross, horrible, lots of steep, narrow, ups and downs culminating in a steep slippery slope that I had to use hands to get up. I got back onto a decent track and used my compass to find the right direction, after this I opted to stay on the road. My feet were killing me and I hobbled into Villalazan.  The albergue is well signed, it is much nicer than I expected, the hospitalera is lovely and there is a wonderful restaurant opposite so I had a really good lunch, my first proper meal for days.

Day 4: Villalazan to Zamora 15kms
I got up early simply because I went to bed too early. A chocolate drink and a muesli bar and off. My feet complained bitterly but it started reasonably well.

An English man's home is his castle, but this Spaniard has gone one better!

 At Villaralbo I had a coffee and from then on I was contemplating what my next move would be. I planned to get the bus from Zamora to Pueble de Sanabria as I walked this in 2015, the question was, would I go straight there, would I stop in Asturianos or would I stay a night in Zamora.  My feet were killing me, the bus station was closer than the albergue and it was only 12.00 and the albergue opens at 2 so I opted for the bus station, still planning to get a bus but thinking Sanabria. I couldn't find any signs about busses to Puebla de Sanabria, they seemed to go everywhere except there, in the end I decided that enough is enough and I went to the train station for the train home.  Walking is fine but not with a heavy back-pack. I made it to Zamora, technically the end of the Levante, I've refrained from throwing my gear away this time, just in case but I do not want to walk another camino.