LIVE from the Camino My Camino Torres - November 2024

[David Tallan]

2 November 2024
The Camino Torres is not named after towers; it is named after Diego de Torres Vilarroel, who is said to have walked it on his pilgrimage to Santiago. But don't let the pilgrimage fool you, he had quite the reputation, and not really a holy one. There is a reason the official start of this Camino (at least, according to the "official" GPS tracks) is not at the cathedral but by the Cave of Salamanca, home to the School of Necromancy. That's where the bust of Torres is. And there is a reason they put it there:

'The unruly and rebellious Diego de Torres Villarroel, who was a professor at the University of Salamanca, published for years an Almanac in which he made predictions, some very striking and which turned out to be correct, such as those referring to the death of Luis I, the French Revolution and the Esquilache mutiny. The rest of the works of the one who called himself "Great Piscator of Salamanca" are full of a fondness for the extraordinary and the occult, astrology and alchemy. Torres defined himself as "a scholar between a witch and an astrologer, with the appearance of a devil and the perspectives of a sorcerer." He was one of those terrible libertine students, mockers, night owls, rebels and braggarts who abounded in Salamanca and of whom Cervantes said: "The devil himself has the student inside his body."'

With that as a bit of an introduction, on to today's Camino. I left the albergue at around 7 am. I stayed just long enough to say goodbye to my replacement hospitalero, Valentín. It was still dark, but the first part is lit. You start by crossing the Roman bridge, the opposite way from the Via de la Plata. For the first hour or hour and a half, there was no signage, and I relied completely on the GPS tracks I had downloaded. Once the signage started, though, it was fairly decent. I was still happy to have the tracks, though.

I thought I might stop in Peñasolana for a little breakfast at a bar, but Google was telling me that none of the bars had opened yet (which seemed reasonable, given the time), so I kept walking on. There seemed to be another option for a bar at El Encinar de la Rad, and Google told me that bar was open, but a local walking his dog told me it was closed, and I have known Google to be wrong often enough that I trusted the local, gave up on my detour, and headed back to the Camino. I ended up stopping to eat from the food in my backpack at Rodillo, sitting by the road, at shortly after 11.

Today was a long day, about 33 km. It started off reasonably cool, but by the end I was just walking in a tee shirt. Once you are out of Salamanca and its immediate environs, most of the walking is on dirt farm roads and tractor trails, until the last couple of km into Robliza de Cojos. While it isn't completely flat, it definitely seems like a meseta. There were a fair number of cows by the road, at one point in walked through a flock of sheep, and I even saw a bunch of pigs running around in one of the fields with the cows. I also passed through several large areas where holm oaks were being cultivated. I figured they were oaks because they have acorns, but the leaves didn't look like any oaks leaves I had seen before. Eventually, I used an app to identify one of the trees and satisfy my curiosity.

As mentioned, it was a long day's walk, just over 8 hours. I was pretty tired when I got here. I WhatsApp-ed the hospitalera to let her know I had arrived, and after a bit she replied letting me know where the key was and saying she would be by a little later to register me. Needless to say, I am the only pilgrim here. It seems I am #70 for 2024.

The albergue is small but has most of the essentials. There was a bed made up for me with a real fitted sheet and pillowcase, and a whole heap of blankets. There are also some coffee pods and teabags, and a coffee maker and microwave. There isn't a laundry sink, just the tiny sinks with the toilets and in the shower room, but there is a clothesline hung up on the patio behind the albergue. My only complaint is that the toilets lack seats. Cristina, the hospitalera, came by at about 4:00 to register me and introduce me to the amenities. I gave her one of my buttons. She took a photo of me, I think for a post in the Camino Torres Facebook group.

After I finish this, I think I will head over to the bar (near the town pool) and see what I can get to eat. Then it will likely be back here for hopefully a restful evening and an early bedtime.

Photos: the bust of Diego de Torres Vilarroel, saying goodbye to my albergue (now Valentín's), the first cow of the day, typical signage (they really like the little blue squares with the arrows), cows amongst the trees, holm oaks, some other weird trees I didn't get close enough to try and identify, the road goes ever on (at least, that's the way it seemed today!)

 

[AlanSykes]

It seems I am #70 for 2024.

Wow, numbers are really going through the roof. I was #16 of 2017 on 18 November 2017. And no fitted sheets back then, or hot shower - I washed at the truckstop on the motorway a km or so north.

 

[David Tallan]

Wow, numbers are really going through the roof. I was #16 of 2017 on 18 November 2017. And no fitted sheets back then, or hot shower - I washed at the truckstop on the motorway a km or so north.

Clearly the hot showers are attracting more pilgrims. Think of how many they could get with toilet seats!

 

[trecile]

She took a photo of me, I think for a post in the Camino Torres Facebook group.

I found it:

Camino Torres | Hoy en el Albergue de Ayuntamiento Robliza DE Cojos ha llegado David peregrino de Canadá | Facebook

Hoy en el Albergue de Ayuntamiento Robliza DE Cojos ha llegado David peregrino de Canadá !! Buen Camino 😊🥾🥾

www.facebook.com

 

[Tincatinker]

Clearly the hot showers are attracting more pilgrims. Think of how many they could get with toilet seats!

Ah, David, you’re suggesting that a pilgrim in search of comfort should pack a bog-seat along with the bog-roll?

(toilet seat and toilet paper for the elucidation of non English speakers )

 

[alexwalker]

Right; so then we're on it again, with a new adventure. David, your elaborate writing is a very good reason to follow your (yet another) thread. Thank you very much!

But that Torres guy sounds a bit scary... Wouldn't walk at nighttime in his footsteps...

 

[gracethepilgrim]

Hey David, you’re finally off ! Woop woop

I’m back home and will get my Torres and Geira notes written up ‘soon’
It was very chilly when I started mid September but lovely temperatures later on. I can imagine that it is even cooler for you.

I really enjoyed the first few days in Spain with the lovely Albergue ladies. They seemed to have a communication system to notify each other when a pilgrim was coming. Very sweet memories.

I have to say that the Torres is now competing with VdlP for my favourite Camino. I have so many gorgeous memories. I’m sure that you’ll accumulate many also, David

Blessings, Grace

 

[Ella L.]

2 November 2024
The Camino Torres is not named after towers; it is named after Diego de Torres Vilarroel, who is said to have walked it on his pilgrimage to Santiago. But don't let the pilgrimage fool you, he had quite the reputation, and not really a holy one. There is a reason the official start of this Camino (at least, according to the "official" GPS tracks) is not at the cathedral but by the Cave of Salamanca, home to the School of Necromancy. That's where the bust of Torres is. And there is a reason they put it there:

With that as a bit of an introduction, on to today's Camino. I left the albergue at around 7 am. I stayed just long enough to say goodbye to my replacement hospitalero, Valentín. It was still dark, but the first part is lit. You start by crossing the Roman bridge, the opposite way from the Via de la Plata. For the first hour or hour and a half, there was no signage, and I relied completely on the GPS tracks I had downloaded. Once the signage started, though, it was fairly decent. I was still happy to have the tracks, though.

I thought I might stop in Peñasolana for a little breakfast at a bar, but Google was telling me that none of the bars had opened yet (which seemed reasonable, given the time), so I kept walking on. There seemed to be another option for a bar at El Encinar de la Rad, and Google told me that bar was open, but a local walking his dog told me it was closed, and I have known Google to be wrong often enough that I trusted the local, gave up on my detour, and headed back to the Camino. I ended up stopping to eat from the food in my backpack at Rodillo, sitting by the road, at shortly after 11.

Today was a long day, about 33 km. It started off reasonably cool, but by the end I was just walking in a tee shirt. Once you are out of Salamanca and its immediate environs, most of the walking is on dirt farm roads and tractor trails, until the last couple of km into Robliza de Cojos. While it isn't completely flat, it definitely seems like a meseta. There were a fair number of cows by the road, at one point in walked through a flock of sheep, and I even saw a bunch of pigs running around in one of the fields with the cows. I also passed through several large areas where holm oaks were being cultivated. I figured they were oaks because they have acorns, but the leaves didn't look like any oaks leaves I had seen before. Eventually, I used an app to identify one of the trees and satisfy my curiosity.

As mentioned, it was a long day's walk, just over 8 hours. I was pretty tired when I got here. I WhatsApp-ed the hospitalera to let her know I had arrived, and after a bit she replied letting me know where the key was and saying she would be by a little later to register me. Needless to say, I am the only pilgrim here. It seems I am #70 for 2024.

The albergue is small but has most of the essentials. There was a bed made up for me with a real fitted sheet and pillowcase, and a whole heap of blankets. There are also some coffee pods and teabags, and a coffee maker and microwave. There isn't a laundry sink, just the tiny sinks with the toilets and in the shower room, but there is a clothesline hung up on the patio behind the albergue. My only complaint is that the toilets lack seats. Cristina, the hospitalera, came by at about 4:00 to register me and introduce me to the amenities. I gave her one of my buttons. She took a photo of me, I think for a post in the Camino Torres Facebook group.

After I finish this, I think I will head over to the bar (near the town pool) and see what I can get to eat. Then it will likely be back here for hopefully a restful evening and an early bedtime.

Photos: the bust of Diego de Torres Vilarroel, saying goodbye to my albergue (now Valentín's), the first cow of the day, typical signage (they really like the little blue squares with the arrows), cows amongst the trees, holm oaks, some other weird trees I didn't get close enough to try and identify, the road goes ever on (at least, that's the way it seemed today!)

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You are in for an adventure...albeit a much more controllable one than I set out on in 2018. I was trying to avoid a 'three-peat' on the Sanabrés. I did it without GPS guidance, relying on the University of Salamanca guide. After a while, those fences of the real cañada de Extremadura become comforting...and, indeed, there is a 'pilgrim alert' jungle telephone in place.

 

[bullingtonce]

2 November 2024
The Camino Torres is not named after towers; it is named after Diego de Torres Vilarroel, who is said to have walked it on his pilgrimage to Santiago. But don't let the pilgrimage fool you, he had quite the reputation, and not really a holy one. There is a reason the official start of this Camino (at least, according to the "official" GPS tracks) is not at the cathedral but by the Cave of Salamanca, home to the School of Necromancy. That's where the bust of Torres is. And there is a reason they put it there:

With that as a bit of an introduction, on to today's Camino. I left the albergue at around 7 am. I stayed just long enough to say goodbye to my replacement hospitalero, Valentín. It was still dark, but the first part is lit. You start by crossing the Roman bridge, the opposite way from the Via de la Plata. For the first hour or hour and a half, there was no signage, and I relied completely on the GPS tracks I had downloaded. Once the signage started, though, it was fairly decent. I was still happy to have the tracks, though.

I thought I might stop in Peñasolana for a little breakfast at a bar, but Google was telling me that none of the bars had opened yet (which seemed reasonable, given the time), so I kept walking on. There seemed to be another option for a bar at El Encinar de la Rad, and Google told me that bar was open, but a local walking his dog told me it was closed, and I have known Google to be wrong often enough that I trusted the local, gave up on my detour, and headed back to the Camino. I ended up stopping to eat from the food in my backpack at Rodillo, sitting by the road, at shortly after 11.

Today was a long day, about 33 km. It started off reasonably cool, but by the end I was just walking in a tee shirt. Once you are out of Salamanca and its immediate environs, most of the walking is on dirt farm roads and tractor trails, until the last couple of km into Robliza de Cojos. While it isn't completely flat, it definitely seems like a meseta. There were a fair number of cows by the road, at one point in walked through a flock of sheep, and I even saw a bunch of pigs running around in one of the fields with the cows. I also passed through several large areas where holm oaks were being cultivated. I figured they were oaks because they have acorns, but the leaves didn't look like any oaks leaves I had seen before. Eventually, I used an app to identify one of the trees and satisfy my curiosity.

As mentioned, it was a long day's walk, just over 8 hours. I was pretty tired when I got here. I WhatsApp-ed the hospitalera to let her know I had arrived, and after a bit she replied letting me know where the key was and saying she would be by a little later to register me. Needless to say, I am the only pilgrim here. It seems I am #70 for 2024.

The albergue is small but has most of the essentials. There was a bed made up for me with a real fitted sheet and pillowcase, and a whole heap of blankets. There are also some coffee pods and teabags, and a coffee maker and microwave. There isn't a laundry sink, just the tiny sinks with the toilets and in the shower room, but there is a clothesline hung up on the patio behind the albergue. My only complaint is that the toilets lack seats. Cristina, the hospitalera, came by at about 4:00 to register me and introduce me to the amenities. I gave her one of my buttons. She took a photo of me, I think for a post in the Camino Torres Facebook group.

After I finish this, I think I will head over to the bar (near the town pool) and see what I can get to eat. Then it will likely be back here for hopefully a restful evening and an early bedtime.

Photos: the bust of Diego de Torres Vilarroel, saying goodbye to my albergue (now Valentín's), the first cow of the day, typical signage (they really like the little blue squares with the arrows), cows amongst the trees, holm oaks, some other weird trees I didn't get close enough to try and identify, the road goes ever on (at least, that's the way it seemed today!)

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Sorry to say, Torres sounds like my type of guy--letting his mind roam free instead of being restrained and constrained by culture, society, government, etc. My mom would probably agree with me. Nice photos although the sculpture of Torres looks like someone wanted to intentionally make him appear to have a devil face but, then again, maybe not. In any case, would be a thrill to have a conversation with him, especially letting him see what the world is today or, rather, what it is not. Chuck

 

[David Tallan]

3 November 2024

I think I have, indirectly, been experiencing some effects of the fiesta this weekend. There wasn't much to eat at the bar yesterday, although communication issues may have exacerbated things. When I got to the bar, it was super crowded and noisy. I asked if they had anything I could eat and, unable to hear we'll what the answer was, said "yes" to what was offered, picking "lomo" as an option. What is ended up with was a very small lomo and cheese sandwich, probably less than half the size of a typical bocadillo. I went back to the bar and mentioned that I had just walked 33 km to get there, might there be a bit more food to sustain me? I was able to snag a small plate of chicken nuggets as well. I supplemented those with an apple I had brought from Salamanca and then went to sleep early. I did also get a barra of pan, that the hospitalera picked up for me from a nearby gas station and dropped off on her way home. That proved useful today.

It was a shorter walk today to San Muñoz, just under 20 km. Once again, there were no services, water, etc. I needed to carry everything with me. Like yesterday, the day started off quite cool and foggy, but ended up warm and sunny by late morning. Once again, I was mostly walking along dirt farm roads or tractor paths. This time, there were a number of gates to go through that I had to open and close behind me. But the last gate, not marked on my GPS track, was more of a barrier. It was padlocked shut. Fortunately, it was next to a ditch and where the fence passed over the ditch there was a gap I could crawl through and pull my backpack and poles after me. From there, it was a short walk to the highway, along which the Camino continued for a bit. I WhatsApp-ed the source of the GPS tracks letting him know about the locked gate. He said that the farmers were not allowed to put a locked gate on the public thoroughfare and he would be in touch with the municipality.

In the early part of the day, mostly I was walking by cattle and horses. The animals were less present for the latter part of the day. It was mostly flat, but did get a little hilly towards the end, with San Muñoz hiding behind a hill until you were practically in it. I stopped for a quick breakfast at about 9:30 (about half way there) of bread, cheese, and chorizo.

When I got to the albergue, the hospitalera was attending mass, but she came by afterwards to let me in. This albergue is in the doctor's house, which he rarely uses. It does have a toilet seat, but lacks hot water. I think that's because the gas is turned off in his absence.

After cleaning myself a bit, shaving, and changing, I went to the bar, which the hospitalera said could feed me. They were also extremely busy, and it took over an hour of waiting from the time I got there until I got my plato combinado. I asked for a bocadillo for tomorrow as well, and arranged to pick it up at 8. I mentioned how busy the bar seemed (there were dozens and dozens of people of all ages) and he said it was the fiesta weekend. Tomorrow there would be four people. I expect the bar yesterday and today would have been more ready to feed pilgrims if I weren't competing with such a crowd for their attention.

Photos: the locked gate, sunrise behind the horses, I almost missed this turn, where I sat for breakfast, the road ahead (and mountains in the distance), today's albergue

 

[bullingtonce]

2 November 2024
The Camino Torres is not named after towers; it is named after Diego de Torres Vilarroel, who is said to have walked it on his pilgrimage to Santiago. But don't let the pilgrimage fool you, he had quite the reputation, and not really a holy one. There is a reason the official start of this Camino (at least, according to the "official" GPS tracks) is not at the cathedral but by the Cave of Salamanca, home to the School of Necromancy. That's where the bust of Torres is. And there is a reason they put it there:

With that as a bit of an introduction, on to today's Camino. I left the albergue at around 7 am. I stayed just long enough to say goodbye to my replacement hospitalero, Valentín. It was still dark, but the first part is lit. You start by crossing the Roman bridge, the opposite way from the Via de la Plata. For the first hour or hour and a half, there was no signage, and I relied completely on the GPS tracks I had downloaded. Once the signage started, though, it was fairly decent. I was still happy to have the tracks, though.

I thought I might stop in Peñasolana for a little breakfast at a bar, but Google was telling me that none of the bars had opened yet (which seemed reasonable, given the time), so I kept walking on. There seemed to be another option for a bar at El Encinar de la Rad, and Google told me that bar was open, but a local walking his dog told me it was closed, and I have known Google to be wrong often enough that I trusted the local, gave up on my detour, and headed back to the Camino. I ended up stopping to eat from the food in my backpack at Rodillo, sitting by the road, at shortly after 11.

Today was a long day, about 33 km. It started off reasonably cool, but by the end I was just walking in a tee shirt. Once you are out of Salamanca and its immediate environs, most of the walking is on dirt farm roads and tractor trails, until the last couple of km into Robliza de Cojos. While it isn't completely flat, it definitely seems like a meseta. There were a fair number of cows by the road, at one point in walked through a flock of sheep, and I even saw a bunch of pigs running around in one of the fields with the cows. I also passed through several large areas where holm oaks were being cultivated. I figured they were oaks because they have acorns, but the leaves didn't look like any oaks leaves I had seen before. Eventually, I used an app to identify one of the trees and satisfy my curiosity.

As mentioned, it was a long day's walk, just over 8 hours. I was pretty tired when I got here. I WhatsApp-ed the hospitalera to let her know I had arrived, and after a bit she replied letting me know where the key was and saying she would be by a little later to register me. Needless to say, I am the only pilgrim here. It seems I am #70 for 2024.

The albergue is small but has most of the essentials. There was a bed made up for me with a real fitted sheet and pillowcase, and a whole heap of blankets. There are also some coffee pods and teabags, and a coffee maker and microwave. There isn't a laundry sink, just the tiny sinks with the toilets and in the shower room, but there is a clothesline hung up on the patio behind the albergue. My only complaint is that the toilets lack seats. Cristina, the hospitalera, came by at about 4:00 to register me and introduce me to the amenities. I gave her one of my buttons. She took a photo of me, I think for a post in the Camino Torres Facebook group.

After I finish this, I think I will head over to the bar (near the town pool) and see what I can get to eat. Then it will likely be back here for hopefully a restful evening and an early bedtime.

Photos: the bust of Diego de Torres Vilarroel, saying goodbye to my albergue (now Valentín's), the first cow of the day, typical signage (they really like the little blue squares with the arrows), cows amongst the trees, holm oaks, some other weird trees I didn't get close enough to try and identify, the road goes ever on (at least, that's the way it seemed today!)

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By the way, your posts are very good, very interesting. Keep them up! Chuck

 

[Freewalker]

Have a wonderful Camino Torres David !! I will be following you closely as plan to walk it in April 2025. Thanks very much for every post and all the info ! Absolutely invaluable. Take good care and don't overdo the first few days! Hydrate hydrate hydrate with the 30+ kms as we all know dehydration can cause muscle tears, blisters, tendonitis and many more ailments. I have to constantly remind myself of this . ENJOY every second.

 

[peregrina2000]

This albergue is in the doctor's house, which he rarely uses. It does have a toilet seat, but lacks hot water. I think that's because the gas is turned off in his absence.

Your picture shows the same place that I stayed. When I was there (and @gracethepilgrim had the same experience a few weeks ago), I stayed in the part of the house where the Ukranian family was living. Meeting and talking with them was as they say “impactful.” But I think I stayed in the part of the house with the doorway on the left. And if you look closely above the door on the left, it looks like there are bolt holes there, where they perhaps used to have the albergue sign. So, I’m thinking that they decided to let the Ukranian family have their privacy and move pilgrims over to the unoccupied right side of the house.

Did you meet the Ukranian family?

And I’m wondering if the Bar Chan is still the place that’s open? It had been opened by a South American family that the mayor found living in Salamanca who needed a job. She brought them to San Muñoz and was particularly proud of the fact that their children plus the Ukranian boy brought the school-aged population up to the legal minimum (6?) for getting a teacher/school back in town.

So many questions, sorry, but I remember this camino like it was yesterday.

 

[David Tallan]

I haven't seen the Ukrainian family and no mention was made of them. Bar Chan definitely still seems to be run by the South American family, who do their cooking across the streets. One of the boys was regularly bringing over trays of food.

 

[caminka]

Thank you for your very detailed and informative posts, David, I will be following them with great interest (as I have been those in Salamanca). This camino (and the Geira) are moving rapidly up my list. Buen camino!

 

[David Tallan]

4 November 2024

There were fewer people at the bar when I went to pick up my bocadillo at 8, but it wasn't close to empty. The bocadillo was still warm and I decided to have some of it before heading to bed.

I got a slightly earlier start, it was 6:45 when I left, today, as it was a bit of a longer walk than yesterday and I wanted to be sure to arrive in time for comida. So once again, I was walking for the first hour or so before it got light. The first hour or so was also on a paved road, so I was glad I had lots of reflective yellow tape on my poles and backpack to make me visible to the few drivers. I couldn't see the actual sunrise because it was blocked by trees, but the pre-sunrise was beautiful.

At the beginning, at least, the scenery was very similar to what it was yesterday. One difference I'm noticing on this Camino - in addition to the usual cows and occasional horses in the fields and farmyards you pass by, on this Camino I am also seeing pigs. They are especially noticeable because just the other day someone posted in the Camino de Santiago sub-reddit that there were no pigs to be seen in Spain.

At about 9:30 I passed one of those endless flat fields that I remember from the Frances meseta (except not wheat) that make me think of Saskatchewan - just flatness going on forever. But that wasn't to be my future today. After 11ish, it was actually quite a hilly day, down steep rubble-strewn paths to the bottom of a valley and then up the other side. There were several of these one after another, until I reached the top of a hill, looking down and seeing the whole landscape stretched out before me into the distance.

At one point near the end I departed from the GPS tracks, following the advice of a fellow pilgrim who had walked the route last week. The GPS tracks do a detour around the Yeltes River, but she advised cutting straight across the river, which was bone dry and just a river of rocks now. You save a km or two that way. I thought I would give it a try, following her directions and it worked well. The yellow arrows I saw on our "shortcut" seem to indicate that at one time the official route went this way.

I got into Alba de Yeltes at about 1:40 and WhatsApped the hospitalera to let her know I had arrived. She showed me around the albergue and turned on the water heater for my shower. Today, both a toilet seat and hot water! She took me down to the bar and introduced me. Today, only a few regulars, not the huge crowds of the last couple of days. For comida, I had lentil stew and chicken breast, with an apple for dessert. I will go back at 8 for a light supper of a soup and omelet, and to pick up my bocadillo for tomorrow.

After comida, the water had heated for my shower and I did laundry, which is hanging up and hopefully drying.

The albergue seems to be in the old schoolhouse, judging by the classroom next door to the dorm (which itself has a chalkboard on the wall). There is currently a group of Spanish senior women who seem to be meeting in the classroom.

Photos: a beautiful pre-sunrise, a flat field stretching on forever (actually looking quite green and spring-like for November), pigs, down the hill and on and on, the River Yeltes on my shortcut, my bed for the night.

 

[peregrina2000]

The albergue seems to be in the old schoolhouse, judging by the classroom next door to the dorm (which itself has a chalkboard on the wall). There is currently a group of Spanish senior women who seem to be meeting in the classroom.

The albergue is named in honor of Aurora’s husband, that’s his picture on the wall. He was a camino pilgrim and died of some terrible disease. Before his death, he moved mountains to get the albergue opened, and it is such a nice legacy to his memory. Aurora is a bundle of energy and we are lucky that she has so much commitment to carrying on with the albergue, because I think that without her, it might not be such a priority in the village.