LIVE from the Camino On the caminos of Caravaca and San Juan de la Cruz

[AlanSykes]

To Ávila

An early start, blissfully, for the first time this camino, in a bath long enough for a normal height northern European male to fit in comfortably.

Less than an hour after starting, I was at the delightfully named Puerto de Arrebatacapas, taking a last fond look down over La Mancha.



Then, sadly, entering into a cloud at about 1100m. The camino goes over a wide boulder-strewn upland heath with the path not being very obvious. And poor visibility making spotting arrows more difficult. Slowing progress. When I got to San Bartolomé de Pinares at around 11.30, and the cloud ahead still looked low, I was unsure whether to risk carrying on, or stay in San Bartolomé. After 30 minutes in the bar - much nicer than it used to be - the cloud cover had moved up to 1500m, so it seemed worth carrying on. Especially as I have a strong, but possibly false, memory that the albergue in San Bartolomé is upstairs from the funeral parlour.

And I'm so glad I carried on, as the next five hours were spectacular. Bright warm autumn colours, the clouds gradually vanishing altogether, occasional hen harriers, pretty Limousin-like calves busy turning mountain grass into chuletón,



a few (very few) people out for a Sunday stroll, glorious upland scenery, almost perfect way-marking and delicious sierra water filling water troughs. The poplars were especially gorgeous - as Machado put it "he vuelto a ver los álamos dorados, álamos del camino en la ribera ...".



The next pass is the Puerto de El Boquerón, at 1315m, and the path then goes up to the day's high point at 1375m. Highest point of this year's camino for me, I think - certainly higher than anything ahead.



Eventually, Ávila became visible from about 10km out - the honey walls catching the afternoon sunlight even at that distance.



It was still a slog to get into town, and, to paraphrase, I "tired the sun with walking, and sent him down the sky". Hitting the city centre just as Venus was setting into the south west.

Seeing from the Diario de Ávila on the zinc in a bar on the outskirts of town that a delegation of Hungarian pilgrims seems to have blocked-booked the albergue, I telephoned to the Doña Juana hostal, just off the Plaza de Santa Teresa, for two nights. Seems fine, and reasonably priced. And I remembered to turn off the wake-up alarm for tomorrow morning.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

How nice the fog lifted for you, Alan. When you concern yourself in wondering if you should trudge on in dense fog, it is definitely as thick as it gets. Btw, I notice a bit of "sticker mania" beginning to form on that red sign.
I loved this, "I tired the sun with walking, and sent him down the sky".
Thank you for another great post of carrying onward!

 

[VNwalking]

2 nights and a full day in Avila.
Ah, wonderful.

It sounds like another glorious day getting there, too, once the clouds lifted.

It seems stickers have made it as far as Puerto de Arrebatacapas, too. People are strange sometimes.

 

[AlanSykes]

A rest day in Ávila

A very pleasant lazy day ambling around "la bien amurallada".



First stop, through the walls - as Lorca put it "Cuando se penetra por su evocadora muralla se debe ser religioso, hay que vivir el ambiente que se respira". On to the cathedral to see the magnificent altarpiece started by Pedro de Berruguete and (mostly) completed by Juan de Borgoña: "acabar e reparar e poner en perfeçion los tableros que Berruguete pintor ...".

Then to the tourist office to pick up my "distinción" of the "huellas de Santa Teresa".



On to the convento de la Encarnación, mainly to see the tiny drawing of Christ by San Juan de la Cruz.



Inspiration for my favourite (and nearest) Dalí, his "Christ of St John of the Cross", at Kelvingrove in Glasgow. The kind invigillator also insisted I visit the room where Santa Teresa de Jesús and San Juan de la Cruz simultaneously levitated.

Spot of lunch and down to the triple-cloistered monastery of Santo Tomás. Mainly for the even more magnificent altarpiece by Berruguete.



Many of the Berruguete family's altarpieces and sculptures are in a museum in Valladolid, so it is a particular pleasure to see one in the place for which it was created, and which it fits perfectly. Given that the French messed the place about considerably, it's astonishing how much survived. Including the Italianate tomb of poor Prince Juan de Asturias, heir to Ferdinard and Isabella, who died aged 19. The official version is that he had smallpox, but contemporary gossip suggests that his already fragile constitution was further weakened by over-enthusiastic time spent in bed with his Habsburg bride.

And back to the floodlit walls. A lovely lazy day.

 

[VNwalking]

Santa Teresa de Jesús and San Juan de la Cruz simultaneously levitated.

Fun and games of the spirually advanced class. Marvelous.

Then to the tourist office to pick up my "distinción" of the "huellas de Santa Teresa".

Oh, lovely. She was a special one to be sure. And clearly she went to some pretty special places.

 

[AlanSykes]

Ávila's horrible exit has, sadly, not improved in 10 years. I thought I was being clever trying to walk along the río Adaja, but mapy.cz gave me a bum steer, and I still had to double back and spend an unpleasant km on the busy motorway approach roads. I bumped into one of the Ávila amigos, out for a walk, and he explained that a local landowner had blocked off the cañada real that they had wanted to use for the camino, forcing us back on the roads. Very tiresome. And mapy.cz wrongly thinks you can walk through the blocked path (which is between the motorway bridge and the railway one, by the reservoir).

On to Gotarrendura, where a charming Romanian is running the albergue and also providing meals in the bar. My first albergue of this camino. And a pleasant supper when I had been expecting to have to break into my emergency stash of cheese and fuet.

 

[peregrina2000]

Ávila's horrible exit has, sadly, not improved in 10 years.

It astonishes me that (1) it is legal for pedestrians to walk there, since it is very clearly the entrance to the superhighway and (2) that no one has been killed or injured.

I was lucky to walk on a Sunday morning but I think during a weekday rush hour it would be completely awful.

Good to hear the bar is still serving food, sounds like a change in ownership. I remember that in that bar I had one of the best plates of setas I've ever enjoyed.

Loving the posts as always!

 

[AlanSykes]

Gotarrendura to Fontiveros

Saying goodbye once again to the yellow arrows and the Camino de Levante (and/or Sureste), I carried on following the Ruta Teresiana that runs both ways between Ávila and Alba de Tormes - from cradle to grave, as they put it. Very good signage - concrete posts at every junction, with red arrows pointing to Ávila or Alba (de Tormes).



A glorious bright cloudless morning, with distant sierras to the far west that I think must have included the Pico de la Dueña, highest point of the Vía de la Plata, a couple of days south of Salamanca. And several hen harriers en route.



Wide mostly flat enormous fields, with decent earth paths underfoot, stops for coffee at 10km at Papatrigo, a caña at 20km at Collado de Contreras and lunch at journey's end, Fontiveros. Ideal.

Fontiveros is where San Juan de la Cruz was born. So on this camino I've now been to his birthplace, his deathplace, the place he was imprisoned and tortured, several of the places where he set up monasteries or convents, and a few 100km of the paths he trod. In theory, that should be the end, but I'm continuing, past Alba de Tormes where Santa Teresa died, and on to Salamanca, where San Juan was a (not very successful) student.

Fontiveros is a bit of a dump, which would probably please San Juan - to paraphrase PG Wodehouse, it was never difficult to distinguish between him and a little ray of sunshine. But there is a decent albergue near the municipal swimming pool (camp beds, showers etc, no cockroaches, 10€), and I had a very good menú del día in the Méson Juan de Yepes, which has the albergue key (delicious lentils, perfect crisp boquerones, tolerable Badajoz red, 13€).

 

[AlanSykes]

To Peñaranda de Bracamonte

Another uneventful mostly flat day in the dazzling sunshine. An eagle, a couple of owls, a few hen harriers and a solitary lapwing for company. And a really quite large (1 metre plus) clearly well-fed grass snake, which was moving alongside me at about my speed for about 20m before disappearing. Largest I've seen in decades.



A few streams to cross, with surrounding trees, otherwise just prairie.

There are two options on the Ruta Teresiana, splitting near Duruelo, site of the first barefoot carmelite order, of which nothing original remains. North takes you to Peñaranda de Bracamonte, a slightly longer way to Alba de Tormes, but the one Santa Teresa walked on her last journey, so the one I'm taking. It has some quite handsome porticoed streets and a plaza, but nothing to set the heart racing. Although my menú del día included a delicious fresh John Dory - presumably farmed, but very tasty.



The flowers from last week in the cemetries are starting to look a little faded. Except where people have used plastic ones. "En los nidos de antaño no hay pájaros hogaño".

 

[VNwalking]

Another uneventful mostly flat day in the dazzling sunshine. An eagle, a couple of owls, a few hen harriers and a solitary lapwing for company. And a really quite large (1 metre plus) clearly well-fed grass snake, which was moving alongside me at about my speed for about 20m before disappearing. Largest I've seen in decades.

I'll give you the Lapwing as common, but "An eagle, a couple of owls, a few hen harriers" sounds like quite an eventful day, even before seeing the immense grass snake. Lovely, thanks Alan.

 

[chinacat]

I second @VNwalking’s post

 

[AlanSykes]

At some point yesterday I crossed the line into Salamanca, my 8th province of this camino. I left Peñacorada de Bracamonte in the dark, with rosy fingered dawn behind me as I got into the countryside. Not that it's an especially long day, but I've never been to Alba de Tormes before, and it's more than likely I never will again, so best to see as much of it as possible.



There were well placed villages on the campo every 8km or so. Well placed, but entirely lacking in coffee. So it goes. Luckily I had suspected this might be the case and gorged on the breakfast buffet at my hostal - quick shout out for the Hotel Bracamonte: cheerful, cheap, quiet, central, comfortable, cosy. Still, 32km with no coffee is no fun.

The endless prairie continued - Peñarada's massive grain silo was still visible nearly three hours after walking past it. To the far west another mountain range slowly became visibile. I assume it must be the Sierra de Francia, visible from Ciudad Rodrigo on the Torres, and "set" for Buñuel's surrealist mockumentary, "Las Hurdes: Tierra Sin Pan".

One of my lovely fan-tailed friends joined me briefly, but no other wildlife at all. Although a sign by one of the villages said there were often red kites in the area. I love their almost static hovering but, sadly, saw none. Some of the Ruta Teresiana signs have distance markings on them: virtually unreadable. You need to be a Malevich to make white on white work.



Alba de Tormes finally appeared and I made straight for the Torre de Alba.



Birthplace of my 11xgreat-grannie Eleonora Álvarez de Toledo. I slightly assume the lush Boboli Gardens she commissioned for her adopted home on the Arno may have been a reaction against the landscape of her childhood home's flat monochrome monotony. Don't suppose she would approve of just how little of her family home the French left standing. What's survived is still impressive, as are the views from the surviving tower, down over the town and the Tormes valley.

 

[VNwalking]

One of my lovely fan-tailed friends joined me briefly, but no other wildlife at all.

Umm, let me guess. An Eagle?

Torre de Alba

A mighty fine torre, would that the rest were still there, because it would be impressive.

Some of the Ruta Teresiana signs have distance markings on them: virtually unreadable. You need to be a Malevich to make white on white work.

The Sharpie crowd on the CF has obviously not come here thank God. I'll take unreadable but pristine over that any day of the week. The landscape looks lovely: sublime, quiet, spacious.

 

[AlanSykes]

A very easy way to Salamanca, once over the bridge at Alba de Tormes, almost entirely on a vía verde. Passing between the two hills of Los Arapiles, on one of which - Arapile Grande - Maréchal Marmont had his headquarters in July 1812, with Wellington positioned on Arapile Chico. The Battle of Salamanca - or of Los Arapiles, as the Spanish call it - was something of a rout for the French. Marmont badly injured, and his deputy Thomières earning himself an underlining for his name on the Arc de Triomphe - an unsought honour only given to generals who were killed in battle. The usually laconic Richard Ford gets a bit breathless in his description of the battlefield, writing: "Nature, ever serene, has repaired, like a bountiful parent, the ravages of these quarrelsome insects of a day. The corn waves thickly over soil fertilised by the blood of brave Britons who died for ungrateful Iberia; the plain for twenty years afterwards was strewed with their bleaching bones, left to the national undertaker the vulture."



The route then passes through some tedious suburbs, with occasional tantalising glimpses of the twin towers of the cathedrals, joining the Vía de la Plata just before Trajan's bridge over the Tormes.



On the north side of which is a last bull of the Guisando breed - presumably the one poor Lazarillo de Tormes had his head smashed against by his odious blind master.

 

[jprogers]

Thanks for these posts as we are planning a late March departure on the Ruta Teresiana.
Interested in your accomodation options and choices

 

[AlanSykes]

A nice lazy day yesterday, wandering around drizzly Salamanca, and collecting a few final Teresiana and Sanjuanista sites. At San Esteban, where Theresa liked to go to confession when she was in town, they've filmed a video of her confession (I'm guessing, based on La Vida). You go into the priest's side of the confessional and watch her "confess" on video through the grill. For those who like that sort of thing. San Juan was a student at San Andrés college, one of the 20 Salamanca colleges largely destroyed by Marshals Ney and Marmont during the French occupation.

I liked my 7-800km following irregularly in many of the footsteps of the two mystics. Passing through many fascinating places, and much beautiful countryside. The papal nuncio Felipe Sega, who loathed the Carmelite reforms, crossly described Teresa as a "Fémina inquieta y andariega, desobediente y contumaz", probably the only reason anybody has heard of him now. Change the sexes and it would largely apply to San Juan as well (whose imprisonment in Toledo Sega ordered). As a slightly obsessive andariego myself, I mostly felt happy in their company - perhaps not the log for pillow and mortification of the flesh bits.

Salamanca was the end of my San Juan de la Cruz pilgrimage. I'm now walking on a much more followed camino, so that's probably enough from me until the next time I hit a "path less travelled".

Interested in your accomodation options

In Goterrandura and Fontiveros I stayed at the albergues. In Peñacoranda de Bracamonte at the 2 star Hostal Bracamonte, very decent, 30€ on the door (or 46€ if using booking.com). At Alba de Tormes I didn't like the look of either of the hotels, so took the 6pm bus to stay in Salamanca, returning on the 9.30am bus next morning to finish off the last stage walking into Salamanca across the battlefield and over Trajan's bridge.

 

[chinacat]

Thank you, Alan, for an erudite and rewarding thread.

I’ve looked forward to reading your words and seeing your wonderful photographs every day. It’s been a great pleasure to follow you.
I know @VNwalking has enormous respect for your threads and that’s a good enough recommendation for me

And it’s so nice to read of your walk in contrast to some of the more contentious threads that have appeared on here recently.

Go well on the rest of your Way!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Salamanca was the end of my San Juan de la Cruz pilgrimage. I'm now walking on a much more followed camino, so that's probably enough from me until the next time I hit a "path less travelled".

Alan, I have enjoyed following along on your Camino and marveled at everywhere you have walked, enjoyed your photos, and in addition reading the many historical facts and lore you have included at nearly every turn.
I am curious if you will be turning on to the Sanabres, heading up toward the Frances...or?

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm now walking on a much more followed camino, so that's probably enough from me until the next time I hit a "path less travelled".

Of course it’s your decision, but your fan club would like to know where you are going next - we are so accustomed to following you from the Mediterranean to Santiago year after year that we will feel a little out of sorts if you cut us off now!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Of course it’s your decision, but your fan club would like to know where you are going next - we are so accustomed to following you from the Mediterranean to Santiago year after year that we will feel a little out of sorts if you cut us off now!

Laurie, I wanted to ask Alan this too; where next?, but didn't want to suggest something he wasn't planning to do. You, on the other hand, know him well and have more clout, so am glad you have given him a little nudge.

 

[peregrina2000]

Woo, hoo, @AlanSykes is continuing to share his camino with us — the next installment starts here.

 

[Bachibouzouk]

Many thanks, Alan, for such an informative read. I've really enjoyed your insights not just of the routes themselves but also on Spanish history and culture in general. I've looked forward, on an almost daily basis, to the next part of this 'serialization'. If it was a book, I'd be buying it.