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Camino Mozárabe 2023

April - June 2023
A 58-day adventure by Andrew and Rachel Read more
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  • TravelerCamino Mozárabe 2023
    2
    Day 58

    Mérida

    June 20, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Our last day on the Camino Mozárabe this year.
    This morning was certainly marked by the Camino Mozárabe. We went to the school C.E.I.P. Nuestra Señora de la Antigua, where Esther greeted us. The school includes the Camino Mozárabe in its curriculum.
    We talked about our experience on the Camino Mozárabe with the students, who had many questions.
    We then went to the Museo Nacional de Arte Romano. Very interesting!
    Tomorrow, early, we're taking a bus to Málaga.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mozárabe 2023
    1
    Day 57

    Day 43: San Pedro to Mérida

    June 19, 2023 ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Day 43, our last day, from San Pedro de Mérida to Mérida, 17.2km
    Leaving San Pedro de Mérida, we have a pavement for almost a kilometre. We might as well make the most of it, because as far as Trujillanos, it's along a secondary road that runs alongside the noisy Autovía del Suroeste.
    At Trujillanos, a nice message greets us: "to read is to dream with open eyes". The church is closed, it's too early. The side door has stones dating back to Visigoth times. Storks' nests crowd the roof.
    One has to be vigilant when leaving Trujillanos: a roundabout needs to be negotiated and the bridge over the Autovía del Suroeste crossed, and at this time of the morning, commuters don't care about pilgrims trying to get through.
    After Trujillanos, we have about 5km of rural road. The harvest is in full swing.
    The transition from rural to urban is clear as we enter Mérida. We get a nice feeling as we pass the C.E.I.P. Nuestra Señora de la Antigua school, with Mozarito. We're looking forward to meeting Esther Nieto Vidal and her students tomorrow.
    The Camino took us past the basilica of Saint Eulalia. We took the opportunity to have another look at the crypt.
    We finally arrived at the Plaza de España. Happy to have been able to walk the Camino Mozárabe, from Almería and from Málaga. Si Dios quiere, as they say in Spanish, we'll be back next year to offer some of our time as hospitaleros in Abla.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mozárabe 2023
    2
    Day 56

    Day 42: Medellín to San Pedro de Mérida

    June 18, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Day 42, Medellín to San Pedro de Mérida, 22.9km
    After a fiery sunrise this morning, we left Medellín by crossing the Río Guadiana on the medieval bridge. At the other end, we learned that it replaced an older bridge, possibly from Roman times.
    We saw another ancient bridge on the way, after a short detour. The bridge over the arrroyo Caganchez may date back to Roman times, and was probably repaired in the 1560's.
    On the way to Yelbes, we passed the junction in the Camino towards Santa Amalia.
    A network of irrigation canals crosses this plain in all directions. The background noise on our walk today was the sound of water pumps irrigating this fertile plain.
    Arriving at Yelbes, a small village founded in 1964 and asleep on this Sunday morning, there is another junction in the Camino. We can turn right and continue towards Torrefresneda, or go straight on towards the Río Búrdalo. The first option involves crossing the Río Búrdalo on the carretera N-430, on one of the most dangerous stretches of road on the Camino. The second option involves wading across the river, until a footbridge is built later this year.
    This fording was actually one of the highlights of the day. First I crossed without a bag, to see how deep the water was, which was just below my knees. Then I helped my darling across to the other side. Two Spanish cyclists also made the crossing, one of them having to carry his electric bike on his shoulders.
    San Pedro de Mérida has a church built on an ancient Visigoth basilica, and it's probably the only thing of interest in this little town on the Autovía del Suroeste.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mozárabe 2023
    Day 55

    Day 41: Don Benito to Medellín

    June 17, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 35 °C

    Day 41, Don Benito to Medellín, 10.4km
    A short stage, just the way we like them when the weather is hot. The "official" route of this stage goes along the carretera EX-206, with its high volume of traffic, for almost half of the stage (9km).
    Our Australian friend, who had walked with us for two days, recommended that we take a taxi for this stage. In his own words, he had told us that it was dangerous, crossing the bridge over the railway line, which we saw from a distance, was an accident waiting to happen.
    Manuel of Badajoz Jacobea had sent me the tracks of an alternative, which, although a little longer, is certainly safer, and I would even say more pleasant.
    Instead of worrying about traffic, we were able to enjoy the views of the rural area.
    We saw lots of different crops: tomatoes (the ones that are a bit oblong), apple trees, squash, rice paddies, nectarines, peaches, olive trees, maize and cereals.
    We had plenty of shade for our breaks, and our arrival in Medellín was just below the castle.
    A quick visit to the tourist office for a sello, the Ayuntamiento being closed as it was Saturday, a hello to the storks on the roof of the church of Santa Cecilia, and we dropped off our bacjpacks to go and see the church of Santiago, now a museum, the Roman theatre and the castle.
    If there's one thing that stands out today, it's our gratitude to Badajoz Jacobea for turning what could have been a stressful stage into a very enjoyable day! ¡Muchísimas gracias!    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mozárabe 2023
    Day 54

    Day 40: Magacela to Don Benito

    June 16, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 35 °C

    Day 40, from Magacela to Don Benito, with a detour to see the rock paintings, 20.7km
    A beautiful sunrise accompanied us this morning as we climbed up from Barrio de Abajo.
    We intended to follow a new route for the Camino between Magacela and La Haba.
    But before leaving Magacela, we wanted to see the cave paintings, which we weren't able to see yesterday because of the heat. They're not far from Magacela, and it's not a big detour. The rising sun shines brightly on the rock face where the paintings are located, but they are not easy to recognise.
    Back on the Camino, we take an alternative route offered by Badajoz Jacobea. This avoids walking along the carretera BA-084. This alternative route partly follows a Via Pecuaria.
    Arriving at La Haba, we took a short break in the shade of the church. But not too long, because the temperature was rising. We set off again for Don Benito, on a path that was white under the sun. An umbrella provided shade for my darling.
    In Don Benito, the Plaza de España is under construction, but the Ayuntamiento and the church of Santiago Apóstol are both accessible.
    What a difference between Magacela, where we were greeted warmly in the street, and Don Benito, where we're just strangers.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mozárabe 2023
    Day 53

    Magacela, rest day

    June 15, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Rest day in Magacela today.
    The only effort was to climb from Barrio de Abajo to Magacela Castle.
    First stop, the Ayuntamiento. Sello on the credenciale, information on the castle in hand and we continued our ascent. Magnificent views: you can see two days of stages before and two days of stages after from up there.
    It's a good thing the walls are still standing: there's shade and it's pleasant.
    On the way down, we strolled through the pretty streets of the historic quarter.
    To escape the heat, we spent some time at the Centro de Interpretación del Camino Mozárabe, and read some interesting information. On our way out, we stopped off at the Ayuntamiento to meet Inès, the current alcaldesa of Magacela, and Angel, who will be the alcalde from next month. Both are enthusiastic supporters of the Camino Mozárabe.
    Get up early tomorrow: the heatwave is coming!    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mozárabe 2023
    22
    Day 52

    Day 39: Campanario to Magacela

    June 14, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Day 39, Campanario to Magacela, 11.7km
    Last night we enjoyed a magnificent sunset over Magacela.
    We left Campanario amidst the vineyards, and after passing the railway line, we went along it on a country lane.
    Later, we arrived to a structure that hides an interesting site. These are the ruins of a building constructed in the 5th century BC by a civilisation about which little is known, the Tartessos.
    As we had a short stage, we stopped to visit.
    Resuming our walk, it's hard to get lost: the hill of Magacela dominates the horizon.
    For pilgrims who don't stop here, there's an option to go around the hill.
    We'll be spending two nights here, so we continue on to Barrio de Abajo. In the afternoon, we climb the hill to visit the Centro de Interpretación del Camino Mozárabe.
    In the evening, we visit the Magacela dolmen and a 16th-century lime kiln.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mozárabe 2023
    Day 51

    Day 38: Castuera to Campanario

    June 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Day 38, Castuera to Campanario, 22.6km.
    It wasn't until we left Castuera that we realised we were in the world capital, no less, of everything to do with sheep.
    Leaving town, we followed a Via Pecuaria, one of those transhumance paths. This Via Pecuaria is marked by milestones bearing the letters VP at regular intervals.
    After just over 7km, we crossed the Río Guadalefra. The railway crosses it on an iron bridge.
    This railway links Puertollano to Badajoz, passing in front of the old station of Quintana de la Serena. This station, now disused, was at one time, or still is, I don't know, an albergue, far away from everything.
    When a combine harvester goes by, you just get out of the way! Farming isn't the only activity here, as we passed by a granite quarry and a black pig farm.
    Arriving in Campanario, looking for a menu del día, the Restaurant Seneca was recommended to us. Delicious food and a very friendly owner.
    We had been warned that the Campanario refugio was spartan. Our Australian friend compared it to a prison. We booked a room at the Albergue de la Estación. It's a bit more comfortable, the only downside being that it's 40 minutes from the city centre.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mozárabe 2023
    Day 50

    Day 37: Monterrubio - Castuera

    June 12, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Day 37, from Monterrubio de la Serena to Castuera, 18.6km.
    This was a simple stage. You take the Camino de Monterrubio de la Serena a Castuera, a bitumen road with little traffic. At La Culebra, where the road becomes a dirt road, you continue straight on. At Castuera, you join the BA-051, which takes you to the Ayuntamiento.
    Today we were in the company of a fellow Aussie, and the time just flew by.    Read more

  • TravelerCamino Mozárabe 2023
    33
    Day 49

    Day 36: Hinojosa to Monterrubio

    June 11, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Day 36, from Hinojosa del Duque to Monterrubio de la Serena, 20.9km.
    Anyone familiar with this stage will know that it's approximately 32km long. My darling would never have been able to walk such a distance, so I opted to shorten the stage by taking a taxi for the first part of the journey. There are three points on this stage that are accessible by car, and our taxi driver dropped us off at the first one this morning.
    All in all, it was a good stage, with pleasant paths and very little change in altitude.
    After 3km, we came to a disused building on the railway line, which is not disused. A little further on, we crossed the Río Zújar without taking off our shoes. After several gates, we stopped at the chapel of Nuestra Señora de Gracia de las Alcantarillas.
    From the chapel, the official Camino follows the carretera EX-211 for almost 9km. The Badajoz Jacobea association had sent me directions for an alternative route that avoids this main road, taking dirt tracks and then a small secondary road. This alternative adds 1km to the total, but is more pleasant.
    We noted that we left Andalusia shortly after the chapel, and are now walking in Extremadura.
    Today was the feast of Corpus Christi. We arrived too late to see the procession, but we were able to see the remains of the decorations.
    The storks were able to follow the festivities from the top of the bell tower.    Read more

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