Castilblanco - Almadén de la Plata 29km

Having had a good night's sleep I was up and ready well before the taxi came at 0730, most of the peregrinos had left by 0630, trying to get as far as possible before it got really hot. The temperatures here are more than 10 degrees above average for this time of year and we expect it to get a lot hotter over the next couple of weeks. The taxi arrived and before long we were sorting our backpacks at the gates of the park, having passed all the other peregrinos on the road.

The walk through the park was tremendous, I felt a lot better, there was plenty of shade and a cool breeze and Robert and Ana María were delightful company. We walked at a leisurely pace and chatted and got to know a bit about one another, the views were stunning, and there was plenty of wildlife and fauna to capture our attention as we walked along. The path was smooth and relatively flat with only a few inclines. It was one of the most pleasant walks of my camino.

It was as we got near the end I remembered why many people opt to walk the 28km on the road rather than detour through the park. Right at the end of the park, just before you come to Almadén de la Plata, there is a famously steep hill. I had forgotten about it. I always struggled when going uphill, finding it hard to breathe at times and with a pressure on my chest, I was not looking forward to this and indeed I was finding it very difficult to keep up with Ana María (73) and Robert (77). At roughly the halfway point there is a memorial stone to a peregrino who died on the hill a few years ago, all I could think as I struggled to keep going was that there would soon be a second memorial there with my name on it!

I think Robert and Ana María could see I was struggling so we stopped for a rest, took our backpack off and had some water, and as we got going again they took a few moments to talk me through and show me how to walk up a steep incline. I followed their guidance and before I knew it we were at the top. I had made it. Every time I reached the top of a steep incline thereafter, I took a moment to quietly thank God for Robert and Ana María.

The walk downhill was somewhat longer and just as steep but they talked me through how to walk downhill (zig zag) to reduce the pressure and strain on my knees and hips. So, we walked into Almadén together, they had booked a room at a private albergue the Hostal Casa Concha, and that sounded good to me, certainly better than a bunk bed in a dormitory. So, I went with them and managed to get a single room with by own toilet and shower, it was more expensive than the municipal albergue but totally worth it. I was able to relax and recuperate after a difficult start to my camino, and had a very filling and satisfying dinner with Robert and Ana María in the Hostal restaurant.

I also discovered that I had a couple of very large blisters, probably due to the heat, my boots were well worn in but it was 20 degrees hotter than Scotland, they had burst and so I dressed them as best I could and went to bed. I had the best night's sleep on the camino so far, and I was actually looking forward the the walk the next day, even with blisters.Read more