Almaden to Monesterio

Today’s walk was going to be 34.4 kms but the power of nature determined otherwise.

Our day started most enjoyable. Walking along through the Sierra Norte, jumping over or through the streams and culverts. Chatting to the animals. You would not believe how far in advance we could smell the billy goats, what a stinky lot. Cute lambs, donkeys, mules, ponies and horses. It was a delight. Until …… we came to a crossing that had us at the point of what the hell do we do now? We walked along the bank a bit but decided if we were going to cross then the concrete bridge was better than an uncertain river bed even if it looked shorter. Shoes and socks
off, trouser legs off. Peter stepped in first it was immediately at his thighs, I hesitated then thought well it’s now or never. With walking poles we had some stability but the water pressure was immense. What felt like a lifetime was over quickly but I was shaking and so thankful not to have slipped in. We dried up and were just leaving when a young Canadian woman came along. We managed to talk her across but she said she
wasn’t sure what she would have done had we not been there. Go deed for the day. The rest of the walk was reasonably uneventful until we reach El Real de La Jara. We had planned a coffee stop before continuing on to Monesterio when we met a German walker who had just been turned back by the police. Apparently they were not letting anyone walk on the Camino due to severe flooding so told him to get a taxi to Monesterio. We went in search of a taxi with him, ending up in a bar where one of the customers kindly called us a car. So our long walking day turned out to be cut short again. But we are safe and dry.Read more