After the long walk yesterday, today's was less than half the length: a mere 13.1km (8.3 miles). It was a very beautiful walk through some exhilarating scenery. This is not the version of the south of Spain known by so many. The Sierra del Norte does not look like the land of the Mediterranean, but is total with a rustic culture all of us own. The labs, the forms of farming, the vegetation, the people...all have more in common with other parts of central Spain than the coastal parts of Andalucía.
Leaving Almadén, Andy and I passed the Plaza de Toros, the bullring. We had a conversation at this point, and at other moments through the day, with the only other pilgrims we have met: two men and a boy from Germany.
We walked through farmland passing by enclosures of goats and black Iberian pigs principally. The first half of the walk was a closer up view of local agriculture.
At the half way point, we came to a steep hill which rose to the same height as the Calvary Hill at the end of yesterday's walk. From the top of the hill looking back, the scenery of green hillsides and small farms, with the dehesa of holm oak trees looked remarkable: a big country with very little human intervention. Looking the other way, westwards, we could see the mountains which divide the region of Andalucía from the next region, which we will enter tomorrow, Extremadura.
The descent from the hill was steeper than the ascent, making it difficult under foot. However, once down, the last 5km were on unsafe road. The first sight we had was of a deer which had been hunted and was waiting for collection. Indeed, shortly afterwards we saw the pickup truck coming to collect the carcass. The last part of the walk was through dehesa, with many black pigs and holm oak trees before we spotted the ruined castle which stands above the town of El Real de la Jara, where we are staying for the last night of this first leg.
Adoration andMass in the parish church was with the same priest we saw yesterday. He invited me to give the homily after the Gospel. And being one never too refuse a captive audience, I spoke about confidence in God, which is our ultimate salvation. Now to dinner in the local hostelry. It's an early start tomorrow, to get the last 20km done, then the bus back to Seville, and the flight back to Manchester.
Leaving Almadén, Andy and I passed the Plaza de Toros, the bullring. We had a conversation at this point, and at other moments through the day, with the only other pilgrims we have met: two men and a boy from Germany.
We walked through farmland passing by enclosures of goats and black Iberian pigs principally. The first half of the walk was a closer up view of local agriculture.
At the half way point, we came to a steep hill which rose to the same height as the Calvary Hill at the end of yesterday's walk. From the top of the hill looking back, the scenery of green hillsides and small farms, with the dehesa of holm oak trees looked remarkable: a big country with very little human intervention. Looking the other way, westwards, we could see the mountains which divide the region of Andalucía from the next region, which we will enter tomorrow, Extremadura.
The descent from the hill was steeper than the ascent, making it difficult under foot. However, once down, the last 5km were on unsafe road. The first sight we had was of a deer which had been hunted and was waiting for collection. Indeed, shortly afterwards we saw the pickup truck coming to collect the carcass. The last part of the walk was through dehesa, with many black pigs and holm oak trees before we spotted the ruined castle which stands above the town of El Real de la Jara, where we are staying for the last night of this first leg.
Adoration andMass in the parish church was with the same priest we saw yesterday. He invited me to give the homily after the Gospel. And being one never too refuse a captive audience, I spoke about confidence in God, which is our ultimate salvation. Now to dinner in the local hostelry. It's an early start tomorrow, to get the last 20km done, then the bus back to Seville, and the flight back to Manchester.
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