Day 18: Galisteo to Finca Ventaquemada

Today was a day of two halves. The first half was walking on the road out of Galisteo to Carcaboso. The second half was the much more pleasant walk across farm land to the end of our day's walk at the Ventaquemada. This latter is not so much a place as a house. There are no albergues or services there but it was convenient as the end of a stage of 22.8km.

This morning was quite foggy, and so, emerging from the pensión at 10.30am, it was hard to see too far. The Roman bridge below the town is just visible in the photo, but looking back to the town to see the walls was impossible. 

The first section of the walk is on minor roads which are quite quiet, but which some people used to get up a bit of speed. It is these parts of the Camino which feel the most dangerous. In just over an hour at arrived at the small village of Aldehuela del Jerte, where, being a Monday, there was no coffee to be had. So after a brief sit down, we ploughed on to Carcaboso. The countryside looked very familiar an not unlike England. On arrival at Carcaboso, having passed the church, dedicated to St James the Apostle, and the Plaza de España, with its fountain feature, we found a place for dinner lunch. After tortilla and chorizo I can do most things.

Afterwards we regained the Camino and began to walk in the sun along beautiful pathways, with long views to distant hills. After about 4km the Camino entered a series of beautifully serene dehesas, at first climbing then following the way through shaded groves of cork trees and Holm oaks. The distant mountains provided a contrast to the undulating terrain we were walking through. Passing through farms we eventually arrived at the road and the Ventaquemada. From here we were collected by taxi to go to the Roman Cathedral city of Plasencia, where we spend the overnight.