Day 23: Campanario to Don Benito, Dec 5

The breakfast laid out was even worse than I’d imagined. Packaged, inedible “baked goods” of the Spanish variety, no tea even though she’d listed eight different types for Nedjo to choose from and an empty bread basket. Perfect! We did get hot drinks with our own tea and I was able to make a coffee (there was a carton of milk, I’ll give her that). We ate our oranges, her two kiwis and our granola bars. I was at least as grumpy about it as Nedjo had been about our last overpriced hotel in La Junta de Los Caminos on day one. It sometimes felt so hard that there was no relation between price and quality.

We were a little later than hoped getting away but at least the out-of-town location made it easy to pick up the path again and it was a lovely morning on a dirt track. It had been fun seeing trains stopping at the station – it was still a stop even if the building was now the albergue – and for a while the path ran beside the tracks. There was also a wetland area we passed with lots of cranes and other birds.

After not too long we came to what looked like some washrooms in a small building and popped in – never pass up a bathroom – still not getting that this was the archaeology site en route I’d read about. So we used the washrooms, then Nedjo blithely asked, “What is this place?” and the friendly and knowledgeable guide/supervisor was happy to give us a tour. La Mata, a site dating from the 8th to 5th century BCE, was interesting to explore. Its adobe brick structure was remarkably well preserved and there was an area where they would have crushed grapes, and another that was clearly a hearth.

Our guide also gushed enthusiastically about the next town of Magacela which we’d seen atop its hilltop location in the distance since yesterday. It was especially impressive last evening when lit up. So we offered up our thanks and pushed on.

The track was often sandy and easy going, but occasionally there would be a muddy section which really slowed us down. As we neared Magacela I thought we might even make it there in time for coffee! It was a steep climb and given the 27.7 kilometre day, we weren’t sure it was totally wise, but how could we resist. So we climbed slowly up, I got my coffee and toast and at each level we thought, we’ve come so far we might as well keep going. So that took us all the way up to the castle which was  open to just wander around. It was an absolutely amazing site with Roman origins, Islamic-era towers, as well as a Christian church and graveyard. We were so glad that we had made the effort.

The climb down from the castle and Magacela wasn’t too bad and a path took us out on the direction we were heading. After a while there was a two kilometre highway stretch, but luckily with room to step off when needed. Then it was a short jaunt into La Haba where we found a bench to eat our late lunch of cheese, crackers, cuke, tomato, nuts and chocolate. We knew we could stop in La Haba if we were tired but we decided that we liked the sound of the larger Don Benito and had read that the final seven and a half kilometres would be easy—which which they were. It was a straight dirt/sand track all the way in—right into the city! It was mainly grain for that whole last part and so green with the newly emerging shoots.

We found a good-sounding hostal in the centre and were happy they had a room available at the right price (Hostal Galicia, €50). By the time we rested and showered it was dinner time, but it turned out it had been light-up so everything was busy. So we ate some chestnuts – best yet – and admired the lights and partook of the excellent people-watching opportunity before heading back to the hostal restaurant. It was packed but there was a free table and we enjoyed our meal and friendly server. We felt that we were turning into Spaniards eating dinner at 10:00!