An unexpected revelation this morning. Our intended accommodation for last night (hidden from sight of two weary pilgrims at the end of a long day) was not where we ended up. Where we stayed was truly a 'unique' experience but very much a working 'bloke' abode, filled with workmen clad in 'hard yakka' Hi Vis uniform. Rooms slightly larger than ours were packed three to a room and the inhabitants used male/female bathrooms equally, with little regard for niceties. We looked in dismay upon our intended accommodation as we departed this morning.
We trekked along the original old highway for the first few kilometres to avoid the rocky surface of the Camino track. There was minimal traffic and it was a pleasure to ‘rest’ the feet on the smoother surface. The day was beautiful, fresh and clear as the sun rose ever so slowly. The countryside was wooded and infrequently pasture held cattle, goats and sheep.
On the way we were startled by low flying unmarked military aircraft, fast and furious. There were several in the air and the suddenness, the speed and altitude were unexpected. Then as quickly as they had appeared, they were gone. We have heard and seen military aircraft throughout our trek, but usually singularly and at much higher altitude. We were previously told the USA has bases in Spain, so not sure to which military the aircraft belonged.
At a village 16 km along the way we met up with several pilgrims. One was the elderly gent from yesterday, an interesting 83 year old from Germany who walks a different Camino every year, covering huge distances including from Valencia and Malaga. He told a fascinating, feel good story about how back in 2012 the camino saved his life, but that’s another story for that conversation over a bottle of red. He walks alone, typically 25km per day. He is Sigmund, from Nuremberg where he worked previously in nuclear power plants. We compared dates and realised Sigmund will have departed Santiago before we arrive. No rest days or dallying! It’s humbling to reflect on our thoughts yesterday when we first saw him and felt he appeared almost too frail to be walking. A lesson provided time and time again, don’t judge a book by its cover.
After a light lunch we walked on the road verge rather than further inland on the actual camino, taking us directly to our accommodation. We walked 8 km and on our journey were rewarded with amazing sights. The area has a signficant number of castles and huge homes, many deserted. I delighted in photographing them. One of the castles is tonight's accommodation. It stands majestically on a hill. The castle dates back to the 1500s and stands three floors high, with battlements on top, and a round tower to one corner. The rock walls are sound though showing some degradation of mortar and in places cracking is evident. Within the castle grounds there are a number of buildings, barns, and olive groves.
Entering the castle was a unique experience. The floor consists of giant granite slabs. Along one wall was a fireplace large enough for Jenny to walk into, probably three metres wide. Most rooms were large with high ceilings. Some were not. Surprisingly the doors were low, and some required ducking for entry (at least by me.) Our room was up wide marble stairs and at the first landing a sharp left turn and up another 5 steps to our room through a heavy timber door with an ancient locking mechanism. Two very large windows look out from our room to the central courtyard of the castle. Thankfully it has been modernised with a very upmarket ensuite and heated air conditioning!
The nearest town is a 4km walk. With no dinner provided, we had no intention of walking any further than we had already today. Instead we raided the fridge for provisions which were to be our breakfast. (Ham sandwich for me, marmalade for Jenny.) It's not the first night that we've had to skimp on dinner out of necessity, but with all our walking, our appetites have surprisingly diminished so it is no problem.
The kitchen is located across the landing from our room, which meant down the stairs to the landing from the bedroom, then up four stairs opposite to the kitchen, down more stairs to enter and then everything in reverse. Not to mention the stairs up to the dining room on the next level. It is clearly not designed for anyone with mobility issues.
Overall, the castle has a certain charm. It is quite welcoming if not homely, but hard to get one's head around the sheer size and the enormity of the repair and restoration budget, as well as ongoing high maintenance. We are alone in the castle tonight. So as a business proposition it shows very little potential. Ownership has to be a labour of love.
The video below is only about the castle. If you want to see what a castle of this vintage and location is like, then watch the video. If not, then skip over it.
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