Friday, May 5, 2023
Walking from Zamora to Montamarta
20.5 kilometers

The old historic town of Zamora is beautiful and has an atmosphere and feeling similar to Salamanca – energetic and alive. After another night in a dismal albergue and enduring some of the loudest snoring I have ever heard, I’m glad to be leaving. Maybe the accommodation in Montamarta will be better.

As we left Zamora we came across a very old Camino Way marker. This one indicates 377 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela. That means we have walked over 630 kilometers so far. By the time we get to Granja de Moreruela where we turn left from the Via de la Plata to the Camino Sanabres, we will have completed 2/3 of the 1000-kilometer pilgrimage walk.

After walking through a busy section of Zamora, we were finally out of the city and walking by the highway north to Montemarta. Tom is on the path just off the highway.

The Camino path along the highway here is narrow and with so much thick brush that it was difficult to even use my hiking poles. Not a bad thing – my upper body can use a short rest.

The Camino path turned off the highway, and we were again on a gravel/dirt farm road in expansive fields. The long road ahead to Montamarta continues far into the distance.

Over the next hill, the expansive fields of wheat continue as far as we can see.

After a long morning of walking, the Camino path came along a high-speed rail line. We did see a train pass, but it was so fast, I did not have time to get my camera out for a photo. I did get a photo of Javier ahead of me with the rail line in the background.

Near a rail line overpass crossing, a marked Guardia Civil car came up to us to see if everything was all right. The Guardia Civil is a national police force, and one of their responsibilities is overseeing the safety of pilgrims on the many Camino routes to Santiago de Compostela. They are highly trusted by the Spanish people. I have heard so many good things about the Guardia Civil, so I thanked them for what they do. They said we could call if any problems arose, and seemed happy that I knew the number, 062. They were also happy that I had the AlertCops app on my phone. This is an app created by the Spanish government that connects you and your location immediately with a multi-lingual agent in case of emergency.

Javier had gone ahead of Tom and me and was waiting on the bridge over the rail line. When the Guardia Civil stopped to talk with him, they offered him a ride into Montamarta. Maybe because he was stopped? They did not offer a lift to Tom and me…hmmm… I’m happy to have seen them. They are out there, even though we seldom see them, because mostly they are undercover.

Approaching Montamarta, we saw another farmer working the fields. With these vast, expansive fields, we do not see farmers out there working often, but they are there. Farming is a large business here.

And with this being a shorter day at only a little over 20 kilometers or under 5 hours of walking, we were soon in Montamarta.

The albergue is on the outskirts of town, and when we took a look, it was dismal – small, cramped, and not nice at all. Tom searched and found private accommodation, a room in a house. We would share the house with a couple from Italy. This is a very small town. The lady, Ann, who runs the grocery market (supermercado in Spanish), also runs the main bar/cafe, and provides private accommodation for pilgrims. Quite an entrepreneur.

The house was nice, clean, spacious, and had a kitchen. We met Javier at the bar/cafe for lunch and got some items at Ann’s grocery so Tom could cook dinner. Being a shorter day, an afternoon rest was welcome.

The problems with my right foot and left lower leg are not going away. We are in what could be called a Camino “bubble” of pilgrims. When we were in Zamora, there were 30 pilgrims in the albergue, but the day before, only 6 or 7. In the next town, Granja de Moreruela, there is only one albergue with 30 beds, and the two small private accommodations are already booked. This pilgrim bubble is more than 30, so tomorrow will be a race to get to the albergue early. The “race” is not what I signed up for – I’d like to be able to take my time, take photos, and enjoy the walk. This race, the albergues, and the problems with my right foot and left leg are pulling my mood down. I am questioning why I am here, and do not have a good answer.

Next: Montamarta to Granja de Moreruela