Monday, 6 May 2024
Calzadilla de Tera to Villar de Farfón
11.3 kilometers

Today’s stage walking on the Camino Sanabrés was characterized by warmer, clear weather under blue skies with occasional white fluffy clouds, and by a short stretch, almost bushwacking through a dense, almost jungle as we walked through the forest up to a hydroelectric dam over the Rio Tera.

The route today is generally west, partly along the Rio Tera, over the dam, and around the reservoir. The steepest hill in the elevation graph was to get up to the top of the dam. On the maps, several of the towns end in “De Tera” basically meaning that they are along or close to the Tera River (Rio Tera).

The Camino Sanabrés path passed right by our accommodation in Calzadilla de Tera. Knowing that we had a short, recovery stage today and that we would be back in our accommodation again tonight, we did not need to rush out the door early, and we could lighten our load by leaving things not needed in the room. We got out and on the road by about 9:20 AM, joining the path paralleling a canal for about a kilometer or more.

Just a couple of kilometers into the walk we arrived at a small, very quiet town of Olleros de Tera. We saw no people as we walked through the town. I got a photo of Ron and Dan ahead of me leaving Olleros de Tera. Notice the yellow arrows on the left giving us confidence that we are on the right path.

At the end of Olleros de Tera, we crossed a minor highway, and I noticed this very old Camino sign as we crossed the highway and entered a secondary road. To the right of the secondary road are Ron and Dan passing a newer yellow Camino arrow.

We are now walking through farmland, with a line of trees along the road. Amid the green trees was a very distinct flowering tree, so I got a photo as Ron and Dan walked by.

Rounding a bend, still in the farmland, we came upon a church, not close to a town or any houses. It is unclear why it is there. The doors were locked and no people were in sight other than a couple of pilgrims resting on some benches across the road. Dan took a photo of me at the door of the church.

After walking for a little while longer, we could see more of the burnt trees from the extensive fires in 2022. In the background, we could see a hydroelectric dam. At the time, we did not realize that we would be walking across the top of that dam in about a half hour.

Before we got to the dam, we went downhill and into a denser part of the forest, almost a jungle. The path was narrow and at times we were uncertain where exactly the path was. Here are a couple more photos of us almost bushwacking through the forest/jungle as we approached the dam.

The last 50 meters was a very steep climb uphill, steeper than climbing stairs. We made it up that climb and approached the dam.

The yellow arrows directed us over the top. I took two photos from the middle of the dam, one looking upstream at the reservoir, and one looking downstream.

This dam is the Dam of Our Lady of Agavanzal, and the only reference I could find indicated it was built recently, in 1994. The Camino route turned left after crossing the dam and we walked around the reservoir, the Reservoir of Our Lady of Agavanzal. I could not find a reference for who Our Lady of Agavanzal is or was. Here is a photo looking across the reservoir with the dam in the background.

As we traversed the lake, I got yet another photo of Ron and Dan ahead of me in the quiet, natural setting by the lake.

And very soon, we were in Villar de Farfón, jackets off, a beautiful warm day.

We walked through the small town following signs indicating coffee and wifi. It was an albergue at the end of town. There was no coffee, but we had a cold Coca-Cola as we waited for our transport back to Calzadilla de Tera. Tomorrow morning, the driver will pick us up and drop us off at the albergue to start where we left off today.

While waiting for the driver, we had a nice chat with the hospitalero. He has been a missionary in Africa and India, and lived the power of prayer. He told us a couple of examples where God came through after praying for something. A very nice man who fully understands the introspective and reflective qualities of the Camino.

Tomorrow is another short day of about 15 kilometers of walking. And it is expected to be a little bit warmer and clear. A nice change from the unseasonably cool days we have experienced to date.

Next: Day 6 – Villar de Farfón to Mombuey, 15.3 kilometers