Vía de la Plata – Day 12

Today I woke up tired; I wasn’t sleeping so well. The room was small for 6 people, and there was no ventilation. Also, the bed was moving and shaking every time I moved.

By the time I got up at 8:00, all the pilgrims had left. I had a quick coffee at the vending machine and packed my bag. I started walking at around 08:30. I thought there would be a place to eat at the next stop, but it turned out there was no next stop, only Galisteo.

As I left the town, the Camino trail left the main route and curved between hills and valleys. The route was picturesque with rich vegetation around. The fog was just rising up from the valley, uncovering the hills on both sides. It was a bit warmer than yesterday, and the weather was cloudy but dry. Nevertheless, I had to fight with the mud along the way.

I had to open and close gates at least 20 times today, as the trail leads through several private pasture lands, mostly with cows. This whole zone sits near the buffer area of Monfragüe National Park, one of Spain’s top wildlife areas. Typical fauna that I encountered: the Iberian imperial eagle, black stork, and black vultures. The dehesa structure is actually ideal for these species because it mixes open visibility with tree cover.

After closing in on Galisteo, it was unmistakable. What stands out immediately is its perfectly preserved mediaeval wall, built mainly in the 13th century after the Christian reconquest. It is constructed using river stones, giving it a unique texture. Almost completely intact.

In the city I bumped into the same problem: there is only one albergue with limited capacity, already fully booked. Furthermore, all the hotel rooms were sold out. At 14:30, after walking 30 km, I decided to eat lunch and ask the locals for help.

The waitress recommended taking a taxi to Carcaboso with more options. The driver told me that he transports pilgrims regularly between these two towns because the Camino runs 11 km long on asphalt, basically the same road used by cars. I usually avoid such options on the Camino, but I had to find a bed before all the hotel rooms were gone.

I managed to get the last room. Unfortunately, the hotel doesn’t provide laundry service, and there are no laundries in the village either. I am running low on clean clothes, so tomorrow washing will be a priority.