Finding Balance amid Frustration : Alcazarén to Valladoid and onward to Simancas

After another quiet and peaceful night, we made ourselves a breakfast of coffee, bread, and jam in the albergue before heading out into a cold (-2°C), sunny, morning.  We made our way back through town to drop off the key to the albergue, and then headed out into the countryside. 

 

We passed a winery at the edge of town, crossed over a busy highway, and began following a hard packed gravel road among open cow pastures.  The smell of cattle hung heavy in the cool air, and delicate steam rose from a large manure pile a little ways off the path. Sunlight reflected off a patch of solar panels as the temperature began to rise. 

Just before we entered another stand of majestic pines we paused on the side of the trail to remove our sweaters.  Already the morning was warming up, and the birds seemed to be taking full advantage of the beautiful spring sunshine.  The persistent call of a cuckoo echoed from across the river, the call of a rooster sounded behind us in the distance, and the drumming of a woodpecker beat a tattoo from somewhere nearby.  

For the next few kilometers we walked along a pleasant sandy track beside the river.  Sunlight filtered down through the dense pine canopy, lighting up the spiky dune grasses and delicate pink and purple wildflowers on the forest floor.  Eventually we came to a paved road and crossed over the Eresma River for the last time on its pedestrian walkway. 

A short stretch of country road took us up a small rise, where we got a clear view of the large white stucco and red brick Siete Iglesias hermitage.  Shortly afterwards we descended to a small treed park with picnic tables and information signage on the banks of the Adajo River.  We stopped for a break and a snack, hanging out with the half dozen parks employees that were also enjoying a smoke break in the park before returning to their work of tree planting. 

After a short break we crossed a very low-lying bridge over the water.  The old stone arches were almost completely submerged, and the fast-moving brown water was only a few inches below the bed of the bridge.  It made us very thankful that the river wasn't running high due to rain or spring thaw. 

The trail climbed back up out of the river valley into the countryside, where small patches of pine dotted fields of light green grain and onions, brilliant yellow canola, and sandy brown soil.  We were happy to be greeted by a metal sculpture of a pilgrim welcoming walkers to the nearby community of Matapozuelos. 

As the white line of the Camino snaked through the fields ahead of us we watched futuristic commuter trains zipping by towards Valladolid, and soon we saw the tall brick bell tower of the church in Valdestillas ahead of us.  We were surrounded by birdsong and grateful for the cool temperatures and good weather on the route. 

The medium sized town of Valdestillas is essentially a suburb of Valladolid, the capital city of Castille y Leon.  It is a nice mix of old and new, rural and urban, and features the Gothic Church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario and the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Milagro.  We stopped in one of its bars for a break and café con leche, and learned from the TV in the corner that there was still snow falling both ahead and behind us on the trail, and that the pass we took through the Sierra Guadarrama mountains is currently closed.  Once again, we felt blessed by good fortune! 

At the far end of town we crossed over a picturesque bridge of unknown age, and then picked up a sandy footpath through pine trees that ran parallel to the busy highway.  The Camino markers were on the crash barriers on the narrow edge of the pavement, but we decided to follow the gravel track of the nearby GR trail which ran parallel to the road but was well removed.  

The only difference was that we added perhaps a kilometer when we crossed the train track on a pedestrian underpass rather than on the highway. 

 

 

Walking along the roadway through rolling hills and forests was uneventful.  After a few kilometers of sandy track we caught our first glimpse of the red roofs of Puente Duero ahead of us, as well as the apartment buildings and housing developments on the outskirts of Valladolid 11 km beyond that. 

Puente Duero began with a long winding treed street of landscaped homes.  We then crossed into the main part of town on an impressive, if very narrow, medieval stone bridge.  Luckily no cars crossed the single-lane span while we scurried across.  On the far side we found a wide street with a greenspace running down the center, which was lined with homes and businesses, including bars, restaurants, and a pharmacy. 

After taking a look at the church and checking to see if we could get our credentials stamped (it was closed), we walked across the street to the bus stop.  Our guidebook had suggested that taking a trip to see Valladolid was a worthwhile addition to this Camino, so we had booked accommodations there for the night (there was no albergue).  However, when the bus arrived we weren't permitted to take it without having a bus pass. When we asked where we could purchase one, the driver simply kept repeating that we must have a pass to board the bus - cash and cards were not accepted.  Amid all of this a local resident offered for us to just use her bus card which the driver refused to allow her to do.  When we asked again for help or for directions so we could purchase a pass the bus driver yelled 'go home American touristimo!', slammed the door shut and drove off.

 

 

The only thing open in the town was the bar, so even if these passes were available somewhere in town, buying them wasn't an option for a few hours at the very least.  We have later discovered that it is likely possible to pay the bus fare through an App on your phone, but we don't have a lot of data available, and didn't figure this out until afterwards.  If you are walking the route and plan to take the AUVASA bus into Valladolid we recommend figuring out exactly what is required to do this in advance. 

It was around 4:30 pm when our bus mishap occurred, so we went into the bar for a café con leche to figure out what to do next.  There is an albergue in Puente Duero, but tonight we needed WiFi to give a work-related presentation back in Canada, as well as a private space where we could talk at 2:30 am without disturbing others.  So, we decided that rather than walking 11 km beside a freeway to Valladolid, we would walk another 6 km along the Camino to Simancas, where there were private rooms available (no albergue).  Perhaps it was a sign that we simply weren't meant to leave the Camino.

In the hot sunshine of the late afternoon, we set off for Simancas.  We mostly followed a dirt footpath that skirted around neighborhoods and followed along beside larger roads.  After crossing a somewhat unnerving roundabout we came to a long medieval bridge over the Rio Pisuerga.  A bronze statue of two pilgrims pointed the way across the bridge, and the hilltop town of Simancas towered above us, dominated by the impressive Gothic Church of El Salvador with its tall Romanesque Tower.  

The medieval bridge with its 17 arches was filled with locals, sightseers, and cyclists as we crossed, several of whom wished us a 'Buen Camino!' as they passed by.  An old Roman bridge used to occupy this site, located on the road that connected Mérida to Zaragoza.  The current bridge was constructed in the 13th century with different semicircular and pointed arches, some of which have needed repairs throughout the centuries. 

A grassy park with an inviting looking restaurant was located on the far shore of the shallow sandy river under the shade of tall trees.  The yellows arrows then pointed us up the very steep, narrow, winding streets of the town.  

Simancas, which was originally the Roman town Septimanica, was built at an important Roman crossroads.  It was an Episcopal See since 927 and an important defensive site along the Duero River, and now it is a picturesque hilltop town with a castle and a large church. 

As we huffed and puffed up the steep winding streets we suddenly got our first glimpse of the light grey stone of the huge, chateau-style castle.  It was originally built by the Moors, but after it was captured by the Christians it was rebuilt by Alfonso III.  In 1545 it was designated as the General Archive of the Kingdom, which it still is today.  It houses over 32 million documents in 52 rooms.  Unfortunately it is temporarily closed at the moment, so we were unable to visit. 

After a short detour to admire the outside of the castle, we continued to climb up to the Church of El Salvador.  Happily the door was open, and we could hear music coming from within.  A very nice priest was preparing for a later service, and he graciously provided stamps for our pilgrim passports.  He also gave us a personalized tour, explaining the history of the church, the cloister, and the Italian painting in a humbling mix of Spanish, French, English, and with a mischievous smile, Latin.  We were grateful for his kindness and consideration after the rudeness of the bus driver and the unexpected change of plans. 

We wove our way back down through town to our hotel, took a shower, did our laundry, and then headed back up to the main square in the hopes of grabbing something to eat.  We sat at a table on the edge of the square, watching the local boys playing a lively game of soccer among the pillars and arches of the town hall, and enjoying a cold cerveza.  Unfortunately no food was served until 8 pm, but the bar tender took pity on us and served a very large and delicious platter of Iberian ham.  We sat in the square until the temperature dropped below our comfort level, and then we made our way back to our room to prepare for the presentation and get some much needed sleep. 

Things don't always work out the way we plan, but on the Camino it often feels like they work out the way they should.

Distance: 30.7 km
Accommodations: Hotel Pago del Olivo