Day 49 – Soria to Villasayas

Day 49                                            6/9/16
51miles (Soria to Villasayas (Fuentegelmes)) Average speed 10.3 mph Top speed 30mph

 

A truly amazing day. Bread and jam for brekkie (thanks again Ibis). Followed the so100 –  a long road and a very dry heat. Vultures and desert-like surroundings all day

Stopped for a drink in Quintana Redonda with a Moroccan barman with whom I spoke French .

Two beautiful horses in a garden nearby. I considered visiting  the caves of Soria but a 10km round trip seemed too far. The scenery changed as the day went on from dry farmland into a valley. Stopped for lunch  in Andaluz, where I met 5 guys on horseback doing the Duoro river all the way to Porto from its source in the mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spoke to Jose and Jack and Socks the horse. Lunched watching vultures flying overhead. It was superb seeing them feeding their young and the noise was incredible. There must have been 30 or so. Flying directly above me it was as if they were putting on a show for me.

All the way down through rocks and onto Casillas de Berlanga de Douro .

Considered staying there after 30 very long hot and dry miles. But decided to wild camp so bought food and had a look at the castle. Then onto Caltojar where I decided to try Bordecorex for a tester camping option. Then took an unpaved road and it looked so wild with thick forest that I was too scared of wild boar or bears to stop. Eventually got to Villasayas (population 96: 2004 census)  absolutely knackered and covered in dust. Asked a girl if she spoke English and to my surprise she did, perfectly. Even in this derelict farming town she was obviously well educated. She directed me to a church – no campsite here, so ended up sleeping in the church porch – la Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion (church of Our Lady of the Assumption) but not until 9pm.

Cooked pasta with tomatoes and chorizo while fighting off wild cats and dogs! Old man walked passed and said good eve as if it was normal for some nutter to be camped in his church. Oh the bells!

The church bells rang the quarter hours, but I was so tired I didn’t really notice until I’d had about 3 hours sleep.