Cervera de Pisuerga to Guardo 40kms

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Cervera de Pisuerga to Guardo 40kms

It started out clear as I left at dawn and stayed sunny for about the first hour. However, as I climbed higher the mist dropped and it stayed dull for about the next 3 hours. Luckily, it cleared up and the rest of the day was mostly in sunshine. The first hour of the walk, as the path climbed higher,was a lovely stroll along a rural track. I met a couple of hunters on the way but was not sure what they were after. Once the main climb ended it was a delightful day walking through high tracks and pastures.  Lots of cows, with their slightly off tune bells, and an amazing number of mouse holes! Cervera was a pretty little town, although very quite. However, there was a lot of interesting architecture. The route was sparsely marked for the first section today, but the final 20km or so was much better.  Still a variety of routes marked so it still needs harmonising for clarity. I’ve included a photo of a bridge that I’m pleased was no longer in use. When entering one of the very small villages, I think it was the one just before Santibanez, I saw an old lady struggling up the hill with two bags in her hand at a walking stick. She was very bent over and about half way up placed one bag on the floor.  I assume to walk back and collect later!  I could hardly go strolling past, so I picked up the dropped bag and offered to take the other one to help her home. Her house mush have been about 700m away and she had gone to her plot to get today’s vegetables.  Needless to say, it took a while to get to her house and she nattered all the way, despite me saying how little Spanish I had. However, once we got to her house she gave me a wonderful tomato and then insisted on taking me to the church. It was next to her house and she wanted to show me the very old stone with the pilgrim symbols on it.  Well worth the detour as it looks like it may come from the days of the original pilgrims.  Hope to go to Puente-Almuhey tomorrow via the ‘mountain route, so let’s hope the weather is OK.