VdlP Day 20 – Jarilla to Banos de Montemayor. Just 20 kms today.
This day again had some options. I have to say it was a really good day’s walking. The staff in the Hostel Asturias gave us some information and some directions on walking the Via Verde. The Via Verde is a relatively new path that’s been created along an old railway line. Basically, you walk out of the hostel, you go across the car park and you’re on it. It’s a beautiful walking surface through the lovely countryside and potentially you can take that all the way to Baños.
It’s really interesting because as you’re walking along you are passing the old station buildings and so on. It was a lovely walk but two of our party decided to stay on the Via Verde all the way to Baños and two of us decided to come off at Aldeanueva del Camino and take the road route. It wasn’t totally clear from the guidebooks how long the Via Verde was. We thought that it might add too much distance because it seemed to go round the back of a big hill. So, two of us went through Aldeanueva and we had to put up with a 10 kilometre road walk up a hill which I have to say was pretty unpleasant with lots of false peaks if you know what I mean. You walk 2 or 3k’s up to what you think is the top of the hill and then only to see another hill beyond it. It wasn’t a very pleasant road walk.
The two others in our group who stayed on the via verde and went this long loop around the back of the hill actually had a much better walk, although it took them a much greater distance. I think it took them two hours longer. But they also got to jump off and have a look at our fantastic old town which I think it’s called Huevas, which was really interesting. So, a couple of alternatives there, Baños itself is lovely old town and we were able to find a great place to have a menu del dia which is always a great way to end the day. Altogether another awesome day on VDLP.
We stayed Albergue Turístico Vía de la Plata, which was really good. Nice 4 bedded rooms, and breakfast was provided. They also had a washing machine I think I recall!
Not having the walking surface marked on the guides seem to be a very serious omission to me Rob, surely its fundamental to planing a daily route.
They do give a rough idea. But there are dirt tracks….and dirt tracks….they vary quite a lot. Road walking is the hardest on the feet though and its not ‘always’ clear if you are walking ON the road or on a path next to the road.
I did the same taking the Via Verde from Jarilla, but I took it all the way to Banos. It was long, but very nice scenery, quiet and not road. It was clearly marked on Mapy.cz, which my French walking buddy recommended. Stayed in the same auberge as you did, just the two of us – loved the old Macs on display.
Great Albergue isn’t it !