Day 11 Valdesalor to Casar de Cáceres - 23km

I didn’t sleep too well last night. At last, I gave up trying to get back to sleep, got up as quietly as possible, and got ready to leave. It was no surprise to me that Steve was already awake—he normally leaves much earlier than I do. I said goodbye, wished him well on his journey, and stepped out into the night.
It wasn’t as cold as previous mornings, but I still needed my jacket zipped up and my hands in my pockets. I was relieved that there wasn’t as much walking on roads today, though progress is a bit slower off them. With my head torch on, I dodged large stones, deep puddles of water, and mud. After about an hour and a half, it was light enough to see without the torch, and I could make out my path to the city of Cáceres. Landmarks on the horizon can take a long time to come closer, and it was probably another hour before I reached the city suburbs, around 7 a.m. The streets were still quiet as I made my way through them quickly. At one point, I missed my turning because, unusually, there were no yellow arrows to guide me. After two or three minutes without seeing any arrows, I checked my app and realized I had missed the turn, so I had to retrace my steps.
The route took me up the hill into the old city and past the cathedral. It was still closed, so I continued on, passing the Church of Santiago, which reminded me of my pilgrim journey and destination. I stopped by the bullring for breakfast: a baguette with ham and cheese. 
As I walk north I can see the range of mountains ( Sierra de Gata) ahead of me, some still covered in snow.

As I left Cáceres, the route initially followed a main road. After 45 minutes, it branched off to the left, leading me into the countryside. It felt so nice to be walking on good tracks without traffic nearby. A couple of hours later, I reached the town where I am staying tonight, Casar de Cáceres.
The albergue is run by the local council and is quite basic. It’s located in a small plaza opposite the town hall and next to a bar. Apparently, it can be quite noisy in the evening. The town hall chimes a loud bell on the hour and repeats it a minute later. At midnight, it rings 12 chimes (plus the repeat), but it should stop until 7 a.m. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to sleep tonight—or maybe I’ll sleep through it all?

I need to think about getting some lunch this afternoon if I can, and then find a quiet spot to sit out in the sun. The weather is perfect at the moment: sunny from dawn to dusk, but with cool air that makes it quite pleasant.

Comments

  1. Lyn29 March 2025 at 15:19

    I like the snow capped mountains. They remind me of Eryri as viewed from Anglesey.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MartinV30 March 2025 at 15:08

      Yes, they are lovely from Anglesey. I don't see the snow on them often enough.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous30 March 2025 at 08:15

    Lovely photos, Martin, especially the sunrise. Hope you managed to sleep through the bells! Jane M

    ReplyDelete
  3. MartinV30 March 2025 at 15:14

    Thanks Jane. I think I need a nap to catch up 😴

    ReplyDelete

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