Day 20 Villanueva de las Peras to Villar de Farfón – 29km

No other pilgrims joined us last night, so it was just Charlie and me having dinner together at the Albergue. We spent the evening chatting and enjoying the tranquility of the quiet Albergue. Charlie stayed in the apartment upstairs, leaving me with the dorm all to myself—a lovely setup for a peaceful night’s sleep. In the morning, I could pack with the lights on and tidy up properly before heading out.

The route out of town led along very quiet roads, allowing me to walk without using my torch. It was a brisk morning, and as the road descended toward the next town, Santa Marta de Tera, the temperature dropped even further—probably around 5°C. I crossed the Rio Tera and spent the rest of the morning walking along a track that followed the river’s course. Mist lingered over the fields, but as the sun rose and began warming the air, the mist gradually disappeared. I was relieved to finally feel the temperature start to rise.

Over the past few days, I’ve been steadily walking westward toward Santiago, now only a couple of weeks away—about 300 kilometers to go! To the north, a new mountain range has come into view: the Montes de León. Each day, they seem to inch closer, and in a few days, I’ll face the challenge of climbing over a pass. The thought is both exciting and daunting!

The countryside resembled yesterday’s, with burnt trees scattered across the landscape—a stark reminder of the devastating fires that swept through the region in 2022, destroying many acres of woodland.

Later on the trail, I encountered three hares heading toward me. As soon as they noticed me, they darted into the bushes and disappeared. It was such a fleeting, magical moment with nature!

The route eventually led to a hydroelectric dam and its reservoir. My Albergue was located about four kilometers further along the trail. Luckily, it also served coffee and refreshments for pilgrims, attracting a steady stream of visitors popping in for a drink. Among them was Matt from Bristol, who chatted with me for about half an hour. It was a real treat to speak with another Brit—there aren’t many of us on the Camino.