If you are considering walking the Via de la Plata, maybe my experience walking this Camino de Santiago can be useful and insightful. I hope reading these words can help you with your own Camino. I divided the story regarding my Camino into four parts. This is the second part of the Via de la Plata, from Mérida to Salamanca.
Before reading my story, note that this article only covers the second part of the Via de la Plata, from Mérida to Salamanca. I started the Camino in Sevilla, here you can read part one. If you’re looking for tips on how to plan for this Camino instead, read this article.
Finally, you should also note that these stages may not coincide with the official ones you will find in other guides. Some personal challenges made me change my initial plans. But you’ll soon read all about it. As for the stages, I wrote an article where I cover all the Via de la Plata stages with accommodation and advice.
Mérida: The first challenge of the Via de la Plata
The second part of the Via de la Plata was full of unexpected events and deviations from the official stages and route. It was also the part that challenged some of my beliefs and habits. I’m a planner, and although I knew I couldn’t plan this, I didn’t expect to be forced to go so far off the path.
Merida was my first big challenge on the Camino. I had to let go of my perfectionism, which was not easy. I couldn’t take six full weeks off from work, so I had to do some work now and then. By the time I reached Merida, I was approaching the end of a big project that I was behind on. At the same time, I had made friends on the Camino who kept going.
I had planned two days off in Merida to visit the city and catch up on work. But between spending time with people and basic chores like washing my clothes, the time left for work was not nearly enough. So, I had to make a choice. Stay longer in Merida and lose the group, keep walking and compromise my work, or give up on my perfectionism and catch a bus for a short bit so I could have some extra time for work and catch up with my group.
In hindsight, it looks like a simple decision. There was a clear win-win situation. Except it’s not that easy to go against your core beliefs. I had embarked on this Camino with the idea to walk the whole one thousand kilometers, no catching busses. I didn’t even think about the possibility of catching a bus until I had to face this dilemma.
Long story short, with a painful feeling of failure in my gut, I decided to catch a bus for a short bit so I could have extra time for work and meet my group. I later made peace with this choice and learned that being flexible and kind to yourself is much better than being stubborn and adamantly adhering to this idea of the perfect Camino. There is no such thing. And there are many things we can’t control, like weather or sickness. I would soon learn this too.
Stage 10: Mérida to Alcuescar
On the 11th day of walking the Via de la Plata, I woke up before sunrise to catch an early bus from Mérida to Aljucén. I would only skip 16 kilometers, but this would allow me to walk a shorter bit and catch up with my group.
Walking to the bus station, I saw a beautiful sunrise over Merida, which made me feel slightly better about my choice. Looking out the window from the bus, however, I felt a sense of disappointment for not being able to walk along the beautiful landscape.
In Aljucén, I got off the bus and went to the only bar in town to have breakfast. With no surprise whatsoever, I found two of my Camino friends having breakfast there. Suddenly I felt much better. We walked together for a while before separating and walking each at our own pace.
We had previously learned that there was no accommodation in Alcuéscar, which was supposed to be our next stop. The alternative was to stop at a restaurant with a few rooms just off the highway in Cruce de las Herrerias. We called in advance to book our rooms and got either double or single rooms. I had the weirdest single room with a shower cabin smack in the middle of it.
The restaurant had a pilgrim menu, so I had a big lunch, got some work done, and spent some time with the others. We knew that the next day it would rain, probably very hard, the entire day, so we decided to take a bus to Caceres if that was the case.
Stage 11: Alcuéscar to Cáceres
We woke up to pouring rain, so there was no doubt about catching the bus. Aside from the weather, my feet had not completely healed, so there was no way I could walk 38 kilometers, or even 10, with my hiking boots.
More pilgrims got on the bus along the way, which made me feel better about yet another deviation from the original plan. When we arrived in Cáceres, I spent a few hours working in a café before checking in at the albergue. The rainy day proved perfect for working, so that was what I did all day.
I had planned to stay two nights in Cáceres. On the second day, I managed to do some sightseeing, but I felt extremely tired. I already knew the next stage would be complicated due to the lack of accommodation in Embalse de Alcántara. There were several options, but we decided to catch a bus or train to Cañaveral and walk from there to Grimaldo.
Cáceres: More unexpected situations
The following morning, a Sunday, I woke up with a bit of a headache and a general weird feeling. I was unsure what to do but decided to buy a rapid COVID test just to be sure. I didn’t want to risk going to an albergue and possibly infecting other people. Also, I knew being in a big city while testing positive was better than being in some tiny village in the middle of nowhere.
So I took a test, and what I feared the most happened. The test came back positive. I immediately left the albergue but was unsure what to do. I wasn’t feeling very sick, just tired and lightheaded. First, I tried going to the Centro de Salud but found it closed. Then, I went to the emergency room, but they sent me away, telling me they treated real emergencies there, and that was not it. I just wanted to know what I was supposed to do and whom I was supposed to call.
Finally, I decided to book a private room for one night and figure things out on Monday. I asked for advice from the hospitalero, and he told me there was no more need for isolation, just wearing a mask and keeping my distance. Once in the room, I crashed and slept for a few hours.
I spent the day in my room, and the following morning I decided I would go to the Centro de Salud to figure out what to do. When I did get to speak to someone, they confirmed what the hospitalero had said. Isolation was no longer a requirement, and they were not going to do a PCR test for anyone under 65. “Wear a mask and keep your distance.” That was it.
Confused yet somehow relieved, I walked away. I was already feeling much better. The fatigue had gone away. I only felt slightly lightheaded, but that was it. At that point, I could either isolate myself in Cáceres for a few days or keep walking while avoiding people and staying in private accommodations. I decided on the latter.
Disclaimer
I feel like clarification is necessary. I made sure I followed the rules in Spain at the time, which didn’t require isolation. During the following days, and until I got a negative result, I took all the precautions I could. I wore a mask whenever I got near people, avoided crowded places, tried to get takeout instead of eating out, stayed in private rooms, and avoided contact as much as possible. All my symptoms (mainly fatigue and a bit of headache) disappeared two days after leaving Caceres.
Throughout my whole Camino, before and after I tested positive, I came across many people who had cold-like symptoms. I don’t know how others behaved and whether they got tests. I do know that a good number of pilgrims very likely walked while having COVID. That was just the reality of the time. I am simply sharing my honest experience here, and it would have been unfair not to mention these circumstances.
Stage 12: Cáceres to Galisteo
I packed my bag, left the room, and went to catch a bus to skip the problematic areas with no accommodation. I wore a mask and stayed away from people as much as possible. The bus left me 7 kilometers from Riolobos, so I had to walk for a while on the side of the road.
Finally, I joined the official Camino and walked a little more until Galisteo. It was a total of 10 kilometers, a short day that would allow me to work the whole afternoon. I was almost in Galisteo when I felt a shooting pain in my left foot. I immediately removed my boot – which I was finally wearing again – and noticed something flying away. An insect had gotten inside my boot and bitten me. Talk about bad luck.
I finally got to Galisteo, and as I entered the town, I saw two of my friends sitting at a table on the terrace of a bar. What a wonderful sight. We chatted a bit from a distance, and I went to check in to my private accommodation.
Galisteo is a tiny walled town, absolutely enchanting. I wandered around a bit in the afternoon and walked on the walls. There was nobody around.
In the afternoon, I noticed what resembled a rash on both my feet, just some tiny red dots. I assumed it was due to wearing closed shoes again, or maybe to the insect bite. I didn’t pay much attention to it, although it was a bit itchy.
Stage 13: Galisteo to Oliva de Plasencia
Given my health condition, I had to look for alternative accommodation for the following stages. I was not going to stay in an albergue until I got a negative test, so I booked private rooms. However, there was no private accommodation option in the following town, Carcaboso. The alternative was a deviation of about 7 kilometers to get to Oliva de Plasencia.
I booked the room, which had self-check-in, and started walking at roughly 8.45 in the morning. The walk was pleasant, the chilly morning soon turned into a pleasant, warm day and, before I knew it, I was in Galisteo. I had a short break within a safe distance of my fellow pilgrims before getting ready to say goodbye. They had reached their destination for the day, while I had to keep walking to Oliva de Plasencia.
I still had roughly 18 kilometers to go, of which nearly seven consisted of a detour along the main road, as there was no walking path. Because I want to avoid that, I thought it would be a good idea to find if there was a more direct way, so I checked Maps.me, which indeed showed an alternative path. I decided to follow it, not knowing I would soon regret my choice.
After walking a fair bit on the alternative path, I reached a gate. Except it wasn’t one of those gates I was so used to, signaled by yellow arrows that reassured me that was the right path. There had been no more arrows for a while, and nobody else was around. After debating for a moment whether I should risk passing the gate and probably reaching a dead end, I decided to go back and rejoin the official route.
I circled back and took a slight shortcut to finally get back on the signaled route. After passing a farm and walking along a road, I finally saw my beloved yellow arrows again. I entered a beautiful area with trees and a low stone wall running along the side.
After walking for a bit, I saw a lonely cow in the distance, or maybe it was a steer. As he (or she?) looked at me from a distance, I started to worry. What if it was a lonely bull? Now he was looking at me and even took a few steps in my direction. What was I supposed to do? I was even wearing my sandals, not the best choice for running. Not that I was planning on running away from a bull. Better avoid it.
I walked towards the stone wall and quietly climbed to the other side to change my shoes. Concerned about the menacing presence, I kept walking on that side of the wall, the “bull” looking at me as I passed by. I felt silly, but better safe than sorry, right? As soon as I was far enough, I climbed back over the wall and rejoined the path.
Soon, it started drizzling. Great, just what I needed. My feet were hurting, I was starting to get tired, and I just really wanted to reach my cozy room. The scenery was beautiful through. I kept walking with mixed feelings of gratitude for being in such a beautiful place and a hint of sadness that I was alone, right then and there, but also for the following days. I had left my group behind, and given the long stages, there was no chance they could catch up soon.
After a while, I finally reached the crossroads that led to Oliva de Plasencia and started walking on the side of the road. Those last 6 kilometers felt neverending. I walked in a straight line, the occasional car passing by, drivers looking at me puzzled. I guess not many pilgrims took that detour, and I could see why. Walking on the tarmac on the side of a road for 6 kilometers is not pleasant.
When I finally reached the little village and entered my room it was already past 5 PM. I felt such relief. I had finally made it. It was one of the longest days on the Camino, but I had made it.
After showering, I got some rest, then I went to eat a very unsatisfying dinner at the only open bar in town. Fries and a salad. The one thing that made my evening was having a video call with my friends back home.
During the night, I woke up wanting to tear the skin off my feet and ankles. The itch was getting worse. The only remedy was to pour freezing water on my feet until they almost got numb.
Stage 14: Oliva de Plasencia to Aldeanueva del Camino
With no open bars before 9 AM, I decided to have an early start. Luckily there was an alternative way to rejoin the Camino from Oliva de Plasencia, so I didn’t have to walk along the side of the road again.
The sun was still low above the horizon as I started walking, and there was a thin layer of fog hovering just above the ground. I soon came across gates with signs saying “Ganado Bravo”, which meant fighting bulls. At one point, I saw a menacing gate on my right, with huge bullheads attached to the pillars, looking particularly menacing in the eerie atmosphere.
After a while, I reached Caparra, an archaeological site of an ancient Roman town. The site was still closed, so I couldn’t stop to visit it. As the sun rose and the fog faded, it also started to get warmer. My feet soon began swelling and hurting. My right ankle and the Achilles tendon on my left foot were hurting, so I had to slow down.
The landscape was wonderful. I came across many streams, one of which was pretty strong to cross, so I was forced to take a little detour. Just as it started raining, I entered Aldeanueva del Camino. It was around 3 PM. I had booked a small apartment for the night, the most affordable accommodation after the albergues, which were still out of the question.
The apartment was lovely, on two stories, and had a washing machine, which came very handy. I did my laundry and went grocery shopping for dinner. In the quietness of my apartment, I even managed to get some work done. As I ate dinner while watching a movie, I felt immensely grateful for what felt like a luxury stay.
Stage 15: Aldeanueva del Camino to La Calzada de Béjar
Knowing the stage ahead wouldn’t be too long, I had a late start. I only left my apartment after 10 AM and started walking slowly as my Achilles tendon was still warming up. The mornings were the worse for this type of pain. It felt like I had no flexibility in my foot, everything was rigid and stuck. I took an ibuprofen tablet when I noticed I could barely walk down the stairs. As I kept walking, the tendon started to loosen up, and the pain slowly subsided.
The first part of the walk was on the side of the road, my least favorite. Before reaching Baños de Montemayor, the road turned into a small, shaded path, much more pleasant. I came across a man cutting the grass who asked me where and when I had started the Camino. When I told him, he was surprised. He said most people took much longer to get to that stage. And there I was, thinking I was slow. I wished him a good day and kept walking.
In Baños de Montemayor, I stopped for a coffee break, and two of my favorite pilgrims, an incredibly cheerful Canadian couple, appeared out of nowhere. Seeing familiar faces felt nice after two days of complete solitude. We chatted for a while from a distance, and I kept walking. They were going to stay in town for the night.
Baños de Montemayor was an adorable little town. I wandered a bit around, partly to check out the sights and partly because I missed a turn and walked in the wrong direction. The path out of town was all uphill, a relief for my Achilles tendon. The view from the top of the hill was awe-inspiring. I stopped and stared for a while, filled with joy and gratitude. I had these feelings a lot on the way.
After the uphill walk, it suddenly got colder and started raining for a while. Luckily it didn’t last long. With the pain in my feet gone, I could walk pretty fast. I reached my stop for the day, La Calzada de Béjar, around 4.30 PM, tired but free of pain. After checking into my private room, I did my usual routine, showering, washing my socks and underwear, and resting for a bit.
I finally decided to wander around the 50-people village that only had one bar. There weren’t many options for dinner, so I had a sandwich and a hot tea. Back in my room, I decided to let go of some of my belongings. After multiple days in a row not using my sleeping bag, I thought it would be wise to get rid of the extra weight, which probably contributed to the pain in my feet. I also left my old sandals and a few more small things.
Little did I know just how much I would miss that sleeping bag a few weeks later.
Stage 16: La Calzada de Béjar to Fuenterroble de Salvatierra
Finally, a short stage. I started walking early in the morning after having breakfast at the same bar. The pain in my Achilles tendon subsided quickly, and I managed to walk faster. The landscape was stunning, with green fields all around and snow-covered mountains in the background.
I passed by two small villages that showed no sign of life. At least no human life. I passed by the occasional curious cows, but there were no people around, and the only bar in town was closed. However, I rested for a while at the table anyway, hoping someone would show up and open the bar, but I had no such luck. I ate a few cookies I still had in my backpack and kept going.
I soon arrived in Fuenterroble de Salvatierra, a small town with just a couple of pilgrim bars and a tiny shop. It was only 1 PM, so I checked into my room, took a shower, and headed out for lunch. My afternoon got a lot better when one of my fellow pilgrims, B., decided to walk a longer stage to join me. (He was sick before me, so he wasn’t worried.)
In the meantime, the allergic reaction on my feet was getting worse and becoming itchier every day, and I started noticing small red dots on my belly. The village had no pharmacy, as my hospitalera confirmed. However, she kindly offered to call the pharmacist from the nearby village who, based on the described symptoms, said I was having an allergic reaction and needed antihistamines. He offered to stop by on his way home and deliver the medicine.
After a homemade meal of pasta I made for myself and Bill, I sat outside waiting for Mr. Pharmacist to pass by. When I had almost given up hope, a car finally stopped in front of the casa rural, and a tall man came out of it with my little box of antihistamines. Ah, the small miracles of the Camino.
Stage 17: Fuenterroble de Salvatierra to San Pedro de Rozados
After several days alone, finally walking with somebody else was so nice. I felt so grateful for B. We were walking along the Ancient roman road and passed by an old milestone when I had a little epiphany about where the word milestone came from.
We stopped for a break near a beautiful pig farm with oak trees. They raised the kind of pigs used for the famous Jamón ibérico. I felt sad knowing the fate that was awaiting those little pigs. But they were happy running around the oak trees, unlike other pigs we’d seen along the way.
After the break, we had a little hill to climb, which offered beautiful views of the valley. We walked through a wind farm and enjoyed the view and light breeze. We then passed the halfway mark of the Via de la Plata (between Sevilla and Santiago), marked by a cross at the top of the hill.
When we finally reached San Pedro de Rozados, B. wanted to go to an albergue, while I headed straight to the casa rural to get my private room. The albergue, however, was dreadful according to B., so we shared a double room. And to our surprise, for dinner, we had a menu del peregrino with vegetables. That was definitely a win.
Stage 18: San Pedro de Rozados to Salamanca
We started the day optimistic that we were going to reach Salamanca, where we were planning to spend two days. We passed the small village of Morille and kept walking through green fields as far as the eye could see. Soon, Salamanca showed up on the horizon.
The walk was pleasant, easy, and luckily uneventful. We reached Salamanca before 2 PM, just in time to witness some religious parade outside the Cathedral. The weather was beautiful, the sun was shining on the sandstone façades of Salamanca’s historical buildings. There was a cheerful atmosphere all around town. I realized it was the 1st of May.
I made my way to my room just outside the historical center, which also had a convenient self-check-in. The feeling of happiness and gratitude for making it so far was soon replaced by annoyance at the itching on my feet, which wasn’t getting any better. After a shower, I went out to get lunch and stopped by yet another pharmacy to ask for a lotion that could ease the itching.
I spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Salamanca, had dinner with B. at his place, and enjoyed walking back to my room as Salamanca’s streets were emptying from all the day-trippers. It was starting to get chilly, but the city was so beautiful in the quiet evening that I had to walk around a bit more.
I spent an extra rest day in Salamanca, exploring more of the city and getting work done. My nights were still being interrupted by the unbearable itching on my feet. I would wake up and get in the shower to cover my feet in freezing water. Still, I very much needed the break. I had made it halfway. With all the ailments I had, it was a surprising achievement.
How about you? Do you have any stories about walking this part of the Via de la Plata from Mérida to Salamanca? Share them in the comments!
Buen Camino!
