Guillena – Castilblanco de Los Arroyas 20th September

After a night of listening to snoring ( tonight I’ll have to break open the ear plugs), I headed off at around 8 am. About a half an hour later, I stopped to buy an apple and I realised that my sleeping bag had fallen off the top of my back pack where it sits . Luckily, I found it lying on the footpath almost back where I started. 

Spanish kids seem to have big school bags!

Today’s walk was only 17km which is just as well as I’ve got the beginnings  of blisters on both feet. Why I’m getting them now after walking every day for weeks I don’t know .

The day started with a walk along a busy road . The choice was the bitumen or an uneven ditch  littered with rubbish.



However before long I was walking along a pleasant track with olive trees on one side and citrus in the other.

Olive trees as far as you can see.


Prickly pear and cotton .


After while I caught up with Kev from California who’s got a contraption to avoid carrying a backpack and hence back problems.



We passed what looked like a small castle.

Kev needed to do a few running repairs .

The countryside became a bit more barren as the track started a climb of about 300 metres to Castiblanco.



Thanks Getting close now ! The day didn’t seem too hot, but like always I was sweating heavily. Later Kev told me his pocket device got up to 35 degrees .

On the outskirts of town, these guys were trimming a rosemary hedge . Pity I haven’t been able to smell anything for months now after sinus problems but I’m hoping this will clear up on my walk.

The hostel is very nice and clean and they even do everyone’s washing and all for a donation.

This is the view from the hostel.



And this is the centre of town.

There’s only one hostel and there are about 10 pilgrims here tonight. There’s an €8 pilgrims menu down the road. Last night I paid €7 for 3 courses,  2 glasses of wine and coffee – about $10 Australian !