On to Extremadura

Probably doesn’t get much better than this.  I set off at about 7.45, leaving past the small and rather shabby bullring and a field - over an acre - of solar panels, and was soon in beautiful countryside with more oak and (lots) more pigs.  Got to El Real de la Jara - a pretty pueblo blanco dominated by an impressive castle - in time for elevenses in a bar.   

El Real de la Jara

Very shortly afterwards, crossed over a shallow ford into Extremadura (where I will be for the next 350km), almost immediately greeted by another ruined castle. 

Castillo de las Torres
(the "stream" in the foreground is the Extremadura/Andalucia border)

Glorious countryside with more holm oaks and cork ones, and more pigs.  The only other person on foot I’ve seen in the countryside in the last three days proved to be an amiable young famer calling his large flock of goats in to be milked (he was the second person to wish me a “buen camino” – the first being a barman in Castillblanco).

Alison Raju’s guide to the camino warns that there are not further stops before Monesterio, and not much water, so it was a huge relief to find that there’s a new service station at the Ermita de San Isidoro, with restaurant and hotel, the former serving an excellent menu del pelegrino at 9€ (sopa de pescados, lomo a la plancha, fruit and a 1.5 litre bottle of deliciously cool water, bliss). 

The Ermita of San Isidoro, named after an early (pre-Arab conquest) archbishop of Seville, whose body stopped a night here on its way to Leon.

Less pleasant afternoon along a path parallel to the N603, and got into Monesterio a couple of hours later.  Sadly I've missed the "Dia del Jamon".

Passed two milestones today - left Andulicia and passed my first 100km, so over a 10th of the way now.