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Day Five on the Camino Teresiano, Part I, Northern Route, Mancera de Abajo to Garcihernández, 31.8 Km (19.8 Miles)

Day five on the Camino Teresiano, Part I, on the Northern Route to Garcihernández is very long walk across the wide open Meseta, passing through Peñaranda de Bracamonte, Nava de Sotrobal, Coca de Alba and Peñarandilla. Once again, with the hot and open road, it is never more likely that you will find inner stillness, if you invite it! 

"Where there is no love, put love, and you will draw out love." ~ St. John of the Cross

As noted on prior days, it is in Mancera de Abajo where the Caminos Teresianos diverge into the Northern Route and the Southern Route. This article covers only the Northern. Click the link for the Southern Route. 

It is a bit of a toss up, in my mind, which route is better, or more beautiful. Both require long stretches along the meseta, without shade. The Northern Route is definitely longer, requiring at least six days to complete the entire Teresiana for the average pilgrim, whereas the Southern can be done in five.

However, the Northern Route also has three very beautiful historic Romanesque-Mudéjar style churches, as you can see below, if that is meaningful for you. I really enjoyed them myself. Hopefully, my info below will help guide your decision!

Since this Northern route from Mancera de Abajo to Garcihernández is a long 31.8 kilometers, we suggest that you break the day in Coca de Alba after 23 kilometers (14.3 Miles) OR Peñarandilla after 26.6 kilometers (16.5 miles). (Unless you are able and willing to do a 40+ kilometer day from Mancera de Abajo all the way to Alba de Tormes!)

Then complete the rest of the Camino Teresiano as a day six from Coca de Alba to Alba de Tormes for 18.6 additional kilometers (11.6 Miles) OR from Peñarandilla to Alba de Tormes for 15 additional kilometers (9.3 Miles). 

This is what we did, stopping at the very nice albergue in Peñarandilla. It allowed for a short 15k day six with plenty of time to visit the Teresian sites in Alba de Tormes. 

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Maps and Stats of Day Five on the Camino Teresiano, Part I, Northern Route

Here is our Google map for the entire Northern Route, with the usual ammenities. 

There are plenty of services and accommodations in Peñaranda de Bracamonte, including the Albergue Juvenil Diego de Torres Y Villarroel, (contact info: Tel. +34 923 522 618, emails: torres-ij@jcyl.es or hostels.juveniles@jcyl.es, but you must have a Spanish Youth Hostel card) if you prefer to extend your day four from Narros del Castillo for about a 22 kilometer day. You can also click here for hotels from Booking.com.

There is one bar and nothing else in Nava de Sotrobal, which opens at noon, later than the arrival of most pilgrims starting in Mancera.

There is only one accommodation in Coca de Alba, the Casa Mudayyan. I am unable to get the weblink to work for reservations, but you can write to them at info@casamudayyan.com or call at +34 635 49 97 71 or 655 33 40 96. Be sure to check for pilgrim packages that include breakfast.

The Town Hall in Peñarandilla provides a municipal albergue, email aytopenarandilla@gmail.com, or call +34 649 84 96 88 or 689 62 97 93 to notify them of your arrival. Or go to the Bar Pepe just steps away and they will give you instructions on how to access the 10-bed albergue, including sheets, a basic kitchen with a washing machine, all for only 8.0 Euros each, as of this writing. 

Halfway, in Nava de Sotrobal this is a water fountain, but I saw none in the other remote towns. 

The elevation profile shown below, for the entire 31.8 kilometers to Garcihernández looks similar to the southern route, except much longer. (Remember there is no accommodation in Garcihernández.)

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Photo-Rich Travelogue for Day Five on the Camino Teresiano, Part I, Northern Route

We set off at sunrise from the Albergue de Peregrinos de Santa Teresa, municipal albergue, arriving in the center of Mancera de Abajo a few minutes later, at the diversion of the Northern and Southern Route, pictured below. The sky was aglow with the dawning light, and the town was deserted. 

We took the route straight ahead, the Northern Route, and quickly walked through the small town. The waymarking is superb, even though it is a straight walk all the way. 

After the Teresiana sign at the northern edge of town, the road becomes gravel and you are walking again on the open meseta, below. You can immediately see both the first town, Bóveda del Río Almar ahead and to the left in the clump of trees and Peñaranda de Bracamonte on the rise to the right with the grain elevators rising above the land.

Bóveda del Río Almar is only a two kilometer walk away. The road initially takes a small rise, then descends towards town. You can see the town church steeple a long way before reaching it, and it was glowing in the morning light, below. There are no amenities in this town. 

When you arrive into Bóveda del Río Almar, you will immediately encounter a playground on the right, followed by a sports center, with lovely murals painted on the walls.

Follow the waymarks through town staying straight at any intersection until arriving at the town center, dominated by the church the Iglesia Parroquial de Nuestra Señora de las Angustias after 2.3 kilometers into the day. The church is not actually along the route itself, but since the nice square dominates the town, we walked a few steps to the left to see it. 

Just after the church square, follow the waymarks and take a right turn to exit the town. After the pavement yields to the gravel lane once again and you walk past the final structures, the waymark directs you to turn to the right at a Y-intersection, shown below. This way leads the pilgrimage traveler across a historic bridge. 

When I looked at the map, I saw that going to the left at the Y was shorter, but I went the “correct” way. When I realized that it was the bridge the planners wanted pilgrims to see, and you can just see it in the photo below, I paused on the bridge to have a better look. The roadway is modern, and the bridge didn’t look all that old to me. I was unable to get a decent shot of the bridge, but I didn’t try very hard. My recommendation would be to take the shortcut and skip this one, although it's only a few steps extra.

After leaving the bridge, join up with the route from the left, and continue onwards toward the next town of Peñaranda de Bracamonte, about 3.4 kilometers away. You can see a nice rise in the land ahead.

Only a few hundred meters after the bridge, arrive at a Y-intersection, and the Ruta Teresiana turns to the right, continuing a walk up the rise. When you reach the top of the rise, you can see what is ahead, below.

We passed by a homestead with lots of loud, barking dogs. We could hear them for kilometers before we passed them but fortunately they were secured inside the property’s fences. 

Just before entering town, you will come to a clump of trees, and this attractive fencline, below. This is the Parque El Inestal, a city park, after 5.8 kilometers, with a nice picnic area and playground.

Continue to walk onwards on the street called the Camino El Intestal until you reach the southern, industrial fringe of Peñaranda de Bracamonte and toward the grain elevators you’ve been seeing for kilometers.

After a bend in the road it widens and becomes paved with sidewalks as you walk through the industries. A few blocks later the road narrows, entering a residential area.

Several blocks later after about 6.8 kilometers for the day, come to this colorful railroad crossing, below. Take the stairs down and walk under the railroad.

After crossing the railroad, continue straight on the other side, taking the Paseo el Inestral for only one block and turn right at the T-intersection.

In one more block arrive at a T-intersection with the Camino de Chamberí, the main road through town, where the Camino turns left, but just across the street was the welcome sight of the Bar Peñaranda, below. Even though it was only about 7.0 kilometers into day five on the Camino Teresiano, Northern Route, we knew that this may be our only opportunity for a coffee break, so we stopped. 

The bar was bustling and already full around eight o’clock, and as usual we got total silence and the once over when we walked in. Foreign pilgrims in this neck of the woods are always something to look at!

We approached the bar with big smiles and I ordered our usual Aquarius and a cups of cafés con leche grandes in Spanish. Rich said the entire bar full of males became silent when I ordered! Ha ha. 

Then along came a group of (very handsome) local policemen, and they just smiled and greeted us with “Bueno Días,” as if everything was perfectly normal! I loved it! It was not the usual gawking, but I have made up that it was their “protect the foreign pilgrims” mentality that kicked in! Just another day on the Caminos Teresianos!

After our lovely coffee break, we continued northward into the heart of Peñaranda de Bracamonte. I saw absolutely no red arrows or waymarks of any kind through town. It is, however, easy to walk through. Continue straight for about 1/2 kilometer, when you come to this prominent Y-intersection, pictured next. Bear to the left onto the Calle Honda.

Walk another several blocks until you arrive at a T-intersection with the wide Carretara Medina.  After joining this wider avenue, cross over it and take an immediate right turn onto the Calle Cordel de Marinas.

Walk along this street for almost a full kilometer, as you pass the giant Lupa Supermercado at the exit of town after 8.0 kilometers into the day. This is a great place to load up your pack with supplies for the long stretch ahead. Remember there is only a microwave in Peñarandilla 18 kilometers away, so I wouldn’t plan on cooking a meal.

After the Lupa, continue along the Calle Cordel de Marinas until it joins the Avenida de Salamanca, however, walk along the side road to the right instead. After the side road ends, you are given this nicely protected parallel lane to walk upon, below.

You can also choose a lane farther to the right which stays in the trees for shade as well. Both lanes lead you to the huge pool and sports complex on your right, which you can see in the photo, but ahead in the trees. 

After walking past the sports complex, look for a paved lane to the left, leaving the Avenida. Take it at the now-present Camino Teresiano waymark. You can see your next objective ahead, below, an elevated overpass over the railway. And you are back on the open, sunny road. 

You will now be walking on open lanes through the fields for about the next 6.5 kilometers to the next hamlet of Nava de Sotrobal. The nice thing to note is that after walking up and over the railroad, the Way is a nice descent all the way to this town, so at least you won't be exerting that much in the sun!

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Pass this ruined building along the way. Notice the clump of trees in the distance - this is Nava de Sotrobal on the banks of the Río Almar. 

Descend towards the river through a nice stand of trees, noticing the town landmark that is looming ahead - the Romanesque-Mudéjar style church. When you have walked a total of about 15.0 kilometers, arrive at the shady banks of the Río Almar, and cross it on the road with unique stepping stones for pedestrians in the event of high water.

Walk into town, arriving immediately at the church on the left and town square with nice benches and a fountain straight ahead. We headed for the church, the Iglesia de San Miguel Arcángel, below.

There is a bar in town, but as noted earlier, it doesn’t open until noon. Being a bit more than halfway through the day, we sat in the shade by the church and had a snack, airing out our hot feet. 

The information board by the church states that it was built during border wars, and the Archangel Michael was considered the protector of kings, livestock, shepherds and bricklayers, thus the church was dedicated to him.

While this church would have been originally built around the late 12th century, it was extensively remodeled in the 16th century. Then again in 1812 it suffered damage and looting by the French in the Peninsular War.

According to the sign, about the only part of the church that retains the Mudéjar-styled brickwork is in the apse. It is still an imposing structure and it would have been nice to see inside. 

After a short walk through town, following the waymarks through several turns and exiting along the Calle de Sol, you find yourself back on the open lanes heading to the next town of Coca de Alba, about 7.0 kilometers away.

You will be negotiating a bit of elevation gain of about 40 meters (130 feet) but you won’t notice it much. After about 1.5 kilometers from Nava de Sotrobal, come to this Y-intersection, below, and bear left. 

After about another 1.5 kilometers, come to a T-intersection with another farm lane and turn left. There is nothing but fields and farm structures out here! 

After the turn, you will now notice vehicles moving quickly to the south. This is the AS 114 that you are approaching. You can see the truck in the next photo. And yes, unfortunately, a few meters later, the Ruta Teresiana joins the highway, by turning right after 19.3 kilometers total into day five of the Camino Teresiano, Northern Route.

The good news is that when you reach the roadway, the rise in elevation shifts to a long descent. Also, the pilgrim doesn’t have to actually join the SA-114, but there is a nice frontage lane to take instead, shown here. 

A few meters after joining the frontage lane, arrive at this roundabout, below, at an intersection with the CV-121. Continue straight through the roundabout and on the other side rejoin the frontage lane. You can see the waymark on the other side. 

After this roundabout, unfortunately, for us, the ongoing frontage lane was very overgrown, making it very uncomfortable to walk through. It was too bad, because I kept getting pricklers in my socks as I walked.

We finally just crossed the ditch to get back onto the roadway. This was not a very safe option with the heavy, fast-moving traffic. We were extremely happy to have our large silver, reflective umbrellas announcing our presence on the roadway! 

The stretch following the highway is almost 3.0 kilometers long. Argh! But, when we could, we would jump back onto the frontage lane, see next photo. 

Finally, after the long stretch following the roadway, and after about 22.2 kilometers into the day, the Camino turns to the right onto another dirt lane, photo below. Coca de Alba is a bit more than 1/2 kilometer away on day five of the Camino Teresiano, Northern Route. 

Arrive at the entrance sign to Coca de Alba after about 23 kilometers total, below.

Follow the well-waymarked route to the center and the Mudéjar church, below, the Iglesia de San Juan Ante Porta Latinam.

The Casa Mudayyan is just behind the church if you wish to end your day here, after 23 kilometers.

This Mudéjar church was built in the early part of the 13th century, and like the prior church, was also vastly restored, with only the apse remaining in the Mudéjar style, see photo below. The exterior even had plaster removed to show the original brick-work. I felt that this was extraordinarily beautiful! 

With only about 3.5 more kilometers left in our day to Peñarandilla, we rested in the shade of the church for several minutes, again airing out our hot feet. But then, we hurried onward, as the day in early June was getting brutally hot. 

Returning to the south bound street, the Calle Viento, continue following the waymarks through town, south then west, until you arrive at this child’s playground, below.

There is supposedly a community bar in the building to the right of the playground, but nothing was open or identified as a bar when we walked by. Google lists a “Bar Municipal” but it is likely something with variable hours if it exists at all. I wouldn't count on it. 

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The paved road becomes dirt as you leave town, and you can see the far fields ahead, below.

The trajectory of the Way is to the Northwest, then the road bends to the West after about halfway, where you can see Peñarandilla ahead, below.

The walk into town is very unimpressive, but well-waymarked as the dirt road meets the pavement. The Bar Pepe is the only game in town, and you will walk a few blocks off-Camino to the south to find it, see below. It is the hub of the town, and the mostly men were gathered around the bar, I suppose, enjoying their siesta for a break from the hot fields. 

It was brutally hot when we arrived, and I got a lot of looks, when walking to the bar I proclaimed, “Finalmente, estamos aquí! (Finally we are here!) I am sure we both looked road weary to boot! I ordered the usual Aquarius and beers this time and the silence subsided when I stopped speaking. 

The bartender was very kind and explained to us about the municipal albergue. He even seemed apologetic when he told us it would be eight euros each! What a deal! If he only knew!

We relaxed and had our beverages in the shade of the outside tables, before the bartender walked us to the albergue and showed us around. I have included pictures of it below, because I could find none on the internet, and I was pleasantly surprised at how very nice it was! And clean. Sheets were even provided! And of course, we had it entirely to ourselves. What a treat. 

Before the bartender left, we arranged for a late lunch (comida), which we enjoyed after getting settled in, cleaning up and doing our laundry in the nice washing machine. Lunch was the typical and simple Menú del Día fare, with grilled pork slices, French fries, salad and wine, but he gave us mountains of food!

I felt guilty when we couldn’t eat it all and said, sorry, this was a lot of food! He also smiled and seemed apologetic, and said, but I thought you were very hungry! Indeed we were, but not that hungry! And he only charged us 11 Euros each for the meal.

But what an extreme show of kindness in this tiny town! I smiled and thanked him profusely. (In hindsight, I should have carried out the meat for breakfast, so it wasn’t wasted!)

Because we leave so early before the bar openend, we also arranged to buy ground coffee from the bar for the next morning. There is an espresso machine in the albergue, and I was carrying my emergency supply of powdered milk for cafés con leche (I also carry emergency instant coffee! ha ha). We also had some other snacks and bars to suffice until we got to Alba de Tormes the next day. There is no tienda in town.

Feeling well-cared for and after napping a bit, we explored the final, and best Romanesque-Mudéjar church in the area of Salamanca, according to some references, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de La Asunción.

There are several parts of the structure that remain from the medieval era, the apse which is what you will see first when approaching from the actual Camino and the south portal, blending Gothic and Mudéjar elements. It is also a lovely church, but again we were unable to see inside. However, it was a nice ending to a satisfactory day along the Caminos Teresianos on day five of the Northern Route!

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A Continuation of Part I, from Peñarandilla, Northern Route, Mancera de Abajo to Garzihernández

We left the wonderful albergue in Peñarandilla a bit later than usual, since it was a short day. It was wonderful to take our time getting ready to go!

The same street that takes you from the Bar Pepe to the Albergue, is the one that takes you out of town, the Calle Consultorio. Within minutes you have left the buildings behind, and you see the Teresiana sign, signaling the exit to town.

It is only about 5.2 kilometers from Peñarandilla to Garcihernández, to complete this stage. 

Cross the Río Margañán and take the first right onto this paved road in the direction of Gemingómez. We took the classic pilgrim shadow picture!

Walk a bit less than one kilometer, where the Camino takes a turn to the left, off the pavement and onto this dirt road, below. That nice clump of trees ahead follows the Río Gamo into Garcihernández.

You will follow this dirt lane for about 2.1 kilometers, when it meets up with the SA-114 again. This time walking along it is very short, barely 1/4 kilometer, passing a nice picnic area on the left, seen in the photo below. The water fountain here contains the warning that it is not potable. 

After passing the picnic area, look for the next right hand turn onto a dirt track that parallels the highway. Within a few meters, where the SA-114 crosses the Río Gamo, shown next, you will come to a famous historical site. 

As the sign indicates in the photo, this is the spot of the Battle of García Hernández, which occurred one day after the famous Battle of Arapiles, also known as the Battle of Salamanca.

These two Napoleonic battles were fought on July 23 and July 22, respectively, in 1812. The British General Wellington, assisted by the Portuguese, defeated the French who for years were trying to control the Iberian Peninsula. The Battle of Arapiles was the turning point for Spain and Portugal to expel the French and regain control of the peninsula. Click on the links if you are interested in learning more. 

If you walk my suggested route from Alba de Tormes to Salamanca to link to the Via de la Plata, you will walk right through the historic battlefield of Arapiles, and see a monument to commemorate the victory there. 

The dirt track also crosses the Gamo River adjacent to the highway bridge, on another historic and overgrown bridge. The Ruta Teresiana turns to the right immediately after the bridge and onto another dirt track, below. This is the final tree-lined track into Garcihernández. 

The Iglesia de San Juan Bautista that you can see in the distance in the photo below, is the end of this stage, see Day Five on the Southern Route for a photo.

There were many locals along this path in the morning, walking and exercising their dogs. It was the most pleasant approach to town and the conclusion of the long stage from Mancera de Abajo to Garcihernández on the Northern Route of the Camino Teresiano. 

Reflections on Day Five, Part I, Northern Route of the Camino Teresiano

The Northern Route, while not difficult at all, was long, open and hot. It worked out perfectly to stop in Peñarandilla to divide this stage and create a sixth day, albeit a short one, to Alba de Tormes. To do this Camino in five days was too much for me, when we did the Southern Route. Live and learn.

There are enough amenities on this route as well, with the huge grocery store to stock up in Peñaranda de Bracamonte. I can’t imagine the misery if the Bar Pepe was closed when we arrived in Peñarandilla. There are no published hours for the bar on Google, and I would hate to be at the mercy of the whims of the proprietor(s). Therefore I would advise you to carry enough food, just in case, especially if you are arriving on a Sunday. 

Despite being a curiosity, I was overwhelmed with the kindness of the local Spaniards that we met along the Way on this day. Perhaps it was the ease, love and acceptance that shone from us, I don’t know.

Some days, I must admit, that traversing these lonely plains and having to be the (mostly) sole communicator, did take a bit of a toll on me. I found myself quite exhausted at the end of most days. And so it is.

To see a continuation of day five from Garcihernández to Alba de Tormes, click here.

Salutation

May your own day five on the Northern Route of the Camino Teresiano be filled with your love, projected outward that is reflected back to you.  Ultreia!

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