Santa Marta de Tera

April 28, 2022

Today started out pretty much like we thought it would. A chilly ride up the H-630 until we branched off onto the N-631. This turned out to be a narrower and busier version of the N-630 and after thirteen kilometers we stopped to see if there was a way we could get tp Santa Marta de Tera via Tábara in a more enjoyable manner.

We spotted what looked like a decent unsealed road running parallel to but a few hundred meters away from the N-631. This was pretty good for about a kilometer but then the wheels started coming off a bit.

First of all it got a bit muddy. Then we were faced with a sign suggesting we were on private property, which we ignored. We suffered a feet wetting river crossing but finally ended up at a sealed road again. Through a village and onto another unsealed but reasonably good road until we arrived at a fence and the road came to and end. We backtracked a bit and found another road and eventually ended up in Tábara.

Image not found :( — The first muddy section.

Slinking past a farm house on the private land we invaded. No shouts or gunshots so I think we got through without being seeing.

In Tábara we enjoyed a lunch of bread and salami we found at a tiny shop at the fuel station before inspecting the local church built in the twelfth century.

Then we headed northwards, mostly on the walking route of the Camino and eventually arrived in Santa Marta de Tera.

South of Santa Marta de Tera were a lot of semi-subterranean houses.

The albergue here is very new and very modern. Quite different from others we have stayed in so far apart from at Villanueva. The church here is also very old, built in the eleventh century, and like the one in Tábara it has played a roll in pilgrims journeys to Santiago for centuries. This section of the pilgrimage route is known as the Camino Sanabres and Pope John Paul II walked it (his photo in pilrgim's garb is in the local church).

A similar plaque to pilgrims at the Iglesia Románica de Santa Marta as the one in Tábara.

The interior of the Iglesia Románica de Santa Marta.

A replica of the statue of Santiago which apparently forms the basis for all other statues. The original is the oldest known statue of him.

This pillar is lit by the sun shining through a narrow slit on the equinoxes.

EDIT: After a bit of detective work we went off to try and find the original statue of Santiago which we found hidden on the back end of the church.

Santiago and San Pedro stand guard at what I am guessing was the original entrance to the knave built as an addition to the church in the thirteenth century.

Today's ride: 53 km (33 miles)
Total: 1,190 km (739 miles)

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