28th Stage
Zamora – Granja de Moreruela (39,4 km)
Leave Zamora through Costanilla y Feria street, Puebla de Sanabria and the La Hiniesta ZA-900 road; here is a cross commemorating the battle of King Don Sancho. You follow it a short distance to turn right on a dirt track, you pass a dump, you pass the dual carriageway by an elevated bridge and, parallel to it, you arrive at the crossroads to enter at
ROALES DEL PAN
As its name suggests, it’s Tierra del Pan. One of the most notable points of interest in Roales is the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. It dates back to the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century. In the Plaza there is a monument to the Way of Saint James.
Don’t be impatient because the route seems endless to you, it is a route of land consolidation between cereal fields.
- Town Hall: General Franco, 8. Tel: 980 538 670
You leave through the Calle Mayor to look for La Cañada, you pass Las Pollas and Las Cuchilleras. By Los Carneros, Fuente Perenal and La Majada you arrive at Montamarta.
MONTAMARTA
This is where the curious Zangarrón festival is celebrated, which takes place on 1 and 6 January. It has its origin in the Fiestas de Locos Medievales (Medieval Crazy Feasts). Next to the parish church, dedicated to San Miguel Arcángel, there is a small sculpture with this figure.
The Ermita de la Virgen del Castillo or the Ermita del Castro, seated on the rock, is seen in a corner of the Ricobayo Reservoir.
- Town Hall: Plaza Mayor, 4. Tel: 980 550 112
- Municipal Pilgrims’ Hostel: Telephone: 980 550 112 / 685 104 807 / 639 485 505, ask for Manuel Esteban or 685 104 808 Felipe 20 places.
- Rural Tourism El Molino de Castilla: Plaza Sol, 4 Tel.:655 014 076
From the Ermita de la Virgen del Castillo, next to the cemetery, you can follow the track heading north whenever the water from the reservoir lets you pass through. If the reservoir is very full, continue along the road and, once you cross the bridge over the reservoir, turn left and continue along this path. After Km 257, cross the N-630 and continue on the right parallel to it (this short stretch may be flooded). After about 800 metres, cross the N-630 again, which leads to Granja de Moreruela, border the Ricobayo reservoir and, in its driest part, turn right, go up between some chalets, turn left and leave the road and continue for a few metres along it. After crossing the bridge, turn left and continue along the walled ruins of Castrotorafe, headquarters of the Knights of Santiago, an important population centre in the Middle Ages, whose walled enclosure was ordered to be built by Juan de Castilla, son of Alfonso X the Wise. When you walk around here, you may think that there is no road, but if you follow the edge of the reservoir you will come across the wall where those ruins are built. Following the line of the wall there is a goat path to the left, which brings you closer to the entrance to the castle. From here the signs are perfect until
FONTANILLAS DE CASTRO
The road leads you to the only bar in the village.
- Municipal Hostel: Ctra. N-630. Tel: 615 974 962 Agustín. 34 places
From here there are 3.8 kilometers to
RIEGO DEL CAMINO
Which can be reached by a land consolidation track to the left of the road.
- Hostel en Calle España, 32. (Dorita 980 593 570). (15 beds and hot water).
- Bar and shop.
Cross the village and continue for 6.1 kilometres along the dirt track that runs more or less parallel to the road and on its left, until you reach Granja de Moreruela.
GRANJA DE MORERUELA
The Monastery of Santa María is 3.7 kilometres from Granja de Moreruela. It was founded by Santos Froilán and Atilano who, in the 9th century, built a monastery on the site of Moreirola. In 1138, El Cister built the current monastery (now in ruins) under the protection of Alfonso VII.
- Town Hall: Escuelas, 2. Tel: 980 587 005
- Municipal Hostel. Av. Virgen de la Vega s/n. 20 beds
- Rural House “La Casa del Tío Quico”: C/ González Galindo, 8. Tel: 695 260 905
From here the pilgrim has two options, to follow Benavente and Astorga and to continue by the French Way or to go by the Mozarabe-Sanabrés way to Ourense.
If the path you are taking is the Levante Way, you must continue along the Mozarabe-Sanabrés to get to Santiago.
