15th Stage
Tembleque – Mora (25,0 km)
*(Attention variant Southeast Way by Villanueva de Bogas street).
Tembleque through Hospital, Pozo Bueno and San Antón streets; when you get to the road, turn left. At the first fork, follow the road ahead, always having the road on your left, and after about 2 hours you will find abandoned corrals and silos.
At this point, cross the Algodor River over the bridge of the abandoned road (you have to jump over the road’s guardrail) and take the path in front of you (the one on the left, paved, leads to the Finisterre reservoir). Always heading west following the Camino de los Olivos, until a crossroads: the path on the left ends at the fountain of Rincón, with fresh and very good water.
Continue along the most important path, going around Mount Buey, among olive trees, olive trees and olive trees, in a north-westerly direction until you reach a much wider path that, following it to the right, leads to the road. Continue along it until you find a detour to the left, paved and signposted, with little traffic, towards Mora that goes around the hill where the Castle of Peñas Negras is located. The most curious will be able to visit the Castle and will have an impressive view at their feet: on the one hand the olive groves of La Mancha and on the other hand the plain of Mora. You cross the road, and the path leads you to Mora, with the tower of the church serving as a guide.
MORA
The route is marked with scallop ceramics. You enter through the Andrés Segovia street, Espartero, de las Huertas and Príncipe de Asturias square.
The parish church is dedicated to Our Lady of Altagracia, is Gothic from the fifteenth century, and has a good altarpiece in the High Altar of the sixteenth century: in the outer walls has small windows of Arab tradition. The castle of Peñas Negras is mentioned in the tenth century and was part of the dowry of Princess Zaida, wife of Alfonso VI. In 1175, the Order of Santiago received from Alfonso VIII the donation of the Castle of Mora, although the document that testifies it denominates it Peñas Negras, later they received the population enclave. The old orchard of the Order is today the public park “Glorieta”.
In the fifteenth century there were two hospitals in Mora, one was Santiago which was in very good condition and had three beds to accommodate pilgrims. There were also two hermitages: the Santiago hermitage of 1515, which later became known as the Veracruz, on which the new hospital was built under the invocation of the Conception and Santiago.
- Town Hall: Plaza de la Constitución, 1. Tel: 925 300 025
- Hostal El Toledano: Manzaneque, 4. Tel: 925 300 242. 17€.
- Los Conejos Hostel: Cánovas del Castillo, 14. Tel: 925 301 504. 30€.
- Tourist Office: Glorieta Eusebio Méndez. Tel.: 925 300 025
- Hostal Agripino Albergue: Plaza Príncipe de Asturias, 9. Tel.: 683 188 192
