30th Stage
Tábara – Santa Marta de Tera (23,3 km)
You leave Tábara when the night is casting off its dark cloak and the sky is lightening, passing in front of the church: about 2 km to reach the road that goes to Pueblica de Valverde, cross, and about 200 meters, turn right. This way is called Despeñaperros and it goes up gently parallel to the ZA-100 road until it almost joins it in the highest point, to separate then totally. This is a beautiful and relaxing landscape. There is a point where you have two alternatives, the straight takes you to Villanueva de Peras, and from there following the ZA-120 road, directly to Santa Croya de Tera; if you choose to the right, you will also go to Santa Croya passing by Bercianos de Valverde.
Bercianos de Valverde
Is a hamlet of Pueblica. It owes its name to the people of Bierzo who settled in the locality. The church houses a good altarpiece and a Gothic baptismal font. You can see cellars excavated in the ground. There is a hostel, bar and shop but, depending on the time of arrival, everything could be closed, especially in winter.
You go out crossing the river Castrón: the poplars give good shade in summer, but in winter they are a lot of bare arms. You climb gently until you reach the industrious and groomed town of Santa Croya.
SANTA CROYA DE TERA
Santa Croya is located in the space called in its time “medieval alfoz of Benavente”. Tradition has it that its origin is in shepherds who came from Santa Marta de Tera. These came every day with their cattle to graze where today is the current population, then called “Sainte Croix”, by the convent of friars that was then. In order to avoid the daily displacement, the shepherds moved definitively with their families.
- Town Hall: Plaza Mayor, s/n. Tel: 980 645 234
You cross this town, following the road-walk beside the river Tera, and reach the bridge that separates it from Santa Marta de Tera, where there is an entertainment and rest area.
Cross the bridge and after a small slope, you reach Santa Marta de Tera.
SANTA MARTA DE TERA
The district of Camarzana de Tera has a beautiful Romanesque church from the end of the 11th century with rectangular apses of clear Visigothic-Mozarabic inspiration, which formed part of an old monastery. On the southern façade, overlooking the cemetery, there is a figure of a Santiago pilgrim who is supposed to have come from there.
There is a picnic area.
- Municipal welcome: adapted for the disabled: Celes 626 752 622. 13 places
- Minor Local Entity: Tel: 980 649 050
- Hostal “Juan Manuel”: In Camarzana (1 Km from the way and 5 from Santa Marta) Tel: 988 649 446
