Day 16 Embalse de Alcantara to Riolobos

The hospitalero at the dam didn't want to turn up too early, so in the morning it was a question of just foraging for a bit of food and coffee and then heading off, dropping a key in a lockbox on the way out.

The walk to Canaveral was longer than advertised, again caused by the railway works. The next year a pilgrim died of heatstroke on this part of the camino having failed to carry enough water and trying to walk in the heat of the day in mid-summer. Sadly he had relied on the albergue being open but it had closed for some reason. Walking in November was warm and pleasant - walking in August must be brutal.

There was a very pleasant view over the lake once again

and then it was probably about 13km to Canaveral. Got to Canaveral about lunchtime. The first cafe in a square filled by the church of St Mary was ok for coffee but the smell of cooking fat was a bit off-putting. There then followed a bit of a logo walk around town before settling on Restaurante Asador Villa de Cañaveral which was super. One guy acting as waiter and cook, he produced a fine lunch which gave enough energy to trot along the rest of the way to that night's destination of Riolobos.

The route led through some fine cork woods. I've never seen cork trees before and the deep red is very attractive.

Having walked through such a striking landscape it was a bit off-putting to come out of the woods and find some kind of sex club -- the peril of being near a motorway. Fortunately it showed every sign of being abandoned. Hopefully someone has since demolished the place and replaced it with some trees.

Accommodation in Riolobos (Abuela Maxi - "big granny?") was easy to find - there was a little mad dog, appropriately named Luna, who wanted to stop me getting in but the owner, who lived out of town was very friendly and welcoming. The room overlooked the tiny main square and was charming.

The local bar served good food and showed its class by providing an ice-bucket for the wine. Shame it was a bottle of red but full marks for effort.