Day 120
Canal de Castilla
Today we were going to see some locks on the Canal de Castilla, Tom was excited, I was pretty happy, canal equals flat. The canal is awesome and was built over a period of 100 years between the 1750s and 1850s between Burgos, Palencia and Valladolid. The original plan was for it to reach the port at Santander so it would enable trade to flow to Spain’s colonies, as well as in the region. A not-so-small matter of some mountains in the way stopped that happening, and by the time it was completed it was obsolete, some chap had invented the train!
Still it makes for a very picturesque cycle path if somewhat bumpy. We passed the locks and very impressive they are too, especially the one where the water flows from the sides. Tom said we would be on the Canal for about 20 miles. Well we did 55 miles and that’s where the canal ended! We did do some sections on road when our hands and bums couldn’t take it anymore. We also had to leave it unplanned at one point as the track simply ended at a motorway, not easy to negotiate round on heavily loaded tourers. EV1 too!
The landscape we were travelling through is all open farmland, very rural and somewhat run-down, but also nowhere to camp. I was brave and asked a group of guys if they had any suggestions. They thought right in the middle of a small town park was just fine, we decided to hide just down by the canal. No one seems the least bit bothered though I did startle a very nice man who was taking his dogs for a walk. It was pitch black and I may have nipped out of the tent for a wee! Fortunately I saw him in time and I managed to have a chat with him!
Buenos Noches.
