Day Two: it's all about the lavender

What a wonderful walk today! Sorry poppies, but it was all about the lavender today. Mile upon mile of glorious bunches of wild lavender crowding the walking path as well as festooning the fields with color. I'm actually hesitant to call them fields, they were so untamed. Yes, there were stone walls dividing the land into sections, but there was a roughness to them that reminded me of the english moors: copses of stunted trees, bushes growing here and there, fragments of lichen-covered granite everywhere. (or maybe it's just because I started reading Jane Eyre last night?) There was also the occasional punch of yellow broom and some white flowering bush to liven up the colors. Just beautiful.

Every now again I saw some horses or sheep. The cows I heard long before I saw them - they all had large bells strung around their necks so it sounded like a country church bell tower gone wild. But for most of it, I (besides the Sunday bikers) had the day to myself.

Again it was a wide, sandy road, with the occasional water hazard and rough bits. Those walkers following behind me might consider wearing gaiters as the sand is quite insidious and I had to stop a couple of times to empty my shoes. Walking poles are also a god-send. They really ease the weight one carries, as my thankful knees attest, and there's been several stream crossings where they've coming in handy for balance.

It should have been about 3.5 hours to Mazanares el Real but I'm such a dawdler it took longer. Really, it's a good thing I walk alone cause I don't think anyone would have the patience to walk with me. I stopped to take a picture, adjust my hip-belt, take off my fleece, make a little note to myself, have a sip of water - and this was all before leaving Colmenar! But I had the luxury once more of such a short day of walking, and knowing that there wouldn't be a race to find a bed, that I didn't mind taking my time.

I had intended to stay at the albergue (pilgrim hostel) tonight so was relieved to see a sign at the start of town that the Refugio de Ermita de Pena Sacra was up to the left. I followed and followed and followed the markers for a good 20mins (away from town this was) when I gave up. I could see it above me on the hill and it looked lovely but I wanted to be near town for dinner and to get supplies in the morning, and didn't want to traverse this road 2 more times.  So I booked into the Parque Real hotel where I have a lovely room with a balcony overlooking the lake and if I peer out to the left, a first-rate view of the 15th century castle. A few meters away, but level with my balcony, is a huge bird's nest in a sawed-off tree top.  I think the baby cranes have hatched as one parent has been tending the nest all afternoon, while the other stands guard from the next tree top over. I can't figure out how to turn on my TV so I sit here with my beer watching the birds. It just might be the best show on...

Pilgrim Notes:  Day is very well marked. There's a pilgrim fountain near the highest point of the way, maybe 10-12kms in, but I didn't test the waters.

The Camino bypasses Manzanares el Real, so if you want to go into town, turn right when you see the Oficina Turismo sign, (same place you see the Refugio sign pointing left). Very obvious.

Castle open for individual visits, daily, 6euro, can walk around its grounds for free.

There's a big Camino sign at tourist office (same as at church in Colmenar), just realized that the bottom corner tells you where you can get a sello, of course all are closed today as is a Sunday.

Also, there's a sports store just to the left of the ayuntamiento. Looks like climbing gear in window but probably has a selection of good stuff.