If I was looking for a day of new exciting scenery, it was not going to be today. I noticed there was a village 4km from the start. As soon as I entered the place I knew the bar was not yet opened, as the old men of the village were standing around outside, so no coffee for any of us....all good fully paid up Degenerate Bum's that we are.

However in the afternoon there was a bar open in a village just short of Zafra. Apart from that the day passed in an amiable sort of way. I listed to half an hour of 'The News Quiz'....scenery moved in front of my eyes, my shins made their presence felt....Oh yes, the walk into Zafra included an unguided tour of a railway yard....makes a change from vines and olive trees.

In Zafra the Alburge was a beautifully converted monastery, once again not enough beds. However I somehow played a blinder and ended up sharing a two man room with a German man.

I had a good meal in the sunshine after which Suz, the leader of the Danish ladies kindly gave me the low down on the rest of the journey to Astorga.... but it was now becoming more apparent, because of my shin  that I was going to stop well short of the original target.

Zafra is a pleasant enough town...worth stopping if you are passing, but not worth a long detour to see it.