A Rural Walk ‘outside’ Santo Domingo de la Calzada

On two afternoons we went for a rural walk ‘outside’ Santo Domingo de la Calzada, just to keep the parts moving. Last time we were here, it was green…

Parador to the river

The streets are quite narrow, and the houses quite tall, and so it is shaded and cool walk to the River Oja, by comparison with walking in the open air.

 

A small shrine stands at the entrance to the bridge over the river, well I say ‘river’ but there was not a drop of water to be seen. The bridge is a reconstruction of that built by St Dominic in the 11th century.

Along the River Oja

The Río Oja flows from south to north, rising in the mountains above Excaray, and eventually joining the Ebro at Haro. The hotel receptionist assured us that when the rains started, and after the snow had melted, the river would be in full flow again. She lives in Casalareina, just outside Haro, and there the river has some water, mainly because it has picked up some small tributaries.

Then the road led us along the Paseo los Molinos, with signs of leading water, and open fields behind stone walls.

On the edge of the town, amongst the modern blocks of flats, is another small park and a children’s playground. It reminded me that I have actually brought work with me – shocking! I have a substantial book about Ada Salter, an extraordinary woman who was a political and social activist in Bermondsey. Why Bermondsey? Because it is in the borough of Southwark, and the new book will be Green Southwark. And now back to Spain!

And so back into the town after an enjoyable outing, with some lovely views.