Tuesday 13th October 2015 – Guadalupe, Spain

We had a choice of whether to stop at La Estrella or push on to Guadalupe last night but were very satisfied with our decision. La Estrella was a lovely aire and it meant that we could go over the next mountain pass in the morning sun.

It was only a short journey but we both agreed that it was the most beautiful drive of the holiday so far. The weather was excellent with low sun and no low cloud, despite the distant view of fog from the La Estrella aire. As we approached the quilt-folded slopes of the Sierra de Guadalupe the scenery became much greener.

Thankfully, there was a place to pull in at the pass of Puerto de San Vicente (807m) and we sat there transfixed by the large number of vultures and / or eagles wheeling over the peaks. Jane spotted a vulture stood on a rock in the distance. We confirmed this with binoculars but found it impossible to identify the large number of airborne birds.

The descent from San Vicente was lovely with wonderful views at every turn, and there were lots of turns!

We arrived at Guadalupe and found somewhere to park relatively close to the World Heritage Site of Guadalupe Monastery. The village itself is pretty with traditional architecture but the monastery is spectacular. We joined a guided tour and enjoyed looking at the exhibits, the wonderfully decorated rooms and church but no photography was allowed as it is still a working monastery. The last part of the tour, a visit to the shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, was given by one of the monks who blessed the visitors who kissed the holy icon. The monastery was established after a shepherd in the late 14^th century was led by a vision of the Virgin Mary to find a hidden statue of the Virgin. Subsequently, great royal patronage lead to flourishing of the monastery. Surprisingly for such a major site, no guidebooks are available in any foreign languages.

Next to the monastery is the original hotel for their visitors and this is now a hotel, the Hospederia del Real Monasterio. The hotel is open to non-residents and has a restaurant, café and bar. We took a look inside and found that they had a fixed ‘menu of the day’ for €15 (£12). It is a beautiful building and restaurant in the central courtyard is a beautiful setting. The meal was excellent quality and value and we would highly recommend it. If we hadn’t been in the motorhome, we would have been very tempted to stay at the hotel.

After wandering around the village dodging light showers, we drove down just below the village to the Las Villuercas campsite, which is a little basic and was deserted but the shower block was very clean and it was a convenient stop for the night.

Photos: Early morning view from the La Estrella aire looking towards the Sierra de Guadalupe; At the top of Puerto de San Vicente; And a view down; The cloister of the Guadalupe Monastery; The Hospederia del Real Monasterio; What a place to have lunch!; The Pudding.