In Béjar: the Textile Factory Trail

April 27, 2024

We’re still on Saturday here, the same day as the previous post. Now it’s after lunch though and the weather has improved significantly. We both go out for walks. I take the town’s signature walk, the roughly three mile long Textile Factory Trail, that Rachael found for me on Kormoot. She went grocery shopping and then walked around town a bit, but after hearing me rave about this hike when I returned she went out on it herself the next day.

The trail gets its name from the first half of the walk, which follows the Cuerpo de Hombre River - the minor river that cuts the canyon on the north side of Béjar’s ridge - as it passes right beneath three or four abandoned textile mills. It gives a window into an important era in Béjar’s history - the textile industry in the town began in the late 1300’s, but really boomed when Flemish masters moved in in the 1700’s. The town’s textile industry remained as a cornerstone of the town’s economy until it finally collapsed around 1970.

History lesson or not, it’s an excellent hike following the river the whole way and sandwiched between cliffs and walls of the old factories

Conditions are much more conducive to an outing this afternoon.

It’s not as windy today though, which definitely helps. And we love having a pet stork right outside our window!

A sunnier look at the Cervantes theater, with the rueful knight and his sidekick out front.

The hike is a loop, following the river west below the north side of town and then doubling back up the south side, slowly climbing up a dirt path until entering town and climbing up to its center on a series of stairways. I’d been thinking that I’d seen about everything of interest on the riverside half of the loop, so I was pleasantly surprised by the steady stream of interesting attractions I came to. I could have done without those ninety stairs at the end though.

Looking back up the river t the midpoint of the hike. In the distance above is the town’s castle.

The outer wall of the castle. Most of the structure has been overlaid or repurposed over the centuries. The ducal palace is built atop the ruins of the fortress.

I’m sure there are those that don’t care for peeling green doors, but I’m not among them.

It looks like I made the most of my break in the weather.

Rachael confined her walk to the west area of town by the palace nd castle, but then went further than I did. She found a gap in the wall I’d missed, and crossed over to the other side.

A blend of both walks.

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Michael HutchingEnjoyed the pics of Béjar. We did the textile walk in 2014 and thought the loss of industry to the area a sad reflection on our times. We were puzzled about the statues and images of yeti type men carrying clubs and festooned in greenery. Bonne Route! Michael
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6 months ago

Scott AndersonTo Michael HutchingYou’ve been to Béjar? I performed a search on the site but didn’t see any previous references, but I see that was two years before your earliest journal here. Must have been a preretyrement tour?

Did you go to Ávila also?
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6 months ago

Michael HutchingTo Scott AndersonYes - we were going to a wedding in Huelva. Resorted to the dark side and hired a car in Madrid. We very much enjoyed both Segovia (terrific aqueduct) and Avila as well as Lisbon and Seville. Spain seemed so much more of a visceral experience than other European countries. Will have to bike it!
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6 months ago

Scott AndersonTo Michael HutchingVisceral is a good word for it. It’s really a rawer experience in many places than we’ve found in most of Western Europe. Rawer in a very good way.
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6 months ago

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