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Tierra de Campos
Heading to the beach this summer? Or to the mountains? Try something different and head for the plains instead. Michelle Moore travels into the Spanish wilderness and is pleasantly suprised

A two-and-a-half hour train journey (or an hour if you can afford the AVE) gets you to Valladolid, bang in the middle of Spain’s largest autonomous region, Castilla y León. Covering an area the size of Holland and half of Belgium, and almost as flat, you will need some form of transport to really get the best out of any visit to this region. Car rental is available at Valladolid station and the terrain is well suited to pedal power too. My companion and I travel north about 50 minutes by car, and arrive at the small sleepy town of Villalón in the heart of Tierra de Campos (land of fields) — the name given to this vast flat area of Castilla y León, which has been used since Roman times for the cultivation of cereals. Villalón was once an important market town and the remnants of its past glory can still be seen in the crumbling local architecture. The whole area is very sparsely populated, with small villages of 100 or so inhabitants dotted around the plains every 5km or so. This makes it a great destination if you fancy getting away from it all, and especially for walking or cycling. The presence of more than 390 species of vertebrates and among them 218 species of birds, also makes for a great opportunity to survey wildlife.

Bird spotting
It’s a peaceful, warm Friday morning as we set out to explore the surrounding country. The main roads are in good condition, but road signs are scarce. The countryside is sewn together by a patchwork of dusty trails, which make for peaceful, car-free walking or cycling and a great opportunity to see the spectacular wildlife of the region. I can’t help but wonder about the solitude of this place, and how it must feel to live here in such peaceful surroundings.
Our first stop is Laguna de Tamariz with its bird outpost. The wooden shack has a chart detailing the species of birds in the area and it’s a spectacular viewing point. I imagine landscape painters would be in their element here. The lake thrives with life. Grey herons feed and socialise on its banks, while a distant cuckoo punctuates the air. With no disturbances, birdsong is abundant and grasshoppers and crickets chirp in the undergrowth while the oats and poppies sway in the light breeze.

Canal de Castilla
Further down the road, we take an easy-paced walk along the Canal de Castilla. Construction of the canal began in 1748, finishing 100 years later. Built to facilitate the exportation of the region’s produce through Santander in the north, it was a major engineering triumph of its time; 270km in length with 49 locks. Alas, the canal fell into decline with the arrival of the railway and was closed to traffic in the 1950s. It remains for the most part unused, but creates an important habitat and an oasis of water. An enormous, derelict mill stands eerily beside some empty moorings. All that remains of the lock-keeper’s cottage is the front wall. The old horse paths that run alongside the canal make for beautiful walking and some species of birds that may be observed on this route include kingfishers, kestrel primilla, and ashen eaglets among others. One point to note though: walking right next to the canal can result in mosquito hell after mid-day, so you’d be well advised to go in the morning or bring a good repellant. A pair of binoculars is also recommended if you want to get the best out of the local fauna. From March to June you can take advantage of a guided bird-watching tour, which starts from nearby Tamariz de Campos.
On our way to the next destination, a shepherd passes on the road followed by a flock of freshly shorn sheep; a brief reminder of the area’s agricultural lifestyle. The landscape is a burnt yellow-orange colour with some scattered trees dotted in the steppe — unusually green for the time of year, due to the rainfall that Spain received during the spring.

Wildlife
The locals are very proud of the buzzard, which resides here. It is a medium-sized bird with a robust body and broad wings. As we drive, we spot six buzzards, witness partridges running ahead of the vehicle and ashen eaglets circling over a field, perhaps on the lookout for a rodent for dinner. The area flourishes with wildlife — hares, rabbits, foxes, hedgehogs and even (so I’m told by our guide) wolves.
Onto the next stop and we visit a palomar (pigeon house). These buildings are plentiful in this district and have been a unique feature of the landscape since Roman times. Made of straw and mud, they are home to hundreds of pigeons, who are busy pecking at the maize feed while producing eggs. Many of these birds are killed at 18 days to be served up as a local delicacy, pichon. The smell of droppings is overwhelming in the heat and the huts feel a little claustrophobic — I much prefer the fresh air blowing across the plains.

Plenty to do
Other activities in the area include wine tours, hiking routes and cave visits, and you can spend time at winter resorts, castles, monasteries, cathedrals (including Iglesia Parraquial de los Santos San Justo y Paster in Cuenca de Campos), royal monuments and world heritage sites, and refresh yourself by drinking spring and medicinal waters.
The people of Castilla y Leon are welcoming and friendly. Not so accustomed to visitors, and appreciative of any tourist attention, the locals will make a fuss over you and you may well find yourself invited to see private museums and family bodegas.

Useful info:

How to get there
From Madrid, take a train to Valladolid Campos. www.renfe.com
Rent a car at Avis at the train station for €50 a day. www.vroomv
roomvroom.co.uk/locations/Valladolid-car-rental.aspx

Accommodation
Venta del Alón, c/San Juán, 6, 47600 Villalón de Campos, Valladolid. Tel: 98 374 09 51. www.ventadelalon.es
Rincon de Doña Inés, c/Iglesia, 2, Villanueva de la Condesa, Valladolid. Tel: 98 375 60 67. www.rinconines.com
Los Oficios (see below)

Places to eat
Los Oficios is a charming hotel and restaurant that boasts themed rooms and eager-to-please staff. The restaurant’s starters include warm partridge salad; piquillo peppers stuffed with garlic, shrimp and pil-pil cod and scrambled eggs with black pudding and potato straws. For the main course, there are veal cutlets with fresh foie and pork tenderloin with glazed onion, salad or fried eggs and chips. Los Oficios Restaurante La Pantera, c/La Iglesia, 9, Gatón de Campos, 47606 Valladolid. Tel: 98 376 04 42.
Also try Bodega La Tata for top class traditional Spanish dishes.
Bodega La Tata, c/San Pedro, 1, 47650 Cuenca De Campos, Valladolid. Tel: 98 376 11 31.
*Phone ahead if you have special dietary requirements.

Did you know?
Bird watching tours run from March to June. Maximum group size: 16 people. Price €45. Tel: 98 708 20 83. See www.guheko.com and www.turismocastillayleon.com for info.

art&culture entertainment virtual mag forum back issues services advertise classifieds multimedia mailinglist Click here to subscribe to the monthly InMadrid Newsletter!	virtual mag Tierra de Campos Heading to the beach this summer? Or to the mountains? Try something different and head for the plains instead. Michelle Moore travels into the Spanish wilderness and is pleasantly suprised A two-and-a-half hour train journey (or an hour if you can afford the AVE) gets you to Valladolid, bang in the middle of Spain’s largest autonomous region, Castilla y León. Covering an area the size of Holland and half of Belgium, and almost as flat, you will need some form of transport to really get the best out of any visit to this region. Car rental is available at Valladolid station and the terrain is well suited to pedal power too. My companion and I travel north about 50 minutes by car, and arrive at the small sleepy town of Villalón in the heart of Tierra de Campos (land of fields) — the name given to this vast flat area of Castilla y León, which has been used since Roman times for the cultivation of cereals. Villalón was once an important market town and the remnants of its past glory can still be seen in the crumbling local architecture. The whole area is very sparsely populated, with small villages of 100 or so inhabitants dotted around the plains every 5km or so. This makes it a great destination if you fancy getting away from it all, and especially for walking or cycling. The presence of more than 390 species of vertebrates and among them 218 species of birds, also makes for a great opportunity to survey wildlife. Bird spotting It’s a peaceful, warm Friday morning as we set out to explore the surrounding country. The main roads are in good condition, but road signs are scarce. The countryside is sewn together by a patchwork of dusty trails, which make for peaceful, car-free walking or cycling and a great opportunity to see the spectacular wildlife of the region. I can’t help but wonder about the solitude of this place, and how it must feel to live here in such peaceful surroundings. Our first stop is Laguna de Tamariz with its bird outpost. The wooden shack has a chart detailing the species of birds in the area and it’s a spectacular viewing point. I imagine landscape painters would be in their element here. The lake thrives with life. Grey herons feed and socialise on its banks, while a distant cuckoo punctuates the air. With no disturbances, birdsong is abundant and grasshoppers and crickets chirp in the undergrowth while the oats and poppies sway in the light breeze. Canal de Castilla Further down the road, we take an easy-paced walk along the Canal de Castilla. Construction of the canal began in 1748, finishing 100 years later. Built to facilitate the exportation of the region’s produce through Santander in the north, it was a major engineering triumph of its time; 270km in length with 49 locks. Alas, the canal fell into decline with the arrival of the railway and was closed to traffic in the 1950s. It remains for the most part unused, but creates an important habitat and an oasis of water. An enormous, derelict mill stands eerily beside some empty moorings. All that remains of the lock-keeper’s cottage is the front wall. The old horse paths that run alongside the canal make for beautiful walking and some species of birds that may be observed on this route include kingfishers, kestrel primilla, and ashen eaglets among others. One point to note though: walking right next to the canal can result in mosquito hell after mid-day, so you’d be well advised to go in the morning or bring a good repellant. A pair of binoculars is also recommended if you want to get the best out of the local fauna. From March to June you can take advantage of a guided bird-watching tour, which starts from nearby Tamariz de Campos. On our way to the next destination, a shepherd passes on the road followed by a flock of freshly shorn sheep; a brief reminder of the area’s agricultural lifestyle. The landscape is a burnt yellow-orange colour with some scattered trees dotted in the steppe — unusually green for the time of year, due to the rainfall that Spain received during the spring. Wildlife The locals are very proud of the buzzard, which resides here. It is a medium-sized bird with a robust body and broad wings. As we drive, we spot six buzzards, witness partridges running ahead of the vehicle and ashen eaglets circling over a field, perhaps on the lookout for a rodent for dinner. The area flourishes with wildlife — hares, rabbits, foxes, hedgehogs and even (so I’m told by our guide) wolves. Onto the next stop and we visit a palomar (pigeon house). These buildings are plentiful in this district and have been a unique feature of the landscape since Roman times. Made of straw and mud, they are home to hundreds of pigeons, who are busy pecking at the maize feed while producing eggs. Many of these birds are killed at 18 days to be served up as a local delicacy, pichon. The smell of droppings is overwhelming in the heat and the huts feel a little claustrophobic — I much prefer the fresh air blowing across the plains. Plenty to do Other activities in the area include wine tours, hiking routes and cave visits, and you can spend time at winter resorts, castles, monasteries, cathedrals (including Iglesia Parraquial de los Santos San Justo y Paster in Cuenca de Campos), royal monuments and world heritage sites, and refresh yourself by drinking spring and medicinal waters. The people of Castilla y Leon are welcoming and friendly. Not so accustomed to visitors, and appreciative of any tourist attention, the locals will make a fuss over you and you may well find yourself invited to see private museums and family bodegas. Useful info: How to get there From Madrid, take a train to Valladolid Campos. www.renfe.com Rent a car at Avis at the train station for €50 a day. www.vroomv roomvroom.co.uk/locations/Valladolid-car-rental.aspx Accommodation Venta del Alón, c/San Juán, 6, 47600 Villalón de Campos, Valladolid. Tel: 98 374 09 51. www.ventadelalon.es Rincon de Doña Inés, c/Iglesia, 2, Villanueva de la Condesa, Valladolid. Tel: 98 375 60 67. www.rinconines.com Los Oficios (see below) Places to eat Los Oficios is a charming hotel and restaurant that boasts themed rooms and eager-to-please staff. The restaurant’s starters include warm partridge salad; piquillo peppers stuffed with garlic, shrimp and pil-pil cod and scrambled eggs with black pudding and potato straws. For the main course, there are veal cutlets with fresh foie and pork tenderloin with glazed onion, salad or fried eggs and chips. Los Oficios Restaurante La Pantera, c/La Iglesia, 9, Gatón de Campos, 47606 Valladolid. Tel: 98 376 04 42. Also try Bodega La Tata for top class traditional Spanish dishes. Bodega La Tata, c/San Pedro, 1, 47650 Cuenca De Campos, Valladolid. Tel: 98 376 11 31. *Phone ahead if you have special dietary requirements. Did you know? Bird watching tours run from March to June. Maximum group size: 16 people. Price €45. Tel: 98 708 20 83. See www.guheko.com and www.turismocastillayleon.com for info.