Stage 17: Castronuño - Toro

This Stage initially overlaps with the Almendros Route, a short route near Castronuño that runs along the Duero, amidst ancient almond trees. The route climbs down from "Muela", where the town is located, and initially overlaps with the former Senda de los Pescadores (a path traditionally used by anglers to climb up from the small pier where their boats are tied).

The path is well laid out with walkways, steps on the steeper slopes, and a viewpoint over the river (Mirador del Teso). After crossing Puente Creek, the path arrives at the pier with an observatory from where one can discreetly watch birds.

The route continues along the narrow path mentioned in the previous Stage, i.e. the path to San José Dam that runs between the wooden guardrail and poplars.

Past the dam, the path reaches a large bathing area with a car park. Caution should be exercised here, as the route runs along county road 112 until the first interStage, where it takes the right path to Canal de San José, traversing through irrigated farmlands, mainly under alfalfa and corn. As the path approaches the Duero, one can see that the riparian vegetation along the river primarily consists of poplars (Populus alba).

The path reaches Villafranca de Duero and heads north out of the town, crosses the Canal, and continues along a paved farm road that runs through the River Duero Valley. The landscape is dominated by irrigated crops, always with the River Duero and its riparian forest nearby. A few farmed poplar plantations break the homogeneous landscape.

The paved road ends soon after, and becomes an easy, flat gravel path. In this stretch, the River Duero makes a large meander that brings the river close to the route, from where the water can be seen. A sign indicates a right turn at the crossroads, next to a small pine stand to the right.

The Trail runs parallel to the River Duero, and reaches Caserío de Tímulos, where a charming, circular dovecote stands on a small rocky outcrop, in an otherwise flat terrain. The route traverses the village and heads north alongside Canal de San José, from which it drifts away soon after to venture into a stone pine forest (Pinus pinea).

Toro Dam is nearby. A small walkway on the right gives access to a bird observatory where one can stop to relax and refresh.

Back on the path, the route runs through a mosaic of alternating pine stands and irrigated farmlands, dotted with a few rain-fed farms. A gravel pit signals the proximity of a more humanised area. At the crossroads with another farm road, the path turns right to continue along a road, with a housing development to the right.

The town of Toro, where the Stage ends, can be seen from here, perched atop a hill above the river. The Trail runs between the road and the River Duero, which escorts the route in this final stretch. The road gradually drifts away from the route, as the path ventures through poplars and other riparian trees towards Mayor de Toro Bridge, of Romanesque-medieval origin, that crosses the River Duero, at the foot of this beautiful Zamoran town. It is not uncommon to see anglers stationed on the bridge casting their fishing poles.

This relaxed Stage ends at a recreational area next to the bridge, below the houses of this town.