IN THE STEPS OF THE KINGS
    By Catherine Girdler

And so we came to Lerma: our seven-hour journey from the coast ended when we drove through the gateway of the walled town. Darkness had fallen and our headlights picked out a mediaeval half-timbered building and narrow streets.
The February day dawned with brilliant sunshine and an azure sky. With our friends we made our way to the Tourist Information Office, housed in a former monastery, to join a conducted tour of the town. Lerma is 35km south of Burgos and 836km from Malaga and is built on a hill overlooking the River Arlanza. There was a pre-Roman settlement here, but in the 10th Century Lerma became head of a district and in 1148 Alphonse III granted it privileges and jurisdiction. Lerma's limestone buildings were constructed in 17th Century when the town became head of the territories of the King's favourite, Francisco Gomez de Sandoval y Rojas. Philip III made regular visits to Lerma and the Duke built and extended his palace to accommodate the Royal party. The Duke was very confident of his standing with the King, as he completed his palace with four towers, a feature only permitted on a Royal palace.

The original palace crumbled away and in more recent times was sold to the Parador organisation, on condition that it was totally restored, including the four towers. This beautiful stone building now dominates the huge Plaza Ducal. On one side of the Plaza is an overhead walkway, supported by pillars, which allowed the Duke to make his way to the Collegiate Church of San Pedro without coming into contact with the general populace. This hanging corridor can be seen at various points in the town, one of the most beautiful being in the Square of Santa Clara where it frames a wonderful view across the valley. There is also a network of passages beneath the town.

There are many churches and convents, or former convents, in the town, but we visited the Collegiate Church of San Pedro, which has a magnificent golden Baroque altarpiece. We were privileged to visit the Chapel at the Monastery of the Ascension de Nuestra Senor. This Monastery is home to the Franciscan Order of the Poor Clares and young girls come from all over Spain to test their vocations. The chapel was beautiful and peaceful, with many fine paintings.

By lunchtime we were foot-sore and starving and our friends had another treat in store for us. On a previous visit they had found a small restaurant on the edge of the Plaza Ducal, where the food is cooked in a traditional log oven. The fire in this massive oven is never allowed to die out. Lunch was 12-week old lamb, beautifully cooked, and accompanied by the local Ribero de Arlanza red wine. I bought a bottle of this wine and can report that it travels well! It tasted equally as good back in England. Our day in Lerma ended with a walk around the lovely town by moonlight and a relaxing drink in the Parador. The inner courtyard of this palace has been roofed over to make a splendid salon and the waitresses are dressed in the local costume.

The next day we moved on to Cuenca. This town is famous for its hanging houses, the Casas Colgadas, which cling to the side of the Hueca ravine. The whole town is undergoing restoration as it has been declared a European Heritage site; consequently the Cathedral was being heavily restored and was not looking its best. Nothing can detract from the beautiful buildings and in a few years' time this city will be a joy to visit.

We also visited the Ciudad Encantada. It is hard to describe this place where strange rock formations have been eroded into weird shapes by the wind and rain. Many of the shapes have been given names, for example The Lovers, Roman Bridge, the Boat - you need a good imagination! It is an attractive place to walk and enjoy the countryside.

On our last night we visited a restaurant in Cuenca. The area along by the river has been made into a paved walkway and we discovered a restaurant, which appeared old but was in fact very new, having been built in a converted warehouse. The seating in the bar was on red velvet covered benches, with lace antimacassars and lace curtains. We enjoyed a first class dinner and promised ourselves further adventures next year. Watch this space !!