Clinging on and hugged by the Servillians

 It is a bit of the day. We will go into the very well appointed village of Villarluengo and then just wander round the geography.

Let us straight ways to the GSH.  VILLARLUENGO:  Situated on rocky terrain on a strong, steep rock cut perpendicularly from east to south, at the foot of which passes a river coming from the Benatanduz ravine: the climate is not very cold and suffers from pneumonia. It has 200 houses of medium construction, among them the town hall, without any kind of comfort; there is a small and miserable hospital without income; a granary with 224 fanegas of wheat; a primary school attended by 90 boys and a secondary school attended by 24 girls; parish church (The Assumption of Our Lady), served by a priest and 6 beneficed clergy; At the edge of the village, there is a Franciscan convent and two hermitages, San Bartolomé and San Cristóbal, and another within the district where Mass is celebrated, which is attended by the inhabitants of the farmhouses. To the north of the village, there is a spring of excellent water, from which the residents draw their water. 

To the right of the village and at a short distance, passes the river, or rather stream, of La Cañada, which, although not very voluminous, powers two flour mills. A short distance from one of these mills, the Palomita stream joins it , originating from several springs on that mountain, and powers other mills. To the left of Villaluengo flows the Guadalope River, with a not insignificant flow, which increases considerably in snowy years; its waters are also used for the benefit of the paper industry that the Temprado family introduced with great success for the manufacture of continuous paper, which has gained such prestige. The building of this establishment has been extraordinarily improved, and countless families find their livelihood in its production. The land is mostly barren, full of scrubland, ravines, and precipices; nevertheless, its valleys are cultivated. The mountains, once so densely populated, are now very sparsely populated with pine trees as a result of the extensive logging carried out by the Carlists for the Cantavieja cannon foundry. The roads are in poor condition, except for the one the paper mill owners have opened from Aliaga to the site. Mail is received from Alcañiz twice a week. Products : wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, corn, fruits, vegetables, and some silk; there are a few sheep and goats, and hunting of rabbits and partridges. Industry.There are several weavers of cloth, linen, and local wool, some espadrille makers and chair makers. Population : 226 households

The bar is called Fonda. They are very clear it is under new ownership;  Two months ago Desiree wrote ‘A must-stop before starting a day of hiking. They serve amazing sandwiches that are not only delicious but also perfect for breakfast, with more than enough left over for later. Excellent service and great value for the quality. Hugs and kisses from the Sevillians! ‘

Six months ago David Said ‘We arrived at 1:50 PM and were told they wouldn't serve us, even though there were free tables and people eating. They told us to go to the pavilion, as they were having a party there and serving sandwiches.To our surprise, when we returned at 4:10 PM, it was still open, serving drinks and coffee (to the cyclist outside, for example).

On the way out Darwader reports on the Hermitage of St Bartholomew.  ‘An 18th-century religious building with a rectangular floor plan, constructed of masonry. Restored in 2022. We were unable to visit it as it was closed. On the hillside, there is a Stations of the Cross that appears as a cemetery on Google Maps. 

The GSH had some details of recent events.  ‘In this town, the Carlists had established several rifle factories, producing 5 or 6 very good rifles daily, which they used to replace the unusable weapons of their battalions. An hour from this town, on August 5, 1836, a skirmish took place between the Queen's troops and those of the Carlist leader Cabrera, the latter yielding the field in retreat. In the first days of April 1840, the first Carlist battalion, named Mora, occupied Villarluengo and its fort. This battalion had been distributed throughout the enclosure to defend itself against the attack of the Queen's troops who were besieging the town. But seeing the greater strength of these, they were driven out at the first artillery shots, the garrison of the fort doing the same, despite its advantageous position 1/4 of an hour away from the town’. 

Ok, a few more words to be done.

Pavonearse - to strut around like a peacock.

Soler - doing something out of habit.

Tocayo/a - someone who has the same name as you.

Now to rest and dream of tomorrow.