Fuentelmonge

The church bell strikes noon, yet nobody appears. Streets remain empty, washing hangs motionless on balconies, and the only sound comes from a tractor grinding through distant wheat fields. This is Fuentelmonge at midday, a village where silence isn't absence—it's the natural state of things.

The Geography of Leaving

Forty-seven kilometres north-east of Soria, where the A-15 motorway gives way to provincial roads that twist through cereal plains, Fuentelmonge sits at 967 metres above sea level. The altitude matters here. Winters bite hard, with temperatures dropping to minus fifteen, whilst summer brings dust and forty-degree heat that turns the surrounding wheat fields golden-brown by July.

The village occupies a transitional zone between Spain's northern meseta and the Iberian mountain system. To the north, the Sierra del Moncayo rises like a wall, creating rain shadows that make agriculture possible but never easy. The landscape rolls rather than soars—gentle undulations that stretch for miles, interrupted only by the occasional limestone outcrop or the darker green of a pine plantation.

Drive in from any direction and you'll see the same story repeated: abandoned farmhouses with collapsing roofs, fields that haven't seen a plough in decades, and the tell-tale signs of rural exodus. Fuentelmonge lost two-thirds of its population between 1950 and 1980. The 2021 census recorded 39 inhabitants. On most days, the actual number present is lower.

Stone, Adobe and Survival Architecture

The village architecture reflects both prosperity and decline. Eighteenth-century stone houses with carved doorways sit beside twentieth-century brick boxes built during the brief agricultural boom. Many stand empty, their wooden shutters weathered grey and hanging askew. Those still occupied show signs of careful maintenance—fresh whitewash, repaired roof tiles, vegetable plots where lawns might grow elsewhere.

The parish church of San Pedro Mártyr dominates the small plaza, its square tower visible from every approach. Built in the sixteenth century and modified repeatedly, it represents the village's former importance as a local administrative centre. Inside, the altarpiece shows the typical Sorian style—somewhat austere, painted in dark reds and blues that have faded to purple over centuries. The church opens only for Sunday mass at 11:30, unless you find the keyholder (usually found at house number 14, though this changes).

Walk the three main streets—Calle Real, Calle del Medio and Calle de la Cruz—and you'll notice the distinctive conical chimneys that mark older houses. These stone structures, tapering to a point, served a practical purpose beyond aesthetics. Their height created strong draughts for cooking fires whilst preventing sparks from landing on the typically thatched roofs. Most have been replaced with terracotta pots, but several originals remain, particularly on the eastern edge of town.

Working the Margins

Fuentelmonge survives through a combination of cereal farming, EU subsidies and weekend visitors from Soria who maintain ancestral properties. The surrounding fields produce wheat, barley and increasingly, sunflowers. You'll see modern machinery working fields that stretch to the horizon, operated by farmers who might live twenty kilometres away. The days of smallholdings and mixed farming ended decades ago.

The village maintains its agricultural calendar despite dwindling participation. September brings the harvest festival, when former residents return for a weekend of processions and communal meals. The local council—based in nearby Soria—organises basic services: a mobile library visits fortnightly, medical staff come twice weekly, and the school bus collects the three children who still live here during term time.

For visitors interested in rural economics, Fuentelmonge offers a masterclass in twenty-first-century village survival. The municipal budget for 2023 was €127,000. Most went towards road maintenance and keeping the streetlights working. The bar closed in 2019 when the owner retired. The last shop shut decades earlier. Residents drive to Gómara, eight kilometres away, for basic supplies. For anything beyond groceries, it's Soria or nothing.

Walking Through Absence

The best way to understand Fuentelmonge is to walk its perimeter. A circular route of approximately six kilometres takes you past abandoned threshing floors, derelict farm buildings and through wheat fields that meet the sky at every cardinal point. Start early morning or late afternoon—midday heat during summer makes walking unpleasant and potentially dangerous given the lack of shade.

The path follows ancient rights of way marked by stone walls that divide properties. You'll pass the remains of a Roman villa, visible only as low stone walls and scattered pottery fragments. Information boards don't exist here—local knowledge passed down through generations serves as the only guidebook. The landscape archaeology tells its own story: terraces built during the medieval agricultural expansion now lie fallow, their dry stone walls slowly collapsing back into the earth.

Birdwatchers should bring binoculars and patience. The steppe-like environment supports species rarely seen in Britain: great bustards occasionally visit during winter, whilst calandra larks provide constant background chatter. Booted eagles circle overhead during spring migration. The best viewing spots lie along the track leading towards Monteagudo de las Vicarías, where an irrigation reservoir attracts water birds during dry summers.

Practical Realities

Getting here requires determination. There's no public transport—the bus service ended in 2012 when passenger numbers dropped below economic viability. From Madrid Barajas, it's a two-hour drive north on the A-2, then smaller roads that demand attention. The last twenty kilometres wind through landscapes that feel increasingly remote. Mobile phone coverage becomes patchy; download offline maps before leaving the main roads.

Accommodation options within the village don't exist. The nearest hotels sit in Soria, forty minutes away by car. Some residents rent rooms informally during summer—ask at the village fountain around 7 pm when locals gather to water gardens and exchange gossip. Expect to pay €30-40 per night for basic but clean accommodation. Breakfast won't be included because nobody provides it.

Eating requires similar flexibility. The seasonal restaurant in Gómara opens weekends only. Otherwise, bring supplies and self-cater. Buy provisions in Soria before arrival—local shops close for siesta at 2 pm and might not reopen. The village fountain provides potable water; locals fill containers daily and won't appreciate tourists draining supplies during drought periods.

When to Visit, When to Stay Away

Spring brings the only real transformation. Fields flush green with new wheat, almond blossoms appear on scattered trees, and temperatures hover around twenty degrees—perfect for walking. April and May represent the optimum window before summer heat arrives and after winter's harshness subsides.

Avoid July and August unless heat tolerance runs high. Temperatures regularly exceed forty degrees, shade remains minimal, and the landscape turns harsh and unwelcoming. Autumn offers spectacular light and comfortable walking conditions, though harvest machinery makes some paths temporarily impassable.

Winter visits demand preparation. Snow falls occasionally, turning the landscape monochrome beautiful but making access treacherous. The village sits exposed to northern winds that sweep across the meseta—bring proper clothing and ensure vehicle heating works efficiently.

Fuentelmonge won't suit everyone. Those seeking restaurants, museums or organised activities should look elsewhere. The village offers instead something increasingly rare: authentic rural Spain without interpretation centres or guided tours. Come prepared, tread lightly, and you'll experience a landscape and way of life that elsewhere exists only in historical photographs.