La Robla Help... Friday August 13

[Texasguy]

Good afternoon Peregrino(a)s,

I am starting the Camino del Salvador on Friday, August 13. I am in need of a place to stay on the evening of the 13 in La Robla. I have looked and try everywhere, and so far no luck. If anyone who has a room somewhere, wants to share, we can split. I am covered the rest of the week, my only issue is Friday night.
If you have any suggestions, I am open to listen and do the homework.

Thanks, and Buen Camino!
Texasguy

 

[rogersoncharles1951]

Good afternoon Peregrino(a)s,

I am starting the Camino del Salvador on Friday, August 13. I am in need of a place to stay on the evening of the 13 in La Robla. I have looked and try everywhere, and so far no luck. If anyone who has a room somewhere, wants to share, we can split. I am covered the rest of the week, my only issue is Friday night.
If you have any suggestions, I am open to listen and do the homework.

Thanks, and Buen Camino!
Texasguy

Download Camino Ninja app gives great info of all possible places to stay on all the Camino's best app ever used it from Porto this July best ever Been Camino

 

[Texasguy]

Download Camino Ninja app gives great info of all possible places to stay on all the Camino's best app ever used it from Porto this July best ever Been Camino

Thank you!!!

 

[trecile]

The Camino Ninja app shows Pensión Mundo and Hostal Ordóñez de Celis, same as Gronze shows. Are they both fully booked? It's a shame that the albergue there is closed, because it was a pretty nice albergue.

La Robla, León | Albergues y Hoteles | Gronze.com

www.gronze.com

 

[Texasguy]

The Camino Ninja app shows Pensión Mundo and Hostal Ordóñez de Celis, same as Gronze shows. Are they both fully booked? It's a shame that the albergue there is closed, because it was a pretty nice albergue.

La Robla, León | Albergues y Hoteles | Gronze.com

www.gronze.com

Thanks for the response. Fully booked. I am engaging in conversations directly with them just in case. I have been looking to the towns before, and after.... everything full. I have tried, Agoda, Travelocity, booking.com, hotels.com, kayak.com, trivago.com. I am starting to feel like a trade agent.
Thanks for the follow up.

 

[peregrina2000]

Pola de Gordón, about 10 km further on from La Robla, has the same “fully booked” problem. In the case of Pola, it’s because the two places, Mesón Miguel and Pensión 15 de Mayo, are booked with workers. One place houses workers dismantling a coal-fired plant, and the other has AVE workers. But since you are talking about a Friday, you should WhatsApp the 15 de mayo, because his workers leave on the weekends.
34 619 44 40 00. They answer very promptly.

I am hoping to be on the Salvador several weeks after you and have spoken with the owners of both places in Pola. If they have no availability, I will take an afternoon bus back to León and then taxi back to Pola the next morning. That could be your worst case scenario as well.

Not my ideal way to start a camino, but I know that a camino this year will be nothing if not challenging.

Good luck!

 

[Kanga]

Thanks for the response. Fully booked. I am engaging in conversations directly with them just in case. I have been looking to the towns before, and after.... everything full. I have tried, Agoda, Travelocity, booking.com, hotels.com, kayak.com, trivago.com. I am starting to feel like a trade agent.
Thanks for the follow up.

I found AirBnB worked when nothing else did. Also a phone call to the nearest local tourist bureau can sometimes find a place that is not on any of the booking sites.

 

[Texasguy]

Pola de Gordón, about 10 km further on from La Robla, has the same “fully booked” problem. In the case of Pola, it’s because the two places, Mesón Miguel and Pensión 15 de Mayo, are booked with workers. One place houses workers dismantling a coal-fired plant, and the other has AVE workers. But since you are talking about a Friday, you should WhatsApp the 15 de mayo, because his workers leave on the weekends.
34 619 44 40 00. They answer very promptly.

I am hoping to be on the Salvador several weeks after you and have spoken with the owners of both places in Pola. If they have no availability, I will take an afternoon bus back to León and then taxi back to Pola the next morning. That could be your worst case scenario as well.

Not my ideal way to start a camino, but I know that a camino this year will be nothing if not challenging.

Good luck!

Thank you so much Lori.

I just spoke to some Peregrinos today, they walked up to La Robla, and took a taxi back to Albergue San Francisco, they will taxi again tomorrow. Also apparently, el embrujo is also full for tomorrow.
Exiting times on the Camino. I guess, if I learned something after all these years, El Camino will provide.

Thanks again.

 

[dick bird]

I'm assuming La Robla is day 2. There is (or used to be) an early morning bus between La Robla and Léon and there is also the train, so one possibility is book two nights in Léon, walk out from Léon to La Robla on day 1, bus or train back in the evening, then bus or train out again next morning (day 2) to set off from La Robla. Certainly cheaper than taxis.

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm assuming La Robla is day 2. There is (or used to be) an early morning bus between La Robla and Léon and there is also the train, so one possibility is book two nights in Léon, walk out from Léon to La Robla on day 1, bus or train back in the evening, then bus or train out again next morning (day 2) to set off from La Robla. Certainly cheaper than taxis.

There are lots of buses in the afternoon back to León from either La Robla or Pola de Gordón.

But the earliest bus from León to La Robla or Pola de Gordón is at 7:20, arriving at La Robla at 7:45 and at Pola de Gordón at 8:04. That may be too late for some (at least it would be for me!), so biting the bullet and taking a taxi would seem like the next best thing. And the train is even later, leaving León at 9:22.

@Texasguy, let us know what happened and how you are doing!

 

[Texasguy]

I'm assuming La Robla is day 2. There is (or used to be) an early morning bus between La Robla and Léon and there is also the train, so one possibility is book two nights in Léon, walk out from Léon to La Robla on day 1, bus or train back in the evening, then bus or train out again next morning (day 2) to set off from La Robla. Certainly cheaper than taxis.

As of right now, I think I will taxi back to Leon and back to La Robla.
Thanks you!!

 

[peregrina2000]

As of right now, I think I will taxi back to Leon and back to La Robla.
Thanks you!!

Just fyi, there are lots of buses from La Robla to León in the afternoon.
13:35, 15:40, 16:07. 17:32. 19:37, 19:40. Only 2.25 euros.

I’ll probably bus back to León and take a taxi out in the early morning if I am so lucky as to make it to the camino this September!

Buen camino, @Texasguy!

 

[peregrina2000]

Just to say that the worker crunch seems to be easing. Two forum members now have reservation for September in Pola de Gordón in Pensión 15 de mayo, on weekdays no less.

I am not sure about La Robla, but with a good rest in La Robla, the 9 km to Pola de Gordón are not hard and basically flat. The only thing that will hold you back is if the long tunnels of blackberry bushes are ripe when you walk through.

Texasguy, it might be worth another whatsApp or phone call for this Friday.

 

[PJohn]

Thanks for posting this, my wife and I will be walking one day behind you, and I was assuming that I wouldn't need to book on the Salvador, so it's good to find out yesterday that I should.

Our plan:
14 Aug - La Robla (couldn't find accommodation, will probably take a bus back to León and spend the night there) Update: just got off the phone with Hostal Ordóñez de Celis in La Robla, and I reserved a double room for Saturday. Sounded like they had more available. The lady on the phone was very nice and patient with me, as I tried to communicate with my very broken spanish.
15 Aug - Poladura de la Tercia (booked)
16 Aug - Llanos de Somerón (Albergue Cascoxu) they only take reservations from 3 days before arrival, so will book tomorrow.
17 Aug - Mieres (Residencia Universitaria de Mieres) (booked)
18 Aug - Oviedo,
then we will go on to the Primitivo, there I booked all our accommodation a few weeks ago after reading a post about everything being full.

FYI, Benduenos was already full for 16 Aug. The albergues in Buiza and Pajares are closed, or at least they were a few weeks ago when I asked the hospitaleros.

Tip if you don't speak Spanish well enough to be comfortable speaking on the phone: Try messaging WhatsApp, I found that people are more responsive on there compared to if you just text them.

 

[PJohn]

But the earliest bus from León to La Robla or Pola de Gordón is at 7:20, arriving at La Robla at 7:45 and at Pola de Gordón at 8:04. That may be too late for some (at least it would be for me!), so biting the bullet and taking a taxi would seem like the next best thing. And the train is even later, leaving León at 9:22.

Keep in mind, according to alsa.es, the 7:20 bus runs on weekdays only. On Saturdays, the first bus is at 13:30, on Sundays it leaves at 10:30.

But the 9:22 train seems to run on weekends too,

 

[Texasguy]

Hello everyone,
On day 2 on Camino del Salvador.
I was able to find lodging in La Robla. I will post a couple of updates later on. 8 peregrinos started from Leon, only 2 finished yesterday. Another peregrino from Canarias and me. There was a problem with the fountains on the mountain and we did not have water. Policía civil was kind enough to give little bottles of water.
While on the tallest point, the temperatura was 47 degrees Celsius. Almost unbearable. I stop several times just to rest.
When I arrive in La Robla at 5:03, it was 43 degree.
Today was another hotter than hell day, I left in the dark at 6:15, and made it to Buiza by 10.00 the climb was painful mainly because there was very little shade until you get way up.
The wind blowing was hot, and yet…. The views were incredible. I did not see one person on the trail the whole day. I arrived a poladura de la Tercia at 2:45pm. The other peregrino has not arrived yet as of 4:30.

Just a quick update …
Thanks to all for your help!!!

Buen Camino
Texasguy

 

[Calisteve]

Hello everyone,
On day 2 on Camino del Salvador.
I was able to find lodging in La Robla. I will post a couple of updates later on. 8 peregrinos started from Leon, only 2 finished yesterday. Another peregrino from Canarias and me. There was a problem with the fountains on the mountain and we did not have water. Policía civil was kind enough to give little bottles of water.
While on the tallest point, the temperatura was 47 degrees Celsius. Almost unbearable. I stop several times just to rest.
When I arrive in La Robla at 5:03, it was 43 degree.
Today was another hotter than hell day, I left in the dark at 6:15, and made it to Buiza by 10.00 the climb was painful mainly because there was very little shade until you get way up.
The wind blowing was hot, and yet…. The views were incredible. I did not see one person on the trail the whole day. I arrived a poladura de la Tercia at 2:45pm. The other peregrino has not arrived yet as of 4:30.

Just a quick update …
Thanks to all for your help!!!

Buen Camino
Texasguy

I'm a day behind you. Stayed in Pola de Gordon at end of day 1. Funnily enough there was no problem with fountains yesterday between Leon and Pola. But it was HOT - just glad I left Leon at 6:30am so I made it to Pola by 2:30pm. Am walking to Pajares today so another early start. Might see you on the trail. Stay safe.