English language Guide for the Levante. Hope to start april

[Kevin F. O*brien]

Hello everyone, I have now on my desk the newly arrived "Way of Saint James from Valencia to Santiago". It is issued by the Amigos del Camino de Santiago de la Comunidad Valenciana. email info@vieiragrino.com. It cost 34 euros for both book, complete with maps and postage to Norway. It really is a beautiful piece of work and seems well, almost poetically translated. Wonderfully, apart from the practical route instructions, there is a lot of historical and achitectural information, beautifully presented. I would probably buy the guide anyway even if I wasn't walking! Fairly robust with waterproof covers. It weighs 493 grams (!!) but you can remove the section on the Via de la plata and a few other pages before starting. This will about halve the weight. I hope to start from Valencia, about three days in front of Eammon on the tenth but he will no doubt catch me up because I will try to break up some of the longer stages. The intention at the moment is to walk to Toledo, meet Kari off the plane in Madrid and walk on together from Toledo to the Frances at Astorga. From there we hope to walk to Santiago. I will put in a few notes here and there especially if there are any corrections to the guide. There is a rumour that Kevin Hall will also be starting the Levante in May. Stay well everyone.
Best,
Kevin and Kari

 

[eamann]

Hello Kevin!

I'm delighted to hear that you will be walking the Camino de Levante more or less at the same time as me!

I'm not sure that I will catch up on you. I want to start off slowly. When I did the walk in 2009 I started off too enthusiastically, walked too long distances the first few days and ended up with a sore knee that made my life a misery as far as Toledo.

Furthermore I will be taking a day's rest in Albacete, Toledo, Avila and perhaps one or two other places.

When planning possible stages, take with a pinch of salt the distances given in the guide book(s). In my experience the actual distances were always several kilometres longer than announced.

If you have not done so already, I recommend strongly that you study the Vieiragrino's impressive interactive Google map where you can see the track and what facilities are available (food, accommodation, banks, transport, etc.).
http://www.vieiragrino.com/camino-inter ... ml?etapa=1

Looking forward nevertheless to the possibility of meeting you somewhere along the way,

Best wishes,

Éamann Ó Ruairc

 

[Kevin F. O*brien]

Well now, this is a fine kettle of fish! Three Paddys on the Path! Marvellous.
I hope to start on April 10th, Eammon starts on the 13th and Kevin Hall (Melbourne) starts on May 23rd. They'll be calling it the Irish Way next!
Eammon thanks so much for the advice. I have the net guide mentioned. Andy's list of distances does underline a somewhat optimistic approach to distances in the guide. He records 43 km from Almansa to Hig. Johnnie has been a big help and mentions that there is now a fuente and a lugar de descanso in the middle of that stage.
It would not surprise me at all if we met somewhere north of Toledo, so lets hope that happens.
Kevin mentioned that a more direct route into Toledo would be taking the C road directly from Cobisa.
Stay well everyone,

Kevin

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Kevin - you asked me about where the fuente is and I forgot to reply. I no longer have the guide book as it was discarded page by page...but around halfway the guide describes three of four houses plus farm buildings. Outside the middle house there is a fuente for public use with excellent water.

John

 

[andy.d]

Is the Fuente in the middle of the long stage from Almansa to Higueruela? I added at least an extra mile onto this. When you get off the side of the Sierra and hit a road, the guide tells you to follow the road to the right, but there were arrows which took you across the road. I then ignored green arrows taking you onto a disused railway track when I should have obeyed them. But from John's posts, I think the signage had generally improved a lot on the Levante when he walked it, and I never had serious problems.

With the again long approach to Toledo, I did wonder about this but stuck with the guide and arrows. I think the point of this is so that you get the full El Greco view of the city. It is worth the extra k's!

When I walked it in September and October (I missed the bit between Toledo and Zamora) I met no other pilgrims until I joined the VdlP

Andy

 

[Kevin F. O*brien]

Hello again all. Thanks to Andy and John about the fuente after Almansa. I am sitting here with the maps with not a step walked but here goes! Apparently when you come down from the sierra you reach a road and should then turn right. After two and a half km you turn left off the road, cross a disused railway and pass the El Carrascal farm. About four km from there with a ridge full of windmills on your left you pass the Casas del Hondo. There is a good fuente there outside the second house. I hope this brings back memories!
:lol:
Best,

Kev

 

[JohnnieWalker]

About four km from there with a ridge full of windmills on your left you pass the Casas del Hondo. There is a good fuente there outside the second house. I hope this brings back memories! Kev

YES!!! - I took off my boots and socks and ran the cold water over them. Luxury!

 

[andy.d]

About four km from there with a ridge full of windmills on your left you pass the Casas del Hondo. There is a good fuente there outside the second house. I hope this brings back memories! Kev

YES!!! - I took off my boots and socks and ran the cold water over them. Luxury!

I'm pretty sure it was dry in September 2009. I didn't pass any water sources that day. Carried and drank 5l through heat!

Andy

 

[eamann]

If you feel daunted by the prospect of a 40km walk from Almansa to Higueruela, you can leave the Camino in El Carrascal and spend the night in Alpera. There are two hostels and a restaurant there.

The next morning you take a small road from Alpera to Casillas de Marin Arriba via Casillas de Marin Abajo where you will join up with the Camino again. This diversion only adds one or two kilometres to the total distance.

The blue line on the above Google Earth map is my GPS track from 2009. (You may have to use your mouse to move the image left/right and up/down to see all of it.)

 

[hel&scott]

Good to here you found a guide, even if it is heavy and poetic, all our enquiries are ending in "sorry out of print".... any recommendations on how we can track one down...

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi - have the Amigos in Valencia confirmed they have none left? info@vieiragrino.com

If so I can try a few places for you.

John

 

[hel&scott]

Thanks I'll try re-contacting them. Scott has tried previously but their web site is now down and I am not sure where he got with it. A number of the CSJ links are also down (part of the joys of establishing links - they change over time)...

We looking at walking the Camino de Levante this autumn ideally starting Cartagena [Camino del Azahar?], which we understand joins the Camino de Levante around Albacete. Have had a cursory look at route options on Peter Robins maps but need to do a bit more digging to see what's round.

Cheers Hel

 

[andy.d]

Buen Camino to those of you starting the Levante in the next days.
It was very special for me

Andy

 

[bjorgts]

Hello Kevin!
I want to buy the guide for Levante from the Amigos in Valencia, so thank you for the information where to get it. But if I write an e-mail to them to buy a guide, how do I pay?
Bjørg

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Bjorg,

I have written to them and learned that I would have to do a bank transfer into their account. They will also calculate the shipping fees for you.

I think Europe is way ahead of the US in terms of moving currency from one person to another. It's a bit complicated, with my bank at least. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Jac8020]

Hi Kevin
Hope the camino went well. How good was the written material you had? Sufficient detail and accurate?

Thanks
Val

 

[Kevin F. O*brien]

Hi Val, yes I found the guide very good and very accurate, especially the maps, although it is fairly heavy. It has been bound with metal hoops through the spine so you can remove pages every day. It thus becomes progressively lighter! It is also excellent for the history and background of the countryside along the route. A very good friend of mine (Laurie, Peregrina2000) has just arrived in Zamora from Valencia about five days ago and confirms that the guide is "still good".
I bought it from the Amigos de Camino de Santiago, Communidad Valenciana on their website http://www.vieiragrino.com. It cost more send them a bank order than the actual book (Norway) but it was worth it to be able to look through the whole thing before I started. If you like I can send you some small notes I made along the way which may be of some use.

Best,

Kevin

 

[ngm]

Hello

My wife and I were thinking of going Camino de Levante (starting the 20th) April 2014. We will proceed then to Oviedo via Camino Salvador and continue thereafter Norte and Primitivo down to Santiago ... and finally end up in myxia or Finisterre ... A very long hike. We've walked VdlP / + Sanabres 2012, and the Camino Francés 2010 .. (during the middle of August / September two walks. Very hot but beautiful and sometimes very quiet, lonely .. and lots of time for reflection especially VdlP .. wonderful!)

I wonder if anyone has a used guidebook, in good condition, however, of the Camino de Levante in English.

We are happy to pay for it if we can keep it ..

I have previously been described from a Norwegian Caminovän but these pages I've lost, unfortunately.

Sincerely,
Nitay (guggenheim.nitay@gmail.com)

 

[LTfit]

Hi Nitay,

You will indeed be making quite a journey with your wife!

I am thinking about doing the Levante this summer and see on the Amigos website http://www.vieiragrino.com/tienda/tienda.asp that they have a revised September 2013 Spanish edition to their guide for 20 euros. It doesn't look like the English edition has been updated and they list it for 24 euros. This does not include postage.

I am going to send them off an e-mail to order and will ask when the new English edition will be available.

 

[andy.d]

The Guide is quite heavy, so I think most of us who have walked it tear out pages once they are used. When I walked the Levante a few years ago, it was no problem getting a Guide by post from the Amigos in Valencia. There were also copies for sale in the bookshops in Valencia.

Hope the planning is good for everyone

Andy

 

[LTfit]

Thanks Andy,
I don't particularly like the idea of tearing out pages (I have a thing about books) but given the weight, I will take out the Zamora-SdC section which I walked last summer.

I just looked through Laurie's pictures which pretty much sold me on the route. Now if only a few other pilgrim's would decide to walk. I love solitude but not sure how it would be to do 600 + km alone.

Already looking forward to next summer!

 

[peregrina2000]

Yes, the guide is heavy, but it's worth its weight in gold. The nice thing, LTfit, is that since it's spiral bound, you can remove the Sanabres pages without ruining them. I carried the whole thing with me and brought it back for my next time. Because I would love to do this route again.

Ltfit, when are you planning to walk? I've recently learned that I am not going to be able to walk in May as I usually do, so that puts all my plans up in the air. Late June and July look like my walking times for 2014. Returning to the Levante is really tempting.....

 

[LTfit]

Hi Laurie,

Up until now I have always walked in July since one is pretty much guaranteed to have dry, sunny (albeit warm/hot) weather at that time of year. So unless something happens to change my mind I guess that I will stick to that plan. I usually do not book a flight or make a final decision until February or March but something is pulling me to plan sooner. It just might be the grey, rainy days of late!

I waver from time to time about which route to do but your pictures were just so spectacular! I've mentioned this before but I have a thing for wide, open landscapes and all those castles are a added bonus! It also looks like pilgrim accommodations are cropping up which is good news. Plus how could you go wrong with Toledo, Ávila and Zamora as part of your Camino?

Would you really consider doing the Levante again so soon?

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, LTfit,
The Levante was really a spectacular experience for me. Like you, I love the wide open countryside and endless views of the sky. I have a gut feeling that the Levante is going to get more and more popular, but right now the perfect way to walk it would be to have one or two companions to make things more social in the after-walking time, but still have plenty of alone time during the day. So, that's a long way of saying we should keep in touch about this. And I wonder if there are others out there considering this route as well? Buen camino.

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

Hi Laurei
I´m thinking of walking the Levante in june next year or 2015. Is the newest guide in english the one from 2009 and is it okay to use? Does the Amigos del Camino de Santiago de la Comunidad Valencian send the guide to other countrys? And the last question , There is a new guide in spanish from the same organisation, do you know if it has maps?.
All the best Roger

 

[LTfit]

Hi Roger,
I have contacted the Amigos regarding the guides. They will send it abroad as soon as they receive payment.

As you mention the new addition is in Spanish. They couldn't tell me when the English edition would be updated.

I plan on buying the new edition but haven't ordered it yet. When I do I will let you know if there are maps (can't imagine that it wouldn't).

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Roger and LT, so glad to see that there´s interest building in the Levante. It is a fabulous camino, sort of like the Vdlp with a million castles added in. And a lot fewer people, but that will change, I´m sure.

The guidebook has very good maps, in fact it also comes with a separate set of maps in addition to the ones in the spiral bound book. I didn´t carry those because the guidebook itself is pretty darn heavy.

I used the 2009 Spanish edition last year and it was quite good, so I imagine the update will be even better. I have also heard that the English version was translated by a native English speaker, CSJ member, so you don´t run the risk of bad translations. If you don´t speak Spanish I think the old English version will be completely adequate. (And I have posted a few updates on the forum as well, so you could annotate the older guide if you get it).

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

Thank you LT and Laurie. Do you remember how you payed , not how much but in what way?

Roger

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Roger,
I was very lucky. I knew someone who was going to be in Valencia over the Dec. holidays last year, and she bought the book from the association and brought it back to my little town in Illinois. The association's hours are very limited -- 5 pm - 8:30 pm on Fridays most of the year, and they are also open on Thursdays at the same hours during the summer. But you can order it online from them. info@vieiragrino.com

I know that they will send it to you, and since you are in Europe I think the charges are reasonable. The main problem for us North American pilgrims is that our banks do not routinely do bank transfers and that is how they want payment in Valencia. I am not sure why US banks are so behind the times, but for me to do a bank transfer, the bank's charge is so high it's ridiculous.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[alansykes]

¡hola! from Medina del Campo. I'm using the Lepère guide to the Levante, which is pretty good - admittedly I've only been on the Levante for 1 day, but the bits I'm familiar with post Zamora look good too - so if you can read French (fairly elementary French) then I'd recommend it. I got mine from amazon for c£10.

 

[peregrina2000]

¡hola! from Medina del Campo. I'm using the Lepère guide to the Levante, which is pretty good - admittedly I've only been on the Levante for 1 day, but the bits I'm familiar with post Zamora look good too - so if you can read French (fairly elementary French) then I'd recommend it. I got mine from amazon for c£10.

My French friends carried a guidebook, and they referred quite frequently to "Gerard" and all the mistakes he was making. Wonder if Gerard is the author of the book you are reading, and if you've had problems at all with the directions. Buen camino, Alan, Laurie

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

Payed for my guide today via my internetbank no problem. Like a second christmas waiting for it

 

[peregrina2000]

For any non-European pilgrims, I have heard from the Valencia amigos that shipping is a flat 8 euro rate outside the EU. Barring any postal increases for 2014.

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

i got this message from the amigos in Valencia when I orderd my guide:

Dear friend, the English guide is priced at 24 euros. We must add the
cost of post: 5,18 euros, regular mail, (in total EUR 29,18) and 14.69
euros, registered mail (in total 38.69 euros).
The guide in Spanish costs 20 euros, 5.18 euros plus postal mail

You must be money in the account of the Association of Friends of the
Camino de Santiago de la Comunidad Valenciana:
Customer account code (CCC):
Number: 2100 2142 11 0200221127
IBAN: ES32 2100 2142 1102 0022 1127
BIC / SWIFT Code: CAIXESBBXXX
Bank: CAJA DE AHORROS Y PENSIONES DE BARCELONA
Address: Gran Vía de Fernando el Católico,1 PD: 46008 Valencia /
ESPAÑA
And when we see the income sent the guide.

This is shipping to Sweden, Roger

XXV ANIVERSARIO (1987-2012)
Asociación Amigos Camino Santiago CV
Dr. Gil y Morte, 24 - pta 3
46007-VALENCIA telf.: 96 385 99 82
e-mail: info@vieiragrino.com
www.vieiragrino.com // www.facebook.com/vieiragrino

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

Got my guide today. Took the Spanish from 2013 with changed maps because of roadworks. Sent the money 3/1 and got the guide in 2 weeks. Great service. Thank you
Association of Friends of the
Camino de Santiago de la Comunidad Valenciana .
It´s a beautiful guide with great maps and info.

Roger

 

[peregrina2000]

Got my guide today. Took the Spanish from 2013 with changed maps because of roadworks. Sent the money 3/1 and got the guide in 2 weeks. Great service. Thank you
Association of Friends of the
Camino de Santiago de la Comunidad Valenciana .
It´s a beautiful guide with great maps and info.

Roger

Roger, lucky lucky you. I will definitely return to the Levante someday, hopefully before the crowds increase. Have you decided whether you will go in 2014 or 2015?

I agree about the value of the Association's guide, it is essential. Too bad they can't make it a little lighter, but it is worth its weight in gold. Buen camino!

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

I have decided to walk in the beginning of june this year . I have the guide, my gear I just have to buy tickets to Valencia from Sweden and hotel for the first night .
This year I will walk from Valencia to Zamora.

Roger

 

[LTfit]

My plans are not set in stone quite yet but I just might be following behind you Roger a few weeks later. Also from Valencia to Zamora as I did Zamora-Orense and beyond last summer and I don't have enough time to also include that stretch again.

 

[filly]

Hello,

I plan to begin on May 27 from Valencia after a flight from London. Anyone else planning to start around that date. I walked from Seville to Santiago last year and would much prefer some company for this hike...

Philip

Hello everyone, I have now on my desk the newly arrived "Way of Saint James from Valencia to Santiago". It is issued by the Amigos del Camino de Santiago de la Comunidad Valenciana. email info@vieiragrino.com. It cost 34 euros for both book, complete with maps and postage to Norway. It really is a beautiful piece of work and seems well, almost poetically translated. Wonderfully, apart from the practical route instructions, there is a lot of historical and achitectural information, beautifully presented. I would probably buy the guide anyway even if I wasn't walking! Fairly robust with waterproof covers. It weighs 493 grams (!!) but you can remove the section on the Via de la plata and a few other pages before starting. This will about halve the weight. I hope to start from Valencia, about three days in front of Eammon on the tenth but he will no doubt catch me up because I will try to break up some of the longer stages. The intention at the moment is to walk to Toledo, meet Kari off the plane in Madrid and walk on together from Toledo to the Frances at Astorga. From there we hope to walk to Santiago. I will put in a few notes here and there especially if there are any corrections to the guide. There is a rumour that Kevin Hall will also be starting the Levante in May. Stay well everyone.
Best,
Kevin and Kari

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

I bought the same guide in Spanish where the maps are updated 2013 , same price 34 Euros. I´m starting out from Valencia 9/6 this year and I plan to walk to Zamora.

Roger, from Sweden

 

[filly]

Hi, LTfit,
The Levante was really a spectacular experience for me. Like you, I love the wide open countryside and endless views of the sky. I have a gut feeling that the Levante is going to get more and more popular, but right now the perfect way to walk it would be to have one or two companions to make things more social in the after-walking time, but still have plenty of alone time during the day. So, that's a long way of saying we should keep in touch about this. And I wonder if there are others out there considering this route as well? Buen camino.

Hello - Any chance of your walking towards the end of May. I could wait a few days. I tend to walk 30 to 50 kms per day. I tend to take a compass to find the way especially as I have obtained the older English version of the guide though now wish I had asked for the English guide with the UPDATED Spanish editio maps.. that would have been ideal. I made the VdlP last year and that was difficult enough with the high speed train works.. regards - Philip

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

Together with the spanish version from 2013 came also the "old" maps in a small box. There was a note of changes in that box. Not so many 4 or 5.


Roger

 

[LTfit]

Hi Roger and Philip,
I will behind the both of you as I plan on leaving around June 27. A Spanish friend of mine is going to order the new guide which will save me postage. Look forward to hearing about your experiences, please post!
Cheers,
Lee

 

[speggo]

I too will be doing the levante from Àvila to SdC, leaving on 16th June. I ordered the spanish guide and would advise allowing 15 days for delivery to Europe.. Also don't use a uk bank like Barclays to transfer the funds because they will charge £25 commission. I set up a Western Union online account and was only charged about £3.50. hopefully might see some of you en camino!

 

[ngm]

Well..We've just came home after some 38 days of walking (18/4-26/5 -2014..) on the Camino De Levante, Sureste, Via de La Plata, Francés, de Invierno...Yes..some 1200 km from Valencia to Santiago. We have taken the second alternativ we have hade on plan. We wanted to meet some people in Benavente so we didnt walk via zamora and on the Sanabres this time. We hade some very bad documents and old english maps..an old german guidebook , ..and we missed many "flechas amarillas"..I think we walked som 55 km extra "..si perdidos en la montañas".. after Toledo, and even before..Lamancha is breathtaking, and ..de Invierno just magnificent !! To many pilgrims on the francés...and to litle marks on De Levante..

But we came to Chantada and we are very proud. We didn't have more time..We have already walked the Sanabres 2012...and we hade to be in time in Santiago to catch the flight so ..we did like meny others. We tok the Taxi..But after som 38 days and aprox 1200 km ( We got the oficial diplom signed by the Chatidral - for 1200 km, with all the Caminos we walked on this time - 5 diferents)..so we are even happy and we have alot of information if you need.

guggenheim.nitay@gmail.com

 

[LTfit]

Congratulations ngm, that is A LOT of km!
I am getting my kit together, I leave for Valencia on Thursday but I will only get to Toledo in the time I have.
Cheers,
LT
p.s. wonder how @Roger Hogstrom is doing