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I wanted to start my Camino with short distances 34 kilometers as a third stage seemed to much. I took a taxi with a mexican couple. The hospitalero said many people did this. We walked from the entrance gate, where the Camino left the asphalt. I don't think there a places to stay between Castilblanco and Almaden (at least not in 2015,) If you want to walk every kilometer you could walk to the entrance and then take a taxi to Castilblanco or Almaden and taxi back the next day ( perhaps in this way you could walk one stretch without your backpack)
I always want to walk every km of every camino I do, so I walked that stage in two days. First day I walked 16km to the La Finca El Barrocal park. A few km into the park there is a disused park ranger station where I freecamped. It has a fresh water tap and a large covered garage so did not need a tent. There are beautiful views from there too. Next day I walked the 13km to Alamaden.
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That's great advice. When did you stay thereI always want to walk every km of every camino I do, so I walked that stage in two days. First day I walked 16km to the La Finca El Barrocal park. A few km into the park there is a disused park ranger station where I freecamped. It has a fresh water tap and a large covered garage so did not need a tent. There are beautiful views from there too. Next day I walked the 13km to Alamaden.
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I am hoping to walk in 2021 but as days pass I wonder if this will be possible so it may be 2022. Being that this stage is so early in the Camino I will do exactly the same as you. Take a taxi to the entrance of the park and then walk. If it was much later in the Camino I would probably walk it. I have seen an elevation guide and the last stretch to Alamaden is a long and steep incline. Maybe I will have to walk in 2022 and maybe we can split a taxi!!Not really...
I have been walking the Via de la Plata virtually, as I am stuck behind closed borders in Australia.
Luckily, there are many veterans of the VdlP who are helping me on this virtual Camino, and on that particular stage, as we cannot walk the entire length of the stage for a number of reasons, we are taking a taxi to la finca El Berrocal, and then walking the rest of the way. The veterans have told me we wouldn't miss much.
You'll find the comments about this stage here.
We're hoping to walk the VdlP in 2022...
On my first few caminos I insisted on walking every step. That insistence has lessened with age. If I free camped and by some miracle I fell asleep on that floor I would need a stretcher to get me up in the morning. As I mentioned earlier I might have tried it if it was later in the camino but the more I think about it the less I am committed to 28+k. I think when I finally get to walk the VDLP I will wave to those brave pilgrims doing the full trek as I go by on the way to the park entranceThat's great advice. When did you stay there
I wouldn't depend on the tap at Berrocal always having water. It didn't when i passed there in May 2017. And i definitely wouldn't recommend walking through Berrocal without sufficient water!!I always want to walk every km of every camino I do, so I walked that stage in two days. First day I walked 16km to the La Finca El Barrocal park. A few km into the park there is a disused park ranger station where I freecamped. It has a fresh water tap and a large covered garage so did not need a tent. There are beautiful views from there too. Next day I walked the 13km to Alamaden.
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I wouldn't depend on the tap at Berrocal always having water. It didn't when i passed there in May 2017. And i definitely wouldn't recommend walking through Berrocal without sufficient water!!
On my first few caminos I insisted on walking every step. That insistence has lessened with age. If I free camped and by some miracle I fell asleep on that floor I would need a stretcher to get me up in the morning. As I mentioned earlier I might have tried it if it was later in the camino but the more I think about it the less I am committed to 28+k. I think when I finally get to walk the VDLP I will wave to those brave pilgrims doing the full trek as I go by on the way to the park entrance
Davey, you must carry a heavy load and I know you are not a big guy. With food and the extra water how much did your pack weigh?True, I carried enough for two days. But there are at least two water taps there (possibly three if I remember). There is the water tap marked for pilgrims out the front - probably the one you mean. A second one behind that in the courtyard that comes from the administrative building - which seemed fresher to me. Then I think there was one from a separate building in the vehicle compound (which was disused but open).
Carry enough just in case though!
Davey
Davey, you must carry a heavy load and I know you are not a big guy. With food and the extra water how much did your pack weigh?
I didn't walk VdlP yet and I don't want to split hairs but I will. Could someone please change obvious typo (or ignorance?) in the title of this thread from Alamaden to Almaden (de los Arroyos)? We can't know if newbies are all familiar with all those names...
Wasyington, Arthens, Moscot... , anyone?
I'll divert here just for this one post. And please feel free to delete it, mods. But this kind of stuff really bothers me because it kind of shows disrespect for a country you are visiting as a foreigner. I mean how you pronounce names is one thing but typing it incorrectly is something else.Well spotted!
Alamaden to Almaden (de los Arroyos)? We can't know if newbies are all familiar with all those names...
Hi KinkyPamplona. But during this relatively short scene the author mentioned Pamplona as PampAlona I think 8 times and to the end of the film few times more. I mean..., geees, there you have it, half a meter from you and you're not aware of it. Just can't understand. Sorry for the rant.
Depending on your degree of fitness this is a very tough stage. There is nowhere to stay en route unless you count the shelter as described in other posts. I took the taxi to the park gates and would do so again. The walk is beautiful with a steep climb at the end. Or if you need to walk every step of the way then the taxi shuttle is a solution.Is there anywhere to stay along this long stage? Thanks in advance.
Hang in there Davey. I am now 66 and walked my first Camino at 58. I trained like crazy that first time in St. Jean. When I got to Orison I thought I would die. But I rested and made it all the way to Roncesvalles. My second camino I started in Le Puy and when I got to St. Jean the trek up that hill sure seemed alot easier after walking 750K. Now I train less because I know my body and "how to walk". I am sure you know exactly what I am talking about. Although I still train I start my caminos at a slower pace and try to keep everything at about 20k the first 10 days or so. I stop wherever I am, if it is possible, whenever I feel a little tired. That 10 minute break with some water and maybe a piece of fruit makes an amazing difference. When it comes to camping in my younger days when the kids were little and we camped alot I ALWAYS slept on an air mattress. I have never stayed in the wonderful donativo in Granon because I would never sleep let alone get up without a chiropractor if I had to sleep on one of those mats. It sucks because I would have loved to experience that place. I went and when I saw the mats I said sorry. The Hospitalera was so kind and nice it made leaving even harder. So keep walking and free camping and who knows you may still be able to get off the floor in 25 years!Yeah, I am lucky I guess that I can still happily freecamp, but there will come a time when it is no longer an option! (I'm 57). Until then though...
Davey
Hang in there Davey. I am now 66 and walked my first Camino at 58. I trained like crazy that first time in St. Jean. When I got to Orison I thought I would die. But I rested and made it all the way to Roncesvalles. My second camino I started in Le Puy and when I got to St. Jean the trek up that hill sure seemed alot easier after walking 750K. Now I train less because I know my body and "how to walk". I am sure you know exactly what I am talking about. Although I still train I start my caminos at a slower pace and try to keep everything at about 20k the first 10 days or so. I stop wherever I am, if it is possible, whenever I feel a little tired. That 10 minute break with some water and maybe a piece of fruit makes an amazing difference. When it comes to camping in my younger days when the kids were little and we camped alot I ALWAYS slept on an air mattress. I have never stayed in the wonderful donativo in Granon because I would never sleep let alone get up without a chiropractor if I had to sleep on one of those mats. It sucks because I would have loved to experience that place. I went and when I saw the mats I said sorry. The Hospitalera was so kind and nice it made leaving even harder. So keep walking and free camping and who knows you may still be able to get off the floor in 25 years!
When I walked this stage in 2017 my age was 75 and I totally agree with all that is said in this message. The first part is, in my opinion, not more boring than other stretches and the whole stage is perfectly doable. Even for someone who is not especially trained.I walked all the way with my backpack and was surprised that the climb at the end was not as bad as described. After heavy rain the day before my big problem was getting over the arroyos in the park on stepping stones nearly covered with froading water. There were stages on VdlP that were harder than this.
I remember my guide said it was a difficult steep climb. In fact this information contributed to my decision to take a taxi. In effect this hill was not that bad, it was somewhat steep, but rather short. The moment I thought that I was nearing the"halfway point', I was a few meters from the highest point. Perhaps I would have had more difficulties in walking this hill if I would have walked the 16 to the entrance of the park.I am hoping to walk in 2021 but as days pass I wonder if this will be possible so it may be 2022. Being that this stage is so early in the Camino I will do exactly the same as you. Take a taxi to the entrance of the park and then walk. If it was much later in the Camino I would probably walk it. I have seen an elevation guide and the last stretch to Alamaden is a long and steep incline. Maybe I will have to walk in 2022 and maybe we can split a taxi!!
Thanks for that and I agree with your assessment. Isn't it great when you misjudge a steep hill and you think you are no where near the top and lo and behold you are at the top? It always seems to be the opposite. You look up after walking a steep hill and think there is the top, only to get there and see the hill keeps going and it may be even longer and steeper than before!I remember my guide said it was a difficult steep climb. In fact this information contributed to my decision to take a taxi. In effect this hill was not that bad, it was somewhat steep, but rather short. The moment I thought that I was nearing the"halfway point', I was a few meters from the highest point. Perhaps I would have had more difficulties in walking this hill if I would have walked the 16 to the entrance of the park.
First day I walked 16km to El Barrocal park. A few km into the park there is a disused park ranger station where I freecamped. It has a fresh water tap and a large covered garage so did not need a tent.
I wonder if anyone who walked the first stages of the Via de la Plata recently, could confirm that this ranger station in El Berrocal Park is no longer operating? It's kind of important because throughout the entire stage from Castilblanco to Almaden (which is nearly 30 km) this is the only place to refill water bottles. There is a tap outside, some time ago changed into a nice looking "pilgrim's fountain", but in the middle of hot September, when I'll be walking there, there may be no water in the tap. In the past one could go to the ranger's station and ask for water - I have read that pilgrims used to do it. But what to do if this ranger station is closed?
It also used to be the only place you could ask for help, because mobile phone coverage in the park can be next to none. It would be a shame if that ranger station were closed for good.