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General advice

brendanxx

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
I plan to walk the Via De La Plate in October 2016
Hello,
I am 65, pretty fit, and want to walk a route that's quiet and less populated, hence the Via de la Plata.
I have been told that it is not for beginners - what exactly is a beginner? If I think I can walk for 6/7 weeks wouldn't that be sufficient experience. Is it that I might get lost?
I feel I should balance my lack of walking experience with my extreme dislike of anything commercial when linked to a spiritual endeavour. I think the French route would be far too populated and commercial for me.I'm not interested in walking the pilgrimage as a walking holiday but as a spiritual exercise.
I shall naturally study up on what I would need, but would appreciate any general advice regarding someone my age doing this particular walk.
In advance, thanks
Brendan
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Hello,
I am 65, pretty fit, and want to walk a route that's quiet and less populated, hence the Via de la Plata.
I have been told that it is not for beginners - what exactly is a beginner? If I think I can walk for 6/7 weeks wouldn't that be sufficient experience. Is it that I might get lost?
I feel I should balance my lack of walking experience with my extreme dislike of anything commercial when linked to a spiritual endeavour. I think the French route would be far too populated and commercial for me.I'm not interested in walking the pilgrimage as a walking holiday but as a spiritual exercise.
I shall naturally study up on what I would need, but would appreciate any general advice regarding someone my age doing this particular walk.
In advance, thanks
Brendan
Forgot to ask - can anyone tell me how many pilgrims walked the Via de la Plata route in 2015 and whether starting at the beginning of October would be 'low season"?
Thanks
 
If you are actually fit and can make the needed distances between sleeping stops you will be fine.
The time of year is a pretty big factor on the VdLP.
The spring often involves flooding of the way... But still doable. Just be sure you know what to expect along the way.

July and August have unbelievable heat.
I walked in August and had temps in the 50+c for weeks. I was the only one walking. No one else was foolish enough to challenge the August heat.
I made it without more than discomfort.
I was 77 at the time so your age should not be a factor if you are in good shape for the walk.

Do your homework and make contingency plans in case things go a bit sideways.
 
Last edited:
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
The spring often involves goofing of the way
Is this maybe meant to be "flooding" of the way? I hope there will be some fun and goofyness as well.

The Camino Frances is often recommended as a first camino mainly because the infrastructure is so strong that "anyone" can do it to some degree or other, one can do it almost entirely in English, and the social community is unique. Those 3 factors do not seem to be true on the Via de la Plata.

Until recently there were a number of stages on the VdlP where you would have to walk long stages over 30 km and there were uncertainties about accommodations. Apparently now there are more places, but in the slower months you would definitely need to check on availability in advance or be prepared for some very long days. This is where being able to speak Spanish becomes important. Speaking the language will help a lot in being able to figure out how things work, especially if it is your first camino.

Here is a site (in Spanish) where you can get statistics regarding numbers of pilgrims on all the routes. At the top, you can go to PDF files by year. But it's quicker to select the year and month you want, click "Ver Estadisticas." Then the first sentence gives you the total number of pilgrims received in Santiago that month. Scroll to the bottom of the page to "Camino seguido" to see how many of them followed which route. Just above that is "Lugar de salida" which gives the places they started. You will find that in the month of November 2015, a total of 5239 pilgrims arrived in Santiago, 3766 from the Camino Frances, and only 219 from the Via de la Plata.

My experience on the Camino Frances in November 2015 was that I was able to walk most of the time with no other pilgrims in sight. I could have arranged it otherwise simply by leaving the main albergues at the same time as other people. My point is that the Camino Frances can be quite solitary in November if that is what you want.

I haven't walked it yet, but am setting off on the Via de la Plata in early March 2016. I am 67, have walked the Camino Frances, and I speak Spanish reasonably well. I will have a companion but I had already planned to go alone before she decided to join.

My guess is that if you can physically handle the walking, you are content to be alone, and are willing/able to communicate in Spanish, you will be fine!

P.S. Edited to add: You might be interested in reading "Walking the Camino" by Tony Kevin.
 
If you are actually fit and can make the needed distances between sleeping stops you will be fine.
The time of year is a pretty big factor on the VdLP.
The spring often involves flooding of the way... But still doable. Just be sure you know what to expect along the way.

July and August have unbelievable heat.
I walked in August and had temps in the 50+c for weeks. I was the only one walking. No one else was foolish enough to challenge the August heat.
I made it without more than discomfort.
I was 77 at the time so your age should not be a factor if you are in good shape for the walk.

Do your homework and make contingency plans in case things go a bit sideways.
Thanks Grayland,
77! Excellent and heartening!
I plan to go start of October so I guess the weather should be fine.
I'm starting to get fit now.
I'll certainly do the research.
Cheers
Brendan
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I walked the VdlP, one end to the other, in the Spring of 2013. I was 65 at the time. While my Spanish was nonexistent, I survived on the kindness of strangers. Walking the VdlP was the most transformational experience
my life, both spiritually and emotionally. I loved it so much I'm setting out again from Sevilla at the end of March to walk the route again. If you want to get an idea of what it was like, see my
website (http://camino.bsewall.com/).

My only advice - figure out whether you can walk 30 km in a day before setting out. The stage from Castilblanco de los Arroyos to Almadén de la Plata on the third day is almost 30km and there is nothing in between. There are many stages like this one on the VdlP where you'll be on your own all day and will have to depend on your wits and stamina to make it. That said, there is often a Plan B where you can take a taxi half way (many do it on the Castilblanco de los Arroyos to Almadén de la Plata stage) or take a bus and skip the longer stages all together. So it's not so much whether you can walk 30 km, it's, if you can't walk the longer stages, then you'll need to be creative with those stretches and avoid getting in trouble.

It can be done. And you will walk with the spirits.
aimg_2260.jpg
 
To put the odd long distances in perspective ...
I am now walking the Camino Frances again to get away from the crowds. The closed Albergues and other places to stay have caused there to be some long days here also.
Most places are closed for the winter. There are lists of what is open.. But but several times there have been did closures of these also.
I have walked a couple of 30 km days and one a couple days ago of 37 km. Not all forced by closure.
So the VdLP distances can all be done. Plan around them if you find them worry some.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Almaden (Day 3) is a long day but not overly difficult. The first half is highway walking but one of the nicer stretches of highway especially as you get the worst over and done with before it gets too hot. The park is lovely and is a very pleasant walk. Then comes Calvary. I took 10-15 minutes. My walking buddy took about an hour. Just take however long you need to get up there. Most of the VDLP is reasonably flat or at least gradual hills. You don't need to be a mountain goat. Poles or even one stick makes a big difference.
The other memorable hill is the one up to Albergueria on the Sanabres route if you are taking that. Are you going via Astorga or Ourense?
 
@bsewall, I was trying to work out where you took that photo. I went in the middle of summer when everything was dry and arid looking. Everything looks so different with green grass! Eventually figured it is on the way to Zamora.
 
Vía de la Plata is probably exactly what you are looking for - quiet and solitude. I've done it in the summer, winter and fall. October is a lovely month to walk, I arrived in Santiago on November 3rd and enjoyed wild fresh figs, apples, grapes and chestnuts along the way (given to me by locals along the Camino). Good plan. I would go in the fall at the drop of a hat.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hello,
I am 65, pretty fit, and want to walk a route that's quiet and less populated, hence the Via de la Plata.
I have been told that it is not for beginners - what exactly is a beginner? If I think I can walk for 6/7 weeks wouldn't that be sufficient experience. Is it that I might get lost?
I feel I should balance my lack of walking experience with my extreme dislike of anything commercial when linked to a spiritual endeavour. I think the French route would be far too populated and commercial for me.I'm not interested in walking the pilgrimage as a walking holiday but as a spiritual exercise.
I shall naturally study up on what I would need, but would appreciate any general advice regarding someone my age doing this particular walk.
In advance, thanks
Brendan
Hi Brendan,
I walked the Via de la Plata mid-Oct to late Nov2015.
No problem with accommodation, never booked in advance except in Seville at the start. About 10 other pilgrims on the route at the same time as me-so no crowds. Some long stages over 30 kms but doable as you get fitter as you go along. I always stayed in pilgrim albergues as you meet more people this way rather than stay g in hostels/hotels. Ability to speak some Spanish a great asset as not many people speak english on this route. Weather was lovely-rain on only 3 days in the 6 weeks I spent walking. Mornings quite chilly up til a out 11am. Bring as light a backpack as possible-I had 7kilos. If you are short anything you. An buy it along the way.
Contact me if you need any more info. I am 59 years old.
Buen Camino!
 
Hello,
I am 65, pretty fit, and want to walk a route that's quiet and less populated, hence the Via de la Plata.
I have been told that it is not for beginners - what exactly is a beginner? If I think I can walk for 6/7 weeks wouldn't that be sufficient experience. Is it that I might get lost?
I feel I should balance my lack of walking experience with my extreme dislike of anything commercial when linked to a spiritual endeavour. I think the French route would be far too populated and commercial for me.I'm not interested in walking the pilgrimage as a walking holiday but as a spiritual exercise.
I shall naturally study up on what I would need, but would appreciate any general advice regarding someone my age doing this particular walk.
In advance, thanks
Brendan
I always take the view that the first week or so's walking is the training. The VdlP is really not at all difficult in terms of terrain (there are some hills, but mainly short and not steep), and I did it when I was 66 - though there was some jollity among the young about "abuela mary" and "la nonna inglese" (I am female despite my forum name). Nor will you get lost: it is well waymarked. When I did it (Sept 2013) there was exactly the right mix of solitude when desired, and company in the evenings. And for spirituality stay the first night in the La Luz del Camino albergue in Guillena - Pili will ensure you go to evening Mass and get a blessing!
 
Walked first section, Seville to Caceres, last Spring; all the above advice is spot on ( 68 years). This April, Caceres to Zamora.
The Seville Confraternity office ( check website or opening times) was very helpful and has a handy guide, in English, for a few Euros.

It's a great Camino; I hope you enjoy it.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Hello,
I am 65, pretty fit, and want to walk a route that's quiet and less populated, hence the Via de la Plata.
I have been told that it is not for beginners - what exactly is a beginner? If I think I can walk for 6/7 weeks wouldn't that be sufficient experience. Is it that I might get lost?
I feel I should balance my lack of walking experience with my extreme dislike of anything commercial when linked to a spiritual endeavour. I think the French route would be far too populated and commercial for me.I'm not interested in walking the pilgrimage as a walking holiday but as a spiritual exercise.
I shall naturally study up on what I would need, but would appreciate any general advice regarding someone my age doing this particular walk.
In advance, thanks
Brendan
The going is generally flat to undulating...only some hills. Mostly marked with the yellow arrows but be wary that you may come across red and blue arrows showing the direction of local walks. Yes, you may spend many days on your own both walking and at alberguies.

There are 2 apps available that will be of use to you...one covering alberguies and the other for a small payment the VldPlata from your Google play store. You can also obtain a guide to the walk in English from the regional information bureau in Salamanca called The Silver Route Guide. Useful to decide which route you take from Zamora.

Yes, some long days walking with no services and all but the elderly in many villages.

Just be wary as the route from time to time crosses the route being constructed for the very fast train. The diversions are not always well marked. Get a pay as you go sim card on arrival (movie star has the best coverage) and use Google maps if you get lost. Contact me if u need any additional.
 
I feel I should balance my lack of walking experience with my extreme dislike of anything commercial when linked to a spiritual endeavour. I think the French route would be far too populated and commercial for me.

First, I should say although this is my first post, I benefited greatly from the knowledge shared in this forum. Thanks!

Three friends and I (all in the 60 to 72 year-old range) all started the VDLP from Sevilla on September 5, 2015. I think the timing worked out pretty perfectly in terms of weather - it was a little hot the first couple of weeks and a little wet towards the end, but we only had 3 days of miserable rain.

Unfortunately, we had 50% attrition on the "2015 Do Not Rescuitate Tour", one member had a back injury and another a serious muscle pull (which required medical attention). Both injuries were probably the result of simple bad luck. The 2 of us who completed took 42 days.

We stayed in some packed albergues (Mérida, in the rain) and were ocupado'd out of a couple by a group of about 20 Spanish car/bus/trailer assisted peregrinos - causing us once to sleep on a (clean) gymnasium bathroom floor, in Asturianos thanks to a helpful Hospitalero, since there were no other accommodations within miles. However, some albergues we had to ourselves - thankfully Lubian was one of these because there is a single toilet for 16 bunks. Others we shared with one or two other peregrinos.

I don't think we ever saw more than 30 total peregrinos in a day until we arrived in Santiago de Compostela, and that includes the 2 to 10 bikegrinos who would zoom by each day.

With 2 or 3 people, we were often able to get a room at a private hostel for very little incremental cost, which gave us more options where to stay, less contention for bathrooms, more flexibility on hours, and occasionally a heater some other way to dry clothes. Actually, for me, the most troubling thing about long days was not the walking, but the lack of afternoon sun to dry our laundry. Two of the really nice private albergues/hostels were Casa Anita (Santa Croya de Tera, Zamora), El Zaguán de la Plata (Fuente de Cantos).

Fortunately, none of us were picky eaters (or drinkers). This was good because although we had some fantastic meals, the Menu de Peregrino was often just some pork and fried potatoes. I felt really sorry for the strict vegetarians we met along the way who were living on Maggi noodles or Garbanzo beans and tomato sauce. Something important: you can almost always substitute Orujo for dessert or coffee - sometimes several glasses, which can be useful if your walking partner is a champion snorer. Don't miss 'Me Gusta Comer' in Rionegro del Puente, Zamora or La Bodeguilla in Mérida for lunch after 2pm. Something we found funny was restaurant and bar staff refilling premium spirits and wine bottles from large plastic bottles (in full view of patrons).

There are very few fountains with potable water along the VDLP – I always carried at least 1.5 litres of water in a Nalgene bottle (with SmarTube that I love), and a back-up of a store bought 500 ml bottle which I would refill. We typically tried to have a couple of oranges and a banana available for breakfast and lunch – I had a frequent fantasy about running across a bar for Café con leche after a couple of hours of walking (unfortunately it was usually just fantasy).

While people say VDLP is generally reasonably flat, there are some fairly steep and/or rocky up and downhills (coming down into Campobecerros and Laza, for instance). I would strongly recommend using two trekking poles and getting knowledgeable instruction how to use them before the Camino (also get some good rubber tips for use in towns). For the same reason, I recommend lightweight boots with ankle support rather than hiking shoes.

You will not regret any training that you have time to do in advance of your Camino. I was fortunate to have a flexible schedule for a couple of months before mine - unfortunately most of my nearby walking options were relatively flat. I worked up to 12 miles on some days, but then my wife said she had only approved my 2 month trek, not shirking all my responsibilities while training for it, too - so I had to cut back on the training a bit. I used the RunKeeper smartphone app for tracking my progress - train in Kilometers not Miles to save yourself mental math on the Camino.

I too, strongly recommend that you take a smartphone and get a local SIM - I used Orange and the coverage was very good - just make sure that you put enough money on the card so that you can renew after a month (there is no convenient way to add to it without visiting a shop and there are few along the VDLP). Almost any fairly recent smartphone (with at least 16GB of storage and the ability to accommodate Spanish GSM/LTE frequency bands) will do. You can store guidebooks (Gronze and Eroski) PDFs on the phone. You should get some type of offline map software, the free Maps.me app worked perfectly for me - it does not require network access to position yourself on the map. KMZ ~trail map~ files are available on the internet - they were not perfect everywhere because of changes to the route, but it is Extremely helpful just finding your way out of town in the morning. You can also download the Spanish language for Google Translate (so you can look up things from signs like 'Coto de Caza', etc.).

VDLP was my first Camino and it was a great experience. My friends had all done previous Caminos (or several). We met some experienced peregrinos who complained about the infrastructure on VDLP vs other routes, but we met some others who were doing it for the second time. If you want to avoid populated and commercial, the VDLP is probably a great choice. ¡Buen camino!
 
@Latecomer , how do you download PDFs from the Erski and Gronze sites? I just looked at the Eroski site and could not figure it out. Thank you.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
@Latecomer , how do you download PDFs from the Erski and Gronze sites? I just looked at the Eroski site and could not figure it out. Thank you.

Hi @Anemone,

Eroski:
Here are the instructions for downloading a complete route on Eroski. It seems easiest to do it on a PC first, then transfer it to the phone or tablet. My instructions are based on using Windows 10 and the Chrome Browser (though I originally did it on Windows 7 and it was very similar):
http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/llevatela-al-camino/completa/?camino=via-de-la-plata
If you want English, right-click, select "Translate to English" (review for accuracy and completeness)
Right-Click "Print.."
Change Destination to "Save as PDF", then "Print" it.
(Then copy it to your phone with cable, Dropbox, or other method).
----
Gronze:
Select the steps of interest from:
http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiago/caminos/guia-via-plata
Example:
http://www.gronze.com/guia-via-plat...-de-bejar-fuenterroble-de-salvatierra/al-loro
Select specific pages that you want to save. Again, if you want English, right-click, select "Translate to English" (review for accuracy and completeness)
Change Destination to "Save as PDF", then "Print" it.
(Then copy it to your phone with cable, Dropbox, or other method).
Note: While it is easy in Eroski to create one big file, Gronze is more time-consuming (and you will potentially create many PDF files, but that's half the fun - deciding what your really want.
----

Note: On iOS, PDFs store well in the iBooks Library. On Android, there are many ways to do it, but I liked using ES File Explorer and had folders for various types of documents. Remember, if you set it up correctly, you can access Dropbox files even when Offline.

Of course the above approach can be generalized to almost anything on the internet. If you can print it, you can turn it into a PDF and get it onto your mobile device.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Hi Brendan,
I walked the Via de la Plata mid-Oct to late Nov2015.
No problem with accommodation, never booked in advance except in Seville at the start. About 10 other pilgrims on the route at the same time as me-so no crowds. Some long stages over 30 kms but doable as you get fitter as you go along. I always stayed in pilgrim albergues as you meet more people this way rather than stay g in hostels/hotels. Ability to speak some Spanish a great asset as not many people speak english on this route. Weather was lovely-rain on only 3 days in the 6 weeks I spent walking. Mornings quite chilly up til a out 11am. Bring as light a backpack as possible-I had 7kilos. If you are short anything you. An buy it along the way.
Contact me if you need any more info. I am 59 years old.
Buen Camino!
Hi Lavdrum
Many thanks for the cheering response - 7kg!!! That's so light!!! Can you tell me what you took as I'm trying to travel as ultra light as possible. From the map it looks as though the pilgrim (old Roman) road is alongside a major highway - A-66 - is this intrusive or basically can one easily forget it's there?
At the moment I have no Spanish but am now starting to learn what I can.
I'll be taking my ipad for reading material, maps, etc. - do you know of an app that has details of the route with albergues etc and which I can refer to off-line?
Cheers
Brendan
 
Hi @Anemone,

Eroski:
Here are the instructions for downloading a complete route on Eroski. It seems easiest to do it on a PC first, then transfer it to the phone or tablet. My instructions are based on using Windows 10 and the Chrome Browser (though I originally did it on Windows 7 and it was very similar):
http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/llevatela-al-camino/completa/?camino=via-de-la-plata
If you want English, right-click, select "Translate to English" (review for accuracy and completeness)
Right-Click "Print.."
Change Destination to "Save as PDF", then "Print" it.
(Then copy it to your phone with cable, Dropbox, or other method).

Is there an advantage to downloading a route from the website rather than just getting the free Eroski app from the App Store? Would it be a question of storage space? (Since the app has all the routes Eroski does rather than just one).
 
First, I should say although this is my first post, I benefited greatly from the knowledge shared in this forum. Thanks!

Three friends and I (all in the 60 to 72 year-old range) all started the VDLP from Sevilla on September 5, 2015. I think the timing worked out pretty perfectly in terms of weather - it was a little hot the first couple of weeks and a little wet towards the end, but we only had 3 days of miserable rain.

Unfortunately, we had 50% attrition on the "2015 Do Not Rescuitate Tour", one member had a back injury and another a serious muscle pull (which required medical attention). Both injuries were probably the result of simple bad luck. The 2 of us who completed took 42 days.

We stayed in some packed albergues (Mérida, in the rain) and were ocupado'd out of a couple by a group of about 20 Spanish car/bus/trailer assisted peregrinos - causing us once to sleep on a (clean) gymnasium bathroom floor, in Asturianos thanks to a helpful Hospitalero, since there were no other accommodations within miles. However, some albergues we had to ourselves - thankfully Lubian was one of these because there is a single toilet for 16 bunks. Others we shared with one or two other peregrinos.

I don't think we ever saw more than 30 total peregrinos in a day until we arrived in Santiago de Compostela, and that includes the 2 to 10 bikegrinos who would zoom by each day.

With 2 or 3 people, we were often able to get a room at a private hostel for very little incremental cost, which gave us more options where to stay, less contention for bathrooms, more flexibility on hours, and occasionally a heater some other way to dry clothes. Actually, for me, the most troubling thing about long days was not the walking, but the lack of afternoon sun to dry our laundry. Two of the really nice private albergues/hostels were Casa Anita (Santa Croya de Tera, Zamora), El Zaguán de la Plata (Fuente de Cantos).

Fortunately, none of us were picky eaters (or drinkers). This was good because although we had some fantastic meals, the Menu de Peregrino was often just some pork and fried potatoes. I felt really sorry for the strict vegetarians we met along the way who were living on Maggi noodles or Garbanzo beans and tomato sauce. Something important: you can almost always substitute Orujo for dessert or coffee - sometimes several glasses, which can be useful if your walking partner is a champion snorer. Don't miss 'Me Gusta Comer' in Rionegro del Puente, Zamora or La Bodeguilla in Mérida for lunch after 2pm. Something we found funny was restaurant and bar staff refilling premium spirits and wine bottles from large plastic bottles (in full view of patrons).

There are very few fountains with potable water along the VDLP – I always carried at least 1.5 litres of water in a Nalgene bottle (with SmarTube that I love), and a back-up of a store bought 500 ml bottle which I would refill. We typically tried to have a couple of oranges and a banana available for breakfast and lunch – I had a frequent fantasy about running across a bar for Café con leche after a couple of hours of walking (unfortunately it was usually just fantasy).

While people say VDLP is generally reasonably flat, there are some fairly steep and/or rocky up and downhills (coming down into Campobecerros and Laza, for instance). I would strongly recommend using two trekking poles and getting knowledgeable instruction how to use them before the Camino (also get some good rubber tips for use in towns). For the same reason, I recommend lightweight boots with ankle support rather than hiking shoes.

You will not regret any training that you have time to do in advance of your Camino. I was fortunate to have a flexible schedule for a couple of months before mine - unfortunately most of my nearby walking options were relatively flat. I worked up to 12 miles on some days, but then my wife said she had only approved my 2 month trek, not shirking all my responsibilities while training for it, too - so I had to cut back on the training a bit. I used the RunKeeper smartphone app for tracking my progress - train in Kilometers not Miles to save yourself mental math on the Camino.

I too, strongly recommend that you take a smartphone and get a local SIM - I used Orange and the coverage was very good - just make sure that you put enough money on the card so that you can renew after a month (there is no convenient way to add to it without visiting a shop and there are few along the VDLP). Almost any fairly recent smartphone (with at least 16GB of storage and the ability to accommodate Spanish GSM/LTE frequency bands) will do. You can store guidebooks (Gronze and Eroski) PDFs on the phone. You should get some type of offline map software, the free Maps.me app worked perfectly for me - it does not require network access to position yourself on the map. KMZ ~trail map~ files are available on the internet - they were not perfect everywhere because of changes to the route, but it is Extremely helpful just finding your way out of town in the morning. You can also download the Spanish language for Google Translate (so you can look up things from signs like 'Coto de Caza', etc.).

VDLP was my first Camino and it was a great experience. My friends had all done previous Caminos (or several). We met some experienced peregrinos who complained about the infrastructure on VDLP vs other routes, but we met some others who were doing it for the second time. If you want to avoid populated and commercial, the VDLP is probably a great choice. ¡Buen camino!
Hi,
Many thanks for this long and fascinating reply.
I'm a little surprised though at how many people there were on the route - another respondee said that on his OCT/NOV walk there were only 10 other walkers on the route. Is Oct/Nov just a quieter time do you think?
I am so impressed with the responses I have received - even though I have yet to step upon the route I feel part of a community!
Cheers
Brendan
 
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
The going is generally flat to undulating...only some hills. Mostly marked with the yellow arrows but be wary that you may come across red and blue arrows showing the direction of local walks. Yes, you may spend many days on your own both walking and at alberguies.

There are 2 apps available that will be of use to you...one covering alberguies and the other for a small payment the VldPlata from your Google play store. You can also obtain a guide to the walk in English from the regional information bureau in Salamanca called The Silver Route Guide. Useful to decide which route you take from Zamora.

Yes, some long days walking with no services and all but the elderly in many villages.

Just be wary as the route from time to time crosses the route being constructed for the very fast train. The diversions are not always well marked. Get a pay as you go sim card on arrival (movie star has the best coverage) and use Google maps if you get lost. Contact me if u need any additional.
Hi Tim,
Very many thanks for the info - I shall certainly contact you again as I'm sure I will have many questions. The various rsponses I have received are all fuelling my interest - I'm really feeling a part of a community already!
cheers
Brendan
 
I always take the view that the first week or so's walking is the training. The VdlP is really not at all difficult in terms of terrain (there are some hills, but mainly short and not steep), and I did it when I was 66 - though there was some jollity among the young about "abuela mary" and "la nonna inglese" (I am female despite my forum name). Nor will you get lost: it is well waymarked. When I did it (Sept 2013) there was exactly the right mix of solitude when desired, and company in the evenings. And for spirituality stay the first night in the La Luz del Camino albergue in Guillena - Pili will ensure you go to evening Mass and get a blessing!
Many thanks
I will certainly take your advice re the La Luz del Camino!
Best wishes
Brendan
 
Walked first section, Seville to Caceres, last Spring; all the above advice is spot on ( 68 years). This April, Caceres to Zamora.
The Seville Confraternity office ( check website or opening times) was very helpful and has a handy guide, in English, for a few Euros.

It's a great Camino; I hope you enjoy it.
Many thanks!
Brendan
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Vía de la Plata is probably exactly what you are looking for - quiet and solitude. I've done it in the summer, winter and fall. October is a lovely month to walk, I arrived in Santiago on November 3rd and enjoyed wild fresh figs, apples, grapes and chestnuts along the way (given to me by locals along the Camino). Good plan. I would go in the fall at the drop of a hat.
How encouraging!!! Many, many thanks!!!
Brendan
 
I walked the VdlP, one end to the other, in the Spring of 2013. I was 65 at the time. While my Spanish was nonexistent, I survived on the kindness of strangers. Walking the VdlP was the most transformational experience
my life, both spiritually and emotionally. I loved it so much I'm setting out again from Sevilla at the end of March to walk the route again. If you want to get an idea of what it was like, see my
website (http://camino.bsewall.com/).

My only advice - figure out whether you can walk 30 km in a day before setting out. The stage from Castilblanco de los Arroyos to Almadén de la Plata on the third day is almost 30km and there is nothing in between. There are many stages like this one on the VdlP where you'll be on your own all day and will have to depend on your wits and stamina to make it. That said, there is often a Plan B where you can take a taxi half way (many do it on the Castilblanco de los Arroyos to Almadén de la Plata stage) or take a bus and skip the longer stages all together. So it's not so much whether you can walk 30 km, it's, if you can't walk the longer stages, then you'll need to be creative with those stretches and avoid getting in trouble.

It can be done. And you will walk with the spirits.
aimg_2260.jpg
Many thanks!
One question at the moment - why the earplugs?
Best wishes
Brendan
 
@brendanxx , earplugs are to facilitate sleep in an albergue filled with snorers. As for 7kg and what items may add up to that weight there are many many lists on the forum that people have offered up for others to suggest what to leave home. It's a bit of the fun we have here. :)
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
@brendanxx , earplugs are to facilitate sleep in an albergue filled with snorers. As for 7kg and what items may add up to that weight there are many many lists on the forum that people have offered up for others to suggest what to leave home. It's a bit of the fun we have here. :)
Excellent. I will remember the snorers and investigate lightness of packs!
Thanks!
Brendan
 
As money is a little tight it would be good to know roughly how much I might expect to pay staying at the albergues for 6-7 weeks. I realise this this will be very approximate but it would be useful to know how much I should budget for food/accomodation.
Many thanks
Brendan
 
Hi, Brendan,
Municipal albergues run in the 5-6 euro range, with privates in the range of 10-12. Food costs depend totally on whether you eat a meal in a restaurant or cook in the albergue (if there's a kitchen with cookware, of course, which is not always the case). The "pilgrim meal", menu del peregrino, runs around 10-12 euros and is typically a three course meal with wine or water. If money is tight, finding a couple other pilgrims and pitching in for a communal meal is usually the cheapest (and often the most fun) way to go.

Breakfasts in Spain tend to be coffee and a pastry, sometimes juice, and cost 3-4 euros. I always carry an electric coil and instant coffee, not so much to save money as to make sure I have access to caffeine in the morning. On the Vdlp, there won't always be places open if you leave early, and the distances between places are often longer than the typical spacing on the Frances. And if you like something other than a sweet pastry for breakfast, buying yogurt, fruit, nuts, etc the night before is a good alternative.

Buen camino, Laurie
 
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
Many thanks Laurie,
Very useful info! I think I'll go for the nuts and yoghurt for breakfast rather than the sweet pastry.
Brendan
 
Sometimes you can find a bar that will whip up some eggs, or you may be lucky and find a place with servings of tortilla Espanola, a yummy egg and potato frittata type dish. But having something in your pack is always a good idea, IMO. Btw, I have carried regular yoghurt unrefrigersted for days on end and have suffered no ill effects.
 
We always bring a plastic bowl with a close-fitting lid. If there is a microwave or a water heater we may have some soup, cheese and bread in the evening (there is often excellent soup powder for sale in the little supermarkets). In a small village on the Camino de Madrid last year, the village bar didn't have any other kinds of food than nuts and potato chips, but the bartender sold us a bottle of wine and filled our bowl with boiling water for ramen - garnished with chives and a couple of green nettle leaves from outside the albergue. This year, we're also bringing that electric coil mentioned upstream on the Via de la Plata, so we can have hot oat cereal for breakfast when there isn't an open bar.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
As money is a little tight it would be good to know roughly how much I might expect to pay staying at the albergues for 6-7 weeks. I realise this this will be very approximate but it would be useful to know how much I should budget for food/accomodation.
Many thanks
Brendan
We met a young woman near Sahagun on the Camino Frances who was on a tight budget of 15 euros a day for everything.
 
Hello,
I am 65, pretty fit, and want to walk a route that's quiet and less populated, hence the Via de la Plata.
I have been told that it is not for beginners - what exactly is a beginner? If I think I can walk for 6/7 weeks wouldn't that be sufficient experience. Is it that I might get lost?
I feel I should balance my lack of walking experience with my extreme dislike of anything commercial when linked to a spiritual endeavour. I think the French route would be far too populated and commercial for me.I'm not interested in walking the pilgrimage as a walking holiday but as a spiritual exercise.
I shall naturally study up on what I would need, but would appreciate any general advice regarding someone my age doing this particular walk.
In advance, thanks
Brendan
Brendan. I'm your age quite fit and did VdlP last May/June. I quit at Salamanca. My motivations sound similar to yours.
Firstly I had no difficulty with the physical challenge and was able to get Alberges every night without difficulty and the trail was scenic often spectacular and well marked. I stopped at Salamanca because I had stopped enjoying it. There was very little English spoken. Most pilgrims were from Brussels, Italy, Germay, and if there was a common language it was french. Everyone was nice but except for a couple from Brussels and a gent from Japan I never related to anyone. After walking there was very little comraderie. Most pilgrims were veterans having done several before and they mused Camino Francis was just a picnic for tourists.
I'm doing the Portuguese this spring with a friend from Australia, but will pick up the unfinished portion of VdlP some time. I'll approach it with a mindset prepared for social isolation, yet seeking out social engagements as can be found. Bien Camino
 
Is there an advantage to downloading a route from the website rather than just getting the free Eroski app from the App Store? Would it be a question of storage space? (Since the app has all the routes Eroski does rather than just one).
I think that the only significant advantage of using PDFs is that some of the Apps are only available in a single language. If you access the source data on a website (using Chrome browser) you can easily do a mechanical translation to most mainstream languages. The space was not really a concern for me - I had about 16GB of available storage space when I started my Camino.

I had many PDF files stored on my phone (several guidebooks, train schedules, use and care instructions for clothes and equipment, contact info, e-tickets, hotel reservations, coded passwords, Spanish language info, etc.). I organized the files into different logical groupings is about 6 folders. I used ES File Explorer to organize and access the files on my Android Nexus 5 phone - I am fairly certain that it is available on iOS, too.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Hello,
I am 65, pretty fit, and want to walk a route that's quiet and less populated, hence the Via de la Plata.
I have been told that it is not for beginners - what exactly is a beginner? If I think I can walk for 6/7 weeks wouldn't that be sufficient experience. Is it that I might get lost?
I feel I should balance my lack of walking experience with my extreme dislike of anything commercial when linked to a spiritual endeavour. I think the French route would be far too populated and commercial for me.I'm not interested in walking the pilgrimage as a walking holiday but as a spiritual exercise.
I shall naturally study up on what I would need, but would appreciate any general advice regarding someone my age doing this particular walk.
In advance, thanks
Brendan

Brendan
You have already received some very good advice. I am doing the Via de la Plata at the moment covering about 8 days each year. When I retire, I am going to go back to do the whole thing. No reason whatsoever for you to have any concerns about doing this. The only caveat to that is heat. If you go in July / August, then that could mean trouble! I go in May and I love heat, but mid-thirties is ok for me. I have heard of extreme temperatures in July and August, particularly in the south. Other than that, you will sail through it.

Dave
 
Hi Lavdrum
Many thanks for the cheering response - 7kg!!! That's so light!!! Can you tell me what you took as I'm trying to travel as ultra light as possible. From the map it looks as though the pilgrim (old Roman) road is alongside a major highway - A-66 - is this intrusive or basically can one easily forget it's there?
At the moment I have no Spanish but am now starting to learn what I can.
I'll be taking my ipad for reading material, maps, etc. - do you know of an app that has details of the route with albergues etc and which I can refer to off-line?
Cheers
Brendan
Hi Brendan,
This is what I took:
3 t-shirts, one of which I was wearing.
1pullover
1hoodie
2 pairs of shorts
1track-suit bottoms
1poncho(bought at El Corte Ingles in Seville before I set out)
1 light sleeping bag(also bought in Seville as not all albergues will have blankets)
1 sheet for sleeping bag
3 pairs socks
3 underpants
1 woolly cap
1 pair of walking shoes(boots not necessary)
1 pair of sandals(worn as soon as I reached destination each day)
My I-phone and charger and adapter
Tiny radio and headphones(as I like to listen to Spanish news etc and wi-fi non- existent or poor in many albergues)
Scissors and plasters.
I bought food each day to eat on the Camino, usually fruit, bread, chocolate and a litre of water which added to my rucksack weight a bit!
I took no guidebooks, just downloaded the guide which I found on this forum and it was more than adequate. Yellow arrows everywhere and if in doubt ask a local the way-don't take any chances! If there is nobody around backtrack a bit, check arrows carefully and usually you will figure out the way.
Buen Camino.
 

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