VDLP in January

[Pierre Julian]

Hello, I'm doing a 2 week walk starting Seville in a week's time.

I'm going with start with a friend who can only walk for a few days and for whom this is going to quite an adventure. Can any one send some encouraging words about what she can expect please? C0uld anyone send some answers to a few questions please:

• We might not be able to walk full stages to start, maybe around 10 - 15 km. Any ideas about albergues/accommodation to break up the first few stages a little please?
• If my friend decides to only walk two or three days is there any public transport back to Seville? What would be a good place to get it from.
• Any good accommodation ideas in Seville please?
• Can we get credencials in Seville?

Many thanks

 

[Donna Sch]

Hello, I'm doing a 2 week walk starting Seville in a week's time.

I'm going with start with a friend who can only walk for a few days and for whom this is going to quite an adventure. Can any one send some encouraging words about what she can expect please? C0uld anyone send some answers to a few questions please:

• We might not be able to walk full stages to start, maybe around 10 - 15 km. Any ideas about albergues/accommodation to break up the first few stages a little please?
• If my friend decides to only walk two or three days is there any public transport back to Seville? What would be a good place to get it from.
• Any good accommodation ideas in Seville please?
• Can we get credencials in Seville?

Many thanks

You will be hardpressed to do anything under 20 km so plan on quite a few breaks. Just don't expect bars! The first day is about 18 to Guillena. The day to Almaden - if you are only walking less than 20 km then take a taxi along the highway section to the start of the National Park.
On the day to Monasterio there is potential accommodation around Ojala and between there and Monasterio is a camping ground.

 

[Portach]

Hello, I'm doing a 2 week walk starting Seville in a week's time.

I'm going with start with a friend who can only walk for a few days and for whom this is going to quite an adventure. Can any one send some encouraging words about what she can expect please? C0uld anyone send some answers to a few questions please:

• We might not be able to walk full stages to start, maybe around 10 - 15 km. Any ideas about albergues/accommodation to break up the first few stages a little please?
• If my friend decides to only walk two or three days is there any public transport back to Seville? What would be a good place to get it from.
• Any good accommodation ideas in Seville please?
• Can we get credencials in Seville?

Many thanks[/QUOTE

You could walk 10k to Italica on your first day, with only a day pack, and get the bus back to Seville. There is a very regular public bus service. Next morning get the bus to Italica and walk the 11k to Guillena. This gives a gentle two days start, and the opportunity to see the Roman ruins at Italica at leisure.
Enjoy!

 

[domigee]

Hello, I'm doing a 2 week walk starting Seville in a week's time.

I'm going with start with a friend who can only walk for a few days and for whom this is going to quite an adventure. Can any one send some encouraging words about what she can expect please? C0uld anyone send some answers to a few questions please:

• We might not be able to walk full stages to start, maybe around 10 - 15 km. Any ideas about albergues/accommodation to break up the first few stages a little please?
• If my friend decides to only walk two or three days is there any public transport back to Seville? What would be a good place to get it from.
• Any good accommodation ideas in Seville please?
• Can we get credencials in Seville?

Many thanks

I stayed in Albergue Triana in Seville and got my credential from them too.
I loved the place but I heard that others on the forum didn't.

Have a great time!

 

[Momonne]

You can get your VDLP Association credencial at the Triana albergue (great locaton but tiny crowed rooms with lots of non pilgrims, and the noise that implies), at the local VDLP Camino association, down the street (always a good idea to visit to find out if the arroyo on the way to Guillena is flooded or not), at hotel Simon and at the chapel at the Cathedral (the one you can access directly from the street that runs parallel to the river, not needing to queue to get into the cathedral -so,ething you should do to visit it no doubt though, but not to get your credencial), ask the attending person for it.

Small stages are really not a thing on VDLP, other than what has already been mentioned. Also many days where you are walking on terrain that is not accessible to taxis should you want to walk half stages. And some tough ones, like getting out of the Berrocal park with its incredibly steep hill at the end. This also means having to carry all your water for the day. Maybe not such a big deal in January, but in April it starts being an issue.

There will be a daily bus back to Seville from practically any of the towns with albergues.

In Sevilla, I would look into Air BNB. I stayed at the Triana albergue and it was hot, noisy and claustrophobic. I also stayed in small pension in a great location (can’t remember the name),but for the same 50€ I think you’ll do better with Air BNB, especially if there are two of you.

Buy the Gerard Kelly guidebook, it has all the info you will need.

 

[Bradypus]

I walked the first half of the VDLP in October and will be returning in a few days time to complete it. Accommodation is much more widely spaced than on routes like the Frances or the Portugues. To walk 10-15km stages would almost certainly mean taking taxis to/from your night stops or skipping parts of the route altogether. While many people are happy to do that for me it would completely wreck the pilgrimage experience because I find most satisfaction in the slow but continuous progress on foot. I think that in your situation I would look at other more straightforward routes and save the VDLP for sometime when you have more time and energy to devote to it. It is very rewarding but also very demanding.

 

[Pierre Julian]

Thanks everyone, my friend is only going to walk the first two days and head back, just to dip her toe in the Camino experience after a few years. As recommended, we'll divide the first stage into 2 days, take our time, she can bus back from Guillena, and then ..... I'm off and running!

 

[domigee]

In Sevilla, I would look into Air BNB. I stayed at the Triana albergue and it was hot, noisy and claustrophobic. I also stayed in small pension in a great location (can’t remember the name),but for the same 50€ I think you’ll do better with Air BNB, especially if there are two of you.

I have never tried Air Bnb but it sounds like a great idea!

In Triana, we booked a 'private' double room - I was walking with my husband then - which probably explains why I didn't find it either noisy or crowded... That or maybe just luck. We didn't use the kitchen either and ate out.

Buen camino

 

[domigee]

I walked the first half of the VDLP in October and will be returning in a few days time to complete it.

Very envious @Bradypus but wishing you all the best! Hope it all goes well for you . Are you taking your new tent?

 

[Bradypus]

Very envious @Bradypus but wishing you all the best! Hope it all goes well for you . Are you taking your new tent?

Not this time! After a couple of nasty times with osteoarthritis in my knee last year I have decided to take this one very gently - light pack and shorter daily stages. If I manage to finish as planned without any more serious flare-ups then I hope to walk in Japan later this spring. The tent may come with me there.

 

[domigee]

If I manage to finish as planned without any more serious flare-ups then I hope to walk in Japan later this spring. .

Fingers crossed then and awaiting to read about your adventure if you have the time.

 

[Pierre Julian]

Hi everyone, I'm having massive Camino withdrawals, and wondering whether I might take some unpaid leave and do the whole VdlP. Gronze says can be done in 36 stages, other places suggest 40 days are comfortable. I'd be please to hear any views on how long to give myself, I'm well able to average 25-30+km per day, but I suppose ideally I like 25km. I'm think to merge onto the Sanabres via Ourense, as I've done the Frances before. Thanks.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

On the day to Monasterio there is potential accommodation around Ojala and between there and Monasterio is a camping ground.

The camping ground was closed and abandoned when I went by last June. I was looking forward to a cold drink there! But there is refreshment at the big supermercado by the roundabout when you join the highway.
Not sure where you mean by Ojala, Donna.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Thanks everyone, my friend is only going to walk the first two days and head back, just to dip her toe in the Camino experience after a few years. As recommended, we'll divide the first stage into 2 days, take our time, she can bus back from Guillena, and then ..... I'm off and running!

It'd be worth having your friend persevere to Castilblanco, The Guillena - Castilblanco stage is real camino.

 

[sharon w]

We took 41 days. This included a rest day in Salamanca.