Anybody leaving Almeria Sunday 7th of April? Advice regarding shoes needed

[Ekelund]

Hi, I'm starting the Camino Mozarabe Sunday 7th of April. It would be wonderful to meet some of you lovely people on the Camino. I'll be carrying my new Marmot Graviton 34 (yes, I have read and learned from this Forum) hopefully with a Forumbadge on it - if I get it in time, I was a bit late when it came to ordering the badge from Ivar.

I have been in doubt what to wear when it comes to shoes and I have been looking at Magwood and Lauries blogs to see what people have been wearing on their feet when walking the Camino. Last year I walked the Salvador in shoes (maybe it was trailrunners ( I'm not quiet sure what trailrunners are) and I thougth if they were good for the Salvador, they will be good for the Mozarabe. I hope I'm not wrong. My other option are my Iowa boots but they are heavy and I'll be wearing them 8 hours daily. I did bring boots when I walked Del Norte/Primitivo in the Summer and I ended up carrying them wearing my Teva sandals, but I do not think Teva sandals would be a good walking solution on the Mozarabe.
What do you think? Shoes or boots?

And one more thing on my mind. I'm tempted to bring just a rain poncho (sea to summit) but would I be better off wearing rain jacket and rain pants? Should I bring both? It is so easy when it comes to a poncho, it can go on and off in no time and it protects the backpack. But if it rains for 5 days (like on the Ingles a couple of years ago) then it is nice to have the jacket and pants. And I have read that a poncho is not that good for walking in the mountains. You need something heavier and more sturdy.

I do not have the time to walk all the way to SdC so this Camino, I'll split up in parts and this time, I'll walk for two weeks and hopefully continue next Easter.

 

[NorthfaceJohn]

Hi Ekelund,
I walked a week of the Malaga variant of Camino Mozarabe in January foom Malaga to Cordoba last January and I'm planning walk to continue from Cordoba this month, in April. Next winter I hope to walk the Almeria variant.
I camped parts of the walk, not out of necessity but because I love wild camping. I brought a 40 L backpack which included camping equipment. If you're not camping then a 30 L backpack would be sufficient. I wore trail shoes - Merrill trail shoes. I wouldn't consider using boots on this type of route. BTW, I have also walked the GR7, which is a very strenuous route, in trail shoes also. I would advise a rain jacket and rain trousers instead of s poncho. A poncho is not much use in a wind and you will end up with wet feet.
Good luck with your Camino!

 

[p_mci]

I started the Mozarabe from Almeria at the same time last year and would say that, terrain-wise, boots are not necessary. However, I was glad to have them later on during the approach to Cordoba when overnight rain turned the clay path to VERY sticky mud. Serious pancakes. It took 3hours to walk 6km! The only other rain was later again on the approach to Merida. I made do with poncho as there was no wind. What I would recommend is a warm hat and maybe even some gloves (especially if your hands are exposed while using poles). The early mornings in April on that Almeria to Granada portion were very chilly. It is a beautiful Camino. You will enjoy it!

 

[Deleted member 73526]

I have been in doubt what to wear when it comes to shoes

The Mozarabe is a walk on paths and roads - not mountaineering (although there is a short uphill scramble after Alboloduy). So, if you're comfortable with trail shoes on other Caminos, you will probably feel comfortable with them on the Mozarabe. I think BeatriceKarjalainen walked this route in hiking sandals, doing distances of >40km per day ...
Speaking for myself - I have a tendency to twist ankles, so I like a boot with reasonable ankle support. I felt very good about my decision to wear boots and use hiking poles - particularly on the dry river beds between Almeria and Abla. River bed walking can sometimes feel like a slog (like walking on a beach) and sometimes like a balancing act (smooth boulders under foot that occasionally teeter and slip against each other).

I'm tempted to bring just a rain poncho (sea to summit)
I'll walk for two weeks and hopefully continue next Easter.

With two weeks, you might walk from Almeria to somewhere between Granada and Cordoba. Nobody can guarantee what the weather will do, but the first stretch is through some of the driest territory in Europe. Five days of heavy Galician rain is most unlikely.

 

[C clearly]

I recommend shoes. I was a loyal Salomon boot wearer until last year on the Mozarabe in April. With warm weather, my feet got sweaty and those dry riverbeds chewed up my feet, giving me blisters in new places. I bought new shoes in Cordoba and abandoned my boots.

 

[george.g]

I walked from Almeria in ‘17 and used Hoka Tor boots, very light but they lost their waterproofing very quickly as the membrane lining is very “soft” and wore through, another of our party used trail running shoes that did the job.
I will be starting from Almeria on Friday 5th, It might be an idea to look at accommodation in Moclin, I’ll be there about the 15th and everything reasonable seems to be booked up. You probably know that Moclín is at the top of a very steep hill at the end of a hard day, last thing you need is searching around for a bed. ( unless of course you are a firm “caminoprovider”)
Regards
George

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Interesting. I would not have expected an accommodation shortage in Moclin. I guess the albergue de peregrinos must have a group booking or something? I hear that there are other options around there. If you let the Almeria association know, I expect they'll be happy to ask around for you (even though it's not quite on their patch).

For Holy Week in Granada and Cordoba it's very hard to find places to stay.

 

[george.g]

La Fundacion seems to be blocked out and other alternatives look to be a bit expensive, for a solo pilgrim however there could be an option in either Tenia or Puerto Lope.
As to Cordoba I’ve booked into the youth hostel for Easter Sunday night

 

[Deleted member 73526]

La Fundacion seems to be blocked out

Did you call La Fundacion? It has a number of rooms across several floors. Perhaps the owner will have a solution to fit you in there or somewhere else in the town at pilgrim prices. If there really isn't space in Moclin and you feel exhausted, you might consider taking a bus from Moclin to Tenia / Olivares / Pinos Puente / Granada in the afternoon - and then another bus back to Moclin to pick up the Camino again next morning.
http://siu.ctagr.es/docs/pdf/horarios/xlinea_872.pdf
(This bus also allows you to skip the unattractive section of Camino from Granada to Pinos Puente or Olivares, so if you don't mind skipping a stage, you could get to Moclin a day earlier). Just need to make sure the bus is operating its normal weekday schedule on the dates that you need it.

 

[apoivre]

I just walked for 12 days to Baena in my regular sneakers that I wear around town at home. But of course, that depends on what you feel comfortable with.

 

[Ekelund]

Thank you so much for your response. I will be walking in my walking shoes and leaving my boots at home. And I'll bring my poncho and hope for the best. Keep it simple.

What I would recommend is a warm hat and maybe even some gloves (especially if your hands are exposed while using poles).

Thank you for reminding me of gloves! I'll be sure to bring them. And my wool buff - together with my cap it should keep my head warm in the mornings.

Thank you for the update on accommodation in Moclin.

I will be starting from Almeria on Friday 5th

I don't think I'll be able to catch up with you, it would be wonderful to meet some Forum members on the Camino.

Thank you to all of you!

 

[apoivre]

It might be an idea to look at accommodation in Moclin, I’ll be there about the 15th and everything reasonable seems to be booked up. You probably know that Moclín is at the top of a very steep hill at the end of a hard day, last thing you need is searching around for a bed.

There are at least two albergues in the village and several more accomodation options. I came to the first one a couple of weeks ago and it was fully booked by a party for the weekend. I made several calls and ended up staying at the Casa de la placeta del rincon. This was one of the best places I stayed on that walk, a huge beautiful 1700s building (the former barracks) with a pool right under the floodlit ramparts of the castle. I payed 25 euros (the pilgrim rate?) for a big apartment with a comfy bed, hot shower, wooden beams and even a small kitchenette - and had the whole building to myself. You've got to be there before 8 pm to check in and give them a call beforehand so that the lovely Fina comes to give you the keys. She seems to live next door.
http://casadelaplacetamoclin.es/

 

[george.g]

Thanks for the info, booking.com is showing a studio at £47 , just shows that booking sites are not the cheapest option, so I'll inquire direct. Just in case I've booked a room in Puerto Lope that I can cancel at short notice. I could navigate there via field tracks, or in the worst instance the N432.

 

[apoivre]

Just give them a call and mention you're walking to Santiago. Their number is in the Association guide where the cutoff point is 25 per night, I believe. So this should be a regular tarifa peregrino. They also stamped my credencial.