Numbers on the VDLP in March/April?

[Anniesantiago]

Has anyone here walked the VDLP in March/April this year?
What are the numbers looking like?
Is it a race for a bed on this route too?
Joe and I have decided to walk this route again in 2020 beginning in Caceres and walking up to Astorga - advice appreciated.

 

[lt56ny]

I too would be interesting in knowing how things are on the VDLP. I want to walk it one day and the beginning of March would probably be the time I would want to walk.

 

[Jeff Mayor]

Has anyone here walked the VDLP in March/April this year?
What are the numbers looking like?
Is it a race for a bed on this route too?
Joe and I have decided to walk this route again in 2020 beginning in Caceres and walking up to Astorga - advice appreciated.

For a couple of vets like yourselves starting in Caceres should be okay, but bear in mind that that section to Salamanca is one of the more sketchy parts of the route. I haven't done that portion since 2011when they were tearing up huge sections of it but from what I gather from this forum you will have some long walks.

 

[Anniesantiago]

For a couple of vets like yourselves starting in Caceres should be okay, but bear in mind that that section to Salamanca is one of the more sketchy parts of the route. I haven't done that portion since 2011when they were tearing up huge sections of it but from what I gather from this forum you will have some long walks.

Well poop. Still?

 

[SioCamino]

Hi, I walked Salamanca to Santiago this year in May and started my camino in Sevilla in May 2 years ago, restarting in Cáceres last year also in May. In 2017 there really was no big group and no pressure on beds. In 2018 there were always enough beds I think but our “first choice” albergue tended to fill up... we booked places the day before so we would have no pressure on how quickly we got there... but having said that I don’t think there was ever a night where pilgrims had to walk on further.
This year if I recall I booked ahead (by one day) the odd time... while there was a nice cohort of pilgrims there was no sense of a bed race... at least that’s how it seemed to me.

I get the impression that it can be very “lumpy” - for instance I started mid May this year but I heard from other pilgrims that the start of May was super busy (which of course has the holiday on May 1st plus Easter was late this year)... similarly our experience (or slight shortage) in 2018 was closer to Easter/start of May.

I would recommend booking ahead if possible if you are walking over Easter or that May Puente.

Hope this is of help

S

 

[SioCamino]

For a couple of vets like yourselves starting in Caceres should be okay, but bear in mind that that section to Salamanca is one of the more sketchy parts of the route. I haven't done that portion since 2011when they were tearing up huge sections of it but from what I gather from this forum you will have some long walks.

Not sure what you mean by sketchy? Don’t recall having any issues but then it was a year and a half ago!

 

[Jeff Mayor]

Not sure what you mean by sketchy? Don’t recall having any issues but then it was a year and a half ago!

Good to know. Your info is more current than my own. I was thinking about the area around Embalse de Alcantara to Galisteo and onward to Banos de Montemayor. Sounds like that beautiful section is now well travelled and sufficiently supported.

 

[SioCamino]

Well my understanding is that for the embalse make sure you have a reservation.... and it can be possible for them to have group bookings. And sorry now that you remind me, that section with Caparra - we managed fine as we could stay in Oliva de Plascencia but my understanding is that albergue is now closed (2019) So that could be a tricky section.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Well my understanding is that for the embalse make sure you have a reservation.... and it can be possible for them to have group bookings. And sorry now that you remind me, that section with Caparra - we managed fine as we could stay in Oliva de Plascencia but my understanding is that albergue is now closed (2019) So that could be a tricky section.

Thank you both. SioCamino, would you mind if I PM you and pick your brains a bit? Or do you have a blog I can follow ?

 

[SioCamino]

Thank you both. SioCamino, would you mind if I PM you and pick your brains a bit? Or do you have a blog I can follow ?

No blog but feel free to DM... just give me a couple of weeks, back on camino now. Have lots of notes at home on file but better to access from there.