General Sureste blurb and updated contacts.

[aquabilly]

Rather than post scattergun all over the place, I`ll collate my info here. I`ve reached Tembleque so far ( near Toledo) I am doing this trip approx 8 days at a time depending on my time off. Thats me completed my second section recently.

hi, I`m just starting to have a look at this camino...I may order the guide book found at http://caminodelsureste.es.tl

I think its 12 Euros...i don`t know if thats a pdf download or an actual hardcopy. Theres not that much information about as you know...although the mundicamino and gronze websites seem to have a good deal of basic info. According to page one , the yellow arrows start from the Basilica de Santa Maria and are regular for the whole route. Thats a good start. Now, if theres regular water stops ...I think I have found this years camino.

I emailed Paco about his guide. It is only available as a hardcopy..no ebooks or pdf. Thats a shame...I use my phone for everything these days (and small solar panel to charge.) ...the days of lugging books about are gone. For me at any rate.ohwell.

Hi . Peregrina.yes. Depending on which site you look at..the sureste heads up to cuenca or toledo. Both labelled as sureste. I don`t have a lot of time...I am going to head up as far as Albacete this time.Booked easyJet and am just going to walk out from the airport and make a beeline for the trail bypassing alicante town. I am not bothered about credencials or paperwork and exactitudes. Its all about the journey. For me at any rate. Hoping to get my Spanish simcard sorted and report back my findings. I wild camp so the albergue side of things doesnt really figure in my planning.its not for everybody. My main concern is water availability on the long stretches.oh well...lets see how it goes.bye for now.billy

hallo all. Thats me back home.(2013)..8 days alicante to albacete. I`ll try and summarise. Its a great camino...well marked out and interesting. I brought my mobile phone with Osmand mapping preloaded as well as the gpx file of the route overlaid. This was the first time using such as I was a bit concerned about the waymarkings. But, kudos to those who keep them up to date and repainted. I would still take the mapping and gpx file as back up for any trip but its not needed here. If you are unfamiliar with such...start researching now...routemapping isnt difficult.

Its quiet...no other pilgrims. There are no cafes by the roadside as in other caminos...just long stretches of trail. Shopping is a bit hit and miss. the odd store here and there in the villages. But you wont go a day without passing somewhere to replenish, albeit basically. In the bigger towns there are the usual Mercadonas etc.

There are no springs or wells on the route. I was carrying up to 6 liters of water which is a fair weight in the pack . There are no rivers to speak of and any streams marked on the map were bone dry. Its not out and out desert..there are sprawling vineyards in many places..but it was a bit ` cactus gulch` here and there. I found the trail got easier as it went on. Incidentally ,you will see on some web pages the first stage is 40km to Novelda. Yes, if you are an elite marine...otherwise its 2 stages. The other stages are between 16 and 24 miles. As I was camping first 5 days , I made up my own stages.

Microclimates : the first 2 days were lovely and warm at night....sleeping in a mesh pop up tent..great. It was hot during the day...I could not possibly do this walk in the summer...I think it would be a nightmare. days 3 to 5 ...markedly cooler as terrain turned less coastal and more desert. Very uncomfortable at night. days 5 to 8, checking the forecast...it was still lovely in alicante but heading more inland it dropped to minus 2 for a few nights. I had to swallow my pride and head for the refugios.

the refugios are fine. small... 4 beds or sometimes no beds, just a mattress. All safe, a heck of a lot warmer than outside, running water , lights etc. very basic...no cooking facilities but usually something going in the village. looking at the guest book, it was a month since the last visitors. You normally have to phone ahead a day in advance to arrange for a key. Nobody speaks English...my Spanish is pretty good but i still had struggled with the accents.

boots : not trainers, or trail shoes or whatever. Proper boots or you will regret it.

I use the digi navega 500 simcard. you can buy this for 13 quid on ebay or ten euros in Alicante. either way, you`ll need to supply passport details to register it. I have used this card. It is reliable. You get 700 mb of usage and 3 euros of calls. To Scotland it was 8 cents a minute. I used the net but didn`t make more than 2 minutes of calls. Its easy to top up and when your 700 mb allowance runs out (mine never has) it simply gets downgraded to a slower connection rather than just cut off. great. i researched all cards, take my word ...this is what you want. If you buy it in Alicante, the shop is called MaxMara. Thats the only shop...its actually a grocer.Again, no English is spoken so if you are unsure...order it on ebay and all the palavar is dealt with , in English, before you arrive.

i used a 30 x 15 cm pack mounted solar panel to keep my phone charged. i also converted my headlamp quite simply to use the same cable to recharge it. no worries about batteries etc.

The camino is marked from the town center very well and it should only take a few hours to clear the outskirts and be in open country.

Overall, its not a very strenuous camino if you keep your goals reasonable. However, the hike up to the church at Orito was tough going. Albeit, it was very hot, no wind and very rough terrain. There is , i recall, another route on the gpx map which avoids this. Otherwise, some really great walking sections. There are a few sections on asphalt but the roads were quiet and pretty safe as far as road walking goes. ( I spoke to others since who took the bike route, the mountain hike through rough terrain is very very tough)

So, excuse me if I have rambled on...just putting the info up as it came to me. Don`t hesitate to do this camino, even if its bit by bit . I am raring to go on the next section up to Toledo from Albacete. The bus and train routes are reliable and frequent so I`ll easyjet it to alicante again then bus it up to Albacete to continue. Just as an aside, after Albacete I did bus it back down to Alicante to fly home and spent a night in the San Remo hotel. 25 pounds, clean , comfortable and friendly.

any other questions, just ask. Otherwise, I`ll see you on the road to Toledo.

cheers,
Billy



Here is a scan of a small pamphlet I picked up. It seems to be up to date as far as the refugios i used. As you can see, it only goes as far as Caudete region goes. This seems to be normal as far as I can see. All the minor assosciations look after their own patch and have their own websites. I don`t think they link particularly well to other sites. Thats not a criticism , just an observation . Plus, I think a little competition is a good thing. Right, I am planning the Albacete to Toledo stage next. Aaaargh....-7 degrees C at night!!! Might need to postpone till spring time. img041.jpg ( I did postpone...minus 7 is too cold.)

Well, thats me packed again to continue on the Sureste. First stage was Alicante to Albacete as per my previous posts. Flying to Alicante on 14/4/2014, bus to Albacete and just carry on from where I left off last year. Hoping to take ten days or so to wander up to Toledo...seems to be a commuter suburb of Madrid these days. Then fly home to Scotland , Easyjet to Edinburgh.

I kept my Spanish simcard active by calling it to let it ring once every month, so all i have to do is buy a ten euro top up card when i get there and i should be good to go with cheap internet and calls. See my previous blurb on that.

I shall be mostly wild camping but if there`s any bad weather nights, I`ll head for a refugio. Looks like its very mild this time of year so no waking up to frozen puddles like last year.

I`ll post my findings on here soon. Bye for now, Billy

 

[aquabilly]

April 2014:
Well, met up with George R...in the hospital of a bullring. Seriously thats the albergue in La Roda.

So, walked from Albacete to Tembleque...(half hour bus from Madrid) on this leg of the Sureste. Started trip with early flight to Alicante, no problems getting the train to Albacete..28 euros...a bit pricey but i wanted to try it. You can get the bus from 12 euros. Travel infrastructure in Spain is excellent...clean transport and on time.

Stocked up on a few bits in Albacete and was on my way late afternoon. Did not stay in Gineta ...could not get thru to the polideportivo (sports centre) and the number for Javier Francisco (listed as a friend of the camino) is dead. No problem, I carry my tent, mat etc anyway so had a nice evening in a quiet corner of a field.

First things first, proper boots. Read other posts on the Sureste...you need chunky , properly supported hiking boots...not comfy walking shoes for a walk in the local park. Your feet will get warm , sure, but the path is rugged and uneven at least for 75 % of it and if your boots are not up to it, you will be in agony. (see George`s post)

Water. Again, there was not one drop of water anywhere between villages/albergues...you must carry water for the entire day. On cooler days, I managed with 2.5 liters as a minimum. On the hot days, it was 4 liters. There are no roadside cafes, fountains, streams. I always carry 4 liters regardless. (used to be 6 but i start earlier now to more miles done in cooler temps.) So factor the extra weight in your overall pack weight.

Loneliness. That does not bother me...but this is not a route where you will meet plenty of other people. I met no-one on my last trip and 3 people briefly this time. There is some extra ` traffic` from the Levante route but it is still desolate compared to other caminos.

This is not a first camino nor is it one if you are not self sufficient. Its not difficult but it can be arduous. It is very well marked. I did hear from the Levante route people that they sometimes went 5 hours without a yellow arrow. Not the case on the Sureste...very well marked, though one or two are a little hard to spot. I carry a mobile phone and have the entire sureste route as a gpx file on the free Osmand map app. If I am in any doubt , I simply consult the GPS. (its all free, gpx route from Peter Robbins site). 9.5 / 10 for route marking...good job.

On the subject of phones, its high on my priority...most albergues require a phone call to get them opened. They are not hostels you can just walk into and ask for a room. See my earlier posts about digi movil card...would never be without it. ten euros for broadband internet and cheap calls to Europe. I also have my flight e-tickets on the phone, my insurance docs, my guidebook, maps, albergue info/numbers, and Harry Potter in Spanish. I think its senseless to carry round a pile of useless weight . I also back all this up to skydrive so in the event of phone theft , loss etc...I just have to find an internet cafe or phone home to have it all at hand again. I carry an older phone so if it does go missing...no big deal, my main phone is safe at home.

and of course a 150 gram solar panel (waterproof/shockproof) to keep it all ticking along. essential kit these days.

factor 15 suncream is adequate. I am very fair skinned...no problems...got a tan but not burned.

waterproofs. yes. It only rained for one day but when it did ...it was non stop. There is no shade or shelter on the route and there was a constant strong breeze every day, rain or not. (thank goodness). The temperature variation was dramatic with the rain...it went from hot to cold in 24 hours. Its not an exagerration to say that walking in these conditions without rain gear...in the wind...no shelter...you are going to suffer from severe exposure. It may very well be that you go your whole trip without seeing a drop of rain but its crazy not to bring at least a decent poncho. (ex-army....not festival rubbish)

wild camping. as usual...I spent some time doing it this way. No problems, very easy. As the nightime temp can dip down to 4 or 5 degrees, i would recommend a 3 season sleeping bag.

more albergue info. I shall post up a compilation of numbers for this section of the route including my updates on phone numbers. Most seem to be in sports centers..phone ahead...you have no chance just turning up. I was there over the general Easter period and it was a bit of a task sometimes to get something organised but it always worked out. (man~ana etc).

vistas...could gradually see the move from rocky vineyards from last trip to greener fields occasionaly as i moved inland. Not much road walking and the trail is very clearly defined. A tree was always a special treat...lovely shade.Mostly blue skies and a few cheeky fluffy clouds, temperature around 25 degrees. Its going to be nearer 40 in the summer...I cannot imagine doing it in these conditions.

I ran out of time in Tembleque so took a direct bus to Madrid as I was flying to Scotland from there next day. Stayed in the Hostal Oporto. Bang in the center of Madrid but in a quiet side street. As usual, best to book direct rather than through Expedia etc. (41 pounds on Expedia, 25 pounds at the hostal.about 30 euros) Private room with tv, shower, bathroom etc. Its a nice wee hidden gem.

All in all , a very nice trip...hard work at times but thats part of being a Caminero/a. I shall leave it till cooler times come in the autumn before continuing.

Its not scary but preparation is everything. cheers, Billy.

I have attached the Albacete - Tembleque file to this post.

 

[george.g]

Hi Bill,
Having walked more or less the same route I completely agree with what you say, especially water, food and in particular boots!
I joined the Sureste, Levante, Via del La Plata and French way together was going to go via the Sanabres route but decided to go north from Zamora and glad I did.
French way fairly busy but lots of beds available no need to rush.
Regards
George

 

[aquabilly]

Hi George, sounds like you had a good time. Hope you got home safe. Its too hot for me at the moment so I am hiding in Scotland till things cool down in Spain. Probably do another ten days end of September. Just the usual, start off from where I left off...Tembleque this time. Head up towards Avila or thereabouts. Buen Camino !

 

[aquabilly]

Looks like it is still very quiet on this route...not many posts this summer. Anyway, I am continuing the route from 1st October 2014 for 2 weeks so i`ll try and get all the info as before. Flying to Madrid, bus to Tembleque then onwards. I have been waiting for the temperatures to fall...I wouldn`t last 5 minutes in the summer heat !

 

[aquabilly]

Hallo again, well....back after another two week stint. Got as far as Arevalo this time. So..how did it go? Great.Almost. As previously stated, I took the bus from Madrid to Tembleque . It was about 10 pm when I arrived but i had got supplies in Madrid so I hit the trail and did some moonlit walking. As usual, I had my pop up mosquito tent etc with me and only wished to use refugios if it was particularly cold or i was particularly grubby. (or both)

Stopping in at Villanueva de Bogas, I sat on the first bench upon entering the village. Pilar, who is named in various places along with her nephew Jose-Luis as the folks in charge of the acogida municipal, came up to me within two minutes. She stays 50 yards from this comfy bench. She told me I could collect the key from the bar at the entrance to the village.(I can`t remember what its called, its a right turn almost as soon as you enter the village...there it is). She speaks 100 mph and not a word of English. I didn`t stay but theres the info anyway.

The next place I considered stopping for a night was Noves. I did see the lodgings and waited outside, phone number was ringing out. Old granny passing by told me everyone was at the bullfight, including Don Eladio....who looks after the place. No big deal, got me some bread and cheese and camped a few k further down the trail.

Stayed the night at Escalona as it was very cold. You need to telephone in advance ...the chap speaks a bit of English so you should be ok . Nice , simple lodgings with hot shower ...and fresh towels. Phone the local cops to get this fellow to open it or ask at one of the bars. More often than not, i bypass the numbers listed and just ask the barman after buying a coffee. 9 times out of 10, he picks up his phone and calls the guy for you.

Next stop in lodgings was at Avila. When you arrive in Avila, its still 45 minutes walk to the other end of town...just keep following the yellow arrows. The lodgings are called ` Las Tenerias` and theres a large sign on the cast iron gates telling you so. Again, phone in advance...or forget it. The phone number is on the gates. Lovely accomodation, clean, washing machine, tv etc.its donation.

Gotarrendura is a one horse town with surprisingly modern municipal accomodation. washing machines, tumble dryers, kitchen, great showers, clean beds. theres a map on entering the town which shows you where it is. basically a hundred yards forward, turn left , 50 yards.phone number for the contact person is in the window. its donativo. Theres a bar in the village there and thats it, no where else for food or water. If you wish to eat, you tell the barman and its a take it or leave it meal with the rest of the villagers at 8 pm. No menu, no other seating times. Doors are locked at 8 at the bar so make sure you are there beforehand.

In general, the trail was fairly easy going over the stretch...and extremely well marked. Sometimes, over marked. If you can see 6 yellow arrows ahead, thats probably too much. Some high points of around 1200 meters so i was above the clouds a few times. Weather was warm south of Toledo but got really cool afterwards. Had a four season sleeping bag so was ok at nights.

The only bother i had was not picking a defensive spot in a forest one night. Got my bags trashed by a wild pig/boar. That left me a bit shaken then during the lashing rain and lightning a bull sniffed me out whilst he was taking shelter himself. After much snorting and pawing of ground 2 feet from my face he buggered off. I have never been so scared in my entire life. I packed up in the middle of the night and sneaked away down the valley...shaken, soaked to the skin and hungry , thanks to the boar scoffing my eats. I guess this was just bad luck...camped out 100 nights or more in Spain, never had any real hassle.

Seen 5 snakes in 2 weeks. I suppose if I seen 5 then there must have been a hell of a lot more that i didn`t see. They were much more anxious to get away from me than the other way round. Its one of the reason I carry walking sticks...I always thud them on the ground when walking through brush...snakes feel that more than footprints and are gone usually before they are seen by us.

So, eventually, reached Arevalo and took train back to Madrid. Stayed in the Hostal OPorto again, 28 quid. Main lessons learned from this trip...perhaps bring a machete next time. Better to build a defensive ` boma` and shelter than cutting with a standard knife. This is overkill for most people out there ..just my own personal thoughts. I experimented with an ultrathin undersock as well as my standard smartwool socks. I always get the same blisters in the same place when walking...I would say this lessened it by about 50 % . Better than nothing. I also used a large poncho as wet weather gear as well as using it as a basha tent. This is not ideal but as I camp out mostly, i carry a days food and water at least...so weight is important. I`ll post up my list of accomodation phone numbers and details for this trip but bear in mind i only stayed in a few. Remember, if in doubt, grab a coffee and ask the barman.

Buen Camino.

 

[alansykes]

You are lucky you only encountered bulls and boars - according to an article in El País, wolves are re-establishing themselves in the sierra de Gredos and killed a couple of calves last week. Sadly, I didn't see any coming over yesterday and the day before, glorious countryside, though.

 

[KinkyOne]

You are lucky you only encountered bulls and boars - according to an article in El País, wolves are re-establishing themselves in the sierra de Gredos and killed a couple of calves last week. Sadly, I didn't see any coming over yesterday and the day before, glorious countryside, though.

You're one (un)lucky "ba***rd" Alan!

God, how I envy you to be on the road right now

 

[LRM]

Rather than post scattergun all over the place, I`ll collate my info here. I`ve reached Tembleque so far ( near Toledo) I am doing this trip approx 8 days at a time depending on my time off. Thats me completed my second section recently.

hi, I`m just starting to have a look at this camino...I may order the guide book found at http://caminodelsureste.es.tl

I think its 12 Euros...i don`t know if thats a pdf download or an actual hardcopy. Theres not that much information about as you know...although the mundicamino and gronze websites seem to have a good deal of basic info. According to page one , the yellow arrows start from the Basilica de Santa Maria and are regular for the whole route. Thats a good start. Now, if theres regular water stops ...I think I have found this years camino.

I emailed Paco about his guide. It is only available as a hardcopy..no ebooks or pdf. Thats a shame...I use my phone for everything these days (and small solar panel to charge.) ...the days of lugging books about are gone. For me at any rate.ohwell.

Hi . Peregrina.yes. Depending on which site you look at..the sureste heads up to cuenca or toledo. Both labelled as sureste. I don`t have a lot of time...I am going to head up as far as Albacete this time.Booked easyJet and am just going to walk out from the airport and make a beeline for the trail bypassing alicante town. I am not bothered about credencials or paperwork and exactitudes. Its all about the journey. For me at any rate. Hoping to get my Spanish simcard sorted and report back my findings. I wild camp so the albergue side of things doesnt really figure in my planning.its not for everybody. My main concern is water availability on the long stretches.oh well...lets see how it goes.bye for now.billy

hallo all. Thats me back home.(2013)..8 days alicante to albacete. I`ll try and summarise. Its a great camino...well marked out and interesting. I brought my mobile phone with Osmand mapping preloaded as well as the gpx file of the route overlaid. This was the first time using such as I was a bit concerned about the waymarkings. But, kudos to those who keep them up to date and repainted. I would still take the mapping and gpx file as back up for any trip but its not needed here. If you are unfamiliar with such...start researching now...routemapping isnt difficult.

Its quiet...no other pilgrims. There are no cafes by the roadside as in other caminos...just long stretches of trail. Shopping is a bit hit and miss. the odd store here and there in the villages. But you wont go a day without passing somewhere to replenish, albeit basically. In the bigger towns there are the usual Mercadonas etc.

There are no springs or wells on the route. I was carrying up to 6 liters of water which is a fair weight in the pack . There are no rivers to speak of and any streams marked on the map were bone dry. Its not out and out desert..there are sprawling vineyards in many places..but it was a bit ` cactus gulch` here and there. I found the trail got easier as it went on. Incidentally ,you will see on some web pages the first stage is 40km to Novelda. Yes, if you are an elite marine...otherwise its 2 stages. The other stages are between 16 and 24 miles. As I was camping first 5 days , I made up my own stages.

Microclimates : the first 2 days were lovely and warm at night....sleeping in a mesh pop up tent..great. It was hot during the day...I could not possibly do this walk in the summer...I think it would be a nightmare. days 3 to 5 ...markedly cooler as terrain turned less coastal and more desert. Very uncomfortable at night. days 5 to 8, checking the forecast...it was still lovely in alicante but heading more inland it dropped to minus 2 for a few nights. I had to swallow my pride and head for the refugios.

the refugios are fine. small... 4 beds or sometimes no beds, just a mattress. All safe, a heck of a lot warmer than outside, running water , lights etc. very basic...no cooking facilities but usually something going in the village. looking at the guest book, it was a month since the last visitors. You normally have to phone ahead a day in advance to arrange for a key. Nobody speaks English...my Spanish is pretty good but i still had struggled with the accents.

boots : not trainers, or trail shoes or whatever. Proper boots or you will regret it.

I use the digi navega 500 simcard. you can buy this for 13 quid on ebay or ten euros in Alicante. either way, you`ll need to supply passport details to register it. I have used this card. It is reliable. You get 700 mb of usage and 3 euros of calls. To Scotland it was 8 cents a minute. I used the net but didn`t make more than 2 minutes of calls. Its easy to top up and when your 700 mb allowance runs out (mine never has) it simply gets downgraded to a slower connection rather than just cut off. great. i researched all cards, take my word ...this is what you want. If you buy it in Alicante, the shop is called MaxMara. Thats the only shop...its actually a grocer.Again, no English is spoken so if you are unsure...order it on ebay and all the palavar is dealt with , in English, before you arrive.

i used a 30 x 15 cm pack mounted solar panel to keep my phone charged. i also converted my headlamp quite simply to use the same cable to recharge it. no worries about batteries etc.

The camino is marked from the town center very well and it should only take a few hours to clear the outskirts and be in open country.

Overall, its not a very strenuous camino if you keep your goals reasonable. However, the hike up to the church at Orito was tough going. Albeit, it was very hot, no wind and very rough terrain. There is , i recall, another route on the gpx map which avoids this. Otherwise, some really great walking sections. There are a few sections on asphalt but the roads were quiet and pretty safe as far as road walking goes. ( I spoke to others since who took the bike route, the mountain hike through rough terrain is very very tough)

So, excuse me if I have rambled on...just putting the info up as it came to me. Don`t hesitate to do this camino, even if its bit by bit . I am raring to go on the next section up to Toledo from Albacete. The bus and train routes are reliable and frequent so I`ll easyjet it to alicante again then bus it up to Albacete to continue. Just as an aside, after Albacete I did bus it back down to Alicante to fly home and spent a night in the San Remo hotel. 25 pounds, clean , comfortable and friendly.

any other questions, just ask. Otherwise, I`ll see you on the road to Toledo.

cheers,
Billy

View attachment 9751

Here is a scan of a small pamphlet I picked up. It seems to be up to date as far as the refugios i used. As you can see, it only goes as far as Caudete region goes. This seems to be normal as far as I can see. All the minor assosciations look after their own patch and have their own websites. I don`t think they link particularly well to other sites. Thats not a criticism , just an observation . Plus, I think a little competition is a good thing. Right, I am planning the Albacete to Toledo stage next. Aaaargh....-7 degrees C at night!!! Might need to postpone till spring time. img041.jpg ( I did postpone...minus 7 is too cold.)

Well, thats me packed again to continue on the Sureste. First stage was Alicante to Albacete as per my previous posts. Flying to Alicante on 14/4/2014, bus to Albacete and just carry on from where I left off last year. Hoping to take ten days or so to wander up to Toledo...seems to be a commuter suburb of Madrid these days. Then fly home to Scotland , Easyjet to Edinburgh.

I kept my Spanish simcard active by calling it to let it ring once every month, so all i have to do is buy a ten euro top up card when i get there and i should be good to go with cheap internet and calls. See my previous blurb on that.

I shall be mostly wild camping but if there`s any bad weather nights, I`ll head for a refugio. Looks like its very mild this time of year so no waking up to frozen puddles like last year.

I`ll post my findings on here soon. Bye for now, Billy

My husband walked the Sureste before we met (on the Camino...) He used the Spanish guidebook although he is Dutch (and I am English). We are going to walk this Camino together in autumn 2015 and intend writing a non-profit making guidebook in English, for our love of the Camino. When it is prepared I will leave a message on this forum.

 

[aquabilly]

Great. I love it, going back in July (2015) to finish it. As you probably know there are full guides available (not in English) and lots of smaller ones for individual sections. If I were to write a guide, I would have one for the sights to see, correct routes etc...but I would have an online section to update phone numbers for albergues etc. They change very regularly and half of the ones i came across don`t work anymore. I will really miss the Sureste but having started the Mozarabe a few months ago, that is a nice and quiet one to return to in the autumn when the Sureste is done.If you are on the 3 network (UK) you now have free internet and calls whilst in Spain. It only costs to phone Spanish numbers strangely enough. ciao.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

You are lucky you only encountered bulls and boars - according to an article in El País, wolves are re-establishing themselves in the sierra de Gredos and killed a couple of calves last week. Sadly, I didn't see any coming over yesterday and the day before, glorious countryside, though.

Hi,

Wolf report: I did the Levante in 2014 and saw one wolf outside Escalona in the morning. This year I was on Vía de la plata for a while, to get to Astorga from the Sureste, and on the stage towards Astorga I saw another one. I didn't even know there were wolves in Spain but now I've done some research. The thing is that Escalona is not even on the map where wolves are supposed to be so it seems that they are reestablishing quickly towards the south.

Some fellow pilgrims think they are dangerous - oh please, they trotted away as soon as they saw me. They are nothing like the dogs on the Camino... Fortunately, on these lonely caminos you have the chance to see them!

Ciao/BP

 

[SYates]

Thankfully the wolf has also returned to my home country Germany https://en.nabu.de/ <<< this website gives some good, scientific information about wolves in Europe. In short, a wolf is more afraid of you than you should be of him. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Did not stay in Gineta ...could not get thru to the polideportivo (sports centre) and the number for Javier Francisco (listed as a friend of the camino) is dead.

Future pilgrims on Levante and Sureste should know just this: you cannot rely on finding the polidportivo open in La Gineta. In that case: next stop is La Roda 20 kms away, which is a problem if you're tired.

When I was there in 2013, I phoned the number listed in the guide several times and only on my last try, when I was about to give up, someone answered. Told me to go to Guardia Civil to get the keys. Loosing time asking for to Guardia Civil... and when I got there it was closed! I waited for an hour, som lady cleaning inside saw me by accident and wondered what I waited for. So she phoned a man, who eventually, after another hour of waiting, showed up and finally took me to the Polideportivo. I slept well there, but I have other reports from a spanish guy keeping a blog on the Sureste saying that youngsters kept him awake all night, banging on the door and throwing stones at the wall to prevent him from sleeping...

Another option is to try to do the 40 kms between Albacete and La Roda, as I did in 2014: staying for a loooong rest in La Gineta - which is exactly in the middle - , eating and relaxing by the Piscina and thus staying safe of the worst heat of the day.

/BP

 

[KinkyOne]

In La Gineta 687-578-013 is the mobile number for Policia Local (967-275-002 for Ayto.), checked this summer.
Policia Local is on the other side of Polideportivo, actually in the same complex of buildings. I've phoned PL and they were very forthcoming but still had to wait until they managed to get the guy with the keys. Three bars in the village and small tienda opened also on Sunday.
Kids tried to persuade me to let them in the Polideportivo. No go as I was told by the guy with the keys. There were some attempts to ruin my stay there but after threatening with Policia Local everything was calm all through the night.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

This is not a first camino nor is it one if you are not self sufficient. Its not difficult but it can be arduous. It is very well marked. I did hear from the Levante route people that they sometimes went 5 hours without a yellow arrow. Not the case on the Sureste...very well marked, though one or two are a little hard to spot. I carry a mobile phone and have the entire sureste route as a gpx file on the free Osmand map app. If I am in any doubt , I simply consult the GPS. (its all free, gpx route from Peter Robbins site). 9.5 / 10 for route marking...good job.

I've heard from a lot of people that the Sureste is better marked than the Levante. I don't know... There are some tricky parts on the Sureste. For example:

Leaving Yecla where there are several crossroads without any arrows at all - I would've been lost without my compass.

Stage: Minaya - El Provencio: maaany kilometers without arrows (a stage without intermediate hamlets, just flat country) and I wasn't sure I was lost or what. At least one split road with no waymarks at all.

Albacete-La Gineta: The Levante goes left of railway, the Sureste goes to the right of it. The Levante is all right (it's the only one I have taken to get to La Gineta), but a spanish cyclist told me he had spent a lot of time going back and forth on the Sureste and that he couldn't find his way through to La Gineta. And he was on bike - my predjudice telling me that bicigrinos are less victims to getting lost, as they can move more rapidly and scan wider areas for arrows than the Walkers (?)

As I remember them, they are more or less the same in terms of waymarking. The thing is that people on the Sureste are more familiar with that camino, supposedly since it is a more historical route. So WHEN you get lost, you can get directions a bit faster than on the Levante.

/BP

 

[KinkyOne]

...
Albacete-La Gineta: The Levante goes left of railway, the Sureste goes to the right of it. The Levante is all right (it's the only one I have taken to get to La Gineta), but a spanish cyclist told me he had spent a lot of time going back and forth on the Sureste and that he couldn't find his way through to La Gineta. And he was on bike - my predjudice telling me that bicigrinos are less victims to getting lost, as they can move more rapidly and scan wider areas for arrows than the Walkers (?)...
/BP

Don't mention exit from Albacete please
I've lost an hour and a half there. I was so pissed off, really, excuse my language. I'll explain everything in my journal once ready but some GPS tracks are old and here it happened that autovia wasn't built when it was recorded. And the guide was also written before that. So I was walking in circles trying to get over autovia. No need to. Just turn left after first overpass and straight ahead is La Gineta. Stupid me, with excellent direction sense I was banging my head against "closed doors"
But that was Levante. Is Sureste going different way to La Gineta???

 

[peregrina2000]

Future pilgrims on Levante and Sureste should know just this: you cannot rely on finding the polidportivo open in La Gineta. In that case: next stop is La Roda 20 kms away, which is a problem if you're tired.

When I was there in 2013, I phoned the number listed in the guide several times and only on my last try, when I was about to give up, someone answered. Told me to go to Guardia Civil to get the keys. Loosing time asking for to Guardia Civil... and when I got there it was closed! I waited for an hour, som lady cleaning inside saw me by accident and wondered what I waited for. So she phoned a man, who eventually, after another hour of waiting, showed up and finally took me to the Polideportivo. I slept well there, but I have other reports from a spanish guy keeping a blog on the Sureste saying that youngsters kept him awake all night, banging on the door and throwing stones at the wall to prevent him from sleeping...

Another option is to try to do the 40 kms between Albacete and La Roda, as I did in 2014: staying for a loooong rest in La Gineta - which is exactly in the middle - , eating and relaxing by the Piscina and thus staying safe of the worst heat of the day.

/BP

I never got in the albergue in La Gineta. We arrived on a Sunday, and I had called the ayuntamiento twice that week, once on Thursday and once on Friday, to make sure it would be open and to guarantee that we were coming. We were told to get the keys at the Policia Local. When we got there, no one was in the Policia office. We called all the numbers on the door, no answer. We talked to people in all the bars, no one knew anything. We walked all around town and found nothing. Finally we gave up and got on a 6 pm (??) train to La Roda. That was HARD for me to do, but it was really the only option. It did work out well in the end, though, because it meant that my French walking buddies agreed to spend an extra day in Toledo! I had been agonizing over whether I would stay behind for a day in Toledo or go on with them, but this solved that problem since they had to go to Decathlon in Toledo for stove gas and with our newly found extra day we would be arriving on a Sunday. So it all worked out perfectly and I got over the fact that I had taken a train. So many ways to mature on the Camino!

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

That's right,

I read about this in your blog before starting. So when I entered La Gineta I wondered what was to come for me... At least I was mentally prepared after reading about your adventures. :O)

When I read other blogs about this it seems to be a 50-50 chance of getting to the albergue...! :OI You're definitely not the only one who've had the same problem.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Is Sureste going different way to La Gineta???

Well, it's kind of straight ahead to La Gineta from Albacete as you say, it's just at the other side of the railway/autovía. At least according to the Paco Serra guide of 2010 (Sureste). Really stupid... Not much of a difference. But only by reading the directions in the Sureste guide, I think Levante is less complicated. The Sureste crosses the railway more times than the Levante, which crosses only twice: at the beginning outside Albacete and then once again just before entering La Gineta.

Okay, I don't have the guides right here so I may be confusing people once again... I'll go back to the maps to see if it's correct...

(I see at Mundicamino website that there is no difference. Both caminos go to the left of the railway/autovía.)

 

[KinkyOne]

Well, it's kind of straight ahead to La Gineta from Albacete as you say, it's just at the other side of the railway/autovía. At least according to the Paco Serra guide of 2010 (Sureste). Really stupid... Not much of a difference. But only by reading the directions in the Sureste guide, I think Levante is less complicated. The Sureste crosses the railway more times than the Levante, which crosses only twice: at the beginning outside Albacete and then once again just before entering La Gineta.

Okay, I don't have the guides right here so I may be confusing people once again... I'll go back to the maps to see if it's correct...

(I see at Mundicamino website that there is no difference. Both caminos go to the left of the railway/autovía.)

A lot of different info here
Peter Robins has both Levante and Sureste on the right side of autovia. I also walked that way.
http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes/details/sureste.html
http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes/details/levante.html
But online guide for Levante Vieiragrino (http://vieiragrino.com/camino/tracks.asp - Stage 9) has Levante on the left side of the autovia all the time

Almost the same as previous stage from Chinchilla Monte Aragon to Albacete.

I guess I have a lot of options not to walk Levante again when I'll be walking Sureste and the two Caminos share the stages.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Stopping in at Villanueva de Bogas, I sat on the first bench upon entering the village. Pilar, who is named in various places along with her nephew Jose-Luis as the folks in charge of the acogida municipal, came up to me within two minutes. She stays 50 yards from this comfy bench. She told me I could collect the key from the bar at the entrance to the village.(I can`t remember what its called, its a right turn almost as soon as you enter the village...there it is). She speaks 100 mph and not a word of English. I didn`t stay but theres the info anyway.

I stayed there. Pilar (the mother) met me entering town as well. I speak spanish so we had a nice chat. Then came José Luis (her son and hospitalero) and I was invited to their home. He makes things out of metal [insert English noun... don't know what it's called] so the whole place is filled with sculptures and stuff he has created, even doors, doorhandles, chairs, lamps... I was about to excalim "Oh, I will sleep well here! It looks lovely" but something made me bit my tongue. I was right: thereafter I was confined to the albergue across the street, that Aquabilly mentions above.

So here it is. It was the worst albergue on both Sureste and Levante. Worse than Almonacid de Toledo, and those who have stayed in Almonacid know what I am comparing with. A kind of garage, with trash, paper tissue and cans scattered over the floor. Dust, chairs and tables tossed around. A heap of plastic mattresses, dirty bathroom (I won't go into details). I myself was embarrased when he showed me the place - but he didn't seem to care or notice. I thanked him like I thank any hospitalero but I was really annoyed no-one had taken care of the place. "The Pilgrim should not complain but accept what he is offered..."... Ooookaaay but this place really pushed all my buttons.

On the plus side: it's next to the piscina municipal so I stayed there for a long time in the evening. Two stores in town (run by the same family so it's practically one store). One bar next to albergue, at least one more in town.

I got lost the next morning - couldn't find the right street, going round in circles. I guess it's just me, perhaps others won't have the same problem.

Not telling others where to go or not, just giving my account... I won't be staying there a second time.

/BP

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

A lot of different info here
Peter Robins has both Levante and Sureste on the right side of autovia. I also walked that way.
http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes/details/sureste.html
http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes/details/levante.html
But online guide for Levante Vieiragrino (http://vieiragrino.com/camino/tracks.asp - Stage 9) has Levante on the left side of the autovia all the time

Almost the same as previous stage from Chinchilla Monte Aragon to Albacete.

I guess I have a lot of options not to walk Levante again when I'll be walking Sureste and the two Caminos share the stages.

Yes, it's confusing. I made it twice: first time with Levante guidbook (left side). Second time I thought I'd follow Sureste on the right side, but ended up at the same place as before leaving Albacete, and as I was too lazy to look for Sureste I took the Levante once again...

The stage before (Pétrola [Chinchilla] Albacete is also tricky, depending on whether you go through Chinchilla or not. Chinchilla is only an option on the Sureste. I took me some time figuring out the different combinations in the guidebook...

Are you thinking about doing the Sureste as well?

Ciao

BP

 

[KinkyOne]

Yes, it's confusing. I made it twice: first time with Levante guidbook (left side). Second time I thought I'd follow Sureste on the right side, but ended up at the same place as before leaving Albacete, and as I was too lazy to look for Sureste I took the Levante once again...

The stage before (Pétrola [Chinchilla] Albacete is also tricky, depending on whether you go through Chinchilla or not. Chinchilla is only an option on the Sureste. I took me some time figuring out the different combinations in the guidebook...

Are you thinking about doing the Sureste as well?

Ciao

BP

Yes, I'm sure I will walk Sureste sooner or later. Thinking of linking together several Caminos: Aragones to San Juan de la Pena, Santo Grial (The Holy Gral Camino) down to Valencia, was searching for routes from Valencia to Alicante few days ago, then Sureste, walk in reverse from Benavente to Zamora, VdlP Portugues and Sanabres