For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
The site is quite spectacular but the village is nothing much to look at - mainly geared up for day trips which, thanks to Covid, weren't happening. There are caves with spooky-themed tours if that is your thing (I suspect it isn't) but not a lot to see or do. We got there around lunch time and decided to walk on next day. That would be my advice, then you can decide whether it is worth a day off.Alcalá del Júcar, on the Lana, is frequently mentioned as one of Spain’s prettiest pueblos. It’s right on top of a gorge, with castle, caves, stunning views, river running through, etc.
The Júcar gorge: Spain’s very own grand canyon
This dramatic 40km limestone gorge, off the tourist track in rural Castilla-La Mancha, has historic villages and troglodyte dwellings and, now, a chic new cave hotelwww.theguardian.com
My question for Lana veterans is how much time you have spent there and whether you thought it was the right amount of time. I will not have as much flexibility with my stages as I have had in past years because of the homefront. Normally I would just wait to see when I got there, but any opinions from those who have been there would be helpful.
The two obvious choices are to either take a short day and spend a half day there, or to walk right through after a quick stroll around. @Magwood’s blog describes the latter, and I have seen many comments from others who didn’t stop there. Just looking for opinions, thanks!
Sounds like a good approach!I loaded up with olives and cheese and fancy bread, wondered around for an hour, then climbed up past the castle, out the other side of the town to enjoy them in peace.
I know you’re not a fan of GPS, but I have wikiloc on my phone and my phone in my waist pack. And then it beeps at me when I go off course. No need to walk with face in phone.Just a heads-up, somehow I lost the Camino signs before I even got to town and ended up following white/yellow signs per a local's advice. Getting out of town I also lost the arrows but ended up finding my way up and out eventually.
It was 2019.. I set out from Alicante on 2nd April, so it would have been around 9th or 10th, it was still cold in the early mornings! Would have to look back over guide to try and rekindle memory, but I'm pretty sure I did those same stages: Alatoz to Casa Ibañez.Sounds like a good approach!
What time of year were you there, @Flog? I was hoping to avoid the tour buses.
My memory is failing me at the moment. I'll need to check my notes to see where I stayed that night.And for those who have walked through, would you mind telling me your start and end point that day? The most obvious, if you’re not going to sleep in Alcalá, seems to be Alatoz to Casa Ibañez, at least that’s what @Magwood did, I think. And I almost always find myself thinking that @magwood‘s stages are spot on for me.
I actually have a Garmin watch with GPS nowI know you’re not a fan of GPS, but I have wikiloc on my phone and my phone in my waist pack. And then it beeps at me when I go off course. No need to walk with face in phone.
It’s my phone, not my watch that beeps. I don’t have any idea abou Garmin watches. Years ago, when I started using GPS for the Olvidado, I actually had a Garmin GPS hand held device. It did not beep at me, so my guess is that unless Garmin has changed, you can’t get beeps.I actually have a Garmin watch with GPS nowbut I can't download maps on it. How do you get your watch to beep when you go off course?
There are villages either side of the gorge, Las Eras and Casas de Cerros, they are on main roads so probably have daily buses.Does anyone know if Alcala del Jucar is served by any regular bus service from other towns? I found references to buses twice a week from Madrid and other cities but not at the moment. Is it maybe seasonal?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?