Bi-directional route markings

Hi
walked the vdlp to ASTORGA and while the route has no reverse markings to my knowledge it has many square blocks that are easy to follow in reverse plus the way is very easy to follow as the way is mostly well defined track ( new built or old trading/royal cattle trails)
I think the route from Santiago through Ourence is less defined ( less old)
Ian

Hi Gert,

According to my CSJ guide (it's from 2011 but I believe the general info hasn't been updated since 2004--it's only the accommodation that changes yearly), it's "extremely difficult" to walk backwards. However, there are white arrows that mark the route backwards from Gijon (don't know where that is--it must be off the route) to Caceres, since it's used as a ruta de transhumancia for cattle drovers.

Aside from that, the blocks Ian mentioned are only in Extremadura. The rest of the route (including the Camino Sanabres through Ourense) is marked for pilgrims in one direction, so I'd imagine it'd be quite difficult to do backwards without a very good map.

Anna-Marie

nousername said:

Hi,

Reading the topic (URL below) leads me to enquire if the VdlP is well marked for travel in the opposite direction North to South?

camino-mozarabe-and-via-de-la-plata/topic4570.html?hilit=tarifa#p25475

Thanks

Gert

Click to expand...

Well, in 2008, I met a japanese chap in Gudina. He was walking from Santiago to Sevilla and had made it that way.
Having only walked it from South to North, I would say.....
The section through Galicia wuold be troublesome, but the extremaduran part should be OK, there are pretty good maps, directions and there are those cubes with the Arc at Caparra to show the way. And the short stage through Andalucia should be a snip....
Buen Camino
Gyro

Last October, when I was walking Sevilla to Merida, I met a pair who were coming south from Salamanca. I asked how they'd found it, since they'd constantly have to be looking backwards to find the markings, and they said while it was a challenge, it wasn't too bad. Personally, I'd think it would be challenging, as there are enough quirky markings when you're going S to N. However, if you're adventurous, this might be for you!

Melanie