jl
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances('05, '07), Aragonese ('05), del Norte / Primitivo ('09), Via Tolosana (Toulouse '05), Via Podiensis (Le Puy '07), Via Lemovicensis (Troyes '09), VF ('12), Winter Camino ('13/'14) Cammino d'Assisi ('14) Jakobseweg (Leipzig - Paris '15) San Salvador/Norte ('15) Ignaciano ('16) Invierno ('16)
Hello all,
When I walked the Camino in 2007 I was given some very helpful advice on how to enter the city, which I successfully followed. In 2005 I entered through all the heavy traffic etc, but in 2007 it was a different story altogether, walking along the river was a very pleasant mornings stroll. The directions below are a copy of what I sent to a friend at the time (and I also later sent to John Briely - I don't know if he checked it out and has included it in his latest edition). I hope some of you going itno the city find this useful. Buen Camino Janet
When you get to the A1 highway (you will recognize it for all the noise it makes!) cross over the bridge. About a 100 metres from there is a big white housing development (used to be a former army barracks). There is a dirt road going down the side / front of it. If you look carefully there is an arrow pointing you down - follow it, and then follow the road back the way you came for about a 100 metres. The road then runs parallel to the freeway for a while - across paddocks, with the occasional arrow painted on rocks on the ground. You will be headed for a big "smelter" type place (belching smoke probably) and ultimately the village of Castañeres. Cross the road and have a drink and a toilet stop at the bar El Descanso.
Now this is where you may have to make a decision if you are going away from the waymarks. I did, very successfully, but I think it may depend on what day of the week you will be coming through – because of roadworks. If you are doubtful just follow the signs - which go through the suburbs along a very noisy road. Here is what I did.
I turned left at the next street and walked along in front of a playground and headed towards where I thought the river would be. I worked my around a "stone crushing" plant (I think that is what it was) and then crossed over a blue footbridge, turned right and went along to the concrete path and followed that towards the city (or you could take the dirt path you see just before then). This path runs parallel to the river - sort of - into the city. I walked on a Saturday and so there were no road works, but when I crossed under a bridge where they were working I noticed a pedestrian crossed out – which I think may have meant not to walk there, but the cyclists were riding through and so I decided that if they could so could I! After that the path turns into a linear park and goes right into the city. I think I took the third footbridge across after the railway line, but I wished that I had gone on at least one and maybe 2 more.
When I walked the Camino in 2007 I was given some very helpful advice on how to enter the city, which I successfully followed. In 2005 I entered through all the heavy traffic etc, but in 2007 it was a different story altogether, walking along the river was a very pleasant mornings stroll. The directions below are a copy of what I sent to a friend at the time (and I also later sent to John Briely - I don't know if he checked it out and has included it in his latest edition). I hope some of you going itno the city find this useful. Buen Camino Janet
When you get to the A1 highway (you will recognize it for all the noise it makes!) cross over the bridge. About a 100 metres from there is a big white housing development (used to be a former army barracks). There is a dirt road going down the side / front of it. If you look carefully there is an arrow pointing you down - follow it, and then follow the road back the way you came for about a 100 metres. The road then runs parallel to the freeway for a while - across paddocks, with the occasional arrow painted on rocks on the ground. You will be headed for a big "smelter" type place (belching smoke probably) and ultimately the village of Castañeres. Cross the road and have a drink and a toilet stop at the bar El Descanso.
Now this is where you may have to make a decision if you are going away from the waymarks. I did, very successfully, but I think it may depend on what day of the week you will be coming through – because of roadworks. If you are doubtful just follow the signs - which go through the suburbs along a very noisy road. Here is what I did.
I turned left at the next street and walked along in front of a playground and headed towards where I thought the river would be. I worked my around a "stone crushing" plant (I think that is what it was) and then crossed over a blue footbridge, turned right and went along to the concrete path and followed that towards the city (or you could take the dirt path you see just before then). This path runs parallel to the river - sort of - into the city. I walked on a Saturday and so there were no road works, but when I crossed under a bridge where they were working I noticed a pedestrian crossed out – which I think may have meant not to walk there, but the cyclists were riding through and so I decided that if they could so could I! After that the path turns into a linear park and goes right into the city. I think I took the third footbridge across after the railway line, but I wished that I had gone on at least one and maybe 2 more.