Camino del Sur

[ajloughran]

Hi,
I am planning to return to the Via de la Plata in April 2014. This time I thought I would start on the Camino del Sur, starting in Huelva and join the VdlP at Zafra.

From the data on the Mundicamino and Walking Pilgrim websites it appears that this route (from Huelva to Zafra) is quite hilly and isolated.

I would appreciate information from list members who have experience of the camino.

regards,
Arthur Loughran

 

[CaroleH]

Hi ajloughran,
Glad to hear you are planning the camino sur. We walked the VdlP in 2011, starting in Huelva, joining VdlP at Zafra. Then again this year, late May 2013, we redid Aracena to Zafra. You are right, it is a solitary camino, and not always well signed, but it is beautiful and well worth the effort. The wild flowers this year were stunning. Hilly but not too testing. I'll get out my notes and tell you more.

 

[CaroleH]

April can be very busy on the VdlP so the Camino del Sur is an option if you like your own company and preferably can speak some Spanish. Signage starts out well from Huelva but soon dwindles and becomes spasmodic. Getting in and out of towns you will find very few arrows, so it's a good idea to suss out the next day's route of an evening.
The first 3+ days from Huelva are on and off an old railway cutting, so the way is straight and mostly flat, interesting with seats and wildlife guides. Easy.
Minas de Riotinto is historically interesting and worth spending at least half a day there, perhaps to visit the museum.
From Riotinto to Campofrio there is a lot of carretera/busy road walking which is unavoidable and often dangerous, on a very narrow shoulder. I loathe this and look for ways to get off the road and onto anything else but it's not always possible.
From Campofrio to Aracena there is a choice. You can walk on the busy road, as my husband did, or go cross country, as I did. The alternative is signed as a dry weather route, there are streams to be crossed, very few arrows. I got lost, there was rain and lightning, it took me a lot more hours and kms than expected, but I love a challenge and adventure (especially when soaking in a hot bath in a warm hotel room afterwards).

Aracena is a pretty town but it rains a lot in the hills. Torrential rain will make the way very difficult, with streams to be crossed. In 2011 we had 3 days of torrential rain in Aracena, so taxiied out. In 2013, no rain, gorgeous walking weather in late May.
Wildflowers were the best ever this year and the walled cañadas often enclosing us in a sea of colour. Between Valencia del Ventoso and Medina de las Torres there are two rivers to be crossed, not a lot of signs. At the Rio Bodin, don't attempt to cross at the stepping stones, unless you are a giant, rather walk along the river bank to the right, scramble through the thistles, for maybe 200m until the river becomes wider and shallow. Much easier to cross there.
Overall Aracena to Zafra is very pretty and interesting. Accommodation is varied and available all along the way, though there are some long stretches. Arthur I can find you more info on accom if you need it.
Buen camino. Carole

 

[lynnejohn]

Ah memories..... we walked with Carole and her husband along del Sur, but I have blocked out most of it so couldn't contribute much. I was traumatized by the torrential rain, thunder and lightening and water rushing across the path as we walked through a canyon. I thought we'd be carried away in a flash flood. (Note to self: don't walk through canyons in torrential rains).....But that's just me.
Indeed it is a very pretty route, Huelva is a lovely, historic town and the scenery is wonderful all along the quiet route (no bed race)! It's a nice change from the Sevilla to Zafra stretch.... I would walk it again, like Carole, in drier weather. I really don't remember it being particularly hilly compared to other routes I've walked, but there are some moderate hilly sections.. especially since you're basically beginning right at sea level and then gaining altitude as you get further away from the ocean.
The Associacion de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Huelva are very helpful and will send you a very nice booklet on this route (history and culture, information, accommodation, stages, etc), and they are in a convenient spot near the center of town if you want to go in and meet with them. They also have credencials.
Address is on this site:
http://caminosantiagohuelva.blogspot.ca/

Edit: If you are in North America, I could mail you my booklet if I can find it. I don't think I'll be using it again.

 

[ajloughran]

Hi Everyone,
Greetings from a wet and windy Glasgow in Scotland. I know you don't believe that it could be wet and windy in Glasgow but I hate to tell you that it is.

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply and for your recollections and advice.

I have been in touch with the Association in Huelva and Senor Dominguez sent me a pdf of their guide. It is in Spanish but that is good for developing my language skills.

I have altered my plans and will hopefully start walking on the 3rd January, weather dependent. I have checked the weather and it seems to be OK for that time of year but I will check with the Association. In particular I will ask about potential river levels. Last thing I want to do is find myself having to negotiate a torrent, especially since I will most likely be alone. Not sure there will be too many peregrinos at that time of the year.

Thanks for the alert about having to walk on busy narrow roads. I think a bus or taxi from Minas de Rio Tinto to Campofrio is in the offing.

If this all happens I will post a note on progress.

best wishes,
Arthur

 

[lynnejohn]

Buen camino Arthur! I'm happy that you are taking wise precautions.
Go well and safely!!

 

[CaroleH]

Hi Everyone,
Greetings from a wet and windy Glasgow in Scotland. I know you don't believe that it could be wet and windy in Glasgow but I hate to tell you that it is.
. . . . . . .
Hi Arthur, Needing some of your rain in NSW right now.
Good to hear you are definitely doing the Huelva route. I too, would do it again. Ah, the Spanish guide, lovely maps, folksy but fairly good. Just wished I'd fully interpreted the text before going.

In normal weather when there's not a lot of rain, the rivers/streams are shallow, maybe up to knee height at their deepest, generally easy enough. I found giving my feet a dunking in very cold water was soothing for them and for the blisters.
Re the exit from Rio Tinto, if you are taking a taxi to avoid the carretera stretch, the first part, actually takes you through the colourful, open cut mine, and is mind blowing. (3-4km) Worth experiencing. Perhaps it's possible to organise the taxi for the northern end of that. Arrange to be picked up at the mine industrial complex.

Yes, please keep us informed of your progress, so we can travel vicariously with you...
Buen camino. Carole

 

[CaroleH]

Having trouble with this Forum format, so my post may e in the quote. Sorry all.

 

[Staggerlee]

Hello folks,

I have just walked from Huelva to Caceres on the Camino del Sur/VdlP and thought I’d post the following in the hope that someone might find it useful.

I prepared my own guidebook by printing off selected pages from the following sites and pasting them into a notebook. Worked well for me.

http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes/details/sur.html

http://www.csj.org.uk/route-huelva.htm

http://www.mundicamino.com/ingles/

The linked CSJ guide remains entirely accurate and you could probably get by with this alone but I will add my own comments below: -

1 Huelva Cathedral – Trigueros 19km. Undemanding first day, which climbs up and out of town via a fine viewpoint. Once across the ring road and motorway, going is straight and level along a rocky farm trail. There is a hotel on the right as you enter Trigueros, but I stayed at Pension Plazoleta (18 Euro), which is on the Camino as it leaves town. Friendly place. You may have to share a few vinos with Marcelino, the town “specialist”.

2 Trigueros – Valverde del Camino 27km. Immediately out of Trigueros the trail picks up the Via Verde, a disused railway line. The semi paved path climbs gently all day through woodland. As I discovered, the trail is very popular with mountain bikers at the weekend. The closest I got to being mown down however, was by a wild boar in full pursuit of a herd of red deer!
Valverde claims to be the boot capital of Spain and features a large statue of said item of footwear! Stayed at Hotel Montearoma (32.50 Euro).

3 Valverde del Camino – Minas de Riotinto 27km. Camino continues along the increasingly rocky Via Verde. Minas itself is a mining town which has lost it’s mine. There is a palpable sadness about the place. There are museums of mining and football as well as a model English village along the lines of Bourneville or Port Sunlight. Hostal Atalay (32 Euro).

4 Minas de Riotinto – Aracena 28km. Spectacular Martian landscape views of the mines as you leave town. Very little shoulder to walk on for the first few km. Take care. Apart from the very rocky trail out of Campofrio, the whole day is an uphill slog on the highway. I declined the off road option due to alleged waymarking issues. Aracena is a very attractive town and would make a good base for an outdoorsy holiday. Vegetarians should probably avoid the museum of ham though.
Hotel Sierra de Aracena (36 Euro).

5 Aracena – Canaveral de Leon 25km. Truly beautiful nature hike. Miles of acorn munching pigs (Jamon Iberico) plus ospreys catching fish at the reservoir. Canaveral isa strikingly pretty village built around a natural spring. There is no accommodation as such but pilgrims can stay at the village gym, free of charge. Ask at the ayuntamiento or café bar L’Esquina. Felt the call of Santiago for the first time on this trail.

Didn’t fancy a 30km + day so split the next stage thus.

6 Canaveral de Leon – Segura de Leon 15km. Soon after leaving Canaveral, you cross from Andalucía into Extremadura. First 3km uphill on tarmac then 8km on rocky farm track before entering Segura by road. The big bonus for taking a short day was that I got to stay in a castle (Jacobean, no less). Hotel el Castillo (40 Euro Inc. Pilgrim discount. Worth it). Had the whole place to myself, suits of armour, swords, axes, the lot.

7 Segura de Leon – Valencia del Ventosa 16km. The only wet day of the whole trip so it was head down up the good old rocky farm trail (last 5km on asphalt again.). Hotel Fuentenueva (25 Euro). Another friendly place right on the Camino. Fill up at the font of St. James right outside the door.

8 Valencia del Ventosa – Zafra 19km. Last day of the C de S with the sun shining again. Another nice hike through woods and fields with a couple of rivers to cross. Didn’t like the look of the stepping-stones so removed boots and waded. Found Zafra to be an interesting and likeable place. Stayed at the newish Albergue Via de la Plata (12 Euro). Hospitable place that doubles as an artists studio.

I never once got lost so the way marking must be adequate. The arrows show signs of having been recently refreshed.
The stages are longish with few if any facilities along the way. You have to carry your food and drink for the day. In hot weather this would add up to a fair old weight of water. This is not a Camino for the summer months.

All in all an enjoyable, if solitary, walk in near perfect weather. The lack of any other pilgrims or pilgrim infrastructure give it the character of a nature ramble rather than that of a pilgrimage. Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend it as a beautiful alternative opening to the Vdlp.

Buen Camino

Andy

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks so much, Andy

This is very helpful -- there is a bunch of us here on the forum who are always looking to try new routes. I have done some day hikes for a few days around Aracena, and it is really lovely in springtime, so I am tempted!

I am also glad to hear that the waymarking has been improved, because we saw a lot of very obscure and faded arrows when we were there a few years ago. We are so lucky that the local camino groups take on this important but not too exciting task!

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Barbara06]

Hi Everyone,
Greetings from a wet and windy Glasgow in Scotland. I know you don't believe that it could be wet and windy in Glasgow but I hate to tell you that it is.

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply and for your recollections and advice.

I have been in touch with the Association in Huelva and Senor Dominguez sent me a pdf of their guide. It is in Spanish but that is good for developing my language skills.

I have altered my plans and will hopefully start walking on the 3rd January, weather dependent. I have checked the weather and it seems to be OK for that time of year but I will check with the Association. In particular I will ask about potential river levels. Last thing I want to do is find myself having to negotiate a torrent, especially since I will most likely be alone. Not sure there will be too many peregrinos at that time of the year.

Thanks for the alert about having to walk on busy narrow roads. I think a bus or taxi from Minas de Rio Tinto to Campofrio is in the offing.

If this all happens I will post a note on progress.

best wishes,
Arthur

Hello Arthur, did you finally walk on the Camino del Sur in January and how where the river levels ? and weather in general ? lodgings ? meet any others ? Thanks

 

[Daniel636]

Hi everyone,

I am starting the Camino del Sur from Huelva on Tuesday. Fernando at the Amigos in Huelva has been wonderful and has given me lots of information. If anybody has done the walk recently and can supply more info that would be great, especially if there is anyplace with a bed in Canaveral de Leon, and if there are better routes off the tarmac. I expect some serious solitude until Zafra when I should meet up with the huge crowds on the VDLP?