Camino from Cartagena

[hel&scott]

We started this route a few days ago, hoping to join on the camino coming from Valencia just before Albaclte. Despite having tried to get a response from the camino association in Cartengna for over a year, with no luck, we decided to proceed regardless, after all we have already done quiet a few long haul routes.

We have the excellent guide published by the Valencia society, plenty of maps including access to Peter Robins Waking Pilgram information via iPad... Didnt want to go hi tech but am really pleased we did as it has been a god send.

The Cartagena society is only open for an hour on saturday evenings, and white the may have erected a fine statue the area to have done little else to promote the camino. The town hall were completely ignorant of it, despite erecting a notice board of the first stage. This is the only town n which we have been refused a sello fom the town hall... Heavens on some stages of the VdP they even gave us the mayoral chamber to sleep in. Never mind we ad picked up credentials in Barcelona and had them stamped by a helpful postmistress before heading out.

While Cartagena is a beautiful and interesting town, the way is poorly marked untill you get to the start of the GR250 and then it is pretty straight forward. But hot, 35 degrees plus even in September. No shade either as you wal through farm land, and no beds in Los Martinez. We stocked up at the local bar and headed back on the road, luckily found a ruin to sleep in on the way.

 

[hel&scott]

Yesterday was another hot but great day in which we crossed over the serias and down into Murcia, found a hotel close by ther river and while once again town markings were missing we picked up the markings on the GR127 as we left town. This is a great walk along a cycle track by the river and the first 12kms went well. However despite leaving early, the weather eached over 37 degrees and there is no shade, with the route taking ou away from any towns that might offer a cold drink. So we are pretty knackered upon reaching Molina de Segura , while its a reasonably sided place as its still basically a satellite of Murcia accommodation options are limited, and camping out not possible. Eventually tracked down the local hotel, which has moved out to the main road, by MacDonalds!

Our question now is, with a 75km stretch to Jumila, and the heat, can we make it? Doesn't took like there is much in the way of supporting towns to provide water and sustenance along the way. And if the heat keeps up with no cover or shade, we could end up as to dried up souls on the side if the road!

 

[lovingkindness]

What courage, Hel&Scott! This looks like a very interesting path to follow. Wishing you both every success.

Regards,
Lovingkindness

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Hel & Scott,

You know you're intrepid when you undertake a variant route of the Camino de Levante, which is itself pretty much an unknown route. Glad there are two of you, and I look forward to hearing all about it. Buen camino, and keep in touch, Laurie

 

[hel&scott]

The trouble is defining the fine line between courage and stupidity. We have made it to Cieza and tacking serious stock of our progress to date and ability to make it all the way. It takes a lot to make us consider our options like this but:

The route is poorly marked,without the iPad and Peter's maps we would be in real trouble.
Reseach indicated temperatures at this time of year as being around 24/27 where as this year it is more like 34/37 so despite 5/6am starts a we have to stop by noon or fry.
There is no shade, so stopping and waiting for the heat of the day to pass is impossible, Besides it can still be 32 plus at 6/7pm
So the best we can manage most days as 20/25km per day as the 30/40 we usually do is impossible, this also plays havoc with getting to the towns

Sadly we are coming to the realization that this is a route for cyclists! Looking hard for options that will allow us to do the 43km to Jumilla and the the 52km to Petrola.

 

[andy.d]

I've just caught up with your posts. Go well! I remember starting the Levante exactly 3 years ago and frying in the low to mid 30's. Let us know how you get on. Where are you intending to join the Levante or Sureste? The route between Almansa and Albacete has some long stages with little infrastructure and shade. After Albacete you are in La Mancha.

Andy

 

[hel&scott]

Andy is right, after Cieza there are very long stretches with no services, towns or shade. So after consulting with the local police et al we made the hard call to take the train up to Albacete. We have never deviated from a camino before like this and while normally 40 & 50 km sections would not bother us, but we have already torn up our feet and got badly swollen and sun burnt so it had to be done if we're to continue.

The temperature dropped immediately, by a good ten degrees upon reaching Albacete and it is good to be in an area where there is some awareness of the camino passing through. Signage also greatly improved. But be warned, the new motorway coming out of Albacete has destroyed key markings. When you get to the cemetery dont follow the N322 to Romica by mistake, find a way over this so you are by the A31 to La Gineta. And if you are using the excellent Valencia guide, then watch out as it is actually 44km to la Ronda, not the 39km in the book. This explains why it takes so long after La Gineta to get over the canal and into town, as is section is 18 not 10 kms. They have added up their distances wrong. We double checked this off our GPS data, after the local bar man pointed out that it was wrong, and with an Ozzie couple we met who are cycling this route. They comment that while the weather has a been cooler and markings generally good, the distances given in the guide are often wrong. Still the maps and general info good, but an 8km error is pretty hard to take on a long haul.

 

[andy.d]

Good to hear - and I think you've made the right decision.

The distances in the book seemed to me to be from where it exits a town to where it enters it, hence the shortfall!

Go well and enjoy La Mancha,

Andy

 

[Peter Robins]

just as an update, I updated the mapping for this route a couple of weeks ago, after discovering the first bit to Molina de Segura is the same as the Camino to Caravaca. Not sure whether there's any marking for that, but there is at least a reasonable online guide.

 

[Kevin F. O*brien]

Hi Hel and Scott, I've been reading your notes with great interest and thanks for all the info. I was wondering about starting from Cartagena myself and have now learned a lot about it. You made the completely right decision. Long distances, exhaustion, heat, poor marking. That's the line between courage and stupidity as you quite rightly say. Right, that said Kari and I walked the Levante this year and I assume you are heading up to Zamora. The Valencia guide is very good as you say with those little distance tricks both Andy and I noticed. NB: Marking often disappears completely in towns. Use the map/guide which is usually accurate. A compass is often a help. This is a long way ahead but very important. On leaving Medina del Campo do NOT follow the large yellow arrow on your right (with your back to the Iglesia de Santiago) which takes you under the railway bridge. If you do you will end up on the Camino Sureste to Tordesillas as Reb and later, I did.
Turn left and after a hunded metres or so you will see a (faded) yellow arrow on a lamp post. That is the Levante. Marking that day was generally pretty bad, but is usually reasonable.
Also, and a bit confusing, they have not marked in a major motorway just before Zamora.
Buen Camino
Kevin

 

[hel&scott]

Thanks Kevin, yes I got a warning to kept left out of Medina and what it as several routes take off in different directions. Medina still days off yet but I have made a note of it.

Been off the grid for a few days as we left the charger cord behind, but now plugged back in (to the relief of our children we suppose, they always fear we may just go off on the camino one day and never return).

We have reached Torledo, just under 500kms completed, about a third, don't know if to laugh or cry as I write that. Markings have improved and the temperature is more moderate. No sign of pilgrim alburges yet, but are staying at the excellent youth alburge across the gulf in Torledo.

We have found that alburgues / refuges mentioned in the guide are only really opened for groups of spanish whi organize it before hand via their parrish, despite the guide saying to organize it with the local police they are helpful but not really their to sort out beds for pilgrims.

Have slept out a few nights but generally can find a case rural even in towns marked as having no accommodation, new casa opened in La Villa de Don Fadrique, 2 Mayor Plaza, next to the bar which is useful, bar also does excellent food, but I challenge you to get out of Juan's casa without him feeding you!

 

[hel&scott]

Okay, we are still going and marking and camin awreness increasing as we head west. We would like to give a bg recmendation to the folks at San Bartolome de Pinares. For a village of less then 700 souls they provide a great welcome and everyone directs you to their little alburgue, given larger towns / cities we have oassed through usually havent a clue it is refeshing to be so looked after. They have even produced their own town sello which they are justifiably proud of.

If yu are passing this way, dont try and complete the 37 plus kms between Cebreros to Avila, the hills take longer then you think and St Barts is a welcome place to stop.

 

[hel&scott]

Well it was going well, signage, alberges, good weather despit a bit of overnight rain. But durng a pleasant stroll to Medina we were struck frst by rain and then Scott put his back out. A somewhar dramaric ambulance trip to the hospital later we can confirm that Medinas history of offerng medical aid to pilgrims is well deserved. They looked after us well and got the pain under control, however despite a few days rest it has become clear that out walkng days have come to ab end, well at least for now. Given we are not far from Zamora and have done this leg of the camino before when we came up on the VdP, it makes the decision to stop a little easier.

So we are off for a bit of R&R, cant really bring myself to go by train to Santiago as we have always walked before and it just wouldnt be right, so Jimmy will have to wait for our next adventure.

Overall, it has been an interesting trip, but not one I would probably recomend to other walkers. The route does pick up after Albercete, but then you are probably just as well as starting in Torledo as this is where thngs rally start to pull together.

The lack of albergues, signage and general camino awarness down south, not to mention the hear, make it difficult going, and expensive, but probably fine on bikes.

But overall, if you are looking for a long, interesting, well supported camino that still offers the open road not crowded with pilgrims, the the VdP is probably the best way to go.

 

[Kevin F. O*brien]

Thanks again Hel and Scott for your well written and interesting account of the road from Cartagena. It was a blow to hear that you were forced to stop at Medina. I hope you had a chance to visit the market square and see the little bronze plaques from the 14th century depicting the various trades.
It is perhaps important to note that if walkers start the Levante in Valencia the Camino is well marked, and leads you quickly through the suburbs and out to open country. It can be a bit boring with all the orange groves, but they are broken up by beautiful villages, many with mozarabic architecture. The stages to Toledo can be long but they are easy to break up. The longest - Almansa to Higueruela - (43 km) can be halved by taking a small (3 km) detour to the ref. in Alpera. Refs can be found in many villages, but you are just about forced to be able to speak reasonable Spanish so you can talk to the police. Failing that, or for comfort's sake, most pensions charge around 15 euros so it's not horrendously expensive.
This may be personal choice, but the solitude, the sheer vast empty expanse of the La Mancha, with its villages like islands in the ocean, day after day, can be at first, frightening, then exhilarating and, finally, a profound part of the Pilgrim experience. The road on from Zamora goes up through Benavente, also with very few pilgrims before at last the great spires of the cathedral at Astorga appear and it is just a short walk up the hill to the Plaza Mayor before joining the Camino Frances.
The Levante is hard (more because of the solitude) and long, but, well, there are compensations!!
Best to you both,
Kevin

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Hel and Scott,

So sorry to hear that you were forced to stop because of injury. I can totally empathize, because on my first attempt on the Vdlp, I had a foot injury that forced me to stop in Caceres. If you're anything like me, it was one of the most excruciatingly difficult decisions I have ever made. Not to blow the importance of walking out of proportion, and I realize that many people face much more difficult decisions on a daily basis, but if you are a camino addict and unable to go on it is terrible. It probably has its own lessons to teach about humility, perspective, etc, but at the moment it's just plain awful. I appreciate your notes greatly, and they have convinced me (along with Kevin's account) that when I get the chance to walk this Camino I will start in Valencia.

Wishing you some fun R&R, and we will await news of your next Camino adventure. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[hel&scott]

Pleased to report that Scott is recovering well, off the pain killers but even after 4 weeks R&R he gets twinges when he puts his pack on... I suspect this has something to do with all the food and wine he has been eating in France.

Even after we, reluctantly, gave up on the camino. It didn't give up on us, as neary every day we found little yellow arrows reminding us that you can always pick up a trail to Santiago; strolling the streets of Paris, under the arches of of Bordeaux, outside out hotel in Arles... As we had the time we checked out Le Puy and did some of the GR routes in France so who knows we may be back via that way.

In the meantime the green hills of home becon, i wonder how long the grass is on the back lawn and if our dogs will recognise us!

 

[ciclista]

Hey there!
We (well I am one part of) are the Aussies that met you outside of Albacete!
Sorry to hear you had to stop. It must have been bloody hard on foot! We absolutely loved this route on mountain bikes. It was pretty tough, and I have to say that speaking Spanish saved us directions wise on many occasions! Hope you get to do another one! After our first, we definately want to go back for another! Though I think we may have found the perfect bike route already
http://caminocyclespain.blogspot.com.au/

 

[Tom Sullivan]

Hi.
Good for you, I can empathise with you walking untrodden routes without guarentee of accomodation.

In May this year I walked from Pilar De La Horadada up to Oriuelah, Abanilla,Pinoso and on to the Sureste at Yecla, it was mostly on road surface, hot and not much in the way of the Camino. Felt good being on the official route only to disappointed as there are very few Alburges, I slept in the local Church in Petrola on a table and on three occasions slept in sports halls. There were many times that in certain Towns and villages the Ayuntamientos were unhelpful and did not understand the ethos of the Camino, certain Police Stations had the same attitude however others were obliging.
La Mancha is as far as I am concerned a desert, flat, hot, no shade, no water, no bars and very little habitation, many villages were abandoned. It took me 36 days to arrive at Astorga where I got the train to Santiago in order to connect with my flight back to the UK. It was a long hard solitary walk, one not for any novice to attempt. I did the Frances in 2010 and the Nortes in 2012,Frances (spiritual) Nortes (breathtaking views) Sureste ( arduous) again well done to you both and any other Pilgrim that takes the first step. Bien Camino. Tom Sullivan.