Camino Madrid

[dagomez]

Hello I plan on walking the Camino Madrid in the winter with a start date of February 27, 2024. Does anyone have information or experience relative to albergue availability that time of year?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I walked most of it this past October, but cannot help for February. Have you checked out Gronze.com? It should be quite up to date with winter closures and the lodgings that stay open.

 

[Former member 104756]

It's a wonderful path but, like, @Camino Chrissy I haven't walked in February (we were there in May 2018). I think you may have snow on the pass between Cercedilla and Segovia and possibly elsewhere? Accommodation is limited at the best of times - so, as a starting point, I'd check out Gronze as Chrissy suggests. I hope it works out.

 

[t2andreo]

If snow or ice is a problem to get up the hill and out of the valley from Cercadilla to Segovia, I believe that there is a train that you could use to leap-frog over that one problematic stage. Others have done so.

If I am incorrect, then there ought to be a bus. Try Rome2Rio.com for all travel combinations.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[dagomez]

I walked most of it this past October, but cannot help for February. Have you checked out Gronze.com? It should be quite up to date with winter closures and the lodgings that stay open.

Many thanks for your help.

 

[lt56ny]

I plan to walk it next November unless I change my mind. I checked out Gronze.com and according to Gronze the municipal albergues are open all year. Some say you should call ahead. Walking in winter I always call ahead to make sure something is open. Do it the day or sometimes two days ahead. I speak enough Spanish to have a phone conversation. If you can" speak Spanish use whatsapp or get someone to call for you. Sometimes you have to go to town halls, police stations or bars to get keys. In most situations on a camino like the Madrid it would be a big surprise if anyone you call speaks English.

 

[DTCamino]

Hello I plan on walking the Camino Madrid in the winter with a start date of February 27, 2024. Does anyone have information or experience relative to albergue availability that time of year?

Like Chrissy I did it this fall so I can’t speak to accommodations when you’re walking, as I stayed only private accommodations 10 out of 13 days and wasn’t reliant on albergues that may be closed in February. AlanSykes just walked and posted that a few albergues toward the end were closed but you can still do the walk if you plan around them.

If you read the Camino Madrid threads on this forum that other walkers like Alan have posted, it will help you find accommodations and some hints about shortcuts and finding your way as sometimes the path is confusing.
It is a wonderful walk and I wish you luck!!

 

[Jenyat53]

We walked in March this year. The pass from Cercedilla to Segovia was covered in snow for many kilometres. It was very slow going despite our walking poles due to the ice about 10 cm below the fresh snow.
We had done our research and been informed the pass was walkable but there had been two overnight snow falls with a sunny day in between.
The scenery was spectacular though.
Accommodation was a bit tricky. We ended up using more private than public. People were very helpful along the way including those who didn’t realise they lived in a camino route.

 

[t2andreo]

I checked Rome2Rio.com.

There IS train service from Cercadilla to Segovia.

The ride is 44 minutes and costs €6-7.

Sometimes, leap-frog segments like this are a necessary thing. Weigh it against the potential harm of trying to make it on foot in snow and icy conditions.

Discretion is occasionally the better part of valor.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[jpflavin1]

View attachment .mp4

 

[dagomez]

Thank you all for your valuable input!!!

 

[jpflavin1]

The video above is from April 1st 2016. The walk was from Cercedilla to Segovia 31km's. I went from 17 minute miles to 31 minute miles. Still very doable just a bit more challenging. There were no issues with accommodations but Covid changed that.

 

[t2andreo]

View attachment 160463

Where and when was this video recorded?

 

[Sue127]

Thanks for the information. Think I will have to dig deeper. I was hoping to do an early spring camino, to avoid the hot days that I experienced on my last two, and thought that starting further south would have more chance of warm rather than wet. May have to rethink that as, to fit in with work, I was looking at a similar starting time. I'm also conscious of not being on too a remote camino, if I am a lone walker.

 

[jpflavin1]

Where and when was this video recorded?

Puerto de la Fuenfria April 1, 2016

 

[t2andreo]

Thanks. The snow looks nice - until you realize that the only way to get where you want to go is to walk through it. Been there, done that.

 

[peregrina2000]

Just to say that it’s a good idea to check the weather from Cercedilla anytime from winter through spring.

I was in Madrid for work a few years ago in February. I had a free Saturday. On Friday night I took the train to Cercedilla and on Saturday walked to Segovia. I then took the high speed train back to Madrid for a dinner on Saturday night (luckily Spanish dinners are late). There was a bit of slushy snow but nothing anywhere near what @jpflavin1 had. So there’s just no way to predict what that pass will look like during those months. I would go with a back-up plan for the train but hope for a clear pass.

 

[DTCamino]

Just to say that it’s a good idea to check the weather from Cercedilla anytime from winter through spring.

I was in Madrid for work a few years ago in February. I had a free Saturday. On Friday night I took the train to Cercedilla and on Saturday walked to Segovia. I then took the high speed train back to Madrid for a dinner on Saturday night (luckily Spanish dinners are late). There was a bit of slushy snow but nothing anywhere near what @jpflavin1 had. So there’s just no way to predict what that pass will look like during those months. I would go with a back-up plan for the train but hope for a clear pass.

I clearly need to get in better shape because of all the stretches to walk on the Madrid, that would not have been the one I’d have done just for fun walk on a day off. (Even if it was beautiful that Roman Road section was something)
I might start calling you Diana Prince instead of Laurie…