- Time of past OR future Camino
- A few and hopefully lots more.
For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
Sounds fantastic Nuala. Looking forward to hearing about it. I'm on Via Egnatia just walked 32km.today from North Macedonia into Greece. I have a "Live on" thread but hard to keep up. Thought of you often when I was up to my ankles in mud or occasionally up to mid calves in water! This is ultra solitary but I'm loving it. I plan to get to Thessaloniki and then come back in the autumn and continue to Istanbul. Buen Camino. TimI'm in Guadalajara, ready to begin the Camino Mendocino tomorrow morning. This is likely to be a 3-day (96km) solitary walk, before joining the Camino de Madrid in Manazanares el Real.
My journey from Madrid airport was an easy one. A quick taxi ride to the train station at San Fernando de Henares, where I took the C2 train to Guadalajara. The taxi was pretty expensive (€25 for a 10 minute ride) but it was so much faster than the other options. The driver was very keen to take me all the way to Guadalajara for €85, but I declined his kind offer
It turns out that I’m the first ‘foreign’ pilgrim to walk the Camino Mendocino and I received the warmest of welcomes from the Guadalajara association. My credencial was ready when I arrived and I was presented with a scarf to mark my ‘special status!’ It was a most memorable experience - such genuine kindness, plus lots of practical advice. I was so glad to have brought a Camino Society Ireland badge and some chocolates as a small reciprocal token.
For anyone thinking of walking this route, Hotel España is close to the start point (Iglesia Santiago de Guadaljara). However, I couldn't get a bed there and the other options were either very expensive or not conveniently located. I decided to stay in Hotel Puerta Guadalajara which is a comfortable, albeit soulless place on the edge of the town. It has one BIG advantage - walking here tonight here gives me a 2km head start on tomorrow's 30.4km walk to Viñuelas. Every little helps, especially on a hot day with very little shade.
I'll post here when I can and I'll also share photos on instagram @nuala_wanders. Apologies in advance for the inevitable typos - I struggle with typing stuff on my phone.
Life is good!
View attachment 57020View attachment 57021
View attachment 57022
Sounds fabulous Nuala. Give my most special regards to Ray y Rosa xxx
@NualaOC Nuala, I feel I MUST go on this route if only for the Toros! I think you have done CdM before? I think it might be my favourite.
I'm in Edessa. Rain, rain, rain. I'm getting fairly near to Thessaloniki where I must finish this time but a bit of juggling required because of very limited accommodation. I think I may do something I've NEVER done before: taxi out and walk BACK to Edessa tomorrow. Then taxi out and continue next day. It's good to be flexible!
Hi, Nuala,
So happy to see how well these three days went. I am glad you are blazing the trail so that the camino will get some more recognition, you know there will be more of us following in your footsteps! Onward from Manzanares, hope the weather continues to hold and that it doesn’t get too hot. Buen camino, peregrina, loving your posts, Laurie
Nuala,
Just by coincidence saw that Javier had posted a link to a local article about the Camino de Madrid. https://www.madridesnoticia.es/2019/05/camino-de-madrid/
One interesting tidbit — a 40% increase since 2014, but the numbers are very small still — only 720 total pilgrims in 2018. Hope you meet some nice peregrinos on the way, abrazos.
But wait, surely you are not walking to La Granja tomorrow, that would be crazy!
Thanks for posting about your walk on Mendocino. Next time I'll decided to walk Madrid (I did it in whole in 2014 and some stretches last year) this is the way to go. Seems beautiful and with all the hospitality of locals definitely a good option.
I took Valsain variante and next time I want to walk directly do Segovia/Zamarramala and I also want to check out variante (not the canal one) after Medina de Rioseco. Maybe even detour to Valladolid. And Grajal de Campos will be a must for meSo that's more than enough reasons to go there again and include Mendocino in itinerary.
Buen CdM!
After MdR there used to be three options. The one that is now official and most walked is along the Canal de Campos and goes straight to Tamariz de Campos (the most righthand option). The middle one on the dissused narrow gauge train track (Via Verde) goes to Moral de la Reina. And the lefthand option goes through Berrueces first and then on to Moral de la Reina. I don't know how last two are marked but all three converge in Cuenca de Campos.Thanks @KinkyOne, that sounds like a very interesting plan. And by the way, I think I first became aware of the Camino Madrid from your 2014 posts.
What’s the diversion after Medina de Rioseca? I love diversions!
Oh, and no Renault 4 sightings yet. I was sure I’d see at least one in the little villages on the Mendocino
I am enjoying following you, Nuala. Intrepid pilgrim! Thanks for your posts.Quick update; I’m in Santa Maria la Real de Nieva now. I walked to Segovia yesterday and very nearly took a rest day there. However, I realised that it wouldn’t be a rest as there’s so much to see! I’ll definitely visit again as a tourist.
The transition from the Mendicino to the Madrid has been a comfortable and gradual one. I left Ray y Rosa’s place at 7am on Tuesday morning and watched the sunrise over the Manzanares reservoir. I walked alongside it for a couple of kilometres until the castle came into view and celebrated complying the Mendocino with a ‘proper’ coffee and a seriously calorific chocolate treat.
View attachment 57388
I continued walking to Cercedilla and stayed in the Vila Castora youth hostel. As others have said, great location and accommodation. Food not so great, but did the job.
I loved the walk to the Puerta de la Fuenfria yesterday morning. And I met my first pilgrims on the way down! Two Swiss guys who are also in the albergue tonight.
View attachment 57390
View attachment 57392
View attachment 57393
The walk to Segovia was fine, but it was very hot again and I was exhausted when I arrived in the city. hadn’t booked accommodation, but I got a bed at the Duerme Vela hostel. It’s a nice place and I slept well.
I didn’t plan to walk 31 kms today, but I was feeling good and there was a cool breeze, so that’s what happened. 5 of us in the Santa Maria Real de Nieva albergue tonight: me, the two Swiss guys and two Spanish men.
Coca tomorrow.
View attachment 57447
I'm a bit confused about your "hot" day complaints. I hope you just mean, lower temperature would have been easier, because anybody who walks in central Spain should be prepared to very hot days in summer and also to snow/ice in winter! Unfortunately the few weeks of lovely spring time can't be predicted. It changes pretty fast and spring also comes with rain.
This month was fairly cool compared to my "summer" experience of the Madrid way some years ago. You had just one day with 31°C in Madrid and right now "freezing" 13°C in Segovia.
I started with 38°C and kept around 35°-40C in the whole Madrid province (I still noticed 32°C at midnight in Tres Cantos). After a thunderstorm at night the morning up to Fuenfria pass was rather cold and foggy, while sunshine started again about an hour after the top. The height of Castilla was still good to reduce the maximum by 3 to 5 degrees.
May you have the weather you like on your journey. Enjoy.
Loving your posts. Five people in Santa María would be almost maximum capacity, no?! It was such a cute little house. I’m sure I’ve told this anecdote before, but the owner of the house, who is a truck driver, I believe, told us that for generations that house was used to give temporary housing to the seasonal agricultural workers who came to work on his family’s finca. He said the he was honoring their memory by turning the house into accommodations for a new bunch of transients.
On to Coca! The albergue there is big enough to probably give all five of you your own individual rooms! Buen camino, Nuala, abrazos from Laurie
Hi Nuala just catching up with your great posts and wonderful photos.You must be really fed up with that rain! I’ve done the ‘forward and back’ thing a couple of times. It can be a smart solution when options are limited.
This is my first time on the Camino de Madrid. I love it so far; beautiful landscapes and natural trails. I’m in Cercedilla tonight - in that youth hostel you recommended. Just me in the room - the noisy teenagers are on a different floor
And you should definitely walk the Mendicino sometime! It’s special.
Nuala what a great Camino ambassador you are and what a "hats off" to the Irish!!Day 3: Refueña to Manzanares el Real. Monday 13 May. About 34kms.
This was a long and very hot day, but also a ‘smiling all the way’ one. It had everything: hills, nature reserves, lots of stork nests, two reservoirs ....... and toros bravos!
Most of the walk was on natural trails, through fields, trees and nature reserves. The reservoirs of Guadalix de la Sierra and Manzanares el Real were spectacular and the Camino runs alongside both. Unlike the previous days, there were a few towns with all services.
Julián wanted me to stop at each Ayuntamiento for a sello. It’s important to show that pilgrims are walking this Camino, as more support is needed for its infrastructure. . That slowed me down a bit, especially in Guadalix de la Sierra, where I joined a queue of residents with various queries about local services. Had it been any other Camino, I wouldn’t have bothered! Eventually, It was my turn and the guy stamped my credencial without much ado. He then presented me with a gift from the ayuntamiento - a Camino Mendocino bag containing energy bars, cans of Aquarius, a buff and a badge. A very nice gesture indeed.
I should probably have stopped for a lunch at that point, but there was a long climb ahead to the highest point of the Mendocino. It was also getting really hot. I took a quick break and got going again.
It was up, up and up for the next 6 (?) kms to the highest point of this Camino (1029m). It began with a short and steep climb out of Guadalix, but then settled into a long slow ascent.
When the Torrelaguna ladies told me last night that I’d see toros bravos, I thought they were trying to scare me! But no, the Camino runs alongside the ranches that breed these animals. Close to the biggest ranch, the Camino seemed to come to an abrupt halt. There was a huge metal gate blocking the path. It was clearly a ranch gate, so I figured that I’d missed an arrow and taken a wrong turn. I retraced my steps and then carefully followed each marker, right back to the same place. I thought I was hallucinating, as the path was now clear! On closer examination, the gate was now blocking the entrance to the ranch, rather than the trail.
I then saw a most spectacular sight - a big herd of toros bravos charging through the ranch, with two wild-looking men on horseback galloping behind them. No time to take a photo, but I won’t forget that sight in a hurry. It was like something from an old cowboy movie.
After that excitement, it was an easy and uneventful walk to Soto de Real, where I stopped for a sello and some lunch. The bars were full of clean and stylish people, so a Carrefour picnic in the park felt more appropriate. That break helped me to find the energy for the final 9kms to Ray y Rosa. It wasn’t too hard as it skirted the Dehesia Boyal, with its beautiful horses and grazing cattle. After that, a walk alongside the reservoir towards Manzanares el Real.
And so ended the Camino Mendocino and a very memorable three days. I had a quiet evening with Ray y Rosa’s lovely daughter and no other pilgrims. Maybe I’ll see my first pilgrim tomorrow when I join the Camino de Madrid!
View attachment 57287View attachment 57288View attachment 57289View attachment 57290View attachment 57291View attachment 57292View attachment 57293
Day 13 and I’ve arrived in Sahagún. So many pilgrims here!
Since my last post, I walked:
Day 10: Ciguñuela to Medina de Rioseca- about 39 kms
Day 11: Medina to Villalón - about 30kms
Day 12: Villalón to Grajal - about 30kms.
I enjoyed today’s slow 6kms to Sahagún. It was a nice opportunity to reflect on the journey so far.
The Camino de Madrid was wonderful. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every moment and that it was great to be able to ‘just walk’ without worrying about beds. The albergues are really good and I experienced a lot of kindness. Just the right amount of pilgrims for a mostly solitary walk, but with company in the evenings.
I’m on a bus to León to (probably) start the Camino San Salvador with Damian tomorrow. Or maybe a rest day. I’m tired and looking forward to a hotel room with a bath!
Well done Nuala. Nice to hear that Damian enjoying you for the next part. I planned to do the Salvador afterwards.....but it hasn't happened yet. And I have been distracted to the south and east since..... But i look forward to getting back there sooner rather than later. I am back in London now. TDay 13 and I’ve arrived in Sahagún. So many pilgrims here!
Since my last post, I walked:
Day 10: Ciguñuela to Medina de Rioseca- about 39 kms
Day 11: Medina to Villalón - about 30kms
Day 12: Villalón to Grajal - about 30kms.
I enjoyed today’s slow 6kms to Sahagún. It was a nice opportunity to reflect on the journey so far.
The Camino de Madrid was wonderful. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every moment and that it was great to be able to ‘just walk’ without worrying about beds. The albergues are really good and I experienced a lot of kindness. Just the right amount of pilgrims for a mostly solitary walk, but with company in the evenings.
I’m on a bus to León to (probably) start the Camino San Salvador with Damian tomorrow. Or maybe a rest day. I’m tired and looking forward to a hotel room with a bath!
Wonderful posts, so glad you are a happy peregrina. Things are definitely changing, because when I walked, I met two walking peregrinos the entire time.
Let me know about your Savador plans, Nuala, and I will tell Ender that he should head down to La Robla (or wherever the stops are ikely to be) to say hi!
Yes, the Santa Maria albergue has six beds, so it was nearly full. A lovely little place. There’s a similar story in the CSJ guide about its origin.
I’m really enjoying this Camino.
Sleeping in La Robla? And from there to Poladura?The hospatilera in Coca said that the Camino is a lot busier this year. However, I didn’t meet anyone until the Puerto de Belate and there were between 4 and 8 pilgrims in the Albergues each night after that. Mostly Spanish, plus me, a Dutch girl, 2 Swiss guys and an English couple on the final night.
We’re starting the Salvador this morning. A rest day might have been wise, but we’ll have a couple of tourist days at the end.
Sleeping in La Robla? And from there to Poladura?
Enjoy, Nuala, You are more than well able. It will be so enjoyable for you. If you meet Marisa, she won’t remember me so it doesn’t matter! The other Sandra, Benduenos, I’d say you will also love that a lot... buen camino, chica, y chico.Hi Laurie, we’ve just arrived in La Robla. What a nice walk from León! Probably Poladura tomorrow- we’re chatting about it over a menu del dia
Thanks @NualaOC for your posts and intro to the Mendicino. As I was off walking myself, I entirely missed your thread.
The Madrid does sound busier than last June when I walked. Except in one albergue when we were 8, I never saw anyone while walking. My original plan was also to walk to Leon and then do the Salvador but the spring had been quite wet and the idea of slip sliding in the mud on the Salvador lost its appeal. I met several nice guys in the albergue in Sahagun and at the last minute decided to rewalk the Frances!
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?