Camino Sureste, Lana and Levante

[bjorgts]

I said a couple of months ago that I should write something about the Levant-, Lana-, Sureste-routes, and then nobody heard anything from me. Sorry! One of the problems is that I do not know what should be written on the forums for the different routes. So now I post some here and some there on the three places.
In 2013 we walked 5 days on the Levante-route from Valencia to La Font de la Figuera in April. The weather was bad – rain and low temperature - and we had to go home for family reasons.
We returned in October, started out from Alicante on the Sureste-/Lana-route, and had 12 wonderful walking days to Las Pedroñeras. So then I know something about all three routes.

The Lana/Sureste from Alicante to Almansa (Sureste leave in Villena):
There are guides for these routes on internet. There are some local organisations which do a lot of good work connected to Sureste (and Lana, I think).
Already on our first day out of Alicante, we saw that this rout(s) was very well marked. My husbarnd said (before we actually got a bit lost!) that this was the best marked route in the whole Christianity. We found the walking out of Alicante nicer than the walk out of Valencia, but may be the weather influenced on our view. Stopped the first night in Monforte del Cid, and the second in Sax. If you long for a nice stay, Hotel Fuente del Cura in Sax is the place. It is the only hotel in town. Pilgrims are very welcome. And the two of us had a medi-pension for 60€. Nice landscapes and nice walk – also the next day when we went just 14 km to Villena. Several of these towns have fortresses.
From Villena to Almansa the route is changed. There are some alternatives, but we found out that the new main route seamed to go via Caudete. They have changed the route because of new roads, motorway and AVE crossing the old route. There was no problem finding our way. Very well marked.

All three routes:
Note! When you walk in this region, you must be aware of the fact that there are three Caminos going here and there, crossing each other, going together sometimes and then splitting up again. Sometimes the places where they split up are well marked, but not always. In Villena Sureste and Lana split up. This is very well marked in Villena. We followed the Lana-route.

The Lana from Villena to Almansa:
From Villena to Almansa the route is changed. There are some alternatives, but we found out that the new main route seamed to go via Caudete. They have changed the route because of new roads, motorway and AVE crossing the old route. There was no problem finding our way. Very well marked. Note that on Mundicamino the map show the old route Villena – Almansa via La Encina.
Lana: http://www.decuencaasantiago.org/rutalana/rutadelalana.php Here you can find an English version of this first etappas. It is a bit old, but can be used for some of the etapas. If you find old guides, the new Villena–Almansa-part are not there. May be this is a newer version of the same: http://caminodelalana.blogspot.no/p/recorrido-por-la-provincia-de-alicante.html I have not had time to see.
The next address is about for Villena – Caudete. There are some small pictures here that give you some maps with the chancing of the route. http://www.dealbaceteasantiago.es/CL_gVill-Alm.html
Caudete is a nice, small pueblo with a very nice albergue (Santa Ana). http://ermitasantaanacaudete.blogspot.no/ The local organisation take very well care of it. http://caminosantiagocaudete.blogspot.no/ Here is a Video from the “inauguracion” in 2912: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gghBgeeJR0w

Levante and Sureste:
From Albacete to Minaya Levante and Sureste stay together. We were not aware of this. You should be!! They split up at the outskirt of the town! You come to Hostal Restaurante Antolin. On the left side there is a big yellow arrow on blue bottom. After a rest, we followed that arrow, but that was wrong. We hesitated, because on the map the camino passed the main road N-301 to the right, but we looked around there and saw no signs. So we thought that the route had been changed and followed the yellow arrow to the left… and went far away from where we should have been… following Camino Sureste… We stopped in a village and asked, but the people there did not know anything about different caminos. We headed for Casas de los Pinos far out of any map, and were lucky. We found it and had walked 38 km when we at last came to San Clemente.
We think that on many places Levante is not well enough signed. The parts where we went on both Sureste and Levante the route was very well signed. May be Sureste har active amigos keeping up the markings? May be The people who ones marked Levante is not active enough keeping up the marks? 6 km after San Clemente, the route turns left up to an abandoned house (well described here on the forum). We had the description, went up and down for several hundred meters looking for yellow arrows, but could not find any. So we followed some old arrows straight ahead (as the German guide said) and came to a main road. There a yellow arrow pointed straight ahead across the main road, but we could see from the guide that that was wrong. The guide told us to turn left and after some hundred meters, we turned right and were on the marked route again. Our conclusion are that Levante on some stretches has a problem with old marks fading away, while Sureste is well marked. That is not a good development for the beautiful San Clemente! Do not miss it!
Levante meet Sureste again I El Toboso, but we stopped in Las Pedrõners.

 

[george.g]

Thanks bjorgts.
I am going to walk a combination Sureste/Levante starting from Alicante on the 9th April and get to SDC via Zamora and Ourense, so its great to get up to date info.

Regards

George

 

[Trevhock]

Arrived Alicante to join Levante at Almansa via la Lana or Sureste. I am using the Amigos of Valencia guide (old English guide) the very useful information from bjorts and Pergegrina's info and PDF stages guide, am now in San Clemente.
I am finding this camino the toughest one so far, amongst other things today I actually did veer on to the Sureste from the levante something I never thought I'd do! There is the unexpected, last night at La Roda the Refugio is the Bullring. I was looking forward in San Clarmente to an 'upscale meal' a balsamic reduction on wafer thin potatoes sautéed in garlic oil, sadly, very sadly, how far from the truth that was.
Will try and post again, feel more needs to be said about the reality of this camino.

 

[bjorgts]

Did you veer on to Sureste in Minaya, at the Hostal Restaurante Antolin? If you did, that is a place where somebody should do something with the marking. In San Clemente, after a lot of kilometers because of weering on to Sureste, we had a really nice "sena" in one of the restaurantes. And I suppose that is how it is on the Caminos: We have different experiences. Buen viaje! Bjørg

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Bjjorg and trevhock,

I too appreciate hearing opinions from people whose experiences are different from my own. And I think it helps to give prospective pilgrims a more balanced view of what they might encounter. Hope you are forging ahead, trevhock, please report back when you have time. Not too long till Toledo!

Did you veer on to Sureste in Minaya, at the Hostal Restaurante Antolin? If you did, that is a place where somebody should do something with the marking. In San Clemente, after a lot of kilometers because of weering on to Sureste, we had a really nice "sena" in one of the restaurantes. And I suppose that is how it is on the Caminos: We have different experiences. Buen viaje! Bjørg

Bjorg, Do you remember which restaurant you ate in? Was it by chance the Milan I? (We slept in the Milan II, run by the brother).

And I have a question about markings in Minaya. I remember we had a long coffee break in the Antolín, if that´s the place on the highway as I think it is. The owner put us on the camino, right across the road about 100 m to the right if I remember right. It was a snap. I´m glad we avoided the confusion with the Sureste -- is Minaya where you went wrong?

Buen camino, everyone, Laurie

 

[andy.d]

When I arrived in San Clemente there was a wedding which almost everyone was at. So many people invited me to it and fed me well.

The signing in 2009 between Sureste and Levante was fine. Sounds as if some has disappeared.

Go well

Andy

 

[bjorgts]

I do not remember the name of the restaurante in San Clemente. We had a room on Hostal La Plaza - on the Plaza, and went down the small street, Calle Boteros. The restaurante was somewhere there, and I think it was the restaurante of the owner of Hostal Milan in that street.

Be happy that the owner of Antolin in Minaya sent you across the highway on the right! Camino Levante cross the highway there, on the right side of the restaurante. We went to the right and looked for signs, but could not find any. But on the left hand of the restaurante there was a BIG yellow arrow on blue bottom, and we thought that the Camino had changed. That was wrong. It was Camino Sureste. There should have been some information there that Sureste and Levante split up at that place.

But ... I want to go back and continue on Levante!!! I found it peaceful. (My hardest Camino so far was the Mosel Camino in Germany last June - but wondeful.) Plan to continue Camino Levante from Las Pedroñeras, were we stoped, in October. But before that in summer: Our last 4-5 days on the Le Puy route to SJPdP, the GR 10 along the Pyrenees to Hendaye and a week along Route Norte... Bjørg

 

[Trevhock]

The problem is at Minaya, I stopped there for a coffee and at Antolin I followed the arrows, after a enough time for me to wonder when San Clemente would appear the yellow arrows turned into ones with a blue background, my heart sank, and when I came across a Quijote marker with San Clemente 14kms, it almost stopped. Luckily had enough water but I had to walk an incredible distance that day I was worn out when I got to San Ckemente so I took the first hostal going, I was so hungry and what kept me going was an upscale meal described by Peregrina2000, I should have gone into town to the brothers hostal.
BTw, this was the second time I should have questioned the arrows, the first time was before Novelda on the Lana/Sureste at Monforte Del CID, here I followed them out of town yo the wrong side of an AVE track, I should have turned left at the roundabout before the end of town.
On the day 12 stage to Las pedronas where one should turn left up to the abandoned farm, the farmer was ploughing just in front, he was very friendly and insisted I should continue along the track, which I did when I came to the asphalt road the arrow pointed straight ahead, which I did not, I turned left on to the road and after a while came to a crossing track with Quijote and yellow arrows, so this time fortunately I disregarded the first yellow arrow I came to.
Please don't get the idea I'm not enjoying the camino,it's tough but they're all like that, I've done enough to know that, it's not about suffering more about taking on the challenge, and remain amazed how the body recovers after a meal and a sleep. The thing that bothers me is having to question the yellow arrows and try and interpret the maps in my very good but heavy guide.
I'm finding the farmers who are still pruning their vines always friendly, they want you to stop and chat even if I'm rubbish at Spanish we converse. Today I was taught how to drink wine from a wll worn leather pouch, I was a bit hesitant at first, but you simply squirt it from a distance into your open mouth. Before the vines I've walked through wide landscapes, mSsive fields of onions, peas wheat and grass as far as the eye can see.come across weather beaten shepherds with a flocks of sheep, and rows of almond trees, sometimes the blossom is heady with fragrance.
I'm very grateful to Bjorts and Peregrina 2000 for their information, I'm using P2's stage guide for accommodation, and at the moment I'm at the Casa Rural in Don Fadrique, waiting for the aperitivo, and just been told,I'm going to shown the way in the morning.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, trevhock, Hope you had a nice day in Don Fadrique, sounds like you took the comfortable option like I did. My French friends slept on the floor of the polideportivo, and I think it was cold. Glad to hear that the casa rural is still in business, hope your aperitivo was as filling as mine was.

I just looked at the Levante guidebook maps, and I can't for the life of me figure out why they have rerouted the camino leaving San Clemente. It has to reconnect with the original route at some point, otherwise it won't get you to Las Pedroneras. Did you go past that castle town in ruins and basically abandoned?

Have you met any other pilgrims so far? Tell us if the repairs have been done on the magnificent plaza mayor in Tembleque. Buen camino, hope the weather is treating you well.

 

[peregrina2000]

But ... I want to go back and continue on Levante!!! I found it peaceful. (My hardest Camino so far was the Mosel Camino in Germany last June - but wondeful.) Plan to continue Camino Levante from Las Pedroñeras, were we stoped, in October. But before that in summer: Our last 4-5 days on the Le Puy route to SJPdP, the GR 10 along the Pyrenees to Hendaye and a week along Route Norte... Bjørg

Bjorts, you are one peripatetic pilgrim!! Your summer walk sounds very wonderful, don't forget to report every now and then, you've already given me a few caminos to put on my list.

 

[Trevhock]

The plaza Mayor here at Tembleque is unique, very beautiful, you feel the history, it is still shored up in one place. Haven't met any pilgrims since Santa Ana at Caudete, I believe there are a couple of Spanish, a couple fro Germany and an English woman, but they are between a week or two ahead.
The Casa Rural at Don Fadrique was another very good experience, Juan the man who runs it is very generous with his care. It's still the same, for 28euros you get private room with bathroom, all your washing done, in the evening it's aperitivo, basically a good bottle of wine, bruschetta, and he kept coming in with plate after plate of cold meats, manchego and chorizo. I couldn't eat anymore either, he also had a cold water dispenser. In the morning at any time I wanted, so 7 o'clock in my case there was a jug of coffee, jug of hot milk, toast, confitures cake and biscuits. When I left he showed me the direction and just to make certain he drove in front of me to make sure I was on my way safely. I just hope he stays in business and he attracts loads of pilgrims.
There was one more thing I keep forgetting to mention, that at Albecete I stayed at Hostal Atienza for two nights, and broke the 40k stage up by leaving my pack at the hostal( my osprey's top can be detached to become another bag) and walking to Gineta (it was a Sunday) there's a good local bar/ restaurante as you leave Gineta on the camino. At about 5 o'clock the train for Albecete stops so I took that back, I had bought my ticket the previous day for 2.65. The next day I took the bus back at 9.30 to continue where I left off to La Roda. I've done that a few times in the past at Bilbao, Cordoba and Lisbon, and it works for me.

 

[bjorgts]

I think the problem some km after leaving San Clemente is caused by old worn out marking and not that they have changed the route. At the actual point, there was a loose stone with a very worn out arrow. You could turn the stone around just nodding it. As I said earlier, we found that Camino Levante is "worn out" and Lana and Sureste is very well marked. Levante has a problem. For those of you reading German, as we do, it is a good alternative to have Conrad Stein Verlag "Camino de Levante". The combination of that guide and the guide from the amigos in Valencia was perfect! We have had few problems. The German guide was more accurate.

 

[peregrina2000]

I think the problem some km after leaving San Clemente is caused by old worn out marking and not that they have changed the route. At the actual point, there was a loose stone with a very worn out arrow. You could turn the stone around just nodding it. As I said earlier, we found that Camino Levante is "worn out" and Lana and Sureste is very well marked. Levante has a problem. For those of you reading German, as we do, it is a good alternative to have Conrad Stein Verlag "Camino de Levante". The combination of that guide and the guide from the amigos in Valencia was perfect! We have had few problems. The German guide was more accurate.

Thanks, Bjorts, you've got a great vantage point since you are familiar with all three. It is kind of ironic that that Valencia amigos have been able to publish a guide (are there guides to the Lana and/or Sureste?) but their route is the least well waymarked. The French men I walked with also had a French guide written by someone named Gerard (whose name they frequently took in vain and relied on my book and its maps). Lucky people who can speak German, that seems to be the case on so many caminos! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[andy.d]

The French book is out of date and has poor maps. It does, however, have accommodation options that are not in the amigos guide - this was useful for me when I walked. It doesn't weigh very much

Andy

 

[Trevhock]

Just finished the Levante at Zamora, no time to complete camino Sanabres, the forecast is bad weather, so happy not to tarnish my memory of when I did it on VDLP, that was a magnificent walk.
It is a pity my memory won't be so memorable of the Levante, but then you have to take rough with smooth and maybe I should have planned it better( I did buy the guide to Sureste which was very similar in format to the Levante guide but only available in Spanish and also quite heavy so left it at home) also walking solo,it's easier to miss things, like fading yellow arrows. That is my major bug bear with this camino for me the lack of clear, consistent markings. The Levante GR-239 in my experience was inconsistent in its markings sometimes it was very clear not just with red and white stripes but also with signposts. Giving distances etc, but it felt only where the local authority were willing to do that. After The Minaya experience and straying on yo the Sureste I used my smartphone a lot to check, I've seen a lot of yellow arrows which have become white, either jfaded white or painted over, on two occasions pointing the opposite way, after Avila you get a red arrow like the Portuguese with the Fatima blue but it stops after a stage, frequently no arrows where you would expect them. When you're by yourself you need that reassurance, they symbolise a camino.BUT, from the Toros de Guisando after San Martin de Valdeiglesias the camino not only changes into something beautiful and hilly it also becomes very well marked and you can rely on the arrows all the way to Toro, you will also find that the misleading arrows that Peregina2000 mentions before Cebreros have now been altered to point down the track, so no problem there. Just before Zamora there's a village called Vilaralbo, if look at the map in the guide book the yellow marked camino joins the red marked CL-605 and the green marked ZA-610, I felt disaster, I chickened out and found the GR-14 camino del Duerno on my phone which was running to my right that takes you very quietly into Zamora. Very appropriate to finish the GR-239 on a very well marked GR-14.
I used the PDF stage guide from Peregrina2000and found it very useful for accommodation etc just a few updates.I wouldn't stay at Milan1again in San Clemente( but I don't think she did) or eat there.In Cebreros the hotel Castrejon, said they were full, when they clearly weren't, a much friendlier welcome at Hotel Dracos where for 30 euros I had a fantastic room with a sunny balcony with unhindered panoramic views of the mountains. La Casa del Abuelo Blas was closed when I arrived but the metal gates opened later, that might have been a good option. Also at Arevalo, Hostal del Campo had increased their price to 30 euros and menu to 12E and wasn't worth it. Good memories of refugios at La Roda the bullring, Torrijos,Avila, Gotarrendura, where there's only 150 people and the bar opens especially to cook you a meal, the Carmelites at Medina del Campo and the albergue in the ayuntamiento at the village of Siete Iglesias, where the tiny shop has everything.
There have been many good things. I've been lucky with the weather, just a few spots of rain near Alicante and the last day I had patchy rain. Since Avila it has been very cold and looking back from Medina I saw the mountains just crossed, covered in snow but in Toledo it was a sunny 29C. Fantastic castles, Almansa, Chinchilla, Almonacid and the amazing Medina Del Campo. Toledo is yet another fantastic Spanish city, a mixture of religious beliefs, history and cultures expressed In its architecture. Many old, beautiful plazas such as Temblique, Arevalo and Medina Del Campo to name just a few. And so many interesting churches glowing in history and a few with curious interiors.
I found the camino very flat and sometimes monotonous, I'm used to walking hills, so found remaining in fifth gear boring. Good memories of farmers diligently pruning and tending their vines in the middle of nowhere and ploughing what seems to be very stony or sandy ground.
As a matter of interest, at the albergue in Avila ( Levante & Sureste) I was 17th pilgrim at Siete Iglesias(Levante only) I was the 3rd this year. Also it occurs to me that the Sureste is better marked than Levante hence the straying. Talking of which, I'm posting on the Sureste part of the forum when it probably should be the Levante, so there's confusion all over the place.
I am not a reliable contributor to your forum, but if you think I can be of help please private message me so I can respond, and if anything else springs to mind I'll post it .

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Trevhock,
I've been wondering how you were doing. One thing I will always say about the Levante is that if you're from the flat Midwestern part of the US like I am, it seems like home in many ways. Hard to beat those sunrises and sunsets, but then not everyone likes walking at sunrise. "Remaining in fifth gear" is a good way to put it, I know what you mean. It would be perfect if we could expand those two days of nice mountain walking before Avila into a week or so. This year I'm giving up the plains and going for mountains -- Olvidado and Invierno, here I come!

Wish I had found the GR-14 on our way into Zamora, because we just got lost in a cottonwood forest and that wasn't a lot of fun.

Thanks for the updates, I'm sure that others heading out on the Levante this year will appreciate them. Let us know when you decide on your next Camino! Laurie

 

[bjorgts]

Hello Trevhock! Thank you for the information. Good for my walk in October. Since this is important information om Levante, could you perhaps post it there too, because here we are on Sureste and people walking Levante may not find it. Bjorg

 

[george.g]

Thanks from me too! I'll be going to Alicante on the 8th to follow in your footsteps.
Regards
George.g

 

[camino07]

Hi George
Hope you have a wonderful Camino .Look forward to reading your posts.
Buen Camino
Heather

 

[Trevhock]

Actually Laurie, have been thinking about the Via Francigena for a couple of years now and get the CPR emails, but think I'd miss Spain, it would be a fulfilling pilgrimage though. I'm sure you'll enjoy the mountains, get to walk with wolves and bears in the Picos I believe.
Hope you have a better time at finding the way George, don't follow all my footsteps. There's no real problem with leaving Alicante, though once you've left the town, the path can get quite rutted, I think there's a way without having to climb the hill to the Ermita de san Pasqual, by diverting to Orito, also the way down from up there is very steep over the rocks. At Monforte del CID don't do what I did and follow the arrows out towards the AVE railway turn left at the roundabout before you leave Monforte del Cid to get to Novelda, I think, not that I did that. At Novelda there's a Refugio, in the street behind the Ayuntamiento at 58, Calle Mayor,there's a camino sign on the door. I think his name is Francisco, he doesn't speak any english but he's very friendly and is very involved with the Camino Sureste, has loads of information. I found him because he posted the Sureste Guide to me in Bristol, without asking for money up front, so I owed him money for his very good guide that I didn't bring, because of the weight. Also at Novelda I walked into bar Magolod, on the camino just past a small plaza friendly couple running it, she's from Novelda he's from Manchester.
Bjorgts information is very useful indeed and consulted it a lot, oh and just before Sax, the camino crosses a stream, that couldn't cross so went up to the main road and walked the few hundred metres to Sax, and that hotel is great they give you a packed lunch(bocadillo/water) to boot. I regret not keeping a record so only information I have is what I can remember, I just relied a lot on Peregrina and Bjorgts and the Valencia to Santiago GR-239 English translation old guide. I will try and follow how you're doing, I'll be working as a hospitalero at Miraz on the Del Norte, there's no wifi in that village at all.
Buen Camino.
Trevor.
Will try and post the posting before on to the Levante section.

 

[Donovan]

Hullo Trevhock, many thanks for the info. I left Valencia this morning, so will be using your notes over the next few weeks. The marking today was generally good, but in a few places was old and tired. I expect I'm going to miss my sharp eyed buddy (my daughter) who has the eyes of an eagle.
Regards............Donovan

 

[Trevhock]

Good luck Donovan, enjoy the walk.
Buen camino.
Trevor.

 

[bjorgts]

Have a nice walk, Don!! Bjørg

 

[george.g]

Thanks trevhock, all info very welcome. I'm off on Tuesday.
Regards
George

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Gotarrendura, where there's only 150 people and the bar opens especially to cook you a meal,

Update 2015: This summer we had a nice talk with the owner of that bar. She runs it with her husband, they are from Romania, two kids, very friendly.

Now: Gotarrendura is the only place to stay between Ávila and Arévalo. Not possible to divide the stages. I have tried: to start with, there is no accomodation in Tiñosillos (after Gotarrendura), although a lot of recent guids claim there is (I phoned them and there is none). In Cardeñosa, outside Ávila, there is supposed to be a casa rural that has prices for pilgrims (it is listed in one guide with telefone number), but when I called them the guy who answered shouted at me and accused me of wanting to steal a place from the pensionners because "casas rurales are for old people, not for pilgrims! Don't you know??". Perhaps he knew I am the Bad pilgrim... :O(

Getting to my point: The owner of the bar in Gotarrendura said that there were so few pilgrims that they can hardly keep the bar running. It only opens for pilgrims and others that come by, and they do this because they know there's no place to eat between Ávila and Arévalo (2 stages) so they are really making an effort to make it easier for pilgrims. If the bar disappears, pilgrims will have to carry a lot of food from Ávila...

OK, I guess I had no point at all with this post, other than we need to get more people going on the Levante and the Sureste (Gotarrendura is on both) so we can assure the existence of this bar... Hope it is still there in 2016 and forward...

/BP

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Gotarrendura, where there's only 150 people and the bar opens especially to cook you a meal,

Update 2015: This summer we had a nice talk with the owner of that bar. She runs it with her husband, they are from Romania, two kids, very friendly.

Now: Gotarrendura is the only place to stay between Ávila and Arévalo. Not possible to divide the stages. I have tried: to start with, there is no accomodation in Tiñosillos (after Gotarrendura), although a lot of recent guids claim there is (I phoned them and there is none). In Cardeñosa, outside Ávila, there is supposed to be a casa rural that has prices for pilgrims (it is listed in one guide with telefone number), but when I called them the guy who answered shouted at me and accused me of wanting to steal a place from the pensionners because "casas rurales are for old people, not for pilgrims! Don't you know??". Perhaps he knew I am the Bad pilgrim... :O(

Getting to my point: The owner of the bar in Gotarrendura said that there were so few pilgrims that they can hardly keep the bar running. It only opens for pilgrims and others that come by, and they do this because they know there's no place to eat between Ávila and Arévalo (2 stages) so they are really making an effort to make it easier for pilgrims. If the bar disappears, pilgrims will have to carry a lot of food from Ávila...

OK, I guess I had no point at all with this post, other than we need to get more people going on the Levante and the Sureste (Gotarrendura is on both) so we can assure the existence of this bar... Hope it is still there in 2016 and forward...
/BP

 

[KinkyOne]

Update 2015: This summer we had a nice talk with the owner of that bar. She runs it with her husband, they are from Romania, two kids, very friendly.

Now: Gotarrendura is the only place to stay between Ávila and Arévalo. Not possible to divide the stages. I have tried: to start with, there is no accomodation in Tiñosillos (after Gotarrendura), although a lot of recent guids claim there is (I phoned them and there is none). In Cardeñosa, outside Ávila, there is supposed to be a casa rural that has prices for pilgrims (it is listed in one guide with telefone number), but when I called them the guy who answered shouted at me and accused me of wanting to steal a place from the pensionners because "casas rurales are for old people, not for pilgrims! Don't you know??". Perhaps he knew I am the Bad pilgrim... :O(

Getting to my point: The owner of the bar in Gotarrendura said that there were so few pilgrims that they can hardly keep the bar running. It only opens for pilgrims and others that come by, and they do this because they know there's no place to eat between Ávila and Arévalo (2 stages) so they are really making an effort to make it easier for pilgrims. If the bar disappears, pilgrims will have to carry a lot of food from Ávila...

OK, I guess I had no point at all with this post, other than we need to get more people going on the Levante and the Sureste (Gotarrendura is on both) so we can assure the existence of this bar... Hope it is still there in 2016 and forward...
/BP

Spanish pilgrim I've met later on Levante told me that he did slept at acogida in Hernansancho (3kms after Gotarrendura) and it was OK. There's also a bar and all the bars in Spain have something to eat I'm sure.
Also there are bars in Villanueva de Gomez (& tienda), El Bohodon and Tinosillos (4 bars & tienda). Didn't ask about the acogida in Tinosillos.
So it's not entirely deserted stage(s)

 

[peregrina2000]

I also found the people in the Gotarrendura bar to be extremely kind. We were there on a Sunday, and there were s few First Communions in the church, so the bar was kind of hopping. The owners made us a huge plate of setas (a curly topped mushroom that is wonderful), fresh salad, and a terrific tortilla. Fresh and simple. The slbergue in town is also very nice, with kitchen and washing machine. Great stop.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

The problem is at Minaya, I stopped there for a coffee and at Antolin I followed the arrows, after a enough time for me to wonder when San Clemente would appear the yellow arrows turned into ones with a blue background, my heart sank, and when I came across a Quijote marker with San Clemente 14kms, it almost stopped.

Hi again,

Fun facts about Sureste/Levante continuing... First time in Minaya I was tricked by the large yellow arrow on blue background painted near the Hostal Antolin. After about 2 kms I understood something was wrong by looking at the map in the guidebook as well as my compass (I would never go on a camino without compass). Well, I just turned right and walked across the field that separated me from the Levante, not sure if a fence or an angry landowner would eventually prevent me, and finally I got to the road where the Levante arrows reappeared. Perhaps a solution for future pilgrims.

Next year I was on the Sureste so I knew I would go for the large arrow at Antolin and walk straight. Next stop on the Sureste is El Provencio. It is the least well marked section of the Sureste so prepare for a great level of uncertainty. When I read the records in the Polideportivo in El Provencio there were one or two pilgrims that stated they had not intended to go there: they had thought they were on the Levante, and only arriving in El Provencio they found out that this was actually not San Clemente...!

About El Provencio: looks a lot like Las Pedroñeras (on the Levante, after San Clemente), and after all they're in the same area. Sleeping in Polideportivo is free. Hospitalero is Manuel, apparently since many years, according to blogs I've read. He is very helpful and kind, one of the "best" hospitaleros I met on the Sureste. And best of all: there is a refrigerator in the Polideportivo - how often does that happen?? It was + 42 degrees and I could still cool down my food and drinks!

Anyways......

/BP