Camping and animals?

[Sebastian Smetham]

Hi.
We have just joined the page so hi! Seeing that there are lots of helpful first hand informants we hope you can help us.
We will walk from Seville in mid February camping along the way as we did the camino Frances and other routes.
We have picked up that the bulls/cows/cattle are harmless? To What extent to we pass these "cattle enclosures"? What about wild pigs? We live in southern Spain and have encountered the "jabali" but never walked through fields of them??!!
Also understand that the dogs are a nuisance but in recent years this has improved can anyone shed any light on this?
Has anyone walked with their own dog?
I hope someone see's this and thanks for replying!

 

[Undermanager]

Not sure what the law is about wild camping in Spain but try searching these forums. I've seen lots of opportunities for stealth camping (and none for paid camping) so far on the VDLP if you use common sense; no fires, no litter, bury your poo, hide after dark and be on your way before light, ask permission if at all possible. The issue I think would be the weight for camping you have to carry in high temperatures, especially food snd water, but having to be prepared for rain. Most wild animals would avoid you when they hear you so you'd be unlucky to have a problem. Flies during the day and night time bugs may be much more of a problem. One fab place is 14kms before San Pedro, high up next to the wind turbines. Very isolated, great views but a hell of a slog up up up. Would suggest a minimum of 5 litres of water for the two days.

 

[Sebastian Smetham]

We hope that we will avoid high temperatures, certainly February down here is very mild - rain is likely going to be a pain!! Thanks for replying and the stealth camping place. Is that one "off piste" to get up there or we do infact pass right by?

 

[Undermanager]

You pass right on by. You'll pass around 10 turbines. The place to stop is the highest one. The flies are bad until the top, when they are gone presumably because of the wind. There were plenty of large rock outcrops to hide behind. It was halfway between Fuenterroble and San Pedro but there is absolutely no cafes or villages to resupply on this stretch. The views are great. If I smoked dope, which I don't, this would be the place to light up a joint.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I recommend NOT taking a dog. We thought about it and are glad we didn't.

For more on dogs see:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/taking-a-dog-on-the-camino.40441/
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/mans-best-friend-dog.42745/

 

[Hikoi]

I met an eccentric Spanish guy walking the VdlP with his dog at Lubian. He'd walked out his front door, somewhere south of Seville I think, on his way to Santiago. He carried a very small pack - which incredibly included some dog food, cooking gear and a tent because he couldn't stay in albergues with the dog.
The only encounter I had with loose animals was with a herd of heifers - young cows - who startled me when they galloped up behind. The path went into their paddock. They are by nature very curious but do stop and are completely harmless.
I also had to deviate from the trail one time when a careless shepherd had corralled his sheep too close to the trail and his three enormous guard dogs thought their rustler exclusion circle included the trail... No sign of the shepherd. Unfortunately the only deviation was through thick bush on the banks of the river running parallel to the trial. I did eventually make it around and with no ticks from the bush. The dogs were fierce and barking like crazy, but as long as I kept my distance and didn't approach them or the corral they were fine.
Other than that I saw several deer and foxes, and a snake or three but sadly no wolves. I meet more farm animals walking the hills above Wellington (New Zealand) of a morning than I did on the 1000+ kms of the VdlP. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

because I just noticed this article linked to a different thread on Casa de los dioses, I want to put it here for people to consider. On other threads I've listed this reason (among others) on why taking your pet is perhaps not in the best interest of the pet --this recent newspaper article drives home what can happen if your pet becomes separated from you on the camino
http://www.radiocaminodesantiago.co...asa-tras-la-perdida-de-su-perra-en-el-camino/
a pilgrim lost her dog, stopped her camino, and won't leave Spain without her pet