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Thanks, Pam.I will be following you! Planning to give CdM a go September 1st!! Buen Camino! Pam
Yes, finally, after three years of suffering on this forum
It's my plan to continue on CF and Invierno but will post about that in appropriate sections.
I'll be in Madrid morning of 18th June and will start from the center of the city on 20th June. Because I'm on a tight budget I reserved myself a bunk bed in Backpackers Hostel (18€ for 2 nights) very close to Plaza de Espana. That will also give me a chance to adapt for further nights at albergues I guess
My planned stages are:
- Day01: Tres Cantos (23km)
- Day02: Manzanares del Real (27km)
- Day03: Cercedilla (19km)
- Day04: Segovia (31km)
- Day05: Segovia - non walking day
- Day06: Ane or Santa Maria de... (depends on albergue in Ane, weather, laziness after Segovia,...)
- Day07: Coca (54km from Segovia)
- Day08: Alcazaren (25km)
- Day09: Puente Duero (25km)
- Day10: Penaflor de... (26km)
- Day11: Medina de... (24km)
- Day12: Villalon de... (24km)
- Day13: Santervas (21km)
- Day14: pass Sahagun and stop already on CF in Bercianos del... (28km)
Well, that's the plan but I won't hold back to change it. Altogether with CF and CdI I have 5 days in reserve. I calculated the stages as shown partly because of the distances (to be as similar as possible from day to day) and also on availability of albergues and other infrastructure in villages.
To be able to post comments about the route etc. I'll buy one of those smart gadgets. Well, THAT will be a real challenge for me, an IT idiot
If someone of you have any comments it will be much appreciated. And if someone plan to walk in the same time PM me or say Hi to a 43yo male with eye glasses, moustaches and short beard. I'll carry red-white-silver-black backpack with two forum badges on my back and black hip photo pack in front (see the picture attached).
Have a nice day! I will sure do
I stayed at most of the same places, and I think you will find that the pilgrim infrastructure is really top notch. I think your days 9 and 10 are much better spaced than mine, but I took a detour into Valladolid for a day and that threw me off a bit.
I think Day 13 as you have it is a lot shorter, I think it's about 16 kms. I had also thought about staying there, but it was so early and it is such a small place, I forged ahead. Unfortunately the albergue planned to open in Grajal de Campos, which would be a perfect stage from Villalon, doesn't seem to be getting around to opening. Even though news reports say it's ready to go and they've spent 200,000 euros on it! Maybe it will be open by the time you get there, kinkyone! Buen camino, Laurie
Hi, Kris,Day 7, you wrote 54 km...that's a lot! You might want to break that up. Have you walked long distances like that before?
We will be a couple of days ahead of you but traveling slowly so you will probably see us, and pass us. We are allowing 3 weeks to get to Leon. See you along the way.
I guess we'll see each other thenHope to leave Madrid on Friday 16th. Will be walking slowly as I'm recovering after 6 months of chemo, but am so looking forward to walking. I walked the Frances from SJDP in 2010 and had to go back in 2111 as I felt it wasn't finished with me. I would love to walk every year but will see how I go this year.
For all interested - I just found the attached list of albergues y servicios in my notes. It might be the most accurate since it is dated December 2013. And whoever has done it - THANKS
Ultreia!
This is a great list, just another one of the amazing things about Camino folk sharing their hard work with no expectation of reward or praise. It also suggests that there is some place to sleep in Grajal de Campos, which would be a great way to sleep close to the Frances (I think Sahagun is about 12 from there) and then continue on the Frances without stopping in Sahagun. I like those mudejar churches in Shagun so I stop there when I can (though they were closed the last time I was through), but I can understand how it would be a shock to the system to stay there on your first night after walking in peace and quiet from Madrid! Thanks kinkyone. Laurie
Just got to the travel section of the Sunday New York Times -- front page is a story on a woman's search for her ancestral roots in Spain that started in Arcos de la Frontera (near Sevilla) and brought her to Segovia. Her ancestors had been Jewish converts to Christianity in the Inquisition. The focus is really not on Segovia, but it is a fascinating story and there are some interesting descriptions of things to see in Segovia that anyone walking the Camino de Madrid will have a chance to visit.
It's available online at
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/travel/in-spain-a-family-reunion-centuries-later.html?_r=0
Only two more weeks and 3 days!
Madrid! Madrid! Madrid!
It's pulling me...
I guess we'll see each other then
I've made a list of distances and albergues. It's attached in .pdf format, but can send you a word file via e-mail if you wish to put your remarks in it.
Yes, finally, after three years of suffering on this forum
It's my plan to continue on CF and Invierno but will post about that in appropriate sections.
I'll be in Madrid morning of 18th June and will start from the center of the city on 20th June. Because I'm on a tight budget I reserved myself a bunk bed in Backpackers Hostel (18€ for 2 nights) very close to Plaza de Espana. That will also give me a chance to adapt for further nights at albergues I guess
My planned stages are:
- Day01: Tres Cantos (23km)
- Day02: Manzanares del Real (27km)
- Day03: Cercedilla (19km)
- Day04: Segovia (31km)
- Day05: Segovia - non walking day
- Day06: Ane or Santa Maria de... (depends on albergue in Ane, weather, laziness after Segovia,...)
- Day07: Coca (54km from Segovia)
- Day08: Alcazaren (25km)
- Day09: Puente Duero (25km)
- Day10: Penaflor de... (26km)
- Day11: Medina de... (24km)
- Day12: Villalon de... (24km)
- Day13: Santervas (21km)
- Day14: pass Sahagun and stop already on CF in Bercianos del... (28km)
Well, that's the plan but I won't hold back to change it. Altogether with CF and CdI I have 5 days in reserve. I calculated the stages as shown partly because of the distances (to be as similar as possible from day to day) and also on availability of albergues and other infrastructure in villages.
To be able to post comments about the route etc. I'll buy one of those smart gadgets. Well, THAT will be a real challenge for me, an IT idiot
If someone of you have any comments it will be much appreciated. And if someone plan to walk in the same time PM me or say Hi to a 43yo male with eye glasses, moustaches and short beard. I'll carry red-white-silver-black backpack with two forum badges on my back and black hip photo pack in front (see the picture attached).
Have a nice day! I will sure do
Looking forward to hear how your Camino goes, I've set up a temporary route plan for 2016 - yes I wish I was going this year! I didn' t plan a rest day - duh, thanks for thinking of that and putting it in your schedule!
Buen Camino,
Following soonOne more sleep! :::happy Spanish dance!:::
Hi, all,
Because this thread was started by me I'll put my question here. I'm planning to buy one of those "smart" gadgets and thinking also of writing a blog, but don't know yet really... Either way I'll post some here, because making a blog in English would be too much for me while on the Camino. It'll be much easier to do that after return with DSLR photos uploaded and text properly translated.
So I was asking myself whether I should post my daily comments (with pics from my phone) while on the Camino directly in here, e.g. this thread, or make different thread for each town/albergue/stage etc. (as I've seen somebody does on del Norte)? I don't want to "spam" too much
So, what do you think?
K1
Hi, Sharon!Hope to leave Madrid on Friday 16th. Will be walking slowly as I'm recovering after 6 months of chemo, but am so looking forward to walking. I walked the Frances from SJDP in 2010 and had to go back in 2111 as I felt it wasn't finished with me. I would love to walk every year but will see how I go this year.
Hi!Will be following KinkyOne! Pam
In Manzanares I stayed two nights at sra.Ela's house for 15€/night. Will post all details & photos in August when I return home.I hope all is well. Just got back to Australia after the CDM with my son. How did you fare in Manzanares? Tha albergue had closed 3 months before we arrived, but we were welcomed by a local guy who very generously gave us beds in his home for the night. We also stayed at Unamomo in Leon. Great location.
Hi, Annie!Are you finished with the CDM Kinky? Just saw your posts.
Well, I guess we have some pretty exceptional members here when distances/pace is concerned. Laurie and at least three more come to my mind right now: suzannafromsweden, BeatriceKarjalainen & SuperSullivanWhen you get home write a good blog Kinky,
Laurie who has been magnificent with her assistance on these ways [ Madrid and Inverino] walks a much faster pace than us mere mortals lol
Wow, 80 bites. Did you do a bedbug check on the mattress each night? Did you use a bedbug sheet? I will be starting my camino in mid August starting in Le Puy and have concerns about bedbugs.Hi, Annie!
All is well, CdM done, CF from Sahagun to Ponferrada too, currently dealing with whole bunch of bedbugs in Puente Domingo Florez (raining) on Invierno. Counted more than 80 bites in 2-3 days. Think I got them either in El Ganso or El Acebo, but could not make a crosscheck with others, because they are all continuing CF.
Wow, 80 bites. Did you do a bedbug check on the mattress each night? Did you use a bedbug sheet? I will be starting my camino in mid August starting in Le Puy and have concerns about bedbugs.
Front desk at Ayuntamiento has one, nothing really special in terms of design, but clearly visible "Camino de Santiago de Madrid" on itWhere did you get sellos in Tres Cantos k1?
As promissed more than two months ago I'll post some of my remarks on Camino de Madrid. I came to Madrid on 18th of June in the middle of King's resigning/coronation festivities. Maybe that was the reason Iglesia de Santiago y San Juan was closed and I couldn't get pilgrim's credential. I allowed myself a day and a half of aclimatisation and started on 20th of June from Plaza de Espana, actually directly from the doorstep of Hostal Residencia Universitaria ARTI on Gran Via where I paid 9€/night in mixed dormitory with 3 bunkbeds.
Although I've had some rain on the way, which I don' particularly like while walking, the weather was just brilliant, with over 35 centigrade first three days and a bit more moderate (around 25-30C) temperatures after Segovia. Mornings were quite cool, sometimes even just 7C and few severe afternoon storms went by which was the main reason for 17 days that took me to walk it.
I was using CSJ guide 2013 by Max Long which I found very very basic and not really reliable in descriptions and especially not in distances. My Endomondo GPS recorder usually tracked more kilometers and just in one case almost only half the distance in the guideI don't find that really a big deal it's just annoying and makes you wonder all the time whether you did the right plan for next day(s). That was of importance for me because I was on a budget and wanted to use municipal albergues as much as possible.
The Camino is mostly sufficiently marked but as usual there are no arrows when you need themAt the moment I remember two such spots but I'll mentioned more of them in day-by-day posts. I will use distances recorded by Endomondo from distinctive points like Plaza Mayor, Iglesia, Bar, Albergue etc. and from there on, because I don't find distances measured roughly from end of one village to the entrance of the second village really accurate. Sometimes (more commonly on Camino de Invierno) those villages can be 2kms long not to speak about cities like Madrid, Segovia or Sahagun.
In general I liked the whole way but enjoyed wast Tierra de Campos (= Meseta) and huge Pinarios (pine forrests) the most. It took me 371,54kms from Plaza de Espana in Madrid to joining Camino Frances just past the Arco San Benito in Sahagun. Total ascent was 7957mts and total descent 8565mts so one would think that mostly it's downhill but it is not entirely soThe people along the way aren't really used to see pilgrims (I've met only 6 bicigrinos and 6 peregrinos on 4 out of 17 days!!!) but are nicer and more eager to help than folks along Camino Frances in my opinion. As you probably already know pilgrims accommodation is scarce before Segovia and adequate afterwards so you can really choose how long stages you're going to walk.
I will try to attach photos that illustrate those orientation challenging parts (and also some really nice parts) of this route the best. The link to my Endomondo history (https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/360990724) will be added, but I have to appologize because I don't know really how to extract GPS track from them. Just click on the date for certain stage and from the maps and graphs beneath them you can see exactly the route I was walking, distance, height etc.
Enjoy…
PS (Oh, maybe I figured it out. There is a file in gpx. format attached. Would be nice if someone who's more into GPS could confirm if it could be of any help. I have also tcx. file but couldn't be uploaded. Thanks!)
Hola, Laurie!Great, so glad you're doing this KinkyOne. Look forward to reading all your tips.
Just a GPS suggestion. The website wikiloc.com is a great site for posting and for downloading GPS tracks. In fact, I just completed my first upload. If I can do this, anyone can do this, just make an account and use KinkyOne as your name, and then everyone can find you.
I think the author of the CSJ guidebook would be delighted to receive all of your written comments and corrections. Laurie
="KinkyOne, post:
"Going out of Colmenar Viejo is a bit tricky because arrows dissapeared for me, but it's helpfull to find a way to the market place and from there on it's easy-peasy. People were really very helpful finding my way to famous grafiti wall (photos55&57) and out of the town. Soon you're in the open (photo59) and for 12kms on mostly wide country tracks (photo65) there's absolutely no problem finding your way to (be alert for sharp righ turn on 25th km) Manzanares el Real (photos66&69)".
In Colmenar Viejo I got lost too. In case of losing the arrows you better ask for the Iglesia de la Asunción. From my experience, there were still quite a few people in the town who don't know where the Camino goes.
Yes, I remember that church. It was closed for another hour and I didn't want to wait because it stopped raining at that moment and I just pushed on...So, Kinky, did you visit the castle in Manzanares? It really is kind of a storybook castle, reputed to be the best example of Castilian military architecture of the 15th (? -- maybe 16th??) century. I remember having a very nice walk around and up and down. Special pilgrim entrance fee -- or was it the old folks discount? I don't remember.
Glad to hear that there is now an alternative to the expensive hotels in Manzanares. But I still am so so sad that the albergue up on the rock outside of town is closed. That was amazing.
Looking forward to these daily installments. But I do have a question that I'm sure you will answer in all due time, but I'm dying to know -- did you get inside the church at Wamba????? This is a dream of mine, maybe somewhat unusual, but you can't imagine my disappointment when I passed by and it was closed, and not to be open for hours. Buen camino, Laurie
Where did you get sellos in Tres Cantos k1?
I don't know how I managed to count four overpassesPhillypilgrim, you may already know this, but if you're not planning to sleep in Tres Cantos, there is no point in going into the town unless you need supplies. The camino stays on the left side of the highway, and Tres Cantos is on the right. There are two overpasses to get from the Camino to the town, and I think (Kinky will have a more up to date memory on this point) that if you take the first overpass it makes for a shorter detour into the center with no backtracking.
Tres Cantos is not one of the Camino de Madrid's more charming places, but I have had a very good meal there! Buen camino, Laurie
No, Pam, you will not get lostYes I am staying the night in Tres Cantos at The Holiday Inn!!! What a strange first day it will be, but my walk from Plaza de Castilla is about 14 miles so need to stop for the day. I am wondering though Laurie and K1, will I be getting lost on this trail? I have many notations added to the CSJ guide from all of you, but am wondering if I will lose the trail?? Any thoughts? Pam
DAY 03 (Mon, 23.06.2014)
MANZANARES EL REAL - CERCEDILLA (22,22kms)
https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/360990724
Señora Ela and her husband went for a three-day trip to Asturias that morning so I was told to leave the key and 15€ for the second night in the mailbox. I was surprised how trusting this gesture was but later on Camino de Madrid I found out that this is very common. Usually I was given the keys and in the morning I left them in buson. That was really nice experience.
Getting out of Manzanares is well marked and really easy. First you pass Castillo Viejo (photo95), walk through suburb of holiday houses and soon you're in the open, surrounded with pastures and with Sierra de Guadarrama on your right (photo100 – taken on km4). Before Mataelpino I saw the biggest yellow arrow ever (photo102)
I was in Mataelpino on km8. If you want to go to the center take the first street on the right uphill, pass the church on your left and about 50mts later you'll see Plaza Mayor on your left. Otherwise just continue along the road and rejoin Camino at the other end of the village. Guide says there are bank, shop and bar. I saw at least 6 bars/restaurants and 4 were open.
In next 8 kms to Navacerrada it's very easy to navigate. Beautiful landscape although first part of the way is close to the road. The second biggest thing I saw on this stage was 6mts high stone mound (photo108), but of course this one wasn't erected by us humansYou may also meet some black cows with huge horns on pasture without fence but they are harmless. 6,5kms after Mataelpino after short uphill (photo114) you come to M-607 and cross it. Here the Camino turns left through the forest but I went straight on for another kilometer to the intersection and took left into Navacerrada center which was exactly 16kms from Manzanares. I think both options are of the same lenght.
I stopped in the park in front of the Ayuntamiento, ate something, put off my boots and enjoyed the shade because it was very hot day. After that Camino goes steeply uphill on Calle Abel and that was tough with cold muscles and full stomach, I was breathing like a steam locomotive… On the top the view over the town and embalse could've been nicer or at least without electric wires (photo118), but the closest house on the photo was for sale if anyone is interested and I'd guess it has nicer view
Soon after crossing M-607 above Navacerrada it's the highest point (1360mts) of this stage and from here on Camino descends to Cercedilla (photo120). These 6kms to Cercedilla is approx.half on tarmac and half on light gravel, but with almost no cars and through beautiful pine forest. And the smell of pines was just amazing. Very nice.
Cercedilla Polideportivo is at the entrance to the town (photo123). When I came in there was whole bunch of teenagers on their summer camp guided by mixed Spanish and English teachers and they helped me with the janitor which spoke not a word of English and my limited Spanish wasn't enough. First there was a problem because I didn' have official credencial therefore I collected sellos in my compiled guidebook. At last the headmaster allowed me to stay at sala de aerobica. I took the shower and headed into town to the closest market. Janitor warned me to be back before 21h.
When I was sipping cold beer on the bench by the promenade an elderly couple stopped by and started the conversation in Spanish. They've seen me somewhere along the Camino while resting in their house and came to Cercedilla especially to find me and wish me luck. Wow!!! But I found out that the man has already done 9 Caminos so the reason for wishing me luck was quite obvious. Unforgettable feeling!
When I returned back to Polideportivo at half past eight the janitor was gone and young woman was in his booth. She told me that I can not go to my »room«, because the group of Cercedilla ladies are having aerobic class. Ouch! Nobody told me that and I left everything, smelly t-shirt, socks, boots just lying around (photo125). I was so ashamed I've hide myself behind the building until they were doneBut did met the aerobic teacher afterwards and apologized for the smell and everything. Lots of laughing…
They do close the Polideportivo during the night, but there's no alarm and back doors can be opened from inside, you just have to be careful not to close them behind you once outside. So I did enjoy some evening breeze. With their permission to open that doors, of course.
So I guess I was lucky in a wayFrom your pic, Puerto de la Fuenfria was empty of people!
I've been there hundreds of times and always someone was there.
It is one of the most visited points in Sierra de Madrid (National Park now).
Thanks, Theatregal!What an amazing day! Wonderful photos.
DAY 06 (Thu, 26.06.2014)
ZAMARRAMALA - AÑE (20,81kms)
https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/360990724
PART 01
After Zamarramala the scenery changes completely. Almost no uphills, endless fields of cereals, horizon and villages appearing like a mirage. That's my Camino!!!
First there is a little bit of tarmac (photo235) which soon changes to dirt country road. Only 6kms and you're in Valseca (photo238) with two bars (one is right on the main street where Camino comes into the village), pharmacy and small shop (both righthand 20mts down the street). The fuente in small park does not work! Camino continues straight across the main street. If you plan to sleep in municipal albergue I guess you have to ask in Ayuntamiento which is a bit further on overlooking small plaza. Fuente there is working.
Camino (4,7kms) to Los Huertos is even more magical (photos241,242&247). I was kind of sorry not to walk this part (which I did on some of upcoming stages) in late afternoon light. I guess I would just sit down in the middle of the road and… just sit there
In Los Huertos is very nice park (photo251) on your right when you cross the bridge. Fuente is working and water is very good. When I was resting there two guys came and were taking samples. I asked if it is OK and they responded with thumbs up. Don't know where the shop mentioned in the guide is (I guess uphill in the village) but the bar is a bit further on in a rundown building on the left. It was closed and I've got impression that it is permanently so. The village was deserted so nobody to ask…
Only 1km out of village is Ermita de Nuestra Señora (photo254) with possibility of shelter in the porch in case of bad weather. Porch doors were opened, but the church was locked. There is a small aperture, window, through which you can see the interior.
After short descend you come to a disused railway (photo257) and walk on it for almost 4kms, then cross it left over the bridge (km16 from Zamarramala, clearly marked) and immediately after that turn sharply and steeply down to the right. I remember one arrow pointing straight on (I think it was on mojon on the left by the road), but ignore it, go right!!! Soon you'll come to Peter Catlow memorial plaque (photo260) which was placed by forum member @bribaby
(http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/peter-catlow.27364/).
I've rested there for a while and got the feeling that Peter is still smiling. Guess he's just OK
To be continued (only 10 uploads per post…)
Thanks! You're welcome, Al!Thanks for the posts KinkyOne. I have a soft spot concerning Navacerrada (long story) so I recognised where you were when you took the photos before and after having been in the same spots often. Just another note - the mayor of Navacerrada is also a woman. (She lives across the street from a friend whose daughter walks her dog).
Thank you againWonderful photos again and I think the one of the iron cross is just so beautiful!
Hey, Alan!KinkyOne thank you so much for these posts. A friend and I are planning to walk this camino in May 2015 and I am busy filling the margins of my guide book with all your handy suggestions and observations.
Alan
Be brave. Life is joyous.
I know, Pam, I know, but you should let him go on his own wayMoving my son back to college and helping him (if he let's me) set up his first apartment. Once back home I will POUR over your details Kinkyone.
I leave for Madrid two weeks from today!
Thank you again
I have three different shots of that cross. I liked it also, mostly because of the contrast.
And no electric wires in sight
It is a relatively new town and a lot of the accommodation is owned by weekend/summer people from Madrid and in the ski season people using the ski station up on la Puerta come to stay/eat. But there is a lot of nice walking around the place. Your mistake on entering by going along the road to the island and turning left missed a better walk through a small forest but joins the route you took near the police station you passed. BTW at that island if you continue straight on the road ahead it joins the camino at the top of the village where you crossed the road on your exit. The road to the right at that island has lovely walks up to La Maliciosa mountain and from there you can traverse the other mountains to arrive at the start of Camino Smith at Puerta del Navacerrada.Thanks! You're welcome, Al!
A lot more to come, but I'm already past NavacerradaAs I felt it that's more or less kind of a town in which people spend their holidays. Although there's almost no historical center I've found some of the holiday houses quite nice in architectural view.
It is a relatively new town and a lot of the accommodation is owned by weekend/summer people from Madrid and in the ski season people using the ski station up on la Puerta come to stay/eat. But there is a lot of nice walking around the place. Your mistake on entering by going along the road to the island and turning left missed a better walk through a small forest but joins the route you took near the police station you passed. BTW at that island if you continue straight on the road ahead it joins the camino at the top of the village where you crossed the road on your exit. The road to the right at that island has lovely walks up to La Maliciosa mountain and from there you can traverse the other mountains to arrive at the start of Camino Smith at Puerta del Navacerrada.
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