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Guides for VdLP

A selection of Camino Jewellery
We followed one on our VdlP 2015 and 2016. Bought it at the office in Sevilla. It's not as detailed as the Brierley guides, but we never got lost. It's a low weight book and an inexpensive one, too. And this one was an English version with both Sanabres route and the route to Astorga.
 
Thank you for that. I think that's a good idea to wait until I am in Seville and buy one at the VdLP Association office. Out of interest did you do the whole route and what time of the year did you go?
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
We did Seville to Salamanca 2015 and Salamanca to Santiago (via Sanabres) 2016. Both of them September/October. Best time of the year (IMO). Btw, we are there on March this year again from Merida to Salamanca.
 
Thanks again. I am planning to walk Merida to Zamora late Sept early October, so it sounds like a good time.
I would love to start at Seville but I can't get away in Spring when I believe it is the best time to start from Seville due to increasingly high temperatures at other times of the year.
Good luck with your return trip in March I do hope we hear about it? I am sort of dreading some of the longer days in that section - 30 - 40km is way above my walking norm!!
 
I think that's a good idea to wait until I am in Seville and buy one at the VdLP Association office.

A word of warning with that option. I wanted to buy the Rota Vicentina Guide before I left home.

The Association assured me that the office will have it at the start of the trail.

Yes, OK, but I would still like to send you some money and you post me the guide.

No need! It WILL be available, we promise.

Guess what? I was finally able to find an abandoned one in a guest house half way along the trail.
Jill
P.S. Fortunately I did have Plan B (I usually do) and had printed out a few pdf’s from the website of each day’s route.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Thanks again. I am planning to walk Merida to Zamora late Sept early October, so it sounds like a good time.
I would love to start at Seville but I can't get away in Spring when I believe it is the best time to start from Seville due to increasingly high temperatures at other times of the year.
Good luck with your return trip in March I do hope we hear about it? I am sort of dreading some of the longer days in that section - 30 - 40km is way above my walking norm!!
Greetings! There really should only be one stage of about 30km and none over that, from Merida to Zamora. The albergue at the lake before Carnavaral is said to be open now, so that helps. On the day you leave Carcaboso, you need to either detour to Oliva de Plansencia or take the shuttle to Hostal Austorias. Then after Salamanca, stop at Casa Saso instead of going for El Cubo del Vino. If you do all of this, then the longest day should be leaving Fuenterroble, which can still be kept under 30km by stopping at San Pedro de Rosados. See our blog for our distances in this part of the VdlP. We walked this part twice, once in 2016 and once in 2017, both entries have various hints. It's a beautiful walk! Buen Camino.
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
I can't comment on the VDLP Association guide but the Gerald Kelly Guide is very detailed, mine is the 2015 version but I think there is a later printing.
Ivar should have it in stock.
Thanks. His name appears white a few times on the VdLP forum so seems like a good choice.
 
I wondered if anyone has used the guide sold by the Via de Plata Association and if so how useful you found it?

I bought that guide in Sevilla and it served us well. It is very basic but it was enough to know where we were going.
For accommodation I used gronze and eroski websites.
Buen camino!
 
For accommodation I used gronze and eroski websites.

I walked part of the VDLP from Sevilla to Bejar in October and will be returning next week to walk some more of the route. I did not use a printed guide: I had the free PDF condensed version of the Kelly guide and also used the Eroski and Gronze websites. It is worth noting that these websites have different strengths and weaknesses. The Eroski website has very good historical and cultural notes, route descriptions, and better outline maps but only lists albergue accommodation. The Gronze website has little background information on the route but has much more comprehensive accommodation lists which include hotels, hostals and casas rurales. Combine the two and you have a very effective guide. I also installed Maps.me on my phone and downloaded offline maps and a gps track of the route but these proved unnecessary as the trail is generally well signed.
 
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Thanks for that. Yes I do like Gronze for the practical information on accommodation, services and distances. It is very useful for planning I find. Enjoy your return trip. The VdLP seems to pull people back again and again judging by the number of people who say they have been several times. I now have managed to "trim" some of my distances so that I won't have more than 2 or 3 days of 30+km. I know my limits, I start to get grumpy after 30km!!
 
The VdLP seems to pull people back again and again judging by the number of people who say they have been several times. I now have managed to "trim" some of my distances so that I won't have more than 2 or 3 days of 30+km. I know my limits, I start to get grumpy after 30km!!
Yes, it's strange how the Camino pulls us back, for some it's the French Way. But for us it was the Vdlp, I think it's the long distances and less people that make it special, 30kms sounds a lot to do per day but it's just one foot after another and you adjust to it. I am heading back this fall so may see you out there.
 
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The VdLP seems to pull people back again and again judging by the number of people who say they have been several times.
Went to see the Disney movie Ferdinand earlier his week with the kids and couldn't help but smile seeing Ronda in the background and the dehesa with its bellota trees. ;) It is just such a beautiful route.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Hello and happy new year

I walked the VdlP and the Sanabres in 2016... starting in Seville on the 21st September. I can only echo what everyone has said... it's beautiful. this is my blog if you're interested :oops: https://caminobrassblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/bordeaux-pizza-goodbyes/

I used a great app called Silver Way (premium). There is a free version but for 3 or 4 euro it seemed a small investment and I used it daily... I also had Gerald Kelly's guide on my kindle app and I took notes from folks here too... and used the Gronze website. There were only one or two occasions where we retraced our steps but generally no problems... I LOVED this walk and hope to return one day... my problem is there are just too many to do :rolleyes:
 
Hello and happy new year

I walked the VdlP and the Sanabres in 2016... starting in Seville on the 21st September. I can only echo what everyone has said... it's beautiful. this is my blog if you're interested :oops: https://caminobrassblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/bordeaux-pizza-goodbyes/

I used a great app called Silver Way (premium). There is a free version but for 3 or 4 euro it seemed a small investment and I used it daily... I also had Gerald Kelly's guide on my kindle app and I took notes from folks here too... and used the Gronze website. There were only one or two occasions where we retraced our steps but generally no problems... I LOVED this walk and hope to return one day... my problem is there are just too many to do :rolleyes:
Thanks for that info. I will certainly look at the Siler Way app and yes I was thinking of Kelly's book on my phone. I know what you mean - at my age I just want to get as many of the Caminos as my health and feet will allow - for me it's a case of "too little time, too many caminos!"
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Yes, it's strange how the Camino pulls us back, for some it's the French Way. But for us it was the Vdlp, I think it's the long distances and less people that make it special, 30kms sounds a lot to do per day but it's just one foot after another and you adjust to it. I am heading back this fall so may see you out there.
Yes distance wise, for me it's a sort of "mind-thing" going from 2something to 3anything!
 
Greetings! There really should only be one stage of about 30km and none over that, from Merida to Zamora. The albergue at the lake before Carnavaral is said to be open now, so that helps. On the day you leave Carcaboso, you need to either detour to Oliva de Plansencia or take the shuttle to Hostal Austorias. Then after Salamanca, stop at Casa Saso instead of going for El Cubo del Vino. If you do all of this, then the longest day should be leaving Fuenterroble, which can still be kept under 30km by stopping at San Pedro de Rosados. See our blog for our distances in this part of the VdlP. We walked this part twice, once in 2016 and once in 2017, both entries have various hints. It's a beautiful walk! Buen Camino.
found your blog!
 
I wondered if anyone has used the guide sold by the Via de Plata Association and if so how useful you found it?

I binned my hard copy on about Day 2 and used an app. Mind you, I started with four guides, a bit of an overload. Nowadays I use the Wise Pilgrim app, although your Smartphone needs enough grunt to run it and you need some data, ie an in-country SIM. The little blue moving location mark is handy. I understand Michael, the developer, is working on a set of offline maps.
I used them on the Aragones (2015, with a Samsung S3) and the Portuguese (2017, with a Samsung S8).
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
I wondered if anyone has used the guide sold by the Via de Plata Association and if so how useful you found it?
I used that guide in conjunction with Gerald Kelly's. I bought it from Hotel Simon. I really liked it and much prefer paper guides to pour over in the evening. comparing them both.
I think my longest day was 29kms to San Pedro. Will never forget that long,hot day ,kept hoping each hill would be the last and was so glad to reach the cool,comfortable Carreras vii.
 
We did Seville to Salamanca 2015 and Salamanca to Santiago (via Sanabres) 2016. Both of them September/October. Best time of the year (IMO). Btw, we are there on March this year again from Merida to Salamanca.
Oppis, I was going to do VDLP in September/October 2018 but have decided to go in April 2019 to avoid the heat. Wondering why you like September so much?
 
It’s only guestion of arrangements of life at home. We have always had good weather, so far. Let’s hope to continue next February/ March/April. Thumbs up!!
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Greetings! There really should only be one stage of about 30km and none over that, from Merida to Zamora. The albergue at the lake before Carnavaral is said to be open now, so that helps. On the day you leave Carcaboso, you need to either detour to Oliva de Plansencia or take the shuttle to Hostal Austorias. Then after Salamanca, stop at Casa Saso instead of going for El Cubo del Vino. If you do all of this, then the longest day should be leaving Fuenterroble, which can still be kept under 30km by stopping at San Pedro de Rosados. See our blog for our distances in this part of the VdlP. We walked this part twice, once in 2016 and once in 2017, both entries have various hints. It's a beautiful walk! Buen Camino.
The albergue at Alcántara is closed until February. I gave them a phone on Thursday, they told me it was opening at 4pm. I took my time getting there and waited for 2hrs... only for them to phone me back and say we’re now closed to February. The next 10.5k passed surprisingly quickly. Probably because of the fading light and the cold. There was... also a wee bit of terrible language from myself. All part of the adventure. Cheers, wild
 
Looking at Gronze's guide it looks at though the stage from Valdunciel to El Cubo del Vino is right alongside the main road for 20k? Is this the case?
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
That really is the case. However the path is all the time some 20-30 metres off the road, or more. No problem at all.
Btw. We stayed at Casa Saso, a few kilometres after Valdunciel - abt. 22km from Salamanca. There was a lovely atmosphere at a homelike albergue, and good dinner served, and breakfast ,too.
 
thank you for that reassurance. I prefer not to walk on the hard shoulder of main roads!
Yes Casa Saso has been recommended by a couple of other people - thanks.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.

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