Heading to the Meseta

[Grousedoctor]

Back in 2019, my wife and I started the CF with the intention of doing it in stages: SJPP-Burgos, Burgos-Leon, Leon-SdC. With Covid, our travels were interrupted until last year. Fearing larger than usual crowds on the CF, we chose to walk the Portugués por la Costa including the VE (a great Camino). So plans are now made for returing to Spain this coming spring to continue with our second leg of the CF - Burgos to Leon.

Having already walked the Meseta once, I can’t wait to get back and share it with my wife. After four Caminos of her own, she has become a very good camionista! Having done Caminos solo and with my wife, although very different walking experiences, I’m looking forward to sharing more of the CF with her. Our schedule these days is such that doing two week Caminos works best for us. We always finish off with a couple days in Madrid.

In any case, I just wanted to share with this Forum, how easy it was to make reservation for private rooms along this section of The Way. When my wife and I walk together, it works best that we reserve ahead our accommodations. At the end of the day, we know where we are staying and can enjoy a bit of privacy although our preference is to book rooms in albergues when we can with our fellow peregrinos. So, after flying into Madrid and taking the bus to Burgos, we’ll take a relatively easy nine days to get to Leon. I look forward to staying in different hostals and albergues than on my last time through with the exception of two of my favorites in Hontanas and Madrid.

I had great success on Booking.com and through direct emails to hostals/albergues in making all of our reservations. At this point in time, a number of good choices still existed in most of the towns we are stopping in. Further, the immediate responses to my direct emails was fantastic. So, we’re all set with what I think will be a great set of accommodations along The Way. For anyone looking to make spring reservations, now is certainly a good time to do so.

Looking forward to bumping into some of you know the Meseta. Buen Camino!

 

[wayfarer]

My intel is old but we didn't have a problem booking ahead when we did it, many people avoid this section because it's "boring" but I loved it, then again I loved it all.
Either way enjoy your shared Camino.

 

[JabbaPapa]

The meseta as such is huge, and stretches on the Francès broadly between the Western edge of La Rioja, after the Camino has climbed up there, and Astorga.

This year I walked the longest stretch of meseta that I ever will, southwards from Sahagún, then South-West to the Portuguese border on the way to Fátima. Even I got sick of it towards the end !!

 

[Former member 92300]

Loved the Meseta! I also loved being able to walk further distances each day because the terrain is mostly flat. Yes - it is boring - but still beautiful in it's own right.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Walking the meseta these past weeks, towards France, I found it boring pretty much never, and the parts of it I like the least are found between León and Astorga. But even there, not all of the way.

 

[Mito]

Walking the meseta these past weeks, towards France, I found it boring pretty much never, and the parts of it I like the least are found between León and Astorga. But even there, not all of the way.

The alternate route out of Leon to Astorga avoids crowds, busy roads, and is lovely with some sweet albergues. I was the only one taking it, which surprised me. Everyone else was slogging down the busy road.

 

[JerryStroebele]

The train from Madrid to Burgos is delightful. Buen Camino

 

[Ellann]

The alternate route out of Leon to Astorga avoids crowds, busy roads, and is lovely with some sweet albergues. I was the only one taking it, which surprised me. Everyone else was slogging down the busy road.

did you mean via Villar de Mazarife? Looks like a good idea.

 

[grayland]

The meseta continues to be one of my favorite stretches of any of the Camino routes I have walked since 2009. I have walked in the Winter with snow, Spring with Rain (and mud)_ and in the Summer with heat and wind.
It is always the Camino.

 

[Renegator1]

Back in 2019, my wife and I started the CF with the intention of doing it in stages: SJPP-Burgos, Burgos-Leon, Leon-SdC. With Covid, our travels were interrupted until last year. Fearing larger than usual crowds on the CF, we chose to walk the Portugués por la Costa including the VE (a great Camino). So plans are now made for returing to Spain this coming spring to continue with our second leg of the CF - Burgos to Leon.

Having already walked the Meseta once, I can’t wait to get back and share it with my wife. After four Caminos of her own, she has become a very good camionista! Having done Caminos solo and with my wife, although very different walking experiences, I’m looking forward to sharing more of the CF with her. Our schedule these days is such that doing two week Caminos works best for us. We always finish off with a couple days in Madrid.

In any case, I just wanted to share with this Forum, how easy it was to make reservation for private rooms along this section of The Way. When my wife and I walk together, it works best that we reserve ahead our accommodations. At the end of the day, we know where we are staying and can enjoy a bit of privacy although our preference is to book rooms in albergues when we can with our fellow peregrinos. So, after flying into Madrid and taking the bus to Burgos, we’ll take a relatively easy nine days to get to Leon. I look forward to staying in different hostals and albergues than on my last time through with the exception of two of my favorites in Hontanas and Madrid.

I had great success on Booking.com and through direct emails to hostals/albergues in making all of our reservations. At this point in time, a number of good choices still existed in most of the towns we are stopping in. Further, the immediate responses to my direct emails was fantastic. So, we’re all set with what I think will be a great set of accommodations along The Way. For anyone looking to make spring reservations, now is certainly a good time to do so.

Looking forward to bumping into some of you know the Meseta. Buen Camino!

If you can, stay at the Parador in Leon. It is in an old Monastery, has over 55 or peregrino rates and is spectacularly beautiful. The Cathedral is also a must see!

 

[JerseyWalker]

Back in 2019, my wife and I started the CF with the intention of doing it in stages: SJPP-Burgos, Burgos-Leon, Leon-SdC. With Covid, our travels were interrupted until last year. Fearing larger than usual crowds on the CF, we chose to walk the Portugués por la Costa including the VE (a great Camino). So plans are now made for returing to Spain this coming spring to continue with our second leg of the CF - Burgos to Leon.

Having already walked the Meseta once, I can’t wait to get back and share it with my wife. After four Caminos of her own, she has become a very good camionista! Having done Caminos solo and with my wife, although very different walking experiences, I’m looking forward to sharing more of the CF with her. Our schedule these days is such that doing two week Caminos works best for us. We always finish off with a couple days in Madrid.

In any case, I just wanted to share with this Forum, how easy it was to make reservation for private rooms along this section of The Way. When my wife and I walk together, it works best that we reserve ahead our accommodations. At the end of the day, we know where we are staying and can enjoy a bit of privacy although our preference is to book rooms in albergues when we can with our fellow peregrinos. So, after flying into Madrid and taking the bus to Burgos, we’ll take a relatively easy nine days to get to Leon. I look forward to staying in different hostals and albergues than on my last time through with the exception of two of my favorites in Hontanas and Madrid.

I had great success on Booking.com and through direct emails to hostals/albergues in making all of our reservations. At this point in time, a number of good choices still existed in most of the towns we are stopping in. Further, the immediate responses to my direct emails was fantastic. So, we’re all set with what I think will be a great set of accommodations along The Way. For anyone looking to make spring reservations, now is certainly a good time to do so.

Looking forward to bumping into some of you know the Meseta. Buen Camino!

Thank you for your post! My husband and I are planning to walk from Burgos to Leon in April. I have done various stages but this is the first time walking with my husband ... we are very excited. We are flying into Madrid and plan to take the bus to Burgos. Our plan is to start walking the very next day but am wondering if this is too ambitious. We both think we will be itching to start so will see how we do.

This is the first time taking the bus from the Madrid Airport to Burgos. Can you please tell me if it is easy to find the bus upon arrival at the International arrival terminal?

Many thanks and Buen Camino!

 

[Grousedoctor]

First, I hope walking with your husband will be as enjoyable as my wife and I find walking together. This will be our fourth time on a Camino together. I guess, if we didn’t have such a good time doing this, we wouldn’t keep going back for more.

Our flight into Madrid arrives early morning. We plan on taking one of the morning buses to Burgos directly from the airport. About a 2 1/2 hour bus ride. Finding the bus shouldn’t be difficult at all. I don’t remember the exact layout of Bajaras, but I remember that the airport is well signed. Just give yourself enough time between arrival and when the bus leaves. For us, arriving from the States early morning gives us a couple bus options so as to get to Burgos early afternoon.

We, too, plan to start walking the next day. However, because we don’t have to be in a hurry, we’ll take our time getting up and having breakfast and then only walk as far as Rabe de las Calzadas (14 km). We learned not to kill ourselves the first day on the Camino after a long international flight. Day 2, a more typical Camino day, we’ll go as far as Hontanas. I very much enjoyed my stay in this quaint village the last time there. From there, more or less, pretty typical days, some a bit shorter, some a bit longer until Leon or possible a bit further to Astorga. It will be another great Camino just as I’m sure yours will be too. Buen Camino.