Is April too early for flowers on the VDLP?

[mla1]

Hi VDLP walkers,
I am trying to decide on next year's camino and the VDLP is on the list. I generally walk in May because of my job and also because I prefer green surroundings, lots of wildflowers, and not too much heat. Next year I would be able to walk earlier than I normally do - so I thought it might be a good time to try the VDLP. I am thinking of starting early in April to avoid some of the heat - but I am wondering whether it would be a good month for flowers. It seems that most of the forum members who have mentioned the incredible flowers on this route have walked in May.
Thanks for your advice!
Mary Louise

 

[grayland]

I have not walked the VDLP in April ( just August) but have walked other routes in early April. Flowers, grape vines, etc. are not really blooming then. Nothing until late Apri and later. Crops are just emerging.

 

[WalkingItOff]

Mary Louise, we walked the VDLP beginning this April 15th... and it was SPECTACULAR... 2 days of rain the entire 1000km & I lament that I hadn't brought a better camera to capture the vibrance of the colors. No doubt, each year is a bit different, but mid-April timing was perfect as Spring seemed to have come alive just days ahead of us as we headed north.
Buen Camino.

 

[Alan Pearce]

Hi VDLP walkers,
I am trying to decide on next year's camino and the VDLP is on the list. I generally walk in May because of my job and also because I prefer green surroundings, lots of wildflowers, and not too much heat. Next year I would be able to walk earlier than I normally do - so I thought it might be a good time to try the VDLP. I am thinking of starting early in April to avoid some of the heat - but I am wondering whether it would be a good month for flowers. It seems that most of the forum members who have mentioned the incredible flowers on this route have walked in May.
Thanks for your advice!
Mary Louise

Hi Mary Louise

I began my VdlP from Seville on 1st April, or early spring. I was moving north at 25km a day, and so was spring, so I stayed in early spring for weeks, until I reached Zamora and hung a left. Not only were the flowers beautiful, but each day was filled with birdsong. I too was lucky with the weather, only 4 days of rain out of the 44 days I was on the road, and 2 of those days had only light showers.

A high-light was staying 2 nights in Salamanca and watching the fabulous Easter parades. I actually timed the start of my camino so as to arrive in Salamanca the day before Good Friday.

Buen camino - I hope you enjoy your VdlP as much as I did!

Alan

Be brave. Life is joyous.

 

[Magwood]

I walked the Camino Mozárabe this year, starting 8 April in Malaga and joining with the VdlP at Merida. The wild flowers will be the same I imagine starting from Seville at a similar date. The wild flowers in Southern Spain at this time of year are spectacular. I took lots of photos as I particularly love wild flowers. Feel free to take a look at my blog for examples of what to expect - see link below.

 

[mla1]

Thanks everyone. The vdlp is definitely moving to the top of the list!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, mla,
It's a lot of fun watching your progression from camino fan to camino addict! Anyone who starts a post with the words "I am trying to decide on next year's camino" seems to have fallen off the deep end. Welcome to the club.

I think the Vdlp is a great choice for April. Where are you thinking of starting? Maggie's start in Malaga is really tempting if you have a lot of time. But starting in Sevilla, which is where I've started twice, is pretty awesome too. I started once on April 15, once on May 1, and it was actually colder the year I started on May 1 (wore wool gloves till 10 or 11 am every day till Merida more or less).

So your choices for places to start are many -- Almeria, Jaen, Malaga, Granada... or anywhere in between. http://www.caminomozarabedesantiago.es/documentos/guia-esp.pdf

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[mla1]

Hi Laurie,
Just to add to the addiction, I'm also trying to sort out a spanish course for the fall.

I'm on leave in the winter term so I figured I should do a hotter route when I can get away earlier. I would love for the mornings to be cool enough to need gloves!
I melted in June on the Le Puy route. There were quite a few days well over 30 degrees.

I'll do some more homework and I'm sure there will be more questions!

cheers,
ml

 

[Richo]

Hi VDLP walkers,
I am trying to decide on next year's camino and the VDLP is on the list. I generally walk in May because of my job and also because I prefer green surroundings, lots of wildflowers, and not too much heat. Next year I would be able to walk earlier than I normally do - so I thought it might be a good time to try the VDLP. I am thinking of starting early in April to avoid some of the heat - but I am wondering whether it would be a good month for flowers. It seems that most of the forum members who have mentioned the incredible flowers on this route have walked in May.
Thanks for your advice!
Mary Louise

Mary Louise, I intend leaving Seville on 7 or 8 April so maybe I'll see you somewhere. I think the wildflowers will be spectacular at that time, although there may be rain and some creek flooding.
cheers,
Richard.

 

[Anniesantiago]

April is GORGEOUS on the Camino!

 

[bsewall]

I started in early April in 2013 from Seville and was graced with spectacular flowers and scenery all the way up to Santiago. It was breathtaking. Some examples: https://www.flickr.com/photos/50048910@N00/albums/72157634403889178

 

[peregrina2000]

I started in early April in 2013 from Seville and was graced with spectacular flowers and scenery all the way up to Santiago. It was breathtaking. Some examples: https://www.flickr.com/photos/50048910@N00/albums/72157634403889178

Gasp -- those are beautiful pictures, bsewall! Your pictures suggest you didn't take the Sanabres, but went straight north at Granja de Moreruela to Astorga and the Frances. I've never done that and wonder how you found it. Buen camino and thanks for letting us see those pictures! Laurie

 

[bsewall]

Gasp -- those are beautiful pictures, bsewall! Your pictures suggest you didn't take the Sanabres, but went straight north at Granja de Moreruela to Astorga and the Frances. I've never done that and wonder how you found it. Buen camino and thanks for letting us see those pictures! Laurie

The VdlP was my first Camino and I was a real greenhorn. My intent was to walk in solitude and on the quiet paths of the VdlP up to the Sanabres and take that route to Santiago. Around Salamanca two "elders" of the Camino (to whom I will be eternally indebted and one of whom was Jirit) took me aside and basically said that I needed to walk with others. I had learned enough walking in solitude, it was now time to walk with other pilgrims and the best place to do it was the Camino Francais. So instead of turning left at Granja de Moreruela, I turned right. I recorded some of my experiences on the route up to Astorga on my website - http://camino.bsewall.com/Salamanca to Astorga/astorga.html. The towns on that route were very diverse. There was the unique albergue at Alija del Infantado where the husband and wife owners treated us to a warm welcome and excellent food. Then there was Benavente where I had to search for hours just to find a place to rest my head for the night (the town was so unwelcoming, I was seriously considering park benches as an option). There were only a handful of pilgrims walking with me on that route and on the last stage they all decided to avoid the rain and bus to Astorga. It was a strange feeling walking the last 22k into Astorga knowing I was the only pilgrim walking that stage on that day.

I found the stages from Granja de Moreruela to Astorga challenging, mystical and, like every stage on the Camino, a grand adventure.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

My first pilgrimage started on April 1st - "All Fools Day" in England, which I thought was apt. Even that early in April the flowers were stunning. This was on the Portuguese camino, but I doubt there's a vast difference. April is a lovely month on the camino ..... enjoy!


Buen camino!

 

[Richard Schwartz]

bsewall, those pictures are fantastic! I know it's 90% about the photographer and subject, but the quality of these images are so amazing that I have to ask you about your camera equipment. What 'cha got?

 

[amancio]

April is THE MONTH for flowers, indeed, at least up to the Meseta in Salamanca, when spring is a tiny bit later. The dehesa landscapes in Seville and Extremadura are just booming with life; flowers, piglets, lambs, calves... life!!!

 

[FelixBC]

Hi VDLP walkers,
I am trying to decide on next year's camino and the VDLP is on the list. I generally walk in May because of my job and also because I prefer green surroundings, lots of wildflowers, and not too much heat. Next year I would be able to walk earlier than I normally do - so I thought it might be a good time to try the VDLP. I am thinking of starting early in April to avoid some of the heat - but I am wondering whether it would be a good month for flowers. It seems that most of the forum members who have mentioned the incredible flowers on this route have walked in May.
Thanks for your advice!
Mary Louise

I started April 6 from Sevilla this year -- the beautiful scent of orange blossoms was present for weeks. Farther on, there were apple blossoms, poppies, and roses. A lot depended on elevation as well. In the higher places spring wasn't quite there yet, but lower down was in full progress. Best time of year to go, I think. Buen Camino!

 

[CanPete]

I started in early April in 2013 from Seville and was graced with spectacular flowers and scenery all the way up to Santiago. It was breathtaking. Some examples: https://www.flickr.com/photos/50048910@N00/albums/72157634403889178

Great shots ! Thanks for posting !

 

[jjarnold]

Hi Alan and Mary Louise, I too shall be doing the VdelP next year 2016 (having done the camino Frances in 2006). Easter in Seville then heading off. Hope to see you both on the road! Bueno Camino Jen