• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
  • ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Late March - Madrid to Sahagún?

kardisa

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances - Leon to Santiago (2015)
Camino Madrid/Salvador/Primitivo (2017)
I will be beginning my first camino next Saturday, March 21st, and am still unsure as to whether or not to do the Camino de Madrid from Madrid to Sahagún or the Camino Frances from Leon to Santiago. The Camino de Madrid would certainly be easier for me logistically, since I could just start walking the next day after flying into Madrid. However, I've heard that the albergues may still be closed at that point in time?

This is not a full pilgrimage for me - just a time for personal reflection (and exercise) so I do not need to finish in Santiago. I will have 13 days total between my arrival and departure in Madrid. I am a fast hiker (50km a day is fine) and do not require anything in the way of necessities except a place to sleep and a cold beer at the end of the day.

Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated!
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I will be beginning my first camino next Saturday, March 21st, and am still unsure as to whether or not to do the Camino de Madrid from Madrid to Sahagún or the Camino Frances from Leon to Santiago. The Camino de Madrid would certainly be easier for me logistically, since I could just start walking the next day after flying into Madrid. However, I've heard that the albergues may still be closed at that point in time?

This is not a full pilgrimage for me - just a time for personal reflection (and exercise) so I do not need to finish in Santiago. I will have 13 days total between my arrival and departure in Madrid. I am a fast hiker (50km a day is fine) and do not require anything in the way of necessities except a place to sleep and a cold beer at the end of the day.

Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated!
Hola Kardisa
Logistically , I thought the same.
However, you say it is your first Camino
It would (IMO) be a more pleasant first Camino with a little camaraderie. I doubt starting late in march on Camino Madrid that there will be a lot of company. Icould be wrong - but from my readings it is a little less travelled

Have a look at Vdlp (Salamanca -SdC ). Or go with the Leon to SdC On the Frances.
You can either stay a night or two in Madrid ; or there are direct buses from Madrid airport to Leon
Look at Alsa bus timetable. Madrid airport to Leon is euro 25.30 one way

I'm being indecisive myself ! I am into Madrid a month later than u
Let us know the final choice and
Buen Camino
 
Hola Kardisa
Logistically , I thought the same.
However, you say it is your first Camino
It would (IMO) be a more pleasant first Camino with a little camaraderie. I doubt starting late in march on Camino Madrid that there will be a lot of company. Icould be wrong - but from my readings it is a little less travelled

Have a look at Vdlp (Salamanca -SdC ). Or go with the Leon to SdC On the Frances.
You can either stay a night or two in Madrid ; or there are direct buses from Madrid airport to Leon
Look at Alsa bus timetable. Madrid airport to Leon is euro 25.30 one way

I'm being indecisive myself ! I am into Madrid a month later than u
Let us know the final choice and
Buen Camino

Thanks for the quick reply! I hadn't even considered Vdlp, but am looking into it now. It seems like it would also be fairly quiet, yet I would be able to meet more pilgrims than I would on the Camino de Madrid. Do you think I could make it to Santiago in 13 days though, or is that perhaps being a bit too ambitious?
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi Kardisa
I won't reply in much detail. as I see you have received some good feedback on a newer thread.
Yes if you're a quick walker who knows what is possible. But try to take time to smell the roses as the saying goes.
Spring will have sprung!
Will u make it? Depends on whether you now want to make it to SdC. But as you mention on the new thread., to maybe start in Zamora. You'd still need to be walking fast. Buen Camino
Annie
 
I will be beginning my first camino next Saturday, March 21st, and am still unsure as to whether or not to do the Camino de Madrid from Madrid to Sahagún or the Camino Frances from Leon to Santiago. The Camino de Madrid would certainly be easier for me logistically, since I could just start walking the next day after flying into Madrid. However, I've heard that the albergues may still be closed at that point in time?

This is not a full pilgrimage for me - just a time for personal reflection (and exercise) so I do not need to finish in Santiago. I will have 13 days total between my arrival and departure in Madrid. I am a fast hiker (50km a day is fine) and do not require anything in the way of necessities except a place to sleep and a cold beer at the end of the day.

Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated!
Hola, Kardisa,

I don't want to point you to a specific Camino since there are so many you can choose. And all of them are unique in their specific way. But if you're still considering to walk Camino de Madrid I can write down my stages (you can also search for my CdM diary with photos and gps tracks here in this section from last year) with distances and short remarks on albergues. I don't think you should worry about closed albergues.
1.) Tres Cantos (29,93kms): albergue there isn't really albergue, it's more like refugio with place for three people to sleep in the basement of Ayuntamiento, so I doubt it would be closed anytime of the year.
2.) Manzanares del Real (28,83kms): there was an albergue but is closed now. I have slept in 15€ private room (3 beds). It is very convenient and hardly ever (maybe during holidays or fiestas) fully occupied.
3.) Cercedilla (22,22kms): did get to sleep in polideportivo at entrance to town for free. Sleeping on aerobics mats in small gym. Toilets and showers available.
4.) Valsain (27,92kms): I had info on albergue turistico there and thought of making shorter walk if going to Valsain instead to Segovia, also due to rain that day. Albergue was closed but two pensions are there. Few kilometers further is Granja de San Ildefonso with huge albergue turistico opened all year. If you choose to go to Segovia there's wide range of acommodation (Hostal Duerme Vela for example).
5.) Zamarramala (18,19kms): if you go directly to Segovia but still want to sleep in albergue, this is good choice since Zamarramala is only half an hour walk from Segovia. You can actually see it across the valley from Segovia alcazar (castle). It's free, brand new and you can get the keys (code) in small tienda on the right at village square. Owner lives nearby.
6.) Ane (20,81kms): opened all year because it is located in former school (no heating though) and keys obtained at first house on the right as you enter the village. Free. No shop there and bar opened (maybe) Fri&Sat evening!
7.) Nava de la Asuncion (29,69kms): very nice albergue as I have seen on the photos but was closed due to dontknowwhatreason. Friendly local authorities made possible for me to sleep in a classroom (showers and toilets available) in Casa de Cultura. They even gave me the keys to go in & out after closing time. Free of course.
8.) Villeguillo (18,37kms): no shop in this village but very friendly bar. Albergue with kitchen opened at all times since the hospitalero is living nearby.
9.) Alcazaren (19,66kms): keys available at Bar Real (directly on the Camino) all year round.
10.) Puente Duero (27,01kms): all year living-in hospitalero.
11.) Cigunuela (15,10kms): opened all year, keys with local lady, directly on Camino.
12.) Penaflor de Hornija (16,76kms): same as above.
13.) Castromonte (10,19kms): same as above.
14.) Tamariz de Campos (30,46kms): no albergue there although have been told that sometimes a teacher (lady from Austria) do take pilgrims overnight. Better end the day in Medina de Rioseco with albergue which should be opened all year but I'm not sure.
15.) Cuenca de Campos (10,77kms): same as Castromonte.
16.) Villalon de Campos (6,89kms): don't know if albergue here is opened all year but when it is there's a living-in hospitalero.
17.) Grajal de Campos (32,02kms): you can stay before Grajal in albergues in Santervas de Campos or Melgar de Arriba or push on approx.7kms to Sahagun. Albergue in Grajal should opened in 2013 but they ran out of funds and it's unfinished although showers and toilets are a gem. You can sleep on the floor. I have very fond memories of that place because it is in a renaissance palace and the mayor gave me the keys to it and I was lucky to sleep there alone (apart from some ghosts ;)).

Hope that helps. But be sure that there is very little possibility to meet any other pilgrim on the way. If you're searching for a very solitary Camino this one for sure could be the one especially in this time of year :)

Ultreia!
 
I suggest the Camino Frances first. Don't decide based on the logistics of getting to SJPDP or Roncesvalles, versus starting out from Madrid. Decide on all the other important factors.
Buen Camino!
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
KinkyOne - I have decided to go ahead and do the Frances for this mini-Camino, but have copied your information for future use. I think my husband and I will likely do the VdlP together next year in June or July, but the Madrid is definitely something I would like to attempt in the next couple of years.

Phillypilgrim - Thank you for your advice! Camino Frances it is.
 
We will walk as much as we can of the Camino de Madrid this Easter, starting on Saturday. Since we know Madrid and its suburbs very well (we lived there for three years) we're planning to start in Tres Cantos.

Har anyone seen the albergue in Añe this year? The distance from Segovia sounds very pleasant after the climbing the day before (I am among the walking wounded on the Camino; you don't want to be behind me ascending a steep path at my snail pace!), but we're not so fond of dirt. (If there are cleaning supplies, we could clean up ourselves, of course, but I've rarely come across such supplies on our earlier caminos.)
 
We will walk as much as we can of the Camino de Madrid this Easter, starting on Saturday. Since we know Madrid and its suburbs very well (we lived there for three years) we're planning to start in Tres Cantos.

Har anyone seen the albergue in Añe this year? The distance from Segovia sounds very pleasant after the climbing the day before (I am among the walking wounded on the Camino; you don't want to be behind me ascending a steep path at my snail pace!), but we're not so fond of dirt. (If there are cleaning supplies, we could clean up ourselves, of course, but I've rarely come across such supplies on our earlier caminos.)
I don't think muni in Ane changed much from last year. And there were some cleaning supplies. I remember it was quite clean but had to mop the bathroom floor after each usage of fosets be it shower or sink. But it was OK :)

Watch out for bats ;)
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.

Most read last week in this forum

A couple days ago I started the Camino Madrid from Segovia. Some of you may recall that I posted a few months ago looking for a relatively flat Camino to test out my body to find out if I could...
We planning a Camino Mixto of Camino Madrid/Salvador/Primitivo starting in early April next year. April 13-20 is Semana Santa next year We will probably fly in to Barcelona on 4th April and play...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Similar threads

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top