MileHighPair
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Many, many Caminos, mostly past maybe some future.
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First day to Guillena. Updates on a couple of themes from this stage:
1. The Guillena Municipal Albergue is temporarily closed. The sign does not indicate when it might open. Alb. Luz del Camino is open, just as you enter town, and it is a great place anyway.
2. The stream, about 5 km before Guillena, is very easy to cross at the moment, but it obviously was very deep recently.
3. I walked the route along the river leaving Seville, no problems with dogs or people.
@LTfit, what is the detour? I'll be there in April and figure it will be wet. Is it easy to go around?Nice to reminisce. I had to take a detour as the arroyo was chest deep. Two brave souls crossed with their packs overhead! My limit is right below my crotch haha.
In fact Facebook reminded me that today 3 years ago I arrived in Salamanca.
Buen Camino!
Day 3 was tough. Almost 30 km to Almaden de la Plata..... I was not impressed with the muni albergue in Almaden, wished I'd made a different choice.
I probably shouldn't have said anything. Probably "one time" events: no toilet paper, but I know other pilgrims can make a run on TP in a short time. A bunch of noisy teenagers arrived came in after everyone else was in bed (about 10:30pm). I know this is not late for Spain, but for tired pilgrims it is bedtime! You are correct, the kitchen and dining area are great!What was the problem? I stayed there July 2011, February 2014 and June 2016 and we all found it fine. Big kitchen, a dining room, separate bathrooms for women and men and the usually dorm-style dormitory as on all Caminos. This past summer a Lithuanian pilgrim cooked us a meal and we all ate together.
The albergue parochial is a gem, I am always surprised that there are so few pilgrims.
I loved the stocked kitchen and beautiful women's bathroom with a hair dryer - what a luxury along the Camino!
Loving your updates, MileHigh. If you read Spanish, I found that the ERoski guide online (and downloadable for free, their app name is simply Camino, I believe) had very good walking instructions for those places where there was confusion. This was years ago, but I remember that it cleared up a lack of signage leaving Aljucen where I had to go behind a gas station or something un-obvious.A few points of possible confusion along this section. First, The path through Merida is not well marked, and I cannot really give good advice here. Best to get a good map of the city beforehand.
Second, about 2.5 km north of the Lake Proserpina the way turns off the road and is VERY poorly marked. There is one arrow on a tree that seems to point north, but there is also an arrow on the road pointing straight east. You must turn onto a dirt path going north. This is about 300 meters after the fence ends, which is on the left side of the road for the last 2 km.
Thirdly, just before Alcuescar, there is a fork in the road with lots of arrows pointing both directions. If you want to go to Alcuescar, you need to go right here. I think this is where the Kiwi family went wrong last year.
Some of the important turns are very well marked along the VdlP, others are not.
It's been amazingly warm the last few days, but a bit of cooling coming up. Amazing beauty and solitude.
I have quite a few pictures posted on the blog, ourboatleavestheharbor.blogspot.comLoving your updates, MileHigh. If you read Spanish, I found that the ERoski guide online (and downloadable for free, their app name is simply Camino, I believe) had very good walking instructions for those places where there was confusion. This was years ago, but I remember that it cleared up a lack of signage leaving Aljucen where I had to go behind a gas station or something un-obvious.
Are you by chance taking any pictures you'd like to share?
I ha
I have quite a few pictures posted on the blog, ourboatleavestheharbor.blogspot.com
I have heard from several people that the town of Monasterio doesn't let the priest advertise/announce/call attention to his albergue so as not to compete with the locals. That seems ridiculous to me, especially since everyone who ever stays there says similar things. I know that a Canadian group provides financial support to the albergue -- maybe the Vdlp-ers here ought to be singing the praises of this place more clearly and loudly to make sure the word is out.
It's getting to be the same old story. Great weather. Fantastic scenery. Welcoming hosts. Walking companions from all corners of Europe. A few blisters, but feeling good.
I' m in Fuenterroble tonight, with a community meal planned for 7pm. Route update: There is a new pedestrian bridge over the worst water crossing a few kms after La Calzada de Bejar. This was quite difficult last year and I know SYATES had to take a detour last year. Much thanks to those who got this done!
Many thanks for all of these updates as I start my Camino on the 15th. Invaluable info ..... enjoy your Camino !!Day 4 and 5 more rain, but day 6, 7, and 8 dry. A great forecast for the next few days also. Lot's of talk about deep water on various stages. These streams rise and fall very quickly. With dry weather, I think all crossings will be passable now. Once the rains come again, plan on taking your boots off if you don't want to wade in them.
All is going well. About 10 pilgrims in my "pod", but some are staying in private hotels, etc., so only a very few in the albergues. I was all alone in the Parochial Albergue in Monesterio! And it was a very nice place. The way is well marked for most of every day. I always seem to find one or two spots each day where I either miss an arrow or just get confused. Best bet is to remember to go north (or look at your GPS). Some long stages coming up, so we'll see how the body does. One small blister, and minor tendonitus are my biggest issues so far. Buen Camino to all.
A few points of possible confusion along this section. First, The path through Merida is not well marked, and I cannot really give good advice here. Best to get a good map of the city beforehand.
Second, about 2.5 km north of the Lake Proserpina the way turns off the road and is VERY poorly marked. There is one arrow on a tree that seems to point north, but there is also an arrow on the road pointing straight east. You must turn onto a dirt path going north. This is about 300 meters after the fence ends, which is on the left side of the road for the last 2 km.
Thirdly, just before Alcuescar, there is a fork in the road with lots of arrows pointing both directions. If you want to go to Alcuescar, you need to go right here. I think this is where the Kiwi family went wrong last year.
Some of the important turns are very well marked along the VdlP, others are not.
It's been amazingly warm the last few days, but a bit of cooling coming up. Amazing beauty and solitude.
I'm glad you found it simple. Thinking about it now, I realize that one reason I may have had difficulty in Merida is that I did take a bit of a shortcut in order to go by a grocery store I knew would have peanut butter! That would explain the lack of way markers. Thanks for the comment.I found the way through Merida very well marked. Dont go into city. In and out in 40 minutes
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