March 2017 from Seville

[MileHighPair]

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.

 

[Sirpa]

Keep is posted. Very interesting to read how it goes.

God luck and Buen Camino

 

[Caminata]

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.

Great to receive your current updates . Thanks

 

[Justin519]

Great news and thanks for the update. I am about a day or so behind you so hopefully I won't get wet feet before Guillena.
Buen camino.

 

[LTfit]

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!

 

[LesBrass]

I'm currently revisiting caceres... we drove up from Merida yesterday... ooh the memories

There are a few photos here https://caminobrassblog.wordpress.com/2017/03/02/retracing/#more-6176

Have a great walk folks... I wish I was with you

 

[Joodle]

We head out on the VDLP on March 22nd ! At least I can speak a few important Spanish phrases this time.

 

[drvnsmiln]

Thanks for the info. Please keep posting - I will be along behind you starting from Sevilla on 1 April!
Be safe and Ultreia!

 

[Juanajoanna]

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!

@LTfit, what is the detour? I'll be there in April and figure it will be wet. Is it easy to go around?

 

[mmm042]

Keep giving the updates! I've been through there twice and have always had to detour around because of high water.

Melanie

 

[MileHighPair]

Day 2 was quite easy, less than 20km through beautiful country, the last 6km next to a highway, but a dirt path a few meters from the road, so not too bad. Sunny. The muni Albergue was great, hospitalero Manuel did our laundry!
Day 3 was tough. Almost 30 km to Almaden de la Plata. This stage is not easy, and the last three hours were heavy rain. I got across the water crossings in the park before the water rose, and most of the way (after you leave the highway) is gravelly dirt, so even when wet it's not muddy. The way is well marked through the park, but be alert for the small yellow arrows, there are a couple of unexpected turns. I was not impressed with the muni albergue in Almaden, wished I'd made a different choice.

 

[MileHighPair]

Also went to dinner with a few folks. One of them told about how a previous Camino changed his life. He started a new life, opened a cafe, now closes it for two weeks periodically to walk another Camino!

 

[LTfit]

@Juanajoanna To tell the truth I wouldn't have known where to turn off (a dirt path before the asphalt part) if it weren't for a friendly bar owner in Santiponce where I stopped for coffee. He asked me if I were going to Guillena and said the arroyo was too high and drew me map on a napkin.

You never know, the next year a friend walked also in February and the arroyos were dry. Too be sure ask when you walk through Santiponce and stop at Itálica to see the ruins!

Buen Camino!

 

[LTfit]

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.

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.

 

[MileHighPair]

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.

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!

 

[MileHighPair]

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.

 

[LTfit]

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!

 

[MileHighPair]

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.

 

[peregrina2000]

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!

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.

 

[peregrina2000]

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.

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.

Are you by chance taking any pictures you'd like to share?

 

[MileHighPair]

I ha

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.

Are you by chance taking any pictures you'd like to share?

I have quite a few pictures posted on the blog, ourboatleavestheharbor.blogspot.com

 

[peregrina2000]

I ha

I have quite a few pictures posted on the blog, ourboatleavestheharbor.blogspot.com

oh, duh. Sorry, I didn't see that you were keeping a blog as you went! Thanks, looks like a great time of year to walk.

 

[LTfit]

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.

This is also what the young priest who is the hospitalero told me, quite unfortunate as he receives no money from the church. The renovations were done with donations only.

I have not seen the municipal albergue but it seems quite unfair that they are as allowed to advertise at the expense of the parroquial.

 

[Carel5]

After heavy rains, there is an alternative for the Arroyo de los Molinos, with the first stage ending at Torre de la Reina and not in Guillena.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...ll=37.498799534698385,-6.048393400000009&z=13

 

[MileHighPair]

The weather continues to be great. Just a little windy. Our little 'pod' of pilgrims leaves Rio Lobos in about 30 minutes and plans to eat lunch on top of the city walls of Galisteo. This route is truly magical, as well as difficult. The 32 km from Casar de Caceres to Canaveral left all of us quite sore.

 

[MileHighPair]

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!

 

[CaminoMatt73]

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!

We are in Monastario tonight. The rain has gone and sunny skies appear to be ahead for the next 10 days. Can you tell me a little about the terrain after Monasterio? We are going on day six to Fuente de Cantos. Thanks

Also, I cannot find a book of the terrain on the VDLP if you have any suggestions. Please and thanks

MJ

 

[alipilgrim]

Do you speak Spanish? The gronze.com site is quite good: https://www.gronze.com/etapa/monesterio/fuente-cantos and there's also mundicamino: http://www.mundicamino.com/los-cami...al-de-la-jara-el/monesterio/tipo/descripcion/

 

[CaminoMatt73]

I got it. Thank you so much Alipilgram. Mundicamino does the job.

 

[Freewalker]

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.

Many thanks for all of these updates as I start my Camino on the 15th. Invaluable info ..... enjoy your Camino !!

 

[MileHighPair]

My Camino 2017 completed. The VdlP is amazing. I will never forget these 6 weeks! The beautiful weather helped, and pilgrim friends made all the difference. Be ready for most days totally alone in March. See photos and commentary on the blog if you're interested.

 

[Deleted member 12253]

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 found the way through Merida very well marked. Dont go into city. In and out in 40 minutes

 

[MileHighPair]

I found the way through Merida very well marked. Dont go into city. In and out in 40 minutes

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.