LIVE from the Camino My Camino de Madrid

[MikeJS]

I don't see a post for Day 7 above. I don't know what happened. Anyways, stepping back in time, here it is:
Day 7: Los Huertos to Santa Maria la Real de Nieva
25 km including the 2 back to the hostal, which will also be added to tomorrow's distance

"And on the seventh day He rested."

I know today says Day 7, but yesterday was really the seventh day, considering the 20 km I walked on Day 0. So under 11 km yesterday and an early bedtime and over 9 hours of sleep before I headed out this morning at about 7 am.

I stopped (and found a little geocache) at a little Ermita out of town. The Ermita was locked up but you could get a glimpse of the fancy altarpiece through a tiny window in the door.

I thought it would be mostly flat wheat fields today, like yesterday, but there were a few things, beyond some spectacular skyscapes, to break up the day. There were a few kms walked along the Camino Verde, a former railway line where they took away the rails and ties and replaced it with a leisure path for cyclists and bicyclists. Because it used to be a rail line, it was very flat and straight. There was a forest beside it for much of the way where the trees had also been planted in straight, even rows.

A little bit further on, the Camino passes through pine forest being harvested for resin. Then it was back to flat fields for a while before arriving in the day's first village, Añe. There was supposed to be an open bar there, but the bar was closed, possibly for renovations according to the sign. So I sat in the shade in the square, took off my shoes and socks, and finished my chorizo and cheese for breakfast, accompanied by some water.

Then it was back to the road. I crossed a nice river and saw some nice storks. I passed through another pine woods (unharvested). Then there was a lot of walking though wheat fields. At one point I checked my phone to discover I had missed or misunderstood a Camino marker and wandered off on a non-Camino trail. At first I was going to turn around and go back, but it didn't take me too long to figure out it would be faster just to press forward as the track I was on would eventually merge with the Camino. Shortly after that I arrived at the second village of the day, Pinilla Ambroz. There was no bar here, either, but there was a water fountain (three actually) so I stopped for a rest and a drinking and refilling of water and an airing of feet and socks.

Then it was on through the final five or six km of meseta to the day's destination, Santa Maria la Real de Nieva. I stopped at a pharmacy to pick up some better bandages for my toes. The main sight, however, is the wonderful Romanesque cloister with the sculpted capitals. There was much taking of photos, which can be found here. Information about the cloister can be found here.

The travel day ended with a menu del dia dinner in Santa Maria, followed by the 2 km walk back to the hostal (hotel) as there is no albergue in this town.


Photos below:
- Camino Verde
- Resin tree
- Stork
- Fields of wheat
- Santa Maria la Real de Nieva
View attachment 149323 View attachment 149324 View attachment 149325 View attachment 149326 View attachment 149327

How did you contact the hostal? Was it Hostal Avanto?

 

[David Tallan]

How did you contact the hostal? Was it Hostal Avanto?

It was Hostal Avanto. I think I contacted them by phone.

 

[mla1]

Here’s the sign from the track behind the hostal.

 

[David Tallan]

Day 15: Santa Espina to Medina del Rioseco (with a little bit of walking around town
26.86 km

I got off to a good start today at about 6:50. There had been quite the thunderstorm at about 4 or 5 am but it had passed by the time I set out, leaving it cloudy and cool. The walk from Santa Espina to Castromonte was pretty straightforward, on wide country roads, much better than the walk to Santa Espina. The first part was through or beside forests and the latter part was a long straight walk the combined wheat and wind farming.

When I got to Castromonte, what did I encounter but a fellow pilgrim! Jose Miguel is from Madrid and we walked together from Castromonte to Medina del Rioseco in pleasant conversation, mostly in Spanish bit a little bit in English. The time does pass much more quickly with a fellow pilgrim. We got to Medina del Rioseco somewhere between 12:30 and one but the albergue doesn't open until 3, so we headed into town to look around and have some lunch. We stopped by the tourist office and got the lowdown on what us available to see and when it is open in the afternoon and then headed over to Casa Manolo which had been recommended to him by a friend. Then we wandered over to the beginningvof the Canal de Castilla (which I had previously encountered with Toby on the Camino Frances, far from here). When that was done, enough time had passed to head back to the albergue. The albergue is in a convent but we didn't see any of the nuns. The hospitalera is a nice young lady from Brazil who lives in the neighbourhood. There is a washing machine so I am washing all my clothes while writing this. Afterwards, I expect we will head back into town to see what interests us in the afternoon opening hours.

Later. As it turned out, I headed into town at about 5 while Jose Miguel had his siesta. There are 4 main places to see here, two churches (the Church of Santa Maria and the Church of Santiago) and two museums in former churches (the Museum of Semana Santa, focused on the Holy Week processions and the Museum of San Francisco, focused on religious art). I bought a ticket for all four. The Museum of Semana Santa you can enter whenever you want, but for the other three, you need to be a part of a guided tour, which happen at specific times.

First I saw the two churches. They were amazing! And so was the guide who took me through both (I had a personal tour because I was the only one who showed up at that time). I understood just about everything he said (the tours are in Spanish, of course) and he showed and explained a lot I wouldn't have noticed or understood without his guidance. The two museums, unfortunately, paled by comparison.

After I was done I met Jose Miguel at a cafe for a coffee and some small pastries that are the local speciality. Then we went to the supermarket to stock up on things because we aren't sure of the availability of food tomorrow morning for the first long while. We aren't sure, as well, about how far we will wall. The natural stage is 25 km, but that ends in a village without much in the way of services. If we walk another 5 or 6, that will take us to a town with a lot more and a recommended albergue. We'll see after the 25 km how strong we are feeling.


Photos below:
- The long straight walk to Castromonte
- The Museum if Imaginary Rocks (Castromonte)
- Me and a fellow pilgrim (Valverde de Campos)
- Chapel in the Church of Santa Maria
- Detail of grille in the Chapel in the Church of Santa Maria
- Retablo in the Church of Santiago

View attachment 20230620_181723.jpg

 

[JWB]

Great report! Tomorrow a beautiful walk along the canal to Tamariz. Suggest strongly to take an alternative way to Cuenca de Campos to avoid road walking. See picture.

 

[mla1]

Agree with @JWB re canal walk and avoiding the road walking. After Tamariz de Campos the arrows go in 3 different directions. Turn left after the village and then there is a route that goes up one of the usual tracks between farm fields.
The set of arrows that goes most to the right after the village would keep you on the road all the way to Cuenca. (I believe that is the route that is on Ray y Rosa's site.)
If you are using a good online map - you will see the options!

Also - the albergue in Cuenca is amazing. The best kitchen of any albergue I've ever seen!
I was able to have a very good meal in the restaurant at Casa Rural La Tata in the afternoon. I am not sure if they serve meals in the evening.

There would definitely be more food options in Villalón, and there is also a good supermarket. The walk there from Cuenca is very pleasant, and the albergue in Villalón is a good one (I got a tour as I walked through the town) . But - the one in Cuenca was one of my favourites. Old style hospitality with volunteer hospitaleros. They are on two week rotations. Well stocked kitchen. Sheets and blankets. Nice vibe.

Two good options!

 

[JabbaPapa]

I had a rest day in Medina de Rioseco last year after getting in too late for the hospitalero, so sleeping on the floor first night, too tired from that to continue, and second night in the albergue.

It's a pleasant town, even though the restaurants are generally a bit pricey.

The albergue is in a convent but we didn't see any of the nuns.

The last nun left about 5 years ago IIRC, though I think they do still own the convent part of it. Most of the building is owned by the Municipality however. Last year, part of the convent proper was occupied by a family of Ukrainian refugees.

We aren't sure, as well, about how far we will wal[k]. The natural stage is 25 km, but that ends in a village without much in the way of services. If we walk another 5 or 6, that will take us to a town with a lot more and a recommended albergue. We'll see after the 25 km how strong we are feeling.

The canal route is pleasant in itself -- but big warning, it is literally swarming in mosquitoes !!

So it might be worth considering the variant via Berrueces and Moral de la Reina, though I understand that services in those places are basically just the village bars ; if the bars survived covid shut-down that is, which is not certain at all.

The bar in Tamariz de Campos is managed by the hospitalero -- but I'd not recommend staying, the albergue is extremely rudimentary ; but if he's open, do stop for a drink, and he may be open to preparing a snack if it's for pilgrims.

Cuenca de Campos is fine -- and Restaurante Tata definitely recommended. Pleasant little Albergue too.

Of course the albergue in Villalón de Campos is quite excellent, and the town and services are superior, so it's a must-stop town ; for sleeping, food & cash resupplies and other general recovery purposes.

If you can get to Villalón today fine -- though if it's to be over two days, then Cuenca is a better stopover than Tamariz, even though Cuenca > Villalón would be a very short day.

Looking even further ahead, Santervás is a lovely little pueblo, and very friendly.

 

[David Tallan]

Day 16: Medina del Rioseco to Villalón de Campos
30 km

Jose Miguel and I left at about 6:50, the same time I left yesterday. We left Medina de Rioseco walking along the Canal de Castilla, a very pretty route, but after a while we discovered the downside: mosquitoes! They plagued us most of the day, even after we left the canal and started walking by the fields. On the other hand we were fortunate that most of the day was fairly cloudy and not too hot.

It was about 12 km to our first stop in Tamariz de Campos and we had been warned that the only bar in town might be closed (it closes Wednesdays) so we were prepared to make a picnic lunch, which we did. Jose Miguel noticed that the church appeared to be open and saw a nice little church with a 17th century (I think) retablo. There was an older fellow in the church who chatted with Jose Miguel explaining things.

He recommended that we walk to Cuenca de Campos along the road, which sees little traffic, to reduce the length of the walk by several km. Of course, the shorter walk was balanced by the road being harder on my feet.

I had noticed Jose Miguel was walking carrying his hiking poles along with a grocery bag. While we were stopped in Tamariz de Campos, I suggested we try to find a place for whatever was in the grocery bag in Jose Miguel's backpack or its pockets so he could use his poles instead of carrying them. We managed to find a way to get the bag out if his hands. Then I noticed he wasn't using his pole straps. So I showed him how to use them and put the weight of the poles on them, not gripping them so hard. In the end, I think he is using them better than I, at least, more like the videos show. He was happy with the change, asking why I hadn't shown him how to use them a couple of hundred km ago.

We arrived in Cuenca de Campos fairly tired but determined to push on to Villalón. But we did stop at the bar for a rest and chatted with the hospitalero of the local albergue who was there. He had done his first Camino the same year as me, 1989, but from his front door in Vitoria. Juan Carlos had worked there for a few years on the cathedral restoration, so the two chatted for a while about Vitoria. We then wandered around for a while looking at the churches. We had been told one was very lovely and a QR code on the door would get it opened for us. The QR code let's you book a tour, which can be on the hour. We would have had to wait another 45 minutes, and with another 5 or 6 km ahead of us, we just weren't ready to do that. So off we went.

The last 5 or 6 km were a long straight walk on a dirt road through flat fields. It seemed we had to walk all the way through Villalón to get to the albergue and we noticed that nowhere seemed open to eat. The last meters always seem the hardest and we were done by the time we were done. So after we had gotten settled in, cleaned, and rested a bit we made ourselves a picnic lunch to follow up on our picnic breakfast. In another 3/4 of an hour or so we will head out shopping. Tomorrow should be a short day, with the extra km we put in today, only about 16 km or so.

Photos below:
- Walking by the Canal of Castilla
- Storks in the tower of a ruined church (Tamariz de Campos)
- Church retablo in Tamariz de Campos
- Painted wall in Cuenca de Campos
- Me in front of the church in Villalón de Campos, by the Jurisdictional Rollo, made in 1523 by the same stonemasons who worked on the spires of the Burgos Cathedral

 

[JWB]

Sadly the mosquitoes! When I walked in late April this year no one. Villalon is a pretty town with a good albergue, good memories. Tomorrow to Grajal de Campos? A special albergue located inside a monumental building. Also a very good restaurant close nearby with a lovely garden. Had a lovely salmon steak.

 

[David Tallan]

Day 17: Villalón de Campos to Santervás de Campos
16.69 km

Jose Miguel and I left at about 6:50 again, I think, I didn't check the time. It was a really simple and straightforward day today. Straight walking on dirt roads between large fields. We had plenty of food we divided between us because we had read that there is no bar or restaurant or grocery shop in Santervás, our destination for the day. It certainly made for a heavier pack, which tires you out more quickly, but it was a much shorter day.

We had a short rest in Fontihoyuelo, at the halfway point, a small farming village with less than 40 inhabitants and then pushed on to Santervás. Jose Miguel was kicking himself because he had left the bread back in Villalón, but we arrived in Santervás at the same time as the bread van, so we were able to get some fresh bread. The main claim to fame of Santervás is Ponce de Leon, who discovered (at least, from the European point if view, those already there probably had a different perspective) Florida, and was the first Governor of Puerto Rico. The albergue shares a building with a museum devoted to Ponce de Leon. Also in the village is an interesting church which combines a number of architectural styles.

As it turned out, we didn't need to bring all if that food because the volunteer hospitaleros share their meals with the pilgrims. I thought that might have been the case because of some of the comments written about the albergue, but didn't want to count on it. For lunch, we had a nice stew with a tomato and avocado salad and some salchichon and chorizo and some nice, juicy melon for dessert. Later on there will be a visit to the museum and church. The only challenge with this albergue is no wifi and connectivity is rare. But connectivity had been a problem for the last few days. One thing I am looking forward to when I join the Frances is an improvement in this regard.

Found where the Internet connection is, behind the church.

Photos below:
- Santervás on the horizon
- The albergue and museum
- A reproduction of Ponce de Leon's writing desk
- The back of the church (where I am writing this)

 

[JabbaPapa]

Pity the village bar there is only open on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.

 

[peregrina2000]

I definitely remember a small grocery store in Santervás, did you find anything @David Tallan?

Interesting to see the differences between the two side apses and the central one. One Romanesque, two Mudéjar? I think the apse is my favorite part of a romanesque church, especially when there are multiple ones side by side. Beautiful.

 

[David Tallan]

I definitely remember a small grocery store in Santervás, did you find anything @David Tallan?

Interesting to see the differences between the two side apses and the central one. One Romanesque, two Mudéjar? I think the apse is my favorite part of a romanesque church, especially when there are multiple ones side by side. Beautiful.

I don't think we saw a grocery in Santervás, although we did see one in Grajal. We didn't really look for one, though, because we had brought all that food. We were told when we arrived that the hospitaleros were grocery shopping in Sahagún. In the end, they fed us so we didn't need any of our food there.

One thing that is interesting about this church is that, from the outside, none of the apses seem to match.

 

[David Tallan]

Day 18: Santervás de Campos to Grajal de Campos
13 km (although closer to 18k by the end of the day)

Jose Miguel and I left at about 6:50 again. Once again it was a short and straightforward walk, first alongside the road leading out of town, then along a dirt road by fields, and finally, by a river to Grajal. When we got there at about 9:30 or 10, we sat in a plaza in the shade and made some bocadillos to refresh ourselves before setting off to find the albergue, which wasn't hard to find. While sitting in the plaza, I looked up the castle on Google to see when it was open. It turned out the way to see the castle was to book a guided tour of the palace, the church, and the castle for €7, which they suggested you do from the website. Available times were 11 and 5. That turned out to be a bit if a mistake. On the one hand, because the credit card company wanted to authenticate by my Canadian cell phone number, which ended up costing me $15 for a day's roaming charges. On the other hand because the tour guide wasn't ready to do an 11 o'clock tour, being in the doctor's office, and when I said I would be fine with the 5 o'clock tour, really didn't want to do a tour for one person, none of which you could tell when booking online.

In any case, the albergue was easy to find, being connected to and a sort of a part of the palace. The hospitaleros were nice, one, a very meticulous fellow, was showing the procedures to another. Once I was in, I said goodbye to Jose Miguel, who was headed on to Sahagun where he would be joined by some friends from his university days.

I discovered that the albergue had wifi and so, with the tour postponed, I spent the time resting, catching up on things, and uploading photos and videos from the last few days (I don't like to upload videos over data), with a break at about 1:30 for lunch at a nearby recommended meson. While I was there, I met one of the hospitaleros (the one who seemed to be in training) who said that if the tour guide wasn't ready to show up for one, he would be a second, or that he could let me into the palace from the albergue at least.

As it turned out, the tour guide showed up at 5 and was ready to give a tour. Also, that was the time my stomach started acting up. I was ready for it to be a bit if a shorter tour, for just me (or just me and the hospitalero, because I don't know if he had paid for his tour), but with my stomach acting up and feeling quite weak, I was even more ready for a short tour. Unfortunately, the hospitalero was a very talkative fellow and for every minute the tour guide spent explaining things to me in a room, he would spend three explaining things to her before we could move on.

The palace was quite interesting, a Renaissance palace of the Counts of Grajal which is in the process of being restored. It connects to the church, and one of the rooms in the palace overlooks the church interior, like a box seat in the theatre. The church was nice, but probably only worth seeing as part of the package.

The castle was also interesting. It served no defensive purpose because Grajal was under no threat when it was built in in the early 16th century. No one lived in it, because they lived in the nearby palace. It was built purely as a demonstration of power. It was designed as an artillery castle, for the use of cannons, one of which remains. It isn't a tall castle with low featureless stopping walls and large round towers at the corners. There is no main entrance, just a small gate by one of the towers leading to a room with windows for cannons to shoot out of, a hole in the ceiling, and stairs up to a similar room. On the third level there is a door out to the battlements. At this point you can see that the interior ground level is at the same level of the battlements. If anyone tried to beach the castle walls to the interior of the square, they would just hit dirt. The way into the other three towers is from the top.

After the tour, I was feeling quite ill so, after taking some imodium, I lay down.

While this is a very nice albergue, there are two things to be aware of: laundry facilities haven't really been thought of so you will be washing any clothes in the sink without really a placevto hang them; and the only outlets are in the bathrooms so if you come with a CPAP machine, this is not the albergue for you. I left my phone charging in the bathroom while I lay in my misery.

Eventually I got up and emptied my stomach. Feeling a little better for a while I typed this out. I hope I am much better tomorrow. Fortunately, the walk into Sahagun is a short 6 km from here.

Photos below:
- looking at Grajal from the riverside walk
- the albergue and palace
- the grand staircase in the palace
- studs on the palace doors shaped like the shells of Santiago
- Grajal castle

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Gosh, David T. I'm not sure how I missed seeing this thread, but have only now just discovered it and am eager to follow along as the Madrid camino has been lurking somewhere in the back of my mind.
I have a lot of catching up to do!

 

[mla1]

@David Tallan I am sorry you are not feeling great. I hope you get a good night’s sleep and a good recovery day in Sahagun.

 

[David Tallan]

@David Tallan I am sorry you are not feeling great. I hope you get a good night’s sleep and a good recovery day in Sahagun.

I was pretty sick well into rhe night but things seem considerably better in the morning. It's a real short walk today and I think I will pass on the detour I had been considering to San Pedro de las Dueñas. (But for those reading the thread planning future Caminos de Madrid and staying in Grajal de Campos, it is certainly something to consider. It ups the walk into Sahagun to all of 9 km, adding 3, but adds a 10th century church/monastery.)

 

[JabbaPapa]

(But for those reading the thread planning future Caminos de Madrid and staying in Grajal de Campos, it is certainly something to consider. It ups the walk into Sahagun to all of 9 km, adding 3, but adds a 10th century church/monastery.)

On my way down the other way last year, I stayed in Grajal, Melgar de Arriba, Santervás, Tamariz de Campos, and of course Villalón. I am very slow.

I can't really remember the Albergue at Grajal, so I guess nothing special and just normal -- but the pueblo itself is lovely !!

The Albergue at Melgar was closed for renovations, but they opened it specially for me by exception -- if those renovations are finished, it should be a nice enough Albergue now ; and the village association bar there is truly excellent !! The main reason to stop at Melgar going up the "normal" way would of course be to take the variant to Bercianos del Real Camino, skip Sahagún, and shave a day off the hiking.

Tamariz de Campos should be considered as nothing other than an emergency safety net place. It's more refugio than albergue -- though the bar manager / hospitalero is a great guy, and well worth making at least a short stop for refreshments if he's open.

 

[JabbaPapa]

I definitely remember a small grocery store in Santervás

It seems that covid killed both that little grocery store and the normal village bar. Neither were there last year either.

 

[David Tallan]

On my way down the other way last year, I stayed in Grajal, Melgar de Arriba, Santervás, Tamariz de Campos, and of course Villalón. I am very slow.

I can't really remember the Albergue at Grajal, so I guess nothing special and just normal -- but the pueblo itself is lovely !!

The Albergue at Melgar was closed for renovations, but they opened it specially for me by exception -- if those renovations are finished, it should be a nice enough Albergue now ; and the village association bar there is truly excellent !! The main reason to stop at Melgar going up the "normal" way would of course be to take the variant to Bercianos del Real Camino, skip Sahagún, and shave a day off the hiking.

Tamariz de Campos should be considered as nothing other than an emergency safety net place. It's more refugio than albergue -- though the bar manager / hospitalero is a great guy, and well worth making at least a short stop for refreshments if he's open.

The albergue in Grajal is attached to the palace and is part of the palace complex. I've heard various stories, one of which is that it is in what once was the palace jail. You can certainly open a door at the end of the dormitory and walk into the palace proper. I think that is what draws people to this particular albergue.

 

[JabbaPapa]

The albergue in Grajal is attached to the palace and is part of the palace complex.

I hadn't looked at your photos, and it jogged the memory. Yeah, that albergue is OK, despite the lack of a kitchen as such -- the beds are nice.

 

[alansykes]

'You climb this to the Fuenfria Pass (Puerto de la Fuenfría), which, at 1796m is the highest point in any Spanish Camino'

but don't forget the Complutense (which isn't mentioned much on this forum). You can see on the attached screenshot from Mapy.cz that it goes to about 2030m

As well as the Puerto del Reventón on the Complutense (2039m altitude) there is also the Col des Moines variant of the Chemin d'Arles, not far from Somport, at 2150m. The picture is looking back at the Pic d'Ayous (in France) from the Spanish side of the Col des Moines, where monks welcomed pilgrims across the Pyreneen watershed for almost a millennium.

 

[peregrino_tom]

And here's the path (sorry couldn't resist..!) NB The big one is Pic du Midi d'Ossau surely?

 

[JabbaPapa]

there is also the Col des Moines variant of the Chemin d'Arles, not far from Somport, at 2150m.

More hiking trail and Pyrenean Crest Trail than Way of Saint James nowadays, but you're right -- its name would be the Camino del Puerto de Jaca or Chemin des Moines rather than the Arles Way. Quite the tertiary route though !!

 

[Laurie Sanantone]

It seems that covid killed both that little grocery store and the normal village bar. Neither were there last year either.

The bar in Santervas was open a month ago, at least around mid-late afternoon.

 

[David Tallan]

Day 19: Grajal de Campos to Sahagun
7 km (although about 11.5 km by the end of the day)

Well, last night was quite the night with 4 or 5 trips to the bathroom to throw up. I'm glad Jose Miguel had moved on and I was the only pilgrim in the albergue. Needless to say, not a great night's sleep but I was feeling somewhat better in the morning. I was glad that I had decided to stay, both for not subjecting a lot of pilgrim's to what was going on at night and the extra short walk today.

Once again a pretty straightforward walk by fields took me to Sahagun by 9 or 9:30. I was glad for the short walk because I certainly wasn't feeling 100% today. I don't knowcif it is lingering stomach bug or I just didn't have the fuel, having got rid of it all the night before and not really replenished it. I want to be careful what I eat today and stick to foods recommended for recovering stomachs. So, since the albergue didn't open until 12:30, first stop was a supermarket to buy sports drink, plain tostada, and bananas. Then I rested a while on a bench in the shade waiting for places to see to open at 10:30. Unfortunately, the two Mudéjar churches I wanted to see were closed. I could see the exteriors but they were locked up tight. I will have to just remember my visits in 1989 and 2016. Then I went over to the Sanctuary of the Pilgrim Virgin, which I had passed by on the way into town. They told me that to get my completion certificate for the Camino de Madrid, I needed to go to the Tourist Office, that was located in the Municipal albergue. So that was another walk across town. At the tourist office I got my certificate, and also confirmation that the Church of San Tirso would not be opening today . I walked back, through the weekly market, to the albergue I had picked, the Albergue de Peregrinos Santa Cruz, run in a Benedictine convent by som Marist Fathers, and waited on a bench in the shade for the half hour until it opened.

When it opened, we sat through an overview of the albergue, the rules, and what was on offer (optionally: a Pilgrim Cafe at 5, a Pilgrim Mass at 6 or 6:30, I can't remember, a Pilgrim Blessing at 7, and a communal meal at 8). In the room were many times more pilgrims than I had seen on my entire Camino de Madrid.

Then it was time to have the shower, do the laundry (they have a washing machine), and otherwise take care of the daily necessities. After that, rest time.

My Camino de Madrid is officially over. I've got a few days on the Camino Frances before I pick up the San Salvador and Primitivo.

Photos below:
- the walk to Sahagun
- the Mudéjar church of San Lorenzo
- the Mudéjar church of San Tirso
- a chapel in the Sanctuary of the Pilgrim Virgin
- Camino street art in Sahagun (Camino Frances)

 

[jungleboy]

Sorry you’ve been under the weather but congratulations on finishing the first part of this brilliant triple camino!

 

[alansykes]

Yes, hope you recover soon. I had what sounds a very similar unpleasantness last year just south of Mérida. After a really horrible night and slightly feeble day, I was 100% by the next morning. Hope you will be too. [And yes Tom, my brain fart: of course that's Midi d'Ossau - and the subsidiary trail is sometimes called la voie d'Ossau].

 

[Laurie Sanantone]

Glad you are feeling a bit better, David, and I hope you feel completely recovered by tomorrow morning.
About your certificate – – this is so strange! Based on older posts, I expected to have to go to the tourist office for my certificate. But when I passed by the Sactuary last month, I was able to obtain my certificate there. In fact, many pilgrims who were walking to Frances were there as well.
So be aware, pilgrims, that this seems to change frequently. You could stop in whichever place is closest to you, and be prepared to be directed elsewhere.

 

[VNwalking]

Wow, the vale of stomach misery. May you come ot of it soon! So nice to read your progress, David, and may your onward Camino be a joy.

 

[JabbaPapa]

The bar in Santervas was open a month ago, at least around mid-late afternoon.

The Association bar is open on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. So glad to hear that you were in luck !!

Before covid there was also a normal village bar, but it was killed by the lockdown.

 

[Laurie Sanantone]

The Association bar is open on Saturdays, Sundays,

And sometimes Thursdays

 

[JabbaPapa]

Please keep forthcoming reports in this thread !!

It's the Madrid Way, no matter which way you go ...

 

[David Tallan]

Glad you are feeling a bit better, David, and I hope you feel completely recovered by tomorrow morning.
About your certificate – – this is so strange! Based on older posts, I expected to have to go to the tourist office for my certificate. But when I passed by the Sactuary last month, I was able to obtain my certificate there. In fact, many pilgrims who were walking to Frances were there as well.
So be aware, pilgrims, that this seems to change frequently. You could stop in whichever place is closest to you, and be prepared to be directed elsewhere.

At the Sanctuary you get the half way certificate for the Frances. But that wasn't applicable to me. They sent me to the tourist office for the completion certificate for the Camino Madrid, which is about Sahagun as the destination and assumes you have come to Sahagun for the saints relics that are here.

 

[David Tallan]

Please keep forthcoming reports in this thread !!

It's the Madrid Way, no matter which way you go ...

It makes sense to me to have the parts describing the San Salvador and Primitivo sections of my walk in the forums devoted to those routes, but I am happy to put them wherever the moderators deem best.

 

[Laurie Sanantone]

That’s the one I got, David. Others were getting the Frances halfway cert. I told the lady at the desk I’d just finished the Madrid, and she pulled one out of the cabinet.

 

[peregrina2000]

It makes sense to me to have the parts describing the San Salvador and Primitivo sections of my walk in the forums devoted to those routes,

We can easily link all of the threads, but for purposes of helping others, it’s much better to split each section up into its own subforum. Maybe keep Sahagun to León on this thread and then start a new one in the Salvador and Primitivo subforums.

Enhorabuena y buen camino, @David Tallan.

 

[nycwalking]

It’s best to have illness out than in.

Feel better.

Buen Camino.

 

[David Tallan]

Day 20: Sahagun to El Burgo Ranero
18.3 km (Continuing with the Camino Frances interlude)

There were only three of us in the room last night but one of us was the Snorer Supreme. Well, it made it easier for me to get up early this morning and I was on the road at a quarter to six. It's a high of 35° today and I wanted to finish before the heat of the day set in. As it turned out, I arrived at my destination at around 10:15 when it was only 23° or 24°, so mission accomplished.

I had to get back into the habit of packing everything up the night before and just grabbing my sleep sack, charger and backpack and slipping out of the room in the morning. One of my roommates had said he also wanted to leave before six, but he was still sleeping when I left so I think I was successful in keeping my departure stealthy.

This was a typical day of meseta walking: long, straight, gravel paths near long straight rarely traveled (except by bicycle pilgrims) roads, with large fields to the side. The path today was lined with trees on the left. That, of course, means that in the morning with the sun on our right, the pilgrim casts their shadow on the tree rather than visa versa. You would think that, with the vast majority of Pilgrims walking in the morning this would be backwards. But remember that the heat of the day is in the afternoon. There may be fewer pilgrims then, but they are in much more need of the shade.

For most of the walk I was by myself, with no other pilgrims in sight. But I did see various other pilgrims while I was walking. There was a Spanish pilgrimbi kept leapfrogging, and a mother/daughter pair who had stopped by the side of the road for some breakfast, and another pilgrim I very gradually caught up to and passed. All in all, more than all of the pilgrims I saw while walking the Camino Madrid combined.

It was ten or eleven km to Bercianos de Real Camino and another seven and change to El Burgo Ranero. I paused at a rest stop a few km before Bercianos for some water, a banana, and some tostada. I stopped again in Berxianos for a cafe con leche and pincho of tortilla. My first real food since the day before yesterday. We will see how my stomach accepts it. It was feeling much better this morning, so I am hopeful.

In the meantime, I am sitting in the shade on a bench in front of the albergue, which opens at one. There is a friendly cat next to me. Life isn't too bad.

PS. The albergue hospitalera wasn't too happy about the cat lying on her rug and shedding hairs. She tried to chase it away. A fellow pilgrim was having bone of that and as soon as the hospitalera went back inside, brought it back again

Photos below:
- leaving Sahagun
- Camino sunrise
- Ermita of Oir Lady of Perales
- Bercianos del Real Camino
- first sight of El Burgo Ranero
- friendly cat

 

[David Tallan]

The very tasty cheeseburger at La Costa del Adobe, while delicious, was overambitious.

 

[David Tallan]

Day 21: El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas (and a bit around town) Interlude continues
22.9 km

The albergue in El Burgo Ranero was very nice, as were the hospitaleras. There were plenty of pilgrims, but they all seemed to stay in their little rooms, reducing the opportunities for pilgrim interaction, which I had been looking forward to after the Camino Madrid. Eventually, an English pilgrim, Jamie showed up interested in cena and I asked him if he wanted to join me for that. We went to La Costa del Adobe, which had come highly recommended, and joined a table with an American woman, traveling with her niece, who had actually been the first pilgrims I had met after leaving Sahagun. We were later joined by a Dutch pilgrim and the niece, so I ended up having some nice pilgrim interaction after all. On the way back to the albergue I noticed that one of the straps in one of my sandals that is supposed to be permanently attached to the sole, no longer is.

The food was really good, but it became clear this morning that I was overambitious in returning to a regular diet and ordering the cheeseburger. So I am back to tostada, rice, and bananas (I wasn't able to find applesauce in the Dia supermarket except in tiny baby food jars). I think I will try this for a day or two and then see how bland I can get regular meals. Maybe chicken.

What with the morning digestive troubles, I was one of the last to leave the albergue at 6. It seems most pilgrims weren't quite ready to wait until 6 as requested.

To keep my mind off my digestive system as I walked I decided to listen to some podcasts I had downloaded before setting off on this Camino - Camino podcasts, of course. The English fellow I had eaten with kept leapfrogging me during the walk. He walks a bit faster than I do, but stops every once in a while.

It was a solid 13 km to Reliegos, where I was hoping to find an open bar for an Aquarius and a washroom. Actually, I was hoping Bar Elvis would be open, so I passed what looked like an open bar at the very beginning of town. I was hoping to see the graffiti I had added (with the owner's permission, even encouragement) on my 2016 Camino with Toby. But no such luck. Bar Elvis was closed as were all of the other bars or cafes in downtown Reliegos. I sat in the shade on a park bench and drank some water.

From there, it was just under 7 km to Mansilla de las Mulas. The albergue I'm staying at (Gaia, at the entrance to the town) opens at 1:00 and I arrived closer to 10 so I headed into town to run some shopping errands and check things out. I went to a pharmacy to restock my Imodium (and remembered to put on my mask this time, a Camino design purchased from Ivar's store), and went to Dia to get some easily digestible food, passing some of the churches on the way. Then I checked out the town's walls. Then I headed over to the albergue to see if there was a shaded bench where I could wait until it opened. There wasn't, but there was a municipal building nearby that holds, among other things, the town library. So I headed over their to sit in the library until opening time. Then it was do the usual pilgrim cleanliness chores and type this out.

I've decided, as I attempt to sort out my digestive system, to add a rest day in Leon before undertaking the San Salvador. That will put me in Muxia on July 25th, unless there are other changes.

Photos below:
- mist in the morning
- sunrise
- the long road, curving into Reliegos
- pilgrim monument in Mansilla de las Mulas
- the walls of Mansilla de las Mulas

 

[peregrina2000]

I've decided, as I attempt to sort out my digestive system, to add a rest day in Leon before undertaking the San Salvador.

Good idea. I’m sure you’ve seen most of the major attractions, but if you haven’t been to the Museo de León, I’d highly recommend it! Based on your posts, I think you’d enjoy it.

 

[JabbaPapa]

What with the morning digestive troubles

This sort of thing seems to be not uncommon in that area.

I seem to have avoided it on my walk back towards France last year, though I had other troubles instead !!

The ONE thing that pilgrims should learn in El Burgo Ranero, after 1) the excellent Albergue 2) the li'l shop opposite 3) Church and how nice the pueblo actually is -- is 4) the 24/7/365 great food etc. at the petrol station just before town.

The albergue I'm staying at (Gaia, at the entrance to the town)

Has the big private one been rebuilt yet ?

Top Tip -- for supplies, if all else fails, make your way to the petrol station southerly. Excellent coffee there too !!

 

[David Tallan]

This sort of thing seems to be not uncommon in that area.

I seem to have avoided it on my walk back towards France last year, though I had other troubles instead !!

The ONE thing that pilgrims should learn in El Burgo Ranero, after 1) the excellent Albergue 2) the li'l shop opposite 3) Church and how nice the pueblo actually is -- is 4) the 24/7/365 great food etc. at the petrol station just before town.

Has the big private one been rebuilt yet ?

Top Tip -- for supplies, if all else fails, make your way to the petrol station southerly. Excellent coffee there too !!

Good to remember about petrol stations!

 

[David Tallan]

Day 22: Mansilla de las Mulas to León
18 km + tasks and tourism = 30+ km

I went to bed quite early in Mansilla, so I was pretty well rested and ready to go when I got up at about 5:30 and I was on the road at about 5:45. It was still dark and cool but it is pretty easy to keep to the path when you are just walking g on a senda beside the road.

At the beginning I was leapfrogging a couple of peregrinas but after a bit they were joined out of nowhere by a third pilgrim and, where the Camini offered a choice of paths, I joined them and we walked together from there into Leon. The time always seems to go by faster when you walk in company and it didn't seem long until we arrived. I'm pretty sure the route into town has changed since I walked it with Toby in 2016. That walk up the hill I remember that ended in the miraculous donativo table didn't seem to be there this year.

The weather was cool pretty much throughout the walk. In fact, at different times both of the peregrinas put on sweaters or jackets because they were cold!

I was kicking myself because I had reserved at an albergue right at the entrance to town and walking into town only to walk out and in again seemed like such a waste. Fortunately, one of my companions encouraged me to cancel the reservation and find a place downtown, which I did. I ended up staying in the convent where I had gotten credentials for Toby and I in 2016. This time I got a credential for the San Salvador. There are several pilgrims I recognized from the past few days staying there, as well as some news ones I met, two of which I shared a washing machine with. The pilgrims I walked into town with are staying at a hotel that has massage chairs, something they are really looking forward to.

Speaking of hotels, I realized I am always doing hotels wrong when I take rest days. My natural tendency is to come into town and go to an albergue on my walking day and then move to a hotel on my rest day. But that is really backwards for how I should do it. It means I have to be back early on the night before my rest day and up and out early on my rest day. Much better would be to stay in a hotel for my first night and the albergue for my second night. Then I can stay out the night and sleep in the next day, and I have to leave early when I want to in order to get walking anyway. We'll see if I can manage that for Oviedo.

After checking in to the albegue, showering, and arranging for laundry (as mentioned, shared with a couple of other peregrinos), I headed into town to get some chores done. First item of business was to get some new sandals because one of the pair I brought with me had fallen apart, a staple coming detached from the sole. Next was to check out where the start if the San Salvador is. Third was to do some banking, at the bank that doesn't seem to charge a service fee. Then back to the albergue to pick up and sort out my laundry and rest a bit.

Ar about 3:00, I set out to do some sightseeing only to find that everything seemed to be closed until 4:00. So I bought myself a bite to eat to pass the time. First stop was the Leon Museum, recommended to me on the Camino Forums based on what I seem to like. It tells the story of the region from earliest prehistory through the present through items and artifacts. Let's just say lots of photos were taken. After that was the Leon Cathedral and Museum. Leon cathedral remains my favourite cathedral on the Camino, perhaps my favourite in Spain. The Museum was also fantastic, especially for anyone interested in medieval art. Unfortunately, they have a no photography rule and I have never found it more difficult to follow a rule.

On the way out if the cathedral Plaza, I happened to notice a (relatively) young couple talking to a camera on a tripod. They noticed me noticing them. "Come and join our live!", they called. I sat down beside them and chatted with them a bit about our Caminos. They are on Day 32 from St. Jean Pied de Port. Apparently, we were live on YouTube on their channel: CaminoTellers.

On the way into Leon, one of the pilgrims I was walking with mentioned it was fiesta time in Leon and there would be various concerts and events. One that sounded particularly interesting was a demonstration of traditional dances at 8:00. That's where I am now, although I have to be mindful of the albergue curfew at 10:30. I will probably leave at about 9:00.

Back in the albergue after a nice hour or so watching the dancing. Some of the figures I recognized from some of the more traditional dancing I've done. I got some video of some of most of the dances I saw, although of course, I missed getting video from a couple of the mist interesting ones.

Plans for tomorrow include moving to the hotel, the Basilica de San Isidoro and attached Pantheon, planning for my upcoming Caminos, and rest.

Photos below:
- first sights of Leon
- Leon city walls
- Parador San Marco
- pilgrim monument
- 15th C Santiago Peregrino from the Leon Museum

Other photos from today will likely show up in tomorrow's post.

 

[David Tallan]

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the main plan for today was to visit the Museo San Isidoro with the royal Pantheon. That's also one of the reasons i pocked the hotel that i did, right across from it. I left it for today because it made sense to visit it when i was staying right across the plaza. I wandered over this morning to check out the opening times and saw this:


That's today's plans scotched. I really should have been in the hotel yesterday. I guess today will be a truly restful day.

 

[Albertagirl]

I am very excited to find your Camino de Madrid posts. I walked that route some years ago, followed by a week on the Frances to Ponferrada and my final two weeks on the Invierno. I have recently returned from serving as a hospitalera, followed by a walk north from Merida to Santiago. I find that I want to return once again to the Madrid, the Frances from Sahagun to Ponferrada, and the Invierno to Santiago. With your posts and Gronze, and Brierley for the Invierno, I hope to be able to follow this route once again, beginning in Madrid in mid-September and arriving once again in Santiago in November. Any good advice will be much appreciated.

 

[jungleboy]

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the main plan for today was to visit the Museo San Isidoro with the royal Pantheon. That's also one of the reasons i pocked the hotel that i did, right across from it. I left it for today because it made sense to visit it when i was staying right across the plaza. I wandered over this morning to check out the opening times and saw this:
View attachment 150622

That's today's plans scotched. I really should have been in the hotel yesterday. I guess today will be a truly restful day.

Such a shame but I trust that you have been there before.

 

[MikeJS]

I am very excited to find your Camino de Madrid posts. I walked that route some years ago, followed by a week on the Frances to Ponferrada and my final two weeks on the Invierno. I have recently returned from serving as a hospitalera, followed by a walk north from Merida to Santiago. I find that I want to return once again to the Madrid, the Frances from Sahagun to Ponferrada, and the Invierno to Santiago. With your posts and Gronze, and Brierley for the Invierno, I hope to be able to follow this route once again, beginning in Madrid in mid-September and arriving once again in Santiago in November. Any good advice will be much appreciated.

I plan to start the Madrid on 12 Sep and then on to the first part of the San Salvador and then to the final part of the Olvidado as I missed those 2 sections out last time!

 

[David Tallan]

Such a shame but I trust that you have been there before.

Two or three times.

 

[David Tallan]

I am very excited to find your Camino de Madrid posts. I walked that route some years ago, followed by a week on the Frances to Ponferrada and my final two weeks on the Invierno. I have recently returned from serving as a hospitalera, followed by a walk north from Merida to Santiago. I find that I want to return once again to the Madrid, the Frances from Sahagun to Ponferrada, and the Invierno to Santiago. With your posts and Gronze, and Brierley for the Invierno, I hope to be able to follow this route once again, beginning in Madrid in mid-September and arriving once again in Santiago in November. Any good advice will be much appreciated.

Ray and Rosa also have a Camino de Madrid Guide: Ray y Rosa’s Guide. They sent me an updated table of albergues including which were open and which weren't that was very helpful in planning the side trip to La Santa Espina, when Gronze was still listing it as closed.

It is fairly well marked, or signed, or whatever the correct verb is, but it can be helpful to have the GPS tracks. Of course, if you read my posts you'll know that sometimes the GPS tracks led me astray, too. I tended to prefer the yellow arrows but resorted to the GPS if I worried I hadn't seen one in too long or got to an intersection and didn't see where to go.

I found there was also plenty of infrastructure except for one day (end point: Santa Maria la Real) where there wasn't an albergue so I had to resort to a hostal.

You certainly need some Spanish but mine is terrible and I got by and with the other routes you've walked I don't expect this will be a problem for you.

 

[David Tallan]

Day 23: León rest day
11 km with not much to show for it

Got up early with everyone else. Lights were on by 6. So there wasn't much of a sleep in at the albergue. The check in time at my hotel is supposed to be 3:00. I intended to show up earlier and see if I could drop off my backpack and poles, but I figured 7 am might be pushing it. I wandered around for a bit. Then I went to check out the opening times for San Isidoro, which was why I picked this particular hotel (across the plaza) only to find that, by Act of the European Union, it had been closed for a few days, starting today. So there went my plans for today.

The folk at the hotel were nice and when I came to drop off my stuff gave me a room that hadn't been occupied the previous night so I didn't have to wait until check in time. I spent most of my day lying in bed and resting, except when I was out wandering looking for food. My idea of easing into things beyond toast and rice and bananas was fresh vegetables (which I probably really needed) and chicken as a meat (because I had the idea thatbit is an easier meat to digest). I had seen a number of chicken places yesterday but Google kept taking me to places it said were open but were closed. The alternatives weren't open until 7. So I bought some mixed salad for lunch with a bit of tuna on top. Hopefully that will be better than a cheeseburger. I tried again at 7, but all the places Google said would be open at 7 were not. Hence the 11 km more or less wasted throughout the day. I ended up with a chicken breast sandwich for supper and more salad. Oh, and some cherries I bought at the local market. There was a lady with a whole table covered with them. They were all she was selling. So I bought a few.

The hotel is associated with a restaurant very close by. To check in or out, you go to the restaurant. So I will have to go there in about a half hour to enquire what I should do with my room key if I want to leave before the restaurant is open.

Boring day. But I will finish with some photos from yesterday's more interesting day that I didn't post yesterday. And tomorrow should be more interesting as I start the San Salvador, heading to La Robla. But you'll find those posts in the San Salvador sub-forum.

Photos below:
- Cathedral
- Cathedral interior
- Cathedral cloisters
- Camino related street art
- lion (Leon is actually named after legions not lions)
- traditional dancers

 

[MikeJS]

I found there was also plenty of infrastructure except for one day (end point: Santa Maria la Real) where there wasn't an albergue so I had to resort to a hostal.

Rayyrosa’s guide shows an Albergue at SMlRdN? - https://www.rayyrosa.com/camino-de-madrid/segovia/santa-maria-real-nieva/albergues

 

[David Tallan]

Rayyrosa’s guide shows an Albergue at SMlRdN? - https://www.rayyrosa.com/camino-de-madrid/segovia/santa-maria-real-nieva/albergues

There was, but as is shown in the most recent table I got from them, it has been closed.

 

[MikeJS]

There was, but as is shown in the most recent table I got from them, it has been closed.View attachment 150722

Thank you. Silly me thought the web site would be up to date…...

 

[David Tallan]

If you connect to Ray and Rosa by WhatsApp they can send you an updated one if it changes before your Camino.

Edited by moderator to add: Here is a link to the continuation of @David Tallan´s camino as he has transitioned to the Camino del Salvador from León.

 

[MikeJS]

Very useful report, thank you.

In S M la R de N you stayed at the Hostal Avanto but ate in the Gastro bar. I think the Hostal has a ‘restaurant’ so did you not eat there for a specific reason? I think it is also possible to go on the extra 2km to Nieva and stay at an AirBnB there.

 

[David Tallan]

Very useful report, thank you.

In S M la R de N you stayed at the Hostal Avanto but ate in the Gastro bar. I think the Hostal has a ‘restaurant’ so did you not eat there for a specific reason? I think it is also possible to go on the extra 2km to Nieva and stay at an AirBnB there.

Looking back at the day, I went to SM la R de N first during the day, to see the sights there, and then back to Hostal Avanto later, since it was a distance away and I didn't want to do too much walking back and forth between them. I ate comida (2 pm) in the town and cena (8:30 pm) at the Hostal. A menu in both cases. I wasn't checking Air BnB so I didn't know about the place in Nieva.

When I scrolled back, I didn't see the daily report for that day (June 12th). Did I add it later?

 

[Anniesantiago]

Day 1:

I didn't get as much sleep as I had hoped last night. Although I was falling asleep in the early evening, after I had a bite to eat at the Mercado de San Miguel (Madrid's St. Lawrence, although selling prepared food mostly rather than ingredients - a kight tapas sipper there was more wxpensive than most dinners will be, and i lomited myself to thr cheapest offerings) and had a glass of Tinto de Verano (like sangria) on the rooftop bar at the hostel, I found it much more difficult to drift off. It wasn't helped by the others in my room who came in around midnight and, although they were whispering, made enormous amounts of noise with their things for what seemed like an hour.

Surprisingly, although I got out of bed at 7 am today, I was the last to leave the room.

I took the metro to Plaza de Castilla and started to walk from there. It was another km and a half, though, before I saw my first yellow arrow, after the four tall skyscrapers near the Hospital La Paz.

From there I followed the yellow arrows through the suburbs to the suburbs of Montecarmelo where they finally became plentiful and reliable. Motecarmelo is where I stopped for breakfast, about 8 km into the day's walk. I had cafe con lecjlhe and pan con tomate (toast with tomato). The latter is a common Spanish breakfast which, surprisingly, I've never had, always going the croissant or tortilla route. It was good. The tomato is refreshing after a walk.

On the other side of Montecarmelo you cross another highway and then you are finally in the countryside. The wildflowers in this part of the walk were really an outstanding part of the day.

After this bit you start walking next to the train tracks. This is where I saw the horses and sheep that Rosie would love, especially the horses right by the path in patting distance.

For the rest of the walk you walk beside the train tracks or between the train tracks and the highway. But there were still plenty of very nice views. At one point, I stopped in the shade of an underpass to drink some water and took off my shoes and socks to dry my feet and socks. Much more comfortable after that. I've read about others doing so on their Caminos but it has never been something I've done. Will definitely do again.

The Camino passes by Tres Cantos but doesn't actually go through it. So you have to divert off it and cross a bridge if you are staying in Tres Cantos or are stopping for food or water. That point was clearly marked by Mision Emmanuel, where I am staying, with their own painted directions. Once you cross the bridge, you start seeing yellow arrows alongside the Mision signs (red painted crosses and arrows).

The mission is a nice place, very hospitable. It is a donativo (if they accept donations, I have to ask about that). They provide for pilgrims, refugees, and others in need. There is the main building and several outbuildings, one of which us a chapel where they laid down a mattress for my use tonight.

Shower and laundry done, I'm ready to relax a bit.



Photos below:
- First yellow arrows by Hospital La Paz
- Signage gets much better as you enter the suburb of Montecarmelo
- About to leave Montecarmelo, on the other side of the highway just countryside and, toward the horizon, the mountains I think will be in my future a few days from now
- Some of the pretty wildflowers that were a highlight of the day
- Horses by the side of the path, in petting distance, that would have been a highlight for my daughter Rosie
- Even where you are between the railway and the highway the path isn't too bad
- The signage pointing to where you cross the bridge into Tres Cantos, pointed out in red paint by the signs pointing to where I am sleeping tonight

View attachment 148899 View attachment 148900 View attachment 148901 View attachment 148902 View attachment 148903 View attachment 148904 View attachment 148905

David, how far in advance (and how) did you make reservations at the Mission?

 

[David Tallan]

David, how far in advance (and how) did you make reservations at the Mission?

I think a few days. I don't think a lot of notice is needed so long as they are expecting you. Accommodations are spartan, though.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I think a few days. I don't think a lot of notice is needed so long as they are expecting you. Accommodations are spartan, though.

Was it really a blow up mattress as someone in Gronze says?

 

[David Tallan]

Was it really a blow up mattress as someone in Gronze says?

It was a mattress on the floor. I don't remember it being an inflatable mattress.

 

[Anniesantiago]

It was a mattress on the floor. I don't remember it being an inflatable mattress.

Ok thanks. I don't mind the mattress on the floor, but someone on Gronze mentioned it was an inflatable that all the air came out of by morning! lol! I wasn't to excited about that.

 

[David Tallan]

Ok thanks. I don't mind the mattress on the floor, but someone on Gronze mentioned it was an inflatable that all the air came out of by morning! lol! I wasn't to excited about that.

It may have been inflatable but if so, it didn't deflate overnight.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

It may have been inflatable but if so, it didn't deflate overnight.

I've had that happen at home before and it ain't fun!

 

[Albertagirl]

I've had that happen a couple of days walk into Banff National Park. I had to walk back to the start of the trail, take a bus into Banff, and buy a new inflatable mattress, before I could return to the trail.