LIVE from the Camino My favourite Camino so far (Mozarabe Almería - Mérida 17 Feb - 19 Mar)

[Cynistra]

After 28 days of walking (and some days of city relaxing), I have finished the Camino Mozarabe! My favourite Camino so far, but would it be yours?
You can see day-by-day photos and more detailed info on my Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/karol_vloe?igsh=MXJ6d2Y0b3NkZmVwbw==
But here's some more general impressions and tips:

1. A camino for getting away from the crowds. Whether you're an introvert, want time for quiet reflection or just the luxury of sitting in a beautiful landscape all by yourself, this is the camino for you. However, if you need the buzz of people around you and people to chat to, being a friend or make sure you speak Spanish if you want to talk to the locals. While walking, I've never seen more than four other pilgrims in one day - and never at the same time. Of course it is still off season, and part of this is luck of the draw, but I do believe it is also just the way it is on this Camino (at least for now). I've had more than one Albergue owner enthusiastically tell me about the time they had five or even six pilgrims in their Albergue in one night!
2. You are not the target audience. With the exception of the albergues and the camino association, noone is particularly concerned about catering to pilgrims, which makes all the sense in the world considering the numbers.
   • The bars and shops are open when it's convenient for the locals, not when it makes sense for you.
   • Siesta is real, much more so than on the Camino frances or camino portugues. If you arrive at some point between 4 and 8.30, you may not be able to eat out (although if you ask you can probably get some bread). If you arrive between 2 and 5, the shops may not be open.
   • The only bar in town is probably not on the Camino route, and will also not be conveniently signposted from the camino. Check your map (although see point 3) and ask the locals (in Spanish, don't count on them speaking English - and that includes bar, hotel and albergue owners).
   • Bars and restaurants often don't have a written menu in English, or a menu at all. Even if there is a written list, it probably won't include the menu del dia, the most cost effective option. You'll be given the options in rapid Spanish, and be expected to follow along. My Spanish is decent, but even so I found it easier to just ask if they had a local speciality, or otherwise just have whatever they recommended (and I'm glad I did, I had some amazing food this way I'd never have thought to order). But if you're a picky eater, this of course won't be an option.
   • If you're vegetarian or vegan, really consider staying places with a kitchen or cooking yourself. There often isn't a veggie option, and even things that may sound vegetarian from the description often come with bacon, or have been cooked in chicken stock, and so on. If you insist on a vegetarian option, some restaurants don't seem to have much qualms about charging you 8-10 euro for what is basically a supermarket salad plated up.
   • Supermarkets aren't really stocked with pilgrims in mind. I've struggled at points to find things like cereal bars, or with finding things in smallish quantities (eg I don't really want to cart around half a kilo of biscuits or 6 cans of tuna)
   • Most churches are locked, although I'll admit I made zero effort to try and find someone to open them
   • Museums/ Centros de Interpretación (think mini-museum) in smaller towns have "interesting" opening hours (think: only on Wednesday, only Saturday morning), or can only be visited by appointment
3. Always, always bring your own food. I've encountered all of the following:
   • A bar on Google maps simply not existing
   • The bar exists, but it's actually two blocks away from it's location on Google maps
   • The bar exists, but is closed; despite its opening times on Google maps/ advised by locals / the opening hours posted on the door. This is despite me allowing for the more relaxed Spanish attitude to time and not expecting anything to be open until about half an hour later
4. Best section:
   • Allmería - Granada for me was by far the best section. Interesting and varied landscapes, and the most albergues, many of which are donativo which may be of interest if you're on a budget. Although, as had been stated on this forum before, "donativo" does not mean "free", so please give what you can do future pilgrims will still have these places available to them.
   • Next for me was Granada - Córdoba, and finally Córdoba - Mérida.
5. Worst/skippable sections:
   • I find it sad I even have to say this, but yes, for you die-hards out there, I did walk every section of the way, but I appreciate some people will be restricted in time and/or money.
   • Also note I didn't actually take any taxis etc (except to go back and forth to the previous Albergue to pick up some stuff I left behind, ahem) so I can't really advise on logistics or costs. I do know that some people I talked to found the cost of taxis to be higher than they were comfortable with.
   • Santa Amalia - San Pedro de Mérida. Bleh. Just Bleh. The first part walking next to a river (which you can't see, because bamboo) is at best kind of okay, but then it goes downhill and you just walk on, or on a road parallel to (and just a few meters away from) a major highway. In fact, if you want to avoid the parallel walking next to the highway, you can skip ahead all the way to Trujillanos, but I didn't mind the last bit since you at least had some interesting views to the right. There is an alternative route via Yelbes but considering the river water levels (you have to cross it) that didn't seem advisable.
   • Granada - Pinos Puente (or even Olivares, but I believe there's a bus to Pinos Puente). Following along the roads, kinda meh views. If you do decide to walk this stage, remember to turn around often - the views to your back are much nicer.
   • Almería - Rioja. If you're short on time, and have any interest in history at all, I'd much recommend taking a day to explore Almería and then take the bus to Rioja. For leaving a major city this stage isn't actually that bad, but there's nothing in it that you won't get in a more spectacular fashion later in the walk.
   • Baena - Castro del Rio. Just not very interesting, and mainly along the road.
   • Cerro Muriano - Villaharta. The most interesting bits of this day were actually the fuentes, which were detours. If I did this again, I'd probably try to find a route that takes me to see some more of them. There's also a lot of asphalt walking. It may be that in the summer there's a path you can take that's a bit lower down, but this was all flooded when I walked it (and the waymarking was via the asphalt, so I'm not sure if this flooding is just semi-permanent).
   • Unless you're an early riser (the sunrise views are quite good!) if you can get a lift from Santa Cruz to the point were you turn off from the road (about 6km, there's a sign "In Memorian de José Rafael Pérez Camacho"), it's probably worth it.
6. The one thing I did find a bit frustrating is the lack of communication or signage regarding known and recurring problems with the Camino routes, or a lack of explanation when there's alternative routes. The most frustrating is the lack of communication regarding the river crossings. There's a few points where you have to cross rivers, that may or may not have (a lot of) water in them depending on the time of year and recent rainfall. There is no signage at the point where you have to choose between two routes, or in certain situations an explanation that an alternative route even exists, leading you to potentially just standing there looking at an uncrossable river thinking "now what?". One of the routes between Medellín and San Pedro de Mérida has a river crossing which may not be possible - but that isn't indicated on the sign that explains there's two routes. Via via I heard you're meant to ask in the Ayuntamiento in Medellín if it's crossable, but they just seemed to have generic "at this time of year" information. Similarly between Villaharta and Alcaracejos there's two river crossings. There's alternative ways to cross these rivers, but the association just put out a somewhat weird "just skip this stage" notice. For some people it is actually important to walk the entire way, so not even giving info about the alternatives is just weird (and in the end despite the doomsaying I could cross them just fine). Since all these river crossings are known problems, I find it weird there's not some sort of website set up where people can post photos/videos of the river on the day they get there, so people can make more informed decisions.

And that's it folks, over and out for me.

 

[C clearly]

Best section:

• Mérida - Granada for me was by far the best section.

Great report! I think you meant "Almeria - Granada" in the quote above. I agree that this section was the most interesting, although I hated the long dry river beds while I was walking them!

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks so much for this write-up. It should be very clear to anyone contemplating this route that the Camino is an afterthought for most of the towns and villages along the route. They are living their lives, they are happy to get your business, but they aren’t dependent on you for survival and wouldn’t much notice if the camino closed up shop. I think that’s actually one of the Mozárabe’s attractions - it’s real rural Spain, not a bucket list journey. Your point 2 sums it up beautifully.

I’ve thought a lot about the Yelbes river crossing, too, having been terrified out of my wits by walking from the bridge into Torrefresnada on the shoulder-free national highway. But part of the reason why it is going to be so hard to change things is exactly because of what you said in point 2 - the Camino is really not that important to anyone in these parts. And we can’t expect the ayuntamiento or police in Medellín to drive out to the river every day on the chance that a pilgrim will come to town and want to know what’s up. There’s just nothing near that river crossing - no town, no bar, no house even. So I just can’t figure out a way to get the information to pilgrims. Your idea of a website with people posting pictures is a good one, but I don’t know who would run it.

In the end, it’s a trade-off and the title of your thread suggests that you think the downsides are well worth it. And so do I. Many thanks for such a detailed description.

 

[laelann]

Thank you for your route description. We are starting from Almeria on April 1 and your sharing of information is very useful.

 

[LTfit]

Many thanks for your write up! I walked Granada - Mérida September 2014 (yikes, almost 10 years ago!) and have the stretch from Almería on my wish list.

Interesting your mention of river crossings. Signage through the olive groves (three days?) was not great back then but I had zero river crossings Granada - Mérida. Of course September is not February and March. Good to know for those pilgrims walking in winter.

It's really hit or miss with water levels, situations changing from year to year. I had my share of river crossings February 2014 walking from Sevilla. My personal limit is water level to just above my knees haha. Poles are essential! I heard that there was no problem the following year.

 

[Cynistra]

Great report! I think you meant "Almeria - Granada" in the quote above. I agree that this section was the most interesting, although I hated the long dry river beds while I was walking them!

Yes I did mean Almería. Ahem.
I actually quite enjoyed the dry riverbeds at first, just because of the novelty of it. But yes, there is rather a lot of them!

 

[Former member 104756]

What a great report. thank you @Cynistra My experience is similar to @LTfit

Many thanks for your write up! I walked Granada - Mérida September 2014 (yikes, almost 10 years ago!) and have the stretch from Almería on my wish list.

Interesting your mention of river crossings. Signage through the olive groves (three days?) was not great back then

My husband and I walked Granada to Merida about 9 years ago in early May - so the 'best section' is also ahead of us, for another time. Even so, we very much enjoyed Granada to Merida though I recall going around in circles in the olive groves searching for a sign. The Mozarabe was so different to earlier Caminos - Frances, Primitivo, Le Puy - that even the 'nothingness' was appealing for its contrast. I don't recall that we met any pilgrims until after Cordoba and from then only two or three.

As you say @Cynistra, pilgrims are not a big part of life for the towns and villages on the Mozarabe but, from Granada to Merida, we were always enthusiastically welcomed by the local people. And we stayed in a few (unattended) albergues with excellent facilities that seemed to be just waiting for pilgrims to arrive - 'build it and they will come'? Also, twice on long stages, the Guardia Civil appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, to ask if we were ok and needed water. Given that we rarely saw other pilgrims, we wondered whether our hosts from the evenings before had alerted the Guardia to pilgrims on the trail. In any case, we were most appreciative.

Perhaps Almeria to Granada needs to be promoted in our list of 'next Caminos'.

 

[lt56ny]

It sounds like this camino is for me. There are challenges for sure. But nothing that can't be met. I walked the VDLP starting in Sevilla after Spain opened from Covid. Truer words have never been spoken about caminos that do not depend on pilgrims in the least for their economic well being:

Bars and restaurants often don't have a written menu in English, or a menu at all. Even if there is a written list, it probably won't include the menu del dia, the most cost effective option. You'll be given the options in rapid Spanish, and be expected to follow along.

You are not the target audience. With the exception of the albergues and the camino association, noone is particularly concerned about catering to pilgrims, which makes all the sense in the world considering the numbers.

If you have no Spanish life will be very difficult. I speak some but it was still difficult on the VDLP. Also the option to cook meals in the albergue was almost non-existent as all kitchens were still closed. Many nights I could not eat until after 9 or 9:30. You should always carry food and water. As the OP states you never know when a bar or market is open.
If you are expecting creature comforts and fine dining and nice hotels every few days these caminos are not for you. But if you love simplicity and quiet then they are dreams come true.

 

[peregrina2000]

It sounds like this camino is for me.

Yes, I think you’d like it. And since you always walk in the fall, the water crossings are not likely to be a problem at all.

 

[AJGuillaume]

One of the routes between Medellín and San Pedro de Mérida has a river crossing which may not be possible

I’ve thought a lot about the Yelbes river crossing, too, having been terrified out of my wits by walking from the bridge into Torrefresnada on the shoulder-free national highway. But part of the reason why it is going to be so hard to change things is exactly because of what you said in point 2 - the Camino is really not that important to anyone in these parts. And we can’t expect the ayuntamiento or police in Medellín to drive out to the river every day on the chance that a pilgrim will come to town and want to know what’s up. There’s just nothing near that river crossing - no town, no bar, no house even. So I just can’t figure out a way to get the information to pilgrims.

The Río Búrdalo crossing problem will soon be a thing of the past. The Asociación Jacobea de Badajoz has recently announced that there is funding for a foot bridge across the río.
The Badajoz association is very proactive, although not on the same level as the Almería-Granada one. They don't have the resources to edit a guide such as the one edited by Almería-Granada.
However, they have been working on providing alternative routes to avoid dangerous walking along highways, such as from Magacela to Don Benito, from Don Benito to Medellín, and the Yelbes/río Búrdalo option. They can be contacted on badajozjacobea@gmail.com, and I found out they were pretty responsive. Note that they are all volunteers, so sometimes an answer might not be immediate.
I know not everyone has a FB account, but there is a group, started by a French association based in Paris, which has a finger on the pulse, so to speak. Michel Cerdan, who started the Association, is well known. It's thanks to him that the Centro de Interpretación de Magacela was set up. A former member of this forum is also involved and has been of great help to me.
The group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/mozarabesdelmundo
Don't be put off by the fact that the language used in this group is French: they don't discriminate
I have been following pilgrims walking this year, and there's plenty of information with warnings of issues ahead.

 

[LTfit]

What a great report. thank you @Cynistra My experience is similar to @LTfit



My husband and I walked Granada to Merida about 9 years ago in early May - so the 'best section' is also ahead of us, for another time. Even so, we very much enjoyed Granada to Merida though I recall going around in circles in the olive groves searching for a sign. The Mozarabe was so different to earlier Caminos - Frances, Primitivo, Le Puy - that even the 'nothingness' was appealing for its contrast. I don't recall that we met any pilgrims until after Cordoba and from then only two or three.

As you say @Cynistra, pilgrims are not a big part of life for the towns and villages on the Mozarabe but, from Granada to Merida, we were always enthusiastically welcomed by the local people. And we stayed in a few (unattended) albergues with excellent facilities that seemed to be just waiting for pilgrims to arrive - 'build it and they will come'? Also, twice on long stages, the Guardia Civil appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, to ask if we were ok and needed water. Given that we rarely saw other pilgrims, we wondered whether our hosts from the evenings before had alerted the Guardia to pilgrims on the trail. In any case, we were most appreciative.

Perhaps Almeria to Granada needs to be promoted in our list of 'next Caminos'.

OMG those olive fields! I called the amigos in Granada one day bitching about the signage which at one point disappeared (I was using their Spanish guide). It was suggested that I use the English guide - that wasn't the problem, their signage was or lack thereof. I got lost at least 3 times.

What you say about the locals and Guardia Civil was so true. The later stopped at least 2 times asking me if I needed anything. I remember going to the Policía local to pick up a key to the albergue and was told that I could stay two nights if I wanted to see if another pilgrim was behind me. I saw no one until Mérida, every night I was alone. These days more walk this route.

 

[JerryStroebele]

We walked Almeria to Granada last year and found the waymarking in that section to be exceptionally good. We were practically tripping over rocks with yellow arrows and all sorts of other monument signs. There was only one area where the way followed a small stream bed where we might have miss read the arrow's direction (changed by flooding water?) and ended in an olive grove. But it was easy to see where to rejoin the way. Last Friday we finished walking Malaga to Cordoba. Again great waymarking. Some nasty mud. One serious water crossing. A lot of nice local people. Four other pilgrims, total. I did find the stage from Santa Cruz to Cordoba too long for an old guy in the hot sun (even under my umbrella). Wished I had taken a taxi that 30 km day. (I returned to my Anchorage home last night and four feet of snow.) In general, I agree with all of the comments above, particularly the need to speak some Spanish. Fortunately, my French son in law is fluent in Spanish and my daughter nearly so. Buen Camino

 

[Former member 104756]

OMG those olive fields!

I remember saying to my husband - 'I feel like we're in the bermuda triangle of olive groves and may never find our way out'. I don't know how I'd have felt on my own in that part. I think it would have freaked me out.

One feature of the waymarking between Granada and Cordoba was that you could be walking in a straight line, on an obvious path, and come across 4 or 5 yellow arrows on top of each other. Then arrive at a T intersection with not an arrow in sight. Our strategy was that one would walk one way and one the other, and the first to see a sign would call out - easy with two, but not on your own. I guess these days people would use an app / tracks etc.

 

[JerryStroebele]

On this last Camino I used the mapy.cz app and found it exceptionally accurate. Mostly I only used it going through towns and cities. Outside of towns and cities I found the waymarking exceptionally good. Buen Camino

 

[Troy9119]

After 28 days of walking (and some days of city relaxing), I have finished the Camino Mozarabe! My favourite Camino so far, but would it be yours?
You can see day-by-day photos and more detailed info on my Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/karol_vloe?igsh=MXJ6d2Y0b3NkZmVwbw==
But here's some more general impressions and tips:

1. A camino for getting away from the crowds. Whether you're an introvert, want time for quiet reflection or just the luxury of sitting in a beautiful landscape all by yourself, this is the camino for you. However, if you need the buzz of people around you and people to chat to, being a friend or make sure you speak Spanish if you want to talk to the locals. While walking, I've never seen more than four other pilgrims in one day - and never at the same time. Of course it is still off season, and part of this is luck of the draw, but I do believe it is also just the way it is on this Camino (at least for now). I've had more than one Albergue owner enthusiastically tell me about the time they had five or even six pilgrims in their Albergue in one night!
2. You are not the target audience. With the exception of the albergues and the camino association, noone is particularly concerned about catering to pilgrims, which makes all the sense in the world considering the numbers.
   • The bars and shops are open when it's convenient for the locals, not when it makes sense for you.
   • Siesta is real, much more so than on the Camino frances or camino portugues. If you arrive at some point between 4 and 8.30, you may not be able to eat out (although if you ask you can probably get some bread). If you arrive between 2 and 5, the shops may not be open.
   • The only bar in town is probably not on the Camino route, and will also not be conveniently signposted from the camino. Check your map (although see point 3) and ask the locals (in Spanish, don't count on them speaking English - and that includes bar, hotel and albergue owners).
   • Bars and restaurants often don't have a written menu in English, or a menu at all. Even if there is a written list, it probably won't include the menu del dia, the most cost effective option. You'll be given the options in rapid Spanish, and be expected to follow along. My Spanish is decent, but even so I found it easier to just ask if they had a local speciality, or otherwise just have whatever they recommended (and I'm glad I did, I had some amazing food this way I'd never have thought to order). But if you're a picky eater, this of course won't be an option.
   • If you're vegetarian or vegan, really consider staying places with a kitchen or cooking yourself. There often isn't a veggie option, and even things that may sound vegetarian from the description often come with bacon, or have been cooked in chicken stock, and so on. If you insist on a vegetarian option, some restaurants don't seem to have much qualms about charging you 8-10 euro for what is basically a supermarket salad plated up.
   • Supermarkets aren't really stocked with pilgrims in mind. I've struggled at points to find things like cereal bars, or with finding things in smallish quantities (eg I don't really want to cart around half a kilo of biscuits or 6 cans of tuna)
   • Most churches are locked, although I'll admit I made zero effort to try and find someone to open them
   • Museums/ Centros de Interpretación (think mini-museum) in smaller towns have "interesting" opening hours (think: only on Wednesday, only Saturday morning), or can only be visited by appointment
3. Always, always bring your own food. I've encountered all of the following:
   • A bar on Google maps simply not existing
   • The bar exists, but it's actually two blocks away from it's location on Google maps
   • The bar exists, but is closed; despite its opening times on Google maps/ advised by locals / the opening hours posted on the door. This is despite me allowing for the more relaxed Spanish attitude to time and not expecting anything to be open until about half an hour later
4. Best section:
   • Allmería - Granada for me was by far the best section. Interesting and varied landscapes, and the most albergues, many of which are donativo which may be of interest if you're on a budget. Although, as had been stated on this forum before, "donativo" does not mean "free", so please give what you can do future pilgrims will still have these places available to them.
   • Next for me was Granada - Córdoba, and finally Córdoba - Mérida.
5. Worst/skippable sections:
   • I find it sad I even have to say this, but yes, for you die-hards out there, I did walk every section of the way, but I appreciate some people will be restricted in time and/or money.
   • Also note I didn't actually take any taxis etc (except to go back and forth to the previous Albergue to pick up some stuff I left behind, ahem) so I can't really advise on logistics or costs. I do know that some people I talked to found the cost of taxis to be higher than they were comfortable with.
   • Santa Amalia - San Pedro de Mérida. Bleh. Just Bleh. The first part walking next to a river (which you can't see, because bamboo) is at best kind of okay, but then it goes downhill and you just walk on, or on a road parallel to (and just a few meters away from) a major highway. In fact, if you want to avoid the parallel walking next to the highway, you can skip ahead all the way to Trujillanos, but I didn't mind the last bit since you at least had some interesting views to the right. There is an alternative route via Yelbes but considering the river water levels (you have to cross it) that didn't seem advisable.
   • Granada - Pinos Puente (or even Olivares, but I believe there's a bus to Pinos Puente). Following along the roads, kinda meh views. If you do decide to walk this stage, remember to turn around often - the views to your back are much nicer.
   • Almería - Rioja. If you're short on time, and have any interest in history at all, I'd much recommend taking a day to explore Almería and then take the bus to Rioja. For leaving a major city this stage isn't actually that bad, but there's nothing in it that you won't get in a more spectacular fashion later in the walk.
   • Baena - Castro del Rio. Just not very interesting, and mainly along the road.
   • Cerro Muriano - Villaharta. The most interesting bits of this day were actually the fuentes, which were detours. If I did this again, I'd probably try to find a route that takes me to see some more of them. There's also a lot of asphalt walking. It may be that in the summer there's a path you can take that's a bit lower down, but this was all flooded when I walked it (and the waymarking was via the asphalt, so I'm not sure if this flooding is just semi-permanent).
   • Unless you're an early riser (the sunrise views are quite good!) if you can get a lift from Santa Cruz to the point were you turn off from the road (about 6km, there's a sign "In Memorian de José Rafael Pérez Camacho"), it's probably worth it.
6. The one thing I did find a bit frustrating is the lack of communication or signage regarding known and recurring problems with the Camino routes, or a lack of explanation when there's alternative routes. The most frustrating is the lack of communication regarding the river crossings. There's a few points where you have to cross rivers, that may or may not have (a lot of) water in them depending on the time of year and recent rainfall. There is no signage at the point where you have to choose between two routes, or in certain situations an explanation that an alternative route even exists, leading you to potentially just standing there looking at an uncrossable river thinking "now what?". One of the routes between Medellín and San Pedro de Mérida has a river crossing which may not be possible - but that isn't indicated on the sign that explains there's two routes. Via via I heard you're meant to ask in the Ayuntamiento in Medellín if it's crossable, but they just seemed to have generic "at this time of year" information. Similarly between Villaharta and Alcaracejos there's two river crossings. There's alternative ways to cross these rivers, but the association just put out a somewhat weird "just skip this stage" notice. For some people it is actually important to walk the entire way, so not even giving info about the alternatives is just weird (and in the end despite the doomsaying I could cross them just fine). Since all these river crossings are known problems, I find it weird there's not some sort of website set up where people can post photos/videos of the river on the day they get there, so people can make more informed decisions.

And that's it folks, over and out for me.

I am in San Pedro as a right March 20 th and just took the Yelbes route. The river crossing was nothing, up to my knees. As we all know its more of a pain having to change in and out of your dry stuff. I agree first 4 days were not so much fun with the wind and dull scenery but after that it was incredible with even some snow to walk through in the mountains. My 2 cents.
Buen Camino

 

[Carles]

Desde hace unos meses tenéis el Camino Mozárabe en Gronze: https://www.gronze.com/camino-mozarabe
También en la aplicación GronzeMaps, para Android e IOS: https://www.gronze.com/gronze-maps

 

[BikeHikeChai]

Thank you for your route description. We are starting from Almeria on April 1 and your sharing of information is very useful.

I’m also planning on starting from Almeria that day. Buen Camino.