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Hola @Donna Sch ,
Maybe we will meet from Zamora onwards. I'll start from Valencia on June 8th and have very loose plan to come to Zamora around July 8th. I think you will be few days in front of me or about at the same time depends on lenght of every day stages.
Ultreia!
Hola, Donna!If the plan worksI'll be in Zamora July 3-4th.
I've been looking at the 10 day forecast...Looks like I'll have a permanent raincloud over me for the first few days. NOT what I was expecting but better than high 30s temps which seem to be the other option!
We've been starting 7-8 am but we have had the luxury of cool weather. We usually reach our destination around 2 pm. Yes, you do have to work out your own breakfast and lunch supplies. So on arrival I tend to suss out the kitchen facilities and then find a shop to top up. Watch out on weekends because some places seem to completely shut down after 2 pm on Saturdays and you end up wandering the streets stalking anyone carrying an obvious shopping bag with food. Some places seem to be quite dead in the mornings even with our relatively late starts. On the El Real to Monesterio stage you could stop at Ojalla something (I forget its name) for morning tea or at the camping ground about an hour before Monesterio (toilet facilities!) for lunch.We are a couple starting the 25th this month. I'm glad for your update!
I know it's gonna be terrribly hot, so I'm wondering at what time you start in the mornings. At what time does the big heat come? Two years ago on Camino francais we got up at 5-5.30 and started walking. It was lovely to see the sun rising! Then we had breakfast at the nearest café. But if I understand correctly you have to bring your own breakfast/lunch?!
Buen Camino. The Plata was the best experience of my life, better even than my first Camino. You'll be absolutely fine, and 44-50 days is really ample, even with rest days (I did it in 40 and I was in my late 60s, and I still had time for plenty of sight-seeing in Zafra, Merida, Cáceres, Salamanca, Zamora and Ourense). It will be hot though - don't walk after 1pm, Camino tales abound of dehydrated peregrinas being found dead!I'm hoping to start out of Seville around June 9-10th. I leave Australia on the 7th - still need to book my fares! - and it's all on from there. I'm allowing 44-50 days to reach Santiago via the Sanabres route so will have to go at a fairly decent pace. Rest days in Merida and Zamora. I'm hoping that living in tropical Darwin will be good preparation for the weather as our daytime temps are always in the 30s and the humidity during summer is very high.
I'm so looking forward to this but I do worry that I'll be horribly underprepared and forget something vital and will have to run around at the last minute. But that's why I have a week at home before I leave - for last minute panics!
We've been starting 7-8 am but we have had the luxury of cool weather. We usually reach our destination around 2 pm. Yes, you do have to work out your own breakfast and lunch supplies. So on arrival I tend to suss out the kitchen facilities and then find a shop to top up. Watch out on weekends because some places seem to completely shut down after 2 pm on Saturdays and you end up wandering the streets stalking anyone carrying an obvious shopping bag with food. Some places seem to be quite dead in the mornings even with our relatively late starts. On the El Real to Monesterio stage you could stop at Ojalla something (I forget its name) for morning tea or at the camping ground about an hour before Monesterio (toilet facilities!) for lunch.
I made the assumption of extreme heat too but its been good. Was down to about 12 degrees so make sure you have a good wind jacket. Next week the forecast is much much hotter. You will need a ton of water especially on the way to Almaden.[/QUO
We've been starting 7-8 am but we have had the luxury of cool weather. We usually reach our destination around 2 pm. Yes, you do have to work out your own breakfast and lunch supplies. So on arrival I tend to suss out the kitchen facilities and then find a shop to top up. Watch out on weekends because some places seem to completely shut down after 2 pm on Saturdays and you end up wandering the streets stalking anyone carrying an obvious shopping bag with food. Some places seem to be quite dead in the mornings even with our relatively late starts. On the El Real to Monesterio stage you could stop at Ojalla something (I forget its name) for morning tea or at the camping ground about an hour before Monesterio (toilet facilities!) for lunch.
I made the assumption of extreme heat too but its been good. Was down to about 12 degrees so make sure you have a good wind jacket. Next week the forecast is much much hotter. You will need a ton of water especially on the way to Almaden.
We are a couple starting the 25th this month. I'm glad for your update!
I know it's gonna be terrribly hot, so I'm wondering at what time you start in the mornings. At what time does the big heat come? Two years ago on Camino francais we got up at 5-5.30 and started walking. It was lovely to see the sun rising! Then we had breakfast at the nearest café. But if I understand correctly you have to bring your own breakfast/lunch?!
I'm glad your posting from vdlp. Will be following your footsteps in 99 days. Will be interesting to see how 29+ km and a steep hill goes in your next stage, which will be my first stage. So glad to hear you and Hans made it past Guillena without a problem. Funny how rain looks like good weather. Context is everything. Now glad I got a 3 L water reservoir. But do like lollies.
There were armed robberies somewhere before it a couple of years ago and then another apparently occurred this year in the same spot. (Watch Stephen Haig's Youtube videos). I have to admit I was feeling a bit wary as I approached the town especially as I was effectively alone as I walk faster than Hans. He's the steady tortoise; I'm the hare who races ahead but then I'll stop to take photos, grab some food etc.Hi!
I'm just curious about your comment about Guillena, that you're glad they passed it without problems! What's in Guillena? Do you have to be watchful in some kind of way? Since we're probably going there in a week-and -a-half, I'ts good to know!
The Fuente/Calzadilla area is open farmland so there are paddocks on either side with no trees so potentially quite exposed. You can see the road ahead of you. Which is a pain if nature calls because 1. Cars do use that road occasionally (esp Sr Antonio!) as do bicycle peregrinos 2. You are always checking to see where your walking companion is because they could get an interesting view, and 3. The ditches are shallow but full of thistles.It was mentioned that vdlp is pretty windy. Are you finding this to be true?
I've not used it for that purpose yet. My Aarn pack allows me to squat without taking everything off and without keeling over. The umbrella certainly is a decent size and I suspect that it may be used for that purpose on the Roman Road proper as there seems to be nothing on either side of the road to duck behind.I've hesitated to raise the issue you hint at. Does using the umbrella as a shield help at all?
There were armed robberies somewhere before it a couple of years ago and then another apparently occurred this year in the same spot. (Watch Stephen Haig's Youtube videos). I have to admit I was feeling a bit wary as I approached the town especially as I was effectively alone as I walk faster than Hans. He's the steady tortoise; I'm the hare who races ahead but then I'll stop to take photos, grab some food etc.
Cesar and Manuel, two young Spanish lads.
I want to try the jamon ibe'rico. Read that the pigs are free range and graze on acorns.
We 've been SO-OOO cold
I want to try the jamon ibe'rico. Read that the pigs are free range and graze on acorns. I'm enjoying your posts and will take notes on them before my camino. Was reading some old idol posts for '07, '08. It was mentioned that vdlp is pretty windy. Are you finding this to be true?
Does lads mean ladies as I think? César and Manuel are male names...
P.S Castilian ... Lads means boys in OZ...
This lake is incredibly under developed and perfect for camping and fishing.
Thanks for the updates Donna. It's nice to read reports from people on the camino.
I don't know if the comment I'm going to make is going to be someway useful but here it goes anyway: It isn't a lake but a dam/reservoir.
P.S.: Did you eat torta del Casar (a type of cheese) in Casar de Cáceres?
The only lettuce is Spain seems to be the iceberg variety!
Yes, it might changed but thanks for reply anyway!Hi there! can confirm there was an infestation in the albergue at A Gudiña but when we arrived on 24/6, they must have desinfected as there were dead chinches on the mattresses. Still put me off (it was very dirty) so didn't stay... No bed bugs in the albergue at Ourense (27/6). Castro-Dozon on 29/6 was fine too and everything kept spotlessly clean by the (new) hospitalera.
No-one I talked to reported on any bedbugs after that...Arrived in SdC on 2/7.
Sadly I realise this may not be too helpful as it probably changes very quickly....
The Á Gudiña municipal albergue was closed as it was being sprayed. We ended up staying at the Hostal Oscar. Interesting place. The owner is a hunting and Franco fan. Rodrigo and I both suffered the next day after eating dinner there.Hi there! can confirm there was an infestation in the albergue at A Gudiña but when we arrived on 24/6, they must have desinfected as there were dead chinches on the mattresses. Still put me off (it was very dirty) so didn't stay... No bed bugs in the albergue at Ourense (27/6). Castro-Dozon on 29/6 was fine too and everything kept spotlessly clean by the (new) hospitalera.
No-one I talked to reported on any bedbugs after that...Arrived in SdC on 2/7.
Sadly I realise this may not be too helpful as it probably changes very quickly....
Repeat?! Wash your mouth out!Ditto - congratulations Donna. You have had an awesome time by the sound of i and kept many of us enthralled. So many memories for me.
Now for your next camino you’ll have to toss up whether to go somewhere new or REPEAT the VdlP hehehe
OK, a few stages in this post.
From Valdesalor we went to Casar de Casares with a few hours in Casares to see the sights. The Museum is good. Rodrigo and I were constantly wondering about how Borja was going with the burro. It can be hard finding the Camino trail out of town so we eventually ained for the Church of Santiago and went from there. The next stretch has a lot of highway walking. The municipal albergue is a donativo. I personally think it was the worst to date. First it was almost full as many cyclists stop there. When you are used to the luxury of having both bunks of a double bunk...
Next, the bells ring twice on the hour. I was dead to the world and didn't wake up but light sleepers will need earplugs. Try to get the far dormitories otherwise you will be woken up by everyone who has to use the loo. The switch for the loo switches on a light AND the fan. (Thanks Stephen Haig for the heads up on this). They have washing machines and an okay kitchen. The bunks are a bit crammed together, the water pressure isn't great. CdC has all facilities though.
Borja was staying at the albergue by the pool. Did he know something we didn't?
Early start from CdC to Embalse de Acantar. We had heard that the private Albergue there was shut so we're prepared to go to Cañaveral if needed. It was a stinking hot day, we hit the first of the AVE and road constructions, it seemed to be a very up and down trail and I was having one of those days when my pack was playing up and my water bladder sprung a leak where the hose joins onto the bag. So I was very glad to be walking with someone to keep the pace up. Thankfully about halfway someone has put up a covered picnic table and we had a rest there and it was a chance to air the feet out.
Things improved as we hit the lake but the Albergue is right down the other end and I was fantasizing about ice cream. This lake is incredibly under developed and perfect for camping and fishing.
The Albergue WAS open even though no one had answered the phone earlier. €20 including breakfast. There is a washing machine but guests are restricted to the sink in the laundry. Own rooms with bathroom. Shower with great water pressure and she has things like shampoo and conditioner available. Meal was okay too.
Today we continued to Grimaldo. Nice walk but it gets confusing about 5km in and out of Cañaveral. If you follow the Camino you end up at the far end of town. At the back of the entry sign there is somewhere to sit so Rodrigo ran down to the petrol station to get drinks and chocolate while I babysat the packs.
Getting out of Cañaveral was confusing. There is a nice little chapel and a working pump then you have an intersection with the road. The red and white CN poles make it look like you cross the road. If you do cross the road you will be on a path that goes under the viaduct of the new motorway and then turns southeast before heading east through a farm. This is completely the wrong way.
Instead of of crossing at the intersection you turn onto the road. There is an orchard with fig trees that should be ripe within a week or two and you head up the hill. At the top of the hill there is a big building with a CLUB sign. The road continues left and it looks as though the Camino could branch off there somewhere. However there is a hito that is under a tree in front of the building and that is the way you go. It is reasonably well marked from there. There is one point where the path splits and someone has put a sign indicating that bicycles should go there. So should you as someone has very recently put up a new fence and you just ending up following the fence to exactly where the bikes end up. The first sight as you hit Grimaldo is a bar -my favourite sight! The donativo is across the road with the keys at the bar next door if required. Has a washing machine but today the front loader had no door. So wash your clothes at Embalse if you will be here soon.
Walked to El Real de Jara.
Which brings me to the municipal albergue. It is the first place you come across in El Real. It is an interesting building as it originally was supposed to be water tanks. So the rooms have these curved ceilings. It is a Spanish albergue version of a hobbit house.but it means that some of the doorways have a maximum height of about 170 cm. I'm 173 cm tall and occasionally forget to bend. g.
The Albergue WAS open even though no one had answered the phone earlier. €20 including breakfast. .
I just googled the albergue at the Embalse at Alcantara to remind myself what it looked like to realise that I actually stayed here http://www.alcantarapescaevasion.com/ not here http://www.embalsedealcantara.com/ !!! So now I'm wondering where the rather modern looking old albergue is because it certainly didn't register on my brain that day. On Google Maps it looks like it is on the right of the hiking path. Does explain why noone answered the phone! I obviously missed something in the discussion between my Spanish walking buddy and the landlady.Donna, I think I asked this before but can't remember.
Is there a place where a person could sleep under shelter here even if the albergue was closed?
A roofed porch or ???
Hi, Donna,I just googled the albergue at the Embalse at Alcantara to remind myself what it looked like to realise that I actually stayed here http://www.alcantarapescaevasion.com/ not here http://www.embalsedealcantara.com/ !!! So now I'm wondering where the rather modern looking old albergue is because it certainly didn't register on my brain that day. On Google Maps it looks like it is on the right of the hiking path. Does explain why noone answered the phone! I obviously missed something in the discussion between my Spanish walking buddy and the landlady.
Many thanks for the practical details you have given. I am hoping for a VdlP Camino in Spring 2016. Buen Camino!
The modern albergue is right on the water, and I believe it isn´t visible from the Camino.
I think VDLP peregrinos may be a slightly different breed to those that do the CF. All the walkers I knew who started way down the track all ended up picking the Sanabres because the idea of facing the hordes on the CF was too daunting.Wonderful blog, Donna. I walked the VdlP and Sanabres in April/May this year . Reading your blog conjured up pictures of all the places I had walked through and refreshed memories of a some life enhancing experiences in those few weeks. In spring was v hot in Andalucia but changed radically when we we walked up the hill out of Banos de Montmayor, so much so that I had to buy extra clothes in Zamora.
I think I share your views, both about repeating the VdlP and about the Camino Frances. Will have to start researching.
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