Traveler1579
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
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The OP asks about the Camino Mozarabe not the Frances.Pamplona to Longrono might be a good 5 day section with lot's of transportation options from/to each city. If you stay at Municipal Albergues they are the cheapest for your budget (5 Euros) and have the basics. Another 25 Euro/person will handle going out for breakfast (6), lunch (7) and dinner (12). You can trim expenses by having some picnic lunches along the way where you buy bread, meat and cheese and fruit at the supermarket and then again the same for dinners using the kitchen facilities in the Albergues to prepare some inexpensive meals for the group. The kitchens are all fairly well equipped with pots, pans, plates, with some silverware but some flexibility might be necessary depending on the size of your group and you will be sharing the kitchen with others so eating early or late may be the better choice so other smaller groups or individuals have a chance to make their dinner too. Maybe have each participant bring a "Spork" with them on the trip. There are occasional stories about groups that a poorly chaperoned...the leaders stay in a different facility or different floor and the students are thus Un-chaperoned...please be responsible for your group and make sure they understand the significance of this trip that their fellow pilgrims are trying to experience. Quiet time lights out (after 10 pm) and respect for others throughout the night should be enforced. Hope you have a great trip.
We need more on which month of the year and how many in the group. Mid-summer in central Spain is exceptionally hard for anyone, let alone inexperienced hikers. And a big group is unlikely to find accommodation there over a succession of nights. Mozarabe and VdlP stages are going to be longer than 12-17km.
If the group is small enough and going later in the year, say October onwards, and the VdlP was in range, and if it turned out the group could walk more like 25km per day (which most young people can, even if they are not experienced hikers, but have decent footwear) then I'd say it's worth looking at Aldeanueva to Salamanca 4-5 days, staying at Fuenterroble for a significant camino experience and walking some of the transhumance route (admittedly animal migration rather than human, but possibly relevant..?)
If your group traveled north to the Camino Frances, there are more choices and services on this route. Pamplona to Longrono might be a good 5 day section with lot's of transportation options from/to each city. If you stay at Municipal Albergues they are the cheapest for your budget (5 Euros) and have the basics. Another 25 Euro/person will handle going out for breakfast (6), lunch (7) and dinner (12). You can trim expenses by having some picnic lunches along the way where you buy bread, meat and cheese and fruit at the supermarket and then again the same for dinners using the kitchen facilities in the Albergues to prepare some inexpensive meals for the group. The kitchens are all fairly well equipped with pots, pans, plates, with some silverware but some flexibility might be necessary depending on the size of your group and you will be sharing the kitchen with others so eating early or late may be the better choice so other smaller groups or individuals have a chance to make their dinner too. Maybe have each participant bring a "Spork" with them on the trip. There are occasional stories about groups that a poorly chaperoned...the leaders stay in a different facility or different floor and the students are thus Un-chaperoned...please be responsible for your group and make sure they understand the significance of this trip that their fellow pilgrims are trying to experience. Quiet time lights out (after 10 pm) and respect for others throughout the night should be enforced. Hope you have a great trip.
I have a whole list but after my last Camino and experience with a group, my best advice is that they remember to be quiet at the albergues and not keep other weary pilgrims awake with loud talking etc. even in the early afternoons and evenings, pilgrims are resting. Just leave the noise at the bars.
@Traveler1579 , kia ora (greetings)
I note those familiar with southern Spain are suggesting an inexperienced group may end in tears on those routes.
The suggestion of Pamplona to Logrono is excellent given the easy access by bus and/or train and infrastructure on the trail itself - more beds for your quite large group.
Having seen groups walking together and also encountered them at eating places, I suggest that your group walk in two, or threes at most, with advice to interact with other walkers en route, when in cafe etc and in the albergue. That way they are likely to gain more than being an impervious island of 10 and so be more acceptable to the likes of me and the wise @Anniesantiago .
Kia kaha tatou (all of you take care, be strong, get going)
Hi traveler1579, you should scroll through the other threads in the Mozárabe forum. There are several, including one by me, from people who walked just this past April. And @BadPilgrim is walking right now and posting his accounts. I also had a little blog, which is linked to my signature below this post, which might give you some ideas.
It’s a beautiful walk, but I would be afraid of ungodly temps in September. And I also think that the green of spring and the wildflowers and budding trees added a lot to the beauty, not available in September of course. I very much liked that section of the Mozárabe. A few stunning castles (Moclín and Alcalá in particular), lots of beautiful (at least to me) olive groves, some elevation gain.
Granada to Pinos Puente is not terribly inspiring, a lot of it through the outskirts and then along a canal. You might consider starting in Pinos Puente (surely there are buses from Granada) and adding Alcaudete to Baeza at the end.
Will you or someone else be accompanying them? The route is well marked, but there was a time or two when I had to consult my GPS.
I would say that 12-17km a day would be a max for them.
Your suggested plan has stages of: 20 km (mostly urban/industrial), 16 km (including a long steep hill at the end), 24 km, and 24 km.Stage 1: Granada to Pinos Puente
Stage 2: Pinos Puente to Moclin
Stage 3: Moclin to Alcala la Real
Stage 4: Alcala la Real to Alcuadete
I am now thinking to have them bus out to Pinos in the morning to begin walking, instead of starting in Granada, as many have pointed out that this is an industrial walking day, and not so nice. The group would then add one more day from Alcuadete to Baena, then either return to Granada by bus, or continue to Cordoba by bus.
Do not want to be the devil's advocate but don't you think that skipping the industrial part is contradictory to the group's initial idea? Learning about migration?
I do not think migrants or refugees have the liberty to choose the easy way...
Just my two cents....
My tuppence might be to suggest, as was mention previously, to focus on the Transhumance routes. An essential driver of human migration for millennia. Or take a look at the current migration routes from the beaches of the Costa del Sol into interior Spain. Though I can appreciate that you would probably not wish to seal your students into sub-structural voids on an overloaded artic and send them to Madrid or Merida.
Beyond that, your proposed route looks ok, and I agree with @SabineP that the urban experience is as essential as the rural sublimity. It will be a fairly challenging hike for the inexperienced walker. You seem to be aware of the potential hazards and have a management plan in place. If your leaders are OB qualified they'll know the difference been between reluctance and capability.
I hope your students gain from their adventure.
I like the way you think, and this is a great point to be honest. Migrants and refugees receive no choice often with where they have to go, and its usually not pretty. Thank you!
I didn't raise the questions to be negative - rather to be realistic and help you assess the suitability of the plans. Sometimes people can be very naive but it seems like you are well aware of the issues. I hope you can report back on how it went.Thank you for your reply. The group leaders are very experienced with long distance back packing trips, and have led many groups in longer situations. That is good! The students will have light backpacks (day bags) and good shoes. The leaders have been involved in these discussions as well. I am just doing some research for them as well...
Hi! I didn't think you were being negative at all. I appreciate all the advice and perspective everyone has given me, it really helps me to consider all the variables in this. I have wanted to walk one of the Caminos for a very long time now, and hopefully that will be an option in the near future! Doing all this research into the Camino Mozarabe, I've very tempted to walk this one day!I didn't raise the questions to be negative - rather to be realistic and help you assess the suitability of the plans. Sometimes people can be very naive but it seems like you are well aware of the issues. I hope you can report back on how it went.
In fact, aren't you tempted to walk one of the Caminos now yourself?
My first advice would be to teach them what it means to be a pilgrim, especially the history. I have seen a number of groups who walk and treat it as another casual walk in the park and behave accordingly. Youth groups can do a Camino easily on 30-40 Euros a day. Best wishes.Greetings friends,
This is my first post here. I have never walked the Camino, but I am helping to arrange a group of students to do a short section. I know, this sounds strange, but let me explain.
I work for a gap year organization. We send students on 3 month trips all over the world. For this trip, the students (just out of high school, 18-19 years old), will be spending about 3 weeks in southern Spain, and then a little over 2 months in Morocco. They will be studying Human Migration, looking into the realities of people migrating into Europe from Africa, and people migrating from rural villages into larger cities. They will engage in various educational projects, and during their limited time in Spain, I would love for them to be able to actually do some "migration" themselves.
They will be flying into Malaga, and spending time in Tarifa, and Granada. I have been looking at the stages of the Camino Mozarabe, and I'm seeking advice.
The group will be inexperienced hikers. I would say that 12-17km a day would be a max for them. We do not have a particular place we need to start, or end, just that it is accessible by public transport where they start and end.
I have read many Camino blogs, and there is some amazing information available, but I am seeking first hand advice on what would be a good, not so strenuous, 4-5 day section in this area, with cheap accommodations along the way.
As the groups are students, we are operating on a limited budget. Typically $30-$40 per person, per day. I don't know if I am being too hopeful, but this is what I have to work with.
Any information would be helpful. I have downloaded the english guides, I have been to the major websites, and at this stage, I'm seeking advice from anyone who has been in this region before. Thank you to everyone out there in this community, and I truly look forward to hearing from you all!
Cheers
I appreciate your help and advice! Yes, I agree, this is not something to be approached lightly, as just another trek. Our leaders will give lots of framing to the students before heading out.My first advice would be to teach them what it means to be a pilgrim, especially the history. I have seen a number of groups who walk and treat it as another casual walk in the park and behave accordingly. Youth groups can do a Camino easily on 30-40 Euros a day. Best wishes.
Looks like you are all set with a route and an itinerary. I hope you will come back and tell us how it went. Buen camino, LaurieHi George,
The theme of the program is human movement in general. This can also include additional reasons that have motivated people to travel vast distances, such as pilgrimage. They will also be spending time in Morocco and will have discussions regarding the Haj pilgrimage. As our programs are experiential education based, the time spent on the Camino will be a dedicated time to learn about pilgrimage while engaging in it in a limited fashion.
Looks like you are all set with a route and an itinerary. I hope you will come back and tell us how it went. Buen camino, Laurie
Good question. It took a few google searches, but this looks like the group. It would be interesting to know if the learning objectives were achieved.Hi.
I wonder what happened? Does anyone know?
Good question. It took a few google searches, but this looks like the group. It would be interesting to know if the learning objectives were achieved.
It looks like the learning objectives were changed from migration to yoga and permaculture. I cannot find another group in the same area.
https://www.carpediemeducation.org/2018/09/kicking-off-our-adventures-in-spain/
It looks like the learning objectives were changed from migration to yoga and permaculture. I cannot find another group in the same area.
https://www.carpediemeducation.org/2018/09/kicking-off-our-adventures-in-spain/
Group is still learning about immigration and is currently in Morocco.Good question. It took a few google searches, but this looks like the group. It would be interesting to know if the learning objectives were achieved.
The students said that the small section of the Camino they hiked was really good. It was a time of reflection and learning for them. The next group that comes will be arriving in April, and will get to spend a bit longer, about a week, on this section. Thank you to everyone who has helped in this! Ideally, I would like if the students could have more time, and could walk from Granada to Cordoba, but at the moment, we do not have the time.The Member last visited the Forum on July 17, 2018, two weeks after posting. I suspect we are not likely to hear more.
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