Self Introduction

[MajorBozo]

Hello y'all,
I just joined the forum. I have committed to doing Via de La Plata next spring. I have booked flights and first 3 nights in Sevilla, arriving April 3. El Camino has been beckoning me for over 40 years. I joined the forum looking for support: Tips, advice and encouragement. Have started gathering equipment and have been training daily for a couple of months. It is pleasure reaching out and getting to know fellow pilgrims.

Peace,
Frank Gunther

 

[J Willhaus]

I'd read through some of the Live from the Camino threads in this part of the forum. Several good ones from the last few years. I think this particular route was one of the only ones that was reported not to have increased in pilgrim numbers in the past couple of years so I think it will still be that way next year, too.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Welcome! You’ll find as much information as you want here. At the same time, don’t be scared of throwing caution to the wind and embracing the (admittedly very safe) adventure!

 

[MarkyD]

Hello y'all,
I just joined the forum. I have committed to doing Via de La Plata next spring. I have booked flights and first 3 nights in Sevilla, arriving April 3. El Camino has been beckoning me for over 40 years. I joined the forum looking for support: Tips, advice and encouragement. Have started gathering equipment and have been training daily for a couple of months. It is pleasure reaching out and getting to know fellow pilgrims.

Peace,
Frank Gunther

Looks like you'll be arriving at the end of Semana Santa in Sevilla, which will be a great way to start your Camino. Perhaps the Via de La Plata is one for those who may want more solitude on their Camino, at least until they reach the big towns and then later on when joining up with the Camino Frances in Astorga. If you take the route via Sanabria on to Ourense, then you'll still be on a less travelled route. That route also has a few "variantes" should you choose to try them. I say this assuming that you'll be going all the way to Santiago de Compostela.

Whatever training you do will undoubtedly help, but walking every day for several weeks on the Camino is difficult to simulate in training. I'd say the main thing is to be very comfortable with your footwear and backpack, keeping the load as light at possible. You'll find many tips in this forum, but each of us are different and in the end you'll find your own way of making it work.

I live in Spain (in Madrid), so I have relatively easy access to the Camino routes. The Via de La Plata is one of the long ones, so to do it in one go will require a fair bit of time, so take it easy and enjoy it all. I'm thinking of continuing my Camino Mozárabe next year, going from Granada to Mérida to celebrate my 65th birthday, so maybe we might meet up in Mérida. Buen Camino Perigrino

 

[Kev&Kath]

My wife and I walked the VdlP this year during April/June. I know you'll have a tremendous time. In hindsight...our only regret...was not building in more rest days to our itinerary. Fatigue, for me, was an issue (we actually started our walk in Cadiz), and I'd certainly have appreciated a couple of extra days break - particularly on the Sanabres. Our only rest day on this branch was in Ourense. Nevertheless - we plan on doing this pilgrimage again - such was our enjoyment of the VdlP. Buen Camino!

 

[Rita Flower]

Welcome to the Via. A wonderful Camino through the heart of rural Spain.
Have you seen @geraldkelly ‘s guide - available in book or online form.
In addition to posts here there is also a VDLP Facebook which I found useful.

 

[Sandra Wolf]

Hello y'all,
I just joined the forum. I have committed to doing Via de La Plata next spring. I have booked flights and first 3 nights in Sevilla, arriving April 3. El Camino has been beckoning me for over 40 years. I joined the forum looking for support: Tips, advice and encouragement. Have started gathering equipment and have been training daily for a couple of months. It is pleasure reaching out and getting to know fellow pilgrims.

Peace,
Frank Gunther

Hello Frank,
We will see you on the trail heading out arround the same time. Bill & Sandra

 

[el-pe]

Welcome. I walked the VdlP earlier this year, starting in late March. It was more challenging than the Frances, due to less infrastructure and services and perhaps an increase in demand as more pilgrims decide to walk something other than the Frances. This rout has everything, especially if you like Roman history. Make sure to build in some rest days as there are several cities worth spending an extra day. As with all Caminos, travel as light as possible and train with all your intended gear to avoid some of the controllable issues.

 

[Pangloss]

Hello y'all,
I just joined the forum. I have committed to doing Via de La Plata next spring. I have booked flights and first 3 nights in Sevilla, arriving April 3. El Camino has been beckoning me for over 40 years. I joined the forum looking for support: Tips, advice and encouragement. Have started gathering equipment and have been training daily for a couple of months. It is pleasure reaching out and getting to know fellow pilgrims.

Peace,
Frank Gunther

Welcome to the Forum Frank. I'm sure you will absolutely love the VdlP. Two points I would make. First the climate changes considerably. Even in April it can be very warm, indeed hot, in Andalucia. The big change I noticed was on climbing out of Banos de Montmayor. The evening was cold such that we had an electric heater by our table at supper and the next morning one could smell the wood fires that people had lit in their houses. And Galicia is different again, with some decent hills and a good chance of rain.
The other particular feature of the VdlP is that the small number of people doing it means that you will probably spend some days almost entirely alone in the less well inhabited places. But also you will likely meet the same pilgrims from time to time, perhaps several days apart. Swapping tales makes for a good sense of community

 

[geraldkelly]

Hi Frank, can you clarify please, is this your first Camino?

I have a frequently asked questions page on my website specifically about the Via, it's here: https://www.viadelaplataguide.net/pages/frequently-asked-questions-about-walking-the-via-de-la-plata

I hope it will be of some use to you.

Buen Camino!
Gerald

 

[petrah]

Hello y'all,
I just joined the forum. I have committed to doing Via de La Plata next spring. I have booked flights and first 3 nights in Sevilla, arriving April 3. El Camino has been beckoning me for over 40 years. I joined the forum looking for support: Tips, advice and encouragement. Have started gathering equipment and have been training daily for a couple of months. It is pleasure reaching out and getting to know fellow pilgrims.

Peace,
Frank Gunther

Enjoy Frank and if you are in relatively good physical shape, your body will adjust very quickly to the hiking. I am starting the VdlP unexpectedly in a couple of weeks, will share a post with the latest tips and tricks <3 Buen camino training!