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So I was looking at wikiloc, and see that it's possible to visit the basilica on the way to Alcuéscar.
Hi again,Alan, you will probably not be surprised to learn that I cannot find those tracks on wikiloc. Can you link to them? I am definitely going to head this way next spring! Buen camino and muchas gracias, Laurie
Thanks Alan. I'm walking the VldP again in April/May 2018 and I was looking for a detour on this stretch. This looks wonderful. Thanks again for sharingOn Sunday I got my second fix of lovely lovely lonely Santa Lucía del Trampal, deviating to visit it by turning right off the camino shortly before Alcuéscar.
I left Aljucén at dawn, with Jupiter trying to get amorous with Venus in the gathering light. The detour, about 4 hours later, was very pleasant, going up into sweet smelling pine and oak groves with views back to Mérida and on (I think) to Montánchez. I had the church to myself for almost an hour before 2pm closing, also enjoying a couple of delicious bitter tangerines the guard suggested I eat. The simple beauty of the structure, the breathtaking beauty of its surroundings, the rarity of the Visigothic churches that survived the conquista, and the mysterious feeling places get which have been sacred for centuries (and it was a religious site before the Romans arrived). Then, at chucking out time, an hour on to Alcuéscar, a decent lunch, and well earned siesta in the albergue (where the six of us each got our own cell to ourselves). Oh, and perfect walking weather - not a cloud, not a breath, and max temperature of perhaps 20c or a tiny bit more.
I've had some good days on the camino, but that was up there with the best.
This is my wikiloc trail of the detour:
https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=20969061
This looks so beautiful Thanks for sharing. I will try to see it.On Sunday I got my second fix of lovely lovely lonely Santa Lucía del Trampal, deviating to visit it by turning right off the camino shortly before Alcuéscar.
I left Aljucén at dawn, with Jupiter trying to get amorous with Venus in the gathering light. The detour, about 4 hours later, was very pleasant, going up into sweet smelling pine and oak groves with views back to Mérida and on (I think) to Montánchez. I had the church to myself for almost an hour before 2pm closing, also enjoying a couple of delicious bitter tangerines the guard suggested I eat. The simple beauty of the structure, the breathtaking beauty of its surroundings, the rarity of the Visigothic churches that survived the conquista, and the mysterious feeling places get which have been sacred for centuries (and it was a religious site before the Romans arrived). Then, at chucking out time, an hour on to Alcuéscar, a decent lunch, and well earned siesta in the albergue (where the six of us each got our own cell to ourselves). Oh, and perfect walking weather - not a cloud, not a breath, and max temperature of perhaps 20c or a tiny bit more.
I've had some good days on the camino, but that was up there with the best.
This is my wikiloc trail of the detour:
https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=20969061
Alan,The detour adds about 1km to the day,
I am looking at my tracks on my phone and it doesn't look like the Santa Lucia route could be more than about 3 km longer than the direct route.So obviously there is something out of whack
I don’t disagree with what you say about the Albergue, Margaret. I’ve stayed there twice. The first time I was up in the big room. The second time I had a lovely catalana hospitalera, and she gave me a private room on the lower floor so it was a great accommodation. But that was when I saw what I would describe as sub-par treatment of several of the residents, and it just creeped me out. I just didn’t want to be associated with that place. Maybe that’s unfair of me based on one experience, but it was a good motivator for me to walk another 15 kms!Pilgrims need not have any interaction with the disabled men. When we arrived in the late afternoon, the men were all being taken in wheelchairs to a nearby park by volunteers, I think, to enjoy the sunshine. The albergue itself is very nice and is looked after by hospitaleros who have nothing to do with the other part of the monastery. The facilities are fine, with separate ablutions for men and women, a nice common room and a couple of rooms with only 2 beds. (We did think the few clerics around the place were rather haughty or too proud to speak to us!)
I think the reason my wikiloc tracks appear to make it seem so much longer are: a) I detoured to the fuente de Tampal to fill up my bottle (?1/2 a km extra), b) I forgot to turn wikiloc off when I was at the church, so it recorded the 40-60 minutes I spent ambling around the site (?an extra 1.5km), c) I took a wrong turn off the road after the church (?an extra 1/2km), d) I forgot to turn it off when I got to Alcuéscar, so it recorded me popping in to a couple of bars etc before deciding where to have lunch (?an extra 1.5km). So that's 4km more than if I hadn't done those things, which would bring the total down to 24km, 4 more than the direct route, which I think makes sense.Alan,
I am just looking at stages and trying to figure out how to make sure to take your detour to return to Santa Lucía when I walk the Mozárabe.
Your wikiloc tracks say the distance from Aljucén to Alcaruésr via Santa Lucía is 28.
But gronze says Aljucén to Alcuéscar on camino with no detour is only 19.6.
So obviously there is something out of whack, any idea what I am missing here?
Thanks, Laurie
NOOOOOOOI went by the other day, but wasn't watching and I missed the turnoff. Being lazy and/or tired, I chose not to go back. Maybe next time!
Not to worry. There is always a next time!NOOOOOOO
Oh, no! I hope it wasn’t because the visiting hours I posted were wrong! When I came to the church, I saw that a big wooden gate was closed and I was bummed. But I then saw that the car entrance was open further on, and yes indeed the center and church were both open. You must be much more agile than I, geraldkelly, no way I could have gotten over that gate.I walked this way a couple of weeks ago and took the detour to visit this church. It was closed when I got there and I had to climb over the wall to have a look around. I made a map based on the route I followed.
Got your track from Wikiloc, hope to be there in 9 days or so, yipeeeee! that is a great idea, it makes just the perfect stage between Aljucén and Alcuéscar, 28 km, including the stop to admire that stunning place, un millon de gracias, Allansykes!!!On my first camino, I did the quite long stage from Mérida to Alcuéscar, and by the time I got to the albergue after c36km was not in the mood to make the 6km return trip out to the lovely Visigothic church of Santa Lucía del Trampal.
So I was looking at wikiloc, and see that it's possible to visit the basilica on the way to Alcuéscar. You turn right on agricultural tracks shortly after the Cruz del Niño Muerto, about 16km from Aljucén, and head across wooden country to the basilica. The path on to Alcuéscar is well marked and easy. The detour adds about 1km to the day, and if you're starting from Aljucén it would be easy to get there while the interior of the church is open (until 2pm, or after 4 or 5pm if coming from Mérida).
It's an astonishingly lovely simple church, and thinking that it survived from before the moorish occupation makes it very special. The setting is serenely lovely as well, with warm springs nearby, and rolling dehesa around it. There is evidence that it was a sacred site before the Romans arrived in Spain.
Amancio, it’s a great little detour. GPS tracks essential, though, because there are many twists and turns and nothing marked until you get close to the church. I remember when the church first appeared and I saw a big gate locked shut. My heart sank, but I continued on another minute or two and saw that the main entrance with the car park was in fact open. WHEW! Such a beautiful place.Got your track from Wikiloc, hope to be there in 9 days or so, yipeeeee! that is a great idea, it makes just the perfect stage between Aljucén and Alcuéscar, 28 km, including the stop to admire that stunning place, un millon de gracias, Allansykes!!!
In Villafranca today, a few towns are over booked, hard to find bed at Times, but la plata is still unique!Amancio, it’s a great little detour. GPS tracks essential, though, because there are many twists and turns and nothing marked until you get close to the church. I remember when the church first appeared and I saw a big gate locked shut. My heart sank, but I continued on another minute or two and saw that the main entrance with the car park was in fact open. WHEW! Such a beautiful place.
P.s. When are you starting and from where? Buen camino, abrazos, Laurie
This diversion is absolutely delightful, not only for the extremely old and particular church, but also because it goes through some beautiful patches of forest. I cannot believe the official camino is not detoured via Santa Lucía, it would only take 4 or 5 arrows, that is it, and the views from the hills towards the South are magnificent. Definitely worht it, great job, thanks a million ALAN!!!!
Hi Laurie! I am now back home after 3 weeks in La Plata! I would not have done this without Alan's track and my mobile phone GPS, but the detour would be extremely easy to signpost, just a few arrows, 4 or 5 maybe, would do the trick!Great to hear from you, @amancio, and I agree with your assessment completely. Did you do this detour without a GPS? I was really glad to have Alan’s tracks because I remember a few counter-intuitive twists and turns. I met an elderly man with a donkey pulling a wagon full of cork and had a very nice long chat about nothing much at all.
Are you in Alcuéscar now?
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