- Time of past OR future Camino
- started in 2012, hooked ever since.
For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
Antonius, many thanks for that, it is so useful. Can I ask when do you walk and at what time of year?Here are my stages from Sevilla up to Salamanca
1 Sevilla Guillena 22.5km
2 Guillena - Castilblanco 18km
3 Castilblanco Almaden de la Plata 30( first 15 km by taxi)
4 Almaden El Real de la Jara 15
5 El Real De la Mata Monesterio 20
6 Monesterio Fuente de Campos 21
7 Fuente de Campos Zafira 24,5
8 Zafira Villafranca de los Barros 19
9 Villafranca Torremejia 27,5
10Torremejia Merida 16
11Merida Aljucen 16
12Aljucen Alcuescar 20
13 Alcuescar Valdesalor 26,5
14 Valdesalor Cäsar de Casares 23
15 Cäsar Canaveral 33 (Albergue at the Embalse was closed)
16 Canaveral Galisteo 28
17 Galisteo Hotel Asturias 28 (hotel picks you up at the arc)
18 Hotel Asturias Aldenuevo Del Camino 14?
19 Aldenuevo Calzada de Beja 20
20 Calzada Fuenterroble de Salvatierra 18
21 Fuenterroble San Pedro de Rosales 28
22 San Pedro Salamanca 20?
If you go to Astoria you can continue on the Via Frances.
In Granja de Moruela you can take the Camino Sanabres, which is very beautiful and less crowded than the CF. In Montamarta you can take a shortcut to Tabara. I did that but it was not a nice walk. The path from Granja to Tabara seems to be beautiful
Thanks so much for that. What time of year did you walk? I agree about the taxi out of Seville. Why the taxi to Berrocol park?Vdlp splits a bit after Salamaca and from there you keep on it to Astorga and then take the Frances to Santiago, or you leave VDLP to take the Sanabres towards Ourense and make it to Santiago that way.
I don’t have my guidebook (Gerald Kelly, does the job) but here goes from memory.
Sevilla by bus for 10km to ease into the first day to Santiponce and from there walked to Guillena, then:
Castilblanco, then taxi for 16km to entrance of Berrocal park and
Almaden
Real de la Jarra
Monesterio
Fuente de cantos
Zafra
Villafranca de los barros
Merida
Aljucen
Alcuezar
Aldea del cano (short day)
Caceres
Train to Canaveral since the albergue on the embalse was/is closed
Grimaldo (where I tore my meniscus and had to end but was heading to Galisteo)
Then the plan was:
Carcaboso
An albergue off Camino before Caparra in Oliva de Plasencia (they do pick ups and bring you back in the morning where you left off).
Aldeanueva
And then I can’t remember what I had planned.
I like 23km a day, and I do not do well in the heat, hence the stage and taxis I took. There is all sorts of talk about how awful the exit out of Sevilla is: looked just fine from the bus. But I was glad not to have walked 30km in the heat on day 1. And then the 16km from Castiblancomtomthe entrance of the park: you will find taxi phone numbers at the albergue and many people to share it with you. Taxi picked us up at the bar where we had breakfast before heading out for the day.
This is a beautiful route, but hot, hot, hot. Even starting April 1st (and apparently still hot today). You will have to carry a lot of water, and manage it, and I would recimmend a reflective umbrella. Mine came out at noon and by 1pm I was suffering despite having it.
Thanks for that. Makes perfect sense.I left Sevilla on April first.
Why taxi to the Berrocal? 1) And forst and formost, I a, a 23 km girl. Doing 30km on flat terrain in pleasant temps would be uncomfortable for me and I would be swearing during the last 7. In th heat, and with the beast of the hill at the end of this this day, no way. 2) The first 16km to the entrance of the parc are along a straight National route with no services and nothing special to look at. 3) There are no services, or anywhere to replenish water bottles on those 30km, so lots of extra weight to carry.
A favour to ask from some of those who have walked the Via de La Plata. I have bought the CSJ little book and downloaded some of the useful guides on this forum. I am thinking of doing a bit of the Via de la Plata next year (September?) and just wondered if someone would share their own stages from Seville for around 16-18 days walking? Also is the route from Seville to Astorga or Seville to Santiago?
Any tips about this route?
thanks in advance!
A favour to ask from some of those who have walked the Via de La Plata. I have bought the CSJ little book and downloaded some of the useful guides on this forum. I am thinking of doing a bit of the Via de la Plata next year (September?) and just wondered if someone would share their own stages from Seville for around 16-18 days walking? Also is the route from Seville to Astorga or Seville to Santiago?
Any tips about this route?
thanks in advance!
I am walking the VDLP at the moment and started in Sevilla almost two weeks ago. For my first 3 days temperatures reached 32-33C. Slightly lower now but still uncomfortable for a Scot more used to cool damp climates. Heavy going at first.
I walked the whole 30km from Castilblanco to Almaden but most people that day took a taxi to El Berrocal and walked from there - and sent their packs ahead by taxi. With temperatures over 30C, nowhere to eat en route and only one reportedly unreliable water source midway I can hardly blame them. I arrived at about 5.30pm exhausted, hot and very uncomfortable despite setting out with 4 litres of water. Fortunately the tap at the forest house was working that day.
Thanks so much for that and your blog is great!It IS a long, flat boring walk at first so take heaps of water with you. I walked Sep/Oct last year in searing heat. It starts to warm up at about 10 o’clock and there is no shade. I took a sun reflective Birdie Pal umbrella for sun protection and it was a lifesaver!!! Drops temperature underneath by up to seven degrees. No cafes inbeteeen on this walk so take snacks and water. You can read my blog on my website https://margaretcaffyn.com.au
Also I found the guidebook a bit lacking so I also used Camino
It IS a Long flat and hard walk! I did it in Sept/Oct last year in searing heat. There is no shade and I was so grateful for my sun reflective Birdie Pal umbrella (a last minute purchase) it drops the temperature underneath by up to seven degrees. You need to take plenty of water. 3-4 litres. It starts to heat up by 10 o’clock. You can read my blog on my website
https://margaretcaffyn.com.au
Also found the book a bit lacking so used an app called Via de la Plata Premium. It is really helpful with photos, places to stay, elevation maps etc. if you are on limited time and are worried about this stage, start further on. Buen Camino!
Starting in Salamanca or Zamora and continuing on the Sanabrés might get you to more temperate climate. The two days from Salamanca to Zamora are kind of brutal, alongside the highway with few stops so starting in Zamora might be more pleasant but then you miss the lovely city of Salamanca! I am not a weather expert, but starting in Mérida or Cáceres further south might be ok. Gronze has a good listing of stages for estimating a 16-18 day chunk of it. https://www.gronze.com/via-plataSo, as someone who doesn't necessarily do whole caminos, (although I have!) but enjoys every step none the less, and doesn't need to see Santiago again, I have 16-18 days, where would you recommend starting to avoid perhaps the initial heatwave? My times for walking are limited to Sept/October normally so by the sounds of it starting at Seville, at this time of the year and earlier in Sept is going to be too hot for this Irish woman in Fermanagh used to one week of Summer in May and rain for most of the rest of the year!
but 2 days between Salamanca and Zamora road walking would not appeal. Although I would love to visit Salamanca so I suppose a more touristy approach - arrive in Salamanca see the sights then bus to Zamora.
For us the weather turned a few days before Salamanca (Carcaboso I think), after a big thunderstorm the temperature dropped from 36+ to....around 12 and we really felt the cold!
I hope the same happens to you, it does make for easier walking
Yes, I wasn't wishing you rain of course, just cooler temperaturesLooks like history repeating itself. I am in Carcaboso packing up ready for a long stage to Cáparra and beyond. The forecast for today is much colder with lots of rain. Personally I'd be happier without the rain but there is no doubt that the land is ready for it after a long dry time.
We loved our walk on the Vdlp in Sept/Oct and I will be heading back that way next year to do it again. Still debating where to start, my daughter is punting for starting in Merida and the section from Merida to Zamora was extreamly beautiful and historic, she doesn't have time for us to start in Seville again. We may see you out there.So, as someone who doesn't necessarily do whole caminos, (although I have!) but enjoys every step none the less, and doesn't need to see Santiago again, I have 16-18 days, where would you recommend starting to avoid perhaps the initial heatwave? My times for walking are limited to Sept/October normally so by the sounds of it starting at Seville, at this time of the year and earlier in Sept is going to be too hot for this Irish woman in Fermanagh used to one week of Summer in May and rain for most of the rest of the year!
Thanks for that. Merida is definitely a possible starting point. And it also leaves a nice chunk for the following walk. Oh no now I am planning 2019!!!We loved our walk on the Vdlp in Sept/Oct and I will be heading back that way next year to do it again. Still debating where to start, my daughter is punting for starting in Merida and the section from Merida to Zamora was extreamly beautiful and historic, she doesn't have time for us to start in Seville again. We may see you out there.
Thanks for the link to your blog!I agree that for a walk of three weeks, Salamanca would be a great place to start. If you would like to split the 70-ish km from Salamanca to Zamora into 3 days, you can stop at Casa Saso the first night and at Villanueva de Campean the second night. Zamora has several worthwhile museums. I've blogged this trip twice, once in 2016 and once in 2017, both in the spring: ourboatleavestheharbor.blogspot.com.
Buen Camino!
I agree that for a walk of three weeks, Salamanca would be a great place to start. If you would like to split the 70-ish km from Salamanca to Zamora into 3 days, you can stop at Casa Saso the first night and at Villanueva de Campean the second night. Zamora has several worthwhile museums. I've blogged this trip twice, once in 2016 and once in 2017, both in the spring: ourboatleavestheharbor.blogspot.com.
Buen Camino!
We loved our walk on the Vdlp in Sept/Oct and I will be heading back that way next year to do it again. Still debating where to start, my daughter is punting for starting in Merida and the section from Merida to Zamora was extreamly beautiful and historic, she doesn't have time for us to start in Seville again. We may see you out there.
Hope it's going well.
Hi, thanks for that. Did you walk to Astorga and then the Frances or trun left after Zamora?We too started walking from Mérida (after spending a few days in Sevilla of course). It was to (try!) and beat the weather, it was already hotter than we expected beg. of June. It leaves you with 800 km instead of 1000. Enjoy!
Hi, thanks for that. Did you walk to Astorga and then the Frances or trun left after Zamora?
Thank you for the good wishes. Unfortunately I started having knee problems a little before Baños de Montemayor which grew steadily worse during the day until it was clear I could go no further. I had already decided to stop in Salamanca so returning home three or four days early is no great disaster. I will return to complete the VDLP some other time.
Thanks for that. Yes I think a couple pf extra days is something I need to factor in to my trip.No, I followed the Sanabres, didn't go to Astorga.. Mérida is nice, loads of Roman stuff, I love Cáceres and my favourite is Salamanca.
Oh, forgot to say: Plasencia is lovely too, but not directly on the VdlP. We did a detour to visit it.
Hi, laineylainey,
I walked the Vdlp years ago and posted my stages: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/my-stages-on-the-vdlp.8961/
I should say that these are shorter stages than what I would likely do now, having realized about 5 years ago that I really enjoy longer days, but it gives you some idea. Look at gronze also. There are some other more recent reports pinned to the top of the Vdlp subforum.
About Astorga... The Vdlp north of Zamora splits into the "official Vdlp," and the Sanabrés. The official Vdlp joins with the Francés in Astorga, but the overwhelming majority of people, in my experience, take the "left branch" and continue up through Ourense.
So does this mean Granada this year and Sevilla next year? Buen camino, Laurie
Hi peregrina
thank you for the link to the stages which I will study along with Gerald Kelly's book which has maps and lots of detail.
Most of the discussion in this thread is on walking later in the year. I am planning an early March departure from Seville expecting to have cold and some rain but no really hot days; is this wishful thinking?
happymarkos
Thank youWhen I started one year in Sevilla on May 1, I had to wear my lambswool gloves till 10 or 11 every morning! Another year, leaving in mid April, it was much warmer. I think that early March would be unlikely to have really hot days, but the weather is crazy as you know.
A favour to ask from some of those who have walked the Via de La Plata. I have bought the CSJ little book and downloaded some of the useful guides on this forum. I am thinking of doing a bit of the Via de la Plata next year (September?) and just wondered if someone would share their own stages from Seville for around 16-18 days walking? Also is the route from Seville to Astorga or Seville to Santiago?
Any tips about this route?
thanks in advance!
Hi peregrina
thank you for the link to the stages which I will study along with Gerald Kelly's book which has maps and lots of detail.
Most of the discussion in this thread is on walking later in the year. I am planning an early March departure from Seville expecting to have cold and some rain but no really hot days; is this wishful thinking?
happymarkos
Thank you JohnIf you are starting early March, it may be helpful to take into account when the Easter dates are next year.
During the Easter festivities/holidays/religious observations I'd expect there to be an impact upon usual day-to-day public services, shop hours and such like.
Buen Camino
You can count on the entire week being very busy, including the weekend before.Easter thursday is 29 March ending Easter Monday 2 April.
I walked the highway stretch and if you do it first thing in the morning it is actually quite a pretty walk. The road is quiet too.Thanks so much for that. What time of year did you walk? I agree about the taxi out of Seville. Why the taxi to Berrocol park?
Sorry to read that your camino had to end at such a beautiful part of the VdlP, Bradypus.. I had already decided to stop in Salamanca so returning home three or four days early is no great disaster. I will return to complete the VDLP some other time.
A question; do you know if the abergue in Banos, (the one sharing the building with the VdlP museum), is open again?
Sorry - no idea about that. I stopped in Banos for lunch but had meant to stay further up the hill at Puerto de Bejar. Therefore I did not ask about it.
Hi, laineylainey,
I walked the Vdlp years ago and posted my stages: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/my-stages-on-the-vdlp.8961/
I should say that these are shorter stages than what I would likely do now, having realized about 5 years ago that I really enjoy longer days, but it gives you some idea. Look at gronze also. There are seyome other more recent reports pinned to the top of the Vdlp subforum.
About Astorga... The Vdlp north of Zamora splits into the "official Vdlp," and the Sanabrés. The official Vdlp joins with the Francés in Astorga, but the overwhelming majority of people, in my experience, take the "left branch" and continue up through Ourense.
So does this mean Granada this year and Sevilla next year? Buen camino, Laurie
A favour to ask from some of those who have walked the Via de La Plata. I have bought the CSJ little book and downloaded some of the useful guides on this forum. I am thinking of doing a bit of the Via de la Plata next year (September?) and just wondered if someone would share their own stages from Seville for around 16-18 days walking? Also is the route from Seville to Astorga or Seville to Santiago?
Any tips about this route?
thanks in advance!
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?