Starting from a place not on the route

[jbear]

Having recently completed my first Camino I may be slightly obsessed, but I have already started planning a second. While my first Camino was on the Frances, my next will be along part of Via de la Plata.

Some of my favorite parts of the Camino were when I was able to reconnect with my Spanish family. My father's family come from two small towns west of Salamanca- La Redonda (maternal) and Cerralbo (paternal). Over the years, and generations, we have lost contact with the paternal side of the family. However, we still have a strong connection with the maternal side- visits from both sides as well as frequent letters.

All of that lead to a desire that began while I was still walking. Just as pilgrims of old walked from their home, I want to walk from my family's home. La Redonda is about 60 miles (100 km) west of Salamanca. While I considered going through Portugal many of the older generation now live in Salamanca. Also, Salamanca is where I first learned about the Camino, so VdlP makes more sense.

Which brings me to my question. What to do with my credential? I assume there will be no albergues. I'm ok with that, I know I'll find somewhere to sleep. When I stayed with family for two days in Burgos there were plenty of places to get stamps, but I know this won't be the case here. There is nothing official in La Redonda, not even a church anymore, so what do I do as far as a stamp? Can I get one one of my family members to sign it? Then what about the towns along the way towards Salamanca (3-4 days)? Again, signatures? Would that be expectable at the pilgrim's office? While it's not the most important thing, I would really like my Compostela to show the starting point as La Redonda, not Salamanca.

My starting point:
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[madrid12]

I always get my first stamp from my local church in the UK even though I don't start walking from there. I have also had signatures on my credential when no-one in the smaller places could find a stamp or the ink had dried up.
When I started the vdlp a long time ago I decided to start in Sanlucar but did'nt get any stamps until Seville but sorry that does not really answer your question. But now I am surprised at the number of places with a stamp.
Enjoy your camino.

 

[KinkyOne]

Having recently completed my first Camino I may be slightly obsessed, but I have already started planning a second. While my first Camino was on the Frances, my next will be along part of Via de la Plata.

Some of my favorite parts of the Camino were when I was able to reconnect with my Spanish family. My father's family come from two small towns west of Salamanca- La Redonda (maternal) and Cerralbo (paternal). Over the years, and generations, we have lost contact with the paternal side of the family. However, we still have a strong connection with the maternal side- visits from both sides as well as frequent letters.

All of that lead to a desire that began while I was still walking. Just as pilgrims of old walked from their home, I want to walk from my family's home. La Redonda is about 60 miles (100 km) west of Salamanca. While I considered going through Portugal many of the older generation now live in Salamanca. Also, Salamanca is where I first learned about the Camino, so VdlP makes more sense.

Which brings me to my question. What to do with my credential? I assume there will be no albergues. I'm ok with that, I know I'll find somewhere to sleep. When I stayed with family for two days in Burgos there were plenty of places to get stamps, but I know this won't be the case here. There is nothing official in La Redonda, not even a church anymore, so what do I do as far as a stamp? Can I get one one of my family members to sign it? Then what about the towns along the way towards Salamanca (3-4 days)? Again, signatures? Would that be expectable at the pilgrim's office? While it's not the most important thing, I would really like my Compostela to show the starting point as La Redonda, not Salamanca.

My starting point:
View media item 2880View media item 2879

Hola, Jim!

What about Camino Torres that goes from Salamanca through Portugal to SdC? From La Redonda is approx.50kms to Alba de Yeltes or Ciudad Rodrigo and 40kms to Gallegos de Arganan which are all on Camino Torres.
More here:
http://caminosantiago.usal.es/torres/
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-torres.12024/

Ultreia!

 

[backiej]

Hola Jim

You could try the town hall or a shop or a cafe/bar/restaurant as a business stamp will do. Would you like a free PDF of my book to take with you?

 

[jbear]

Hola, Jim!

What about Camino Torres that goes from Salamanca through Portugal to SdC? From La Redonda is approx.50kms to Alba de Yeltes or Ciudad Rodrigo and 40kms to Gallegos de Arganan which are all on Camino Torres.
More here:
http://caminosantiago.usal.es/torres/
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-torres.12024/

Ultreia!

Thank you for that tip and the links! I never heard of the Camino Torres, but I do know where Ciudad Rodrigo is. This makes route planing much easier.

 

[jbear]

Hola Jim

You could try the town hall or a shop or a cafe/bar/restaurant as a business stamp will do. Would you like a free PDF of my book to take with you?

Thank you for the offer. Is your book about the Via de la Plata?

 

[KinkyOne]

Thank you for that tip and the links! I never heard of the Camino Torres, but I do know where Ciudad Rodrigo is. This makes route planing much easier.

Either way keep us posted please

Ultreia!

 

[peregrina2000]

I have a Spanish friend who walked the Camino de Torres, and it is (or at least was) essentially an all road, all pensiones camino. But this was a couple of years ago, and maybe it´s been improved since then -- do you have any recent info, Kinky? If it were me, I´d walk over to Salamanca and get on the Vdlp. As far as stamps go, you can try the post office, a pharmacy, bank, etc. Any store at all will probably have a stamp, though it may just be for signing invoices with and thus not very pretty.

The compostela doesn't show starting points, but you can get a Certificate of Distance (3 €), which will show your starting point. I´m sure the office staff will be happy to write in your real starting point even if you don't have a stamp from there. If you do get a Certificate of Distance, my advice would be to have the total number of kilometers from La Redonda already calculated, because they will not have any way to figure it out easily. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[jbear]

Good call on recording the distance. Hey, I'll be writhing my own guide book! Well more like a guide pamphlet

 

[KinkyOne]

@peregrina2000
Sorry Laurie, I havo no new info on CTorres. But will get to it in autumn to research some combination with Manchego, Mozarabe, Sureste, VdlP, Teresiano, Torres, Portugal Interior - kind of a traverse camino. Will post about it

 

[jbear]

@peregrina2000
Sorry Laurie, I havo no new info on CTorres. But will get to it in autumn to research some combination with Manchego, Mozarabe, Sureste, VdlP, Teresiano, Torres, Portugal Interior - kind of a traverse camino. Will post about it

Looking forward to reading about it. Something else to "research" while you are in that area- hornazo. Its typical of the area around Salamanca, and similar to empanada, but instead of having a stew type filling it has slices of cured meat. It usually has jamón, chorizo, and lomo baked inside.

 

[backiej]

Thank you for the offer. Is your book about the Via de la Plata?

Hi Jim, sorry I have had family issues at home so this is my first time back on the forum. Yes it is about the VdlP.

 

[Gailsie]

Sounds like a wonderful personal camino, hope you will keep us informed on your progress. I for one would like to follow your journey,

 

[jbear]

Hi Jim, sorry I have had family issues at home so this is my first time back on the forum. Yes it is about the VdlP.

No problem, family first. Going to be a couple years (I'm planning 3, as of right now) before I can get that much time off again, but would love a copy.

 

[backiej]

Thank you for the offer. Is your book about the Via de la Plata?

Yes it is about the VdlP. Although it is a story and not a guidebook it does have some history, legends and descriptions of the route. You could check it out on amazon 'Tortoises on the Via de la Plata, look inside, read what is there and let me know if you would like a copy.
Best

Jackie