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We did the Madrid Camino in October to mid November in 2019. We saw one couple once in all that time. Places were closed which made days longer. Glad we did it but I'm not sure we'd do it again.I did the Madrid Camino in May 2019 and loved it. (See my YouTube video). If I do it again (and I plan to) I would continue to Leon and do the San Salvador/Primitivo routes. I would also recommend staying in downtown Madrid an extra night. I walked to the edge of the city and took the subway back downtown on the first day of my walk. Then I took the subway back to that same spot the next morning and was on my way. If you have the time, stay an extra day in Segovia - well worth it!
Not to mention two weeks later we both got really sick, coughing hard to breathe. We proceeded to pass it on to both sides of the family. Of course know one new about covid then.I did the Madrid Camino in May 2019 and loved it. (See my YouTube video). If I do it again (and I plan to) I would continue to Leon and do the San Salvador/Primitivo routes. I would also recommend staying in downtown Madrid an extra night. I walked to the edge of the city and took the subway back downtown on the first day of my walk. Then I took the subway back to that same spot the next morning and was on my way. If you have the time, stay an extra day in Segovia - well worth it!
Thanks so much for this suggestion! I am going to look more carefully at the details.leave the Camino de Madrid in Puente de Duero (a few km before Valladolid) and then follow the Senda del Duero / GR 14 to Zamora via Tordesillas, Castronuño and Toro.
Spring is perhaps better because of all the wildflowers. I didn’t meet many pilgrims and that was good for me - lots of time for reflection.We did the Madrid Camino in October to mid November in 2019. We saw one couple once in all that time. Places were closed which made days longer. Glad we did it but I'm not sure we'd do it again.
Wow, this is amazing!Hello B!
One way to avoid the CF entirely is to leave the Camino de Madrid in Puente de Duero (a few km before Valladolid) and then follow the Senda del Duero / GR 14 to Zamora via Tordesillas, Castronuño and Toro.
In Castronuño you will also join the Camino de Levante and you can follow the yellow arrows to Zamora instead of the red and white stripes of the GR 14.
In Zamora you will join the Vía de la Plata. Three stages further on in Granja de Moreruela you leave the Vía de la Plata and follow the Camino Sanabrés to Santiago.
The Senda del Duero / GR 14 is very well signposted (better than Caminos); http://www.lasendadelduero.com/rutas-por-el-duero/sendero-gr-14/ (see stages 15 to 18). But it has the disadvantage of "hugging" the Duero where a straighter path would be shorter. For that reason you may want to follow the Camino de Levante from Castronuño to Zamora.
I hope that does not sound too complicated! I attach a map which will hopefully help you.
Buen camino!
Thanks! I'll need to face the dust then, as September is the only time I'll have in 2021. Hopefully the Covid-19 situation would also improve by then too.In the fall of 2019 I walked the second option: the Madrid to the Frances to the Invierno to Santiago. The air was full of dust on the Madrid north of Segovia (farmers cultivating their dry fields) and it rained nearly non-stop on my time on the Invierno. However, the scenery and meetings with locals were rewarding on both routes. From reading posts about the Madrid, fall (or late spring) may still be the best time to walk it, as the deep snow in Fuenfria Pass melts very late in the spring. I liked the feeling of taking a direct route to Santiago and was comfortable with the larger numbers of pilgrims on the section on the Frances. There is no problem walking from central Madrid to Tres Cantos (23km) on your first day if you are not eager to do the back and forth on the subway system to get out of downtown.
Alvin, your video made my legs yearn for walking and my mind day-dream of yellow arrows ! Thanks !!I did the Madrid Camino in May 2019 and loved it. (See my YouTube video). If I do it again (and I plan to) I would continue to Leon and do the San Salvador/Primitivo routes. I would also recommend staying in downtown Madrid an extra night. I walked to the edge of the city and took the subway back downtown on the first day of my walk. Then I took the subway back to that same spot the next morning and was on my way. If you have the time, stay an extra day in Segovia - well worth it!
There was no parish albergue when I walked that route, only a tiny municipal albergue, which had odd hours, as it was in the basement of a municipal building and pilgrims had to be out very early, before it opened. That albergue was closed, apparently permanently, when I walked through, so I ended up staying in an expensive hotel, there being no albergue option at the time. But there was some reasonably priced accommodation in town, only it had to be booked way in advance. As my plans changed at the last minute, I was not able to make advance bookings. After Tres Cantos, there were many inexpensive albergue options.Thanks! I'll need to face the dust then, as September is the only time I'll have in 2021. Hopefully the Covid-19 situation would also improve by then too.
I see that Tres Cantos has a Parish Pilgrim Albergue "Santa Teresa de Jesús" and also an Municipal (that is temporarily closed) - why do people bother taking the subway then? I don't really understand.
Oh, I get it. Now according to Gronze there's the Parish place (parish places would always be my preferred option). I don't mind paying slightly more than the few euros I payed in CF. That's lifeThere was no parish albergue when I walked that route, only a tiny municipal albergue, which had odd hours, as it was in the basement of a municipal building and pilgrims had to be out very early, before it opened. That albergue was closed, apparently permanently, when I walked through, so I ended up staying in an expensive hotel, there being no albergue option at the time. But there was some reasonably priced accommodation in town, only it had to be booked way in advance. As my plans changed at the last minute, I was not able to make advance bookings. After Tres Cantos, there were many inexpensive albergue options.
WOW, thank you so much!The Invierno is a very special camino, so in your shoes I'd want to include it.
So here's another option, more direct than the Primativo option and still minimizing your days on the Frances:
CdM (Madrid-Sahagun)
Frances (Sahagun-Leon) 2-3 days
San Salvador (Leon-La Robla) 1 day
Olvidado (La Robla-Ponferrada) 6-8 days
Invierno (Ponferrada-Santiago) 8-12 days
All the more reason to chose the Salvador-Olvidado-Invierno option.The GR14 one I think would be slightly shorter.
I plan on re-walking the Madrid/San Salvador/Primitivo in the Fall. So my choice for you would be that option.Hi pilgrims,
I want to start walking on Camino de Madrid circa beginning of September (Don't have my airplane tickets yet, but somewhere around the 5th-7th I think?)
I want to walk all the way to Santiago (not only Sahagun). I also want to minimize my time on CF.
Options:
- CF for Sahagun->Santiago.
- CF for Sahagun->Ponferrada. then camino invierno.
- CF for Sahagun->Leon. then connect to camino salvador and primitivo.
- IDK? Can I connect to VDLP from camino Madrid before Sahagun and avoid CF entirely (but not walk the entire CdM)?
I slightly dislike the salvador-primitivo option just because it "extends" in a non-natural way, although it should be the most beautiful and I might end up going for this anyway, it feels slightly "irrational" to take the such a de-tour.
Any thoughts from your experience? any recommendations?
This is a very appealing option that I’m going to consider for my next camino ( hopefully in May ).The Invierno is a very special camino, so in your shoes I'd want to include it.
So here's another option, more direct than the Primativo option and still minimizing your days on the Frances:
CdM (Madrid-Sahagun)
Frances (Sahagun-Leon) 2-3 days
San Salvador (Leon-La Robla) 1 day
Olvidado (La Robla-Ponferrada) 6-8 days
Invierno (Ponferrada-Santiago) 8-12 days
This looks like a wonderful option! Is there somewhere you would point me to get the tracks for the walk between La Robla - Ponferrada, as it seems to not be the 'official' route? Thank you - I leave from Madrid next week, very excited!The Invierno is a very special camino, so in your shoes I'd want to include it.
So here's another option, more direct than the Primativo option and still minimizing your days on the Frances:
CdM (Madrid-Sahagun)
Frances (Sahagun-Leon) 2-3 days
San Salvador (Leon-La Robla) 1 day
Olvidado (La Robla-Ponferrada) 6-8 days
Invierno (Ponferrada-Santiago) 8-12 days
Hi, @amy374,Is there somewhere you would point me to get the tracks for the walk between La Robla - Ponferrada,
Indeed, Segovia is lovelyI did the Madrid Camino in May 2019 and loved it. (See my YouTube video). If I do it again (and I plan to) I would continue to Leon and do the San Salvador/Primitivo routes. I would also recommend staying in downtown Madrid an extra night. I walked to the edge of the city and took the subway back downtown on the first day of my walk. Then I took the subway back to that same spot the next morning and was on my way. If you have the time, stay an extra day in Segovia - well worth it!
Eamann -- I'm walking the Camino de Madrid starting at the end of August, and am thinking of avoiding the Camino frances, opting to deviate via Zamora and then along the Sanabres. I would be off the official camino for 2-3 days. What is the albergue situation along the Senda del Duero, in places like Tordesillas? For some reason, gronze.com doesn't list any albergues for the Levante Camino on the final stretch to Zamora. Presumably, there are some affordable options there too?Hello B!
One way to avoid the CF entirely is to leave the Camino de Madrid in Puente de Duero (a few km before Valladolid) and then follow the Senda del Duero / GR 14 to Zamora via Tordesillas, Castronuño and Toro.
In Castronuño you will also join the Camino de Levante and you can follow the yellow arrows to Zamora instead of the red and white stripes of the GR 14.
In Zamora you will join the Vía de la Plata. Three stages further on in Granja de Moreruela you leave the Vía de la Plata and follow the Camino Sanabrés to Santiago.
The Senda del Duero / GR 14 is very well signposted (better than Caminos); http://www.lasendadelduero.com/rutas-por-el-duero/sendero-gr-14/ (see stages 15 to 18). But it has the disadvantage of "hugging" the Duero where a straighter path would be shorter. For that reason you may want to follow the Camino de Levante from Castronuño to Zamora.
I hope that does not sound too complicated! I attach a map which will hopefully help you.
Buen camino!
Gronze doesn’t have any Levante info other than the names of the towns along the way. There is a note at the top saying (my translation) “guide pending.” There are actually a fair number of albergues and I think the most up to date resource is the online guide of the Camino Association in Valencia. Go to their main web page, you can click the flag for English, then click on Levante, and you will get a stage by stage overview, with walking instructions, accommodations (albergues and private), etc.For some reason, gronze.com doesn't list any albergues for the Levante Camino on the final stretch to Zamora. Presumably, there are some affordable options there too?
That’s exactly what @OzAnnie did, though her camino was interrupted by covid. Two threads, one from Toledo to Tiñosillas, the other for the rest of the way from Tiñosillas.Another option for me would be to start not in Madrid, but in Toledo and follow the Levante up to Zamora and then the Sanabres a few days later.....Any thoughts on that one?
That’s exactly what @OzAnnie did, though her camino was interrupted by covid. Two threads, one from Toledo to Tiñosillas, the other for the rest of the way from Tiñosillas.
Thanks for the links!That’s exactly what @OzAnnie did, though her camino was interrupted by covid. Two threads, one from Toledo to Tiñosillas, the other for the rest of the way from Tiñosillas.
Thanks! There is a lot of good info in those threads. As of now, I'm thinking of starting in Toledo and following the Levante up to Zamora.That’s exactly what @OzAnnie did, though her camino was interrupted by covid. Two threads, one from Toledo to Tiñosillas, the other for the rest of the way from Tiñosillas.
Thanks for the links!
Thanks! There is a lot of good info in those threads. As of now, I'm thinking of starting in Toledo and following the Levante up to Zamora.
Peregrina2000 -- were you walking the Primitivo in September 2021? I think you were a day or two day ahead of me......That’s exactly what @OzAnnie did, though her camino was interrupted by covid. Two threads, one from Toledo to Tiñosillas, the other for the rest of the way from Tiñosillas.
Yes, I was. I walked from Oviedo to Grado on Sept. 14.Peregrina2000 -- were you walking the Primitivo in September 2021? I think you were a day or two day ahead of me......
If you choose this option, you could opt for the Verín variant to give you something new on the Sanabrés. I walked some of that (from Verín to Ourense) a few weeks ago and there are definitely some highlights in there!Another option for me would be to start not in Madrid, but in Toledo and follow the Levante up to Zamora and then the Sanabres a few days later.....Any thoughts on that one? I'm familiar with the Sanabres from having walked the via de la Plata a few years ago, but don't know anything about the Levante.
I've just found my credential for last year. That was the day that I stopped in Grado and stayed at the albergue de El Salvador (the place that was to the right up the hill next to the park). Some of my later stops included Porciles on 9/17, Lugo on 9/22, Melide on 9/24 and Santiago on 9/26. Great walk!Yes, I was. I walked from Oviedo to Grado on Sept. 14.
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