Traffic doubles on the Camino de Levante

[peregrina2000]

That's the estimate, anyway (same for other caminos in that area, the Lana and Sureste) Up to about 500 (from 30 countries) for the first six months this year, compared to half that last year. Though the numbers are low, this kind of growth is pretty impressive.

http://www.latribunadealbacete.es/n.../20140810/caminos/levante/duplican/peregrinos

May is a beautiful month to be on this camino! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[alansykes]

That's the estimate, anyway (same for other caminos in that area, the Lana and Sureste) Up to about 500 (from 30 countries) for the first six months this year, compared to half that last year.

Help, better get my ticket booked before it gets too full to travel on ...

 

[speggo]

When I came through Ávila in June I was only the fifth English person out of about 400. The levante is still way more popular with the Spanish than any other nationality so far, probably due ho the need to be fairly self sufficient in speaking spanish.

 

[LTfit]

Still need to sit down and post about my Levante experience. In the mean time I will just mention that my Camino buddy and I met only one other pilgrim in the almost 3 weeks that we walked this summer (starting from Valencia on June 27th).

Not sure when/ if I will continue on beyond Toledo. Not because I wouldn't want to but because I would definately want to have a walking companion up to Zamora. I love walking alone and in fact started 5 of my 7 Caminos by myself but this route is another story.

At this point the infrastructure does not accommodate more than a few pilgrims at a time as almost all the albergues had only 2-4 beds.

A more complete report will follow.

@alansykes when are you heading out again?

 

[alansykes]

@alansykes when are you heading out again?

Looking forward to reading more about your experiences. At the moment I hope to leave Alicante on about October 24, so probably arriving Toledo around November 9. Planning to spend at least 2 nights there. Would be great to hook up if you are walking then - was thinking of going via Tordesillas and Benavente but I love Zamora so much I could easily switch.

 

[LTfit]

Something to think about Alan...although some of us have to work from time to time.
Don't know Benavente as I continued on the Sanabrés last summer. Tordesillas is lovely though. Visited the castle way back when. About 35 years ago!
So are you going to join up with the Levante? At the suggestion of a Camino Association member in Alpera (deviated onto the Sureste to shorten a stage) we followed the Sureste for a few days.

 

[alansykes]

The traffic certainly is more than I expected. In my first 12 days since leaving Alicante, and 8 since I joined the Levante at Almansa, I've had more meals and walks with other pilgrims than in my 3 previous pilgrimages combined. Breakfast and 3 hours with a couple of Italians from Novelda, intermittent meals and walks with the Toledano Justo between Sax and Alpera, regular encounters with a Dutch couple between Alpera and Albacete, supper with another Italian couple in Caudete, and frequent collisions with my Estonian friend Tanel between Almansa and today, when I stopped in Mota del Cuervo for work and he carried on to El Toboso. I expect I'll catch him up again. Although I love solitude, I've enjoyed the varied companionship this time.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Alan,
Well, if there are this many pilgrims walking the Levante in November, imagine how many will be there next May! I do think it's nice that there seems to be more likelihood of meeting other pilgrims. LTfit was on the Levante not too long ago, and didn't see anyone, so maybe the wave theory rules here on a smaller scale.

I'm really enjoying your posts -- have you stopped to write another Guardian article? Buen camino, Laurie