VdlP....IMPORTANT: i was harassed on my 2nd day, near Guillena

[Mila Nebraska]

Hey guys !

So I'm sitting here in Sevilla after a surrealistic day on the camino.
I started walking in Sevilla yesterday. This morning I had to walk only 18 km from Guillena to Castilbalnco.

Few kilometers after Guillena you pass by industrial place, poligono industrial el Cerro if I remember well.

Just after this place camino goes to the olive fields. There I saw a young 20something Spanish guy. He indicated to me that I should turn left (in reality you should keep on going straight). I saw something similar to a yellow arrow so I turned left. He walked after me and two minutes and few meters further I started feeling that something wasn't right. There was no route and no signs, I was literally in the middle of nowhere. I think I was lucky to figure it out fast enough because the guy tried to indicate to go further. I turned around and started walking back. At that point he asked me "you want this?" in Spanish with his d* in his hand. So I run away, went back to poligono industrial and waited for other pilgrims. Luckily an hour later i met two Spanish pilgrims and walked till Castilblanco with them.

Problem is, as a young solo female pilgrim, I won't feel safe on via dela plata after this incident. So after talking with hospitalero and local police in Castilblanco, I grabbed a bus to Sevilla. Sadly police can't do nothing because the guy didn't touch me and didn't try to rob me (I don't understand logic here but oh well..)

But I'm not giving up ! I'm in Sevilla and probably going to grab a train to Pamplona tomorrow to continue on the Camino Frances. As I remember it, you can find more pilgrims there. Here I saw 2 people in two days. Not saying it's really dangerous or different from any other place in the world, but I want to feel at least a bit safer on the camino then I felt these last two days.

Hospitalero in Castilblanco said he' going to call the albergue in Guillena, so they could warn other pilgrims.

I'm so sad to write this, but i wouldn't advice for solo woman to go that part of the camino alone.

Be safe and enjoy your camino !

 

[Al the optimist]

Sorry to hear your sad news. Thank you for sharing and warning others. Glad that you are inspired to continue with a Camino experience by going to the Frances. I wish you a great experience there to help put this behind you.

 

[mountaingoat999]

Quote (I don't understand logic here but oh well..).

Laws from country to country vary in Europe......I also do not understand the logic here....stay safe

enjoy the Camino Frances..

 

[LTfit]

It is very unfortunate that this happened to you @Mila Nebraska and I understand your reluctance to continue on your own along a Camino that is less populated. Joining up with the other pilgrims I understand was not an option - at least until you felt more comfortable being on your own.

Thank you for passing the information on - many of us, like you, are "solo" women walking the Camino. It is important to feel safe and I hope that you are able to continue and enjoy the Francés.

 

[Sailor]

. . . I'm so sad to write this, but i wouldn't advice for solo woman to go that part of the camino alone . . .

Thank you Mila for this report. You should not be sad nor ashamed for doing the right thing. Good luck on continuing your journey from Pamplona. God bless you. Que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

 

[Gailsie]

There has been a posting on the Via de la Plata forum section today from a lone female pilgrim of an incident of harassement by a young man. She has discontinued her VDLP camino and is going onto the Frances to have more pilgims on the route.

 

[Christobal72]

Oh no Mila! This is the reason I' ve been looking for company out of Seville. It seems like this region is packed with creeps.
I'm so sorry to hear this but I'm sure the rest of you're camino will be wonderful. I did the frances at this time last year and it was so lovely! No chance you'll be lonely.
Buen camino

 

[VNwalking]

Wise move, Mila.I'm very sorry this happened to you and wish you a better experience on the CF....!
Buen Camino...may you be safe and walk happily.

 

[wayfarer]

Thank you for the info Mila and thank you for reporting it. I hope you have a better experience on the Frances.
Buen Camino.

 

[Ekelund]

Hi Mila, I'm sorry to read what happened to you, what an awful experience. Good thing you got away and nothing more happened. Thank you for sharing and letting us know. And for going to the police to report, what happened.
I hope you will enjoy the Camino Frances, meet good people and be able to put the bad experience behind you. I wish you all the best!
Buen Camino to you.

 

[Mila Nebraska]

Thanks for your support ! it really helps. Going to start/continue from St Jean in two days and feeling really good about this decision

 

[FelixBC]

I'm so sorry to hear this, Mila. This spring I took a bus over that same stretch, because of reports of pilgrims being robbed. It was a sad thing to start a walk with a bus ride, but we do what we need to, especially as a woman walking solo. The rest of the trail, from Almaden de la plata, was fine. But I did switch to the camino Frances at Astorga, in large part to stop feeling so isolated. There's tons more people, and many women to join up with. Having other people around is a great comfort. I wish you all the best, and keep going!

 

[DurhamParish]

I hope you feel much safer and enjoy your time on the CF without any more harassment by creeps.

Buen Camino.

 

[Robo]

So sad to hear this Mila. Makes me mad and ashamed of my gender when I hear things like this.......

But you've made a wise choice. You'll find lots of Pilgrims on the CF and will enjoy a very social time I'm sure

 

[gracethepilgrim]

What a terrible experience for you Mila. I have lived in Sevilla and also walked 2 VdlP's with no harrassment at all so I hope things are not taking a ‘turn for the worse’ in this area. You are a very sensible and brave person. Good on you for continuing with ‘your’ camino. Bless

 

[Dickwilbur]

Mila. currently walking vdlp. met 40 something dutch lady who had same problem same place on or about the 8th September. She took out her camera and politely asked to take his picture. He fled. She should have reported it but didn't. If Kent is still hospitaliero at Castilblanco and he is reading this perhaps he could flag up to local police?

As an aside, I watched the policia local deal with a fight outside the municipal is casar de caseres (avoid, basic, cramped, and adjacent to the local street fight scene). not impressed.

 

[NualaOC]

So sorry to hear of your experience, Mila and I can understand your frustration with the police response. As @gracethepilgrim said, you clearly have very sensible and brave instincts. I hope that you have a very positive experience on the Camino Frances. Buen Camino!

 

[Donna Sch]

As an aside, I watched the policia local deal with a fight outside the municipal is casar de caseres (avoid, basic, cramped, and adjacent to the local street fight scene). not impressed.

I have to admit that I wasn't that impressed with the Municipal at CdC. The druggies loitering near the entrance in the plaza who sometimes urinate in the area. The tightpacked dormitorio and it was the first crowded albergue we came across. It may have a washing machine but given I had already done my washing at Valdesalor, I couldn't get too enthused.

 

[musicman]

"Packed with creeps" - rather an overstatement....an admittedly horrible incident....but generalisations don't help. I waxy herein April and found nothing but a good welcome and help from everyone.

 

[LTfit]

Maybe best to keep to the topic.

The albergue in CdC by the way is free guys.

 

[grayland]

As LTfit advises...please return to original topic.

Another thread on the merits of that albergue can be started if desired.
Actually, I think there is one.

 

[Christobal72]

"Packed with creeps" - rather an overstatement....an admittedly horrible incident....but generalisations don't help. I waxy herein April and found nothing but a good welcome and help from everyone.

Ok sorry for that, but this part has been known for incidents in the past. I truly love Andalucia but I'm not happy to hear about this stuff two days before I'll start my vdlp...

 

[ricitosdeplata]

I m on the Vdlp right now. I started at Almaden de la plata. Sorry to hear about your bad experience. Glad you're continuing on the CF. I have met fewer women than men on Vdlp and only myself and 2 young women are walking alone. Other women I've seen are walking with friends or husband.

 

[Teresa Santamaria]

Mila, brava on your continuing journey and may you find the next path and its experiences pushes the incident further back. I am so impressed with all you did to make people aware and to report the incident and now just say "oh well".... You are a caring community member! Thank you!

 

[jjarnold]

Thanks for your report and others tips on this. I am another solo female planning to start from Seville easter next year . Think i will miss first two stages and begin in Almaden as some of you suggest.

 

[CanPete]

Quote (I don't understand logic here but oh well..).

Laws from country to country vary in Europe......I also do not understand the logic here....stay safe

enjoy the Camino Frances..

Laws vary, as well less willingness to act maybe ? It is hard to understand as the Camino is a big economic driver for the region, so, if I were in power locally, I would assure that these occurrences are discouraged as much as possible . . . Then again, it is impossible to 'police' (the way with limited manpower etc.) and us travellers/walkers wouldn't like to see police everywhere anyway . . . It is sad that warnings like this are needed, yet again it shows that Spain is a country like any other; some sexually frustrated men everywhere, sadly I guess a fact of life . . . Join others if possible and focus on the positive, cause there is so much of that on the Camino . . .

 

[CanPete]

I think it's a terrible shame that people shy away from the VDLP due to (bad) incidents like this, from what I understand the VDLP is a beautiful walk.

I'd like to put the following out there : On April 4, 2016 I plan on departing from Seville on the VDLP. Based on the recent (above and other ) posts from folks like Mila that were harassed (or worse) on Day 1 or Day 2 (a few kilometers after Guillena) please consider the following : If there are fellow future camineiros out there that are on the fence about walking the VDLP because of this, I would like to offer my company, at least the first couple of days, to get through this particular section of the VDLP. Once passed that, no ' have to's ' or obligations !

At the end of the day we are a big family and we look after each other . ..

Buen Camino !

 

[Barbara06]

Maybe best to keep to the topic.

The albergue in CdC by the way is free guys.

What does CdC stand for ?
Thanks

 

[Barbara06]

I walked alone the the Via de la Plata in may-june 2015 from Sevilla to Finistera, lukily I had no incident of this type.
I only met very agreable people (locals & pilgrims).
This sort of problem happens anywhere, all over the world. It has happened to me elsewhere, far away from caminos.

 

[LTfit]

@Barbara06 CdeC = Casar de Cáceres.

 

[CanPete]

Mountaingoat999 : I like that : "the more you know, the less you show" ... Hope it's not copy-righted, as I plan on using it . . .

 

[zzotte]

Mila you should had done two things first told him that you want to see it so when he toke his hands off it you laugh like mad if that did not get running you whack it with your walking stick then you run like hell

Zzotte

 

[ricitosdeplata]

Got a bit paranoid after reading this post and mistakenly threatened an elderly man with my trekking pole who was telling me that I was going the wrong way out of Torremejia. Farther down the road a campesino on a tractor yelled at me that I needed to turn left. Just trying to enjoy the walk now in spite of the possible danger.
Have been talking to other single female Vdlp peregrinos and they may have come alone but they found other peregrinos to walk with or follow close behind.

 

[Barbara06]

@Barbara06 CdeC = Casar de Cáceres.

Ah OK ! Thanks LTfit

I have to admit that I wasn't that impressed with the Municipal at CdC. The druggies loitering near the entrance in the plaza who sometimes urinate in the area. The tightpacked dormitorio and it was the first crowded albergue we came across. ...

When I was at the albergue of CdC, the tightpacked dormitary was full and so they opened another dormitary on the same floor, hidden just a few meters before. It was a lovely spacious and lightful dormitary, with 8-10 beds, and a nice new bathroom to go with it.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Mila, please do not abandon the VDLP, it's a great Camino that can be a lot quieter at this time of the year, compared to the France's. How about taking a bus to Merida, spend a day in the Roman ruins and then resume your Camino.
From memory those early days out of Sevilla do seem to have all the problems;it's where those robberies occurred a few years back. Stay save and buen Camino. M

 

[mountaingoat999]

Mountaingoat999 : I like that : "the more you know, the less you show" ... Hope it's not copy-righted, as I plan on using it . . .

you can use it "why not" I saw the logo inside a Audi R8 sports car showroom

 

[Celianna]

I am starting to walk the VDLP next week and so am understandably a bit worried. Is anyone else starting from Seville at the same time?

 

[Mila Nebraska]

Mila you should had done two things first told him that you want to see it so when he toke his hands off it you laugh like mad if that did not get running you whack it with your walking stick then you run like hell

Zzotte

Haha thanks for advice, in fact I WAS laughing like mad don't know where that reaction came from but I like to think it helped him get the sense of reality

 

[HeidiL]

Yeah, that was my reaction at my only flasher - about 200 meters from my own front door. He looked very disappointed, I think I was supposed to be impressed or frightened.

 

[Urban Trekker]

I know that trust of Law Enforcement varies country to country but shouldn't one take the time to file a report with the authorities. Warning other pilgrims is good but the perpetrator is still out there and the police are unware there is a problem. Buen Camino

Happy Trails

 

[Anniesantiago]

I know that trust of Law Enforcement varies country to country but shouldn't one take the time to file a report with the authorities. Warning other pilgrims is good but the perpetrator is still out there and the police are unware there is a problem. Buen Camino

Happy Trails

I'm pretty sure if you read the original post, you'll see she did report it to the police and to the hospitalero.

 

[Hanne]

The etape from Seville to Guillena has a bad reputation for pilgrims getting robbed, because the locals knows, that the pilgrims just started the camino and have more money with them at this point. The etape is not the nicest on Via the la Plata, so I will advice people to take the bus on this etape, if them don't find other pilgrims to walk with in Seville to Guillena for safety reasons. The high season to walk Via de la Plata from Seville is in the Spring (March-April). At that time there will be more pilgrims on the camino.

 

[peregrina2000]

The etape from Seville to Guillena has a bad reputation for pilgrims getting robbed, because the locals knows, that the pilgrims just started the camino and have more money with them at this point. The etape is not the nicest on Via the la Plata, so I will advice people to take the bus on this etape, if them don't find other pilgrims to walk with in Seville to Guillena for safety reasons. The high season to walk Via de la Plata from Seville is in the Spring (March-April). At that time there will be more pilgrims on the camino.

Just to clarify, the robberies seem to have ended because of an arrest, which I believe was prompted because of a report of a Canadian pilgrims. Those robberies took place before Guillena. The two incidents described in this post happend after Guillena. We haven't heard of more incidents, but of course that doesn't mean it couldn't happen. As Hanne says, high season on Vdlp is springtime, and it also happens to be the most knock-down gorgeous time of year as well. So there are multiple resaons to walk the Vdlp in spring! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Hanne]

Hi Peregrina2000,
I think the robberies, on the first day from Seville, is a "On/Off" thing depending on if the robbers are arrested or free !
Taking the bus is just for safety reasons, and the bus-pilgrims will miss the nice spring-time challenge: Crossing a river with lots of water or find an alternative way. It's a great talk among Via de la Plata-pilgrims for the rest of this camino.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Peregrina2000,
I think the robberies, on the first day from Seville, is a "On/Off" thing depending on if the robbers are arrested or free !
Taking the bus is just for safety reasons, and the bus-pilgrims will miss the nice spring-time challenge: Crossing a river with lots of water or find an alternative way. It's a great talk among Via de la Plata-pilgrims for the rest of this camino.

Hi, Hanne, do you know of more robberies since the arrest several years ago? At least according to the last poster on this post-arrest thread said, there had been no more robberies since January of 2014. It sounds like you may have more up to date information.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ear-sevilla-thanks-to-canadian-pilgrim.20805/

 

[Hanne]

There has been a robbery just before Guillena this year also.

 

[Urban Trekker]

I'm pretty sure if you read the original post, you'll see she did report it to the police and to the hospitalero.

My apologies, I somehow missed that.

In light of current events the lack of action reflects poorly on Spanish police. Maybe this thread will effect a responce from the authorities. Again my apologies. Buen Camino

 

[waveprof]

It seems like this region is packed with creeps.

This seems really inappropriate. I'm sure you didn't mean it as such, but nonetheless

What happened to the OP is certainly troubling, and may well be reason for her to switch to the CF, and may well be reason for anyone to reconsider walking an isolated camino route alone.

But......... That does not mean this is a region packed with creeps.

I'd be really sad to see how much MORE things like this would happen if we had a similarly isolated-yet-near-civilization walking trail in my home nation of the USA (I'm not counting the appalachian trail because, growing up near it, it doesn't go by nearly as many civilians).

There is no reason for talking bad about an entire region.

 

[Christobal72]

This seems really inappropriate. I'm sure you didn't mean it as such, but nonetheless

What happened to the OP is certainly troubling, and may well be reason for her to switch to the CF, and may well be reason for anyone to reconsider walking an isolated camino route alone.

But......... That does not mean this is a region packed with creeps.

I'd be really sad to see how much MORE things like this would happen if we had a similarly isolated-yet-near-civilization walking trail in my home nation of the USA (I'm not counting the appalachian trail because, growing up near it, it doesn't go by nearly as many civilians).

There is no reason for talking bad about an entire region.

Well English is not my first language and I never ment the whole region of andalucia. It seems that just this village of Guillena has been trouble to some pilgrims through the years and that's what I meant.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Hey Mila,

I was sad reading about your experience. I know exactly where he tricked you - there IS a yellow arrow, which is not a Camino arrow, pointing to the left, before the right turn. I took the wrong turn there when I did the Camino and was redirected to the right path by a farmer. Too bad this ugly guy used this to trick you.

I had heard about the robberies in Guillena before leaving, but nothing ever happened. I was more concerned about the night in Castilblanco (next stage). I woke up at night, hearing a noise from what I think was someone moving around inside the albergue. I wondered if the hospitalero had gotten back to get something, or if the noises came from the outside of the building. Actually, the hospitalero had told us there had been robbery in Castilblanco as well - they had stolen the pilgrims´ bikes at one occasion - and that we should keep our eyes open. At one moment I was wide awake and my heart beating rapidly as I was convinced someone was entering the building. Then nothing. Spooky...!

/BP