VDLP in April

[larrycu]

I am starting in Seville on April 21 and hope to walk complete to Santiago de Compostela.
I am struggling to find a good guide book or maps that is current. Has anyone walked it without a phone to book rooms or no spanish. I do not know any other language except english.
Anybody else going at this time?

 

[walkingnomads]

Hi Larry,
We (Chris and Cathy fro Brisbane Australia) are also walking the VDLP this year but we will probably be a few days behind you.....I think we start walking from Seville on about the 8th May as we have a few days in Granada, Cordoba and Seville before we start.
We have been learning a little Spanish.
As for guide books, we have 2 (Alison Raju and Bethan Davis and Ben Cole), but neither are really up to date. However, there are updates of the Bethan and Ben book on line, and the Confraternity of St James in London also has an excellent little book with updates.
We have bought maps and photocopied relevant parts which we plan to carry with us.(this we didn't do on the Camono Frances, but there seem to be fewer waymarks and more road works, so we thought it could be quite useful.
I am planning to carry a phone, for MMS and for internet use in free wifi hotspots.
Alternatively, when we walked the Camino Frances from Le Puy to Santiago 7 years ago, we bought a phone card in London before we left and it worked well, so we plan to do this again.
We will have rest days in Merida, Caceres, Salamanca, Zamora and Ourense, where we have pre-booked accommodation on line. We have also booked accom in Santiago.
At present we are trying to fit in 3 to 4 walks a week with pack around Brisbane (from 12ks to 25ks).
I hope this is helpful and perhaps we will meet up somewhere along the way.
There is also a list of albergues for VDLP online with their contact phone numbers on a Spanish site.

 

[lynnejohn]

Welcome larrycu -

Are you planning to stay in non-albergue accommodations only?

lynne

 

[Canuck]

Hi Larry!

I walked the VDLP Sevilla-Santiago last fall.
I used Bethan Davis and Ben Cole and it was very good. Just make sure you get the updates on their web site.
I stayed in commercial accommodations all the way and never made reservations. Not required! Gives you more freedom to select your stages.
Don't worry, you'll be fine in English and will soon learn enough spanish to get by and be well treated everywhere you go.

Enjoy the walk!
Jean-Marc

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi Larry!

I walked the VDLP Sevilla-Santiago last fall.
I used Bethan Davis and Ben Cole and it was very good. Just make sure you get the updates on their web site.
I stayed in commercial accommodations all the way and never made reservations. Not required! Gives you more freedom to select your stages.
Don't worry, you'll be fine in English and will soon learn enough spanish to get by and be well treated everywhere you go.

Enjoy the walk!
Jean-Marc

Jean-Marc's suggestion will work if you are prepared to try it although if you encounter prilgrims in any number beds may be full and you may have to make alternative arrangements. There have been reports on the Forum of the VdlP getting busier.

There are some beautiful and isolated sections of this route. I'd err on the side of safety as well as convenience and take a mobile phone at least for emergencies.

If you aren't confident in Spanish as I wasn't why not write down the key phrases you may need to use and take that with you?

John

 

[Canuck]

There are some beautiful and isolated sections of this route. I'd err on the side of safety as well as convenience and take a mobile phone at least for emergencies.

John

Good point!
I didn't mention it because it's a given for me.
What's the emergency number in Spain again? 112!!! In fact, it's the same for all of Europe, isn't it?

Cheers
Jean-Marc

 

[muppet]

Hi Larry,

I'm planning to do the VDLP towards the end of April after first hopefully finishing the Portugese route leaving on the 2nd of April from Porto. When I arrive in Santiago I will either go out the the coast first or leave Santiago after a few days to travel down to Seville for the second trip....might see you on the route somewhere in the coming months! Good luck in any case!

 

[Canuck]

Hi Muppet,

I am impressed.
First the Portuguese, then to Fisterra and back for more to Sevilla.
Looking forward to your comments, that we shall call ''The Muppet Show'' :mrgreen:

Good luck!
Jean-Marc

 

[muppet]

Hi Jean-Marc

Yes I've taken a possible 6 months out to do this and whether I achieve them both is still open to question but I'll do my best With the amount of time I've got i can afford the odd days rest and recuperation........The intention is there...lets hope the body is up to the challenge ahead......either way I'm raring to go but its all new for me so I'm bound to make a few mistakes along the way....thats life! Lets hope I'm not literally looking like Beaker by the end of it all! :mrgreen: