- Time of past OR future Camino
- Some in the past; more in the future!
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Wow Nick. I’m so excited to have randomly discovered this new thread.Well, that all happened fast!
As of a week ago, I was planning to head to the Canary Islands in early December to walk the three-day Camino de Gran Canaria. But a TAP cabin crew strike scheduled for the day I was to return home and TAP’s lack of flexibility on rescheduling meant that I ended up cancelling the whole thing.
Partly inspired by this thread, I decided last Tuesday to walk the Via Serrana instead. Yesterday, I took a bus to my favourite large city in Spain, Sevilla, and this morning I saw the sun’s first light hit the Giralda Tower.
Then I took another bus south to La Línea and I spent this afternoon with views and monkeys on top of the Rock of Gibraltar. It’s the first time I’ve been to Gibraltar since the first few weeks of my travelling life in mid-2001, so it was fun and nostalgic to return half a lifetime later.
Tomorrow I start walking this 240km, 10-day camino back to Sevilla. I don’t know much about it but I quite like it that way. People who have done it have said very good things about it, and since Andalucía has always been my favourite part of Spain, I’m excited to walk through it for the first time!
And we're excited to be along for the ride, er...walk, with you & your wonderful updates. No pressure though...we'll just be eagerly checking the Forum...& waiting......since Andalucía has always been my favourite part of Spain, I’m excited to walk through it for the first time!
We're looking forward to following your progress and appreciate all the info you can provide. Hoping to follow your steps in February or March.Well, that all happened fast!
As of a week ago, I was planning to head to the Canary Islands in early December to walk the three-day Camino de Gran Canaria. But a TAP cabin crew strike scheduled for the day I was to return home and TAP’s lack of flexibility on rescheduling meant that I ended up cancelling the whole thing.
Partly inspired by this thread, I decided last Tuesday to walk the Via Serrana instead. Yesterday, I took a bus to my favourite large city in Spain, Sevilla, and this morning I saw the sun’s first light hit the Giralda Tower.
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Then I took another bus south to La Línea and I spent this afternoon with views and monkeys on top of the Rock of Gibraltar. It’s the first time I’ve been to Gibraltar since the first few weeks of my travelling life in mid-2001, so it was fun and nostalgic to return half a lifetime later.
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Tomorrow I start walking this 240km, 10-day camino back to Sevilla. I don’t know much about it but I quite like it that way. People who have done it have said very good things about it, and since Andalucía has always been my favourite part of Spain, I’m excited to walk through it for the first time!
looking forward to following your progress.
As long as it delivers said 'serrano'...I'd sign up for that one!PS. I was telling my husband about this one, but was calling it the Via Serrano!. He said ‘are you sure that’s the right name?’
Thankfully for me it’s not the Vía Serrano!PS. I was telling my husband about this one, but was calling it the Via Serrano!. He said ‘are you sure that’s the right name?’
Going off at a Tangent here, but there is a lovely train journey from La Linea to to Ronda that parallels the Serano. There are about four trains a day. I was staioned in Gib for a while and one could cycle from Gib to La Linea and take the train to Ronda (with bike) have a good lunch and cycle back Gib going downhill nearly all the way!Well, that all happened fast!
As of a week ago, I was planning to head to the Canary Islands in early December to walk the three-day Camino de Gran Canaria. But a TAP cabin crew strike scheduled for the day I was to return home and TAP’s lack of flexibility on rescheduling meant that I ended up cancelling the whole thing.
Partly inspired by this thread, I decided last Tuesday to walk the Via Serrana instead. Yesterday, I took a bus to my favourite large city in Spain, Sevilla, and this morning I saw the sun’s first light hit the Giralda Tower.
View attachment 137453
Then I took another bus south to La Línea and I spent this afternoon with views and monkeys on top of the Rock of Gibraltar. It’s the first time I’ve been to Gibraltar since the first few weeks of my travelling life in mid-2001, so it was fun and nostalgic to return half a lifetime later.
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Tomorrow I start walking this 240km, 10-day camino back to Sevilla. I don’t know much about it but I quite like it that way. People who have done it have said very good things about it, and since Andalucía has always been my favourite part of Spain, I’m excited to walk through it for the first time!
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I can see myself giving my darling a leg up to get over the gate...At 18km, I reached a locked gate and I had to climb it. I am pretty tall (about 6’1 / 185cm) so it wasn’t hard for me but it could be difficult for someone a fair bit shorter.
Exactly!Thankfully for me it’s not the Vía Serrano!
indeed, the railway from Algeciras to Ronda is stunningly beautiful, and even more so if you continue the trip to Málaga along the old, slow railway line and cross the incredible gorge in Caminito del Rey. Together with Leon-Oviedo and Vigo-Ponferrada (the old line, not the fast one), to me they are the most beautiful railway stretches in Spain!Going off at a Tangent here, but there is a lovely train journey from La Linea to to Ronda that parallels the Serano. There are about four trains a day. I was staioned in Gib for a while and one could cycle from Gib to La Linea and take the train to Ronda (with bike) have a good lunch and cycle back Gib going downhill nearly all the way!
indeed, it is that same train, but you can change trains in Bobadilla, near Antequera, and then "round up" the mountain train trip with a descent to Málaga.Is not the slow Algeciras train the one that goes via Ronda to Granada? I caught it from San Roque to Ronda, but I'm sure it was bound for Granada.
I always plan my caminos depending on the season: mid November to end of March is the perfect time to come to Andalusia, and if you start in the South at mid April you feel like you are riding/surfing a wave that brings you to Santiago in an eternal spring around you, you seem to be bringing the spring with you.@jungleboy So much to love about this camino - in that fabulous part of the world. I wasn't aware of it until now- so muchas gracias.
I often think how wonderful it must be to be located - as you and Wendy are - in a place where it's (relatively) easy to conjure up an impromptu camino - as opposed to, for example, travelling 15,000 kms or more. We too will be in that position within just a few months - can't wait.
I'll be interested in your comments on the weather - a pre-Christmas camino is so appealing and Andalusia seems like just the spot.
Buen camino!
So far, so good! Yesterday max of 19C with not a cloud in the sky. Today was max 18C, blue skies in the morning but clouding over now. When I leave in the mornings it is ‘fresh’, as Dom might say - 7 degrees today. So I wear two light layers to start with but by mid-late morning it’s t-shirt weather.I'll be interested in your comments on the weather - a pre-Christmas camino is so appealing and Andalusia seems like just the spot.
Thanks for the descriptions and the up-to-date details on the practicalities! That's so useful. I hope your luck with the weather holds for the great stage between El Colmenar and Cañada del Real Tesoro (the station for Cortes de la Frontera). Just above the station, on the trail up to town, is Casa de Piedra, a house carved out of a huge boulder. We passed it just as an old man who lived there as a child was going the other way. He took us in and showed us the marvelous rooms and carvings. It's open to all to wander through.Some practicalities:
— There’s nowhere to stop to eat or drink anything during the stage, but you should be finished by lunchtime anyway.
Yes, he wouldWhen I leave in the mornings it is ‘fresh’, as Dom might say
Nick, what can I say? You have a gift...what a magical description.The whitewashed town shimmers on a hillside...
Well, the fort is holding itself down, as @jungleboy and I have been like ships passing in the night recently. We had about 24 hours together between when I arrived home from Cairo and when he left for this latest adventure. I'm now home alone but leaving on Sunday for another work trip, this time to Montreal.Well Nico, just seeing this for the first time. Don't know how I missed it! Looks like a lovely walk. I've been to Gibraltar, Ronda and Sevilla, just never from a Camino perspective. Have a wonderful time, and I am assuming Wendy is holding the fort down??
NicoWell Nico, just seeing this for the first time. Don't know how I missed it! Looks like a lovely walk. I've been to Gibraltar, Ronda and Sevilla, just never from a Camino perspective. Have a wonderful time, and I am assuming Wendy is holding the fort down??
Nick I’m sure you’ll love it. When I lived in Sevilla it was my favourite place for a day away. Easy to walk around and sooooo much history!Nico
I’ve never been to Ronda so I’m looking forward to arriving in two days!
That's a great recommendation, Pelerina. To help find the starting point, here's our Wikiloc track:Just to say about Ronda - if you have time, I highly recommend walking down in to the gorge. .... Sorry that’s light on detail, but both should be easy to find.
Thank you both! I’ve added the track to my maps. It’s rather squiggly thoughThat's a great recommendation, Pelerina. To help find the starting point, here's our Wikiloc track:
Very squiggly!!!Thank you both! I’ve added the track to my maps. It’s rather squiggly though
Nick, are you using a map with a KML file? I’d like to add to maps.me but unable to locate a track as yet - cheersThank you both! I’ve added the track to my maps. It’s rather squiggly though
I just converted @islandwalker ’s GPX file to KML here.Nick, are you using a map with a KML file? I’d like to add to maps.me but unable to locate a track as yet - cheers
Can this stage be planned as El Colmenar to Cortes de la Frontera, and then Cortes de la Frontera to Jimera de Líbar? The latter is off Camino, isn't it?— I would have liked to have visited the Casa da Piedra near Cortes de la Frontera that @islandwalker recommended, but if you’re continuing to Jimera de Líber and not staying in Cortes, it’s not on the way. And this was a long enough day as it was without a detour. Next time!
If my reading the map is correct, an alternative to cut this stage in two would be to stay in Cañada del Real Tesoro. As most of the accommodation there is made of casas rurales, I'm assuming that 2 nights might be required, and that the nightly rate might be high.La Parra in Cañada del Real Tesoro is a short detour off the camino, so it’s a good lunch spot if you’re continuing to Jimera. They have veg options.
Yes and yes!Questions from the slow walkers and distance challenged:
Can this stage be planned as El Colmenar to Cortes de la Frontera, and then Cortes de la Frontera to Jimera de Líbar? The latter is off Camino, isn't it?
Also true, Cañada is pretty close to Cortes. But I didn’t look up accommodation in either place.If my reading the map is correct, an alternative to cut this stage in two would be to stay in Cañada del Real Tesoro.
this was a 10.5-hour day door-to-door.
Right, I forget to mention it — I’ll add it in. I’m at Hotel Inz Almaraz, which is very nice, reasonably priced (€38/single) and has a restaurant.What kind of accommodation did you manage to find in Jimena?
Oooh, don’t tempt a former Roman tour guide with talk of Roman theater detours! That might be a bridge too far as it’s a 27.5km stage as it is, but I’ll have a think about it. Thanks!Enjoying the write up so far! You probably don't have time for the detour, but I'd regret not mentioning Acinipo. It's a the ruin of a Roman theater between Ronda and Olvera. Google estimates it at about an hour each way if you went perpendicularly from the camino, not sure what a route adjustment would look like.
GPS tracks have been a complete game-changer for me — especially on some of these remote routes, although the waymarking on the Vía Serrana is pretty good. I used the Johnnie Walker 2018 guide to map out my stages, so I’m glad it’s out there, but 90% of the actual guide is directional instructions which are just obsolete if you have tracks and/or if the arrows are good. I don’t spend (or want to spend) the whole walk looking at a map on my phone but it’s so easy just to check at a junction or if you think you might be off-piste etc.We have never used GPS tracks on any walk
This might scare off some people, but I think ‘extremely demanding’ (with extremely underlined) is over the top. Yes, there are ups and downs, but I didn’t find it difficult, and I don’t even have walking poles. The hardest part was having to duck through the tunnel before the bridge at the end of the canyon!With very steep ascents, equally steep descents, and some narrow/on the edge paths in parts, this stage is extremely demanding, even for experienced walkers. If it is possible to walk today without carrying a heavy rucksack, that would be best.
there’s some ‘cat cave’ not far from the camino
what else does the Vía Serrana have in store for me?
Wow, that looks nice. Next time! I was anxious to arrive in Ronda early today so I decided against detours.Cueva del Gato is about 1.5 km away from where the camino bends eastward after the Benaojan train station. It's quite popular on google; apparently you're not allowed climb into the cave but people do it anyways.
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A few hours — enough to get an idea of the place but not enough to fully explore it (especially as a tired pilgrim!). If I had a day to spare I would have taken a rest day here but I don’t. I’ll have to come back sometime with Wendy!Ronda looks to be a real treat; do you have the time to explore it?
Distance-wise combining days 2&3 would be OK for you (about 37km). It would be a bit of a shame to miss Jimena de La Frontera (my day 2 overnight stop), as it’s the only historic place I’ve really been through until Ronda. But other than that it sounds like you could do it easily enough.Looks great! You mention a 10 day version which you are doing and a 14 day alternative (JW) but what about a shorter version with longer stages. Any suggestions? How would it be to join your stage 2 and 3 then 4 and 5 do as not to miss Ronda? (I'm used to walking stages of 30-45 km even on the Primitivo or Salvador).
Thanks for responding! It's not so much about time but rather distance as I'm a fast walker and prefer not to arrive at my destination before noon. Good to hear though that Jimena de la Frontera is a worthwhile stop.Distance-wise combining days 2&3 would be OK for you (about 37km). It would be a bit of a shame to miss Jimena de La Frontera (my day 2 overnight stop), as it’s the only historic place I’ve really been through until Ronda. But other than that it sounds like you could do it easily enough.
My distances post-Ronda are:
So perhaps less opportunity to make up time there.
- 27.68km
- 24.63km
- 29.52km
- 19.32km
- 34-35km
A kettle of vultures...well I never......kettles of griffon vultures....
wow, 10.5 hours is a LONG day in these extremely short days of the season, did you make it on time with enough daylight?Day 4: El Colmenar to Jimera de Líber: ~26km.
Gently sloping, forested hills are quickly transformed into sheer, dramatic cliffs. Early morning beams of sunlight pierce the crags only to vanish into the vast expanse of the valley floor far below. Birds of prey soar high above, ominously circling at first, then making majestic sorties from the mountaintop. Defying the sunshine and blue sky, fog rolls through the narrowest stretch of the gorge, infusing magic and mystique into the landscape. The thunderous rapids of a fast-flowing river provide the only soundtrack. It’s utterly spectacular, and no one else is here.
It’s the Canyon of the Vulture Nests.
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This is one of those truly spectacular camino stages that don’t come around very often and I love every minute of it.
After the canyon, the mountain scenery is still very impressive but it does pale in comparison a bit, and there’s only so much beauty the eyes can take in one day.
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Some practicalities:
— I would have liked to have visited the Casa da Piedra near Cortes de la Frontera that @islandwalker recommended, but if you’re continuing to Jimera de Líber and not staying in Cortes, it’s not on the way. And this was a long enough day as it was without a detour. Next time!
— La Parra in Cañada del Real Tesoro is a short detour off the camino, so it’s a good lunch spot if you’re continuing to Jimera. They have veg options.
— I thought this day would be about 23km but if you go to Jimera proper and not just the station town, that adds a few extra kilometres. Combined with my ‘paso de fotógrafo’ (slow pace because of photo-taking) and one-hour lunch break, this was a 10.5-hour day door-to-door.
— In Jimera, I’m staying at Hotel Inz Almaraz, which is very nice, reasonably priced (€38/single) and has a restaurant.
Just! There are about 9 3/4 hours of daylight here at the moment. That day (and most days) I leave about 45 minutes before sunrise, so I arrived right at sunset.wow, 10.5 hours is a LONG day in these extremely short days of the season, did you make it on time with enough daylight?
Thank you! The theatre was tricky because it was completely overcast when I arrived with no sunlight and I really dislike taking photos with white sky (a quirk of mine). But I was happy with this arch framing solution!Love those two photos
Tomorrow morning I might make up my own route via the castle to pick up the camino rather than going back through town.
Yes, there were lots of piles/mounds. And also two other sites as marked on your image: a domus and baths, although these were nothing special. It’s really all about the theatre.Glad you enjoyed it! One can see on a satellite view lots of stone piles which apparently mark the locations of houses. The geography is interesting too; to my untrained eyes it looks like the site stands out like a callous, sitting slightly above where the natural contour of the hill. Around the back side it's jagged, like the earth was cleared to make a small natural wall.
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On maps.me I see a path leading off the CA-9102 and rejoining the camino much earlier.The northern road (CA-9102) has a spur about 2-3km outside of town which intersects with the camino. It's cut into the hillside though and doesn't have much of a hard shoulder in places.
Out of curiosity Nick, what sort of food supplies do you carry? What are your staples?Another thing to consider is that I’m basically out of food supplies and couldn’t restock today because supermarkets were closed (Sunday). So I might have to go back into town anyway; Dia opens at 8am.
Yes, I like Lidl too for tabouleh-type ready meals but I haven’t seen a Lidl on this camino yet. Since I don’t eat animal products my options are a bit more limited, especially in the smaller stores, but it usually works out fine.Out of curiosity Nick, what sort of food supplies do you carry? What are your staples?
I remember what I bought depended on the supermarket chain; some were big on 'ready to go' items (Lidl my favourite) & others or smaller/independent grocery stores required a bit more creativity...
Thanks Nick. I go for similar items but different brands here of course. I'd never heard of a plant-based tuna substitute before though. I assume the brands are the same in Portugal so you know exactly what to go for?Yes, I like Lidl too for tabouleh-type ready meals but I haven’t seen a Lidl on this camino yet. Since I don’t eat animal products my options are a bit more limited, especially in the smaller stores, but it usually works out fine.
For breakfast/snacks I like oat bars and/or biscuits (Vitalday has several good choices that are usually easy to find).
For lunch sandwiches I try to buy brown bread rolls / baguette with some combination of a spread (eg hummus or Violife creamy), easy-to-find fillings (eg tomatoes and avocado) and harder-to-find fillings (eg smoked tofu or vuna).
Yes they usually are. Sometimes the packaging is even the same with both languages on it. My favourite example of this is with these oven-baked potato chips/crisps. What word do you see?I assume the brands are the same in Portugal so you know exactly what to go for?
Always learn heaps from you Nick...Oh-font-of-all-knowledge!Those allergies sound tricky! Glad the Bali peanut episode was resolved and didn’t turn into a more dangerous version of Bali Belly.
Yes they usually are. Sometimes the packaging is even the same with both languages on it. My favourite example of this is with these oven-baked potato chips/crisps. What word do you see?
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It’s horno in Spanish and forno in Portuguese (both meaning oven), with the first letter written ambiguously so you see what you want to see! FWIW, a sound shift away from the f to the h at the beginning of words in medieval Spanish is why the words are different here, and there are many examples of this (eg hijo/filho, hermosa/formosa, hablar/falar etc).
Amen! Nick is a gem...photos to make you want to go to the same places, very kind in explaining details when questions are asked, and he is literally a "walking" encyclopedia!Your writing & photos as always an absolute stand-out.
Gosh, that sounds very scary! So glad you were able to limit the damage.Thanks for your thoughts with my allergy incident. A dose of Bali Belly was this least of my concerns! As the reaction had already paralysed my voice box (meaning I couldn't communicate in any language...), a swelling, closing windpipe was my immediate concern. All good, know the warning signs & got to it in time.
Take care Nick… Big hug from Santiago!Day 7 - Olvera to Coripe: ~24km
Five minutes after setting out in the dark this morning, I receive a teary phone call from home with news of a serious medical diagnosis in my family. A few minutes later, shaken and trying to process what I’ve heard, I turn around to see the sky lit up and I take this photo, because what else can I do? Besides, one sunrise represents the promise of many more to come.
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I walk with a heavy heart and more tears but the camino is therapeutic, even though it’s gloomy and drizzly and I don’t care much for olive groves or griffin vultures today.
The one thing that does resonate with me is that the entire stage unfolds on a 19th-century railway line that’s cut into the mountains. The track was never completely finished but most of the infrastructure for it was built and it remains to this day.
The point is: on the very day when I’m trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s remarkable and reassuring that the camino takes me through 20 actual tunnels — and that there’s light at the end of all of them.
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I am Australian so most of my family is in Sydney, where I grew up. My mother’s parents were immigrants from the Netherlands (via Indonesia) while my father’s family can trace their lineage back to the convicts who arrived in Australia from England in the late 18th century.I wonder where your home is? Somehow I do not imagine your extended family are from Portugal, although I know Lisbon is "your" home at this stage of life.
I think the possibility of an unfortunate situation back home while we are walking for weeks in a far away country lurks in the backs of many of our minds. It has for me, especially if a family member has been ill for quite awhile, although unforseen devastating things can happen, too.We know how you feel, @jungleboy , having had the same situation earlier this year on the Mozárabe.
Kaz, I’m sure Nick will (rightly) take this as a complimentI didn't know but I just knew you had Aussie in you!
Well, I hope so! It was more an observation... @jungleboy has that certain way about him including his spirit, personality, sense of humour, etc that we recognise amongst our own.Kaz, I’m sure Nick will (rightly) take this as a compliment.
Yes, it's very unfortunate that circumstances are making it difficult for me to offer much support even from a distance, given the time distance and my work obligations while I'm here in Montreal.@Wendy Werneth,
Of course our thoughts are also with you Wendy...especially being apart at this difficult time.
Thank you! I’m a bit unsure how to proceed for the last two days. The last day Utrera-Seville is 34-35km with a lot of rain forecast, so I’m dreading that a bit and I’ve thought about skipping it altogether and just taking the train tomorrow afternoon instead.Happy to hear there is a ray or two of sunshine for you today! May it continue! You are almost there...
Ultrera sounds a lot like Ultreia!Thank you! I’m a bit unsure how to proceed for the last two days. The last day Utrera-Seville is 34-35km with a lot of rain forecast, so I’m dreading that a bit and I’ve thought about skipping it altogether and just taking the train tomorrow afternoon instead.
If I do walk it all, tomorrow is only 19km to Utrera so ideally I’d like to walk a bit further but there doesn’t seem to be any accommodation that would allow for a more even split.
I guess I’ll walk to Utrera tomorrow, eat lunch there and then decide what to do.
And that sounds very much like encouragement!Ultrera sounds a lot like Ultreia!
The bar/restaurant where he will be eating will be thankful if the mud has dried and fallen off his shoes!Hoping your mud-caking is done by the time you read this! Much encouragement to you. Ultreia!!
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