- Time of past OR future Camino
- Via Gebennensis (2018)
Via Podiensis (2018)
Voie Nive Bidassoa (2018)
Camino Del Norte (2018)
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Ok, here we go! Looks great, AJ, and I know you have done a lot of planning, so you are probably way ahead of us.
I have started from Sevilla twice, once on April 15, and once around May 1. The wildflowers were out in full force both times.
As I re-read my notes, I see that I was there once when the school kids were practicing for a procession through town for a holy day. Those kinds of things are such a great way to sit and watch the town in action.
What always surprises me is the high level of inter-generational interaction that is so typical in Spain. Maybe I’m just romanticizing here, but I am always impressed with the way the old folks are not shut away as they so often are over here. Anyway, back to the Vdlp.....
This year in March I found a T-beam (should this be the bridge? for about five or six meters, no handrails installed, but looked quite stable) stretching across the creek which leads the water away from the 'big lake', just at right hand. You have to balance wellperegrina2000 Day 2
Ah, the arroyo, […] I know there has been talk of building a bridge for years, but I have not heard any reports that has happened.
This year in March I found a T-beam (should it be the bridge? for about five or six meters, no handrails installed, but looked quite stable) stretching across the creek which leads the water away from the 'big lake', just at right hand. You have to balance well
Maybe the route looks like a detour by length. But - as I assume - you will stay on paved roads all the time. This may be another hint in favor of the detour: The camino when having crossed the arroyo safely may have muddy grounds on the last one or two kilometers - as it was in March this year (nevertheless the arroyo had a very low water level).Looking at Google street view, the Plaza Mayor in Torre de la Reina looks nice, but I am not sure it is worth the detour?
The distance from the t-beam to the ground is about two meters.We'll use our walking poles as tight rope walkers do, @Pilger Franz
Maybe the route looks like a detour by length. But - as I assume - you will stay on paved roads all the time. This may be another hint in favor of the detour: The camino when having crossed the arroyo safely may have muddy grounds on the last one or two kilometers - as it was in March this year (nevertheless the arroyo had a very low water level).
Day 5: Almadén de la Plata to Real de la Jara
Day 6: Real de la Jara to Monesterio
That will be great: we love rural areas, and we enjoy chatting to the locals. While walking on the Norte, we would stop and chat with someone, and often, they had a family member who had migrated or been to Australia.Totally agree with @amancio about stopping in Real de la Jara. The walk itself is lovely and takes you through farm after farm, with lots of gate openings and closings. Lots of farm animals, lots of farmers to chat with.
The eucalyptus trees will remind us of back homeMy memory from this stage is spending a chunk of kms towards the end walking through an eucalyptus forest
Hostal Extremadura doesn't get good reviews on Gronze, so we were going to avoid it.I have stayed both in the (cheaper) Hostal Extremadura, which was not a great experience in any category except it was cheap. Cold, dirty, really not a nice place. But again, subsequent peregrinos have reported that it was fine, so you may want to take the risk. Less risky and very nice when I was there was Hostal El Pilar. More expensive, much cleaner, more centrally located. I know you are not a fan of albergues, but during my last time in Monesterio I met the parish priest who has since opened an albergue in his home.
I notice @C clearly also stopped in Real de la Jara, and I would love to know where she stayed.
I stayed at Alojamiento Molina - it was a comfortable, nice traditional Spanish house - see the photo. But I don't remember it as an "albergue experience" at all, maybe because I was the only person there, other than the family who ran it. The Mesón La Cochera was nearby and good food.Gerald Kelly reports that "Mesón La Cochera... does good food
Do not apologise, Laurie, it's fantastic having your feedback and sharing your knowledge of this Camino!Hi, AJ,
I am so enjoying the chance to go back and remember these early Vdlp stages. It has been a long time! I apologize if most of my info is out of date, though — your posts are making me want to go back.
I had never heard of Zubarán. If the museum is open, we'll have a look.Fuente de Cantos is the birthplace of Zubarán, who must have painted hundreds and hundreds of pictures of saints with brown and grey robes receiving light from all angles.
Slow down! The lock down is not ending anytime soon!
I noticed you walked the VdlP in Spring 2017, March as you indicate here. So there wouldn't be many pilgrims at this time? I thought Alojamiento Molina would be an albergue type of accommodation, as Gronze describes the rooms as 'dormitorios'I stayed at Alojamiento Molina - it was a comfortable, nice traditional Spanish house - see the photo. But I don't remember it as an "albergue experience" at all, maybe because I was the only person there, other than the family who ran it. The Mesón La Cochera was nearby and good food.
I understand why! It's a fabulous photo!Day 6: Real de la Jara to Monesterio
The best thing about this day was taking my all-time favourite Camino photo, early in the day - the second one attached. For some reason, that scene brings me joy.
... an excellent restaurant, which might have been el Rinconcillo.
... Museo Del Jamón Ibérico in Monesterio
... El Zaguán de la Plata
hi @AJGuillaume
Sorry to get to this so late - I feel like I’ve ‘missed the bus’!!
I can’t locate my credencial for Vdlp but thought I’d mention a couple of things for the sections you’ve already covered.
In Almadén de la plata - I stayed in a really nice place (on booking but not on gronze ) called La Casa de Jenaro. E30. (Pic 1) For just me but it was a huge room with double bed. +34609228560
There are a few places to eat but I ate at a bar a couple of doors away which was fine.
Pic show Cerro Del Calvaro from the viewpoint on the way that day.
The weather at this time of year (around 9-10 April) 2019 was glorious. Perfect for walking. The flowers were starting to bloom. Lots and lots of the Jara (Rock rose) - masses of it in this stage of the plata. Also a lot of lavender ..the poppies were only starting early April but became thicker further along north as it warmed.
In el real de Jara I shared a room with a fellow peregrina at Alojamiento Molina. (I liked it there ). Nice breakfast (pic of breakfast room). There is a wonderful restaurant just around the corner from Molina (near the church ) called Méson de Cochera. Yummy food and really nice ambiance in the restaurant.
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Beautiful photo, @Peregrinopaul !View attachment 74040
Sure is.
Day 8: Fuente de Cantos to Zafra
The number of pilgrims on the VDLP in March-April seemed perfect to me - I was acquainted with about 10-15 roughly on my stages. That is enough to fill some albergues at certain places, but there were always alternatives. And it never felt too busy!I noticed you walked the VdlP in Spring 2017, March as you indicate here. So there wouldn't be many pilgrims at this time? I thought Alojamiento Molina would be an albergue type of accommodation, as Gronze describes the rooms as 'dormitorios'
That is a beautiful photo of the same iconic view. I remember coming around a curve and literally stopping in my tracks in pleasure at the view. (The cow in my path made me laugh out loud.)Sure is.
I walked the 16 km to Puebla de Sancho Pérez in rain and had lost sight of my two earlier companions. In the village, I walked into a bar seeking energy for the last hour of walking. There, with their clothes spread out on chairs in front of a space heater, were my friends, eating asparagus omelettes and drinking the local tinto. “We are thinking of taking a taxi into the city. Would you like to share?” They did not have to ask twice.Day 8: Fuente de Cantos to Zafra
By the time we get to Puebla de Sancho Pérez, if she can't step any further, we'll get a taxi to Zafra from there.
One of my British peregrino pals described the day as “brilliant,” which is such a great British way of collapsing all of that beauty into one word.
It's your comments that are brilliant, LaurieThis is one of those stages, as is a lot of the Vdlp, where summer walking would just not be my cup of tea. But in springtime with mild temps and lots of green and lots of flowers, it is really beautiful. I have seen pictures of summer Vdlps and the dry brown that stretches endlessly along the horizon would make this more of a punishment than a camino for me. One of my British peregrino pals described the day as “brilliant,” which is such a great British way of collapsing all of that beauty into one word.
Ah, the parador! In 2018, on the Norte, we stayed in two paradores, the first one in Vilalba because it has a really good pilgrim deal, and the second one in SdC, because it was our reward for our long walk.Of course, if you really want to splurge, there is the parador, and it may have some great pilgrim prices or last minute deals. I have stayed there with my family, and I think it was the first castle parador we ever stayed in, and the kids were pretty wide-eyed. It’s well located too, which is not always the case. If nothing else, a drink in the cloister café might be nice.
This is where @Anniesantiago started her Vdlp, hard to believe that was less than two months ago!
Slow down! The lock down is not ending anytime soon!
Yes, although I found on my other thread (Sanabres) that if I did only 1 stage every second day, it gave some time for more people to post, and also to have some back-and-forth discussion about each other's posts, without us all getting so confused about which stage we were on.A short ‘stage’ a day seems about the right speed
Even better ... both here and in real life...if I did only 1 stage every second day,
I remember reading about that place, which has opened and closed over recent years, and hopefully re-opened.I have heard that the albergue in the 18th century olive oil “factory” (an old press and some storerooms) has been re-opened. It’s out in the middle of nowhere, named Almazara and it looks like it has private rooms.
Slow down! The lock down is not ending anytime soon!
A short ‘stage’ a day seems about the right speed.
Yes, although I found on my other thread (Sanabres) that if I did only 1 stage every second day, it gave some time for more people to post, and also to have some back-and-forth discussion about each other's posts, without us all getting so confused about which stage we were on.
We'll make the detour to see the oil press. We might still end this day in Villafranca, as we are going to try and break the next stage in two days walking.Day 10. Zafra to Villafranca de los Barros
I have heard that the albergue in the 18th century olive oil “factory” (an old press and some storerooms) has been re-opened. It’s out in the middle of nowhere, named Almazara and it looks like it has private rooms. There is a well marked turn-off a few kms before villafranca. That would be a 14 km day. I stopped there once for a great coffee and remember seeing lots of nice private green space, all within the confines of the perimeter wall, and a nice café. Anyway, it is an interesting stop, with the restored humongous oil press and all. Even if you don’t sleep there, you might have time to take the detour.
So that’s my way of giving two thumbs up to your plans, AJ!
Would it be the one in the attached photo?the exit from Zafra is straight away onto dirt paths, after passing the only sewage treatment plant I have ever seen with a crenellated tower.
Yes, I have no notes on the stretch but the attached photo shows one of those rest stops (not uncommon on the VDLP) that consist of a random spot on the path, with a strip of grass only if you are lucky. On a rainy day, there would be no place to sit.I must remember to take enough water and food, as there are no services along this stretch.
Neither did I. I was lucky to stay in the now-closed albergue in Torremejia, in the historic Palacio de los Lastra.I never took the detour to Almendralejo
I never took the detour to Almendralejo, but a little poking around suggests that there are some interesting things to see —
I think it’s not unusual to see that, on closer inspection, what looks like a dusty boring Spanish town actually has a few things well worth a visit!
Checking in to see where you are and how you are doing.
But I am hard pressed to find many things to endear the town, or the walk into town, to pilgrims.
One thing you might try is walking the 14 km into Torremejía and then continuing on what looks like another 9 to get to the highway Hotel Romero.
But with Mérida so close, it is hard to focus on Torremejía as anything other than a stop to rest up before heading into that jewel of a city!
I can't help much today, as that walking stage was not particularly memorable and I didn't take many photos. However, don't think I am complaining! Those long solitary flat stages are part of the attraction of the VDLP.
It was bicigrino-of-a-certain-age heaven. I certainly became a big fan of the Romans.On your bike, @Peregrinopaul , you would be whizzing through the long solitary flat stages...
If you are near a big city, you may find that the big city taxis serve the surrounding areas. You are right that the place of accommodation is a very reliable source. As is Mr./Ms. Google — this guy is located in Almendralejo.We have a question about taxis.
How do we find phone numbers for taxis in the area where we are walking?
I assume we can ask the accommodation where we have spent a night, or where we are going to.
I am also right in assuming that it might not be easy to get a taxi between towns?
If you are near a big city, you may find that the big city taxis serve the surrounding areas. You are right that the place of accommodation is a very reliable source. As is Mr./Ms. Google
If you feel the stage is too long and you might need a taxi; best bet would be to arrange for a taxi to take you ‘x’ kilometres and walk from that point..
it could be difficult to explain where you are to a taxi to come and collect you from half way.
I thought I’d comment on your choice to walk to Almendralejo rather than straight to Torremejía.
You’ll see on the gronze map that you have to branch off the straight camino.
Even though gronze shows this stage as approx 26k it is very easy as it’s flat. It is straight but was still quite a nice walk in the spring. I still arrived at Torremejía in time to enjoy a very yummy menu Del día at restaurant Almeda .. pics below.
Although it wasn’t ‘The Ritz’ AJ ., I had nothing to complain about there.Do I take it you had a good/reasonable experience at the Hostal Milenium, and you would recommend it?
If you feel the stage is too long and you might need a taxi; best bet would be to arrange for a taxi to take you ‘x’ kilometres and walk from that point..
it could be difficult to explain where you are to a taxi to come and collect you from half way.
Consistent with what @OzAnnie points out, have you considered getting a taxi in Villafranca de los Barros to get ahead a few kilometres and then walking on to Torremejia that same day? You could skip Almendralejo entirely.I actually asked my friend Google who would have a taxi in Torremejía
Plan A should always have a Plan B, and a Plan C
Chatting with Rachel about the stages between Villafranca de los Barros to Mérida, it is hard for her to say in advance whether she'll be able to walk a 25km stage. It depends on how hot the day may have been or how hot the day will be, whether it's all flat and easy or hilly, whether she'll be able to take a short break every two hours and rest a bit regularly. Looking at the suggestions, we have 3 options:
a) Day 11, walk from Villafranca to Almendralejo, then on Day 12 take a taxi from Almendralejo to the VdlP trail (the 4.2km shown in Gronze), and walk 19km to Hotel Romero. That leaves us with a nice and short 9km day to Mérida, giving us even more time to explore that beautiful city. Additional bonus: we can get to Torremejía by lunchtime, we can have a delicious menú del día at the restaurant Almeda. And a further bonus: Hotel Romero has a swimming pool
b) Day 11, take a taxi from Villafranca for about 8km, to say the Estación de servicio Cepsa, and walk to Torremejía (about 19km), then on Day 12 walk the 15km into Mérida.
c) Day 11, walk from Villafranca to Almendralejo, then on Day 12 walk to Torremejía (15km), and the next day walk the 15km into Mérida.
Option a) appeals very much to Rachel ☺
So on Day 12 (updating post #45), we took a taxi with Taxial (Taxi Almendralejo, thank you @peregrina2000 ), over the bridge on the autovía, and the driver dropped us off where the VdlP continues. Menú del día at restaurant Almeda was delicious, as @OzAnnie had told us. A quick look around Torremejía and we continued to Hotel Romero.
Day 13: Hotel Romero to Mérida
Rachel enjoyed the swimming pool at Hotel Romero: that floating feeling is relaxing after a day's walk.
Today is a 9km walk to Mérida. After we negotiate the crossing over the autovía, we get back onto the VdlP. Crossing the Roman bridge, walking past the Alcazaba, we're going to our acommodation, we'll drop off our packs and we'll go exploring. First stop, Puerta de la Villa Tourism Office to get a map.
We have read so much about the things to see in Mérida, we have planned a rest day here.
There is a huge choice of accommodation here. We'll want somewhere central.
Day 14: rest day in Mérida
Has anyone visited the Alcazaba? Is it as good as others we have seen in Malaga, Grenada?
We're open to personal must-see suggestions.
That constitutes a good plan! You can make your decision on the day - depending on your feet, the weather, etc.Day 11... Day 12... we have 3 options:
I've stayed in the Municipal Albergue (basic), a cheap hostal, and last time at the Hostal Emeritae (very nice).Day 13: Hotel Romero to Mérida
Day 14: rest day in Mérida
I agree that it would take a bit of effort to get past the basic tourist offerings, but it is possible.You will see a lot of touristy restaurants, so it will be worth a search to find something decent.
Finally I can join in ... I spent three days in Merida. Perhaps that makes me one of the Roman history aficionados that Peregrina2000 warned you about. (Why is "aficionadi" considered a hypercorrection but "cognoscenti" OK?)Day 14: rest day in Mérida
Has anyone visited the Alcazaba? Is it as good as others we have seen in Malaga, Grenada?
We're open to personal must-see suggestions.
the five star Merida Parador is a beautifully converted monastery.
So, I would say that Roman theater, Alcazaba, and Casa del Mitreo are the three biggest attractions, But I did very much like Santa Eulalia for its historical hodge-podge layering.
But then the Museum, ah it is spectacular.
Mérida is one of the highlights of the Vdlp, I have no doubt you will enjoy your rest day here, AJ!
There is no shortage of sights to see in Merida. If you don't quite feel like a busy day doing the rounds of all the sights, you could happily fill a "rest" day with visits to the Roman Theatre and the Museo Nacional de Arte, combining with walking around and eating. My operating strategy (aka lazy excuse) is to save some sights for the next visit!
Finally I can join in ... I spent three days in Merida.
Peregrina2000's shortlist - Roman theater (and amphitheater), Alcazaba, Casa del Mitreo, and National Museum of Roman Art - is a good one for a day. If you try to fit in any more, you'll be skipping past things without giving them your attention
If you had a longer stay, I would recommend (in order of my preference)
- Museum of Visigothic art (small but beautiful)
- Crypt of Santa Eulalia. (Note: pilgrimage to the martyr Eulalia started long before SdC)
- Roman Circus, stopping to see the nearby San Lazaro Roman baths and San Lazaro aqueduct
- Alcazaba (the only site of note with Moorish history that I'm aware of in Merida)
- Spend longer at the Museum of Roman Art (there is so much to see)
- Spend longer at the Casa del Mitreo and neighbouring Roman cemetery
- The co-cathedral of Santa Maria la Mayor (joint seat of the archdiocese with the cathedral of Badajoz)
- Visigothic Hospital ruins (constructed 6th century to accommodate pilgrims of Saint Eulalia)
- Moreria ruins of Roman streets under a government building (on stilts) near the albergue
- Roads to the north of Trajan's arch for glimpses of the old temple ruins in the empty plots
There aren't very many places where you can see traces of the Visigoths. Until I visited the Visigothic Art museum, I had a very misinformed view of them as a "barbarian" tribe between the sophisticated Roman and Moorish cultures. The delicately decorated pieces in the collection gave me a new perspective.
Despite ruling Spain from the end of the Roman era to the arrival of the Moors, you see surprisingly little evidence of their existence. There's a Visigothic church up ahead that Peregrina2000 will tell you about when the time comes. Apart from that, they're virtually invisigoths.@Raggy you have whet our appetite to find out more about the Visigoths! Thank you!
Yes. The walk to Aljucen is mostly very pretty. Not very challenging. The Roman dam is fascinating - There are viewing windows that allow you to see into the structure of the dam at the Roman core. Beyond that, the route takes you through a lakeside vacation village, which should have open cafes and restaurants in season. When I passed there it was deserted.Day 16: Mérida to Aljucén
The next 'official' stage according to Gronze is from Mérida to Alcuéscar, 35.9km.
I was amazed as I was following someone on FB sharing his past experience on the VdlP, when he walked 44km in one day! Wow!
We're definitely walking this stage in two days. If I recall well, @C clearly , you stayed in Aljucén.
We have watched @Sara_Dhooma 's video on this stretch, and it looks quite bucolic. So after stopping at the Los Milagros aqueduct we'll follow what Gronze describes as "dirt paths between forest and Mediterranean scrub". We might have a picnic lunch at the Embalse de Proserpina and the Roman dam.
The Termas Aqua Libera looks awesome, their website is even in Latin!!!
[EDIT - I see that Peregrina2000 has been through Aljucen more recently than me with more up-to-date reviews of the places that I'm talking about. Sounds like not all the change has been positive. I'm quite sure that my menu in 2017 was around €10 including a drink. It wasn't gourmet but was better than merely edible.
You're quite right - Looking at the map, I had dinner at the "Kiosko El Parque." I had forgotten that there's another bar ("Bar Sergio") up the road. I think there were people having breakfast at Bar Sergio when I walked by in the early morning, but since I had a free breakfast at my albergue, I walked on by. (RIP Dave Greenfield).My humbling “bad meal eperience” was from 2008, and it was not in the main bar in town, which is right across from the church. I bet that is where you ate, @Raggy, and I think you are right that the food there is quite edible, if not gourmet.
I agree, and it's another place you can take your time, since this is a fairly short and easy stage. If you have any interest in dams or hydraulic engineering, you will enjoy reading descriptions of dam modifcations over the past couple of thousand years. (see photo)The Roman dam is fascinating - There are viewing windows that allow you to see into the structure of the dam at the Roman core.
This is where I stayed in 2016. Both other times were in the pleasant Albergue Rio Aljucen.Casa Rural La Bóveda (now closed), which was run by Annalena
The Kiosko is good, functional and located right in the centre of activity in front of the church. Bar Sergio is "up the road" only in being north, but I think it is down the hill in terms of elevation. I ate dinner at Bar Sergio at least 2 of the three times I've passed through Aljuden, and I kind of liked it. I don't remember the cuisine as being outstanding, but I remember enjoying the evening. oth times, the old woman of the family was seated at a table in the bar area and we were served some local brandy before they were ready to serve us in the dining room.I had dinner at the "Kiosko El Parque." I had forgotten that there's another bar ("Bar Sergio") up the road.
For sure. I probably didn't go there out of concern for the climb on the way back.Bar Sergio is "up the road" only in being north, but I think it is down the hill in terms of elevation.
I guess we should also mention the village of El Carrascalejo, which is between Merida and Aljucen on the Camino - It's not far enough from Merida for most people, but I guess it would be ok if you wanted to spend a morning in the city before hitting the road. It has a big church and an albergue with a little restaurant next door (although the restaurant didn't seem open when I passed through in November).
Nobody has mentioned that there is a new albergue in El Carrascalejo, just 2 or 3 km before Aljucen. It was closed all three times I passed (I think it was under slow construction for two years, but too early in the season on the third year), but I recall mention here on the forum that it was open, perhaps last year.
We had looked at stopping at El Carrascalejo. The main reason we decided on Aljucén is that it evens out the two parts of the overall stage.
A sensible decision. It's too bad that this is a stretch of the VDLP with an over-abundance of albergues (especially when there was a second albergue in Aljucen), while there are one or two tricky gaps elsewhere.We had looked at stopping at El Carrascalejo. The main reason we decided on Aljucén is that it evens out the two parts of the overall stage.
Sorry, I missed that Raggy has already mentioned it.Nobody has mentioned that there is a new albergue in El Carrascalejo
True, but having the first day out of Merida shorter would also allow you to stay in the city for an extra half day.We had looked at stopping at El Carrascalejo. The main reason we decided on Aljucén is that it evens out the two parts of the overall stage.
Not really - especially since the openings have been unreliable in recent years. When I went through in late March 2017, the Albergue Rio Aljucen filled up and other people had to scramble for places. I know one person asked around and found a family with a private room. Another stayed at the Termas. In early May 2018 I think it was also completo.This is a stretch of the VDLP with an over-abundance of albergues (especially when there was a second albergue in Aljucen)
True dat. But this is a camino with constraints on daily distances. So no appetite for the long stage from El Carrascalejo to Alcuescar. And if our pilgrims break that stretch up by stopping in Aljucen, they end up taking a day and a half to cover what they could do in one. Of course, it's worth knowing that the option is there, however unlikely it seems at the moment. Bad weather or sore muscles could make it very attractive indeed.True, but having the first day out of Merida shorter would also allow you to stay in the city for an extra half day.
Sorry, I missed that Raggy has already mentioned it.
True, but having the first day out of Merida shorter would also allow you to stay in the city for an extra half day.
Not really - especially since the openings have been unreliable in recent years. When I went through in late March 2017, the Albergue Rio Aljucen filled up and other people had to scramble for places. I know one person asked around and found a family with a private room. Another stayed at the Termas. In early May 2018 I think it was also completo.
In any case, I would check out the availability in advance and perhaps make a reservation before leaving Merida.
And, not to jump ahead, but that also positions you well to take a little detour on your way into Alcuéscar. Over to Santa María de Trampal, a pre-romanesque/visigothic church that is oh so worth a detour. It only adds a km or two to the day and it is ..... insert superlative adjective here.
Alan Sykes has laid it all out, it is easy.
True, but having the first day out of Merida shorter would also allow you to stay in the city for an extra half day.
True dat. But this is a camino with constraints on daily distances. So no appetite for the long stage from El Carrascalejo to Alcuescar. And if our pilgrims break that stretch up by stopping in Aljucen, they end up taking a day and a half to cover what they could do in one. Of course, it's worth knowing that the option is there, however unlikely it seems at the moment. Bad weather or sore muscles could make it very attractive indeed.
It is a lovely little detour, too, through fields and orchards of some type, if memory serves. I had a wonderful conversation with an elderly man driving his horse drawn cart which was filled with either hay or cork, I can’t remember. No markings, so the tracks are essential. The church has been deconsecrated and has a very informative display about the entire monastery (of which the church was a part).That detour is definitely on our plan!
What an amazing church! Thank you for the information, Laurie. I'll go download the wikiloc GPX data from @alansykes 's thread.
One reason I like it is that the terrain is such that I can imagine walking portions for many years in the future (Covid allowing, of course). There aren't any alarming or arduous stretches, thrilling though they are if you can walk them, there are several city starting/stopping points so you can do coherent pieces, there is the right number of pilgrims, and appropriate infrastructure, etc., without being a theme park. You feel like you are simply walking through Spain.@C clearly’s conclusion that this camino is the BEST!
Ok, so I know I said I was not drawn to the VdlP...but the combination of merida and this visigothic detour may have changed my mind. (I do feel safe to leave it for when age begins to take its toll more dramatically and the more strenuous North is beyond me.)With all this wandering down memory lane, I think I am being pulled towards @C clearly’s conclusion that this camino is the BEST!
AJ, I presume you mean the Basilica de Sta Lucia, which I can't believe I have passed by on three Caminos. Why, I wonder does the "official" route not follow the track taken by Alan sykes to Alcuescar? I checked out the website posted by @peregrina2000 and I agree, it looks like a real gem. I'm on my way!Now that we have the information about the church at Santa María de Trampal, we are looking forward to seeing this gem.
Yes, sorry, it is Santa Lucia de TrampalAJ, I presume you mean the Basilica de Sta Lucia, which I can't believe I have passed by on three Caminos. Why, I wonder does the "official" route not follow the track taken by Alan sykes to Alcuescar? I checked out the website posted by @peregrina2000 and I agree, it looks like a real gem. I'm on my way!
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Yesterday, I happened to read Pierre-Louis Blaix's account of this stage. (He's re-posting his walks from the same calendar date in past years). As a result, I have an obscure geographical fact to share with you. When you complete the last climb before descending into Alcuescar, you will cross the boundary* between two significant river basins. You've been walking in the Guadiana river basin, more or less since you entered Extremadura, but from now any water that you spill will flow into the Tagus (Rio Tajo). The Tagus is the Iberian peninsula's longest river, which you will cross at the big lake after Caceres. **
At the entrance to Alcuescar, I saw battling signs for different accommodations - it's too bad when energy is wasted in fights over who gets a slice of the pilgrim pie instead of trying to grow the pie. I've heard positive and negative reviews of the Casa de Acogida de los Esclavos de María y de los Pobres, but all the other accommodations around here also have mixed reviews.
I understand the nervousness about not being able to reserve a room and having to walk further. My advice would be to steel yourselves for a bit of uncertainty and keep the number of a taxi company in your back pocket as a backup.
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