Walking now

[Lisakline]

I met Rubén on the cf last winter, and we have stayed in touch. He is walking again, the vdlp this time. He just reached astorga and some journalist caught up with him and wrote this article for an Astorga paper:

OPINIÓN / Peregrinos en la Astorga de los dos caminos

En estos tiempos de pandemia hay ciudadanos, muy pocos y de espíritu aventurero, que se echan a andar hacia Santiago, como Marketa Strnadlova, joven checa, de la ciudad de Brno, la cual, como tantos inmigrantes orientales buscan un mejor futuro

astorgaredaccion.com

 

[Iriebabel]

Buen camino

 

[Sue127]

Buen Camino. Stay safe.

 

[Juno]

I met Rubén on the cf last winter, and we have stayed in touch. He is walking again, the vdlp this time. He just reached astorga and some journalist caught up with him and wrote this article for an Astorga paper:

OPINIÓN / Peregrinos en la Astorga de los dos caminos

En estos tiempos de pandemia hay ciudadanos, muy pocos y de espíritu aventurero, que se echan a andar hacia Santiago, como Marketa Strnadlova, joven checa, de la ciudad de Brno, la cual, como tantos inmigrantes orientales buscan un mejor futuro

astorgaredaccion.com

It is sad to hear that both Marketa and Rubén lost their jobs, due to Covid and that they had to sleep outside on several nights from lack of places to stay on the way to Santiago from Via de la Plata. If I understood the article, it seems the VDLP is being re-routed next year for reasons that are unclear but not the correct route! If anyone can elucidate this matter, it would be good to know?

 

[peregrina2000]

If I understood the article, it seems the VDLP is being re-routed next year for reasons that are unclear but not the correct route!

I believe that the author of the article, the mayor of Astorga, is criticizing the ascendancy of the Sanabrés over the last segment of the Vdlp. Both the Vdlp and the Sanabrés leave Zamora together, but then there’s a split in Granja de Moreruela —northwest for Sanabrés to Ourense, or north for Vdlp to Astorga, where it joins with the Francés. The Xunta de Galicia is no doubt interested in promoting the Sanabrés because it has a good chunk in Galicia, from shortly after Lubián all the way to Santiago. Looks like all the funding is going into the Sanabrés at the expense of this last segment of the Vdlp.

I have not walked that section of the Vdlp, which goes through Benavente, but I have walked the Sanabrés twice and would repeat it again in a heartbeat. Maybe some forum members who have walked these last few days of the Vdlp (four or five days from Zamora to Astorga) can weigh in on the differences. The huge majority of people walking the Vdlp do opt for the Sanabrés, in part to avoid the Francés and in part just because it is such a nice route.

Hope this helps clear things up — there is no major re-routing that I am aware of, it’s just that the governmental camino money is not going towards that segment of the Vdlp and it looks like the lodging options may disappear.

 

[Juno]

Thank you for your reply. Fingers crossed I, like others on the forum, can set foot on one of the Camino’s, mine the VDLP.

 

[camino.ninja]

I believe that the author of the article, the mayor of Astorga, is criticizing the ascendancy of the Sanabrés over the last segment of the Vdlp. Both the Vdlp and the Sanabrés leave Zamora together, but then there’s a split in Granja de Moreruela —northwest for Sanabrés to Ourense, or north for Vdlp to Astorga, where it joins with the Francés. The Xunta de Galicia is no doubt interested in promoting the Sanabrés because it has a good chunk in Galicia, from shortly after Lubián all the way to Santiago. Looks like all the funding is going into the Sanabrés at the expense of this last segment of the Vdlp.

I have not walked that section of the Vdlp, which goes through Benavente, but I have walked the Sanabrés twice and would repeat it again in a heartbeat. Maybe some forum members who have walked these last few days of the Vdlp (four or five days from Zamora to Astorga) can weigh in on the differences. The huge majority of people walking the Vdlp do opt for the Sanabrés, in part to avoid the Francés and in part just because it is such a nice route.

Hope this helps clear things up — there is no major re-routing that I am aware of, it’s just that the governmental camino money is not going towards that segment of the Vdlp and it looks like the lodging options may disappear.

I think I only met one guy who walked to Astorga on VdlP.

 

[camino07]

In 2012 I had to stay an extra night in Zamora due to very painful feet so I lost my English speaking Camino family. I decided to walk to Astorga .I took a bus from Granja to Benavente, stayed in a Hotel and then limped to La Baneza. I met a nice Irishman on the way to Alija del Infantato ,who I had previously met in Fuenterroble. we split after that.
Next day I remember the joy of seeing, way in the distance on my right, the large green metal structure used by the pilgrims from the Frances. I was so happy to get to Astorga. I went back the next year and walked the Sanabrese and loved it . I also walked from Seville again in 2017 via the Sanabrese and would love to repeat next year if possible. Sorry this is so long winded...

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

I walked up to Astorga after Granja de Moruela in 2017. Stayed in Benavente,Alija and La Baneza. After La Baneza I walked to Astorga. As I remember there where albergues in all the places I I slept in. The Albergue in Alija was very nice.Met no other pilgrims.
The camino was well marked.

 

[mspath]

In 2012 I had to stay an extra night in Zamora due to very painful feet so I lost my English speaking Camino family. I decided to walk to Astorga .I took a bus from Granja to Benavente, stayed in a Hotel and then limped to La Baneza. I met a nice Irishman on the way to Alija del Infantato ,who I had previously met in Fuenterroble. we split after that.
Next day I remember the joy of seeing, way in the distance on my right, the large green metal structure used by the pilgrims from the Frances. I was so happy to get to Astorga. I went back the next year and walked the Sanabrese and loved it . I also walked from Seville again in 2017 via the Sanabrese and would love to repeat next year if possible. Sorry this is so long winded...

camino07,
Was the distant "large green métal structure used by pilgrims from the Frances" which you happily spotted from afar this bizarre pedestrian bridge at the CF entrance to the city? Whenever I entered Astorga on the CF this muti ramped structure hardly seemed a fitting entrance for such an ancient historic city. Of course once one climbed the hill all was splendid as was the welcome at the Albergue de peregrinos Siervas de María.

 

[camino07]

camino07,
Was the distant "large green métal structure used by pilgrims from the Frances" which you happily spotted from afar this bizarre pedestrian bridge at the CF entrance to the city? Whenever I entered Astorga on the CF this muti ramped structure hardly seemed a fitting entrance for such an ancient historic city. Of course once one climbed the hill all was splendid as was the welcome at the Albergue de peregrinos Siervas de María.

Yes, that's it mspath. Coming from the South it was a wonderful sight. English speakers at last.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

I feel sorry for the towns on the overlooked section of the VDLP, but I'm not sure what could be done about it. Many of the folks who walk the VDLP have made a conscious choice to take a route that is not the Camino Frances. While the Camino Sanabres shortcut might not let you see the complete VDLP, it's a pretty attractive proposition.

These arguments about the true, proper, and authentic route abound, and they get pretty mean spirited.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

In 2012 I had to stay an extra night in Zamora due to very painful feet so I lost my English speaking Camino family. I decided to walk to Astorga .I took a bus from Granja to Benavente, stayed in a Hotel and then limped to La Baneza. I met a nice Irishman on the way to Alija del Infantato ,who I had previously met in Fuenterroble. we split after that.
Next day I remember the joy of seeing, way in the distance on my right, the large green metal structure used by the pilgrims from the Frances. I was so happy to get to Astorga. I went back the next year and walked the Sanabrese and loved it . I also walked from Seville again in 2017 via the Sanabrese and would love to repeat next year if possible. Sorry this is so long winded...

Are you kidding? We eat your words like chocolates!