I have been dithering whether to do the CF or the VDLP next year, my significant half wants to join me for a period of time (she joined me in Sarria last time). My thinking if I do the CF would be for her to join me in Burgos and do the Meseta together and leaving me in Leon so I can continue. This in my mind would be the easiest option because transport from Madrid in both locations is good.
But I really want to do the VDLP, so can the experienced out there please help me identify where my wife could join me for about 12 days or so with easy links to an airport from start and finish locations.
Much appreciated.
Hi, waka,
What time of year will you be walking?
The Vdlp goes through a number of easy to get to cities, but I don't think any of them are well connected by air except for Sevilla. If you are starting in early spring, the first stretch from Sevilla to Mérida could be a nice two week walk, and Mérida to Madrid by bus is easy.
Just by looking at gronze's vdlp list:
http://www.gronze.com/via-plata and knowing that the major cities along the way are Mérida, Cáceres, Salamanca, Zamora and Ourense, you can pick out some good stretches.
I particularly like the idea of Merida to Salamanca or Cáceres to Zamora.
Bus service is exceptionally good throughout Spain so even if your wife stops in a smallish place, she is likely to be able to get back to Madrid without too much hassle. I once walked with a man whose daughter came to Baños de Montemayor on the Vdlp to walk with him for a few days into Salamanca. She took a bus from some small pueblo in Galicia to get there and had no problems.
Good luck with the planning, and even if you pick some less populated starting and stopping points, there are travel gurus here who can help with bus and train schedules. Buen camino, Laurie