- Time of past OR future Camino
- Ingles, F+M, Salvador, Norte, V.Serr., Fr.Leopoldo
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All the choices sound wonderful! I've only done the VDLP and the Mozarabe (Granada-Merida) so I can't help you decide. I do look forward to the answers you get thoughI just started planning for a short spontaneous Camino (my third). This time for two weeks in December in Andalusia, because of the weather and because I want to refresh my memories of this picturesque region where I traveled a lot two decades ago.
I think there are 4 possible choices:
I am fully aware that I will hardly find any infrastructure for pilgrims (albergues) and that I will probably not meet other pilgrims at this time of the year. Which is okay, I like solitude.
- Camino Sur and beyond: Huelva-Sevilla-Zafra
- Camino Estrecho & Via Augusta: Algeciras-Cádiz-Sevilla
- Via Serrana: Gibraltar-Ronda-Sevilla
- A part of the Camino Mozarabe, preferably including Granada
Since I like to complete a camino, spend at least one day by the sea and prefer terrain that is not completely flat, I tend towards the Via Serrana. Unfortunately gronze.com has no information published about this camino, but I have downloaded the fabulous Johnny Walker Guide for this camino.
Any thoughts or recommendations? My travel time will be between St. Nicholas Day and Christmas. Thanks in advance!
Some random recollections and thoughts:I just started planning for a short spontaneous Camino (my third). This time for two weeks in December in Andalusia, because of the weather and because I want to refresh my memories of this picturesque region where I traveled a lot two decades ago.
I think there are 4 possible choices:
I am fully aware that I will hardly find any infrastructure for pilgrims (albergues) and that I will probably not meet other pilgrims at this time of the year. Which is okay, I like solitude.
- Camino Sur and beyond: Huelva-Sevilla-Zafra
- Camino Estrecho & Via Augusta: Algeciras-Cádiz-Sevilla
- Via Serrana: Gibraltar-Ronda-Sevilla
- A part of the Camino Mozarabe, preferably including Granada
Since I like to complete a camino, spend at least one day by the sea and prefer terrain that is not completely flat, I tend towards the Via Serrana. Unfortunately gronze.com has no information published about this camino, but I have downloaded the fabulous Johnny Walker Guide for this camino.
Any thoughts or recommendations? My travel time will be between St. Nicholas Day and Christmas. Thanks in advance!
I have generally heard not great things about the Via Augusta though I don't have any personal experience with it. The Via Serrana sounds good!
All of your suggestions have their good points. I especially like to start my caminos by swimming out of the sea.I just started planning for a short spontaneous Camino (my third). This time for two weeks in December in Andalusia, because of the weather and because I want to refresh my memories of this picturesque region where I traveled a lot two decades ago.
I think there are 4 possible choices:
I am fully aware that I will hardly find any infrastructure for pilgrims (albergues) and that I will probably not meet other pilgrims at this time of the year.
- Camino Sur and beyond: Huelva-Sevilla-Zafra
- Camino Estrecho & Via Augusta: Algeciras-Cádiz-Sevilla
- Via Serrana: Gibraltar-Ronda-Sevilla
- A part of the Camino Mozarabe, preferably including Granada
Great - buen camino!And the winner is... Via Serrana!
I also saw that about Jimena but on Google Maps there seem to be quite a few more options, including Casa Henrietta at €60. Personally I don't like taking transport so I will make do with whatever I can find there. I have found places to stay at the end of every stage but only booked Sevilla/La Línea/San Martín so far. Since I am fairly locked into the itinerary (returning to Lisbon the day before I have to do some work), maybe I should just go ahead and make bookings throughout before I leave on Sunday.However, due to the winter, booking.com only offers one really expensive option (>120 euros) in Jimena and only one in Jimeira de Libar. I have therefore decided to spend 3 nights in El Colmenar (Gaucin) where there are more options. That means for a few days I'll be commuting by train, which conveniently runs along the camino.
@jungleboy, thanks for the helpful list. We've walked in that area and can add a few comments:This is what I have noted down for stages/accommodation:
- Tue 29-Nov: La Linea - San Martín del Tesorillo 27.8 km - Hostel Sabana €40 BOOKED
- Wed 30-Nov: San Martín - Jimena de la Frontera 18.32km - one place on Booking but €139, Casa Henrietta from €60, lots of places on Google Maps
- Thu 1-Dec: Jimena - El Colmenar 18.42km - Las Buitreras €43 Booking
- Fri 2-Dec: El Colmenar - Estación Jimera de Líber 22.83km - Hotel Rural Inz-Almaraz €37 Booking
- Sat 3-Dec: Estación Jimera de Líber - Ronda 16.43km - two places €35-40 Booking
- Sun 4-Dec: Ronda - Olvera 27.68km - three places €40 or under Booking
- Mon 5-Dec: Olvera - Coripe 24.63km - Pension Coripe €60 Booking
- Tue 6-Dec: Coripe - El Coronil 29.52km - Hotel Don Juan €33 Booking
- Wed 7-Dec: El Coronil - Utrera 19.32km - lots of options
- Thu 8-Dec: Utrera - Sevilla 34-35km
Thanks for the info! I've updated my list to add in some new bookings, and I emailed Casa Henrietta so hopefully they'll have availability.@jungleboy, thanks for the helpful list. We've walked in that area and can add a few comments:
Casa Henrietta - Henrietta herself can give great advice on local bars with tapas.
Las Buitreras - don't miss the local fossils embedded around the bar. An enthusiastic former owner collected them.
Hotel Rural Inz-Almaraz - is in the village itself, 2 km above the station area where the camino passes. There is a nice walking trail connecting the two points. There are also camping cabins and airbnb's in the area of the station.
I also saw that about Jimena but on Google Maps there seem to be quite a few more options, including Casa Henrietta at €60.
Casa Henrietta - Henrietta herself can give great advice on local bars with tapas.
Las Buitreras - don't miss the local fossils embedded around the bar. An enthusiastic former owner collected them.
Hotel Rural Inz-Almaraz - is in the village itself, 2 km above the station area where the camino passes. There is a nice walking trail connecting the two points. There are also camping cabins and airbnb's in the area of the station.
It turns out that, thanks in part to this thread, I am also about to set out on the same camino. To make a long story short, I had planned the Camino di Gran Canaria in early Dec but a TAP cabin crew strike and TAP's subsequent inflexibility forced me to cancel it, literally the day after you started this thread. I have a couple of weeks free until Dec 10, so I also started casting about for a camino and landed on this one too! Thanks for the inspiration! I leave Lisbon for Sevilla on Sunday, and then onwards to La Línea / Gibraltar on Monday, starting walking on Tuesday. I'm also planning the JW 10-day itinerary.
Update is that Casa Henrietta is full because they have some TV production crew staying there. They recommended La Casa Grande as an alternative but they are closed when I’ll be there but reopening on Friday. So either could be an option for you but I’ll have to keep looking!Thank you for the information. Casa Henrietta is certainly an option in Jimena, I will reconsider my plans for Stage 2.
Sure, no worries!I am happy to have inspired you with this thread. So you finish the Via Serrana when I start it! As we have the same itinerary I would be very grateful if you could share your experiences on bars/restaurants (I assume not many will be open between stages) and things to watch out for such as missing trail markers or free-roaming dogs/cattle. I guess that the vultures mentioned in previous threads will not attack pilgrims ;-)
Please keep us posted about your caminos. Are there any GPS tracks available? How much roadside walking is required, and how busy are those roads?
I'm also wondering how cold and damp it gets at night, compared to Galicia and northern Portugal in November/December.
Looking forward to updates.
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