Returned

[ScouseKeith]

Good afternoon fellow pilgrims.
I've returned under a n ew name and email address as my Microsoft account was hacked a few months ago, but all is well and looking forward to next Camino next year. As it will probably be my last I've decided to walk the Via de la Plata and make the most of a nice long pilgrimage. If anyone one has recently walked the Via de la Plata and kept a daily journal I would love to hear from you and read your comments, I find them all very helpful and rewarding.
Take care, Buen Camino Keith

 

[alexwalker]

The VdlP is a great camino, in any sense. Just be careful of a few stages from Sevilla: Some very long days awaits you. Otherwise it's OK for this 70 year oldie.

Personally, I stayed a couple of days in Merida due to the richness of Roman history (It was a retirement city for Roman legionaires) and some blister problems. The municipal albergue allowed me to stay for 4 nights. Kind people.

Roman Theatre (Mérida) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Salamanca has the largest Plaza Mayor (town square) of any city in Spain, including Madrid(!).

It is a great walk without the chaos one encounters on the Frances. Take it slow and enjoy.

 

[M2ME]

Some stages after Cáceres can be a bit challenging between distance and accommodation. I used Gerald Kelley’s “Via” app and found it very useful. The monastery at Oseira was a wonderful experience. I took a rest day in Cáceres which was well worth it.

 

[ScouseKeith]

Thanks fellow pilgrims.
I can see there are long stretches of walking between towns but are there watering holes or small copses that offer refreshments.
ScouseKeith

 

[M2ME]

At the beginning, particularly, water is a challenge. There were no fountains or watering holes. Depending on the weather it can be very hot. I left Seville late April with temperatures in the upper 30s. Each day I carried 4.5 litres of water and 1.5 litres of an electrolyte drink. I needed every drop. As for shade there are stretches that the Gronze site describe as “carece de sombra” lacking in shade and they weren’t wrong.

 

[ScouseKeith]

I walked all my Caminos through July and August so I’m pretty used to the hot sun and little shade but having to carry that much additional water adds quite a lot to your weight

 

[David Tallan]

I walked all my Caminos through July and August so I’m pretty used to the hot sun and little shade but having to carry that much additional water adds quite a lot to your weight

July and August are particularly difficult times to walk the VDLP (and the Mozarabe and other routes in the south of Spain). Temperatures go into the 40s, shade can be hard to come by, and distances between water sources can be long. I knew one person last year who did it, but he did his walking at night, sleeping during the day. Think long and hard before attempting it in this season. Pilgrims die on this route due to the heat and dehydration.

 

[ScouseKeith]

Follow the safety rules of trekking that’s how I plan every day, distance water weight and my hat lol never walk without it.

 

[Robo]

Thanks fellow pilgrims.
I can see there are long stretches of walking between towns but are there watering holes or small copses that offer refreshments.
ScouseKeith

You really need to assume there are no watering holes or refreshments during your walking day.
I think I might have seen 2 or 3 fonts in 30+ days........
I just got used to carrying water for the whole day.
As for villages with shops/bars/cafes. Assume there are none.
If you come across one in a larger village/town, it's a bonus.
Open bars/shops etc will tend to be at your 'end points' for the day, rather than along the route 'during' the day. I recall a couple of petrol stations a few hundred metres off the route.

There will be some days where you pass through a sizeable town, (depending on your stages) but other than those obvious places assume there is nothing till you reach your stopping point for the day.

I used google maps a lot to search the next days walk for villages to see if they had shops / cafes.
But usually if they did.........they were closed (or closed down) anyway.

I can't comment on the Sanabres to Santiago section, as I went North to Astorga then West on the Invierno.

You asked earlier about journals.

I did maintain a blog and a series of daily videos.
Though I tend to blog with video rather than write a lot.

Blog, that covers VdlP Sevilla to Astorga, then Invierno and Fisterra.

Blog | In Search of Santiago

robscamino.com

Videos: If you just want those. (VdlP Playlist)

YouTube

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world.

studio.youtube.com

 

[ScouseKeith]

Thanks Robo I’ll check them out.
Keith

 

[ScouseKeith]

The VdlP is a great camino, in any sense. Just be careful of a few stages from Sevilla: Some very long days awaits you. Otherwise it's OK for this 70 year oldie.

Personally, I stayed a couple of days in Merida due to the richness of Roman history (It was a retirement city for Roman legionaires) and some blister problems. The municipal albergue allowed me to stay for 4 nights. Kind people.

Roman Theatre (Mérida) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Salamanca has the largest Plaza Mayor (town square) of any city in Spain, including Madrid(!).

It is a great walk without the chaos one encounters on the Frances. Take it slow and enjoy.

Hi Alex
Thanks for that. I’m allowing myself 47 days which is far more than I need, it should give me 4-5 days staying extra days and Salamanca is one of the places I’ve already looked into it looks incredible and full of history and culture. Thanks Keith