LIVE from the Camino Am I on the meseta yet?

[MichaelC]

Castrojerez. I think this is the meseta? I don’t really know. Either way, after feeling a bit disillusioned with the Francès in parts of Navarre & La Rioja, I wanted to drop in again to say that the last two days after Burgos have been stunningly beautiful.

So many people have bussed ahead. So many rented bikes to cross to Léon in three days. So many are walking long stages to ‘get past the meseta.’ Even I was tempted to take a bus to the mountains to continue on the Norte/Primitivo.

I’m so glad I listened to a fewer wiser veterans. This is the Camino I love, and so far it’s on par with those long peaceful stretches on the Aubrac and in Quercy as a highlight of the walk for me.

Ok, I’m still going to need to cheat and take the train from Sahagún to León if I’m going to reach Compostela in time.

For those planning for 2018: Do not skip the meseta (though I’m not even sure I’m on the meseta yet), and budget more days than the guidebooks recommend.

I budgeted 34 days, believing that I’d be walking 30 km days regularly by this point. Yet after 7 weeks I still don’t like anything over 25/day, and many days are closer to 20 due to a few stretches without albergues. Lots of folks now are also feeling a time pinch.

 

[NorthernLight]

Yes you are on the meseta. After the hill tomorrow, the trail gives you an option. If the crowds are still too much and you don't mind an extra 1.2 km, take the right path to Itero del Castillo. There is a bar for coffee. The church and castillo will likely be closed, but you'll be alone on a lovely path until you rejoin the other path at the bridge.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Hi Michael - when you climbed up that long, gradual hill shortly (about 13kms) after Burgos you entered the Meseta! Glad to hear you opted to walk it, great part of the overall experience. Please don't allow 'cheat' to enter your mind about needing to move along for time schedules. Your Camino is your Camino and anyone who says otherwise doesn't deserve your time.
Buen Camino!

 

[MTtoCamino]

Interesting about the bike rentals! They did not exist that I am aware of in 2014 I only met one Aussie that had started in Pamplona who rented a bike there.
Buen Camino

 

[Kent Davis]

About 120 kilometers until you reach Leon. This is a great part of the walk as it will allow you to build strength without having to cover really difficult surfaces both up and down and by the time you get to Leon you will feel stronger. I found it peaceful and a place to relax my mind while exploring small unique towns.

 

[Telelama]

The meseta was the part we enjoyed the most!! So lovely...

 

[VNwalking]

Aloha, Michael!
Yes, you are...and isn't it special?
Too bad you'll need to skip that last bit, because the alternate route from Sahagun to Reliegos is very nice.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hi Michael , after the Pyrenees the Meseta is my second favorite part of the Camino.

Wish you well and a Buen Camino,Peter.

 

[J Willhaus]

Everyone has his or her own pace. It's hard when you read a book that tells you what you should walk as a "stage". Until you arrive for that first Camino you really don't know for sure what you are able to do and it is especially hard when you have a set return date. Thanks for checking in MichaelC. Reading the live from the camino posts are always among my favorites on the forum.

 

[MichaelC]

About 120 kilometers until you reach Leon. This is a great part of the walk as it will allow you to build strength without having to cover really difficult surfaces both up and down and by the time you get to Leon you will feel stronger. I found it peaceful and a place to relax my mind while exploring small unique towns.

Actually, I just passed my 1000 km mark - my strength is good! Oddly enough (or maybe not), I’m far ~less~ inclined to walk longer stages than I was a month ago.

 

[Bella2017]

We will be walking the meseta next week. Glad that you are enjoying it. Is it windy? just deciding on what clothes to take.
Any advice on good places to stay in reliegos or mansila de mulas appreciated

 

[mspath]

Bella2017,

Within a historic structure built around a central open patio the Mansilla de las Mulas
municipal albergue cum tourist office has several small dorms. New toilets and showers are on the ground level off the patio. There is a good kitchen with a dining table. Most pilgrims sit around the table sharing food and tales. Laura, the gracious hospitalera always remembered me from past Caminos. Polyglot and very pilgrim friendly she keeps the place immaculate yet homey which is no mean feat! This is a most pleasant simple stop filled with caritas.
For more info here is their listing on Gronze.com.

Good luck and Buen camino!

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Actually, I just passed my 1000 km mark - my strength is good! Oddly enough (or maybe not), I’m far ~less~ inclined to walk longer stages than I was a month ago.

The Meseta is my favorite part of Camino Frances. Aside from those big beautiful skies, I love the trudging along and putting 1 foot in front of the other. An added bonus is that many people disappear.

In Religiosis, which I just missed spelled, there is a really sweet place to stay called Casa de Ada. Very clean, and lo very clean, lovely owner. and Ada is charming – – I hope you get to meet her.

I’m in Burgos now. Still having effects from this nasty flu. A good friend from Denmark came down with it and she is on day five. Hope you don’t get it – – listen for the coughing.

 

[SabsP]

The Meseta is my favorite part of Camino Frances. Aside from those big beautiful skies, I love the trudging along and putting 1 foot in front of the other. An added bonus is that many people disappear.

In Religiosis, which I just missed spelled, there is a really sweet place to stay called Casa de Ada. Very clean, and lo very clean, lovely owner. and Ada is charming – – I hope you get to meet her.

I’m in Burgos now. Still having effects from this nasty flu. A good friend from Denmark came down with it and she is on A good friend from Denmark came down with it and she is on day five. Hope you don’t get it – – listing for the coughing

Take care @CaminoDebrita .
The latest I heard is that Albergue de Ada keeps being closed due to family reasons.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Take care @CaminoDebrita .
The latest I heard is that Albergue de Ada keeps being closed due to family reasons.

Very sorry to hear that.

 

[David]

You were on the Meseta after you stepped out of Rabe de las Calzadas .
(edited, for some reason unknown to me I originally put a different town in!!)

Enjoy the mule-killer hill tomorrow!!!

 

[Turga]

You were on the Meseta after you stepped out of Rabanal del Camino.

Enjoy the mule-killer hill tomorrow!!!

I thought the Meseta was between Burgos and León.... ?

 

[t2andreo]

I have always considered the formal meseta to begin at Fromista. However, and I think technically, it does start just beyond the 12%, 1 km long hill near Castrojeriz.

This remains my favorite part of the entire Camino, right after kicking off from St. Jean Pied de Port, and arriving at Santiago after five weeks on the Camino Frances. I prefer flat terrain and the views are remarkable.

I hope you all enjoy it.

 

[Bella2017]

We were booked into albergue vive tu camino but they asked us to cancel as they were closing. We have cancelled but not quite sure whats happening as it is now possible to book again!
We may now stay in mansilla as we like to have a private room if possible.

 

[David]

I thought the Meseta was between Burgos and León.... ?

Dang!! I meant to write Rabe de las Calzadas - will edit previous post!!

 

[nycwalking]

So glad you too have become a meseta fan. I love it.
Buen camino.

 

[David]

I absolutely love the Meseta - but actually the Meseta, the true Spanish Meseta, is nowhere near the Camino - it is just that there is high open plateau land between Burgos and Leon and we call it the Meseta. As far as the Encyclopedia Britannica is concerned it is much further south. I suppose we could just about call ours the 'Northern Meseta'??

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I thought the Meseta was between Burgos and León.... ?

I make the end point Astorga.

A meseta is a tableland/plateau and the one we are talking about, traversed by the Camino Frances, has an elevation of about 900 meters. From that I put the meseta at a bit before stage 14 and a little after stage 23 as marked on the elevation profile linked to below but I use Burgos and Astorga as the easily recognized places near the ends.

The elevation profiles for the Camino Frances can be seen at https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-of-the-camino-frances.12/download?version=12

 

[laineylainey]

I agree with others, I loved this part of the Frances. I think having read the differing opinions on this forum, it's a bit like marmite - you either love it or hate it???

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I suppose we could just about call ours the 'Northern Meseta'??

Is Meseta Norte good enough? If so, we've been beaten to it (as seen on this map.)
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/Iberian-Peninsula-topographic-map.htm

 

[David Fletcher]

[QUOTE="I budgeted 34 days, believing that I’d be walking 30 km days regularly by this point. Yet after 7 weeks I still don’t like anything over 25/day, and many days are closer to 20 due to a few stretches without albergues. Lots of folks now are also feeling a time pinch.[/QUOTE]

I walked in 2015, budgeting 40 days, 'cause I wasn't sure of my capacity for walking. I completed it in 37 days, including three sabbath days in Burgos, Leon and Ponferrada. I did take the bus into Burgos partly because of the weather and partly because of the industrial area. I cherished the walk across the Meseta which was the most solitary but enlivening part of the pilgrimage for me.

 

[Sailor]

So far the Meseta is winning on my side of the house and if I only had "one camino section" to walk then this would be the one.

 

[MichaelC]

We will be walking the meseta next week. Glad that you are enjoying it. Is it windy? just deciding on what clothes to take.
Any advice on good places to stay in reliegos or mansila de mulas appreciated

There’s no wind now, but who knows what next week will bring.

I do know that you absolutely should try and stay at Albergue La Finca in Población de Campos. It’s not a main stop, it’s only a year old, and it’s frikkin awesome.

The Meseta is my favorite part of Camino Frances. Aside from those big beautiful skies, I love the trudging along and putting 1 foot in front of the other. An added bonus is that many people disappear.

In Religiosis, which I just missed spelled, there is a really sweet place to stay called Casa de Ada. Very clean, and lo very clean, lovely owner. and Ada is charming – – I hope you get to meet her.

I’m in Burgos now. Still having effects from this nasty flu. A good friend from Denmark came down with it and she is on day five. Hope you don’t get it – – listen for the coughing.

I just worked through it. It’s nasty, and a lot of people had it.

 

[Adrian Harding 65]

I walked with many people who told me that they were going to skip the Meseta. But like many others who have answered the OP, this became my favourite part out of many favourite stages. Those Meseta skippers, what they missed! The Camino is all about variety and different experiences. I couldn't stop smiling, seeing the snaking path stretching out to the horizon ahead of me. And occasionally looking backwards and smugly congratulating myself on the distance already covered. If anything brings home to you the magnitude and significance of the journey you are on, it is the meseta. It also helps to have good company, which I am pleased to say happened in my case. Sometimes it is nice to be on your own, but I would strongly recommend that you do the stages between Burgos and Leon with others who share your pace and ideals.

 

[Stivandrer]

Beauty works by comparison: In beauty there is is an absence of ugliness and and vice versa; in a richness of ugliness there can be some beauty but not a lot.
The apparent boring emptiness of the Meseta furthers comtemplation, I loved the days there ...

Please do not say you will not get to SdC "in time" - it might be the wrong parametre !

 

[trecile]

I have also been reading more about people renting bikes to get through the Meseta faster. I just don't get it.

 

[t2andreo]

With the Camino Frances becoming as popular as it is, perhaps it is better than more people shun the Meseta. While they are missing out on the serenity and stark beauty of these segments, it means there is more private space for those of use who actually prefer our Caminos that way.

Gee, this stretch, combined with the Invierno replacing the Ponferrada to Santiago stretch on the Frances, is starting to look better every day.

I wonder if there are relatively parallel routes further east? Hmmm? One wonders if an ALT+Frances route might not be possible...

So, shush!

I hope this helps.

 

[Stivandrer]

Shhh keep stummm---

 

[Jill81]

Hey MichaelC,
I’m so glad to read that you are still going strong after so many weeks. I remember reading some of your posts earlier this year when you were training on the steep, humid Hawaiian trails of your home and thinking . . . This guy is willing to put in the effort! And I had a chuckle about you out there field testing your hiking umbrella as I usually walk with one too. (Hope you haven’t had to use it much).

Wishing you a very good continuation of your Camino and safe travels!

 

[LdnWalker]

I loved the meseta, my walking companion from my first Camino did not. Now I'm redoing the camino in week long stages year by year. Was hoping for a tiny glimpse of meseta this year but have been stymied just outside of Burgos by an aching knee muscle and uncooperative bus times. I'm a little disappointed but the weather has been spectacular for late October and there's always next year!

 

[FurnessTravellers]

We walked the portion from Carrion des los Condes to Astorga in 2014 and were just thrilled with how beautiful it was. We had to pull out there due to my husband developing a clot in his leg, but only found out later that we had in fact walked the dreaded Meseta!! One of my most memorable albergues was the beautiful convent in the old city of Leon, with the lovely nuns. We stayed in the "matrimonial room" with 5 other couples! Evensong that evening was beautiful, peaceful and so memorable. Anyway, as our only experience so far of the camino we were definitely not disappointed.