LIVE from the Camino Camino De Levant

[GingerRob]

Gday fellow Pilgrams, my name is Rob and I am now 5 days into my Camino, ( Camino de Levant) as usual I completely over packed with a stupid base weight of 17kgs, today I changed my life by removing 9 kgs, the journey has now begun. Are the any other Pilgrims on this route?

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Rob, welcome to the forum.

Heck of a first post - how on earth did you end up with 17kgs!! That's the type of weight I used to carry all up, including camping gear & food for a week 30 years ago (when everything was heavy!).

Good on you for realising the error of your way's

Buen Camino!

 

[C clearly]

Welcome to the forum. I hope you will continue giving some updates as you go!

 

[peregrina2000]

Buen camino and welcome, @GingerRob. I walked the Levante about ten years ago and met two other pilgrims on Day 4. We walked into Santiago together weeks later. I think we met three French pilgrims one day and a couple of bicigrinos another but that was it till we got to the Sanabrés in Zamora. If you like castles and wide open vistas, you will love this route.

And to echo @C clearly, I know there’s a bunch of us who would love to hear updates.

 

[jo_nz]

Gday fellow Pilgrams, my name is Rob and I am now 5 days into my Camino, ( Camino de Levant) as usual I completely over packed with a stupid base weight of 17kgs, today I changed my life by removing 9 kgs, the journey has now begun. Are the any other Pilgrims on this route?

We are day 2 in Algamesi Kiwi’s Jo & Glen

 

[peregrina2000]

We are day 2 in Algamesi Kiwi’s Jo & Glen

Hi, Jo and Glen,
Wow, it would be a real luxury to have two “live” threads from the Levante at once. I had a great paella in the casino restaurant in Algemesí — there was a big family celebration in the afternoon and they just added me to the party!

If you are growing weary of the asphalt, know that it will end, but not for several more days! Or maybe the route has been re-routed to take you off the pounding pavement.

 

[jo_nz]

yes Rob the asphalt is definitely wearing, hence we are making a few shorter days to start

Gday fellow Pilgrams, my name is Rob and I am now 5 days into my Camino, ( Camino de Levant) as usual I completely over packed with a stupid base weight of 17kgs, today I changed my life by removing 9 kgs, the journey has now begun. Are the any other Pilgrims on this route?

 

[Lindsay53]

Well I am very excited! I am planning to start the Levante on 02 September and apart from some excellent information from a couple of members who have walked in previous years ( thankyou @peregrina2000) there is not much current information to be found anywhere. Now not one but two pilgrims have posted live from the Levante! @GingerRob and @jo_nz I hope you will provide some updates on your journeys. Buen Camino!

Also, on a personal note, I see these pilgrims posts appearing here as yet another example of 'The Camino provides'

 

[peregrina2000]

there is not much current information to be found anywhere.

Hi, @Lindsay53, I just wanted to make sure you have seen the Amigos guide, which is up to date and probably all you need. Stage by stage, lots of accommodation info, here.

It’s a great camino, at least once you get past the asphalt on day 3 or 4!

 

[Lindsay53]

Hi, @Lindsay53, I just wanted to make sure you have seen the Amigos guide, which is up to date and probably all you need. Stage by stage, lots of accommodation info, here.

It’s a great camino, at least once you get past the asphalt on day 3 or 4!

Yes, thanks Peregrina 2000, I have had a look at it and it's very useful, thanks! Between the Amigos guide and the Buen Camino app I think I'm pretty well set, and any info from those on the ground at the moment will be very handy.

 

[GingerRob]

Buen camino and welcome, @GingerRob. I walked the Levante about ten years ago and met two other pilgrims on Day 4. We walked into Santiago together weeks later. I think we met three French pilgrims one day and a couple of bicigrinos another but that was it till we got to the Sanabrés in Zamora. If you like castles and wide open vistas, you will love this route.

And to echo @C clearly, I know there’s a bunch of us who would love to hear updates.

Thank

yes Rob the asphalt is definitely wearing, hence we are making a few shorter days to start

Good Idea, Valencia to Algamas was a bit hectic for a first stage, early start helped alot as the heat has set in, today I leave for

We are day 2 in Algamesi Kiwi’s Jo & Glen

Hi Joe and Glen,Valencia to Algamesi was a challenging first stage but an early start sort of helped with the heat, today I am on my way to Moixent and then tomorow will be a shorter stage, loving the solitude and the motivation from locals, hope to see you out there. Buen Camino.

 

[GingerRob]

Buen camino and welcome, @GingerRob. I walked the Levante about ten years ago and met two other pilgrims on Day 4. We walked into Santiago together weeks later. I think we met three French pilgrims one day and a couple of bicigrinos another but that was it till we got to the Sanabrés in Zamora. If you like castles and wide open vistas, you will love this route.

And to echo @C clearly, I know there’s a bunch of us who would love to hear updates.

Thank you and yes there will updates as I go, the solitude on the road is meaningful, could do with a few more shady trees but then that is the Camino I guess, so far it has been empty Albergues which is probably not the case up North on The Camino Francais, will keep you posted.

 

[dbeatriceb]

Gday fellow Pilgrams, my name is Rob and I am now 5 days into my Camino, ( Camino de Levant) as usual I completely over packed with a stupid base weight of 17kgs, today I changed my life by removing 9 kgs, the journey has now begun. Are the any other Pilgrims on this route?

Good idea to dump some of that pack weight! We loved this Camino. We left from Alicante a few years ago and picked up the Levante where they intersect. I think we saw maybe one other pilgrim along the way before we got to Zamora. We met many lovely people, none of them pilgrims. Please do continue your updates, and Buen Camino!

 

[GingerRob]

This didn't quite pan out like I expected but then I guess one should leave all expectations behind on the CS. The plan was to leave Xativa as early as possible and make it into Moixent early pm, well that went pear shaped quickly and I ended up having a late start which snow balled into running out of water because everything was closed which then slowed me down dramatically and so I stopped the boat in Vallada only 6.5km from the end of the stage to find no tapas bars and zero chance of a feed, in summary today was a brutal walk with endless asphalt and brutal UV, on the upside no blisters ( yet) and their is an AC in my room, tomorrow is a short stage. Note to self " take Sundays off "

 

[LTfit]

The heat and asphalt are tough! I walked from Valencia to Toledo exactly 10 years ago, in fact Facebook reminded me with Fotos from stage 1. I was so happy to get rid of the asphalt by dag 3.5!

I walked with a Camino friend and he swore he would never walk in the summer with me again. We only saw one other pilgrim, a French woman.

 

[peregrina2000]

in summary today was a brutal walk with endless asphalt

The asphalt ENDS sooon after Moixent! Ánimo!

 

[setmeravelles]

This didn't quite pan out like I expected but then I guess one should leave all expectations behind on the CS. The plan was to leave Xativa as early as possible and make it into Moixent early pm, well that went pear shaped quickly and I ended up having a late start which snow balled into running out of water because everything was closed which then slowed me down dramatically and so I stopped the boat in Vallada only 6.5km from the end of the stage to find no tapas bars and zero chance of a feed, in summary today was a brutal walk with endless asphalt and brutal UV, on the upside no blisters ( yet) and their is an AC in my room, tomorrow is a short stage. Note to self " take Sundays off "

This helps me decide to leave from Xàtiva on a Saturday and not Sunday in the fall, so thanks for this info! Sorry it was a rough day. Some Camino days are better than others. Where are you staying in Moixent?

 

[GingerRob]

The heat and asphalt are tough! I walked from Valencia to Toledo exactly 10 years ago, in fact Facebook reminded me with Fotos from stage 1. I was so happy to get rid of the asphalt by dag 3.5!

I walked with a Camino friend and he swore he would never walk in the summer with me again. We only saw one other pilgrim, a French woman.

Well here we are and the motivation is " No time is as good as the present " just need to plan the stages a bit better, enough water, enough electrolytes , calories and sunscreen, look after the trotters and all should be good in theory

 

[GingerRob]

Moixent to La Font de la Figuera: Was an absolute pleasure getting off the asphalt and into the Olive plantations, despite the heat of the day the walk was awesome, I arrived mid afternoon into La Font de la Figuera, the Police Local were not around and not answering the phone so I chilled out side the dedicated Pilgram Albergue, a friendly lady from across the road showed me to where the keys were, super clean and has all the basics for a night, except no pillows and the Mozquitoes are off the scale so come prepared. This is a quaint little village set in a picturesque part of Spain. The route has no begun to gain some altitude and the climbes are now moderate. There were no other pilgrams on the route.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, GingerRob, I moved your post into this thread (you had posted it as a separate thread, but it goes better here in your live thread).

WOO HOO - I remember the moment when we left the asphalt, it was such a wonderful feeling! When I slept in Font de la Figuera, the albergue was in a little cement building with windows way up high (which made for bad ventilation), but it was fine. I remember it being close to the polideportivo building, and also near a very long lavadero (stone clothes washing place). I think I have heard that it moved, so maybe you are in a new place?

And tomorrow, if you are going to Almansa, I would HIGHLY recommend a visit to the castle. I almost had to drag my walking companion last year to get up out of the reclining position and go visit it. And he was very glad he did! It’s quite a nice one, even by Spain’s high standard for outstanding castles!

 

[GingerRob]

Hi, GingerRob, I moved your post into this thread (you had posted it as a separate thread, but it goes better here in your live thread).

WOO HOO - I remember the moment when we left the asphalt, it was such a wonderful feeling! When I slept in Font de la Figuera, the albergue was in a little cement building with windows way up high (which made for bad ventilation), but it was fine. I remember it being close to the polideportivo building, and also near a very long lavadero (stone clothes washing place). I think I have heard that it moved, so maybe you are in a new place?

And tomorrow, if you are going to Almansa, I would HIGHLY recommend a visit to the castle. I almost had to drag my walking companion last year to get up out of the reclining position and go visit it. And he was very glad he did! It’s quite a nice one, even by Spain’s high standard for outstanding castles!

Thanks for moving my post, I find the interface on this forum a little bit all over the place.
The Albergue is in the same place except it has probably had a face lift since you were here, and it would also appear that it is open to who ever needs a roof and a bed for the night so not primarily for Pilgrams, this presented a strange situation when a chap arrived and had his own key and seemed to know his way around the place however on further investigation it turns out that he is a local begger from a nearby village and has now moved in. Today is a little longer leg to Almansa, I will keep you posted.

 

[peregrina2000]

this presented a strange situation when a chap arrived and had his own key and seemed to know his way around the place however on further investigation it turns out that he is a local begger from a nearby village and has now moved in

This is a good heads up, especially for single women walking the Levante. I understand why municipalities don’t want to keep a perfectly fine building locked up for the occasional Pilgrim when there are many in need, but I also think it’s not a great situation for a single woman.

Ps: according to the amigos guide, there is a private alternative.

• HOSTAL RURAL AMABLE: Carrer Les Eres, 36. calamable@hotmail.com. Tel. 962 290 013

 

[peregrina2000]

Where are you staying in Moixent?

I did this years ago, but here is where I stayed. At that time, there was no albergue, just a floor in the Cruz Roja. But there is now a new albergue according to our Levante expert, @JLWV

The Amigos guide lists a lot of places, several with special pilgrim prices.

 

[GingerRob]

This is a good heads up, especially for single women walking the Levante. I understand why municipalities don’t want to keep a perfectly fine building locked up for the occasional Pilgrim when there are many in need, but I also think it’s not a great situation for a single woman.

Ps: according to the amigos guide, there is a private alternative.

• HOSTAL RURAL AMABLE: Carrer Les Eres, 36. calamable@hotmail.com. Tel. 962 290 013

Yes that's correct and the Host is called Eva, a wonderful person and she gave me a discounted price for a private room, I highly recommend this Hostel, great breakfast, I took off a day to see more of this quaint hamlet and nurse a nasty blister. Tomorrow is a 27km stage.

 

[Ella L.]

Well I am very excited! I am planning to start the Levante on 02 September and apart from some excellent information from a couple of members who have walked in previous years ( thankyou @peregrina2000) there is not much current information to be found anywhere. Now not one but two pilgrims have posted live from the Levante! @GingerRob and @jo_nz I hope you will provide some updates on your journeys. Buen Camino!

Also, on a personal note, I see these pilgrims posts appearing here as yet another example of 'The Camino provides'

I m looking to start around that time, too. I have walked the de Levante before, but nothing ever stays the same!

 

[jo_nz]

Rob, any recommendations for an accommodation in Albacete ( if you stayed there?). The albergues have been amazing so far!