Has anyone walked from Granada to Santiago?

[Alexandra]

I am hoping to walk from Granada to Santiago in Sept 2012. Recently I met someone who had walked from Cordoba to Seville and then up the VDLP to Santiago. When I asked why he had not walked from Granada, he said " it is way too difficult, and the signage is useless. You will get lost." My whole being is telling me to do this Camino, so I would like some advice. I walked the Camino Frances in Sept 2009, and although walking from Granada will be more difficult, I am not a complete novice !!

I hope to walk Granada to Merida , join the VDLP and continue to Santiago. I am 64, live in Western Australia, so am not a complete stranger to dry, isolated terrain.

I hope there is someone who has done this Camino, to give me some guidance.

Sandra.

 

[sillydoll]

Read Tony Kevin's book "Walking the Path" He walked from Granada to Santiago in 2006.

 

[AJ]

I walked from Malaga in spring 2008. This route joins the route from Granada at Baena. In 2008 the waymarking was good.

The route is strenuous but no more so than the Norte. Be sure to carry enough water - I carried 2 litres.

The Malaga friends have produced a short guide with maps.

ajacobeamalaga@hotmail.com

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Alexandra,
I very much loved the Vdlp from Sevilla and would like to walk, someday, from Granada. On the camino last summer, I met two men in our age cohort who had walked from Granada, but both said the signage was very bad and they got lost frequently. I'm much less intimidated by "tough" and much more intimidated by "poor signage," because even with signage, I frequently find ways to get lost.

I hope you figure out how to do this and will keep us posted on how it goes. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[solong]

Dear Alexandra:
I walked from Granada to Seville in Spring of 2110, aged 65. Tony Kevin was my inspiration. Much later in Albergueria where TK's shell is posted next to the bar, I met 2 Australians who said they were going to write a sequel to Tony's book "Granada to Santiago on 100 Euros a day not counting bus fare". I frequently became lost between Granada & Baena. When you run out of road you can always back track. When the going gets tough the tough hitch a ride. After Baena camino markings improved. I remember walking around Baena in the evening thinking about just giving up & taking the bus to Cordoba when suddenly, everywhere there were flechas amarillo. The stretch between Castro del Rio and Cordoba made me think of Paul on the road to Damascus. A fairly solitary walk until Merida. All in all a great camino and I'd do it again including the getting lost bits. Regards David.

 

[Alexandra]

Dear Sil, AJ, Peregrina and Solong,
Many thanks for all the advice. I am still intent on trying to find a way to walk from Granada. I have read Tony Kevins' book, and been inspired by it. I have sentimental reasons to begin in Granada, but if that is impossible, I could begin in Granada and maybe get a bus to Baena, seeing as there are many flechas from there. Anyway, time will tell. I would prefer to start walking from Granada. I will keep you informed. This could be the biggest learning curve of my life !! ( in more ways than one).

 

[sillydoll]

Good for you! You go girl.
I'm sure you've checked the websites but here they are just in case you haven't got these.

http://www.granadajacobea.org
http://www.viaplata.org
http://www.caminomozarabe.es/

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks for these websites, Sil. Just a slight correction to the granada jacobea site. I poked around a bit and found that its correct link is http://www.granadajacobea.com.es

This site, which appears to be under construction and getting better, explains that there are two Caminos Mozarabes either Granada - Merida or Granada through Toledo to join the Frances. There are just way too many caminos waiting to be walked!

Muchas gracias y buen camino, Laurie

 

[sillydoll]

Thanks!
I'll correct my notes on the southern routes.

 

[peregrina2000]

This website turns out to have fairly detailed province by province walking instructions. I think one of my bad winter weather projects will be to translate them into English. I'll make sure to let everyone know when I have finished that, and maybe the notes can be used by Sandra and others serve as a basis for a more detailed online English language guide to this route.

Sandra, the original poster of this thread, is interested in Granada-Merida-Vdlp (actually.the descriptions of the stages on the website says it joins the Vdlp in Alcuescar, which is actually north of Merida).

But as the map shows, there is another Camino Mozarabe from Granada, and this one goes through Toledo and Avila, before joining the Frances near Astorga. That segment of the website is still very much under construction, and who knows what the signage is like, but you can get some ideas about both branches here: http://granadajacobea.com.es/mapageneral.html

In any event, the options keep increasing. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[wes]

Hello Alexandra. I'm pleased someone has already recommended Tony Kevin's fine book, 'Walking the Camino', which gives the best account of this path. It's clear from his story that the first week is difficult, much more so than the more common route from Seville (or indeed the start of the Camino Frances, over the Pyrenees). Starting in Granada also means you'll miss Seville, a wonderful city, one of the very best in Spain, which is saying something. On the other hand, Granada is spectacular, and you'll have the bonus of going to the Alhambra and Cordoba, both of which are magnificent.
I think that in a sense the route is almost a secondary consideration and you should follow whichever path inspires you, because inspiration in its many different forms is one of the great legacies of walking a Camino. Best wishes, Wes.

 

[andy.d]

Go well Alexandra!

presumably if you were to follow one of the routes Laurie has indicated towards Toledo (rather than walk the VdlP) you would then pick up the Sureste or the Levante which are waymarked, giving you several options. This is really interesting and is getting me thinking,

Andy

 

[bjorgts]

I have walked from Granada to Merida. In April 2010 my husband and I walked from Granada to Cordoba. There are some problems with the marking, but it is not that bad. Here you can see my "report". camino-mozarabe-and-via-de-la-plata/topic8801.html You can make it.
A month ago we walked from Cordoba to Merida. We did not get lost a single time. We found the marking was good on most stretches. Some have been marked this year. My plan is to write some information about Cordoba - Merida as I did for Granada Cordoba, but I have not had time yet. In a month or so I hope…
Just do the walking. I find most of the reports here too pessimistic. Bjørg

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks for this, Bjorts. I 'm sure I read your post when you originally wrote it, but I had forgotten about it. There's lots of good information there. It sounds like the arrow problems on this stretch are no greater than the problems I encountered on the Invierno this past spring -- that is, an occasional lapse, but I was never far from civilization.

I'm wondering if our moderators would consider separating the Camino Mozarabe from the Vdlp, so that we'd have a specially dedicated section for those who want to start in Granada (or Malaga??) -- that would make searching easier.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Former member 13244]

i intend walking the seville to santiago in spring 2012 and have walked the frances camino 10 years but this time with leg getting tired can you advise me if a golf trolley, would be an asset on the longer more grueling granada camino

 

[sillydoll]

i intend walking the seville to santiago in spring 2012 and have walked the frances camino 10 years but this time with leg getting tired can you advise me if a golf trolley, would be an asset on the longer more grueling granada camino

You can do better than a golf trolley!

From my book, YOUR CAMINO

Backpack trolleys
If you prefer to cart your own pack you might consider pulling a backpack trolley which will leave your hands free.

The ‘Carrix’ is a backpack trolley with a special harness. carrix.ch.tripod.com
The ‘Dixon Roller Pack’ is fashioned on the old Indian ‘Travois’ and is pulled behind one. dixonrollerpack.com
The Wheelie 111 can be converted into a framed pack in minutes.
http://www.radicaldesign.nl/en/products ... heelie-iii
The Trackmate is an upright cart and claims to have better stability when loaded with a heavy pack. http://www.prohikeaustralia.com.au

You also have the option of sending heavy stuff ahead if you pre-book accommodation.

 

[Bem48]

Hi Alexandra,

I'm just reading your post from Oct 2011, would like to know if you walked from Granada to
SdC via Merida.
I'm from Australia as well, Sydney, same age group. Did the Frances in 2008, the del Norte in
2011 and I'm planning this year to follow in T Kevin's footsteps, starting in Granada. Planning to
walk Sept and Oct 2013.
Read his fantastic book now the 3rd time, fabulous account.
Sure you heard of Ailsa Piper's book SINNING ACROSS SPAIN. Another interesting account.

Please let me know about your experience on the Camino Mozarabe and the VdLP.

Kind regards/ Buen Camino

Bem

 

[Alexandra]

Hi Bem,

Yes, I did walk from Granada to Santiago last Sept/Oct/ Nov. It really was an amazing life experience. I returned home about 8 weeks ago, and have been slowly trying to process the experience. I walked via Merida, and then up the VDLP to just past Zamora where I joined the Sanabres. After Santiago I walked on to Finisterre.

I will send you a PM in a day or two, and give you my phone number-----it would probably be easier , to enable me to answer any queries you might have.

Good luck with all the planning.

Sandra

 

[Bem48]

Hi Sandra,

Thank you for your quick reply. Looking forward to hearing more from you.
I do have a number of Qs already, your phone number would be appreciated.

Kind regards
Buen Camino

Bem

 

[LTfit]

Hi Bem,

Did you walk Granada-Córdoba-Mérida in September? Would like to hear how the signage is now and if you have any advice for someone planning on walking this route. Have been thinking of walking this part as I have already done the Sevilla-Mérida route and would like to visit Granada and Córdoba again.

Have any other forum members walked this section over the last few months?

Cheers,
LT

 

[Simon Shum]

Dear Alexandra:
I walked from Granada to Seville in Spring of 2110, aged 65. Tony Kevin was my inspiration. Much later in Albergueria where TK's shell is posted next to the bar, I met 2 Australians who said they were going to write a sequel to Tony's book "Granada to Santiago on 100 Euros a day not counting bus fare". I frequently became lost between Granada & Baena. When you run out of road you can always back track. When the going gets tough the tough hitch a ride. After Baena camino markings improved. I remember walking around Baena in the evening thinking about just giving up & taking the bus to Cordoba when suddenly, everywhere there were flechas amarillo. The stretch between Castro del Rio and Cordoba made me think of Paul on the road to Damascus. A fairly solitary walk until Merida. All in all a great camino and I'd do it again including the getting lost bits. Regards David.

Hi Solong, I am very interested to learn more about walking from Granada to Seville (or Cordoba to Seville if you had done that too!). Is this a local trail or part of the Camino too? Do you have notes or blogs that I could follow? Are there hostals or albergues all along the route, and how long did it take you to walk? Thanks
Buen Camino. simon

 

[LTfit]

@Simon Shum I got back last week after walking Granada-Córdoba-Mérida and Salamanca-Santiago (already had walked Mérida-Salamanca twice.

It took me 14 days to do Granada-Mérida although I did walk quite a few long stages including 2 about 40 km which are possible to cut up. I started a thread before I left and will update within the next week or so. Feel free to ask any questions.

Signage from Granada-Córdoba was fair (one day poor) but from Córdoba-Mérida good. The Vía de la Plata is no problem at all.

 

[Simon Shum]

Thanks very much LTfit, I have been following your thread for awhile now and looking forward to reading more!