- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances 2019
Portugues 2022
VDLP 2023
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Thinking thinking thinking about the Levante and will be looking forward to hearing all about your walk. Are you walking alone and how much distance (a range) do you expect to do each day. Also would like to know what the weather is like in September and what's out there in the fields. Wishing I could be there this year but maybe next fall...Hola! Not quite 'live' yet, but 43 hours after walking out my front door I arrived in Valencia a couple of hours ago. Had a shower, then a nice meal and a beer in a bar across the road. Now ready for some sleep, but must share one thing first. This afternoon I dropped a 50 euro note at Chamartin station. Didn't notice but heard a woman calling after me to return it. The Camino is already providing.
Yep like me!!!!We don’t get too many “live from the Levante” threads, but I’m betting that there is a group of slightly hard-core peregrin@s here on the forum who will enjoy every post you care to make.
Wishing you a wonderful walk on this most wonderful Camino!
You may catch me up!I will be five days behind you! I walked it 8 years ago (when I was 8 years younger). It is a wonderful Way. Buen Camino!
Hi Rita, I am.walking alone, like to average 25 k a day but this will increase on this Camino. Weather was high 20s, overcast and very humid. The humidity was the most noticable aspect today.Thinking thinking thinking about the Levante and will be looking forward to hearing all about your walk. Are you walking alone and how much distance (a range) do you expect to do each day. Also would like to know what the weather is like in September and what's out there in the fields. Wishing I could be there this year but maybe next fall...
Moixent? maybe you mean Xativa/JativaI would highly recommend arranging things so that you have the time and energy to walk up to the castle in Moixent - it’s a 5-star!
Oh yes of COURSE, I mean Xátiva. Thanks, @JLWV, I have edited my post. It is really a spectacular castle. I don’t want Lindsay to suffer, but I really am hoping you will get some of that much needed rain!Moixent? maybe you mean Xativa/Jativa
Buen Camino Lindsay; you start your trip in our first week of rain after a long summer of dryness....
I passed through this area today Jean-LucThis is LIVE.
I have just seen on TV that today there were severe rains in CANALS, on your way, which make the river Canyoles growing (it was dry!!).
When in Canals get information, and if the river give problems take off the way and go by the road south of the river.
5 years ago due to flooding we marked the way on that road, but time going those marks will be no more visibles. (In that moment a young strong guy from Canada and an older french man could continue their way)
Jean-Luc
When I walked the Levante, there was no albergue, and my companions stayed in the Red Cross building. They had a similar experience. I stayed in a casa rural.The Moixent albergue however was a bit of a let down. Very basic and located in the same building as the police station, the place was filthy. Opened cans and bottles in the fridge, garbage including food scraps in the bins,
You walked it? Fine to know.There is a brand new rail trail from Manuel to Xativa that cuts about 3 k off the old route,
Me,too!!Yep like me!!!!
Lindsay -- Am following you closely and taking notes! Thank you again for the journey reports.Currently sitting outside the municipal albergue in La Gineta enjoying a well earned beer. It's only a re-purposed soccer change room but it is fit for purpose.
Met my first peregrinos two days ago in Chinchilla de Montearagon. An older French couple who were walking a section of the Camino Sureste. The.man is 86! I was suitably impressed.
The last few days have been mostly farm tracks with little shade and no water between towns. This has created a situation where I either do relatively short days, 20 k or so, or must do long days around 40k. I have chosen the short option. Not walking in the afternoon heat!
You are so lucky to have gotten in! We had called the Ayuntamiento several days ahead because we knew we would be arriving on a Sunday and they told us to go to the policia local. Well,when we got there, no policia local were anywhere to be found and the sports complex was locked up tight.Currently sitting outside the municipal albergue in La Gineta enjoying a well earned beer. It's only a re-purposed soccer change room but it is fit for purpose.
Had no problem with the Ayuntamiento today, but its a weekday. Planning on the bullring in La Roda tomorrow, but after the hassles of last weekend dealing with the local government beurocracy I have booked ahead for Saturday and Sunday in private hostals.You are so lucky to have gotten in! We had called the Ayuntamiento several days ahead because we knew we would be arriving on a Sunday and they told us to go to the policia local. Well,when we got there, no policia local were anywhere to be found and the sports complex was locked up tight.
We were lucky that there was a train coming by later that afternoon to take us ahead to La Roda. My walking partners were in no way interested in taking a train back the next day to walk those 22flat kms, and I had a hard time shaking the fact that this was the first time I had “skipped” a stage on a camino.
Will you be in the bull ring tomorrow?
Hola from Almonacid!
In the only bar in town right now with a massive tortilla in front of me, and my cunning plan was a long 35k day tomorrow, but that has been cut to a more comfortable 24k.Oh the memories! Glad you could stay in Almonacid, because it’s a LONG schlepp from Mora to Toledo. I remember seeing that castle in Almonacid in the distance, not just on the day from Mora, but on the day TO Mora as well! It never seemed to get any closer. When we walked there was no albergue in Almonacid, so we were in a grungy hostal in Mora. Glad to hear the albergue is ok. What was the food situation?
Lots of asphalt tomorrow, as I remember, but the view when you come over the crest and are looking over at the city on the other side of the river. OMG, just so awesome! Just like the El Greco View of Toledo. Lucky you, hoping your weather is good. Buen camino.
So glad that Juan is still thriving. An outstanding, possibly slightly over-attentive host, but wonderful to have laundry done and such warm hospitality. Thrilled that he is still there and still making his hugely generous welcome 10 years after my only stay.an excellent stay at Casa Rural El Rincon Del Infante in Villa de Don Fadrique. I had booked ahead and after 27 hot and thirsty kilometres I knocked on the door, was welcomed by Juan the host,
Wow. Nice people. I hope they're singing a different song these days.The bar "Kuki", with it's banner stating "Esto es España y al que no le gusto que se vaya" was somewhat less friendly
The albergue is in the same place, the bathrooms have recenly been refurbished. However the shower floor is just a flat bit of plastic an the water runs everywhere.So glad that Juan is still thriving. An outstanding, possibly slightly over-attentive host, but wonderful to have laundry done and such warm hospitality. Thrilled that he is still there and still making his hugely generous welcome 10 years after my only stay.
Enjoy Toledo: how could you not?
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PS When I stayed in Almonacid the "albergue" was in the swimming pool changing room: a bench or two and some cardboard shared with a few over-attentive cockroaches. Glad to hear it's improved. The bar "Kuki", with its banner stating "Esto es España y al que no le gusto que se vaya" was somewhat less friendly than many Spanish bars. Perhaps it too has improved.
There is a castle just before arriving at Mora, I think it is called ''de Peñas Negras'', and other one in Almonacid.I remember seeing that castle in Almonacid in the distance, not just on the day from Mora, but on the day TO Mora as well!
Ah, Gotarrendura, the place where Santa Teresa was supposedly born, and the family dovecote is still standing! I’m wondering about the food situation. There was a bar in the center, and the owners always opened whenever a pilgrim showed up, rest days be damned! Such a nice gesture. I also remember that when I was there a huge box of setas arrived, and the owner sauteed me up a big bunch. I have never figured out the proper English equivalent — these are mushrooms, but not the white button mushrooms. They are brown and wavy - any guesses as to which mushroom they most resemble? I am not a mushroom connoissieur, but I love setas!BED RACE ON THE LEVANTE! Yes folks, you heard it here first! Today in the small village of Gotarrendura there are four, yes four peregrinos! The albergue is completo!
I must away at zero dark thirty tomorow morning to beat the rush!
Sorry, I have been remiss. Left San Martin and made my way over the hills to San Bartolome de Pinares, a rather hard slog, especially the hill behind Cebreros, and when I got to the top I missed an arrow and went half a kilometre in the wrong direction. The track was rough and difficult to follow in places. By the time I got to San Bart. the ayuntamiento was shut so I couldn't get a key to the albergue. Luckily pilgrim no 5, a German bloke, was already there and let me in. His German Levante guide book mentioned an adress where a key could be got, so off we went in search. Found it eventually and I got a key and was officially let in.Ah, Gotarrendura, the place where Santa Teresa was supposedly born, and the family dovecote is still standing! I’m wondering about the food situation. There was a bar in the , and the owners always opened whenever a pilgrim showed up, rest days be damned! Such a nice gesture. I also remember that when I was there a huge box of setas arrived, and the owner sauteed me up a big bunch. I have never figured out the proper English equivalent — these are mushrooms, but not the white button mushrooms. They are brown and wavy - any guesses as to which mushroom they most resemble? I am not a mushroom connoissieur, but I love setas!
But wait, how can you be in Gotarrendura? What happened to Ávila and the lovely mountain stages after Cebreros? Last I read you were in San Martín de Valdeiglesias. Hope you got to see the Celtiberian pigs!
Loving your reports, and I bet you will enjoy some time in the beautiful little place of (they have , not just one, beautiful plazas mayores!). And the castle is quite nice as well. Buen camino!
Linsay's just out walking, but at least we got the short version.But wait, how can you be in Gotarrendura? What happened to Ávila and the lovely mountain stages after Cebreros? Last I read you were in San Martín de Valdeiglesias. Hope you got to see the Celtiberian pigs!
Toro is a very nice place and its wine is well worth exploring as well.Toro looks a nice place and after a nap I will explore further
Hi Kindsay, can you give more detail about those arrows to the cliffside? (a PM is OK).Left Toro at 0700 for a short 20k to Villalazan rather than push the whole 37k to Zamora. Just after leaving town the arrows led me along a very precarious cliffside path, with no obvious way down in the dark so I backtracked to the road and followed that instead.
as the official path here is very overgrown with thorns and blackberries and I gave it up after only a few metres.
PM sent Jean-Luc.Hi Kindsay, can you give more detail about those arrows to the cliffside? (a PM is OK).
We shall have a look.
Buen Camino.
I finished the Levante in Zamora in late 2015 having spent thirty days walking there from Valencia. I was obliged to return home immediately and was regretful at that moment not to continue all the way to SdeC. However, some weeks later I was again in the albergue in Zamora, but on this occasion it was on the first night of a nineteen day walk (via Astorga) over Christmas and New Year which brought me to SdeC in the first week of January 2016. From o Cebreiro to SdeC the weather was appallingly wet and I rather felt sorry for the many young South Korean peregrinos I encountered and who had not bargained for such miserable European winter weather ! Despite everything it was an enjoyable start to 2016 and when I got to SdeC (and not withstanding the fact that I had split that entire Camino into two sections), I felt the satisfying "job done" feeling which I had set out to achieve when I first walked from Valencia some several weeks before. For me it was a brilliant Camino and may I say "Well done" to Lindsay53 and hope you enjoyed the Levante as much as I did......Hola from Zamora! 17ks from Villalazan across the flat farmland and I arrived at 1115 this morning. I have booked a hostal for two nights as I want to explore Zamora, however I stopped in at the albergue to get a stamp.
I had practised my Spanish "No quiero una cama, solo sello por favor." The hospitalero heard me out and said " Would you find it easier to speak English?" I was very excited to meet the first English speaking hospi on this camino!
Now that the Levante is done I am still getting my thoughts in order. It was more difficult than other caminos given the isolation, long stages, lack of infrastructure and my poor Spanish. I must say I felt like chucking it in on more than one occasion.
However I did make it and am glad to have done so, a more detailed assessment to follow once I have had time to assess.
You may already know this — STRETCH those muscles before it gets worse! Ice also might help. The minute I feel the tiniest hint of a shin splint, I start the classic stretches, 30 seconds at a pop, during the walk. Then, if I can remember it, ice at the end of the day, even if everything feels fine. I had this happen just last week when I had a few days to walk some stages from Lisbon. The first day from Lisbon is almost all asphalt or boardwalk, and I was feeling it after about 20 km. Stretching did wonders.Only issue is a niggling shin splint problem in my right leg that has developed in the past few days.
Yes, I have some ice and even as I write this I'm stretching. I did ignore it initially in the foolish hope it would go away...I know better but...You may already know this — STRETCH those muscles before it gets worse! Ice also might help. The minute I feel the tiniest hint of a shin splint, I start the classic stretches, 30 seconds at a pop, during the walk. Then, if I can remember it, ice at the end of the day, even if everything feels fine. I had this happen just last week when I had a few days to walk some stages from Lisbon. The first day from Lisbon is almost all asphalt or boardwalk, and I was feeling it after about 20 km. Stretching did wonders.
I remember that feeling of relief to be rid of the masses when I turned right one time in Leon onto the San Salvador, heading to Oviedo. I only met a few peregrinos between Leon and Oviedo so no more racing for a bed and I just loved the quietude.....Hola from Puente de Domingo Flores. Been an interesting few days since my last post from Astorga.
Two days on the Camino Frances (including the Cruz de Ferro descent) and after a night in the big albergue in Ponferrada I set out yesterday on the road less travelled, the Camino Invierno.
A great walk on a cool sunny day brought me to Borennes, via picture postcard villages and lovely mountain and forest scenery. Stayed at casa rural Borrenes las Medulas. where the host Raimund, explained there was no shop or bar in the village but I could help myself to food and drink from the fridge. Very cheap and the breakfast stuff was free.
Set out late, after 0800 as I had a short day planned, only 18k to Puente Domingo de Flores. On leaving town this morning I met a Brazilian pilgrim who was heading to Sobradelo. Only other I have met since watching the Frances horde head off in a different direction as I left Ponferrada.
Another nice walk, even if a smidge hilly. Only issues were a navigational error that took me one kilometre up a steep hill to look at a Roman gold mine instead of staying on the road and calling Casa Rosa to find that the albergue is shut permanently. However Hostal la Torre has good, if basic, facilities for a pilgrims rate of 22 euros.
Still have to plan my next stages, tomorrow is still a mystery!
If my calculations are right, @El Cascayal is very close. I’m pretty sure she’s in Monforte today.Arrived at the municipal albergue where I met 2 other pilgrims!
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