walkingnomads
New Member
Hello to all (Laurie, Anita Isobelle and anyone else following the VDLP route from their armchair or about to go!
I did a little reply to Anitaś last little message but it wouldnt allow me to do a large message, so I am continuing here.
To bring you all up to date, my heel is much better and we are on the road again, but using a bit of bus here and there to make sure I can contine to Santiago.
Continuing our update, Chris had a night in Alcuescar and Aldea and then I met him in Caceres (I was given a lift by lovely Elena, who runs the albergue and Casa Rural with Anna at Aljucen). They were both so kind to me and at that stage I could hardly walk!
We had 3 nights in Caceres at Alameda Palacete Hotel, just opposite the albergue turistico. It had faded charm and once again good value, very good breakfast and lovely rooms opening out onto inner courtyard. Caceres is a beautiful city, and I agree with the others, it is worth spending time there.
From Caceres, we became creative for extra rest days, so took the bus to Plasencia.....another really beautiful old walled city with a Parador. We had one night there in Hotel Dora (accommodation not easy to arrange but kind lady at Caceres hotel found this for us).
Things were now much better for me, so we hopped on Mr Alsa bus again and alighted at the roundabout (they drop you literally on the roundabout) for Oliva de Plasencia. This was all worked out carefully as we didn want to miss the Arco de Caparra and we had noted that Laurie had stayed at Oliva. We then walked the 4 kś along the road and found Monica and her Albergue turistico. We thought this was a gem of a place and stayed 2 nights in this delightfuk little village. Monica cooked for us both nights....on night one, we were joined by 4 cyclists (arriving at 9pm and Monica kindly still fed them unannounced) and the second night we had 2 men from Salamanca with us.
The next morning in Oliva we walked the 6.5 kś to the Arco and then returned to Oliva. It was one of the most beautiful walks so far, with a huge estate breeding bulls, dams full of terrapins, and lots of birds of prey and little frogs crossing the road.
I think it should be mentioned as well that the Interpretation Centre at The Arco de Caparra is new and well worth a visit, not least for the hot and cold drink machines and the loos (I think a lot of the guide books paint a very remote picture of the Arco, and this centre is a very welcome oasis in the middle of the day and we saw quite a few very hot pilgrims arrive who were delighted with the facilities).
Another option for people on the VDLP around the Arco is to detour from the Venta Quemada to the lovely albergue at Oliva de Plasencia (6.5ks) and the next morning to do what we did and walk 6.5 ks to the Arco and then continue.
Many people including Rebecca have recommended Hervas, so it has been very much on our itinerary. This morning we walked from Oliva de Plasencia (4ks) to catch the 845am bus on the roundabout, getting off this time at Aldeanueva del camino. This is indeed a pretty little village with its humpback Roman bridge right in town and where a lady offered us some cherries. We then walked the 7.5 kś on to Hervas along the road, which wasnt very exciting, but Hervas is a fabulous little town surrounded by monutains.
Monica phoned ahead and booked us into the albergue with Carlos at the converted railway station and it is incredible. Carlos is so welcoming and it is beautifully equipped inside, and even has a professional coffee machine so I am in 7th heaven (we are deciding on 2 nights).
On the dining tables he has bowls of citrus fruit, cherries and walnuts. The laundry and lines are over the railway tracks, and there is a washing machine!
The Juderia (old jewish quarter)is exquisite, so well worth the detour if tme permits and no backtracking as we will walk straight on to Banos de Montamayor.
Because we need to catch up on some days and arrive in Salamanca to tie in with our booked accommodation, I think we will take the bus from Banos to Salamanca.
The plan is then to take another bus to Zamora and then head for Ourense on foot (this is how we have changed things to rest a sore heel, visit a farmacia in Caceres for more voltaren and Biofreeze gel, and it all seems to be working well.
Buen Camono to all, and keep us up to date with your news. You might pass us soon Anita as we have needed to slow down as you can see. However, this has given us time to really get to know places which otherwise wouldnñt have happened.
This is our Camino on the VDLP.
I did a little reply to Anitaś last little message but it wouldnt allow me to do a large message, so I am continuing here.
To bring you all up to date, my heel is much better and we are on the road again, but using a bit of bus here and there to make sure I can contine to Santiago.
Continuing our update, Chris had a night in Alcuescar and Aldea and then I met him in Caceres (I was given a lift by lovely Elena, who runs the albergue and Casa Rural with Anna at Aljucen). They were both so kind to me and at that stage I could hardly walk!
We had 3 nights in Caceres at Alameda Palacete Hotel, just opposite the albergue turistico. It had faded charm and once again good value, very good breakfast and lovely rooms opening out onto inner courtyard. Caceres is a beautiful city, and I agree with the others, it is worth spending time there.
From Caceres, we became creative for extra rest days, so took the bus to Plasencia.....another really beautiful old walled city with a Parador. We had one night there in Hotel Dora (accommodation not easy to arrange but kind lady at Caceres hotel found this for us).
Things were now much better for me, so we hopped on Mr Alsa bus again and alighted at the roundabout (they drop you literally on the roundabout) for Oliva de Plasencia. This was all worked out carefully as we didn want to miss the Arco de Caparra and we had noted that Laurie had stayed at Oliva. We then walked the 4 kś along the road and found Monica and her Albergue turistico. We thought this was a gem of a place and stayed 2 nights in this delightfuk little village. Monica cooked for us both nights....on night one, we were joined by 4 cyclists (arriving at 9pm and Monica kindly still fed them unannounced) and the second night we had 2 men from Salamanca with us.
The next morning in Oliva we walked the 6.5 kś to the Arco and then returned to Oliva. It was one of the most beautiful walks so far, with a huge estate breeding bulls, dams full of terrapins, and lots of birds of prey and little frogs crossing the road.
I think it should be mentioned as well that the Interpretation Centre at The Arco de Caparra is new and well worth a visit, not least for the hot and cold drink machines and the loos (I think a lot of the guide books paint a very remote picture of the Arco, and this centre is a very welcome oasis in the middle of the day and we saw quite a few very hot pilgrims arrive who were delighted with the facilities).
Another option for people on the VDLP around the Arco is to detour from the Venta Quemada to the lovely albergue at Oliva de Plasencia (6.5ks) and the next morning to do what we did and walk 6.5 ks to the Arco and then continue.
Many people including Rebecca have recommended Hervas, so it has been very much on our itinerary. This morning we walked from Oliva de Plasencia (4ks) to catch the 845am bus on the roundabout, getting off this time at Aldeanueva del camino. This is indeed a pretty little village with its humpback Roman bridge right in town and where a lady offered us some cherries. We then walked the 7.5 kś on to Hervas along the road, which wasnt very exciting, but Hervas is a fabulous little town surrounded by monutains.
Monica phoned ahead and booked us into the albergue with Carlos at the converted railway station and it is incredible. Carlos is so welcoming and it is beautifully equipped inside, and even has a professional coffee machine so I am in 7th heaven (we are deciding on 2 nights).
On the dining tables he has bowls of citrus fruit, cherries and walnuts. The laundry and lines are over the railway tracks, and there is a washing machine!
The Juderia (old jewish quarter)is exquisite, so well worth the detour if tme permits and no backtracking as we will walk straight on to Banos de Montamayor.
Because we need to catch up on some days and arrive in Salamanca to tie in with our booked accommodation, I think we will take the bus from Banos to Salamanca.
The plan is then to take another bus to Zamora and then head for Ourense on foot (this is how we have changed things to rest a sore heel, visit a farmacia in Caceres for more voltaren and Biofreeze gel, and it all seems to be working well.
Buen Camono to all, and keep us up to date with your news. You might pass us soon Anita as we have needed to slow down as you can see. However, this has given us time to really get to know places which otherwise wouldnñt have happened.
This is our Camino on the VDLP.
