- Time of past OR future Camino
- Olvidado/San Salvador/Primitivo 2019
How did you contact the hostal? Was it Hostal Avanto?
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How did you contact the hostal? Was it Hostal Avanto?I don't see a post for Day 7 above. I don't know what happened. Anyways, stepping back in time, here it is:
Day 7: Los Huertos to Santa Maria la Real de Nieva
25 km including the 2 back to the hostal, which will also be added to tomorrow's distance
"And on the seventh day He rested."
I know today says Day 7, but yesterday was really the seventh day, considering the 20 km I walked on Day 0. So under 11 km yesterday and an early bedtime and over 9 hours of sleep before I headed out this morning at about 7 am.
I stopped (and found a little geocache) at a little Ermita out of town. The Ermita was locked up but you could get a glimpse of the fancy altarpiece through a tiny window in the door.
I thought it would be mostly flat wheat fields today, like yesterday, but there were a few things, beyond some spectacular skyscapes, to break up the day. There were a few kms walked along the Camino Verde, a former railway line where they took away the rails and ties and replaced it with a leisure path for cyclists and bicyclists. Because it used to be a rail line, it was very flat and straight. There was a forest beside it for much of the way where the trees had also been planted in straight, even rows.
A little bit further on, the Camino passes through pine forest being harvested for resin. Then it was back to flat fields for a while before arriving in the day's first village, Añe. There was supposed to be an open bar there, but the bar was closed, possibly for renovations according to the sign. So I sat in the shade in the square, took off my shoes and socks, and finished my chorizo and cheese for breakfast, accompanied by some water.
Then it was back to the road. I crossed a nice river and saw some nice storks. I passed through another pine woods (unharvested). Then there was a lot of walking though wheat fields. At one point I checked my phone to discover I had missed or misunderstood a Camino marker and wandered off on a non-Camino trail. At first I was going to turn around and go back, but it didn't take me too long to figure out it would be faster just to press forward as the track I was on would eventually merge with the Camino. Shortly after that I arrived at the second village of the day, Pinilla Ambroz. There was no bar here, either, but there was a water fountain (three actually) so I stopped for a rest and a drinking and refilling of water and an airing of feet and socks.
Then it was on through the final five or six km of meseta to the day's destination, Santa Maria la Real de Nieva. I stopped at a pharmacy to pick up some better bandages for my toes. The main sight, however, is the wonderful Romanesque cloister with the sculpted capitals. There was much taking of photos, which can be found here. Information about the cloister can be found here.
The travel day ended with a menu del dia dinner in Santa Maria, followed by the 2 km walk back to the hostal (hotel) as there is no albergue in this town.
Photos below:
- Camino Verde
- Resin tree
- Stork
- Fields of wheat
- Santa Maria la Real de Nieva
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It was Hostal Avanto. I think I contacted them by phone.How did you contact the hostal? Was it Hostal Avanto?
The last nun left about 5 years ago IIRC, though I think they do still own the convent part of it. Most of the building is owned by the Municipality however. Last year, part of the convent proper was occupied by a family of Ukrainian refugees.The albergue is in a convent but we didn't see any of the nuns.
The canal route is pleasant in itself -- but big warning, it is literally swarming in mosquitoes !!We aren't sure, as well, about how far we will wal[k]. The natural stage is 25 km, but that ends in a village without much in the way of services. If we walk another 5 or 6, that will take us to a town with a lot more and a recommended albergue. We'll see after the 25 km how strong we are feeling.
I don't think we saw a grocery in Santervás, although we did see one in Grajal. We didn't really look for one, though, because we had brought all that food. We were told when we arrived that the hospitaleros were grocery shopping in Sahagún. In the end, they fed us so we didn't need any of our food there.I definitely remember a small grocery store in Santervás, did you find anything @David Tallan?
Interesting to see the differences between the two side apses and the central one. One Romanesque, two Mudéjar? I think the apse is my favorite part of a romanesque church, especially when there are multiple ones side by side. Beautiful.
I was pretty sick well into rhe night but things seem considerably better in the morning. It's a real short walk today and I think I will pass on the detour I had been considering to San Pedro de las Dueñas. (But for those reading the thread planning future Caminos de Madrid and staying in Grajal de Campos, it is certainly something to consider. It ups the walk into Sahagun to all of 9 km, adding 3, but adds a 10th century church/monastery.)@David Tallan I am sorry you are not feeling great. I hope you get a good night’s sleep and a good recovery day in Sahagun.
On my way down the other way last year, I stayed in Grajal, Melgar de Arriba, Santervás, Tamariz de Campos, and of course Villalón. I am very slow.(But for those reading the thread planning future Caminos de Madrid and staying in Grajal de Campos, it is certainly something to consider. It ups the walk into Sahagun to all of 9 km, adding 3, but adds a 10th century church/monastery.)
It seems that covid killed both that little grocery store and the normal village bar. Neither were there last year either.I definitely remember a small grocery store in Santervás
The albergue in Grajal is attached to the palace and is part of the palace complex. I've heard various stories, one of which is that it is in what once was the palace jail. You can certainly open a door at the end of the dormitory and walk into the palace proper. I think that is what draws people to this particular albergue.On my way down the other way last year, I stayed in Grajal, Melgar de Arriba, Santervás, Tamariz de Campos, and of course Villalón. I am very slow.
I can't really remember the Albergue at Grajal, so I guess nothing special and just normal -- but the pueblo itself is lovely !!
The Albergue at Melgar was closed for renovations, but they opened it specially for me by exception -- if those renovations are finished, it should be a nice enough Albergue now ; and the village association bar there is truly excellent !! The main reason to stop at Melgar going up the "normal" way would of course be to take the variant to Bercianos del Real Camino, skip Sahagún, and shave a day off the hiking.
Tamariz de Campos should be considered as nothing other than an emergency safety net place. It's more refugio than albergue -- though the bar manager / hospitalero is a great guy, and well worth making at least a short stop for refreshments if he's open.
I hadn't looked at your photos, and it jogged the memory. Yeah, that albergue is OK, despite the lack of a kitchen as such -- the beds are nice.The albergue in Grajal is attached to the palace and is part of the palace complex.
'You climb this to the Fuenfria Pass (Puerto de la Fuenfría), which, at 1796m is the highest point in any Spanish Camino'
but don't forget the Complutense (which isn't mentioned much on this forum). You can see on the attached screenshot from Mapy.cz that it goes to about 2030m
More hiking trail and Pyrenean Crest Trail than Way of Saint James nowadays, but you're right -- its name would be the Camino del Puerto de Jaca or Chemin des Moines rather than the Arles Way. Quite the tertiary route though !!there is also the Col des Moines variant of the Chemin d'Arles, not far from Somport, at 2150m.
The bar in Santervas was open a month ago, at least around mid-late afternoon.It seems that covid killed both that little grocery store and the normal village bar. Neither were there last year either.
The Association bar is open on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. So glad to hear that you were in luck !!The bar in Santervas was open a month ago, at least around mid-late afternoon.
And sometimes ThursdaysThe Association bar is open on Saturdays, Sundays,
At the Sanctuary you get the half way certificate for the Frances. But that wasn't applicable to me. They sent me to the tourist office for the completion certificate for the Camino Madrid, which is about Sahagun as the destination and assumes you have come to Sahagun for the saints relics that are here.Glad you are feeling a bit better, David, and I hope you feel completely recovered by tomorrow morning.
About your certificate – – this is so strange! Based on older posts, I expected to have to go to the tourist office for my certificate. But when I passed by the Sactuary last month, I was able to obtain my certificate there. In fact, many pilgrims who were walking to Frances were there as well.
So be aware, pilgrims, that this seems to change frequently. You could stop in whichever place is closest to you, and be prepared to be directed elsewhere.
It makes sense to me to have the parts describing the San Salvador and Primitivo sections of my walk in the forums devoted to those routes, but I am happy to put them wherever the moderators deem best.Please keep forthcoming reports in this thread !!
It's the Madrid Way, no matter which way you go ...
It makes sense to me to have the parts describing the San Salvador and Primitivo sections of my walk in the forums devoted to those routes,
Good idea. I’m sure you’ve seen most of the major attractions, but if you haven’t been to the Museo de León, I’d highly recommend it! Based on your posts, I think you’d enjoy it.I've decided, as I attempt to sort out my digestive system, to add a rest day in Leon before undertaking the San Salvador.
This sort of thing seems to be not uncommon in that area.What with the morning digestive troubles
Has the big private one been rebuilt yet ?The albergue I'm staying at (Gaia, at the entrance to the town)
Good to remember about petrol stations!This sort of thing seems to be not uncommon in that area.
I seem to have avoided it on my walk back towards France last year, though I had other troubles instead !!
The ONE thing that pilgrims should learn in El Burgo Ranero, after 1) the excellent Albergue 2) the li'l shop opposite 3) Church and how nice the pueblo actually is -- is 4) the 24/7/365 great food etc. at the petrol station just before town.
Has the big private one been rebuilt yet ?
Top Tip -- for supplies, if all else fails, make your way to the petrol station southerly. Excellent coffee there too !!
Such a shame but I trust that you have been there before.As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the main plan for today was to visit the Museo San Isidoro with the royal Pantheon. That's also one of the reasons i pocked the hotel that i did, right across from it. I left it for today because it made sense to visit it when i was staying right across the plaza. I wandered over this morning to check out the opening times and saw this:
View attachment 150622
That's today's plans scotched. I really should have been in the hotel yesterday. I guess today will be a truly restful day.
I plan to start the Madrid on 12 Sep and then on to the first part of the San Salvador and then to the final part of the Olvidado as I missed those 2 sections out last time!I am very excited to find your Camino de Madrid posts. I walked that route some years ago, followed by a week on the Frances to Ponferrada and my final two weeks on the Invierno. I have recently returned from serving as a hospitalera, followed by a walk north from Merida to Santiago. I find that I want to return once again to the Madrid, the Frances from Sahagun to Ponferrada, and the Invierno to Santiago. With your posts and Gronze, and Brierley for the Invierno, I hope to be able to follow this route once again, beginning in Madrid in mid-September and arriving once again in Santiago in November. Any good advice will be much appreciated.
Two or three times.Such a shame but I trust that you have been there before.
Ray and Rosa also have a Camino de Madrid Guide: Ray y Rosa’s Guide. They sent me an updated table of albergues including which were open and which weren't that was very helpful in planning the side trip to La Santa Espina, when Gronze was still listing it as closed.I am very excited to find your Camino de Madrid posts. I walked that route some years ago, followed by a week on the Frances to Ponferrada and my final two weeks on the Invierno. I have recently returned from serving as a hospitalera, followed by a walk north from Merida to Santiago. I find that I want to return once again to the Madrid, the Frances from Sahagun to Ponferrada, and the Invierno to Santiago. With your posts and Gronze, and Brierley for the Invierno, I hope to be able to follow this route once again, beginning in Madrid in mid-September and arriving once again in Santiago in November. Any good advice will be much appreciated.
Rayyrosa’s guide shows an Albergue at SMlRdN? - https://www.rayyrosa.com/camino-de-madrid/segovia/santa-maria-real-nieva/alberguesI found there was also plenty of infrastructure except for one day (end point: Santa Maria la Real) where there wasn't an albergue so I had to resort to a hostal.
There was, but as is shown in the most recent table I got from them, it has been closed.Rayyrosa’s guide shows an Albergue at SMlRdN? - https://www.rayyrosa.com/camino-de-madrid/segovia/santa-maria-real-nieva/albergues
Thank you. Silly me thought the web site would be up to date…...There was, but as is shown in the most recent table I got from them, it has been closed.View attachment 150722
Looking back at the day, I went to SM la R de N first during the day, to see the sights there, and then back to Hostal Avanto later, since it was a distance away and I didn't want to do too much walking back and forth between them. I ate comida (2 pm) in the town and cena (8:30 pm) at the Hostal. A menu in both cases. I wasn't checking Air BnB so I didn't know about the place in Nieva.Very useful report, thank you.
In S M la R de N you stayed at the Hostal Avanto but ate in the Gastro bar. I think the Hostal has a ‘restaurant’ so did you not eat there for a specific reason? I think it is also possible to go on the extra 2km to Nieva and stay at an AirBnB there.
David, how far in advance (and how) did you make reservations at the Mission?Day 1:
I didn't get as much sleep as I had hoped last night. Although I was falling asleep in the early evening, after I had a bite to eat at the Mercado de San Miguel (Madrid's St. Lawrence, although selling prepared food mostly rather than ingredients - a kight tapas sipper there was more wxpensive than most dinners will be, and i lomited myself to thr cheapest offerings) and had a glass of Tinto de Verano (like sangria) on the rooftop bar at the hostel, I found it much more difficult to drift off. It wasn't helped by the others in my room who came in around midnight and, although they were whispering, made enormous amounts of noise with their things for what seemed like an hour.
Surprisingly, although I got out of bed at 7 am today, I was the last to leave the room.
I took the metro to Plaza de Castilla and started to walk from there. It was another km and a half, though, before I saw my first yellow arrow, after the four tall skyscrapers near the Hospital La Paz.
From there I followed the yellow arrows through the suburbs to the suburbs of Montecarmelo where they finally became plentiful and reliable. Motecarmelo is where I stopped for breakfast, about 8 km into the day's walk. I had cafe con lecjlhe and pan con tomate (toast with tomato). The latter is a common Spanish breakfast which, surprisingly, I've never had, always going the croissant or tortilla route. It was good. The tomato is refreshing after a walk.
On the other side of Montecarmelo you cross another highway and then you are finally in the countryside. The wildflowers in this part of the walk were really an outstanding part of the day.
After this bit you start walking next to the train tracks. This is where I saw the horses and sheep that Rosie would love, especially the horses right by the path in patting distance.
For the rest of the walk you walk beside the train tracks or between the train tracks and the highway. But there were still plenty of very nice views. At one point, I stopped in the shade of an underpass to drink some water and took off my shoes and socks to dry my feet and socks. Much more comfortable after that. I've read about others doing so on their Caminos but it has never been something I've done. Will definitely do again.
The Camino passes by Tres Cantos but doesn't actually go through it. So you have to divert off it and cross a bridge if you are staying in Tres Cantos or are stopping for food or water. That point was clearly marked by Mision Emmanuel, where I am staying, with their own painted directions. Once you cross the bridge, you start seeing yellow arrows alongside the Mision signs (red painted crosses and arrows).
The mission is a nice place, very hospitable. It is a donativo (if they accept donations, I have to ask about that). They provide for pilgrims, refugees, and others in need. There is the main building and several outbuildings, one of which us a chapel where they laid down a mattress for my use tonight.
Shower and laundry done, I'm ready to relax a bit.
Photos below:
- First yellow arrows by Hospital La Paz
- Signage gets much better as you enter the suburb of Montecarmelo
- About to leave Montecarmelo, on the other side of the highway just countryside and, toward the horizon, the mountains I think will be in my future a few days from now
- Some of the pretty wildflowers that were a highlight of the day
- Horses by the side of the path, in petting distance, that would have been a highlight for my daughter Rosie
- Even where you are between the railway and the highway the path isn't too bad
- The signage pointing to where you cross the bridge into Tres Cantos, pointed out in red paint by the signs pointing to where I am sleeping tonight
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I think a few days. I don't think a lot of notice is needed so long as they are expecting you. Accommodations are spartan, though.David, how far in advance (and how) did you make reservations at the Mission?
Was it really a blow up mattress as someone in Gronze says?I think a few days. I don't think a lot of notice is needed so long as they are expecting you. Accommodations are spartan, though.
It was a mattress on the floor. I don't remember it being an inflatable mattress.Was it really a blow up mattress as someone in Gronze says?
Ok thanks. I don't mind the mattress on the floor, but someone on Gronze mentioned it was an inflatable that all the air came out of by morning! lol! I wasn't to excited about that.It was a mattress on the floor. I don't remember it being an inflatable mattress.
It may have been inflatable but if so, it didn't deflate overnight.Ok thanks. I don't mind the mattress on the floor, but someone on Gronze mentioned it was an inflatable that all the air came out of by morning! lol! I wasn't to excited about that.
I've had that happen at home before and it ain't fun!It may have been inflatable but if so, it didn't deflate overnight.
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