Reservations necessary on the Mozarabe?

[Yooper B]

Hello!
We are leaving from Granada April 4th and walking to Merida. We have walked two previous Camino’s and there was never a need to make a reservation ahead of time. I have read that it might me a good idea to do that on the Mozarabe. If necessary, we will provide ourselves with a phone plan before we leave home (US) and put it on one of our phones for a month (we’re skipping over to the Portuguese Camino from there). I have a small command of Spanish so calling is not a problem, but we would rather take our chances as we arrive using our guidebook. Any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[evanlow]

Other than Granada where you'd probably have to stay at a hostal (hotel), there's no need for reservations anywhere else on the Mozarabe. Buen Camino.

 

[Yooper B]

Evanlow, were there any etapas where it might be problematic to find a place? We are fit enough to walk long distances, but you never know what situations may arise

 

[evanlow]

Nah,
Albergues are less than other Caminos but there are still some (a third?). Other lodgings are easy to find.

Here are things you need.
1. Guide (PDF)
http://www.caminomozarabedesantiago.es/documentos/guia-eng.pdf
Covers everything Almeria to Granada, Granada to Cordoba, Cordoba to Merida, Malaga to Cordoba (Malaga route).
2. Lodgings.
https://www.csj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/PGS2Bupdate.pdf
This one is a bit old.
a. It doesn't have Pinos Puente (My first short day after Granada). There is an albergue there. Right before the iconic bridge to town, turn right, up the slope to the end of the road is an albergue (donativo)
b. Alcaudete. There is an English guy who took up residency in Spain and use his house as a pilgrim's refuge. Nice place. Also donativo. He has ads along the route before Alcaudette.
c. Also the first day after Cordoba in Cerro Muriano, there is an albergue run by a Dutch couple. Very nice, also donativo). It's before the center of town. Maria told me they are shutting it down to travel in about 2 years. That was two years ago. I hope they are still there.

Beyond that, it is hard to say as I cycled Cordoba to Merida (two years ago) and walked Granada to Baena, then opposite direction towards Malaga (last year).
Most of the time it's been hostals. They are easy to find in small towns. Just ask around.

Last tip. In Cordoba, must go to the mosque. Don't pay. Free daily 8.30am - 10.00am. The reason I know about Cerro Muriano'a albergue (20 km from Cordoba) is because someone mentioned in the forum and also I left pretty late after seeing the mosque in the morning and ride only 20 km.

 

[amancio]

How far are you walking in the mozarabe, are you going to Merida only? I would not think you need any bookings ahead, maybe in Cordoba if you get there on a weekend, you are not walking on Easter, that is a great advantage!

 

[C clearly]

The local associations put together an excellent guide that is updated monthly! Click on on this website, look under Guia del Camino on the right side. The top one is a guide for Almeria to Merida, with accommodations updated in January 2018.

I'll be using it starting on April 14, along with some other forum members. I don't plan to make any reservations.

 

[evanlow]

Just be careful leaving Moclin. Waymarking could be better. In Pinos Puente I saw a guest log entry from and English guy 4 days before me and later in Alcaudette he was there. Apparently he got lost quite a bit leaving Moclin and that somehow hurt him bad enough that he stayed 4 days in Alcaudette.

I didn't have the problem since I have the Camino Mozarabe waymarking. I used it quite often as walking through the olive fields can sometimes be tricky when it comes to directions.
With my phone, local sim card (way faster than gps), the Maps.me app (which downloaded from the app offline map of Spain) and the waymarking file, very glaring every time I stray from the overlay line.
App and offline map free. Waymarking overlay here. I think you might have to request a copy from my Google Drive. After that just send it as an attached to your email, open it on the phone and the app will pick it up.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_XcTIApovwoVElzS1pYMFFMVzA/view?usp=sharing

 

[Yooper B]

How far are you walking in the mozarabe, are you going to Merida only? I would not think you need any bookings ahead, maybe in Cordoba if you get there on a weekend, you are not walking on Easter, that is a great advantage!

Only going as far as Merida as we’ve already walked the VLDP.

 

[Yooper B]

Just be careful leaving Moclin. Waymarking could be better. In Pinos Puente I saw a guest log entry from and English guy 4 days before me and later in Alcaudette he was there. Apparently he got lost quite a bit leaving Moclin and that somehow hurt him bad enough that he stayed 4 days in Alcaudette.

I didn't have the problem since I have the Camino Mozarabe waymarking. I used it quite often as walking through the olive fields can sometimes be tricky when it comes to directions.
With my phone, local sim card (way faster than gps), the Maps.me app (which downloaded from the app offline map of Spain) and the waymarking file, very glaring every time I stray from the overlay line.
App and offline map free. Waymarking overlay here. I think you might have to request a copy from my Google Drive. After that just send it as an attached to your email, open it on the phone and the app will pick it up.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_XcTIApovwoVElzS1pYMFFMVzA/view?usp=sharing

Thanks for all of the info. It will come in handy.

 

[Yooper B]

How far are you walking in the mozarabe, are you going to Merida only? I would not think you need any bookings ahead, maybe in Cordoba if you get there on a weekend, you are not walking on Easter, that is a great advantage!

We are going to Merida only as we have already walked the VDLP. We are then going over to meet up with the Camino Portuguese and walking to Santiago from there.

 

[george.g]

Hi Yooper.
In contrast to what’s been suggested, l would definitely phone ahead, not to reserve as such but to let people know you are on the way. Three of us walked from Almeria in April last year and found on two occasions food had been prepared, or were met and shown to the albergue, a couple of Albergues are also commercial enterprises so they need to know in advance who is going to arrive.
Regards
George
Oops just noticed that you are starting in Granada, so the above doesn’t apply, but I would still be tempted to phone ahead and confirm where keys etc can be found etc, especially at weekends.

 

[Dougyharry]

We did it in 2016 in May from Almeria- we were the only peregrinos on the route - there we resome a week ahead of us according to the Albuerge records but we saw no one else.

 

[jpflavin1]

Other than Granada where you'd probably have to stay at a hostal (hotel), there's no need for reservations anywhere else on the Mozarabe. Buen Camino.

Evanlow:

Are the Albergue's/accommodations staffed or do they all just require a call upon arrival? Do they accept late arrivals (7-8 pm)?

Joe

 

[Oppis]

We are now past Cordoba, coming from Malaga. Today in Hinojosa del Duque. An exelent albergue here. You get the key at Policia Local office, as always on the Mozarabe

 

[Jun Meng]

We are now past Cordoba, coming from Malaga. Today in Hinojosa del Duque. An exelent albergue here. You get the key at Policia Local office, as always on the Mozarabe

Hello oppis. I'm in malaga now. Start to walk the day after Tomorrow. It Seems there is No arrow in the city. How Did You figure Which way to go？

Thanks in advance

 

[Oppis]

We had the route on maps. Me. You can also take the buss 21 at Alameda Principal to Puerta de la Torre, where you find the first arrows.
Hope this helps

 

[Jun Meng]

We had the route on maps. Me. You can also take the buss 21 at Alameda Principal to Puerta de la Torre, where you find the first arrows.
Hope this helps

That's helps a lot. Thanks Very much.

 

[george.g]

Hi Jun,
If you prefer to walk then the way out of town is fairly easy, Maggie and I walked out this way a couple of years ago.
Find the Puente de la Aurora close to the city centre, continue along Calle Marmoles which changes in turn to Calle Martinez Maldonado, Ave Carlos Heya, Ave Lope de Vega, the eventually under the motorway interchange following the A7075 to a coffee stop at Hostal Jose Carlos then look across the road for an arrow.
From the bridge it’s about 11kms .
Possibly go to tourist info and get a town map and ask them to mark the route.
Regards
George

 

[peregrina2000]

Evanlow:

Are the Albergue's/accommodations staffed or do they all just require a call upon arrival? Do they accept late arrivals (7-8 pm)?

Joe

Joe,What I have heard is that a call the day before is the best way to go, if you are going to stay in the albergue. Just so the hospis know you are on your way and can make plans to meet you. I believe that none of these albergues have hospis that do anything more than come open up for you. They are all apparently wonderful people as well, at least if the internet is telling the truth about them. I don't think late arrivals should be a problem. Laurie

 

[Jun Meng]

Hi Jun,
If you prefer to walk then the way out of town is fairly easy, Maggie and I walked out this way a couple of years ago.
Find the Puente de la Aurora close to the city centre, continue along Calle Marmoles which changes in turn to Calle Martinez Maldonado, Ave Carlos Heya, Ave Lope de Vega, the eventually under the motorway interchange following the A7075 to a coffee stop at Hostal Jose Carlos then look across the road for an arrow.
From the bridge it’s about 11kms .
Possibly go to tourist info and get a town map and ask them to mark the route.
Regards
George

Thanks for You help George. I will Make it with your guys help Tomorrow. Buen Camino

 

[Oppis]

Laurie !! Our experience is, that on this route it’s not necessary to call the day before. Almost all albergues have been municipal, you just walk to Policia Local for registration and get the key. Police is in duty 24/7. If not at station there is always number at the door to call.
A few albegues have the number at the door for hospitalero/a, as yesterday in La Haba( a brandnew albergue, luxury), she came in 5 minutes.
Hope this helps.