short walk on Mozárabe in December

[laineylainey]

As a special Birthday treat to myself and as I have always wanted to visit the Alhambra at Granada, I am thinking of doing a short walk in early Dec? As I would have to fly into Malaga can anyone advice on any parts of the Mozárabe that could start or finish in Granada (assuming I could get transport up to any starting point on route) or the route from Malaga to Baena? I would only want to walk maximum 5-6 days. Or maybe I should leave it to the spring summer and do the whole Mozárabe if accommodation would be an issue in December?
Any advice at all would be most welcome, thanks!

 

[milkybar93]

Hello, I walked the Mozárabe from Málaga to Córdoba via Baena just before Christmas last year, arriving at Córdoba as planned on Christmas Eve. The journey took me eleven days staying in about the same number of Hostals as Albergues. I booked the first night in Málaga but simply arrived at every other destination except Cordoba where I booked a hotel using Trivago on the morning of arrival which cost €22 per night. I had no problems at all with accommodation for the whole trip and while the nights very cold, the days were just perfect for walking. Unfortunately I haven't been to Granada yet, but it seems to me that anywhere in that part of Spain at that time of the year would be a destination worth considering for a short 'birthday treat' on a Camino. One other thing though, I met no other Peregrinos, so if you don't mind the quiet road......
Hope this helps a little.
Martin.

 

[laineylainey]

Martin thanks ever so much for your information and so reassuring about the fact that you walked in December. It would look as though there is no way I could do only part of it and get to Granada in 6 days then. How far is it from Malaga to Baena roughly?
I have no problem with walking alone but could I ask, is it sign posted well enough or would I need some maps? Also I take it you had hostals and albergues to yourself then!!
Would you recommend the walk?
Thanks again
Elaine

 

[bjorgts]

From Malaga to Baena we used 7 days this spring, but we walked two very short distances (9 km each). From Malaga to Baena: 150 km? We found the maps from the Amigos in Malaga very useful. See the first "Tramo" here: http://caminomozarabedemalaga.com/d...tramo-1o-malaga-junta-de-los-caminos-10-8-km/
From Baena there are several buses a day to Granada.
See my thread below for more info.

 

[laineylainey]

Thank you so much for the information. Is it a short route you would recommend?

 

[laineylainey]

Bjorgts, just checking, in your link is there information on the Malaga - Baena part of your walk?

 

[milkybar93]

LaineyLainey I think if you looked at starting the Mozárabe in Almeria there is a good possibility of making Granada in about six days, depending on fitness. The Málaga Mozárabe and the Almería one meet at Baena. It is very easy to navigate Málaga-Baena, there are the usual painted yellow arrows all along the way and you'll find plenty of easily accessible and helpful stuff on the web in the way of maps and other information. I thought the Google Maps App was really useful for navigating in towns and cities. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, start to finish, so if you decide to do it in December as I did, well........ Buen Camino!

 

[evanlow]

Just walk from Granada to Baena. 5 days. Then 1 more day to Castro del Rio, 6 days. May want to skip the 39 km 7th day to Cordoba and go there by bus. Must see the mosque there.

With the exception of the first day walk to Puente Pinos, there is a castle at the end of every day to enjoy when you walk from Granada, and the Moorish castle is the symbol of the Camino Mozarabe.

 

[bjorgts]

"in your link is there information on the Malaga - Baena part of your walk?"
No, not MY walk, but the info from the Asociacion Jacobea de Malaga. Here is the link to the starting side, where you find the secions on the right part - with the good maps. http://caminomozarabedemalaga.com/destino/de-malaga-a-cordoba/.
You can find some info from my walk on this forum in this thread: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-after-walking-mozarabe-malaga-cordoba.46823/.

Will I recommend this route? I'm careful recommending routes. You will see in the information I have posted, that I thought it was a great route. I think it's weird that so few walk it. But I walked (maybe) at the finest time of the year there (first ten days of March), comming from winter and snow in Norway to spring and flowers on this route. You never know what other people experience as nice. I found it very nice for me!

Of course you can walk FROM Granada too, or start in Almeria. You have received comments on both of these posibilities here now, I see. I do not know the route from Almeria. I have plans for the last two weeks of October this year, so I have read a bit about it. Do not know how the mountainwalk there are in December.
I have walked from Granada to Cordoba. I found that a nice route too.
Perhaps you can now read between the lines that I like almost all caminos

 

[laineylainey]

Thanks again. Yes there are a couple of considerations I have to have to take into account. First I want to go early December for my birthday but have a very limited time . I always and because of time of year I have a lack of flights from Ireland in December I am limited to Malaga airport.

 

[bjorgts]

We started from Malaga this spring because we wanted to start as south as possible, but also because we landed in Malaga and a route starts there. You can just take the bus into town and start walking the next morning.
You can also reach Granada in a couple of hours by bus. So walking some days from Granada can also be a good choice.

 

[laineylainey]

Yes I am starting to think that although Granada is my definite destination there are many routes and ways to get there. I have booked my flights do I am now going to chill and look forward to the Primitivo and Salvador in Sept!
Thanks again it has been so helpful.
Elaine

 

[laineylainey]

Back again! The only flying option I have from Ireland in December is flying to Malaga which is great if I decide to walk from Malaga to Baena. But if I choose ( against sound reason!) to go to Almeria to walk to Granada, I am sort of stuck for a night in Malaga due to flight arrival time and last bus from Malaga to Almeria, which means I sort of lose a day's walking. I just wonder if anyone has done the journey from Malaga to Almeria by other than Alsa bus?

 

[Jeff Stys]

Back again! The only flying option I have from Ireland in December is flying to Malaga which is great if I decide to walk from Malaga to Baena. But if I choose ( against sound reason!) to go to Almeria to walk to Granada, I am sort of stuck for a night in Malaga due to flight arrival time and last bus from Malaga to Almeria, which means I sort of lose a day's walking. I just wonder if anyone has done the journey from Malaga to Almeria by other than Alsa bus?

I will be walking from Almeria to Granada starting on December 6th. Maybe we'll run into each other on the road!!

 

[laineylainey]

That would be great!

 

[jill___a]

I will be walking from Almeria to Granada starting on December 6th. Maybe we'll run into each other on the road!!

Considering this route for December 2021. What were the conditions in the Sierra Nevada, or did you go around?

 

[laineylainey]

It was 4 years ago and it was no problem getting to Granada. I just followed the path. Beautiful views of the Sierra Nevadas I remember.

 

[jill___a]

It was 4 years ago and it was no problem getting to Granada. I just followed the path. Beautiful views of the Sierra Nevadas I remember.

Thank you.

 

[jill___a]

Just walk from Granada to Baena. 5 days. Then 1 more day to Castro del Rio, 6 days. May want to skip the 39 km 7th day to Cordoba and go there by bus. Must see the mosque there.

With the exception of the first day walk to Puente Pinos, there is a castle at the end of every day to enjoy when you walk from Granada, and the Moorish castle is the symbol of the Camino Mozarabe.

Hello! I’m looking at a similar trip this December (2021). I’m intrigued by your suggestions for walking the most interesting stages and skipping over others. (I walked the Caminho Português in September, so I’ve recently walked a continuous route.) Would you still recommend this route, or are there options you’d reconsider because of the pandemic? Thanks!