- Time of past OR future Camino
- Via de la Plata, Portuguese, Ingles, Levante
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We had a similar experience on the Lana last year (also a wonderful but very solitary camino) in some sections more arrows than the battle of Agincourt, in other sections we were navigating purely by Wikiloc. In most cases the markings are put there by volunteers, like the elderly gentleman you saw near Avila. . If the local association is active, the markings are superb, but otherwise markings fade and eventually disappear. It's a reminder of how much we pilgrims depend on the good will and commitment of local people - unseen and often unthanked. But thank you for your post. Many of us will be eying up the Levante for the future. Buen camino.One would expect that the local authorities would maintain the path by putting up new markings for Pilgrims to find their way around these construction projects.
Thanks for this helpful information mateI have just returned from another 350klm section of the Camino de Levante from Valencia and I am close to Avila. I will go back again in October and get through Zamora. I have a few observations about the Levante.
The first is the almost complete isolation. I am walking it alone and I am very conscious of safety. I have not met another pilgrim on this route yet, despite the long distance that I have travelled. A few times, where the path looks very steep / dangerous and there is a risk of a fall or injury, I have stuck to the road. Simply because of the complete isolation. If you are doing this Camino, I would suggest that you have a companion.
The second observation that I would make is that the markings and, indeed parts of the route itself are not well maintained. Leaving Mota del Cuervo, there is an official GR239 Camino signpost, indicating that it is 4.6 klm to El Toboso. In fact, it is almost 12 klm from Mota del Cuervo to El Toboso.
There are also instances of new road construction in recent years where the Camino path is interrupted and alternative routes are either not available or not signposted. One would expect that the local authorities would maintain the path by putting up new markings for Pilgrims to find their way around these construction projects.
Another example is where local farmers have put up a fence across the Camino path specifically to prevent pilgrims from walking through their land. The best example of this is a few kilometers beyond Rielves with Barcience in your sights and the Camino path to Barcience is very clear at the other side of the fence. I was very tempted to climb over the fence until I remembered the one thing that I always come across inside a fence on the Levante! Dogs! So, I decided not to take the chance and I walked back to Rielves and walked the road to Barcience.
There were also quite a few occasions whereI came across forks on the path where you have to make a chouce on which route to take. I was very fortunate to have MapMe on my phone with the KML files for all the Caminos. This kept me on the right path on quite a few occasions. I do have to mention an elderly gentleman who I met in Avila. He was out with his yellow paint and paint brush, marking the way for all of us pilgrims.
I don't mean to put people off the Levante. It is a wonderful Camino and I am looking forward to getting back to it in October. But it is a very isolated Camino and it could do with a refresh in terms of markings and rerouting of some sections. The towns and villages along this route are wonderful.
Buen Camino.
Dave
I saw a news article just a few minutes ago saying that the albergue is Villena is closing down as the Trinitarian sisters will no longer be running one. It also says that the local authorities hope to find an alternative.We had a similar experience on the Lana last year (also a wonderful but very solitary camino)
I hope so too. They were really welcoming and not only did our laundry for us when we asked about washing clothes, they dried, ironed and neatly folded it for us.I saw a news article just a few minutes ago saying that the albergue is Villena is closing down as the Trinitarian sisters will no longer be running one. It also says that the local authorities hope to find an alternative.
Hi CindyJo.Dave, Thank you for your post. I’ll be walking the Levante with my sister in mid October from Valencia to Zamora. I knew it was going to be a quiet Camino, but sounds like it’s even more so than I expected. I’ll also need to figure out how to use MapMe or Wikiloc. I’ve never used either. I was glad to hear that despite everything you thought it was a wonderful Camino. I’m looking forward to walking it.
RossHi CindyJo.
I walked the Levante from Valencia to Zamora in 2019 and again in 2022 from Valencia to Zamora and continued on the Sanabres to SDC. I did not use MapMe or Wikiloc but used the information provided by
" Associación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de la Comunidad Valencia". When you enter their website, click on the heading "Levante Way'. This will open up all 42 stages from Valencia to Santiago de Compostela. I saved the first stage to my phone, then the next day, I clicked on the arrow to take me to the next stage. This way I did not have to keep returning to the Amigos site.
The stages describe, elevation, distances, accommodation with contact numbers and shops etc.
For the latest info on the albergues, click on "news". This page will give you information on albergue closures or reopening's. The association is located on the way out of Valencia. See the website for opening hours. They will greet you with a warm welcome, provide up to date info and give you your first stamp along with their own " Levante" passport.
This really is a solitary camino. I did not see any pilgrims in 2019 and only met another in Alpera in 2022. He was walking the Sureste and we parted ways the following day.
Wishing you and your sister a Buen Camino.
Ross
When my husband and I walked the Levante in 2015, one of the pilgrim association presidents told us often the farmers move the stones, even the ones with yellow arrows on them, in order to utilize maximum space in their fields. I guess if few enough pilgrims are passing through, nobody is complaining about signage (?) This same association president didn’t say it but we got the impression he had been out ahead of us, painting yellow arrows so we wouldn’t get lost. I do not recall seeing even one other pilgrim on the entire route! We walked starting in late February of that year so maybe it was too early in the season for others to be there. The weather was pretty cold at times and I recall it snowed on us in Avila. It’s a lovely solitary Camino if you enjoy that sort of thing. We did.I have just returned from another 350klm section of the Camino de Levante from Valencia and I am close to Avila. I will go back again in October and get through Zamora. I have a few observations about the Levante.
The first is the almost complete isolation. I am walking it alone and I am very conscious of safety. I have not met another pilgrim on this route yet, despite the long distance that I have travelled. A few times, where the path looks very steep / dangerous and there is a risk of a fall or injury, I have stuck to the road. Simply because of the complete isolation. If you are doing this Camino, I would suggest that you have a companion.
The second observation that I would make is that the markings and, indeed parts of the route itself are not well maintained. Leaving Mota del Cuervo, there is an official GR239 Camino signpost, indicating that it is 4.6 klm to El Toboso. In fact, it is almost 12 klm from Mota del Cuervo to El Toboso.
There are also instances of new road construction in recent years where the Camino path is interrupted and alternative routes are either not available or not signposted. One would expect that the local authorities would maintain the path by putting up new markings for Pilgrims to find their way around these construction projects.
Another example is where local farmers have put up a fence across the Camino path specifically to prevent pilgrims from walking through their land. The best example of this is a few kilometers beyond Rielves with Barcience in your sights and the Camino path to Barcience is very clear at the other side of the fence. I was very tempted to climb over the fence until I remembered the one thing that I always come across inside a fence on the Levante! Dogs! So, I decided not to take the chance and I walked back to Rielves and walked the road to Barcience.
There were also quite a few occasions whereI came across forks on the path where you have to make a chouce on which route to take. I was very fortunate to have MapMe on my phone with the KML files for all the Caminos. This kept me on the right path on quite a few occasions. I do have to mention an elderly gentleman who I met in Avila. He was out with his yellow paint and paint brush, marking the way for all of us pilgrims.
I don't mean to put people off the Levante. It is a wonderful Camino and I am looking forward to getting back to it in October. But it is a very isolated Camino and it could do with a refresh in terms of markings and rerouting of some sections. The towns and villages along this route are wonderful.
Buen Camino.
Dave
Great advice to try the rabbit paella in Valencia. It's delicious. I Iove rabbit myself and used to breed them just for lunch and dinner. There's nothing quite like a tasty rabbit, particularly on Sundays.I walked Valencia to SdC in 2016. I found the route a little boring to Toledo, but after that enjoyed it very much.
I don't recall any dangerous sections, but do recall that the waymarking was sometimes inadequate. Having said that, I never got lost.
I did meet a few, a very few other pilgrims who all agreed with my view of the route as far as Toledo, except for one lady who thoroughly enjoyed all of it.
Do have a traditional paella whilst in Valencia. The one with rabbit and roman beans, not the more common seafood one. There is also a resto in Zamora which does the best menu I have ever had. It is on the same road as the tourist info, a little further out of town on the opposite side of the road and in a park.
If you are int Romanesque churches, Zamora is a treat.
Hi Dave, this is a very interesting point for me.The first is the almost complete isolation. I am walking it alone and I am very conscious of safety. I have not met another pilgrim on this route yet, despite the long distance that I have travelled.
Yes, 12 km, I transmit the information to the person in charge.Leaving Mota del Cuervo, there is an official GR239 Camino signpost, indicating that it is 4.6 klm to El Toboso. In fact, it is almost 12 klm from Mota del Cuervo to El Toboso.
You are right.Another example is where local farmers have put up a fence across the Camino path specifically to prevent pilgrims from walking through their land. The best example of this is a few kilometers beyond Rielves with Barcience in your sights and the Camino path to Barcience is very clear at the other side of the fence.
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