The ruta Lana out of Cuenca

[Isca-camigo]

The route of Cuenca has two variants, after about 15km the route divides and rejoins about 20km later, one is the historical route and the other is a later addition, as I understand. There is some controversy about the newer addition and this may explain why the Federation Espanola of the Association's of Camino del Santiago don't have this variant on their website. For people who are wondering what to do the one thing the newer route has is an Albergue de Peregrine's after the 29km stage from Cuenca, the older at 37km. A newspaper article gives more details http://www.alcarriaesmas.com/noticias.noticia.php?ID=392

 

[peregrina2000]

I WANT TO WALK the Ruta de la Lana. It looks like my kind of a walk! How ridiculous is it to have a camino on the list for 2020 (since 2018 and 2019 are already full)!

 

[Isca-camigo]

I was going to walk the whole route but have decided to stop in Cuenca(again), I could be back in August to finish it off. There is so many routes, the Almeria start I could have walked it in 2014 but decided to go to France and the Arles chemin instead, not sure I'm ever going to walk the Vdlp now, I have had several opportunities to do it, at one time I had a reservation in Triana and a flight to Seville but have gone for other options at the last minute, this time being one as well, I had 40 days but have decided to do other stuff, this Lana and non Camino related activities. I think I'm getting to the stage where maybe I'm only looking at two weeks at most now with the rest of my life getting priority, the Camino has and is massive in my life but something has changed inside of me.

 

[intrepidtraveler]

I was going to walk the whole route but have decided to stop in Cuenca(again), I could be back in August to finish it off. There is so many routes, the Almeria start I could have walked it in 2014 but decided to go to France and the Arles chemin instead, not sure I'm ever going to walk the Vdlp now, I have had several opportunities to do it, at one time I had a reservation in Triana and a flight to Seville but have gone for other options at the last minute, this time being one as well, I had 40 days but have decided to do other stuff, this Lana and non Camino related activities. I think I'm getting to the stage where maybe I'm only looking at two weeks at most now with the rest of my life getting priority, the Camino has and is massive in my life but something has changed inside of me.

I was going to walk the whole route but have decided to stop in Cuenca(again), I could be back in August to finish it off. There is so many routes, the Almeria start I could have walked it in 2014 but decided to go to France and the Arles chemin instead, not sure I'm ever going to walk the Vdlp now, I have had several opportunities to do it, at one time I had a reservation in Triana and a flight to Seville but have gone for other options at the last minute, this time being one as well, I had 40 days but have decided to do other stuff, this Lana and non Camino related activities. I think I'm getting to the stage where maybe I'm only looking at two weeks at most now with the rest of my life getting priority, the Camino has and is massive in my life but something has changed inside of me.

Thank you for all of your recent postings about the Ruta de Lana-definitely on my list of possibilities. If not this year, sometime soon.

If you have a few minutes and wouldn't mind replying....how has the waymarking been? Would I need GPS to keep from becoming hopelessly lost? Is it likely to be too hot in this part of the world to start walking around June 1st? How are trail conditions- rough and rocky or fairly tame? Thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

[Isca-camigo]

I haven't walked it yet, I was setting of on the 9th March but have put it back to the 20th March. Forum member Bad Pilgrim is your guy( or woman) for those questions. The reports I have seen here and there seem to indicate generally good marking with perhaps a few patchy areas, but that is typical of a lot of Caminos, because it is going through the most isolated areas of Spain after Cuenca it may give you peace of mind if you can find GPS tracks. When my plan was to finish in Burgos this time around, I was going to take gaiters for some sections which had been described as very muddy after rain, not sure I need them now. The Camino seems a real mixed bag of environments and surfaces, so it's possible you will encounter most trail types.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

The route of Cuenca has two variants, after about 15km the route divides and rejoins about 20km later, one is the historical route and the other is a later addition, as I understand. There is some controversy about the newer addition and this may explain why the Federation Espanola of the Association's of Camino del Santiago don't have this variant on their website. For people who are wondering what to do the one thing the newer route has is an Albergue de Peregrine's after the 29km stage from Cuenca, the older at 37km. A newspaper article gives more details http://www.alcarriaesmas.com/noticias.noticia.php?ID=392

I chose the newer one, last year. The traditional stop in Bascuñana seemed to be devoid of stores, no place to eat... And the divide was very well indiciated at that point. The walk to the "new" stop in Villar de Domingo García was very pleasant. There is a place with ongoing roman excavations around Noceda, and an impressive, totally abandonded village just before Domingo García.

A word of caution: the albergue in Domingo García is very basic. It's in the same building as the municipal library which is a very damp place. The albergue section was basically clean, but I could almost scent the moisture emanating from the walls of the library... The hospitalero opened it up for me for a while to let me see the library, but the air was unbreathable in there. Perhaps this was because of the season (hot weather) so other pilgrims might not have a problem with this.

/BP

 

[Kevin F. O*brien]

I WANT TO WALK the Ruta de la Lana. It looks like my kind of a walk! How ridiculous is it to have a camino on the list for 2020 (since 2018 and 2019 are already full)!

Hi Laurie. We're on the Lana now at Campillo De Altobuey. I'm using Alan's list for accommodation. Great Camino so far. Hope to see Luis in Cuenca in a few days time. Could you please relay this to Alan, and thank him from me. I'm walking with Hans, a friend from Holland, and we are really enjoying ourselves. Best from Kevin.

 

[KinkyOne]

Hi Laurie. We're on the Lana now at Campillo De Altobuey. I'm using Alan's list for accommodation. Great Camino so far. Hope to see Luis in Cuenca in a few days time. Could you please relay this to Alan, and thank him from me. I'm walking with Hans, a friend from Holland, and we are really enjoying ourselves. Best from Kevin.

Envy, envy, envy...

But BUEN CAMINO

 

[Former member 60103]

I am currently taking some rest days at Siguenza so I guess Kevin and Hans will bump into me here as I reckoned I was a few fays ahead of them. The route so far has been well marked ,in some areas fresh painted arrows. However a few times between arrows I have had to use GPS to decide which track to use. La Lana is a remote route ..so far I have not seen any other pilgrim and I am three weeks in. That said it has been very scenic in places especially the Mandayona to Siguenza stage. Burn Camino..Kevin and Hans I will keep a lookout for you.

 

[Former member 60103]

That should be " buen Camino". Spell checked again !

 

[Kevin F. O*brien]

I am currently taking some rest days at Siguenza so I guess Kevin and Hans will bump into me here as I reckoned I was a few fays ahead of them. The route so far has been well marked ,in some areas fresh painted arrows. However a few times between arrows I have had to use GPS to decide which track to use. La Lana is a remote route ..so far I have not seen any other pilgrim and I am three weeks in. That said it has been very scenic in places especially the Mandayona to Siguenza stage. Burn Camino..Kevin and Hans I will keep a lookout for you.

Thanks Don. It would be great to meet you!! We are in Salmeron today. Siguenza is still four weeks days away. I think! Best Kev and Hans

 

[Kevin F. O*brien]

Four DAYS. Not weeks!!

 

[Former member 60103]

I am staying an extra day in Siguenza, its that sort of place, Alb. de Siguenza is very comfortable any longer here and I may take up residency. Aiming to be in Burgos on the 1st Oct. Chances are we will not meet up so buen Camino to both you and Hans. Don.