Via De La Plata 2020

[Daniel Crowe]

How are you all?

I'm planning my next trip to the VDLP for Sept/Oct 2020 and I'm just looking a few details. Last year I walked the Camino Frances from SJPD to Finisterre and did that in 34 days. Facilities were very good and I made a great group of life long friends on day 1 and we stayed together to the end, though I'm aware the VDLP has vastly less pilgrims on it.

For the VDLP my main questions are about how much money should see you through a 6 week walk from Sevilla to Santiago if you were living on an average days costing? And in Sept/Oct how available is the accomodation, shops etc? The walking should be no problem (hopefully), it's in what type of weather people feel that I'd be doing it in that I'm interested to know, also.

The EARLIEST than I can do it is September so I'd be very interested to know about that point of the year specifically.
Thank you very much fellow pilgrims!

 

[SYates]

September/October everything will be open, no need to worry.
Costs: Similar to the CF, albergues tend to be a bit more expensive, but the food tends to be a bit cheaper.
Weather: Can still be hot in the beginning and rainy cold when you reach Galicia.

BC SY

 

[Daniel Crowe]

SYates, thanks a lot.

 

[John Sikora]

You probably are aware of this already, but the biggest difference I saw between the CF and the VDLP was the stages where there is nothing in the way of facilities or towns where you can stop for a respite. I found the VDLP both better and worse than the CF for the same reason: the challenge is to keep you mind focused after seeing row after row after row after row of trees while you enjoy the solitude of the VDLP. While the CF plays with your heart, the VDLP plays with your mind.

 

[SYates]

You probably are aware of this already, but the biggest difference I saw between the CF and the VDLP was the stages where there is nothing in the way of facilities or towns where you can stop for a respite. I found the VDLP both better and worse than the CF for the same reason: the challenge is to keep you mind focused after seeing row after row after row after row of trees while you enjoy the solitude of the VDLP. While the CF plays with your heart, the VDLP plays with your mind.

I agree, big parts of the Plata are like the Meseta, but on steroids ;-)

BC SY

 

[Daniel Crowe]

I agree, big parts of the Plata are like the Meseta, but on steroids ;-)

BC SY

Meseta was one of my favorite parts of the Camino. Might not be awful.

 

[Daniel Crowe]

I agree, big parts of the Plata are like the Meseta, but on steroids ;-)

BC SY

Thank you. Interesting comparison.

 

[brian560]

You probably are aware of this already, but the biggest difference I saw between the CF and the VDLP was the stages where there is nothing in the way of facilities or towns where you can stop for a respite. I found the VDLP both better and worse than the CF for the same reason: the challenge is to keep you mind focused after seeing row after row after row after row of trees while you enjoy the solitude of the VDLP. While the CF plays with your heart, the VDLP plays with your mind.

You also need to purchase food each day for both the following day's breakfast and lunch. You won't find many cafes open in the morning outside the larger towns and food options are limited on some stages.

 

[anthikes]

I ended up having to carry a lot of food for the daytime as many villages were borderline abandoned! I did the whole VDLP up to Astorga, while most of my fellow pilgrims took the Sanabres route (which I'd recommend!).

Was quite a culture shock to be back on the CF at Astorga with all the available services again. Wasn't long before I pined for the emptiness of the VDLP!

 

[Lucy Keenan]

I ended up having to carry a lot of food for the daytime as many villages were borderline abandoned! I did the whole VDLP up to Astorga, while most of my fellow pilgrims took the Sanabres route (which I'd recommend!).

Was quite a culture shock to be back on the CF at Astorga with all the available services again. Wasn't long before I pined for the emptiness of the VDLP!

Hi
I have done the CF, Coastal Portugese from Lisbon and Norte from Santander. I am thinking of doing the VdlP next.
I know they are all different but how was the Vdlp? I know there are less services etc, but waymarking? Villages? People? Churches? Any views would be most welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Lucy

 

[Daniel Crowe]

I ended up having to carry a lot of food for the daytime as many villages were borderline abandoned! I did the whole VDLP up to Astorga, while most of my fellow pilgrims took the Sanabres route (which I'd recommend!).

Was quite a culture shock to be back on the CF at Astorga with all the available services again. Wasn't long before I pined for the emptiness of the VDLP!

Jaysus, THE Ant of Anthikes? I'm watching your videos since yesterday. 11 in now

 

[Ad van Brunschot]

The plans have been changed. This year I started on Via de la Plata in Seville with the intention of stopping 500 km further in Salamanca and then in 2020 from Salamanca to SdC. But after 260 km I had to cancel my trip because my wife needed my support because of her mother's health.
I had a preliminary schedule for this part of 24 km per day. But it still hurt me that I would skip a part. In the first part I walked 25 km a day, and I ended up in Aljucen. If I start again in Aljucen and I walk an average of 28 km a day, then I will be in SdC 4 weeks later.
And so I am going to do that, 4 km per day is only an hour longer. And it was actually pretty easy for me in the first 260 km. The schedule is now that I will start running on April 20, 2020 from Aljucen.

 

[Pilger Franz]

Mid march 2020 I will start in Sevilla for Salamanca.
Anybody else starting on the via at this time?
BC
Franz

 

[malingerer]

You probably are aware of this already, but the biggest difference I saw between the CF and the VDLP was the stages where there is nothing in the way of facilities or towns where you can stop for a respite. I found the VDLP both better and worse than the CF for the same reason: the challenge is to keep you mind focused after seeing row after row after row after row of trees while you enjoy the solitude of the VDLP. While the CF plays with your heart, the VDLP plays with your mind.

The vdlp has always played with my soul. The distance and the solitude give me room to connect with that which is. My heart and mind respect that.

The malingerer.

 

[Anita Rigoni]

I am planning on cycling from Seville to Santiago starting late April or early May 2020. I do not have the time to walk the route so decided to do it but by bike. Anyone have information on cycling the route? i.e. renting a bike, stages, accomodation etc? Plus anyone wanting to join me?

 

[anthikes]

Hi
I have done the CF, Coastal Portugese from Lisbon and Norte from Santander. I am thinking of doing the VdlP next.
I know they are all different but how was the Vdlp? I know there are less services etc, but waymarking? Villages? People? Churches? Any views would be most welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Lucy

Waymarking for me was very good but I did go astray a couple of times. One time in particular I was sent over some farmland and ended up near a farmhouse where two incredibly angry dogs stood guard. I basically wasted over an hour of walking and was very frustrated to turn back - I caught the moment on one of my daily videos from the VDLP (I did edit out the swearing!).

I did use the Windy Maps app which I found very useful, although it was partly responsible for sending me astray!

Services were generally good, but not so between Granga and Astorga - very few pilgrims follow this route but I really wanted to do the entire VDLP (officially Sevilla to Astorga) and save the Sanabres Way for when I do a future hike from Alicante or Valencia.

I loved the VDLP and met some really nice people on it. It's also great for practising Spanish as English is not so widely spoke outside of the bigger cities.

 

[MacIreland]

I was hoping to walk a few days from Sevilla in mid-January. Does anyone know if the alburges will be open or if there are alternative places to stay?

I am hoping to at least reach Merida in about 9 days if the weather is mild enough.

 

[anthikes]

I was hoping to walk a few days from Sevilla in mid-January. Does anyone know if the alburges will be open or if there are alternative places to stay?

I am hoping to at least reach Merida in about 9 days if the weather is mild enough.

I don't think you'll have an issue with temperatures but quite a few albergues will be closed. I did my Via in April/May of last year and noted a lot of public albergues only opened from March or later. I think private ones are more likely to be open though.