Virtual walk on the Camino de Madrid - Detailed planning

[Stripey Socks]

Yep, I am definitely having a rest day in Segovia. It will feel a bit strange after only walking for 4 days, but Segovia looks too amazing just to walk through.

 

[AJGuillaume]

This is a day we have been anticipating!

Yes, indeed

If 31 km is too far for you, there is an alternative.

We have a few alternatives. They are based on the fact that we may have stopped at Las Dehesas, after walking through Cercedilla (and making provisions).

The first option is as described by @C clearly , walking to the "bifurcación" (term used by Gronze), then continuing to La Pradera de Navalhorno (I assume that is practically the same as Valsaín), where we have the Casa Rural La Querencia de Valsaín, and La Casa de Navalhorno. Starting from Las Dehesas, that gives us a 19 km day. From there, we would continue on to La Granja de Ildefonso and then to Segovia, a 15 km day.

The second option is nearly the same as the first, except that to continue to Segovia, we could back track to the "bifurcación", and then walk to Segovia, once again a 15 km day. Not our preferred option, as we would rather see new places, but would suit those who would want to return to the Camino.

The third option is to leave Las Dehesas, and walk to the AVE station. There, we would catch the bus line number 12, which would take us into town. A rough calculation shows that this would be a 20 km day. I'm assuming the entry into Segovia isn't something out of the ordinary, so this would allow slow walkers to go straight to Segovia without adding an extra night.

Let us not forget that we can also ask a local driver/taxi to take us a few km along to help with shortening the day's walk.

I won’t jump ahead other than to say maybe hold your fire on deciding whether you need to walk past Cercedilla on this day. Will tell about our experience of walk from Cercedilla to Segovia when we get to that day - and I’m sure others will offer their experiences too

Hmmm... looks like we didn't wait to find out if walking past Cercedilla was a good thing . If staying at Las Dehesas isn't recommended, we would probably go with the first option, combined with a taxi ride (say 5 km) out of Cercedilla: that uphill to Puerto de la Fuenfría would make a 19 km day really hard for my darling.

This could be a good time for a rest day or two half-days - in La Granja and/or Segovia. What do you think?

Certainly! We would, in a real life Camino, stop in Segovia for an extra night.

 

[Former member 99290]

Nothing to add regarding stops or accommodation to slice and dice that day. Plenty of options.

As to the walk itself, neither Domi nor I found the climbing section as difficult as we anticipated - and it’s a beautiful walk. After the descent, you can see Segovia ahead in the distance for what seems like an eternity … at least it felt that way as the sun became hotter and hotter - in that Spanish way!

All efforts are rewarded.

 

[m108]

I have the respect (and little worry) associated with “Big Day”. But because a room is waiting for me in beautiful Segovia and then a day of rest that both Segovia and I deserve - I am sure that everything will be fine because the day is long and there is no hurry. By no means would I miss the walk which I have thoroughly studied on YouTube and I really like it very much. Food and drink will not be a problem, but since I am a coffee addict, I will be provided with Pocket Coffee - one dose is almost like taking it intravenously. It is available in Spain (manufacturer is Ferrero, Italy). The only problem is that they are not sold in the summer months because of the heat (because they want to keep the quality). It is still on sale in May.

 

[jungleboy]

I loved this day, still a top 3 (or top 5 at worst) day for me on any camino.

In the first half of April, what are the chances of being snowed out? At that elevation, I imagine pretty good?

Funny you should ask!

Spoiler: April 4 (2019) at the top of the pass.

Spoiler: The next day in Segovia.

People a day or two behind us were unable to attempt the pass because of the snowstorm and took transport to Segovia, so we were very lucky to cross the pass the day we did.

As to the walk itself, neither Domi nor I found the climbing section as difficult as we anticipated - and it’s a beautiful walk.

I agree. The ascent is not steep (600m altitude gain in 7-8km of walking) but was strenuous enough to warm us up a bit as it was -3 degrees Celsius when we left Cercedilla before dawn!

After the pass, there are a couple of other things to look out for that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet. The first is the ruined 16th-century royal way station Casa Eraso - not mentioned in the CSJ guide - which is beautifully situated in the woodlands just off the camino. Then, once you leave the forest and are in a more open plain, there is a 17th-century albergue of sorts for travellers and shepherds that I also liked. So as not to clog up this thread with too many photos, here is a link to my Camino de Madrid album on Flickr with photos of both these places and more.

...about Segovia accommodation, this is where we stayed:

I did a quick accommodation search on Booking and we’re paying €34 (edit: mid-week; more expensive on weekends) for a very nice double room with private bathroom (including a bathtub!) at Hostal Fornos, so I definitely recommend it. It’s past the aqueduct, near Plaza Mayor.

 

[jungleboy]

Also, from Wendy's notes about veg food in Segovia:

Stopped at Aldi on the way into town and got some good supplies: hummus, oat cookies, quinoa salads, etc. Dinner was at a Pakistani restaurant called La Judería. A bit expensive and small menu, but the vegan options were clearly marked and staff were knowledgeable and kind. We both ordered the Daal Chana, which was made with lentils, not chickpeas, and was delicious. Other vegan options are vegetable biryani, samosas, pakoras, hummus.

And on our rest day in Segovia the next day:

Lunch - a Syrian place called Tuma, very friendly, know what vegan means, all first courses and two second courses on the menú del día were vegan. We both got the lentil soup and the moussaka. Not a traditional moussaka, more like oven-roasted vegetables, but really delicious nonetheless. Menú is good value but is only for lunch on weekdays. Cosy atmosphere, great views of the aqueduct.

Dinner - Indian at a place called Taj Mahal. The service was hilariously incompetent, but the food was alright, and it was much cheaper than La Judería. I got chana masala and Nick got baigan bharta, though they called it something a bit different. The first guy emptied multiple ends of wine bottles into the same glass and was going to serve it to us in a water glass, but then another guy arrived and stopped him.

 

[Former member 99290]

People a day or two behind us were unable to attempt the pass because of the snowstorm and took transport to Segovia, so we were very lucky to cross the pass the day we did.

Wow, @jungleboy that photo of the snow in Segovia is something special Tres atmosphérique!

Because we walked in September, the notion of snow on the pass or anywhere else hadn’t occurred to me … we are usually April or Sept/Oct walkers so will bear in mind if we revisit this path in the early Spring.

 

[C clearly]

How about the sites to see in Segovia? Wikipedia says "The city is famous for its historic buildings including three main landmarks: its midtown Roman aqueduct, its cathedral (one of the last ones to be built in Europe following a Gothic style), and the castle". That should occupy a day, but is there anything else you'd recommend?

In La Granja de San Ildefonso, there is the royal palace, but somehow those royal palaces don't attract me as a pilgrim.

The following is information was written by @peregrina2000 later in the thread. I'm moving it here to keep order.

The La Granja palace is called a “mini-Versailles” — in fact I believe that the Bourbon king who built it actually was born in Versailles and wanted a replica. The gardens are really pretty, and would be a great place to enjoy some down time.​

​

I love Segovia, but for me the main attraction is the aqueduct lit up at night. The Disney-like castle is fun to see from afar, and I know lots of people enjoy going through. Walking around the old town you will come across a number of Romanesque churches, the old Jewish quarter, little plazas — it’s very nice.​

I KNOW this is way out of sync, but I have not been paying too much attention to this thread and wanted to give a Segovia restaurant recommendation for the vegetarians in the gaggle. I will move it up to an earlier post.​

El Fogón Sefardí is a Sephardic restaurant, with some really good vegetarian offerings. I once ate there with about 6 others, not on a camino, and we had some amazing massive meal that was one plate after the other, all to share, for hours. Lots of meat and fish dishes too, but I think it’s a better place for vegetarians than most of the roast suckling pig restaurants all over town. And I vaguely remember getting some adjustments on menu items because there were several non-meat-eaters in my group.​

​

https://www.lacasamudejar.com/wp-content/uploads/01.CARTA_EL_FOGÓN_SEFARDÍ_2021.pdf​

​

About the Vera Cruz church, on the way out of town, opening hours are unlikely to be convenient for pilgrims walking, unless you are doing the “short walk to Zaramazalla after a day in Segovia” routine. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.​

​

https://segoviaturismo.es/ven-a-seg.../segovia-capital/3338-iglesia-de-la-vera-cruz​

 

[camino07]

Day 4 - Leaving Las Dehesas with a breakfast bag of goodies we were almost at the turn for the Roman rd.
This is a beautiful day. Linda and Michael went off ahead while I picked my way through the rough stones and boulders up to the top. There was a running race on that day so many people were standing at the top and I was welcomed by a cheer. Soft ,green path downhill for the next part ,rested for a snack just as I could see Segovia in the distance. It seemed to take forever to get down the hills and although I followed the arrows I got confused coming into the city and went left instead of right .Opposite direction to the Aqueduct. Anyway with the advice of my son in Australia I finally ,exhausted arrived at the lovely Hostal Natura for two nights. Seeing the Aqueduct at night is amazing and realising there is not a drop of concrete holding it together. Those Romans!!

Enjoyed my rest day in Segovia exploring the sights and buying a cheap stick in Decathlon to replace my expensive one that wouldn't stay up. Hotel Real Segovia offered an excellent Menu del dia for 10euros . decided to eat in the afternoon and have a snack in the evening.

Realised I couldn't walk 32 kms tomorrow to Santa Maria la real de Nieva so checked out where I could get a taxi in the morning to Valseca. Don't forget to phone the Albergue in Santa Maria as I did.

 

[Former member 99290]

The aqueduct - wow. Amazing by day! Spectacular by night! Always mesmerising.

We stayed at nearby Duermevela Hostel Segovia, a friendly and colourful place - 38 euros for a twin / double room.

Loved the ‘Disney’ castle too. Note for thé next stage, we must remember to look back frequently as we walk out of Segovia.

 

[AlanSykes]

I think the view down to Segovia from. Fuenfría is one of the best on any camino - up there with the first El Greco sight of Toledo from the Levante, the Duero riverscape of Zamora on the Plata, or Ronda from the Serranía. To me it looked as if Segovia was a ship sailing across the meseta, with the alcazar as the prow, and the cathedral tower as mast.

 

[VNwalking]

[Moderator note: @VNwalking provided a lot of information in later posts, but it has been compiled below, in order to keep the stages in order!]

This camino was not high on my list. 'Was' being the operative word.

I will be looking for different vegetarian options than Asian, thanks. I'm craving salad and bread.
So I'll be checking out:
Yum Baaar
Almuzara

There are other restaurants that say they have vegetarian options, while at the same time saying their specialty is (for example) roast suckling pig. ()
(BTW, Michelin lists four places, for those who want go upmarket...though to be honest, when I'm walking I'm too hungry to appreciate scant portions of beautifully plated fancy food.)

I'm still wandering about in Segovia, looking for the perfect place to stay, and gawking at the aqueduct. Any recommendations for places to stay and things to be aware of/not to miss?

I've been googling and it's easy enough. But what would be so great would be to hear from those of you who know Segovia - what are your favorite places to stay and things not to miss, and why?

I'm in the dark about accommodation, but think for a rest day I'd splurge on a hostal.

As far as things to learn about...
There's a ton to see. Like Toledo, Segovia has serious history.

I had a quick look on the Forum, and you said this, Laurie:

Segovia is definitely worth a full day at least, if you can swing it, but my own jaded opinion (especially if you have only a half day or a few hours) is that paying the euros they charge to get into the castle is not worth the time or the money.

Oh, yes, the romanesque churches in Segovia are quite beautiful. If you spend a day there, you will have plenty of chances to enjoy them. Wikipedia lists 14, but I am sure I never saw that many. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Romanesque_churches_in_Segovia

I would say my intown favorites were San Millán, San Martín and San Clemente (based on a quick look at my journal), and then there is that 12-sided church outside of town on the Camino. I have been inside only once, but I think the exterior is the showstopper.

I'm already fixated on the aqueduct, as well as Vera Cruz, on the way out of town. No-one seems to find it open, which is a pity. Is it ever?

And Vera Cruz with its twelve sides https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_la_Vera_Cruz_(Segovia) is reminiscent of Eunate with its eight. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Saint_Mary_of_Eunate But minus the lovely tower.

Does it make sense to visit it separately, rather than as we walk on to Añe?
Here are directions:

Linda you must be so careful. Make sure you find the PUERTA DE SANTIAGO(follow the ACCESO PEATONAL signs) . The left turn is by the first traffic light you will see passing the iron bridge, you will walk through, parallel to the Zamarramala’s road. The church has a round shape

What you are referring to is not the church IN Zamarramala. Maybe you mean the Iglesia de la Vera Cruz just before Zamarramala which is in fact octagonal and not round

More on Vera Cruz, courtesy of Wikipedia, FWIW:

The temple was dedicated on September 13, 1208, as witnessed by the tombstone that is in front of the side door in the temple that narrates
The founders of this temple are placed in the heavenly headquarters, and those who have gone astray accompany them there. Dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. On the Ides of April, it was from 1246 (transliteration of the original in Latin). [...]
In 1836, due to the confiscation of Mendizábal , it was intervened by the state and went up for auction to be used as a haystack. Recovered for worship at the beginning of the 20th century, it was declared a National Monument by Royal Order of June 4, 1919. On May 31, 1951 the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rodas and of Malta, which is in charge of its conservation and custody.

And don't go near these webpages unless you have a bit of time. The first is the province of Segovia in general, the next three (!) are links to pdfs about Segovia itself.

Enciclopedia Online | Románico Digital​

www.romanicodigital.com
https://www.romanicodigital.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/files/segovia_SEGOVIA_I.pdf
https://www.romanicodigital.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/files/segovia_SEGOVIA_II.pdf
https://www.romanicodigital.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/files/segovia_SEGOVIA_III.pdf
Edit. These last three links are jawdropping - they did an absolutely superb job. It's worth downloading them so you can access them when you're there.

I've been fishing for tips in older posts, with some success:

stayed in Hostel Duermevela 2 mins from aqueduct, in the 'new town', ie before the aqueduct. Upmarket hippie vibe, which I mean completely as a compliment. Very comfortable and clean. Beautiful hand-drawn sello,

And as it turns out, many more people concur:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/search/2036397/?q=Duermevela&o=date

[Moderator note: Duermevela's website and Facebook page suggest that they may have changed their business model. Seems to be about renting the whole place to groups of 20. I wonder if this will return to "normal" next year.]

Here are some Segovia restaurant recommendations from another recent thread:

But for anyone like @Faye Walker who does want a restaurant recommendation, I can heartily recommend this sephardic restaurant,El Fogón Sefardí. As I looked for the restaurant information, I saw that this place also has a hotel connected in some way. Looks nice but too high end for the average pilgrim budget, I think.

Segovia’s culinary fame, though, is usually attached to roast suckling pig. Mesón de Cándido is the famous place. Not really my cup of tea anymore, but I did eat there in the 70s, and it is still going strong.

If you want a big meal of roast sucking pig or beef, and the beans and vegetables that accompany them, etc., Asador Maribel, on the uphill side of the aqueduct at Av. Padre Claret, 16, has great food, and the outdoor seating has wonderful views.

If you do decide to splurge on food ... Restaurante Jose Maria for some cochinillo.

I stopped in a bar a few doors down from Jose Maria that had great free tapas with a copa.

 

[C clearly]

Day 5 – Segovia to Añe (21.5 km)

Not counting a possible rest day in Segovia, we are moving on. Just 3 km past Segovia is Zamarramala with a sizeable albergue. Then we pass through Valseca and Los Huertos, both of which have albergues. However, we have been warned to carry food and water because those facilities do not open early, and their hours of operation are not reliable. That suggests to me that you should also confirm in advance if you want to stay the night at any of these spots. Gronze is a good place to see the options.

Even the albergue in Añe is small (4 single beds and 3 double beds, according to CSJ, but 6 places according to Gronze) and there is no restaurant.

Walking another 6 km would bring us to a Casa Rural Camino del Prado. With our group, we could rent the whole house at 230 Euros!

If lodging can’t be found in this stage, and you need to go on to Sta María la Real de Nieva (32 km from Segovia) – which will be discussed in the next stage - one option would be to get a head start on the day by taking a taxi from Segovia to Valseca. It is much easier to arrange a taxi to get out of a city than find one at the end of a day in the middle of nowhere.

 

[AJGuillaume]

Then we pass through Valseca and Los Huertos, both of which have albergues. However, we have been warned to carry food and water because those facilities do not open early, and their hours of operation are not reliable. That suggests to me that you should also confirm in advance if you want to stay the night at any of these spots. Gronze is a good place to see the options.

In an ideal world, slow walkers would hope that the albergues along this stage would be open and have beds available. Slow walkers often arrive after other peregrin@s, so we would probably ensure we have a confirmation to make sure we have a bed tonight.
We would probably walk to Los Huertos, which would give us a 20.5 km next day.

Off Camino, I didn't find any suitable accommodation in Carbonero de Ahusín.

If lodging can’t be found in this stage, and you need to go on to Sta María la Real de Nieva (32 km from Segovia) – which will be discussed in the next stage - one option would be to get a head start on the day by taking a taxi from Segovia to Valseca. It is much easier to arrange a taxi to get out of a city than find one at the end of a day in the middle of nowhere.

In addition to a taxi to Valseca, there is a bus running from Segovia to Los Huertos, operated by Linecar, line M2.

 

[C clearly]

[Moderator note: Later in the thread, we had this question from @laineylainey. I am moving it back here to the right stage, along with the replies.]

I normally give myself a "tourist" day or two, so this time I was thinking of Segovia as a place to spend a little time. Instead of taking an extra day there I think I might, as has been suggested, stop at La Granja the day before then only have 12k? to walk to Segovia. The next day, I was thinking of more time in Segovia setting off late afternoon to stroll the 3k down the road to Zamarramala where there is a highly recommended Albergue but then that leaves me with 30k the next day to Santa Maria Real. Any thoughts or suggestions? Is Zamarramala worth stopping in?
Thanks to all.

Replies to the above question:

Hi there. We didn’t stop in Zamarramala - we went from Segovia to Santa Maria - and I don’t really remember the town But if it’s just a place for dinner and bed, after a day enjoying Segovia, that sounds like a fine idea. And, as you say, cuts a few kms off the walk to Santa Maria which, although long, we didn’t find to be a tough day.

and...

If the 30 to Santa María seems too much, you could (assuming these places open up again in the near future)) push on a few more from Zamarramala to Valseca or even more to Los Huertos or Añe. (See gronze). I think @jenny@zen is right that there is not really much of anything to see or do in this little village. The same is true for all of those little towns between Segovia and Santa María, IMO!

 

[jungleboy]

We went all the way to Santa Maria on this day but I'll try to stay in sync.

Way marking was straightforward and we brought food from Segovia to eat for lunch, a good idea on this stage because there are no bars or restaurants between Los Huertos and Santa Maria.

The camino is quite different on this side of the mountains. The rocky landscape and grazing areas from the first few days are gone, replaced by flat agricultural fields and grassland. It was fairly monotonous at times but there were a couple of interesting parts: the former railway line and a small pine forest where sap was being extracted from the trees.

The first few towns after Segovia had interesting looking churches but they were closed. Añe has an albergue but nothing else (no bar, shop or restaurant), so it’s worth continuing the ~11km to Santa Maria if you can, although that makes for a long day.

From Wendy's food notes: First stop at a bar in Los Huertos at 11am, ate hummus and had té manzanilla to warm up. Lunch - picnic under the porch of the town hall in Añe, ate quinoa salad and cookies. Pretty glad we chose not to sleep here, as the town is completely dead and I don’t know where we would have found anything for dinner. Didn’t see any bars, restaurants or shops. Only about 100 people live here.

 

[henrythedog]

Back in Segovia:

When I stayed on Camino I can’t recall where I slept, but accompanied by Mrs Henrythedog (who is of more refined taste than I) we have stayed in the Convento de Capuchinos, which is reassuringly expensive.

When you’ve seen the aqueduct once, you’ve seen it TBH.

Vera Cruz has never been open on on the 5-6 days I’ve spent in Segovia over the years, but it’s a simple structure and you’ll get the general idea from the outside.

For the natural history buffs it’s good to see the storks which nest in town returning with beaks full of nesting material in early spring.

The Alcazar is worth a tour if time permits.

 

[dick bird]

And a vote from me for Duermevela [back in Segovia]. I was particularly impressed by the hand painted, I kid you not, hand painted sello.

My diary describes Añe as 'a village dying from inside' but the locals are doing what they can to maintain the albergue, which is spacious if plain. There is info on the door about how to get the key. We cooked food we'd brought ourselves as there is no functioning business there. Next town was Santa Maria Real de la Nieva which seemed pleasant but unremarkable for a town with such a long name, but if you can hack the distance it would be a more congenial place to stop than Añe. Not sure if they have an albergue though.

 

[dick bird]

Inside the albergue at Añe. More of a village hall. The instructions for getting the key are on the door. It clearly accommodates at least 10 people, not that they ever get 10 people. Bring your own food (there is a kitchen of sorts) and be nice to the locals because they are clearly struggling to keep it open. No bar or shop in the village.

 

[VNwalking]

be nice to the locals because they are clearly struggling to keep it open.

There are times when it's a gift to the town to leave the albergue cleaner than you found it, even (or especially) if you weren't the one to mess it up.

Blessings on the people of little pueblos like this. So grateful...

 

[Former member 99290]

We left Segovia before 7 to walk to Santa Maria la Real de Nieva. We needed to carry enough food and water – especially water. We passed through just one small town with a bar – after the first 8 kms – which turned out to be open for a second coffee. What a bonus.

We arrived in Santa Maria by mid afternoon, and called the number we had on our accommodation list. I spoke to Javier to arrange to meet us at the albergue with the key. There was already another walker at the albergue so it was open and we could go there directly.

The albergue was a small house which had previously been used for itinerant workers in the town for harvest season. The township had converted it to pilgrim accommodation – just 6 places (3 bunk beds) and a small kitchen and bathroom. Clean and comfortable – for three. It would have been a bit tight with the maximum 6.

Javier arrived at 6pm, we exchanged a few words as best we could. We paid our 5 Euros pp for the night and he let us know the one restaurant that would be open for dinner, from 8pm. That left us plenty of time to visit the small town – the highlight being the cloisters of the church, followed by a visit to the supermarket for tomorrow’s supplies.

We waited – not very patiently – until 8 to go to the restaurant. We were right outside as they opened the doors! But, while happy to let us in, dinner would be another hour or more. During that time, loads of locals arrived to enjoy ta Friday night out on the town in Santa Maria. By the time we left – after an excellent dinner – it was almost 10 and they were just about to eat. Spanish Way!

A thoroughly enjoyable day.

 

[camino07]

Leaving Segoiva, the friendly taxi driver stopped at Vera Cruz for me to have a look around and take a photo. Started walking from Valseca along quiet roads and an old railway line, no cafes open although I did see one on the entry to Valseca. Ane was a very quiet village with a few cats . Long, flat hot day and my first blister beginning.
I was relieved to arrive at the albergue in Santa Maria at 2.30 but I hadn't phoned the hospitalero and he was not willing to let me in until 4pm when another couple were coming. Anyway I went up to the rather dingey bar on the plaza and had a coffee and snack. Limped back to the Albergue and a lovely Argentinian couple arrived. They became my Camino family . We had a very late meal at a restaurant across the main road and up a lane. Never seemed to arrive in time for the menu del dia .

 

[Former member 99290]

In Santa Maria... We had a very late meal at a restaurant across the main road and up a lane. Never seemed to arrive in time for the menu del dia .

Sounds like the same ‘tucked away’ restaurant where we enjoyed our late dinner. And the only place in town other than the bar - though we were grateful the bar was open earlyish next morning for café and tostada.

 

[Former member 99290]

Much more important than an evening meal, in my book! Great to know, Jenny - thanks!

@VNwalking when we enquired the afternoon before whether / what time the bar would be open the next morning, the rather gruff bartender / owner? was decidedly non committal, so we had low expectations. But given my strong desire for a morning coffee, we didn’t leave the albergue until around 7-30 (from memory) and lo and behold the bar was just opening and a very friendly woman and daughter? were happy to provide our desayuno. It doesn’t take a lot to make us happy pilgrims - a good start to another great day on the Madrid Way

 

[NualaOC]

We left Segovia before 7 to walk to Santa Maria la Real de Nieva. We needed to carry enough food and water – especially water. We passed through just one small town with a bar – after the first 8 kms – which turned out to be open for a second coffee. What a bonus.

The albergue was a small house which had previously been used for itinerant workers in the town for harvest season. The township had converted it to pilgrim accommodation – just 6 places (3 bunk beds) and a small kitchen and bathroom. Clean and comfortable – for three. It would have been a bit tight with the maximum 6.

I did that too - it was about 34kms and none of the bars were open en route. I arrived too late for lunch at the bar/restaurant, but picked up some microwavable veggie food in the small tienda.

There were 5 of us in the albergue (4 men plus me), which felt pretty cramped, but OK. I'd stay there again but probably not while Covid is still with us.

Incidentally, when I arrived in the village I sat on a bench to decide if I'd stay there or try to find a private room somewhere. An elderly man carrying one of those Santiago walking poles with scallop shell appeared and insisted on taking me to the albergue. Resistance was futile!

 

[dick bird]

Walking out and looking back on Segovia.

 

[C clearly]

Day 6 – Añe to Nava de la Asunción (23 km)

From Añe there is an 11 km walk through Pinilla and to Sta Maria la Real de Nieva. It seems to include long stretches on dirt roads through agricultural fields. Sta Maria is a relatively big place (population 1000) and has an albergue, various services, and a nearby hostal Avanto. Two more km bring us to Nieva where there are bars, shops, buses to/from Segovia, Hotel El Molino and a Casa Rural El Molino.

Another 10 km to Nava de la Asunción (which has a population of 2600) takes us through some pine forests where the sap is being collected. At Nava de la Asunción there are all facilities, including an albergue in the polideportivo, and the Hotel Fray Sebastián.

It all looks rather "boring" walking, but I like this, and it would be interesting to visit those small villages. (I would be disappointed if I need to taxi past them.)

 

[Former member 99290]

Hola - I'm out of sync with the stages, as we walked from Segovia to Santa Maria la Real de Nieva, and the next day to Coca. I didn't feel any stage was 'boring' walking - but I'm one of those for whom the meseta is magical. Anyhoo, the links below to my blogs from that day and the photos may give some idea of the landscape including the wonderful forest sections.

Highlights -
In Nava, we bought lunch from Rosana, owner of the local Pastileria. Our guidebook had mentioned Rosana as someone who likes to meet pilgrims, offer a ‘pilgrims tarte’ and to stamp their credenciales. And so it was. She was delightful.

We later ate the lunch (a slice of salmon and cream cheese pie) in a beautiful spot in the forest. This was our second day encountering forests and coming across the resin tapping on the trees in the forest. @peregrina2000 or perhaps it was @jungleboy provided a link to

Spain's untapped liquid gold

Coca - our resting place for the night was another delight. On arrival at the albergue, as instructed by the note on the door we phoned the local volunteer, Charo, who soon arrived - adorned with hair curlers - with the key, to take our payment and stamp our credenciales.

The 15th century castle in Coca is quite something. After wandering around the castle, we enjoyed an aperitif, and later dinner, at a nearby outdoor cafe - Bar El Rinconcito - owned by a Frenchman who had lived in Spain for 45 years. He was thrilled to pass some time with Dominique and converse in his own language.

Blog links

Segovia to Santa Maria

Santa Maria to Coca

 

[jungleboy]

I'm also out of sync here as we did the same stages as @jenny@zen, but here are a few tidbits between Añe and Nava.

In Santa Maria, the Romanesque cloister (free) is worth visiting to see the column capitals.

The camino goes past - not through - Nieva (just 2km past Santa Maria), but it’s worth making a short detour to check out the brickwork of the late 11th-century Mudéjar church and its 13th-century exterior Romanesque portico with column capitals, which you can admire even if the church is closed as it was for us.

In Nava, 10km further on, you can get a stamp and a free little pastry from the lovely Margarita at Pastelaría Rosana, as is written in the CSJ guide. (From Wendy's notes: Very nice, plump woman, gave us a sello and a vegan tart called cabello de ángel, made out of pumpkin.) Reading Jenny's notes, I'm not sure if I got her name wrong or not.

For a meal in Santa Maria, M50 was the only place open when we were there. It’s a BBQ meat joint, but they had veggie quinoa burgers and fries.

 

[VNwalking]

It’s a BBQ meat joint, but they had veggie quinoa burgers and fries.

Wow. Things are definitely changing in Spain.

 

[jungleboy]

It all looks rather "boring" walking, but I like this, and it would be interesting to visit those small villages. (I would be disappointed if I need to taxi past them.)

I wouldn't say these parts are boring, personally. We have fond memories of the sandy pine forests of the middle stages of the CdM. Plus they are great on the feet!

I didn't feel any stage was 'boring' walking - but I'm one of those for whom the meseta is magical.

Me too but I don't consider these sandy pine forest sections to be the Meseta yet. For me it started after Wamba, although I don't know if there's an 'official' start point.

Wow. Things are definitely changing in Spain.

I've been trying to tell you that for years!

 

[Former member 99290]

In Nava, 10km further on, you can get a stamp and a free little pastry from the lovely Margarita at Pastelaría Rosana, as is written in the CSJ guide. (From Wendy's notes: Very nice, plump woman, gave us a sello and a vegan tart called cabello de ángel, made out of pumpkin.) Reading Jenny's notes, I'm not sure if I got her name wrong or not.

The chances of me having the lovely lady’s name wrong are very high. I probably assumed her name was Rosana! You may have picked up from some of my earlier posts that I’m not high on detail when walking the Camino - more a vibe kinda person. Thankfully others can provide more accurate intel!

 

[dick bird]

Day 6 – Añe to Nava de la Asunción (23 km)
At Nava de la Asunción there are all facilities, including an albergue in the polideportivo, and the Hotel Fray Sebastián.

Er, polideportivo? You may think this looks more like the changing rooms on the local football field than an albergue, and you'd be right, it is the changing rooms on the local football field, but it is also the local albergue, at least it was back in 2018. We called in at the ayuntamiento and they assured us that Raoul would be there faithfully at 1.30 to hand over the keys, all we had to do was wait in the park. I have to say that Raoul is a very punctual, not to mention friendly and courteous young man. And this is where we stayed, in the referee's changing room in Nava de la Asunción.

 

[AJGuillaume]

We're also out of sync, but only because we're slow

Having spent the night at Los Huertos, we walked (virtually, of course) to Santa María la Real de Nieva, a 20.5 km day.

So today we walked to Nava de la Asunción, a quiet 12.8 km walk, needed after a long-ish day yesterday for my darling. And we're back in sync

 

[m108]

Because I am missing one day on the way to Sahagun, I will get on the bus for the first time in the middle of the walk. To Nava de la Asuncion bus, then another 10km walk to Coca. I chose this part of the route because I guess it is easier to get a bus from Segovia. I was a little comforted when @C clearly mention the taxi.

 

[Undermanager]

"Añe....... No bar or shop in the village."

From my notes on the 2017 walk ...

"However, and here is the good news, there is a bar in Ana! Crazy, but it has no sign and no name and the locals I asked earlier all denied there was a cafe / bar / shop. It is two minutes from the albergue. Find the town hall. Stand in front of It looking at it. Walk down the left side of it. The bar is the first door, a door with Number 2 above it. They were carrying food in as well, do if you get lucky and your Spanish is good enough, you maybe able to get a meal here. So now, happily getting drunk with my new friends Carson and Ralf from Germany. Everything is good tonight staying in Ana and overall, it was a great day today, really really wonderful."

 

[NualaOC]

[Moderator note: The next several posts are about Coca, which is included in the next stage (DAY 7, Nava de la Asunción to Alcazarén]

This was day 7 for me on the Camino Mendocino & Madrid: about 21kms from Santa Maria Real de Nieve to Coca.

I remember it as a refreshingly flat and short walk, with a good coffee/tortilla stop in Nava de la Ascunción (c.13kms later). The market was in full swing when I arrived, so I enjoyed watching the locals going about their business. Not boring at all and I also liked the sandy forests.



I strolled into Coca at lunchtime where the hospitalera spotted me and took me under her wing. She brought me to the albergue and put me in the small 2-bunk room. It's a really nice and homley albergue in the former teachers' house. €5 in 2019. Just three of us there that night.

Coca is a great pilgrim stop, with an albergue, castle, church and all the usual services of a medium-sized town. If you've been walking and eating solo so far, this might be where your schedule starts to align with other pilgrims. I enjoyed a great menu del dia in a restaurant recommended by the hositpitalera, which was my first shared meal and proper conversation with other pilgrims. It's a very happy memory as I became good friends with those two pilgrims - we walked similar stages for the rest of the Camino de Madrid and on the San Salvador. And, in a lucky synchronicity I met up with one of them in Santiago last week!

 

[camino07]

I walked from Santa Maria to Coca on the sandy paths through the pine forest. Took deep breaths of the fragrance given off by the resin being collected in the buckets attached to the trees. Met my two amigos on and off all day and we arrived in Coca together. Shown into the Albergue by Charro with her rollers in. Very friendly lady who lived down the street. Had late dinner again in an Artisan restaurant near the castle. Morcilla, egg and chips. Yum !

 

[peregrina2000]

Had late dinner again in an Artisan restaurant near the castle. Morcilla, egg and chips. Yum !

@camino07, I have very fond memories of an excellent lunch in a slightly upscale place in Coca. I can’t remember the name. Could it be this one?

Bar Tapería AutenticosCyL | AutenticosCyL

Bar Tapería AutenticosCyL, en Coca, Segovia, productos gastronómicos de Castilla y León. GastroBar, Servicio a Domicilio, servicio en Local, terraza de verano.

www.autenticoscyl.com

I remember more of a full menú del día place than a tapas place, so this may not be it. But the other restaurants I see on google maps in Coca seem to be in the wrong location from what I remember.

The castle’s website says that a 48 hour advance notice is required for a visit. Go for it!

Castillo de Coca

Web oficial de información para realizar las visitas al castillo.

www.castillodecoca.com

And I totally echo the positive opinions of everyone else who has stopped in Coca.

 

[VNwalking]

An account just posted on another thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/that-golden-thread-sistole-and-diastole-in-pre-covid-castile.72132/

 

[C clearly]

Day 7 – Nava de la Asunción to Alcazarén (33 km)

There is a bit of awkward staging here that requires either a couple of short days or one longish one, but there seem to be enough places to stay that it should not be a problem to walk the distance you prefer.

First we walk 10 km to Coca, where @NualaOC , @camino07 and @peregrina2000 have already been through - see posts above. It seems like a nice pilgrim town with a population of 1900, an albergue and a couple of Casa Rurales.

7 km further takes us to Villeguillo, where there is a bar and an albergue.

Then, we then walk 16 km without services or provisions, to Alcazarén, where there is a bar, albergue, and buses to Valladolid and Olmedo.

As @Anniesantiago posted elsewhere...

Joe and I stopped in Puente Duero and thoroughly enjoyed that albergue! The first time we walked the Madrid route, we made the mistake of following the yellow arrows into the forest after the bridge at Valdestillas. We walked a few extra kilometers before finding our way back to Puente Duero. Next time, we found the left turn after the bridge and followed the highway to the Albergue - I think it was €6. I remember this town as having two tiny markets AFTER the albergue which was a little inconvenient.

To Puente Duero

Notice! Got lost today. So pay attention. We began early because of the heat, and it was actually cold first thing this morn...

caminosantiago2.blogspot.com

 

[peregrina2000]

Well the great thing about the Madrid is that the pilgrim infrastructure is good enough that there really are different ways to stage it. I really liked the little albergue and the beatiful cloister in Santa María, and I also liked Coca and was glad to have stayed there. So especially for those who are feeling energetic after a rest day ini Segovia, doing the 32 km to Santa María, with then two short days (22 to Coca and 25 to Alcazarén) is an option.

And Alcazarén has two mudejar romanesque churches (or parts thereof) with some lovely brick apses and multi-layered exterior arches in the walls. Not sure how to best describe it. Has anyone ever been able to go inside? I think only one is still used for services.

The albergue in Alcazarén is a bit weird. I remember it being really stuffy and not having much ventilation — my vague memory is that I was kind of locked in with no air.

 

[Former member 99290]

We also walked from Coca to Alcazaren. It was a day of small delights. The first came after our first 7 kms At around 9.15, we entered the small village of Villeguillo with one bar which, according to our guidebook would not be open until much later, being Sunday. After that, we’d have a long stretch of 18 kms with no towns at all, so we had enough food and water for the whole day. And we had had breakfast of yoghurt and nuts at our albergue in Coca.

As we turned the corner into Villeguillo, we were surprised to see the bar open. The owner Kiko greeted us warmly and we ordered our coffee. He asked if we wanted anything to eat. Though we didn’t need to, we ordered a tortilla – this guy doesn’t get a lot of passing trade. A few minutes later he was back with our coffees and, soon after, one of the best ham and cheese tortillas I’ve tasted in Spain or anywhere else. Yum.

After our unexpected brunch break, the next 18 kms were long and hot, saved by a pleasant lunch stop in the shade on an old Roman bridge and a few interludes through the shady pine forest. As we emerged from the last of these, back into the hot sun, we came across lush strawberry fields and were delighted to see the irrigation sprinklers were intermittently spraying water over our path ahead. We played briefly under the sprinklers, delighted each time the water hit us. Talk about simple pleasures.

We arrived in Alcazaren, and followed the instructions of our guidebook to go to Bar Real to register and collect the key from the bar owners. The senora was delightful, we confirmed we’d be back later for dinner and we made our way to the albergue a few streets away. A modern, purpose built albergue with 8 places (4 bunk beds) large bathroom, small but adequate kitchen and sunny courtyard to dry our washing. All for the price of a donation. Who could ask for more?

@peregrina2000 Maybe it was not the same albergue you stayed in - it looked very new. And we slept next to an open door to the internal courtyard.

Once again, we were the only pilgrims – that is, until about 7pm when Czech Eva arrived. We wondered where she had walked from, we hadn’t seen her in Coca. Turned out she was walking in the opposite to usual direction, heading back to Madrid. She had walked 52 kms that day.

 

[henrythedog]

I've been fishing for tips in older posts, with some success:

@timr's posts are really a joy to read.
Thanks, Tim!

Very much out of context but @VNwalking s post reminded me to add my appreciation of @timr s earlier contributions on which I very much relied. Well written and tremendously informative. One of the (many) times I have reaped more than I have sown on here.

 

[Former member 99290]

A few photos of this stage - Coca to Alcazaren - the brunch stop and the albergue in Alcazaren. I'd forgotten about the lovely drawings on the wall.

 

[dick bird]

Well the great thing about the Madrid is that the pilgrim infrastructure is good enough that there really are different ways to stage it. I really liked the little albergue and the beatiful cloister in Santa María, and I also liked Coca and was glad to have stayed there. So especially for those who are feeling energetic after a rest day ini Segovia, doing the 32 km to Santa María, with then two short days (22 to Coca and 25 to Alcazarén) is an option.

And Alcazarén has two mudejar romanesque churches (or parts thereof) with some lovely brick apses and multi-layered exterior arches in the walls. Not sure how to best describe it. Has anyone ever been able to go inside? I think only one is still used for services.

The albergue in Alcazarén is a bit weird. I remember it being really stuffy and not having much ventilation — my vague memory is that I was kind of locked in with no air.

It may be a new albergue in Alcazarén, my notes say 'clean and new'. It was similar to Villeguillo - a newly built council building, one half of which was a kind of depot/garage/equipment store and the other half a well-equipped little accommodation section with bunks, bathroom, kitchenette (which we didn't use because the middle of the bars in town did a vast salad and main dish). The keys to Alcazarén albergue are at the tourist office. The various ayuntamientos and communities along the way really seem to be trying to make the Madrid a viable camino. We skipped Coca but would like to have stayed and we were able to go round the castle without a pre-booking (but that may have changed). The walking for these stages is not hard, it is level and mainly on sandy tracks

I'm guessing Kiko is the guy who was running the bar in Villeguillo (collect keys from this bar) when we were there, and he is a seriously good cook. He is also a camino supporter and enthusiastic facebook poster.

The photos are: Coming into Nava de la Asunción, Church at Santa Maria de la Nieva (I think), Coca castle, Villeguillo albergure and finally Alcazarén albergue.

 

[Former member 99290]

The keys to Alcazarén albergue are at the tourist office.

When we walked the Madrid Way we collected the keys to the albergue from Bar Real and returned them in the morning, as we had read in the CSJ guide. Bar Real also had the collection tin for donations. That was in September 2018

 

[dick bird]

When we walked the Madrid Way we collected the keys to the albergue from Bar Real and returned them in the morning, as we had read in the CSJ guide. Bar Real also had the collection tin for donations. That was in September 2018

Maybe that was out of office hours, my diary definitely says 'tourist office' and we passed through in September 2018 so you must have been just before or just after us. I would go to Bar Real first, just in case. I don't think the tourist office serves cañas.

 

[Former member 99290]

Maybe that was out of office hours, my diary definitely says 'tourist office' and we passed through in September 2018 so you must have been just before or just after us. I would go to Bar Real first, just in case. I don't think the tourist office serves cañas.

We arrived on a Sunday - in any event there was no mention of a tourist office in our guidebook, just the Bar Real. It’s a pretty small place so I’m sure pilgrims will find the albergue and the key one way or another

 

[Former member 99290]

While on the subject of guidebooks, we liked the CSJ one - for us it was clearly written with just the right amount of information. That said, we are not history buffs so some may find it lacking in that department? We had the 2017/2018 edition. I see on the CSJ website they are selling a 2019/20 edition.

 

[camino07]

On leaving Coca and facing the castle, I stupidly turned left instead of right and added another 2 kms to my day. Shouldn't have asked a workman for advice ! Anyway back on track, nice sandy path through trees and caught up with my amigos. We had coffee and snack at friendly cafe in Villeguillo Followed by long walk with picnic halfway. Coming into Alcazaren we stopped at the Ajuntamiento/tourist office and checked in . There were already two Spanish peregrinos in the Albergue. I loved this Albergue ,the bright colours and homely atmosphere even better, an Aussie who now lives in Scotland arrived and I had an English conversation at last. We went to the supermarket and for some reason Bar Real was closed so we found an amazing Hogar del Jubilada bar behind the church. Great food and a crowd of friendly locals. I remember late that night as we were all in bed a very tall Russian bici arrived, had something to eat in the kitchen then hopped into a bunk without showering. He was exhausted and didn't smell too badly.

 

[jungleboy]

We also stayed in Coco and then walked to Alcazarén so we are back on track now.

This was the mud-caking day!

One thing we discovered this morning was that after overnight rain like we had last night, the sandy trails that we’ve been walking on through the pine forests turn into this dryish mud that sticks to the bottom of your shoes in a thick layer. This makes your shoes really heavy and it’s no use scraping it off because it just comes back after a few steps. Luckily for me this only lasted for about 30 minutes, but Wendy actually didn’t mind it because it gave her an extra layer of support against her plantar fasciitis!

As we turned the corner into Villeguillo, we were surprised to see the bar open. The owner Kiko greeted us warmly and we ordered our coffee. He asked if we wanted anything to eat. Though we didn’t need to, we ordered a tortilla – this guy doesn’t get a lot of passing trade. A few minutes later he was back with our coffees and, soon after, one of the best ham and cheese tortillas I’ve tasted in Spain or anywhere else. Yum.

We loved this bar so much! Like you we were also a but concerned about food on this stage but Kiko came to the rescue!

Because the stores were closed yesterday, we were out of supplies and were a bit worried that we would go hungry on the trail today because there’s an 18km stretch with no towns, but the bar in Villeguillo came to the rescue. It serves a genuinely excellent and fresh tostadas con tomate (after we had a poor one in Nava yesterday where the tomato part was just passata from a jar). And the owner just kept bringing us stuff as part of his desayuno del peregrino. We had to turn some things down because they contained dairy but we ate and drank plenty for €5 each and it carried us through to Alcazarén. Plus you can get a stamp. The bar owner and other patrons wanted us to take a photo of them, so here they are!

@peregrina2000 Maybe it was not the same albergue you stayed in - it looked very new. And we slept next to an open door to the internal courtyard.

Yes, I'm sure it's new. From April 2019:

The albergue in Alcazarén is new, clean and well set up (kitchen: microwave but no stoves). And my bed is next to the heater so the cold of last night’s creaky albergue-house in Coca is hopefully a thing of the past!

She had walked 52 kms that day.

And Alcazarén has two mudejar romanesque churches (or parts thereof) with some lovely brick apses and multi-layered exterior arches in the walls. Not sure how to best describe it. Has anyone ever been able to go inside? I think only one is still used for services.

I had forgotten about these but I just went through some photos and found a shot of one of them. Love the combination of Romanesque and Mudéjar!

 

[AJGuillaume]

There is a bit of awkward staging here that requires either a couple of short days or one longish one, but there seem to be enough places to stay that it should not be a problem to walk the distance you prefer.

Slow walkers would prefer short days, but:

we then walk 16 km without services or provisions, to Alcazarén

Those 16 km (17.3 km according to Gronze) are probably going to define how we break this stage up.

The obvious option is to walk to Villeguillo, and spend the night in the albergue, which gets good reviews in Gronze. It breaks this stage neatly into two halves.

My darling reminds me that we're not averse to walking very short days. In 2018, when we walked 2178 km from Switzerland to SdC, our shortest day was a 6 km walk on the Voie du Puy, from Condom to Laressingle. Another one of our short days was from Villaviciosa to Valdedios (our little detour to Oviedo on the Norte), which was just under 10 km. So looking at this stage, and reading the comments about Coca:

Coca is a great pilgrim stop, with an albergue, castle, church and all the usual services of a medium-sized town. If you've been walking and eating solo so far, this might be where your schedule starts to align with other pilgrims.

Had late dinner again in an Artisan restaurant near the castle. Morcilla, egg and chips. Yum !

And I totally echo the positive opinions of everyone else who has stopped in Coca.

I was thinking that we would possibly break this stage into three days. I know a lovely lady who would be very grateful for these short days

So 10 km into Coca, another 7 km the next day with a late departure from Coca to Villeguillo, and then 16 km to Alcazarén. This would give us ample time to visit the Coca castle, as well as other sights.

The 15th century castle in Coca is quite something. After wandering around the castle, we enjoyed an aperitif, and later dinner, at a nearby outdoor cafe - Bar El Rinconcito - owned by a Frenchman who had lived in Spain for 45 years. He was thrilled to pass some time with Dominique and converse in his own language.

No doubt the Frenchman at the Bar El Rinconcito would welcome these two slow walking, French speaking pilgrims

 

[VNwalking]

was thinking that we would possibly break this stage into three days. I know a lovely lady who would be very grateful for these short days

I am thinking when I finally get to walk I will also delight in shorter-than-before distances.

Nava de la Asunción to Coca to Alcazarén seems perfect, giving time in Coca, then a reasonable next day.

 

[jungleboy]

Some food and other tips on this stage from junglegirl:

Coca

La Muralla restaurant, waited until 8:30pm, only to find out the kitchen didn’t open until 9:15pm. But there was hardly anything for us on the menu anyway, so we made do with the raciones: patatas bravas and champiñones and bread.

Bought bread from the bakery around the corner in the morning. Had a couple of loaves of integral. Old lady said something about us madrugando, but it was 8am!

Should have used the ATM here but didn’t. It’s the last one until Puente Duero.

Alcarazén

Lunch - Hogar del Jubilado, a popular hangout with the old men. There was an animated card game happening. At first the owner seemed annoyed at our request for parrillada de verduras and said he only had pimientos and carrots, but then he rustled up a full plate, including asparagus, tomatoes and onions too. And some of the best patatas bravas I’ve ever had. It was a great meal, and he was very nice in the end. Also has decent WiFi.

Dinner - we bought cans of pisto from Unido and heated it up in the microwave and ate it with bread.

 

[NualaOC]

[Edited to combine two posts, since @NualaOC walked about 21kms from Santa Maria Real de Nieve to Coca, and then the next day on from Coca to Alcazaren. You need to click on the links to see the photos.]

My day was about 21kms from Santa Maria Real de Nieve to Coca...

I remember it as a refreshingly flat and short walk, with a good coffee/tortilla stop in Nava de la Ascunción (c.13kms later). The market was in full swing when I arrived, so I enjoyed watching the locals going about their business. Not boring at all and I also liked the sandy forests.

[View attachment 112525 View attachment 112526 View attachment 112527

I strolled into Coca at lunchtime where the hospitalera spotted me and took me under her wing. She brought me to the albergue and put me in the small 2-bunk room. It's a really nice and homely albergue in the former teachers' house. €5 in 2019. Just three of us there that night.

Coca is a great pilgrim stop, with an albergue, castle, church and all the usual services of a medium-sized town. If you've been walking and eating solo so far, this might be where your schedule starts to align with other pilgrims. I enjoyed a great menu del dia in a restaurant recommended by the hositpitalera, which was my first shared meal and proper conversation with other pilgrims. It's a very happy memory as I became good friends with those two pilgrims - we walked similar stages for the rest of the Camino de Madrid and on the San Salvador. And, in a lucky synchronicity I met up with one of them in Santiago last week!

View attachment 112521 View attachment 112524

The next day I walked from Coca to Alcazarén - about 24ms, per Gronze. It began what would become a pattern (albeit an unintentional one): walking mostly alone, but meeting my Swiss buddies at our destination. It was also the point where I stopped making daily notes, so I'm relying on memory and photos here.

I began by walking around in circles when leaving Coca. 100% my fault - I wanted to see the castle in the early morning light, so I wasn't really paying attention to the arrows.

First stop was in Villeguillo (6.7kms) - the scene of the crime in @timr 's Ovine incident
I had breakfast in the bar and was introduced to the hospitalera of the albergue and some other local characters. It's a good idea to stop there as there's nothing else until Alcazarén, but also because they seem to enjoy welcoming pilgrims.

There were just three of us in the excellent municipal albergue in Alcazarén. As others have said, it's modern and comfortable, with a small kitchen and an area at the back for drying clothes.

I enjoyed looking back at my photos to bring back some memories. I remember it as a 'just walk' kind of day, with no complicated decision-making. For me, this was one of the joys of the Camino de Madrid. Most days had a short, average or longer walking option. After Cercedilla, I didn't book anything and went with the flow. This mindset was greatly helped by what I'd learned from forum members who'd generously shared their experiences - especially @jungleboy @timr @Undermanager @peregrina2000 and @KinkyOne.

Other recollections are of the resin collectors and the welcome splashes from the big crop sprayers! Thanks @jenny@zen for bringing back that memory. However, I also recall the (minor) downside of all that water - heavy mud and puddles.

Have I said that this thread makes me really want to walk the Camino de Madrid again?!

 

[Former member 99290]

Have I said already that this thread makes me really want to walk the Camino de Madrid again

I agree. I feel that the Madrid Way just sits there in the background - maybe in the shadow of many better known cousins - doing its own thing, with no fanfare. It doesn’t boast - but it has so much to offer.

 

[Madrood]

If this virtual camino was actually happening IRL i.e. in a group of 10-15, would there be enough beds to accommodate everyone?

 

[jungleboy]

If this virtual camino was actually happening IRL i.e. in a group of 10-15, would there be enough beds to accommodate everyone?

In albergues? I would say no. The albergues are small, usually containing 4-8 beds.

 

[Undermanager]

In albergues? I would say no. The albergues are small, usually containing 4-8 beds.

On both my trips, I recall the Tres one in the council house holding only 4 people, but all the others I stayed in were able to hold a dozen or more.

 

[jungleboy]

On both my trips, I recall the Tres one in the council house holding only 4 people, but all the others I stayed in were able to hold a dozen or more.

My exact memory is a bit hazy but the ones I'm thinking of are Ray y Rosa (4), Santa Maria la Real de Nieva (6 IIRC) and a few others that I recall as being small (e.g. Alcazarén and Puente Dero).

 

[dick bird]

If this virtual camino was actually happening IRL i.e. in a group of 10-15, would there be enough beds to accommodate everyone?

The short answer is 'no'. Several of the albergues on the Madrid have less than ten places. Is this a hypothetical question or are you actually planning to walk the camino de Madrid in a group of this size? This is a personal opinion, but I feel groups of this size should book ahead rather than rely on unreserved, first come, first served albergues.

 

[Madrood]

The short answer is 'no'. Several of the albergues on the Madrid have less than ten places. Is this a hypothetical question or are you actually planning to walk the camino de Madrid in a group of this size? This is a personal opinion, but I feel groups of this size should book ahead rather than rely on unreserved, first come, first served albergues.

Hypothetical, though I am considering doing it solo in March/April.

 

[C clearly]

First stop was in Villeguillo (6.7kms) - the scene of the crime in @timr 's Ovine incident
I had breakfast in the bar and was introduced to the hospitalera of the albergue and some other local characters. It's a good idea to stop there as there's nothing else until Alcazarén, but also because they seem to enjoy welcoming pilgrims.

Thanks for linking to @timr 's Ovine incident. Now I have tagged both it and the Bovine incident (Day 3 on our thread). After we finish this virtual walk, I'll create a thread "Selection of good threads about the Camino Madrid".

I am enjoying this walk!

 

[C clearly]

Day 8 – Alcazarén to Simancas (31 km)

This day might be longer than I want, but I'm bringing us to Simancas for a reason. The next stage offers some interesting options that we will discuss in "Day 9" including a side trip to Valladolid. But let's not go further than Simancas yet.

About 11 km from Alcazarén is the Ermita Siete Iglesias is just 250m off the Camino. It seems to have a long and interesting history, but I’m not so sure what can currently be seen.

At 16 km from Alcazarén is the town of Valdestillas (population 1700) with shops, banks, train to Valladolid, etc. There is a restaurant and lodging at Meson Hostal Taquita.

If the Menú del Día hasn’t made you decide to stay at the Mesón Taquita, the next good stopping point would be 9 km further, in Puente Duero where there is an albergue. From Puente Duero, there is the Senda de Duero to Zamora.

For this virtual walk, let’s push on another 6 km to Simancas (population 5000) where there are several hostales and there are frequent buses (Autocares La Regional) between Simancas and Valladolid. Simancas is a town which a rich history, and which is home to a castle with a very important archive of Spanish history.

I’m looking forward to hearing about your experiences between Alcazarén and Simancas.

 

[jungleboy]

We only went as far as Puente Duero on this day, and I described it as a "fairly uneventful" day. The last 9km of the trail were on or close to a main road which is rare on the CdM, so we were pretty happy to reach Puente Duero dry and done for the day.

My highlight was this moment:

As we were leaving Alcazarén this morning, a construction worker yelled out to me, ‘¡Bravo! ¡Bravo! ¡Camino de Santiago!’ It was one of those little moments that makes the Camino de Madrid special, because pilgrims are still somewhat of a curiosity here and locals aren’t yet jaded by our presence.

The cabin-albergue in Puente Duero is fun and cosy, and we received a very nice welcome from the hospitalero Arturo.

Wendy's food notes:

No ATM in Valdestillas (none between Coca and Puente Duero). There are two supermercados, Dia and La Salve, but both are pretty ordinary. At La Salve we bought two cans of pisto with garbanzos/lentejas for dinner, which was a good idea because the Bruno shop in Puente Duero was even more basic.

Made two stops for cookies, the second at an official rest stop with lots of picnic benches next to a bridge that is an ancient Roman bridge according to the sign.

Lunch was corn crackers, three veg patés, mixed nuts and chocolate.

Albergue feels very homey, has a kitchen with a stove and microwave. Breakfast is available for two euros, just coffee and tostadas with butter and jam. They purposefully don’t have WiFi, but the library inside the ayuntamiento does, when it’s open, from 5:30 to 7:30 in the afternoon.

For dinner we mixed up a stew with two cans of chickpeas/lentils with pisto and an extra can of artichokes. It was really good!

 

[peregrina2000]

I hate to disagree with my fearless leader, but I would highly recommend stopping in Puente Duero. It’s an albergue run by the Vallodolid amigos (as is the one further on in Villalon de Campos). Really nice vibe, though the town itself is a bit of a downer. It doesn’t have much feel of an organic place, but I have seen pictures going back a century or two. We had a communal dinner prepared by the hospitalera, and we ate outdoors and talked for hours.

If time is of the essence, by all means forge ahead to Simancas. If a day in Valladolid is on offer, that can be done easily from Puente Duero, too, which is essentially a suburb. The walk from Puente Duero to Simancas is pleasant but nothing spectacular.

Simancas itself is kind of cutesy and the castle is a state archive. Heavily remodeled but it’s very photogenic from the outside.

I slept in Puente Duero and then walked to Simancas and into Valladolid for a rest day. But I think a good alternative would be to bus into Valladolid from Puente Duero and then walk or bus from Valladolid to Simancas and continue on.

But definitely plan to detour into Valladolid!!!! (I will not elaborate on that thought now, since I know we are stopping in Simancas, but I think it has a bearing on the question about stopping in Puente Duero or Simancas).

 

[Former member 99290]

We also walked to Puente Duerto, and I wrote the time that it was a quiet day on the Camino de Madrid - hot and dusty at times - but rewarded by the delightful albergue in Puente Duerto - pictures below.

@jungleboy - we also stopped in the shady picnic area by the small river - as delightful as it was unexpected and the perfect spot for our mid morning snack. Unbeknown to me The French (Dominique) had a packet of Oreos in his backpack (featured in picture below). Happy peregrina.

We stopped in one of the towns (?) along the way for a snack, camelback refill and shoes and socks off - I remember running my feet under the tap in a small park. As we left town another walked passed us – the first we’d seen since the tall Spanish man in Santa Maria about three days before, and the Czech pilgrim Eva going in the opposite direction. We exchanged a few words – he was also Spanish – and he flew past us. He was a strong walker, looked to be going at about 6kms an hour. We didn’t imagine we’d see him again.

Shortly after 2, we arrived in Puente Duerte, hot and dusty. A small town with not much activity, so we were happy to find a bar open where we could enjoy another cold Nestea and wait for the albergue to open at 3. We were in for a treat. The albergue provided by the town is a small wooden house, brightly decorated with all things Camino. And unlike the other albergues we’d stayed in so far, this one had resident hospitaleros, volunteers who stay in the albergue to look after the pilgrims – usually for a few weeks at a time.

French couple Pepita and a Pepito (surely not their real names) welcomed us – and were delighted to meet another French. They had walked the Camino de Madrid the previous year and decided to come back to the small wooden house for two weeks this year as hospitaleros. The fast walking Spanish man – Pedro – was there too. And so we were five. We very much enjoyed our time in this quirky albergue with such a charming couple and our new amigo Pedro.

I thought here I'd add a comment I wrote at the time about the weather we encountered, having left Madrid on 10 September (2018).
"Usually for the first hour or so the air is fresh – fresh enough for light long sleeves – but soon after 9 that’s behind us, the sleeves are off. By mid morning we begin to feel the strength of the sun. Since we left Madrid, most days the maximum temperature has been around 30 degrees. While I have no science to back this up, factor in the walking and the backpack and it feels at least another 5 degrees warmer. Thankfully we’ve often had a light breeze – barely a breeze, but every bit helps."

Now in the meseta landscape - I think - we were always happy when we found a little shade along the path.

 

[Former member 99290]

As we were leaving Alcazarén this morning, a construction worker yelled out to me, ‘¡Bravo! ¡Bravo! ¡Camino de Santiago!’ It was one of those little moments that makes the Camino de Madrid special, because pilgrims are still somewhat of a curiosity here and locals aren’t yet jaded by our presence.

This anecdote struck a chord. On this Way - where our encounters were more with locals than pilgrims (few and far between when we were walking) - we always felt warmly welcomed. We had a similar experience some years earlier on the Mozarabe.

 

[m108]

It’s not related to “day 8,” but it’s time for an interesting observation: I’m a solo wolker. I love solitude and a long walk in silence. On my eight Caminos (each around 300km) I never had a “Camino family” and it was also foreign to me. I also tried to avoid chatting as much as I could to avoid being unfriendly (I was just selfish ) - because the Camino is a real opportunity for me for some inner and not just outer journey. And - how unusual: for the first time I have the feeling that I have a "Camino family". So let’s go to Simancas!

 

[VNwalking]

it has a bearing on the question about stopping in Puente Duero or Simancas

If anyone wants to crossover to the Levante, Simcanas is the place to stop. In that case, with a day to spare, it might be worth staying at in the wonderful albergue and doing what Laurie suggests;

I slept in Puente Duero and then walked to Simancas and into Valladolid for a rest day. But I think a good alternative would be to bus into Valladolid from Puente Duero and then walk or bus from Valladolid to Simancas and continue on.

Here is a map of this crossover option I posted on Alan Sykes's thread (he is coming up behind us at a good clip, having found no accommodation in Coca):

You can also cross over on the GR14, roughly 58km along the Duero between Simcanas and Castronuno on the Levante. Besides following the Duero through amazing Tordecillas where Portugal and Spain divided their New World empires, and not far from where Juan Bravo met his grisly end in Villalar de los Comuneros, it's migration time, so there'll be lots of birds.

 

[AJGuillaume]

This day might be longer than I want, but I'm bringing us to Simancas for a reason. The next stage offers some interesting options that we will discuss in "Day 9" including a side trip to Valladolid. But let's not go further than Simancas yet.

It is indeed a long day by slow walkers standards and we'll walk this over two days.

But definitely plan to detour into Valladolid!!!! (I will not elaborate on that thought now, since I know we are stopping in Simancas, but I think it has a bearing on the question about stopping in Puente Duero or Simancas).

A detour to Valladolid is definitely in our plans. Which means either a stop in Puente Duero or Simancas will work for us.

At 16 km from Alcazarén is the town of Valdestillas (population 1700) with shops, banks, train to Valladolid, etc. There is a restaurant and lodging at Meson Hostal Taquita.

Our first day on this stage will indeed take us to Valdestillas. If we are to walk to Simancas, it's a great half way point. And the distance suits my darling!

If time is of the essence, by all means forge ahead to Simancas. If a day in Valladolid is on offer, that can be done easily from Puente Duero, too, which is essentially a suburb. The walk from Puente Duero to Simancas is pleasant but nothing spectacular.

I found a Wikiloc track from Puente Duero to Valladolid. It's an 11 to 12 km walk, quite manageable for slow walkers.

Puente Duero - Valladolid

Puente Duero - Valladolid Hiking trail in Puente Duero, Castilla y León (España). Download its GPS track and follow the route on a map. Record your own itinerary from the Wikiloc app, upload the trail and share it with the community.

www.wikiloc.com

I hate to disagree with my fearless leader, but I would highly recommend stopping in Puente Duero. It’s an albergue run by the Vallodolid amigos (as is the one further on in Villalon de Campos). Really nice vibe, though the town itself is a bit of a downer.

Puente Duero: the albergue is great, the town is non descript.

For this virtual walk, let’s push on another 6 km to Simancas (population 5000) where there are several hostales

Simancas itself is kind of cutesy and the castle is a state archive. Heavily remodeled but it’s very photogenic from the outside.

Simancas: lacks a nice albergue, the town is "cutesy".

One of the options for slow walkers, after a stop in Valdestillas and wanting to detour to Valladolid, is to walk to Puente Duero, spend a night there, and then walk the next day to Valladolid. Three days to walk 16 km, 9 km and 12 km.

Another option is to walk from Valdestillas to Simancas, and then walk into Valladolid. I have found another Wikiloc track, but I'll leave it for when our leader @C clearly starts our next stage.

We also have Plans B and C, namely a train from Valdestillas to Valladolid, or a bus from Puente Duero to Valladolid. Not our preference, but just in case.

As we were leaving Alcazarén this morning, a construction worker yelled out to me, ‘¡Bravo! ¡Bravo! ¡Camino de Santiago!’ It was one of those little moments that makes the Camino de Madrid special, because pilgrims are still somewhat of a curiosity here and locals aren’t yet jaded by our presence.

In 2018, we had many such experiences, a road worker, laying asphalt on a road near Geneva, asking us to pray for him in Santiago. A retired farmer, on the Voie du Puy, saw us in a little village, and came to ask us: "Combien de péchés avez vous fait pour devoir faire ce pèlerinage?" (How many sins have you made that you have to walk this pilgrimage). And the elder of a village on the Norte who had fled Spain to avoid military service, and worked in Queensland: he remembered all the colourful colloquial expressions so typical of rural Australia

 

[Former member 99290]

@m108 This virtual Madrid Camino is proving to be a lovely experience - coming from one who can get overwhelmed by anything vaguely resembling a crowd. One of the things I like about these ‘paths less travelled’ is that the sight of another pilgrim can be quite the treat!

 

[VNwalking]

If time is of the essence, by all means forge ahead to Simancas. If a day in Valladolid is on offer, that can be done easily from Puente Duero

One of the options for slow walkers, after a stop in Valdestillas and wanting to detour to Valladolid, is to walk to Puente Duero, spend a night there, and then walk the next day to Valladolid. Three days to walk 16 km, 9 km and 12 km.

I think a good alternative would be to bus into Valladolid from Puente Duero and then walk or bus from Valladolid to Simancas and continue on.

Walking from PD to Valladolid, then walking from there over to Simcanas the next day seems a good idea. From Valladolid to Simcanas is all road walking, from the look of it, which surprises me, since the river would seem the perfect urban walking corridor - but there is no via verde. It's 12.5 km, OSMand says.

Very nice male Northern Wheatear @jenny@zen!

 

[Former member 99290]

Like many others I have been fortunate to meet many interesting people on various caminos - some I walked with for a short time and only once, others i walked with intermittently over a longer period. I didn’t regard any as my camino family but i was happy to have met them and am still in touch with a few … including the one I married. So I guess he counts as ‘Camino family’ now.

 

[AJGuillaume]

Walking from PD to Valladolid, then walking from there over to Simcanas the next day seems a good idea. From Valladolid to Simcanas is all road walking, from the look of it, which surprises me, since the river would seem the perfect urban walking corridor - but there is no via verde. It's 12.5 km, OSMand says.

I was going to wait until we move on from Simancas, but as you mention road walking, I thought I would share the Wikiloc track I found:

Simancas-Valladolid

Simancas-Valladolid Hiking trail in Simancas, Castilla y León (España). Download its GPS track and follow the itinerary on a map. Ruta a pie de 9 km que discurre en su mayor parte junto a la acequia de Simancas, la acequia de Valladolid y la Cañada Real. Al iniciar la ruta se camina un pequeño...

www.wikiloc.com

From Simancas, you cross the river back towards Puente Duero, and then for about 6 km you follow the Acequia de Simancas and the Acequia de Valladolid until just before reaching the VA-30 highway. After that you head into Valladolid through the suburbs. The track above stops at the Centro Comercial Vallsur, but from there the Pisuerga is not very far, and you can take a cycle/walking path to the city centre, along the river. I would guesstimate the whole walk is about 13 km, of which nearly half is along an aqueduct.

 

[NualaOC]

I walked about 36kms from Alcazarén to Ciguñuela. I'd expected to stop in Puente Duero, but having unexpectedly caught up with my Swiss friends, they convinced me to continue to Simancas for a nice Sunday lunch! We had a long break there and then decided to continue to the albergue in Ciguñuela. I'll add some comments about the albergue in the next stage.

In my forum post at the time I commented:
Gorgeous walk today with rabbits, birdsong and a beautiful deer running across the trail. It was so graceful that its feet barely touched the ground. Lots of cyclists on the roads -very impressive strength and fitness.

It was an uncomplicated stage as the towns are very well spaced. Breakfast in Valledestillas, a quick coffee in Puente Dueoro and a great lunch in Simancas, which led to a rather late arrival at the albergue.

I'm loving all the comments on this thread! Next time, I'll detour to Valladolid or explore that crossover to the Levante.

 

[camino07]

Today we walked to Puente Duero to sleep.
Looking at my journal it was the 4th October when we set out in the dark at 7.30. It has been very hot in the afternoons and my feet don't like it. I had to walk slowly and would catch up with the Argentinians in Puente Duero. Valdestillos bar open so had coffee and tortilla. Its now 1130. Can't remember much about the walk but was glad to arrive at the cute, wooden albergue in PD. Arturo cooked us Pasta and salad and we had vino. In the early evening we went out and watched hundreds of sheep passing by with their bells ringing .such a memory! There were 4 of us and a bici in the Albergue.
Next morning it was nice and cool to walk to Simancas ,beautiful hilltop Roman town with cafe and bakery in the Plaza.

 

[dick bird]

We stopped in Puente Duero, it's a nice little albergue and 27 kms from Alcazarén seemed the right distance (but made it a very short next day to Ciguñuela). Turn left down a little street just before the bridge. Maybe it was a public holiday or something, but we didn't find much in the way of shops or restaurants in town other than a bar near the albergue. There is a frequent bus to Valladolid from just near the albergue. I spotted this on the side of the church in Valdestillas. Civil Wars seem to be even more brutal and bloody. It is not a big place and this plaque obviously omits the dead of 'the other side'.

 

[C clearly]

Days 9 and 10 - Simancas to Castromonte, via Valladolid (various distances)

There are several ways to include a visit to Valladolid in your Camino de Madrid. These include bus and/or train connections from various towns. For example, Autocares La Regional runs buses between Simancas and Valladolid.

Here is a screenshot of some tracks I have put on Google Earth, that can be combined over a day or two or more. Walking to Valladolid seems fairly straightforward from Puente Duero or Simancas. Getting back on the Camino is a little more complicated, especially if you want to be in Wamba during opening hours of the church and ossuary. For me, I think that some bus or taxi assistance out of Valladolid might be necessary in order to get to Wamba at a convenient time.

For scale, distance are:

• Simancas to Valladolid - 10 km - frequent bus service
• Simancas to Ciguñuela - 6 km - Ciguñuela has an albergue and another lodging
• Ciguñuela to Wamba - 7.5 km - no lodging in Wamba
• Wamba to Peñaflor de Hornija - 7.0 - Peñaflor has an albergue
• Peñaflor de Hornija to Castromonte - 10 km - Castromonte has an albergue

I'll create another post with links to the tracks shown.

Ready? Set. Go!

 

[C clearly]

Here are links to the off-Camino routes shown on the screenshot in the previous post. They give an idea of the options, but I haven’t compared too carefully for road-walking and more recent tracks. I am not an expert and navigating Wikiloc, so perhaps you can help eliminate or add to these. We can consolidate the conclusions when we review and edit the thread.

Here is a circular walk from Puente Duero to/from Valladolid, so presumably you could walk on either part:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/pza-circular-puente-duero-valladolid-25294745

If you are in Simancas, this is route to Valladolid:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/simancas-valladolid-20460398

Once you are in Valladolid and want to leave, this track takes you to Ciguñuela, through Zaratan. It looks like you could continue walking on the road straight to Wamba instead of dipping down to Ciguñuela.
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/valladolid-cigunuela-18789849

Here is a route from Zaratan to Wamba (skipping Ciguñuela) that was recorded in 2014. It includes some road walking to get to Wamba.
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/155-tren-burra-zaratan-villanubla-wamba-7376008

I’m including the following track, which was recorded in 2010, only because it shows an off-highway option in the last section to Wamba. It would be wise to check whether the off-highway part can still be walked.
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/10-wamba-cuesta-villanubla-canada-carretera-villanubla-1951099

 

[peregrina2000]

I just can’t let there be a mention of Castromonte without retelling my Sr. Braulio story. (Great albergue, btw!)

When I walked into the Bar Caribe in Castromonte in 2012, there were many workers eating their lunch. I asked the bartender, Sr. Braulio — ¿puedo comer? His answer was sure — “¿Trajiste comida?” — did you bring your food?! I then noticed that all the workers were eating out of their lunch boxes. The bar was serving drinks. Seeing my reaction, he told me not to worry, and his wife went home to scrounge up some freshly laid eggs, homemade chorizo, bread and salad. Topped off by some dulce made by her. One of my best meals ever!

About 5 years ago, there was a story about Sr. Braulio in the regional paper. I thought it was such a good story that I translated it. If you like stories about elders on the Camino, you might like this:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...e-castromonte-bar-owner-now-almost-100.42686/

 

[Former member 99290]

We didn't go to Valladolid - we went directly to Penaflor - so I'll chime back in a little later on. Buen Camino.

 

[AJGuillaume]

If you are in Simancas, this is route to Valladolid:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/simancas-valladolid-20460398

Following that track, from Simancas, you cross the river back towards Puente Duero, and then for about 6 km you follow the Acequia de Simancas and the Acequia de Valladolid until just before reaching the VA-30 highway. After that you head into Valladolid through the suburbs. The track above stops at the Centro Comercial Vallsur, but from there the Pisuerga is not very far, and you can take a cycle/walking path to the city centre, along the river. I would guesstimate the whole walk is about 13 km, of which nearly half is along an aqueduct.

I know nothing of Valladolid. So I would probably start with this:

Los 10 imprescindibles - Portal de Cultura y Turismo de Valladolid

¿Qué ver en Valladolid? No te pierdas las diez paradas imprescindibles para visitar Valladolid.

www.info.valladolid.es

And I have noted Valladolid is the "Capital de la Tapa"

 

[jungleboy]

We visited Valladolid after the camino was over on the way home. Our stages here were Puente Duero (before Simancas) to Peñaflor de Hornija (~25km) and then to Medina de Rioseco the next day (~24km).

The highlight of these two stages, of course, was Wamba. We were super lucky to arrive at the church just as a guide had started giving a tour to a Spanish lady and her two daughters. We spent almost an hour inside the church and the ossuary with them and I loved it. After the church, we hit the Meseta en route to Peñaflor de Hornija.

The next day, we stopped for a while at the pig farm before Castromonte. We believe these are the famous black Iberian pigs who eat acorns and are prized for their ham. Though we did see oak trees, it seems the pigs mostly eat mouldy, stale bread which was piled up near their pen. In any case, we enjoyed watching them for a while despite sadly knowing what their fate would be.

In Castromonte, we saw the bibliobús, a mobile public-funded library that comes to the villages on a set schedule so that people can have access to books. We went inside and were impressed to see that the back of the bus really is decked out like a library! We talked to the librarian-driver for a bit; he said that the service isn’t that popular and that it’s mostly old ladies who use it, because the men don’t read and there aren’t any children in these towns. He described the depopulation of rural Spain that we all see on camino as a disaster.

 

[jungleboy]

Food/shop notes from Wendy from Simancas to Castromonte:

Simancas - Church was closed and so was the supermarket, which is called Udaco but has the same logo as Unide. Seemed like it would have been good.

We pushed on to Ciguñuela and had our usual té manzanilla and pan con tomate at Bar La Mielga, which was very friendly. There is a very small Tienda de Comestibles in the town, which is open 10-2 and 6-8. Not much there for us, but we got a snack mix, bread and tomatoes, which we needed.

There’s one bar in Wamba, Bar El Rincón, but all they could offer us was cauliflower. At first they thought they could give us fries, but that was a no go. So we went back to the church and ate our bread, tomatoes and our last emergency paté.

Peñaflor - There’s a fruta y verduras shop, which is only open in the mornings. Also a “supermercado” of some sort, but it was closed too.

But the young guy behind the bar at Bar Hornija was very nice and made us pumpkin soup, salad, French fries and carrots with pepper, olive oil and almonds. I was in heaven! So good to finally have a full belly.

Castromonte - another very small town, 225 people. Had one bar that also sells some bread. We had pan con tomate and manzanilla there.

 

[VNwalking]

I"m all ears about Valladolid, because what I've seen from the train does not inspire a detour.
For me Wamba is the main priority on this stage and one of the big plusses of this camino. But it's good to know there's a bar in the village. Maybe with cauliflower. Food does seem thin on the ground in this stretch, I must say.

Edit:
Would the timing be reasonable to stay in Simcanas, and be able to visit Wamba, walking on from there to Peñaflor for the night?
Or if coming from Valladolid to do the same via the Zaratran option Clare posted?

 

[dick bird]

Ditto, more or less. In Ciguñuela, the only restaurant bar serves dinner late, but there is a little shop and you can cook in the albergue. The famous ossuary in Wamba opens later in the day so we missed out on that particular treat. This is where meseta terrain seems to start. Peñaflor is a slightly bigger place with shops but was recovering from a collective hangover when we passed through in the morning. I am fairly sure it has an albergue. In Castromonte, there is only a bar which doesn't serve meals - we stopped there to get the key and they had to phone the guy who had the key who turned up later on his tractor. The albergue is a former school and caters for groups of up to 20. Nobody else was there when we stayed but luckily for, somebody had left behind the makings of a meal. Everyone we met was kind and helpful but my advice is carry spare food and plenty of water.

Pictures are: Ciguñuela albergue, Wamba church, Coming out of Wamba, The famous pigs (the farmer assured us the plastic wrappings from the stale cakes were regularly swept up, and Castromonte albergue (if you enlarge it, there is a poem on the side).

 

[VNwalking]

I seem to be enjoying detours. Sorry.
But please bear with me because this is a really good one.

From Peñaflor, instead of forging ahead to Castromonte, we can take a left - either from the village proper or about halfway to Castromonte - and walk via La Santa Espina to Urueña, 20.9km.

A walled town with 189 residents, but 5 Bookstores and 12 museums. Not to mention walls, history back to Roman times, and the Romanesque Ermita Nuestra Señora de la Anunciada, a beautiful example of Lombard Romanesque.

It inspires poetry.

Accommodation:

Hotel en Urueña, al lado del castillo, en la villa del libro.

Hotel enfrente del castillo de Urueña, la villa del libro, con maravillosos paisajes y atardeceres.

www.pozolico.com

Casa Rural Villa de Urueña

Página web de la Casa Rural Villa de Urueña

www.villadeuruena.es

Food:
A bunch of restaurants. No shortage of choice.

Wow. Let's go!

URUEÑA | Web oficial del Ayuntamiento de Urueña. Uno de los pueblos más bonitos de España

www.xn--uruea-rta.es

Urueña. Pueblos con encanto. Los Pueblos más Bonitos de España

Urueña en Valladolid (Castilla y León). Pueblos con encanto. Descubre los pueblos y lugares con más encanto del país.

www.lospueblosmasbonitosdeespana.org

Museo de Campanas | URUEÑA

www.xn--uruea-rta.es

Museo de la Música. Colección Luis Delgado | URUEÑA

www.xn--uruea-rta.es

The next day, we can find our way back to the camino via either Castromonte (17.5km) or going direct to Medina de Rioseco (24.2km).

Here's a map (yellow tracks; turquoise is the Dutch camino track):


Edit. La Santa Espina is a trippy place in its own right. Much of the town was a postwar Francoist project.

As for the town of La Santa Espina, it was created by the National Institute of Colonization to contribute to agrarian development in the postwar era, being its promoter Rafael Cavestany y Anduaga , Minister of Agriculture of the moment. The town's works began in 1955 , ending in 1957.

The location of the town was fixed on a farm that the National Institute of Colonization had acquired from the heirs of Susana de Montes y Bayón, widow of the Marquis of Valderas .

From:

La Santa Espina - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre

es.m.wikipedia.org

There is an old Cistercian monastery, too:

La Santa Espina - La Santa Espina

La Santa Espina

www.lasantaespina.es

The monastery has a dark recent past, being used in the civil war as a concentration camp for 4300 Republican political prisoners.

 

[Former member 99290]

The famous ossuary in Wamba opens later in the day so we missed out on that particular treat. This is where meseta terrain seems to start. Peñaflor is a slightly bigger place with shops but was recovering from a collective hangover when we passed through in the morning. I am fairly sure it has an albergue.

We also missed out on seeing the ossuary in Wamba.
@dick bird - I wonder what date you passed through Penaflor? If it was the 19th September 2018, then the tale of our time in Penfalor may explain the 'collective hangover'. We arrived - and stayed - there on the 18th.

 

[Former member 99290]

Day 9 of Camino de Madrid was full of surprises and turned out to be one of the most memorable days of any Camino I’ve walked. The day started out well with breakfast prepared by Pepito and Pepita, who sent us on our way with big smiles and good wishes. Spanish Pedro left before us. We were all heading for the same town – with the town albergue the only accommodation option – so we would see him at the end of the day.

Three towns in between, each with at least one bar according to our guidebook, sounded perfect – the first for a second coffee, the second for a cold Nestea and the third (Wamba) for lunch and the ossuary before walking the final 7 kms in the heat of the afternoon. It was the first time on this camino when we would have these options. For the first two towns, everything went according to plan. We were ‘living the dream’ but the dream would soon be over. When we arrived at Wamba, the first bar looked permanently closed, abandoned. Oh well, two more in the town. We found them in no time – both with signs to say they were ‘cerrado’ closed for vacation. That seemed to be very poor financial management – going on holidays at the same time as your only competition. Or perhaps they are friends, holidaying together. Either way it was a disappointment for us.

As well as the church being closed, we found no shop in the town and, as we soon discovered, no fuente – water fountain. Oh well, we were confident we had (just) enough water for another 7 kms even in the blistering heat. We found a shady spot to rest for a while. The French produced the last of our snacks – one small cereal bar and a small bag of mixed nuts. That was lunch.

Time to get going, another two hours to walk in the heat. Our guidebook told us that Penaflor would look tantalisingly close for many kms but what we wouldn’t be able to see in the distance across the flat meseta were the two ravines which we needed to cross before arriving – i.e. down up, down up. The first was not very steep but the second climb was a tough way to finish the day.

Still hungry after our meagre lunch, we were keen to get to the one shop in the village before it closed. So we headed straight to the Plaza Mayor (town square) rather than the albergue. On the way we accosted the first person we saw and asked for directions to the shop – she told us it was closed today for festival. Oh no. We continued to the Plaza Mayor – just before arriving we heard quite a commotion and, sure enough, the whole village (and probably some neighbouring ones) was celebrating in the square. Not what you’d expect on a Tuesday afternoon.

Almost immediately we saw Pedro who confirmed that the shop was indeed closed for the day. But as part of the festival there was free food! Our luck was changing. We joined a small queue and minutes later were each savouring a bowl of delicious lentils and sausage – we hadn’t even taken off our backpacks. We couldn’t believe our good fortune. We would not go hungry – at least not today.

We found a quiet spot to enjoy our surprise free lunch and quickly spotted Pedro again. Walking at his usual fast pace he’d arrived well before us and had settled into the albergue. He told us that there was an Australian man there! What the … ‘that must be Anthony’, I said to The French. Anthony, whose name we had seen on the albergue registers one day ahead of us almost since the beginning.

Soon after we were making our way to the albergue – accompanied by a young girl who had seen us in the Plaza. She ushered us in to the spacious and comfortable building provided by the town, took note of our passports and stamped our credenciales. We handed over 6 euros (3 per person for the night) and she handed us a key.

We quickly settled in to our dorm room and I headed to the kitchen – I could smell cooking. Sure enough a fifty something man was there cooking. ‘Hi, you must be Anthony’, I said. He gave me a broad grin and smiled. He immediately understood. Though he had no idea who was walking behind him – just as he had seen that there was an Australian woman and Irish woman a day ahead of him, we had seen that he was a day ahead of us. At least until now. He explained that he had walked a couple of half days due to the heat.

Over the next half hour, Anthony, Domi and I had quite a chat and decided we’d go out together around 5 to see what, if anything, was open in the town, post festiva. We soon discovered that there were two small bars. The first was standing room only and we didn’t like our chances of having a quiet aperitif. The second bar looked like a much more discrete affair. In fact a large sliding down revealed a long bar and a few stools, but no one in sight. I heard voices coming from an open doorway at one end of the bar. So I stuck my head around the corner into a small courtyard to see a large square table with about a dozen people enjoying what looked like a very happy family lunch.

Feeling as though we were intruding, we started to back away when two of the gentlemen immediately welcomed us and asked what we’d like to drink. Within minutes bottles of red wine, white wine and rose were produced together with plates of tortilla patates and chorizo. We had ordered nothing. Despite our protests, this lovely group did their very best to ply us with even more food and wine which we, thankfully, resisted.

It was getting on towards 6 and we felt it was time to leave. They had already been so generous. Domi tried to pay but they wouldn’t hear of it, would not take any money from us. It’s festiva, you are pilgrims. You don’t pay! But you must come with us. Something about 6 o’clock and a toro (bull). We were hurried down the street to the edge of town where the village people were assembled, most sitting on top of the high wall looking below to a large dusty field at the bottom of the second ravine we had crossed on the way up to the town.

Horses, motor bikes and four wheel drives were assembled. And soon the toro (the bull) would arrive. Seeing a couple of men on horses with jousting sticks, I was getting nervous that this was going to be bloody. One of the locals assured me that they weren’t going to kill the bull, just to chase. At least I think that’s what he said. In any case, though it was quite a spectacle – The French and I and Anthony were very clearly on the side of the bull.

Soon enough, a truck arrived and, with a little fanfare, the rear door opened and the bull emerged. After an initial flurry of excitement – and much cheering – it seemed that the bull quickly assessed the situation, had the measure of his pursuers and worked out his exit strategy. Within minutes, in a cloud of red dust the bull made his play and quickly headed out of ‘the arena’ and over the hill – with men on horses, in cars and on motor bikes giving chase. Happily, all to no avail. Bravo El Toro. What an anti climax. No doubt the event organisers and locals were disappointed – but we three were thrilled. And agreed it was one of the funniest things we’d ever seen to cap off what had been an afternoon of surprises.

As we said another muchas gracias and adios to our kind and generous friends from the bar, one of them warned us that the festiva music would start at 10 pm and the entertainment would continue until 2 am. We might want to close the windows in the albergue.

Given that we wanted to get going by 7.30 next morning – albeit with no possibility of breakfast – we didn’t have to be told twice. Windows were closed and the four pilgrims – Pedro, Anthony, The French and I – managed a good night’s sleep. What a day.

 

[AJGuillaume]

Walking to Valladolid seems fairly straightforward from Puente Duero or Simancas. Getting back on the Camino is a little more complicated, especially if you want to be in Wamba during opening hours of the church and ossuary.

The highlight of these two stages, of course, was Wamba. We were super lucky to arrive at the church just as a guide had started giving a tour to a Spanish lady and her two daughters. We spent almost an hour inside the church and the ossuary with them and I loved it.

Wamba looks like a not to be missed stop. What a shame there is no lodging in Wamba!
I found the opening times for the church on the Wamba Ayuntamiento website:

Horario:
Horario Oficina de Turismo: viernes de 17 a 19,30 h. Sábados, domingos y festivos: de 11 a 13,30 hs. y de 17 a 19,30 h. El resto de la semana, concertar visita al teléfono: 679 142 730. Entrada: Individual:2 €. Grupos de más de 15 personas: 1 €

@jungleboy , what day of the week did you walk through Wamba?

For me, I think that some bus or taxi assistance out of Valladolid might be necessary in order to get to Wamba at a convenient time.

For us slow walkers, unless we can organise an earlier visit in the day, the problem is getting from Wamba to our next lodging in time. It is 7 km back to Ciguñuela, or 7.7 km to Peñaflor de Hornija. Easy for able bodied peregrin@s, a different story for slow walkers if the visit is late in the day. A comment on Gronze notes that the climb into Peñaflor de Hornija is one of those you will never forget:

el pueblo se halla en lo alto de un cerro, y la última cuesta es de las que no se olvidan

We could try to time our walk so that we are in Wamba on a Saturday or a Sunday morning... Or we could arrange a visit on another day by calling the number above.

For the purpose of this virtual Camino, we're going to assume it's Saturday or Sunday, and we can visit the church between 11am and 1:30pm. (In real life, we'll work on the "where there's a will, there's a way" principle).

Here is a circular walk from Puente Duero to/from Valladolid, so presumably you could walk on either part:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/pza-circular-puente-duero-valladolid-25294745

One option is to walk to Valladolid from Puente Duero, and then return to the Camino at Simancas. In particular, I like the south bound part of the track above (the one on the left), as there is less road walking. It's a 13 km walk.

If you are in Simancas, this is the route to Valladolid that @AJ had found and described
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/simancas-valladolid-20460398

We would then walk the track above in reverse, from Valladolid to Simancas, and stop in Simancas.
The nice thing about this option is that we get to experience the nice albergue in Puente Duero, we can visit Valladolid, as well as Simancas.

From Simancas, we're going to walk to Ciguñuela. It's only 7 km, but slow walkers don't mind short stages, at all!

We then walk to Wamba, get there in time to visit the church, and after the visit, continue to Peñaflor de Hornija. That's a 14.7 km day (according to Gronze).

Once you are in Valladolid and want to leave, this track takes you to Ciguñuela, through Zaratan. It looks like you could continue walking on the road straight to Wamba instead of dipping down to Ciguñuela.
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/valladolid-cigunuela-18789849

This is another good option, walking from Simancas to Valladolid, and following the above track, stopping in Ciguñuela as before. That's a 13 km day, according to the Wikiloc track. Then we would continue to Wamba and Peñaflor de Hornija.

From Peñaflor de Hornija, it is then another 9 km to Castromonte. I am getting brownie points from my darling for keeping the distances under 15 km

But please bear with me because this is a really good one.

From Peñaflor, instead of forging ahead to Castromonte, we can take a left - either from the village proper or about halfway to Castromonte - and walk via La Santa Espina to Urueña, 20.9km.

A walled town with 189 residents, but 5 Bookstores and 12 museums. Not to mention walls, history back to Roman times, and the Romanesque Ermita Nuestra Señora de la Anunciada, a beautiful example of Lombard Romanesque.

It is indeed a really good detour! For us slow walkers, it might be a bit difficult to do it from Peñaflor de Hornija, because of the distance, but definitely an option we would explore from Castromonte. This Wikiloc track gives a distance of 18.25 km each way:

Castromonte - Urueña

Castromonte - Urueña Hiking trail in Castromonte, Castilla y León (España). Download its GPS track and follow the route on a map. Record your own itinerary from the Wikiloc app, upload the trail and share it with the community.

www.wikiloc.com

 

[jungleboy]

@jungleboy , what day of the week did you walk through Wamba?

Wednesday, so it looks like we got lucky!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Joe and I went inside [the Iglesia de Santiago in Alcazarén] to see the treasure secreted behind the new retablo!

To Alcazarén

May 11, 2014 We tried to leave a little earlier this morning and managed to be walking by 7 am. The way was once again be...

caminosantiago2.blogspot.com

 

[VNwalking]

Joe and I went inside to see the treasure secreted behind the new retablo!

Wow. Thanks for the heads up, Annie!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Wow. Thanks for the heads up, Annie!

You're welcome! The other thing not to miss is the tour of the church in Wamba.

 

[VNwalking]

You're welcome! The other thing not to miss is the tour of the church in Wamba.

That is what I'm planning the entire camino around, so that I can get there when it's open.

I found the opening times for the church on the Wamba Ayuntamiento website:
Horario:
Horario Oficina de Turismo: viernes de 17 a 19,30 h. Sábados, domingos y festivos: de 11 a 13,30 hs. y de 17 a 19,30 h. El resto de la semana, concertar visita al teléfono: 679 142 730. Entrada: Individual:2 €. Grupos de más de 15 personas: 1 €

It does sound like you can phone ahead on weekdays to arrange a visit? Does anyone know this for sure?

 

[peregrina2000]

Joe and I went inside to see the treasure secreted behind the new retablo!

Wow I had no idea. I have enjoyed the beautiful mudejar apses but never got inside. Next time!!!

 

[jungleboy]

Joe and I went inside to see the treasure secreted behind the new retablo!

Amazing frescoes!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Wow I had no idea. I have enjoyed the beautiful mudejar apses but never got inside. Next time!!!

It's pretty spectacular!