Monday, October 28, 2019

Camino 2020 - Finishing up the Via de la Plata.

VDLP 2009

I've been walking the Via de la Plata in stages. 



2009 - no water!

In 2009, Joe and I walked for 8 days on the Via de la Plata. Against more experienced pilgrims' advice, we walked in the hot summer. We were shocked to find fountains dry and as Rebekah of Moratinos warned, the heat "falling like a curtain at 2 pm."  At one point, we were helped by some fireman, who brought us drinking water.  It was just too difficult of a trek for us that year in that heat. We left the route in Fuente de Cantos and jumped up to the Camino Frances for the rest of our time.



Via de la Plata 2013 SPRING!

In 2013, I returned to the Via de la Plata to walk alone.  I walked in mid-May - a much saner decision.  It was an incredibly beautiful walk! The wildflowers were stunning and there were few pilgrims on the trail. I got to spend a few hours at the Thermal Baths in Aljucin. They had a special price for pilgrims.  Wonderful!



That year, I got as far as Cáceres before having to jump up to Pamplona to pick up my walking group. That year, I found it difficult to find lodging at a certain point, because railroad workers were filling up the albergues. 

Next spring, Joe and I have decided we will complete the route in March/April 2020. I was lucky enough to get round trip tickets from LAX to Madrid for only $450.  We will fly into Madrid, take a bus or train to Zafra, and begin walking there, re-walking sections I have walked but Joe has missed. We will walk from March 4 until April 14, spending the last few days in Segovia for Semana Santa!


Albergue de San Francisco, Zafra

The VDLP cuts off toward Santiago above Zamora.  However, we will take the route to Astorga instead of to Santiago. It's easier to catch a bus or train back to Madrid from Astorga in the time we have.




We plan on spending most of Semana Santa in Segovia. We have seen Semana Santa in Seville, Granada, and other parts of southern Spain. We have also seen it in Madrid. It will be exciting to spend it in beautiful Segovia!


Our tentative schedule looks like this, including kilometers between villages.  (pardon the spacing, I copied this from my Excel file):


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5-Mar Thu Arrive Madrid
Train or Bus to Zafra
7-Mar Sat Villafranca de los Barros 20
8-Mar Sun Taxi to Almendralejo, Walk to Torremejia 14
9-Mar Mon Merida 16.5
10-Mar Tue Merida
11-Mar Wed Aljucin 17
Thermal Baths
12-Mar Thu Alcuescar 22
13-Mar Fri Aldea de Cano 15.4
14-Mar Sat Caceres 23
15-Mar Sun Caceres
16-Mar Mon Cacer de Caceres 11.4
17-Mar Tue Embalsa 664.26.27.42 23
18-Mar Wed Grimaldo 20
19-Mar Thu San Gil 21
20-Mar Fri Carcabosa 14
21-Mar Sat Caparra / Jarilla 20
22-Mar Sun Aldenueva del Camino 19.5
23-Mar Mon Calzada de Béjar 26
24-Mar Tue Fuenterroble 21
25-Mar Wed San Pedro de Rosados 28.6
26-Mar Thu Salamanca 25
27-Mar Fri
28-Mar Sat Urb. El Chinneral 22.6
29-Mar Sun El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino 15
30-Mar Mon Villanueva de  Campeon 13.5
31-Mar Tue Zamora 19
1-Apr Wed Fontanillas de Castro 25
2-Apr Thur Granja de Moreruela 12.5
3-Apr Fri Benavente 25.5
4-Apr Sat Alija del Infantado 22
5-Apr Sun La Baneza 20.5
6-Apr Mon Villares de Orbiga or Astorga 24.5
7-Apr Tue Astorga
8-Apr Wed Segovia
9-Apr Thur Segovia
10-Apr Fri Segovia
11-Apr Sat Segovia
12-Apr Sun Madrid
13-Apr Mon Madrid
14-Apr FLY HOME

I'm excited!
I bought a new pack yesterday. No pack transport that I know of on the VDLP, so I'll be carrying as little weight as I can manage. 

Stay tuned to see my packing list.

Buen Camino,
Annie
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