Camino Madrid 2016

Well, my plans are made for walking the Camino Madrid this year. Just two months until departure!

As those of you who follow know, I got as far as Cigñuela in 2014, then ran out of time and had to get to Pamplona to pick up my group.  This year I've given myself plenty of time to walk the entire route.

I put a note up on Facebook asking if anyone would like to walk with me, and got a response from a gal named Claudette, who has never walked the Camino.  We will meet up in Madrid and start walking on the 18th.

I'll blog as I go, whenever I have wifi. I'll add photos when I can, but will probably have to flesh out the posts once I'm home, as I'm not taking a tablet, only my iPhone.

Here is our tentative schedule with notes, in case you'd like to follow along. The lodging prices are what we expect. I will post actual lodging costs as we walk.

The first few stages to Segovia, we have booked lodging in hotels where I have been able to email ahead and ask for fragrance free rooms. Though it's expensive on these first few days, once we leave Segovia, there are albergues available that are all under €10.  In fact, there is an albergue in Segovia, but we preferred to split the cost of a room and take a 2 day rest here.

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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE CAMINO MADRID

14 April :  Leave Portland

15 May: Arrive Madrid

15- 17-Apr: Madrid 

I've booked at Hostal Alonso. Rooms here, if booked well in advance, run around €30 per night for a private room with shared bathroom.  

Claudette flies in on the 16th, I believe. I may walk the section directly out of Madrid before she arrives, if I'm not too zonkered.   

I usually give myself a few days when I arrive in Spain, because I'm usually very sick from the exposure to perfumes and chemicals on the flight. It generally takes me 2-4 days to recover. So whether or not I start walking early depends on how I feel. 

The Cercanius train is easy to catch on the first couple of stages, and the trail runs nearby. A good plan is to walk, then catch the train back to Madrid, where you can book inexpensive lodging. To break it up and "train" a bit, I would walk to Golosco, then train back. Next day I'd take the train to Golosco and walk to Tres Cantos, then train back.

18-Apr Train to Tres Cantos and walk to Colmenar Viejo.  12k

We will begin our walk by taking the train to Tres Cantos and walking to Colmenar Viejo. 

I have booked lodging in Colmenar at Gran Hostal El Chiscon. Rooms here are not inexpensive, €60 for a doble. 

19-Apr Walk to Manzanares el Real 14.2k

Here, we are taking a chance with lodging and trusting the Camino to provide. We understand there is a Sra. Elena who has beds in Manzanares. We will look for her. There is also supposedly an elderly man who rents beds for €10,  Someone else said though the hotel is closed, if you call the number on the door, they will rent you a room. And lastly, if all fails, I will go back to El Yelmo Hotel. It is more expensive, but we stayed there last time and it was lovely. Claudette and I could share a doble there.

20-Apr Walk to Cercedilla 22k

As you can see, I'm gradually increasing our distances each day, mostly because this is my training. Like others, I have the best of intentions regarding training, but the truth is, I generally train on the Camino.  In Cercedilla, we have booked private rooms at Hostal Aribel Longinos (€30-35) However, we have also written Villa Castora, a youth hostel, to see about getting beds there. I stayed at Aribel last time, and it is nice, but makes for a long trek over the mountain the next day.  Staying at Villa Castora will give us a 3-4 kilometer break, and if we cannot get lodging there, I may just taxi up to that point next morning. This time I will NOT take the detour to Navacerrada.

21-Apr Next day walk to Valsain and bus to La Granja Ildefonso 26k

I well remember this walk to Valsain as the longest day of the route. Even though we were walking downhill, it seemed we would never reach Valsain.  This time, we will catch a bus the last few kilometers to La Granja and I have booked lodging for us in THE PARADOR!  Ta-da!  At €85 for a doble, it will be a god time to pamper ourselves.  I want to see the Royal Palace there.

Royal Palace

The Parador

22-Apr Walk to Segovia  13k

We believe we will be entering Segovia during a food festival. We have booked an apartment for 2 nights, Apartamentos Trinidad, for €80 each. This will give us the opportunity to see the Alcazare, the Cathedral, and the Aquaduct, as well as to rest up, get a hot soak, and eat some great food.

24-Apr Bus to Los Huertos then walk to Sta Maria del Nieva 19k

I don't really care to walk in the city, so we will take a 15 minute bus ride to Los Huertos and begin walking there. We will stay at the Albergue. €6.  Bar has "jarras" of cervesa.

 
25-Apr Walk to Nava de la Asuncion 15k

Here, we will again stay in the Albergue (€7) after we stop to see Margarita at the Pasteleria. We'll have dinner again at Cocina de la Abuela! It is important to buy food here for the next 2 days, as there is always a chance the bar at Vilaguillo, the ONLY place for food, will not be open. 

26-Apr Vilaguillo 15k

Here we stop to pay the mayor and stay in the little Albergue (€7). If the bar is open, it has good food. No tienda.

27-Apr Alcazaran - 19k

Here, be sure to see Iglesia de Santiago Apostól where frescoes were found hidden behind the old retablo. Good albergue here for €8. Alcazaran has a tienda and a bar, but they close for siesta.

28-Apr Puente Duero 26k

Lat time, we made the mistake of following the yellow arrows into the forest after the bridge at Valdestillas. This time, we'll turn left after the bridge and follow the highway to the Albergue €6.  I remember this town as having two tiny markets AFTER the albergue.

29-Apr Ciguñuela 26k

Sweet little village that you can see for miles in the distance before you arrive. Eat at Meson Mielga. Stay at the cool albergue with the schoolmaster's hand handle for €6.  There was a great kitchen here, but no gas to run the stove. This was my last night in 2014 so I'm anxious to continue. The rest of the notes are from Joe, who finished the route.

30-Apr Castromonte 24k

After taking a tourist stop in Wamba (about an hour up the trail) we will walk to Castromonte, where there was an albergue in an old schoolhouse. If it is not open, get key at bar. Big with lots of beds. €6 Two bars, a restaurant, carneceria where you can get bocadillo meat. If it is closed, you can ring the bell and they'll come. Kitchen but no gas. 

1-May Medina de RioSeco HOLIDAY  16k

At Medina, we'll stay at the convent €7.  Good clean simple. The town has everything you need. Lots of restaurants, bars, supermercados.  

2-May Cuenca 22k

Cuenca has a good albergue €5. You must call the hospitalero. Number on the door.  Lots of beds. Kitchen but no gas. Bars, restaurants, mercado in main square on the right as you walk into town on the dirt track that goes off to the left (not the main road).

3-May Santervas de Campos 22k

Follow Camino to church, where you will see the Santer Bar to get key €7. Bar has tienda, eat in bar.

4-May Sahagun 20k

Here, I'll stay at my favorite, Pension Pacho for €15-20.  This is a modest place, but clean and the owners are precious.

Here, Claudette and I will say adios, and I will go by train the next day to Pamplona to rest a few days and meet up with my pilgrims.

I hope you'll follow along!

Buen Camino,

Annie

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Need help planning your Camino? 

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Anniewalkers USA

To Cigunuela

May 13, 2014

The walk to Simancas and then to Cingunuela was another treat for the soul. 

I feel like a broken record but it really was majestic. 

By early morning, the sun was beating down

Castle walls

Simancas has a beautiful castle, several bars, and at least one bank. 

There is free wifi at the biblioteca. 

The password is the name of the village,

and you can sit outside and get wifi 

if the doors are locked.

The police were very helpful when I needed info 

about a train to Pamplona from Sahagun. 

I met an American woman in Puente Duero 

who said she just couldn't walk through one more wheat field. 

It's hard for me to understand her boredom 

because every day on this route has made my heart sing!  

Even the one bad day was good. 

In Oregon, there is a shade of green for every letter of the alphabet, 

but I still can't get enough green.

 And this walk in May has been a painter or photographer's dream. 

The white church tower of Cigunuela 

could be seen within a kilometer or two of leaving Simancas. 

It reminded me of when I was a little girl in Central California. 

On hot summer days, riding in the pickup with my grandfather, 

I would see water ahead on the road. 

But as soon as we would get to that spot, 

the water would move further ahead. 

My grandpa got a kick out of telling me 

the puddles were drying up and the rain cloud was moving fast ahead of us. 

It was a mirage, of course, 

but it kept me constantly entertained.  

The white steeple felt like those puddles. 

The closer I got, the further it would move. 

The walk felt longer than 6 kilometers, 

but the scenery made it very enjoyable. 

I haven't seen blue skies like these since I was a child!

In Cigunuela we ate a pilgrim menu 

at a restaurant called Meson Mielga. 

The restaurant is up a road to the left as you approach the main square. 

It's past the bar up the hill on the left across from the church. 

10 euros.   

Joe had some type of really spicy HOT cabbage dish for starters 

and I had a nice cold ensalada mixta. 

Next came a pork shoulder for Joe and fried cod for me. 

I'm telling you, 

Menu del Dia is a much better value

than the Menu del Peregrino

served to pilgrims.

If you want nice helpings,

eat before 2 pm.

We finished with flan!

Our waitress kindly told us how to find the albergue. 

Our friendly waitress.

The wonderful albergue was 3 euros. 

Clean with kitchen and hot showers. 

You cannot miss it. 

The door handle shakes hands with you...literally!  

You pick up the key at #24 on the same street. 

We were the only two pilgrims here.

 I am at the bus stop now detouring to Valladolid. 

The bus arrives sometime between 10 and 10:30 am. 

I must meet my group soon in Pamona 

and am having difficulty getting a clear answer 

about bus/train service ahead.

 So I've decided to make the sure decision, 

visit Villadolid, and bus/train from there. 

Another Camino I will return to finish, 

probably next year. 

Joe has gone ahead to Wamba. 

He will finish and will meet me in Pamplona later. 

It has been a joy and I'm sad to leave this route. 

But I can't take the chance of not getting to Pamplona on time.   

Here are a few more photos. 

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 morning

so I was all wrapped up and sleepy eyed.

We stopped after an hour or two for breakfast.

The sun was beginning to warm our bones.

The walking was gorgeous...

We stopped by a riverside for lunch.

Soon we were in Valdestillas.

The walk through town was nice,

and we found a bar, where we had a cold beer.

This mosaic tiled house was pretty

Ok.. see this bride?

Pay attention.

When you cross this bridge, wake up!

When you come out of Valdestillas, after you pass the train station,

after you cross the bridge, 

DO NOT cross over the highway to the right and 

do not walk directly into or around the forest!!! 

You will see yellow flechas.

Those yellow flechas are wrong!   

There is one milario 

with a very clear flecha on it leading into the forest. 

DO NOT FOLLOW THAT PATH!

There is a tree with an old faded fletcha 

indicating a path circling the forest to the left. 

DO NOT FOLLOW THAT PATH!

Instead, look for flechas along the carretera. 

We walked about 6-8k out of our way yesterday.

 My poor feet were battered!

When we stopped at a bar along the highway for a cold drink, 

we were so hungry, 

we ate the pinchos before tempering to take a photo !  

Oh, it was good!  

A seafood salad. 

An excellent seafood salad

The Albergue at Puente Duero is another good albergue. 

Donativo. 

A lovely garden area where pilgrims can pick their own salad. 

Our hospitalero, Arturo, was friendly and helpful. 

No wifi. 

Two small markets and a cash machine. 

Be prepared to walk a bit to the market.

Pick your own salad.

The rooms were tiny and beds were close together,
but it was a lovely albergue!