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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VDLP 2013 Day 7 - Alcuescar to Aldea del Cano

The trail today was interesting. 

There were times I was walking 

through fields of wildflowers, literally. 

It is a beautiful Camino in the Spring!

If you are following Melanie's app, 

there were again some differences.

 I got to a place out of Alcuescar where the MAIN road 

curved around to the left 

and there was a small dirt path (with a flecha) off to the right (as her app states). 

She says stay on the main road. 

So I did. And guess what? 

 The road made a circular turn, 

passed a hito pointing back to a different trail toward the Camino

 and began heading back to Alcuescar. 

In fact, I met pilgrims coming toward me.

Oooookay! 

 So I turned around and followed the new path by the hito, 

which appeared to be in the correct direction.

 Soon I saw Casas ahead.

But then, 

I decided to stay on the main trail and not turn off to Casas. 

It worked out great. 

At the big highway I turned right and walked about 1/4 mile to the trailhead,

 missing the climb into and out of Casas.

I arrived in Aldea before noon

 and was surprised to find 5 of the 9 best beds 

being saved by a Spanish pilgrim who had bussed here early this morning.

 SAVED!

A few folks who had planned on staying moved on. 

I grabbed a bed.

Then while I was in the bar, 

an official looking dude came in 

to discuss booking the Albergue for workers on the rail and road.

 I understand the are already booking beds up ahead. 

That sucks. 

Several walkers from the forum are having trouble up ahead.

So I'm thinking I may stop at Caceres this year and bus to Pamplona. 

Maybe I will just do the VDLP in stages; 

a little section each year. 

But we will see. 

I tend to change direction with the wind.

I do know I don't have the stamina nor the will to race for beds. 

I'm here to walk. 

 I will decide after the rain stops

VDLP 2013 - Day 6 - Alucin to Alcuescar

I began about 6 am, just in time to watch the sun rising in the Park. 

A "red sky at morning, sailor's warning' 

which turned out to be right ! 

I had to wear my Altus rain poncho about half way here 

and at this moment, 

I'm snug in my bed for an afternoon map while it thunders and pours rain outside.

A couple of Italian pilgrims

A beautiful cork tree

Wild Lavender

I'm so happy I didn't bus this section.

The walk through the Natural Park was mostly on gently rising dirt path. 

Occasionally, there would be rocky path 

but for the most part it was smooth and flat.

Well , it was almost flat. 

The hills sort of snuck up on you. 

I was walking along and suddenly I thought, "Dang! This pack is HEAVY!" 

 Then I realized it was because I was gradually climbing.

For the most part, Melanie's app was good. 

But there were a few differences. 

For one thing, as you near Alcuescar, you will notice signs with yellow arrows. 

One direction says "H" for hostel and the other says "A" for Albergue. 

This is the Albergue run at the monastery do if you want to stay there, you go left.

After a while you go off the gravel road onto a pavement.
This is where Melanie's app is wrong.
She says the road splits and you go RIGHT to the Albergue.
This is incorrect.
The dirt path to the Albergue splits off to the LEFT.
 If you take the right path,
I think you'll end up high in the village.
The left path is much more direct.

The Albergue does not open until noon
 and there are plenty of beds,
so stay for breakfast in Aljucen
unless you are starting early to beat the heat.

This Albergue closes between 2:30 and 4:30 for rest.
Mass is at 6:30 and dinner at 7:30.
The Albergue is donativo.
There is a place to charge your mobile,
but I haven't found wi-fi yet.

That's about it. 

I walked this 22 kilometer stage in about 5 hours. 

I took my time, stopping for breakfast and a foot-rubbing break.

Tomorrow if it is not storming
I will walk to Aldea de Cano. 

If it is raining I will bus to Caceres 

because Aldea doesn't have hot water and I don't want to get chilled 

with no way to warm up.