Walking the Camino de Levante E-Book

Margrit Wipf

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 156

Beschreibung

The Camino de Levante crosses Spain from Valencia in the southeast to Santiago de Compostela in the extreme northwest and leads mostly through unknown and lonely landscapes. At the beginning it runs through great orange and peach orchards south of Valencia and crosses La Mancha (known from the book Don Quixote de la Mancha). It passes through the world-famous cities of Toledo (UNESCO World Heritage Site), high above the Tajo River, Ávila, the highest city in Spain, Toro (with the imposing church Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor) and Zamora (the Romanesque city), located on the Duero River. Finally, the route reaches the province of Galicia and the destination of Santiago de Compostela via the Camino Sanabrés.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Introduction

PART ONE VALENCIA - ZAMORA

1 Valencia (Silla) - Algemessí

2 Algemessí - Xàtiva

3 Xátiva - Moixent

4 Moixent -La Font de la Figuera

5 La Font de la Figuera - Almansa

6 Almansa - Alpera

7 Alpera - Higueruela

8 Hoya Gonzalo - Chinchilla de Monte Aragón

9 Chinchilla de Monte Aragón - Albacete

10 Albacete, Sunday, and rest day

11 Albacete -La Gineta

12 La Gineta -La Roda

13 La Roda - Minaya

14 Minaya - San Clemente

15 San Clemente - Las Pedroñeras

16 Las Pedroñeras - Mota del Cuervo

17 Mota del Cuervo -El Toboso, Sunday, ½ day of rest.

18 El Toboso -La Villa de Don Fadrique

19 La Villa de Don Fadrique (Villacañas) - Tembleque

20 Tembleque - Mora

21 Mora (Nambroca) - Toledo

22 Friday, May 16, my 70th birthday

23 Toledo, Saturday and second rest day

24 Toledo - Torrijos

25 Torrijos - Escalona

26 Escalona - San Martin de Valdeiglesias

27 San Martin de Valdeiglesias - Cebreros

28 Cebreros- San Bartolomé de Pinares

29 San Bartolomé de Pinares - Ávila

30 Ávila - Gottarendura

31 Gottarendura - Arévalo, over 30 km!

32 Arévalo - Medina del Campo

33 Medina del Campo - Nava del Rey

34 Nava del Rey - Castronuño

35 Castronuño - Toro

36 Toro - Villalazán

37 Villalazán - Zamora

38 Rest Day in Zamora

PART TWO: ZAMORA - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

39 Zamora - Montamarta

40 Montamarta - Granja de Moreruela

41 Granja de Moreruela - Tábara

42 Tábara - Santa Croya de Tera

43 Santa Croya de Tera - Rionegro

44 Rionegro del Puente - Palacios de Sanabria

45 Palacios de Sanabria - Puebla de Sanabria

46 Puebla de Sanabria - Lubián

47 Lubián - A Gudiña

48 A Gudiña - Campobecceros (Laza)

49 Laza - Vilar do Bario

50 Vilar do Bario - Xunqueira de Ambía

51 Xunqueira de Ambía - Ourense

52 Ourense - Cea

53 Cea - Castro Dozón

54 Castro Dozón - Laxe

55 Laxe - Bandeira

56 Bandeira - A Vedra

57 A Vedra - Santiago de Compostela

PART THREE: SANTIAGO - FINISTERRE

58 Santiago de Compostela - Negreira

59 Negreira - Olveiroa

60 Olveiroa - Fisterra

61 Rest Day in Finisterre

Introduction

In April 2014, two women, both over 70, face a great challenge. Their intention is to walk the Camino de Levante. This pilgrimage route leads across Spain, from Valencia on the Mediterranean Sea to Santiago de Compostela, and on to Cap Finisterre on the Atlantic.

Who are the two women? They are

Margrit Wipf, born and raised in Zurich, and now living in Klosters (CH). She had started writing travel diaries at an early age, until now exclusively for her private use. She is the author of this book.

and

Ursula Austermann, resident in Aachen (D). She is an enthusiastic pilgrim and has already walked all the Caminos de Santiago in the meantime.

Since spring 2008, both women, independently of each other, have been walking the various St. James Ways (Caminos de Santiago) in Spain. In 2010, they meet on the Camino del Norte (Coastal Way) and walk together to Santiago de Compostela. This encounter resulted in a friendship that continues to this day.

Note: This book is not intended to be a pilgrim's guide nor a travel guide. Rather, I would like to take readers on an entertaining and exciting pilgrimage. To bring them closer to the wonderful country of Spain with many unknown areas and facets. A country that few people know in this way.

All photos in this book are original photographs by Margrit Wipf. The reprint, as well as photocopies and reproduction on electronic media (including Internet) are not allowed without the permission of the creator.

Recognition

I would like to thank the following persons:

Ursula Austermann that she agreed to walk the Camino de Levante with me. Alone I would never have walked this beautiful Camino. Muchas gracias.

Ruth Duppenthaler, my sister, who has been walking parts of my Caminos since 2009. It is always an enrichment to be on the road with you.

Walter Häni, a longtime friend who spontaneously offered his help to proofread my book. His love for writing, his sharp eye and his experience on pilgrimages have contributed to the good success of this work. Muchas gracias.

Theo den Otter, pilgrim friend from Holland, without his reports and videos about the Camino de Levante from 2013 I might not have dared to go this way. Many thanks.

Map Camino de Levante

Published with permission of the Asociación Amigos del Camino de Santiago-Comunidad Valenciana, which owns the COPYRIGHT for this map.

The Camino de Levante crosses Spain from Valencia in the southeast to Santiago de Compostela in the extreme northwest and leads mostly through unknown and lonely landscapes.

At the beginning it runs through great orange and peach orchards south of Valencia and crosses La Mancha (known from the book Don Quixote de la Mancha). It passes through the world-famous cities of Toledo (UNESCO World Heritage Site), high above the Tajo River, Ávila, the highest city in Spain, Toro (with the imposing church Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor) and Zamora (the Romanesque city), located on the Duero River. Finally, the route reaches the province of Galicia and the destination of Santiago de Compostela via the Camino Sanabrés.

In fall of 2013, the desire for a new trip came up. To walk the almost unknown Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago) in spring of 2014. When I asked Ursula Austermann, a pilgrim friend from Aachen, she was immediately on fire for this ambitious project. Thereupon followed an intensive planning period. I studied the pilgrimage guide, delved into the description of the stages, consulted the maps, and rummaged through my Spain travel guide.

As always, I created a first draft for our pilgrimage. When Ursula and I compared our stage plans, we always found that we only had to make a few adjustments. Somehow, we feel the same.

Valencia, Sightseeing Day 1

Mid-April 2014. Last night I arrived in Valencia, coming from Zurich, together with Ursula. It is beautiful spring weather, and everywhere trees and flowers are blooming. In addition, there is the intensive scent of orange blossoms. In Spain they are called Azahar or Flor de Azahar. My travel diary says that Ursula wants to buy perfume or eau de toilette with this scent. However, for now, that will have to wait, as we are just at the beginning of a long pilgrimage across all of Spain.

Before we leave in 2 days, we visit the city of Valencia, which offers a wealth of sights. Beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, the cathedral and the large Mercat Central, one of the largest market halls in Europe, where vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, etc. are sold. Numerous cafes and restaurants along the streets where you can enjoy a coffee in mild spring temperatures. In the old riverbed of the Turía River there is a complex of superlatives -La Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias, futuristic glass and concrete buildings reflected in water basins. It was designed by the world-famous architect Santiago Calatrava. Somehow 'megalomaniac' beautiful.

On a city tour we let Valencia pass us by. The old hymn to this beautiful city plays repeatedly from the headphones:

Valencia, es la tierra de las flores de la luz y del amor

Valencia, tus mujeres todas tienen de las rosas el color

Valencia, al sentir como perfuma en tus huertas el aqua

Quisiera, en la tierra valenciana mis amores encontrar

At 5 p.m. we are expected at the office of the Asociación Amigos del Camino de Santiago-Comunidad Valenciana to pick up our ordered pilgrim passports and to get the first stamp for our pilgrimage route. Afterwards, we go to the Estación Norte train station to check out the train connections for the day after next from Valencia to Silla. At the end of the day my trip meter shows 20 km again, as much as a day's stage. Back at the hotel we end the day with a wonderful paella and a glass of red wine.

Valencia, Sightseeing Day 2

Last night Ursula and I spontaneously decided on a Camino motto. It is called 'Dal Mediterráneo al Atlántico' (from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic). We go to the sandy beach near our hotel after breakfast to stand barefoot in the Mediterranean with our pants rolled up. It feels wonderful to be standing in the warm sea water at the beginning of a long walk all over Spain. Afterwards we continue sightseeing Valencia, partly by bus or then on foot.

At the beginning we go to the new marina. With the victory of the Swiss yacht Alinghi on the 31st America's Cup (2003), Switzerland suddenly rose to become an 'ocean nation'. Since we are a landlocked country, the 32nd America's Cup was held in Valencia, Spain, in 2007, and the harbor was upgraded accordingly for this major event.

Afterwards we visit the Lonja (Silk Exchange), the Ayuntamiento (City Hall) and stroll again through the Mercat Central to buy some provisions for tomorrow.

Travel Guide. Since my first Camino through Spain, I like to consult the Spain travel guides of Michael Müller Verlag for information on the country and its people. The author Thomas Schröder offers in these guides, in addition to accurately researched information, a variety of tips on accommodation and dining options.

There would still be a lot to visit in Valencia, but as always when I find myself at the beginning of a pilgrimage, my 'pilgrim heart' finally wants to go.

Pilgrim mode. Before we are back in 'pilgrim mode', here is some elementary information about the 'Caminos de Santiago' (Way of St. James) in Spain. The paths are marked with yellow arrows, with way stones or ‘St. James shells’. There are several pilgrim guides for these paths. I like to use the yellow outdoor guides in German of the Conrad Stein Verlag. The route descriptions contain detailed kilometer information for the stages, information about overnight accommodations and map sections. The route is described in detail, including alternative routes. These guides are an informative support for planning your own pilgrimage route and during the Camino itself, they are also always good for the most incredible information.

Back at the hotel we pack our backpacks and have a light dinner.

PART ONE VALENCIA - ZAMORA

1 Valencia (Silla) - Algemessí

Incredibly, today we really start! The alarm clock wakes us up at 5:30 a.m. From our hotel we have received a picnic breakfast, which we will eat on the way. The cab to Norte station picks us up as ordered. So early in the morning there is no traffic, and we catch an earlier train from Valencia to Silla. The first stage from Valencia to Algemessí is with 37 km much too long for us and we have already decided in advance to walk only from Silla.

At 07:25 we start walking. At first, there are still some clouds on the sky and some wind, but it feels good to be on the road again. The Camino de Levante is well marked and today mostly flat. We walk through huge orange plantations. There are ripe oranges hanging from the orange trees and at the same time there are orange blossoms. By the way, do you know that Spain is by far the largest citrus producer in Europe?

The orchards alternate with vegetable fields. It's only our first day on the road today, and yet our visual receptivity is already being stretched. Artichokes, vegetable onions, rice plants? Our senses are sensitized. As a city dweller, we usually have little idea how much work is involved in cultivation, care and, later, harvesting. As we pass a large onion field, the farmer offers us one of his vegetable onions as provisions. We decline with thanks. On the way we look with interest at the numerous irrigation systems with the switching aggregates for water supply. To our surprise, the Policia Local suddenly drives past us on the nature trail and asks us with interest about our destination. With the ‘St. James shell’ on the backpack, it is clear 'Santiago de Compostela'!

It is hot and I am glad that I packed a long-sleeved, breathable, shirt shortly before departure, which now protects me from the burning sun. In the pilgrimage office in Valencia, the lady had informed us that we should protect ourselves well, because the temperatures would rise to very high values in the coming days.

At 10:30 a.m. short stop for coffee in Almussafes. After that, there is no longer a place to stop. No shady spot, no bench - nada!!! Towards the end of the stage, workers pass by on their way to the lunch break, greet us and ask 'Santiago'? When we nod, they look at us admiringly. Some think they have misheard and then say 'peró no andando? ' (but not on foot?). Yes, yes, on foot. Well, we hope that we will arrive, but we don't know for sure. After all, it is 1'200 km and more than 2 months to Santiago.

As usual, the last hour drags on. At 2:30 p.m. we finally arrive in Algemessí and look first for a restaurant for lunch. After having eaten, we immediately feel better.

At the town hall, where the Policia Local is located, we show our pilgrim passport and identity card. The pilgrim's passport is also the authorization for the use of the official Albergue de Peregrinos (pilgrim's hostel). The copy of the identity card is used by the police for statistical purposes.

We thought that we would not meet any other pilgrims, but wrong! Stephane, a young Belgian guy is already there and later a younger German couple arrives. We only see the woman; her partner is injured, and the police drive them both to the hospital. Later, an older German says, he would like to join us, but we do not want to.

2 Algemessí - Xàtiva

The night was restless with much noise from the street. At 11 p.m. the German pilgrims returned from the hospital. The man injured his shoulder badly and cannot continue the Camino. They have no choice but to fly back home after the first day. It is bad when you must stop a Camino for health reasons, but already after the first day!!!

Our alarm clock goes off at 05:45 a.m. Quietly we dress, stow the remaining utensils in the backpack and after a short morning toilet we go out of the house. Again, this stage would be 29 km long. In order not to overstress our body already at the beginning, we take the train for the first part of the way to Carcaixent. Departure at 06.20 o'clock. By train it takes only 7 min, on foot we would have needed 2 ½ hours for the 9.6 km. Arrived in Carcaixent we look for a bar for breakfast. On the way there is one open. Unfortunately, there is no real breakfast, but at least a coffee and some 'Magdalenas' (pastries). Off we go at 07:30.

Today, our way leads again through huge orange and peach plantations. Past a reed belt teeming with mosquitoes, and past fields of artichokes and vegetables. Soon, the landscape becomes more varied, and a mountain range can be seen on the horizon. Our destination is Xàtiva (also spelled Játiva), the city of the popes. Two later appointed popes were born here, Pope Calixtinus III and Pope Alexander VI.

Arriving in Xàtiva, we are really 'deshechas' (exhausted). The body screams 'thirst, hunger, shade' and only wants a place to sit down and rest. So as usual, we immediately look for a place to have lunch. After that, the spirits of life come back quickly.

Afterwards we go to our booked accommodation. I am physically still a bit tired, but ok. Later in the afternoon we go down to the city. After an extensive sightseeing incl. church, papal statues, buildings etc. we sit down outside on a pretty plaza and have a Copita (means 'little glass'). We use this term on our Caminos as a general term for an aperitif.

Pilgrimage

What fascinates us about this ancient form of being on the road? And why do hundreds of thousands of people of all ages and nationalities take this risk every year? I will write about this topic later in this book.

In addition to the desire on walking through a foreign country, I certainly have a bit of a pioneering spirit. In my mind I often ask myself, what's around the next bend? And if I then stand on a crossing, which opens the view over a beautiful new landscape, my body releases endorphins. Is that how happiness is defined?

Everyday pilgrimage

Anyone who has ever been on a pilgrimage route, knows that the daily stages usually follow a pattern. Our stages are about 20 km long and our daily routine in Spain looks like this:

The alarm is set for 6 o'clock a.m., getting up, morning toilet, finishing packing the backpack and go to breakfast at 06:30. In the rural areas there is usually an open bar, where you can get a coffee and a dry pastry. In southern regions our favorite breakfast is 'Pan tostado con aceite y tomate y ajo' (toasted bread slices, olive oil, freshly chopped tomatoes and garlic). And let's not forget, the freshly squeezed orange jus. Delicious!

Provided it already has fresh bread, we change our routine and order a 'bocadillo' (sandwich) with cheese or 'jamón serrano' (dried ham). We then eat half for breakfast and have the other half packed as sandwich.

We start walking in the morning around 07:00 a.m. Depending on the temperatures, it can also be shortly after sunrise. The cool morning hours are perfect for hiking. It is not hot yet; the light has a pastel coloring, and all birds are singing (spring is mating season after all).

We walk, lost in our thoughts. Meditative walking alternates with enthusiastic exclamations or silent wonder. Between 9 and 10 o'clock we take a break. If there is a place with an open bar along, we stop in. We order coffee or water and eat our sandwich. Afterwards we continue and between 1 and 2 p.m. we usually arrive at the stage place.