It must be about time I shared my plans for my next camino. What started as a vague commitment to walk in 2018 with a member of the camino forum, has snowballed into a multinational group of anything between 6 and 10. After my experience of walking with a group last year, I can say that I am looking forward to meeting some new people and getting together again with those I have met before. Walking in a group does not mean that we will all set off at the same time every morning and stay by eachother’s sides all day. Rather it means that there will be familiar company at the end of each day and if people so choose, they will walk together for part or all of each stage, or walk entirely alone, but with the security of knowing there are others hiking along a lightly travelled path. The main concern is accommodation, but we have been reliably assured that there is accommodation for 12 in all of the first 9 stages at least.
“But where is this lightly travelled path?” I hear you say. Well, it’s another one fairly close to home, but rather than travelling west to Málaga to start the Camino Mozárabe as I did in 2015, I shall be travelling east to Almería to set off on the Mozárabe once again from its furthest starting point. The route intersects with Granada and then Córdoba, by which time I will be covering already walked ground.
My first thought was to bus ahead from Córdoba to Mérida and then retrace my footsteps along the Via de la Plata, but then I discovered a new route that diverts from the Mozárabe around 175 km past Córdoba, and travels northwards through the city of Trujillo and then emerges on the VdlP at Aldeanueva del Camino, where I shall walk the remaining 100 km to Salamanca but probably stay in different albergues to which I stayed in 2015. This diversion cuts around 90 km from the standard Mozárabe route.
At Salamanca I have arranged to meet with another forum member who I first encountered in Lisbon in 2014, and we will walk the Camino Torres together which takes a westerly turn out of Salamanca and meanders through Spain and Portugal passing through some very historic sites and eventually links up with the Camino Portuguese at Ponte de Lima. At this point I will jump across to the Portuguese coastal route and then the Variante Espiritual, which will mean that on this section I will only cover one stage of already trodden ground, and that will be the final 25 kms from Padrón to Santiago de Compostela.
I have made my customary rough plan which adds up to 58 days, although only 56 of them on the move, as I will take an extra day in Salamanca to wait for my Portuguese friend and I will probably take one other day off whilst walking the Torres. My previous longest walk was on the Mozárabe from Málaga which took 52 days to walk to Finisterre. This year I won’t feel the need to walk on to the coast as I will already have walked from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic before reaching Santiago.
So there you have it folks. Start date mid-April. I’ve renewed my backpack this year (Osprey Exos 38 litre) and have purchased new boots (Asolo Thyrus) which have yet to be worn-in, but most other items still have some life in them and will remain the same as last year.
I’ve purchased the map shown above from the Wise Pilgrim website. It shows all of the caminos I have already walked and all elements of my 2018 camino. Just look at how many more routes there are for me to discover – I need to stay fit for many years to come!
The header photo shows my grandson on the beach at Weston super Mare, where I am currently babysitting for a few days.
Trepidatious traveller - camino blog 
Looking forward to virtually walking alongside. Buen Camino. Ingrid
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I’m already for your next adventure!!
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Dear Maggi, you’re amazing!!!
I’m preparing a new Camino also ( primitivo, Inglés and Finisterre, maybe…????, this time with my brother, he’ll meet me at Madrid. Will be in the middle of August due to his vacation schedule of one month. Any recommendations?
A big hug and buen Camino!!!
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Hi Jeannette, lovely to hear from you. Why not walk out from Madrid – it is a lovely camino and then if you have time you can continue on the San Salvador and Primitivo. I wouldn’t want to walk in August though – I couldn’t cope with the heat. If you are time limited, then I would say the Primitivo, it’s a really beautiful trail. I would love to know what you decide. Enjoy your preparations and buen camino!
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Buen Camino as always 🙂
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There will be at least two more pilgrims after Viana do Castelo.
Bom caminho
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The more, the merrier – it’s possible there may be an extra one (or two) starting from Salamanca. Até logo!
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Excellent news! I look forward to following your next adventure especially as we have sold up in Sayalonga and are living back in South Devon!
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Nice to near from you Bridget, has the snow reached you down in Devon?
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We have about an inch with lots more to come today! As long as we don’t lose electricity (although we are well rehearsed after 10 years in the hills above Sayalonga!!) I am very happy to sit and sew curtains for our new home!
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Maggie like everyone else I’m looking forward to reading about your Camino. You are a wonderful woman and my hero. Buen Caminoxx
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I’m so looking forward to your company Mary xx
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Very excited to follow along Maggie, Your Camino reports are always excellent and entertaining. Buen Camino!
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Thank you Nadine. It’s a small world – I just popped over to Mr.Dangeroso’s blog as he had made a comment here and saw your name in the comments of his very amusing post ‘10 Ways You Know You Are In The Middle Of The Camino‘. Like you I’ve just purchased my sixth pair of boots – I would love to find a pair that I could wear for more than one camino.
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It‘s great to learn that you‘ll be back on the road again, I‘m really looking forward to following you.
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Thanks Lucy – I look forward to your company.
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Buen Camino Maggie
Thanks for your help with track files for my upcoming camino.
Your next one is a great one.
Annie
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Glad to help Annie – as I was helped with the same thing last year!
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Yay! We are off walking again! I can’t wait to follow you from Aus! Take care and buen camino. Mel
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Thanks Mel – I’m making the most of some rainy days to do some camino preparation chores.
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Enjoy your preparation. That is half the fun! I am in Via Francigena mode even though it is months away yet. Buen camino.
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You are indomitable. I wish I had discovered the Caminos a long time ago. Have done part of Francis and Portuguese Coastal from Porto and am addicted but not that simple from Canada and over 70. Walk on.
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Thanks for your comment. I appreciate how lucky I am living here in Spain with all these caminos on my doorstep. I hope I will still be reporting from new caminos in my seventies.
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Finally Maggie is on the move again!! I have been checking your page so often to see if something happend in the meanwhile! Good luck and I will keep in touch.
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Thanks Harry – six weeks and counting!
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Hola Maggie,58 days on the trot more or less,A monster undertaking! Good luck along the way. We are on the VdP from Salamanca from March 27th. I look forward tho reading your blog as always. Buen Camino
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Hi Alan and Joan. Just a month until you set off. I found the first day out of Salamanca very uninspiring, but after that it is a beautiful walk, particularly if you take the Sanábres.
Buen camino to you both
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Buen Camino! I’ll follow your posts from France!
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I can’t wait to read about the Torres… since walking the VdlP I’ve longed to go back and I thought the same as you; to jump onto the Torres at Salamanca… it’s on my wish list 🙂 p.s. it’s a long wish list!
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Hi Colleen. I was just reading about your plans. I shall look forward to your posts – I think you are starting a week or so before me. Hopefully I can give you a few good tips for the Torres.
Buen camino amiga!
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I will be making notes 🙂 P.S. I’m still not 100% sure of the CF… I might make a late switch to the Primitivo depending on the weather 🙂
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Just awesome! I can’t wait to be following along reading your daily post again.
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Thanks Bill – I look forward to your company.
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