Today’s distance 36.5 km
Elevation gain 596 m
Elevation loss 246 m
Total distance from Almería 244.5 km
We left early this morning due to a long day. At 07:00 it was still a little dark in Granada and the very discrete ceramic plaques indicating the way were not easy to spot. The signage out of the city was quite inadequate and luckily maps.me got us out of trouble.
The city streets extended into the suburb of Maracena and it was over 8 km before we reached the city limits. A further km and we finally reached a dirt track, but it was not proper countryside and the track soon turned back to asphalt, with very threatening skies overhead and one or two drops of rain.
Some of the fields we passed by were being harvested for asparagus and Marilyn was given a handful of plump spears that we enjoyed eating raw.
We reach the town of Atarfe at 12.5 km and stop for a hot drink, but don’t stop at the first bar as we did, as there are some more pleasant options in the town square. On the way out of town there is a long trek through an industrial area and then onto road between a railway line and some scruffy fields. It’s easy walking but not enjoyable and we make good time into the next town of Pinos Puente. A rather scruffy town but with very friendly locals.
It is not until we leave Pinos Puente that it feels as if we’re really in the countryside for the first time, but still walking along the road.
It’s almost 27 km before we are directed off the road and onto a dirt track – that was a lot of pounding on hard surface and it feels good to be walking on dirt, through countless olive groves.
We reach the small village of Olivares after 32.5 km and know that it is only a further 3.5 km to our stage end, but most of that distance is a very long and very steep climb, and I mean very long and very steep. Marilyn and I plod slowly but surely up the hill not daring to stop in case we find it difficult to start again. Just take a look at the elevation profile above.
We finally reach the hill-top village of Moclin, perched at over 1,000 metres and I reckon we have just climbed 500 m over 3 km and then find that our accommodation is at the very top of this very high village. We gird our loins for the final ascent and are met by a very pleasant young woman who shows us to our home for the night. And what a home! A 16th century property with heavy beamed ceilings, all manner of artefacts, fabulous decoration and comfortable furniture. A huge kitchen, lounge with corner chimney, beds for eight and a luxurious bathroom. We paid the ridiculously small amount of 70 euros for this, more or less 12 euros per person. Pósito de Moclin reserved via Booking.com – such a lovely experience for the price of an albergue. Result!
I cooked a healthy dinner from the few scraps of veg that were available in the village shop and it has been touch and go as to whether this post would get finished, as sitting in front of a roaring fire isn’t conducive to concentration, particularly after walking 36 km.
Trepidatious traveller - camino blog 
WOW. Tough day. You will have slept well last night. Take care, Mel
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Well done to you all, that was some walk!
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Wow Maggie, big day but great end. Loving your posts, as always
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That looks like a fabulous walk but those last few kilometres must have been hard.
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Great stuff Maggie.x
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That elevation! And you made it! You’re awesome xx
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Wow. Granada – Moclin in one day. I bet you were all exhausted at the arrival in Moclin.
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the pictures are beautiful………..hope you sleep well tonight!!! with plenty of rest for your legs and back…….you ladies are an inspiration…………by the way this is Cachy Brister writing not Bill!!!! I am the writer/extrovert in the family…….
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Regarding your first paragraph about signage out go Granada, I found on my recent trip on the VdlP that the larger tourist towns seem to have forbidden random painting of yellow arrows to help pilgrims. Brass plaques in the pavement (as in Salamanca) are so few and far between that they are hard to find.
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Wow, hard climb, but what a view! You must have felt like champions, way to go!
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Buen trabajo!!! What a long walk! Glad you are all tucked in and getting to relax…
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What app are u using to track km’s and elevation and that u r downloading to your blog? Love how it gives you the basic info u need and tracks total distance travelled from your start point and then each day. I’m hiking the Camino Frances in June and would love to be able to do this? I have Alltrails as app loaded on my iPhone presently but haven’t tried exporting any data from it?
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Hi Sherry, apologies if this is seen as a hijack of the thread but it took me some time to home in on an App that satisfied my needs. I now use Viewranger which has its own generic maps and also allows you to download more detailed ones if you want (at a price). When you tell it to track you (and I use an iPhone), it records all of height profile as well as distances. If you’re interested I can give you more information and you can see some of the walks that we do at Yorkshire Ramblings dot com. I hope this helps. George.
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I have the iPhone as well and yes will take more information. Can you capture the profile Like Magwood uses and easily post to blog?
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Yes you can. You can download the app for free. Plan your walks on-line through a browser or just load the app on the iPhone and tell the app to track you. It records trip distances, full distance, elevation and average speed etc. It’s only when you start downloading other people’s walks and extra maps (you get Open maps for free including satellite view). It’s well worth a play and its now the only one I use with the YorkshireRamblings team but I’m open minded and would value other people’s opinions. G.
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What an amazing day I am in awe of you women, well done. Glad that the rain only threatened but
didn’t happen. What beautiful accommodation and what a price!! This camino just gets better and better. Much love and buen camino xx
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Hi Maggie
A tough but rewarding day. The end of the elevation profile looks like ladder work.
Well done!
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A well deserved prize after a tough day. You are an amazing group well done. Hope the weather stays fair. xx
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What a wonderful reward after a tough day, we’ll done everyone.
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What a concluding climb to the day! Was it as steep as your dreaded drive at home? I sure couldn’t manage that for 3.5 kms
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Much worse Lyn and pretty constant!
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You are one brave lady. Never again are you allowed to complain about the drive. You can safely leave that to me!
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