I left my hostal at 8:15, aimed for the river and northward, more or less.
For those of you who wonder why the guidebooks say 22 km, let me start with 2 important points:
- I do not claim to have a great sense of direction.
- Rightly considered, inconveniences are an adventure.
Instead of a double decker bus tour of Seville or a visit to the Museum of Flamenco Dance, I opted for a walking tour of the industrial outskirts of Camas. Being a totally unguided tour, it added 4.2 km to the distance! I have a precise Map-My-Walk record to prove it. Today was sunny and warm, getting up to the mid- to high 20s. It was a bit of a slog, especially with jet lag.
Sunday flea market on the outskirts of Seville.
It was odd to not see a single other pilgrim for the first few hours until I came upon an Austrian couple who were stopping in Santiponce (halfway) for the night and another man walked by across the street. Further along I came upon a Dutch woman resting. I was the first pilgrim she had seen in 7 days, as she had walked from Cadiz.
I was very glad to reach Guillena and was quite tired. In the end, 9 of us stayed at Luz del Camino albergue – me, a man from Nanaimo (BC), a couple from Quebec, the Dutch woman, 2 separate Australians, one German, and a Belgian woman (the only one much under 50). Most have walked caminos before.
In Guillena we saw a procession – to be repeated in many towns until Easter.
Had dinner together at the nearby old people’s daycare centre which makes dinners for pilgrims at an earlier time than the restaurants in town. So we ate at 7:30 and were in bed by 9:30.
Seeing Clarely 
Hey Clare, thanks for posting such a well documented and photographed piece. I’ll be following with interest. By the way, with Map my Walk, do you use that off line with your GPS, or online pulling down from your data? Also, how long will this pilgrimage be?
Thanks for the comments. I’m walking just 31 days so may only get to Zamora. I brought a power bank that can recharge my phone twice. Yesterday I ran maps.me and Map my Walk the whole day, and had to connect the power bank at noon! However it worked well and I’m thrilled to have the security. I’m still experimenting with these apps.
Get start Clare, and good to have some company without crowds.
We have picked up a couple more people now!
I stopped and took my boots off in the shade of that stream… but in September it was just a dried up river bed and the only shade for miles! Wonderful photos!!
Buen Camino!
Thanks. I’m sure you will be trying this route before long!
Haha, have to finish el Norte first! 🙂
Clare
I have heard from a number of people that Map My Walk gobbles battery. In case you want to try something less “hungry” I found strava would work for 9-10 hours and still leave me with 20% battery.
By the way, if it’s any consolation we got off route in Camas too as two elderly gentlemen pointed out where we should go – but they were wrong! The police came by and set us straight when we were trying nervously to cross over a motorway on ramp!
Buen camino!
I should find something more battery-efficient – maybe for next year!
If you get a decent wifi connection, strava can be downloaded very easily (but no pressure!!)
Very enjoyable post. Brought back some good memories!
Thanks. You’ll be back!
Also, I used a brilliant little app called Silver Way – there is a free basic version and for 4€ you get the premium version. It has photos and text and accommodation and it saved my bacon a few times when I wasn’t sure which way to go… brilliant little app 😀 (it has a big yellow shell logo and I think the company that makes it is called Independent Trip)
That might be the one I have on my phone and keep forgetting to look at!
I can’t find an app called Silver Way on Android. On the Apple store if I type in Silver Way it finds an App called “Via de la Plata PREMIUM” I assume that’s it?
I hope to walk this camino next year.
I have that one and think it might be the same one as Colleen uses.
Looking forward to reading all your posts! I’d like to walk this Camino one day, but I’m facing a hip replacement next week. Who knows how my rehabilitation will go? Fingers crossed!
Walking is the best exercise, as soon as you are ready! Next week? Good luck and speedy recovery!
Mid twenties with sun!!
You would have hated it!
Hi Clare! The stream in your picture, is that one of the two we read about in guidebooks that we have to cross? If so, I take it they are not very deep at the moment?
Yes, as far as I know, it is only one that you need to be concerned with. It is fine now. What I don’t know is how “flashy” it is and whether a new rainfall could make it rise later in the year. And I’m not sure who you would ask. You do NOT want to be turning around and walking back to the turnoff. Maybe just watch for reports from others on the forum, and watch the weather.
Thanks Clare.
I plan on popping in to visit the VDLP volunteers’ association in the evening after arriving in Sevilla. I’m sure they will know of any flash flooding.
I begin from Seville on March 23, really appreciate your blog,
Buen Camino !
Cliff
Perfect walking weather is forecast for then!
I really appreciate all the info you provide. i am in the first stages or deciding on my next Camino… Already did the Frances and the Potugues and I was thinking the El Norte, but now I am considering this one instead… I like to keep my distances around 20 km per day, up to 26, 27 max… So I will be checking if this is feasable, with a nice bed at the end of the day. Thanks!