Malaga to Seville for the route. We are up near Merida. The route is being worked on from Castilblanco da la Arroyos to the entrance of the Sierra Notre park. A gravel wide track to keep the walkers off the road and on the sections up to the top of the climb from after the descent from the old National forestry buildings. Anyone done the whole route on the walkers version, its dry now but if the rains come the mud will be an issue.

Done it twice. Almost. Both times southbound.

Almost? Is that missing a section due to the weather and using the road ?

Sajama wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 6:37 pm Anyone done the whole route on the walkers version, it’s dry now but if the rains come the mud will be an issue.

Me, I've just ridden it.Though I should clarify that I was on Camino, so turned off the VDLP after Salamanca and followed the Camino Sanabres into SdC. As I understand it, the weather was not typical for September/October - dry and hot - so very, very hot (39C on the day I had to push up a mountain) so my experience may not be relevant. All the ways were bone dry. I rode what I could of the route on the Gronze app so mostly the walking paths.

The weather was hot unit 2days ago. Up in Caceres now, dry and hot is ideal. Last 2 days lots of runoffs crossing the track and for the walkers concrete blocks for stepping stones if rain. Its winter now for lots of tourist sights in Merida, just shows that global warming is here to stay .Prefer dry to the hell of Spanish mud that turns to concrete.

Where was the push up, was it in the Sierra Notre park on the track with new gravel chuncks then dirt before Almaden de la Plata? Or further noth of Caceres.

Sajama wrote: ↑Sun Oct 15, 2023 9:56 pm Where was the push up, was it in the Sierra Notre park on the track with new gravel chuncks then dirt before Almaden de la Plata? Or further noth of Caceres.

That one, with the viewpoints at the top, was pretty horrible coming at the end of my first day, but not the one I meant.

It was much later on, on the Sanabres between A Venda de Bolzano and Campobecerros where I albergue’d. It wasn’t the worst climb/push in the ride though, it was just sooo hot. There were a few much worse climbs, coming out of Oseira immediately comes to mind, truly horrible steep hills with big solid rocks to virtually carry the bike over as well as big loose ones. These I should have by-passed or taken easier options but I was “on a mission” and wanted to EFI (Every Freakin’ inch) My Camino - the only one I’m ever likely to get a go at.

Had a look for the place names, we are heading north to Oviedo and Gijon. Want to do the Roman road thro the Cantabtian mountains.