Spain
Grimaldo

Discover travel destinations of travelers writing a travel journal on FindPenguins.
Travelers at this place
    • Day 19

      Day 19 - Galisteo - 19.1 km

      October 9, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

      How quickly landscape and weather can change.
      While we are still in the autonomous region of Extremadura we have definitely climbed into the cooler and more higher country.
      There has been a cool wind blowing - quite strongly at times - and after a few hours through trees and over hills, the landscape transformed into green pastures with grazing sheep and cattle. Again I sort of missed those incredibly hot plains further south. I am completely amused by this longing for the difficult first few weeks.
      We were walking on another Roman road today. Over the last few days I noticed lots of quartz rock in the road beds but now I believe that what we are seeing is the base of the original Roman roads. Sort of exciting and inspiring.
      I left in the cool dark this morning (6.15 am) with the way lit by a nearly full moon and Miguel’s head lamp. Very beautiful. I started to wish the sun would rise, but remembering my lessons on the hot plains I reminded myself to enjoy the dark and be fully present because the sun would eventually rise and the dark would be gone.
      When I started this Camino I didn’t realise that sunrise is not till 8.00 or 8.30 am and that you really need to leave in the dark to get the cooler part of the day - and I am usually awake around 5-6 am anyway. So I will need to buy a headlamp in Salamanca. I can use my phone torch but it’s not so good if I am walking in the dark for a couple of hours.
      I am staying in the walled town of Galisteo. This is more like the Spain I know from previous Caminos. I am looking forward to exploring this town after I check in to the Albergue.
      The Albergue is fabulous. Mainly single beds for 8 people and I might be the only one here today. Large lounge area and modern bathroom.
      The accomodation is much improved since Camino Frances in 2007 when I remember many rickety bunk beds and cold showers.

      Buen Camino

      (20 km in 6 hours)
      Read more

    • Day 28

      Tajo Stausee - Grimaldo 7.6.2018

      June 7, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

      Es waren heute zwar nur 20 km, die waren dafür aber auch hübsch giftig 😎 los ging es mit dem ersten Kilometer, der steil bergauf ging, aber nicht auf schicker Piste, nein, es war alles felsig und steinig. Also bei jedem Schritt aufpassen, wo und wie man den Fuß setzt. Ging mir schön auf den Zahn.

      Als ich dann oben angekommen war, erstreckte sich vor mir zwar eine schöne Hochebene, der Untergrund blieb aber größtenteils unverändert. So zu gehen ist reichlich zermürbend, man kommt nicht wirklich in Schwung, muss immer wieder abstoppen und neu anlaufen.

      So stand die erste Pause bereits nach 90 Minuten an, in denen ich nicht viel mehr als 5 km geschafft hatte. So ging es eigentlich auch weiter bis Höhe Canaveral. Höhe deshalb, weil ich die Stadt umlaufen habe; ich hätte von dem Weg runter nach Canaveral abzweigen müssen. Dafür bestand aber keine Veranlassung, also trabte ich weiter.

      Hinter Canaveral besserte sich die Piste etwas und ich bekam mehr Zug ins Marschieren. Dennoch wechselten sich An- und Anstiege immer wieder mal ab, so daß auch das Tempo ständig wechselte. So etwas strengt mehr an, als man ahnt. Ich machte daher häufiger mal eine kurze Pause, als sonst. So ging das dann ohne größere Probleme. Ich habe hier festgestellt, dass die Spanier ihre Rastplätze nicht ganz zufällig irgendwo hinbauen. Triffst du auf eine, nutze sie, denn dahinter kommt schnell irgendetwas Fieses. Bei mir war das heute dann noch etwa 7 km vor dem Ziel ein richtig fetter Anstieg. Foto anbei.

      Hier in Grimaldo lasse ich es heute unterkunftsmäßig mal wieder etwas gediegener angehen. Das Zimmer ist vom allerfeinsten. Das Bad ebenfalls. Fotos anbei. Ist auch nicht ganz ohne Grund, denn ab morgen kommen bei mir 5 Tage mit jeweils rund 30 km und ordentlichen Steigungen. Ein massiver Zwischenspurt. Da kann es nicht schaden, wenn ich meinem Körper vorher nochmal bischen Wellness-Oase verpasse 😎

      Den Stand heute nicht vergessen. 567 km. Es läuft 😁
      Read more

    • Day 31

      From the Embalse to Grimaldo

      May 8, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

      Last night close to sunset the sky opened up. I heard a lot of thunder but didn’t see any lightening. I was glad to be watching it from inside!

      My room of three women last night was great—lots of space, no noise — and since it was such a short day today I didn’t even get up till 7. Unheard of! The price of the albergue included a breakfast of sorts, but by the time we three women got there it was pretty much all gone. Not a big loss.

      The peregrinos are mainly German and Dutch. Last night there were three Japanese men, and they told us that they have all walked many Caminos and have never coincided with more than one other Japanese. One is from Hiroshima, one has a daughter who got her masters at Northwestern, and one has climbed all of Japan’s 100 peaks twice. And that is all I know about each of them!

      This was another day with very little asphalt —it’s really amazing how little there is on the Vdlp. Two parts were especially nice — one through a pine forest and another through meadows with cork trees. The Jara flower was everywhere. Some bushes have white flowers with five bright red spots, while others have all white. Very pretty.

      There is an albergue here in Grimaldo, but I remembered it being very small and cramped. So I opted for the luxury option — a Casa rural that gives pilgrims a special rate of 20€ if you share or 30€ for private. The owner Cesar is an architect who, like many, lost his job with the housing crash in 2008. He bought this house in ruins and is renovating it little by little and with no bank loans. It is spotless and lovely, with a little garden, and a kitchen.

      The restaurant in town is also excellent with a 10€ menú del día. After a good lunch I spent about an hour with Cesar, as he showed me his labor of love— large organic garden, fruit trees, the work to get the upstairs ready for habitation. All in all, a great little pueblo and a great Casa Rural for pilgrims and non-pilgrims alike!
      Read more

    • Day 22

      The morning after

      May 13, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

      I think there will be some sore heads! Short video under.

      My night was interesting. I headed back to the albergue early. It’s a lovely place run by a young couple with two small children. Good facilities - I should take photos for those unfamiliar with albergues. My friends had arrived before me and were allocated a small room which they filled.

      I was in a huge room, with lots of bunks but only two older men. I don’t know why they took the adjoining bunks and not ones further away!

      A night full of snoring, interesting noises, and no sleep for me! Ah well, albergue living.

      Now I am in Grimaldo which does not really qualify as a stage but I’m catching a bus from here to Salamanca tomorrow- to catch up with a friend. And to buy a replacement wind jacket - having left mine behind somewhere. And it’s cold! Snow further north. Then I’ll bus back south to continue the walk.
      Read more

    • Day 12

      Zurück im Sommer

      May 22, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

      Die kühleren Tage sind vorüber. Der Sommer ist zurück und damit auch wieder die Temperaturen über 30 Grad.

      Heute war ein wunderbarer Tag. Nur 20 km standen auf dem Plan. Endlich wiedermal Zeit, ein bisschen auszuruhen. Natürlich erlaubt das auch, am Morgen ein bisschen länger liegen zu bleiben. Nach einem ausgiebigen Frühstück lief ich dann um 8:30 Uhr los. Der Weg heute war wunderschön. Ich würde sogar behaupten, die bisher schönste Strecke bis jetzt. Der Weg wurde hügeliger, urchiger und hatte mehr Kurven und gegen Schluss auch ein Waldstück, was alles viel abwechslungsreicher und dadurch auch interessanter und kurzweiliger erscheinen liess.

      Im ersten (und einzigen) Dorf auf der Strecke machte ich eine Pause in einer Bar und dann holte mich mal wieder Louis ein. Die zweite Hälfte haben wir dann wieder gemeinsam gemeistert und alle älteren (also alle 😂) Pilger überholt.

      Am Nachmittag haben wir uns schön entspannt. Viele der Pilger von gestern waren auch heute wieder im gleichen Dorf. Die Gesellschaft tut echt gut.

      Ab Morgen ist wieder frühes Aufstehen angesagt, um den heissen Temperaturen so gut es geht auszuweichen. Bei einer 30 km Strecke ist dies leider nur bedingt möglich.
      Read more

    • Day 21

      Day 21 - Summary - personal

      October 11, 2022 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

      Confession-
      I was quite resistant to walking this Camino. Why?
      It was too hard: too long: too boring: too lonely and I was feeling too lazy. I had a belief that I wasn’t fit or strong enough; and add to that my existing foot problem (the old Morton’s Neuroma). I had a belief that I wouldn’t be able to do it.
      And now …
      I have walked. around 360 km, taken a bus for 68 km and a taxi for 12 km to either find some accommodation or to make a really long stage doable.
      On two or three afternoons I walked for a few hours in appalling heat, no shade and seemingly never ending flat plains; and reached our destination without disintegrating. I had plenty of water, my shady umbrella and companions to keep me going. It was indescribably hard but it was done. And I learnt that nothing lasts forever.
      I discovered that I can walk 18 - 20 km before my foot starts to hurt and if I use some Voltarin Forte cream I can walk for another 5 km. But I don’t walk to create long term damage so I will stick to 20 km or less every day.
      I am now in the green hilly country that is more like the Spain I know from previous Caminos. And there are more fellow peregrinos - which has given me some opportunities to share and hear from others.
      I confessed to one of my fellow peregrinos that ‘I don’t like this Camino’ and they agreed with me that this first part was really hard for them too.
      Well the second 10 days have been an improvement on the first 10 days.
      I have moved from the hot hot plains to the hill country where it is more cool and green.
      Highlights
      Walking with a group of Spanish ‘supermen’ and one woman. I did some longer days and afternoons in the heat (32 degrees) and learnt I can do much more than I think.
      Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Grimaldo

    Join us:

    FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android