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Used a light-weight high-quality walking pole for the first time last year on the Via Francigena. Just for a day as I was delivering it to a pilgrim who had left it behind. What a revelation! All future caminos for me will be with a single pole.
I walked it in 2018 and used the by then out-of-date CSJ guide. There were definitely stretches where lack of water was a problem, such as the Jaca-monastery route (although there is a village half-way. There is another section (and I have forgotten which) of about 20km where there was...
Fear not, there are always pilgrims! Check in to that albergue in Ponferrada and you will have company immediately. Or just meet them on the Way on your the first morning.
A pretty good description of that route, which I walked last October. I had some different perspectives of course, partly because I have some Italian and could ring and reserve pilgrim accommodation. Also, in October the walkers appeared to be exclusively pilgrims, such that it occurred to me...
I walked this route in October 2023. I actually found it fatiguing in parts, particularly in Tuscany where there are a number of steep hills (but maybe I'm just getting older). However, the scenery and food is very nice. There are some beautiful but not-at-all famous hill-top villages to...
The is (was) a forum member called Weiho from whom I bought a watercolour several years back. His work is accomplished and very evocative of the camino experience. Maybe approach him via a private message to see if he is still active.
Hi Bradypus, they are indeed the same species but considered different sub-species. Maybe that explains the difference in behaviour. The American version has the sub-species name 'horribilis', so who knows. I am glad there are less of them in Europe.
Hi, I use an Italian Vodafone sim card that I cannot reload in Vodafone shops in Germany (for example). However, this issue is circumvented by using the Vodafone.it website that has an option to easily reload my account. I suspect each country-specific website offers the same facility.
The CSJ guide was out-of-date when I used it, admittedly in 2018. Caused some inconvenience at the time. Maybe it's age has resulted in it being discontinued.
Agree with most of what the OP said, particularly with respect to signage. I found the need to book accommodation a couple of days ahead disappointing, but it is just a fact of life on this route. Sandy Brown's book was a help but is not exhaustive so use Gronze as a valuable back-up. I would...
The route due north out of Porto (it passes just to thre east of the airport) has 3 days of (consecutively) concrete setts, cobblestones and bitumen. Horrible to walk on and similarly unpleasant to fall on. Avoid it if you can and take the route along the beach that features wooden boardwalks.
Hi, I assumed there was little difference other than a few diversions, but as I see, that is not the case. Walking on cobblestones is no fun so it will be the VF Sud for me I think. Thanks for the information.
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