• Remove ads on the forum by becoming a donating member. More here.
  • 20% off everything Altus the next few days at the Camino Forum Store. More here. (Discount taken at check out)

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Advanced search…

Search results for query: *

  1. Antonius Vaessen

    Is the Camino too crowded?

    To me the Frances was too crowded two years ago, april-may. The problem was not so much finding a place to stay. There were just too many people too my liking. When walking it was not a problem but everyday I saw many new faces. This is because people spread out over lots of different...
  2. Antonius Vaessen

    Auberge Borda

    If you have booked a bed in Borda, you don't have to leave St Jean early. The albergue opens not before 3. Waiting outside is not a problem if the wearher is fine. When I stayed there it was cold, wet and foggy. If you arrive early you could stay for a drink in Orisson, the walk from there to...
  3. Antonius Vaessen

    Auberge Borda

    I stayed there and it was a good albergue. With a communal meal and at the dinnertable everyone is invited to introduce him/herself and their motivation ( which can take awhile, due to translation. When I stayed there the common language was english, but everything was translated in french for...
  4. Antonius Vaessen

    Toilet paper, litter and graffiti

    Which organisations do you mean exactly, the albergues or restaurants that offer the menu del peregrino? I dont think they make that much profit. ( In general pilgrims are no big spenders anyway) I think it should be the responsibility of the walker. It is ,easy to carry a roll of dogpoop bags...
  5. Antonius Vaessen

    WARNING if you're leaving Sarria tomorrow (4th October 2023) ⚠️.

    I don't deny anybody the right to walk the way they want. I have got the right to not like it and go my own way and avoid the crowd. (By the way: For me there is a difference between a crowd formed by individual people or an "organised" crowd)
  6. Antonius Vaessen

    WARNING if you're leaving Sarria tomorrow (4th October 2023) ⚠️.

    To be honest I don't like those big groups on a Camino or any other walking route. I can understand the motivation to want to walk a Camino with schoolgroups or students. I am afraid though the motivation. comes from the adults most of the time. Young people, certainly in big groups, are as...
  7. Antonius Vaessen

    SAINT-JEAN (1st Day) failure rate 40%?!

    I am confused by your confusion. I meant that on the Camino Frances there is only one climb as hard as the stretch from SjdP to Roncrsvalles
  8. Antonius Vaessen

    SAINT-JEAN (1st Day) failure rate 40%?!

    You won't meet that long steep stretches though
  9. Antonius Vaessen

    SAINT-JEAN (1st Day) failure rate 40%?!

    Whether it is doable to walk from SjdP to Roncesvalles depends on one's condition. Perhaps a more relevant question is if you WANT to do it in one day. Why walking in one push through this mountainrange, certainly if it is a big effort. Taking it more easy makes it a more enjoyable walk. ( of...
  10. Antonius Vaessen

    SAINT-JEAN (1st Day) failure rate 40%?!

    If you doubt if walking drom SjdP to Roncesvalles is too hard, you can split this walk very easily and stay in Orisson or Borda. Even if you can easily walk all the way splitting this stage has advantages : more time and ( mental) energy to enjoy the mountainscenery
  11. Antonius Vaessen

    Looking for men to walk the Frances route;

    The fact that hundreds of people will be walking the Frances does not necessarily mean that it will be easy to develop contacts. (For instance depending on your personality, introvert or extravert) The masses on the CF spread out a lot over the many accomodations, restaurants and so on. Everyday...
  12. Antonius Vaessen

    Rethinking start date?

    If you feel more at ease if you want to book ahead you will find Gronze very helpfull. A by effect of booking ahead is that it leaves more beds available in albergues that don't accept reservations
  13. Antonius Vaessen

    what to do if i only have 16 days to walk?

    If you would not choose for the CF and would rather walk a "complete" camino and finish in Santiago I would prefer the Primitivo to the Portugues. The central route there I did not like very much, too much road walking on roads with many cars and little space for walkers. (The first 1,5 stage...
  14. Antonius Vaessen

    Guidebook: redundant or useful?

    If I I use guidebooks it is before my Camino for preparation ( and that is not necessary) The few times I took a paperguide I very rarely used it.( The last time I gave them away) Certainly on the Camino Frances the marking of the route is very good, so for route finding a guidebook is...
  15. Antonius Vaessen

    When do most pilgrims feel like quitting the Camino de Santiago?

    Since 2015 I walked different caminos and avoided the CF because I feared that the crowds were too much for me. This year I decided to try it. It was indeed crowded, certainly in the morning, with sometimes up to 40 people in sight. It was not so much the crowd on the path that became to much...
  16. Antonius Vaessen

    Pyrenees difficulty

    It is hardly possible to say how difficult it will be for younot knowing your condition, previous experience and so on. If in doubt I would consider splitting the stage in two by staying in Orisson or in the nice albergue Borda, about a kliometer farther up the mountain. I did this, because I...
  17. Antonius Vaessen

    Things I fear

    Perhaps it might help if you make such an intensive list of all the things you might like when walking a Camino and concentrate on that
  18. Antonius Vaessen

    Bottom bunks

    If you have to climb down 3 or 4 times during the night it is not only an inconvenience to you but also to the person in the lower bed. The proces if climbing is most of the time noisy and shaky. This is an argument you could use in persuading the" other party" to change beds
  19. Antonius Vaessen

    Just realized I'm starting w/o a scallop shell...oops

    I walked 6 caminos and still haven't got one
  20. Antonius Vaessen

    LIVE from the Camino Connecting with people on the camino

    Perhaps you could change over to a less crowded Camino. The big crowds on the Camino Frances don't paradoxical necessarily make contact easier. You see a lot of people but in the evening people spread out over the many albergues and restaurants. Everyday you see new faces. The crowds are like...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Latest posts

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top