20 days of Camino Frances

[MatijaMataja]

Hi Pelegrinos,

I have a question for all of you who completed Camino Frances. I will be walking it in 10 days. I'm aware I don't have enough time to complete it fully, since I have just 20 days. Would you suggest me to skip some part of it to finish my Camino in Santiago or would you suggest me to walk it as far as I make and continue from there next time?

Many thanks for your opinion.

Bon Camino

 

[Saint Mike II]

Holas @MatijaMataja
Welcome to the Forum. This is a difficult question to accurately answer as by skipping any of the Camino between St Jean and Santiago you may miss a special place.
I am unaware of your home country and how easy it is for you to return, so please bare this in mind:
My suggestion : start walking from your starting point and walk until your 20 days are up. This town/city/village will now become your recommencement point when you return. I have completed (by my estimates) two caminos - I cycled from Pamplona (in 2015) and walked from St Jean in May/June 2017 and I would not recommend missing one single kilometre.
I can understand that this is not the answer you wanted. If you can provide more info, such as your starting point then maybe other pilgrims will provide the answer you want. Buen Camino!

 

[trecile]

I would estimate how far I can walk each day and choose a place that would allow me to get to Santiago. There is just something very special about ending your Camino there. You can use https://godesalco.com/plan/frances to plan. Sahagun would be a good place to start. And definitely underestimate how many kms you can walk each day. If you have extra time you can spend it walking to Finisterre and/or Muxia, or just hanging around Santiago.

Or you could choose a shorter route, like the Primitivo and do a "complete" Camino.

My other choice would be as @Saint Mike II suggests, and start in SJPdP and walk as far as you can. I don't like the idea of skipping sections.

 

[Nezabudka]

@MatijaMataja, it depends on either you plan to return and how important the Compostella is for you.
I have only 13 days and after millions back and forth decided to start from SJPP and finish where I finish. If everything goes well and I realize that it really was what I needed, I plan to return in a few years, perhaps taking family members. Furthermore, SDC is not so crucial for me, if ever I can I would like to finish in Fisterra.
Some people under similar circumstances as yours decide to skip parts, most often the Meseta (Burgos to Leon), plus I would start in Pamplona to save a few more days and exhaustion of the first days.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

My suggestion is to walk from your desired start point and ask questions of the veteran walkers you meet, specifically whether you should walk, skip or bike the meseta (or part of it.) Some people really dislike the meseta and others love walking it.

The meseta is roughly Burgos to Leon or Astorga and there are businesses that rent bikes for this stretch. The biking might be enough to get you to Santiago in the time you have available. By the time you reach Burgos you should have a good idea of what would be best for you.

 

[David Tallan]

Hi Pelegrinos,

I have a question for all of you who completed Camino Frances. I will be walking it in 10 days. I'm aware I don't have enough time to complete it fully, since I have just 20 days. Would you suggest me to skip some part of it to finish my Camino in Santiago or would you suggest me to walk it as far as I make and continue from there next time?

Many thanks for your opinion.

Bon Camino

I wouldn't skip sections but would either start further on so as to be able to walk continuously to Santiago or, preferably, walk as far as you get and return later to finish it. Many Europeans walk it in the latter fashion.

 

[Deleted member 12253]

If you start in sjpdp 20 days will get you to leon

 

[KinkyOne]

Hi Pelegrinos,

I have a question for all of you who completed Camino Frances. I will be walking it in 10 days. I'm aware I don't have enough time to complete it fully, since I have just 20 days. Would you suggest me to skip some part of it to finish my Camino in Santiago or would you suggest me to walk it as far as I make and continue from there next time?

Many thanks for your opinion.

Bon Camino

Hola,

If you know that at some time in future you'll return to Camino Frances then by all means walk whatever distance you can in the time available to you. From SJPdP of course.
But if it is one-time-event for you then I would suggest walking from Leon and continue to Fisterra/Muxia. This is very doable in 20 days.

Buen Camino


PS (Slovenian or Croatian perhaps?)

 

[Stivandrer]

Please do not skip anything, it is all is a well tuned meal, you will meet a lot of stretches that do have their challenges and their merits.
If you already know you only have limited time, you could plan to take the whole CF in instalments:

- for instance from Leon to wherever you will end in 10 days, then retreat to base and then come back another time. (ps I got this wrong in the OP, read 20 days, still good for reacing SdC)
If you do start with the Pyrenees, you will have had all the hardship of crossing, and the aftermath with sore muscles the rest of the 10 days, (now read 20 days ) - and then you have to go home - without the benefilts of the nicer stretches.
You might think it is just a hard, hard excertion..
To reach Burgos will take you a full 12 days....
Leaving out the Meseta btw Burgos and Leon for me is a mistake.....
- taking Leon to whereever in ten ( 20 days) days would be a good taster of things both interesting and beautiful, you will gather info on what it is all about, and get a good idea for the Caminos to come...

Buen Camino....

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi Pelegrinos,

I have a question for all of you who completed Camino Frances. I will be walking it in 10 days. I'm aware I don't have enough time to complete it fully, since I have just 20 days. Would you suggest me to skip some part of it to finish my Camino in Santiago or would you suggest me to walk it as far as I make and continue from there next time?

Many thanks for your opinion.

Bon Camino

Start in Burgos and walk to Santiago.

 

[Dutchwalk53]

I had 22 days my first Camino. We started in Pamplona and skipped the Meseta. We walked the rest. It absolutely gave us a "complete Camino feel". I've been back twice since and have walked from SJPP and leaving in 2 weeks for the 4th time and will finally get to the Meseta. So....what I am trying to say is, you will/might be back for more so don;t stress too much about it. Just do what somehow seems to appeal the most to you right now. As many have said: The Camino will be there for years to come. Have fun !

 

[Stivandrer]

Have I missed the point,
was it not 20 days in total stated in OP and only 10 days for walking proper, or am I mistaken..?

 

[trecile]

Have I missed the point,
was it not 20 days in total stated in OP and only 10 days for walking proper, or am I mistaken..?

I got the impression that @MatijaMataja was going to be leaving for the Camino ten days after writing the post, and had 20 walking days.

 

[Stivandrer]

Mea Culpa,
I see what you mean.
That is another kettle of fish, then...

 

[MatijaMataja]

Slovenian, living in Ireland

 

[KinkyOne]

Slovenian, living in Ireland

If you want some first hand info in Slovenian you can PM me

 

[MatijaMataja]

Thanks guys I've decided to start in SJPDP and I will be walking till where ever I will come, without skipping any parts. Camino will be continued in spring. Thanks again, you've been great support

 

[Davey Boyd]

Thanks guys I've decided to start in SJPDP and I will be walking till where ever I will come, without skipping any parts. Camino will be continued in spring. Thanks again, you've been great support

Good choice! You're gonna love it!

Buen Camino
Davey