Backwards on Madrid Route?

[Anniesantiago]

Has anyone here walked backwards on the Madrid route?
Did you have any issues in the albergues or did they mind you weren't going toward Santiago?

 

[Tincatinker]

I'm walking backwards to Santiago,
It's the place I've already been,
I'm walking backwards to Santiago,
I may seem odd but I'm not what I seem.

I've tried walking sideways,
And walking to the front,
But people just look at me,
And say it's a publicity stunt.

I'm walking backwards to Santiago,
It's the place I've already been,
I'm walking backwards to Santiago,
I may seem odd but I'm not what I seem.

I'm just a Peregino/a
On my return trip
I could have caught an aeroplane
But not a boat or ship...

I've tried walking sideways,
And with my backpack on my front,
But people they just look at me,
And say it's a publicity stunt.

But I'm walking backwards to Santiago
And Madrid is where I'll start
"get off me barrow"
Madrid is where I'll start.....

[with profound apologies to Spike Milligan (who wouldn't have cared at all)]

 

[Anniesantiago]

Hahaha! You got me.
Ok.. let me restate the question.
Has anyone walked on the Madrid Route FROM Sahagun down to Madrid?

 

[Tincatinker]

@Anniesantiago, I can't help you with that one but I can't see where a problem might arise for a pilgrim walking to or fro. A pilgrim is a pilgrim and we have all got to get home someday.

That said, a few years ago now I presented myself at the Municipal in Burgos en-route to Moratinos and a Ditch-Pigging session. While just chatting to the volunteer on the desk I mentioned that I was "en-route to Moratinos" to be told that beds were for Pilgrims en-route to Santiago! We chatted some more and I got a bed.

Albergues, unless I've really lost the plot, exist to offer shelter to pilgrims. A Pilgrim is entitled to ask for a bed. It's in the hospitalero/as' gift to grant it.

edited: I'm losing my grip on grammar

 

[henrythedog]

@Anniesantiago, I can't help you with that one but I can't see where a problem might arise for a pilgrim walking to or fro. A pilgrim is a pilgrim and we have all got to get home someday.

That said, a few years ago now I presented myself at the Municipal in Burgos en-route to Moratinos and a Ditch-Pigging session. While just chatting to the volunteer on the desk I mentioned that I was "en-route to Moratinos" to be told that beds were for Pilgrims en-route to Santiago! We chatted some more and I got a bed.

Albergues, unless I've really lost the plot, exist to offer shelter to pilgrims. A Pilgrim is entitled to ask for a bed. It's in the hospitalero/as' gift to grant it.

edited: I'm losing my grip on grammar

Ditch-pigging?

You’re going to have to elaborate Tinca.

Pig-sticking? ( I hope not - echoes of the Raj, a bit passé )
Ditch-digging? Rather difficult and easier with a machine
Pitch-rigging? Camping connotations - a festival perhaps

But ditch-pigging? No idea!

Best wishes

 

[rappahannock_rev]

I've tried walking sideways,
And walking to the front,
But people just look at me,
And say it's a publicity stunt.

[with profound apologies to Spike Milligan (who wouldn't have cared at all)]

Always glad to find another Goon Show fan. Next round is on me!

 

[Tincatinker]

Ditch Pig. What "they" called me as a child. Ditch Pigs. The honourable company that has many members on this forum who go and make effort to clean up the Caminos when they can. Put Ditch Pig in the search engine on this forum and find delight.

 

[KinkyOne]

Has anyone here walked backwards on the Madrid route?
Did you have any issues in the albergues or did they mind you weren't going toward Santiago?

My friend from Slovenia (living in Madrid most of the time) have walked it "backwards" from SdC a few times and I don't remember there were any glitches in albergues.

 

[Tincatinker]

Always glad to find another Goon Show fan. Next round is on me!

Careful Rev. I was raised with a terrible thirst

 

[VNwalking]

Always glad to find another Goon Show fan. Next round is on me!

I really want to be a fly on the wall for this conversation!
May I be the friendly to both sides referee?

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Careful Rev. I was raised with a terrible thirst

"You rotton swine, you!"

 

[Anniesantiago]

Boy did THIS post get hijacked! lol!

 

[Kiwi-family]

It seems awfully mundane to post a snippet from my blogpost on 5 October last year, but it DOES answer the question;-)

One of the highlights was meeting a guy that I “know” from the Camino forum that I am active on. I didn’t get his permission to say anything on the blog or post the photo I took so I won’t say more than we stopped and had a twenty minute yarn on a farm track. It’s nice to be able to put a face and a voice to the name on the forum. He’s walking the other way, so we won’t meet again.

Let's just say you might want to PM @Sheffield James ;-)

 

[jsalt]

Did you have any issues in the albergues or did they mind you weren't going toward Santiago?

It’s possible, but hope it doesn’t happen.

I have heard of only one instance, and that was a guy walking backwards on the Portuguese. He posted about it here a while ago.

All the time I was walking backwards on the CF earlier this year, when I handed my credencial over, and the hospitalero studied my stamps to see where I had just walked from (which many did - the route wasn’t busy in February, so they had the time), and they saw I was walking the “wrong” way, I was afraid they wouldn’t let me stay. But they all did, probably because the beds were available and it was so quiet.

 

[TonyC]

"You rotton swine, you!"

Close but I think it was "You DIRTY rotten swine, you!"
I must be very old, as are you, to even remember such banter.