Best guide book for the Camino Frances

[migolito]

I wish I could take this forum with me on the Camino, however...I don't have a long enough electrical extension cord for my computer :lol: . Can I get a recommendation for a the "best" guide book that I should carry on the camino?

BTW, at this point it looks like I'll be flying into Madrid March 28.

 

[jpflavin1]

Miguelito:

In my opinion, the Brierly guide book is the best for the Camino Frances.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[migolito]

Cool, rec'd some PMs, just ordered.
Thank you,

M

 

[Padraic Pilgrim]

I heartily agree. The book by John Brierley has served me well on three different occasions. It is great for planning, for travelling and for reminiscing. Buen camino !

By the by he also has books on the Finisterre loop if you still feel energetic on arriving at Santiago and the Portuguese route too. His publisher is the Findhorn Press in Scotland, a very worthy publishing house in it's own right and worth a look.

 

[ElizabethB8246]

I used the Camino Frances guidebook published by the Confraternity of St James, which was an excellent tool for me. I walked alone in September 2011. Many pilgrims do use Brierly.


'Solvitur Ambulando'
- St. Augustine

 

[SabsP]

http://www.elpaisaguilar.es/index.php?s=libro&id=637

my favourite by Paco Nadal, also translated in some other languages.

 

[crad80]

I definitely agree. The Brierley book is the way to go! It is a very thorough book for the Camino Frances route. Buen Camino.

 

[mralisn]

I used the Camino Frances guidebook published by the Confraternity of St James, which was an excellent tool for me. I walked alone in September 2011. Many pilgrims do use Brierly.


'Solvitur Ambulando'
- St. Augustine

I used the same as the above for both Frances ('05) and Norte ('10). I really liked it as it was plain and simple. I was always able to add my own notes whenever needed. Lightweight, fits in my pocket when needed. I'll use the 2012 version for this summer when I return to the Frances.

 

[mikevasey]

I quite like the Brierley guides, especially if you have a variant route for the day(s), he tends to be quite thorough. I also take the CSJ guides, they can be more up to date .

I did not realise until a few days ago that one of the German publishers, Rother, translates its Camino Frances book into English http://www.rother.de/titpage/4835.php I would be very interested to hear what anyone has to say about this if they have used it. It includes start points at SJPDP and Somport, and goes on to Finisterre and Muxia.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The publication date is 2007. The terrain stays the same, but lots of other stuff changes!

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Rother Walking Guides (March 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 3763348352
ISBN-13: 978-3763348350
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.5 x 0.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces

 

[colinPeter]

Hola Mike,
Haven't used the Rother guide yet but plan to in April this year Aragones to SDC which it covers.
Regarding the publication date, it is a little confusing. If you "look inside" at Amazon (UK) it clearly says 2007, but claims to be a revised edition, I took the chance and purchased and it is the second edition revised in 2011.
I used the Davies & Cole "Walking the Camino de Santiago" last time (2009) and liked quite liked that but it is way out of date now with no new edition.
I had the "Revised Lightweight Edition" of the Brierley Guide, which most seem to prefer, but found it about twice as heavy as I wanted to carry. Davies and Cole much lighter and gave more options if you wanted or needed to stay at cheap hotels etc. The Rother guide is lighter and more compact than my 2008 Brierley not sure about his new edition. The Rother guide appears to give Albergue information on some smaller villages that Brierley & Davies/Cole didn't have, it also indicates on the maps where hotels are located but without further information. The Maps seem good, elevation shows estimated times and facilities along the way, the alternate path information looks good, and the description of difficult sections seems adequate and has a reasonable amount of practical, historcial, architectual information. Importantly, to me it reads as if written in English rather than translated from German, so the editing is very good.
Again, it is light, compact and has stages from Somport or SJPP to SDC/Muxia.
Col

 

[cmsmith]

Are there any good guides that can be downloaded to an I-Phone or other smart phone?

CMSmith

 

[aloarb53]

Brierly was my "best friend" on the Camino Frances last fall. However, I carried the 2010 edition and found that those with the 2011 edition had even more info that I did. I believe that he updates his info annually which adds to its heft. To reduce weight, I ripped out the pages as I finished a stage.

I plan to walk Le Puy (Le Puy-en-Velay) to SJPP this coming fall. Any recommendations for the best Le Puy guide?

Ann

 

[annakappa]

Are there any good guides that can be downloaded to an I-Phone or other smart phone?

Yes, you can download the excellent guide of http://www.caminodesantiago.consumer.es. It's in Spanish. In the past we have downloaded it in print version, however the up-dated 2011 version was far too big, so we walked "on memory" last year! If you enter their site, go to "elévate al Camino" for a pre-view. If you scroll down you will see the possibility to download it on your i-phone. I have also seen people with printed version of the mundicamino.com guide (also excellent and in 4 different languages). Anne

 

[gregdedman]

Hi Migolito,

The Spanish consumer guide annakappa suggested, I actually 'loosely' translated into English back in 2010 if its any help?

http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/32910789?access_key=key-2hk4o12x0c2ydot9880w

Greg

 

[robertt]

I'm a big Miam Miam Dodo fan. But I also like old Citroens, so...grain of salt!

 

[CriostoirMacAodha]

Folks,

I bought the 8th edition of Brierley's guidebook, and frankly it is useless. I don't mean the information within it, but the fact that nearly all the pages are cut off at the edges, but like full chucks of sentences are gone, so I can't even guess the sentences, especially the Spanish language section.

Has anyone else got this problem? Will I refund this, or have it replaced with another copy?

 

[BlackDog]

Has anyone else got this problem? Will I refund this, or have it replaced with another copy?

You have a faulty copy, mine is not like that, get it refunded

 

[hieudovan]

I wish I could take this forum with me on the Camino, however...I don't have a long enough electrical extension cord for my computer :lol: . Can I get a recommendation for a the "best" guide book that I should carry on the camino?

BTW, at this point it looks like I'll be flying into Madrid March 28.

I don't know about the "best" guide book. However, I do like the Brierly guide book. The latest edition (2012) just came out in January.

BTW, I'll be leaving California March 28 and arriving in Madrid March 29. Hope to see you on the trail.

Buen camino!

Hieu

 

[newfydog]

We've done the Frances twice, in the fall. we have had absolutely no need for a guide such as Brierley or Miam Miam. We just follow the yellow arrows and stay where it feels right.

We got a cultural and historical guidebook, which was fascinating when you are in the actual place being discussed.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

nearly all the pages are cut off at the edges

Mine has dashed lines near the spine that look like tear marks, but probably are printing alignment marks. They probably should not be visible. It is possible that the publisher is doing a poor job.

Arrows can keep you from getting lost, but a guidebook illuminates the walk, and is nice reading at night (unless you want to go outside and stare at an arrow). The pile of rocks you are passing might have some historical significance. The yellow arrow won't tell you what it is. You don't have to absorb knowledge as you walk, but many find it a valuable part of the pilgrimage. It is up to you.

 

[newfydog]

Arrows can keep you from getting lost, but a guidebook illuminates the walk, and is nice reading at night (unless you want to go outside and stare at an arrow). .

If one actually reads both sentences of my previous post, you'll see I whole heartedly agree with falcon. The book we carry is heavy glossy thing chock full of lore and history. I can't find the title/author because we threw away the cover, but it is in English, we bought it in Spain and it it packed with stories of wars, miracles, and the tribulations of medieval pilgrims. It has a basic map, and that is all we need to plan.

Most guides are full of trail descriptions and lists of amenities, which are only needed in high season, and make for really boring reading at night, worse than staring at an arrow.

 

[Chignecto]

I used the John Brierely guide book and found it to be excellent!!

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Cristóir,

Get a replacement. It is definitely a faulty copy

Lydia

 

[nc6000]

nearly all the pages are cut off at the edges

Mine has dashed lines near the spine that look like tear marks, but probably are printing alignment marks. They probably should not be visible. It is possible that the publisher is doing a poor job.

Arrows can keep you from getting lost, but a guidebook illuminates the walk, and is nice reading at night (unless you want to go outside and stare at an arrow). The pile of rocks you are passing might have some historical significance. The yellow arrow won't tell you what it is. You don't have to absorb knowledge as you walk, but many find it a valuable part of the pilgrimage. It is up to you.

Those "dash lines" are so you can cut pages from the book before you go to reduce weight. Sections like "How To Get There" etc don't need to be brough on the Camino seems to be the view of the author.

 

[Larazet]

Hi Migolito,

The Spanish consumer guide annakappa suggested, I actually 'loosely' translated into English back in 2010 if its any help?

http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/32910789?access_key=key-2hk4o12x0c2ydot9880w

Greg

I love it! Can't wait to download it and use it on the way in nine months time to bring a smile to my face!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can print the entire Eroski guide here:

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/lle ... no-frances

If you open it in Chrome, you get an English translation for printing. At the very bottom you will find a link to a mobile application for an alternative display of the information.

You can do the same for the other caminos.

 

[Charleston Tom]

We used a current copy of Brierley's book for our two week Astorga to Santiago pilgrimage in May 2012. While it seemed that some of the distances were a bit forced in order to break the journey from SJPP into 33 sections (one for each year of Christ's life)...we generally found the Brierley guide to be quite useful. We also found Brierley's historical and cultural content to be extremely shallow and augmented this deficiency with other guidebooks.

TIP: Adding up Brierley stages to determine the maximum time to allow for a pilgrimage might result in an excessively optimistic schedule for some walkers. His schedule is quite aggressive.

 

[Thornley]

Starting in Le Puy we were very grateful for MMDD.
Whilst its France orientated it never missed a beat when we continued into Spain.
I love the little used places to stay.

 

[apilgrim]

I have used Waking the Camino de Santiago published by Pili Pala Press in Canada, for my two caminos and was very happy with it. It's a good size too and fits nicely into a backpack pocket. It's also not heavy and has no colour pictures - a basic no-nonsense guidebook.

You can get it here http://pilipalapress.com/

It's also available as an e-book now.

Buen Camino!

 

[Sigga]

I quite like the Brierley guides, especially if you have a variant route for the day(s), he tends to be quite thorough. I also take the CSJ guides, they can be more up to date .

I did not realise until a few days ago that one of the German publishers, Rother, translates its Camino Frances book into English http://www.rother.de/titpage/4835.php I would be very interested to hear what anyone has to say about this if they have used it. It includes start points at SJPDP and Somport, and goes on to Finisterre and Muxia.

I started by using the the book by Rother. I found it very confusing and not good at all. In Leon I could by the Brierley guide book and it was much, much better.
On my way I met a woman who had got lost a few times and she only had this terrible Rother book.

 

[MHanratty]

"I used the Camino Frances guidebook published by the Confraternity of St James, which was an excellent tool for me. I walked alone in September 2011. Many pilgrims do use Brierly"

Where can I get this from please? I am living in Spain so assume I should be able to find it fairly easily? Any help would be gratefully received.

Maureen x

 

[scruffy1]

There is a new guide out which I have ordered but not yet received entitled:Walking Guide to the Camino de Santiago History Culture Architecture: from St Jean Pied de Port to Stantiago de Compostela and Finisterre (Volume 1) by Mr. Gerald Kelly. I do find Brierley's book a tad long-winded, the maps infuriatingly mis-orientated, and some of his recommendations apparently out of date but he is a Camino icon and respect should be given. The Camino is well marked all through, the different albergues are impossible to miss, but what truly is needed is a book which explains what this new book purports to present: Art architecture and history of the places one passes. Should arrive any day now so Watch this Space!










;

 

[Sagalouts]

If there is one long distance walk in the world where you don't need to buy a guide book and where its actually advantageous not to have one its the Camino Frances.
information is available in every town along the way-every region prints small information books freely available at every tourist information office-the pilgrim office at SJPP provides elevation maps and much more,its virtualy impossible to get lost on this well trodden path just follow the footprints the pole marks the dozens of people in front of you or wait for the hundreds that are following behind you.
same with accommodation the CF is the biggest hotel/hostel/chain you have ever seen,each village/town increases its size twofold and more every day and trust me the beds are there. if your looking for that one landmark that one must see church just sit in a bar and talk to the friendly natives rather than wandering around with your head in a book following the herd and you will find the real gems to eat sleep and see.
most of us who start out on this way myself included get caught up with planning too much forgetting why we walk in the first place and finish up more of a tourist than a pilgrim,so throw those guide books away as most of you will,the accommodations are full of them.
if all else fails just hook up with a German their guidebooks are the best or heaven forbid just talk to people.
Ian

 

[scruffy1]

I must agree with sagaloutrs, just talk to people, one of many reasons why we are there! The Germans however seem to be overly concerned with topographic obsessions, we will be climbing 137 meters in the next three hours but will descend 14.8 meteres after lunch! A bit over focused on an important subject but not why we came!

 

[wayfarer]

I started my camino with the guide from pilipala press but switched to the michelin guide in Leon. A basic, lightweight guide and only cost €6 in the main plaza.