ramble-on
Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- CF 2010; LePuy 2011; VdlP 2013/14; CdN (to Oviedo) & Primitivo 2016
As preface, I had booked myself to walk (with a pilgrim I'd traveled with on a previous trek) on the Camino d’Arles, leaving March 24, 2020. For obvious reasons that did not happen, so I have been re-living my memories of previous caminos. I’ve been very fortunate to have walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago, the LePuy Route to SJPdP, the VdlP (over two years; Sevilla to Salamanca and Salamanca to Santiago via Astorga), the Camino del Norte (from Hendaye to Oviedo) and the Primitivo (from Oviedo to Santiago). All of these, without exception, have been beautiful pilgrimages and memorable experiences.
My question is this. What are pilgrims’ most memorable one day walks on any camino?
For me, perhaps because of repetition, my love of mountains or because it was the first day of my first camino, my #1 favorite is the Route Napoleon from SJPdP to Roncevalles. I have been fortunate to walk it three times, all in perfect, sunny weather! That in itself makes it amazing! The first time was Day 1 of the Camino Frances and so I was full of the excitement of the unknown, uncertainty whether I was up to the physical challenge with a 20 pound backpack (it got lighter everyday as I left things in the “free stuff” boxes in albergues), the pleasure of meeting other walkers from all over the world starting their pilgrimages and the magnificent scenery. Perhaps that’s why it’s left an indelible memory with me. The next two times were also during perfect weather, but were at the end of my walk from LePuy. I had a couple of extra days after arriving in SJPdP, so I walked over the next day to Roncevalles and returned the day after. Glorious walking – and it was unusual to be going west to east on the second day. Lots of “buen caminos” to pilgrims just starting their caminos as I was finishing mine.
My runner up has to be the Hospitales Route on the Primitivo from Campiello to Berducedo. It couldn’t have been more different! I had a cafe con leche in Borres, then headed off in the mist, fog and light rain for the Hospitales Route. Up and up, not too steep except in a few places; it was a “mist-ical” journey. At the top, where the old hospital ruins were, my head (and the rest of me) was in the clouds. I remember their being cows grazing, many with cowbells (“ringing in the rain”), and horses appearing out of the fog. Just before noon, after I had walked the highest points, the sun appeared. I enjoyed a cold beer at the truck shop at the Puerto de Palo, where the Hospitales meets the route from Pola de Allande, and finished this beautiful day in Berducedo.
I hope other pilgrims have similar stories of amazing one day treks and will share them with us all. I think it will give us all a bit of hope that we will again be making memories on a camino. For me, I hope, it's in 2021.
Buen Camino!
My question is this. What are pilgrims’ most memorable one day walks on any camino?
For me, perhaps because of repetition, my love of mountains or because it was the first day of my first camino, my #1 favorite is the Route Napoleon from SJPdP to Roncevalles. I have been fortunate to walk it three times, all in perfect, sunny weather! That in itself makes it amazing! The first time was Day 1 of the Camino Frances and so I was full of the excitement of the unknown, uncertainty whether I was up to the physical challenge with a 20 pound backpack (it got lighter everyday as I left things in the “free stuff” boxes in albergues), the pleasure of meeting other walkers from all over the world starting their pilgrimages and the magnificent scenery. Perhaps that’s why it’s left an indelible memory with me. The next two times were also during perfect weather, but were at the end of my walk from LePuy. I had a couple of extra days after arriving in SJPdP, so I walked over the next day to Roncevalles and returned the day after. Glorious walking – and it was unusual to be going west to east on the second day. Lots of “buen caminos” to pilgrims just starting their caminos as I was finishing mine.
My runner up has to be the Hospitales Route on the Primitivo from Campiello to Berducedo. It couldn’t have been more different! I had a cafe con leche in Borres, then headed off in the mist, fog and light rain for the Hospitales Route. Up and up, not too steep except in a few places; it was a “mist-ical” journey. At the top, where the old hospital ruins were, my head (and the rest of me) was in the clouds. I remember their being cows grazing, many with cowbells (“ringing in the rain”), and horses appearing out of the fog. Just before noon, after I had walked the highest points, the sun appeared. I enjoyed a cold beer at the truck shop at the Puerto de Palo, where the Hospitales meets the route from Pola de Allande, and finished this beautiful day in Berducedo.
I hope other pilgrims have similar stories of amazing one day treks and will share them with us all. I think it will give us all a bit of hope that we will again be making memories on a camino. For me, I hope, it's in 2021.
Buen Camino!