Guidebooks to Pack

[ncali12]

I haven't read through all my camino guide books. Now that I leave this weekend I am trying to decide what would be best to take and what to leave behind. These are what I have narrowed it to:

1. Cicerone guide--Pyrenees-Santiago-finishers
2. Raba , Camino de Santiago: Rotherham Walking Guide

3. Brierley, Camino de Santiago (thin one)
4. Brierley, Pilgrims Guide to the Camino de Santiago : SJPP- Santiago

1 & 2 are similar but a little different. 3 is nice and small but 4 has more information.

I haven't walked the Camino before and would like to have some good reference material but I don't want to be too weighted down.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Ali

 

[dougfitz]

Ali,

I started with two, but ended up with just the Brierley guide book. I had sufficient information about the towns etc, and the maps were reasonable.

Regards,

 

[Pieces]

I dont know 1 & 2

but i like brierly once you get over his imho slightly condesending spiritual lectures, and used one for camino portugese.

not sure I would carry one all aross france as they are heavy but you could dump pages as you go and leave the first bit at home (i only brought the pages i needed for the walk, which means mine was aboul half befor i left home even if i usually dont believe in ruining books)

this year i bring the michelin only which is similar to your brierly map book (may have slightly less info, mine)

 

[dazzamac]

I only have experience of John Brierley's Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago. I found it to be a reasonable guide though too big to fit anywhere but in my backpack. As a result, I tended to read up on the route ahead and then leave in the pack for much of the time.

The maps were mostly accurate and offered plenty of alternative options to the main trail. However there were a few instances where the guidebook seemed to be well out of date. Specifically on the approach to León. Where Brierley warns of crossing a busy dual carriageway and prays for a footbridge, I found his prayers had been answered many years ago. A fact that I would have expected to be corrected given that I'd bought that year's edition.

The text however, is far from objective and can be grating if you don't share his worldview. On the otherhand, being a book, you can just skip over those sections.

I'm returning to the Camino this summer and my objections aside, I'll probably bring Brierley's guide again.

 

[ncali12]

Thanks to you all for your suggestions. I just re-packed my pack today. I think I'll take the two Brierley's (1 to give away) and the Raba guide. The cicerone one is a great temptation as it seems to give very particular descriptions on how to follow the way. But it just seems a bit too heavy. So I'll leave it with my parents to follow the route. I'm off to Paris on Thursday and heading down to SJPP on Saturday. Thanks again.Alison

 

[jeff001]

I would take the larger Brierley guide. It will fit in your pocket for easy access.

 

[ncali12]

Thanks, I'll probably end up with the larger one and just tear the pages out as I go. My pack is already feeling heavy and I haven't even started. :roll:

 

[jeff001]

I would never tear the pages out. By making notes on the pages you end up with a quite detailed diary of the trip and have, in my opinion, a priceless reminder of the journey that you can use for years. The weight is negligible.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I would take the larger Brierley guide. It will fit in your pocket for easy access.

I only wish John Brierley did a guide book for the Via de la Plata which I start in a week's time. I used his guide last year on the Camino Portuguese, and I would say its information doubled the pleasure of the camino.
Don't forget to stitch your Form Badge [see below] on your back-pack!
Buen camino!
Stephen
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm

 

[Chignecto]

I used the John Brierely guidebook and found it to be very good. I found it better for the Camino up to Sarria although it was still adequate for the final 100km.