Infected by the Camino bug

[JacquelineA]

Hi, I’m Jacqueline from the Netherlands. I just finished the Camino Portugues in October. Walked it with my husband and we loved it. We’re planning to walk the Via de la Plata in march/april 2024. Probably we’ll just walk to Salamanca, but …..you never know!

 

[CdnDreamer]

Hi Jacqueline! Where did you start from and which route did you take? There really is a camino bug that has infected most of us on this forum. Welcome.

 

[Anamya]

Oh, the Portuguese is such a great route with great food!
I have not walked the VdlP (yet), but I visited Sevilla last year and it´s a wonderful place! I hope we never get 'cured' of the camino bug!

 

[JacquelineA]

Hi Jacqueline! Where did you start from and which route did you take? There really is a camino bug that has infected most of us on this forum. Welcome.

Hi, I started in Porto. Followed the coastal from Matosinhos to Camino. Switched to Valencia and followed the central route from there.

After we reached Santiago we returned to Porto (visited Braga and Guimaraes on the way) for our flight back home and then walked from the cathedral along the Douro to Matosinhos. We wanted to walk around 20 km a day, starting from Matosinhos fitted better in the schedule, but it felt good to walk the last bit after all and we just wanted to walk again

 

[Roland49]

Good things happen

Welcome to the "club"

 

[Bradypus]

My own experience has been that once bitten the bug is in your system for the long run. 33 years and a lot of Caminos later I just arrived on Gran Canaria this morning to walk the short but stunningly beautiful Camino here for the second time.

 

[Former member 104756]

My own experience has been that once bitten the bug is in your system for the long run. 33 years and a lot of Caminos later I just arrived on Gran Canaria this morning to walk the short but stunningly beautiful Camino here for the second time.

Oh I’m truly envious. My husband and I have been looking at this path for a short walk in early 2024. It looks glorious. And a perfect winter camino. But we may not be able to go until April - perhaps too warm, given the climbing?

Buen camino @Bradypus

 

[henrythedog]

You might as well give in to it. This forum is like a spectacularly unsuccessful rehab clinic.

 

[Bradypus]

. But we may not be able to go until April - perhaps too warm, given the climbing?

I walked my previous Gran Canaria Camino at the very end of March in 2017. It was certainly warm but no worse than I've encountered on the Frances. I gather that the sea moderates the climate here a little. Here's what Weatherspark has to say about average weather on Gran Canaria in April. Sounds ok to me.

 

[Kiwi-family]

May your recovery take a very long time....most of us don't want to recover!

 

[Paul.W]

I walked my previous Gran Canaria Camino at the very end of March in 2017. It was certainly warm but no worse than I've encountered on the Frances. I gather that the sea moderates the climate here a little. Here's what Weatherspark has to say about average weather on Gran Canaria in April. Sounds ok to me.
View attachment 160400

Hi, I'll be in Gran Canaria over the Christmas period and hoping to get some hikes in. Do you have any recommendations for lodgings on the Camino? Thanks

 

[Former member 104756]

Hi Paul - I haven't walked this path yet so I have no personal recommendations. And I know you asked this question specifically of @Bradypus - who has on the ground experience. But you may also find this site useful. I'm considering this short camino next year and the site has a great deal of information on the path and accommodation options. I rarely watch videos of other people's caminos - but I did watch this one. Looks wonderful.

Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria - a 2022/23 guide

The Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria - a detailed guide and walking stages. GPX files, PDF files, route description, elevation, distances

stingynomads.com

All the best

 

[Bradypus]

Hi, I'll be in Gran Canaria over the Christmas period and hoping to get some hikes in. Do you have any recommendations for lodgings on the Camino? Thanks

I'm afraid not. One of the advantages of this particular Camino for me is that the climate and landscape are ideal for sleeping outdoors in a bivvy bag which is my preferred option. The big hotel booking websites are probably your best bet for finding places. I've just been thinking that the excellent local bus services might make it practical to find a suitable base and cover the route in a series of day walks.

 

[Paul.W]

I'm afraid not. One of the advantages of this particular Camino for me is that the climate and landscape are ideal for sleeping outdoors in a bivvy bag which is my preferred option. The big hotel booking websites are probably your best bet for finding places. I've just been thinking that the excellent local bus services might make it practical to find a suitable base and cover the route in a series of day wa

Hi Paul - I haven't walked this path yet so I have no personal recommendations. And I know you asked this question specifically of @Bradypus - who has on the ground experience. But you may also find this site useful. I'm considering this short camino next year and the site has a great deal of information on the path and accommodation options. I rarely watch videos of other people's caminos - but I did watch this one. Looks wonderful.

Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria - a 2022/23 guide

The Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria - a detailed guide and walking stages. GPX files, PDF files, route description, elevation, distances

stingynomads.com

All the best

Hi Paul - I haven't walked this path yet so I have no personal recommendations. And I know you asked this question specifically of @Bradypus - who has on the ground experience. But you may also find this site useful. I'm considering this short camino next year and the site has a great deal of information on the path and accommodation options. I rarely watch videos of other people's caminos - but I did watch this one. Looks wonderful.

Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria - a 2022/23 guide

The Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria - a detailed guide and walking stages. GPX files, PDF files, route description, elevation, distances

stingynomads.com

All the best

Thanks Pelerina for the link. I notice they rate the difficulty 5/5 so will need to get some miles in.

 

[Paul.W]

I'm afraid not. One of the advantages of this particular Camino for me is that the climate and landscape are ideal for sleeping outdoors in a bivvy bag which is my preferred option. The big hotel booking websites are probably your best bet for finding places. I've just been thinking that the excellent local bus services might make it practical to find a suitable base and cover the route in a series of day walks.

Thanks Bradyus, that's a good option a series of day hikes. Looking also at what Tour Operators offer. Not sure about the bivvy bag though

 

[Former member 104756]

Thanks Pelerina for the link. I notice they rate the difficulty 5/5 so will need to get some miles in.

Yes I saw that. Usually 70 kms over 3 days would be perfect, even with tough terrain. But I'm carrying a knee injury which may or may not resolve completely. With the accommodation info I saw on the Stingy Nomads site, would be possible to break into 4 or even 5 days. Breaking up the first day would be a good option for me - because the steepest ascent could be done on the morning of Day 2. Such a glorious and short path - a leisurely pace could be just the thing.

 

[Paul.W]

Yes I saw that. Usually 70 kms over 3 days would be perfect, even with tough terrain. But I'm carrying a knee injury which may or may not resolve completely. With the accommodation info I saw on the Stingy Nomads site, would be possible to break into 4 or even 5 days. Breaking up the first day would be a good option for me - because the steepest ascent could be done on the morning of Day 2. Such a glorious and short path - a leisurely pace could be just the thing.

Yes I saw that. Usually 70 kms over 3 days would be perfect, even with tough terrain. But I'm carrying a knee injury which may or may not resolve completely. With the accommodation info I saw on the Stingy Nomads site, would be possible to break into 4 or even 5 days. Breaking up the first day would be a good option for me - because the steepest ascent could be done on the morning of Day 2. Such a glorious and short path - a leisurely pace could be just the thing.

Well hope you knee heals fully for your next trip. I'm just checking out some day hikes too. Sacred mountains and Roque Nublo hikes look great. Think I'm going to do what Bradypus suggested, have a base and go from there daily.
I notice you have done many Caminos. My only Camino was in May ,Astorga to Santiago and as the OP infers the Camino is truly infectious. So next year I'll be starting 3rd of May for 2 weeks. As it stands its a toss up between the Primitivo or the Portuguese. Which would you choose? Does anyone else have any thoughts?
Thanks

 

[Former member 104756]

So next year I'll be starting 3rd of May for 2 weeks. As it stands its a toss up between the Primitivo or the Portuguese. Which would you choose?

Everyone's experience is different but, for me, the Primitivo is one of my favourite paths. I like the mountains and the scenery and there are some great albergues and other accommodation. Oviedo is a wonderful town to spend day or more before beginning. Lugo is also fantastic. You can either join the Frances at Melide to continue on to SdeC, or there is an alternative route as well.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Well hope you knee heals fully for your next trip. I'm just checking out some day hikes too. Sacred mountains and Roque Nublo hikes look great. Think I'm going to do what Bradypus suggested, have a base and go from there daily.
I notice you have done many Caminos. My only Camino was in May ,Astorga to Santiago and as the OP infers the Camino is truly infectious. So next year I'll be starting 3rd of May for 2 weeks. As it stands its a toss up between the Primitivo or the Portuguese. Which would you choose? Does anyone else have any thoughts?
Thanks

I'm biased, definitely the Primitivo. For exactly the same reasons as @Pelerina . Seriously consider a rest day in Lugo, there's quite a bit to see.

 

[David Tallan]

So next year I'll be starting 3rd of May for 2 weeks. As it stands its a toss up between the Primitivo or the Portuguese. Which would you choose? Does anyone else have any thoughts?
Thanks

They are both great Caminos. You get a lot more mountains in the Primitivo, if that's something you are looking for. If it were me, I'd probably choose the Portugues with two weeks. That's (a) because I would want to save the Primitivo for when I had three weeks available so that I could once again precede it with the Salvador, a sweet combination, and (b) because there are options on the Portugues I haven't walked yet.