The journey home...

[AntAthOBuaidhe]

I feel a bit ridiculous asking this since, as I have written in my profile, my doctor has advised me in the strongest terms not to do the Camino Francés this year as I had planned. Anyway, here goes...

Suppose a pilgrim with credencial walks from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago in the accustomed fashion gaining his Compostela as expected, then decides to walk back again via the Camino del Norte, for example, how does he stand as regards getting into the albergues? He is hardly still collecting stamps along the way, or is he?

My curiosity has got the better of me with this one.

 

[mspath]

No real problem that I have ever read about; however, it probably would be surer out of prime time. On the way you can still collect sellos. For more info scan this current Forum thread on walking both ways.

MM

 

[AntAthOBuaidhe]

Sincere thanks for that, MM. Yes, that's just the kind of information I was looking for. Never heard of the blue arrows before, nor had I considered how alone I might be on the return. All I have to do now is get healthy again!

 

[shefollowsshells]

I will be walking soon with my three oldest children and think we will be doing two Caminos...Le Puy/Frances was my original goal however they are young active teenage boys and the Norte is calling them...they want to do the Frances and Norte and they will be the ones who decide.
If we do this we will be doing as you are planning.

Keep in mind you won't be alone at night and during the day you will pass many people but it will honestly be the same coversation over and over again with them.
I passed two or three on the Norte in the past few weeks who were walking it backwards. To each I said something like, "come join us",,,"should we follow you"..."do you know something we don't"..."you're heading the wrong way"...there is no doubt that each heard these same things over and over and over.

With that it was fun to hear them say, "there is another American two hours ahead of you"...and things like that...they were able to tell me where many of my Camino friends were which was really neat...

 

[AntAthOBuaidhe]

I'll be very interested to hear how that hike back goes for you, the ups and the downs. Please, let us know!