- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2013 - 2018 , Pilgrim Office volunteer 2014 - 2022
When I did the Madrid in 2016, I took the train to Tres Cantos to leap-frog over the inner-city portion the first day, and the industrial belt. As a matter of personal preference, I do this almost everywhere. City streets, Industrial parks and big box stores do not inspire me. I grew up in the industrial northeastern part of New Jersey in the US. If that is what I wanted to see, I could stay home...so I avoid the industrial belts surrounding cities in Spain and Portugal.
As regards the paucity of other pilgrims on the Madrid, you are correct. On my 2016 journey, I met one pilgrim during my first four-days, a German woman in her later 20s. She was so disheartened with the absence of other pilgrims that she was going to quit at Cercedilla.
We spoke about her expectations of a Camino (her first), her wants, needs, and desires. This ended up with me convincing her to try another route. After I explained the possible options and made recommendations, I put her on a AVA train at Segovia to send her ahead to Leon, to walk the second half of the Frances into Santiago.
FYI, I later met my German friend at Santiago several weeks later. She had a wonderful Camino as soon as she got to Leon. Success!
Pilgrims seeking solitude will love this route. Pilgrims who enjoy having other pilgrims around on a regular basis should probably stick the other, more popular routes. Just bear in mind that more pilgrims can bring an entire different set of challenges, finding accommodation, noise, crowding at times, etc.
But, not everyone craves crowds. The Madrid route is beautiful but largely solitary.
Hope this helps.
As regards the paucity of other pilgrims on the Madrid, you are correct. On my 2016 journey, I met one pilgrim during my first four-days, a German woman in her later 20s. She was so disheartened with the absence of other pilgrims that she was going to quit at Cercedilla.
We spoke about her expectations of a Camino (her first), her wants, needs, and desires. This ended up with me convincing her to try another route. After I explained the possible options and made recommendations, I put her on a AVA train at Segovia to send her ahead to Leon, to walk the second half of the Frances into Santiago.
FYI, I later met my German friend at Santiago several weeks later. She had a wonderful Camino as soon as she got to Leon. Success!
Pilgrims seeking solitude will love this route. Pilgrims who enjoy having other pilgrims around on a regular basis should probably stick the other, more popular routes. Just bear in mind that more pilgrims can bring an entire different set of challenges, finding accommodation, noise, crowding at times, etc.
But, not everyone craves crowds. The Madrid route is beautiful but largely solitary.
Hope this helps.
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