Where/how to save 5 days walking , time constraint.

[Thornley]

Any advice from experienced pilgrims appreciated .
Have friends who are doing another Camino Frances , and will then go to Lisbon for the Portuguese Camino.
They have only 30 days , they will not hurry and we have been debating for the last week where to leave out.
** They have already walked from Ostabat to Muxia and will again start in St JPP.

My thoughts are
[1] Bus from Belorado
[2] Train from Sahagan

This saves them 100km approx

Other friends here have suggested the Mesata , however they wish to walk part of this beautiful area.
They are both 70 years and rarely do they walk over 22km/day . This has been there rule for years on many different camino's and they won't change.

What is recommended after Belorado and or Sahagan to force them to skip another section??
And if there is another section please recommend.
We had wonderful nights in both Tosantos and Bercianos , towns that are after my recommendations for the bus/train

Any ideas from the old weary legs of experienced pilgrims appreciated
Thanks,
David

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I don't think I will ever walk the incline into Molinaseca again. If they are of a like mind, a bus for 5.50E from Astorga to Ponferrada would work.

Sorry Iron Cross. You have become a bit of a garbage dump, so I will miss you (but not a lot).

If they feel like they are on a roll, keep going on the bus to Villafranca. Once you have seen Ponferrada, well, you have seen Ponferrada. They will have covered 4 to 5 days then on a bus.

 

[lindseh]

For me the worst two days were from leon to astorga. It's all freeway walking and I found it to be bloody miserable. If i were trying to save five days, i'd start in pamplona and then skip that section. However the downside is that you jump ahead of the pilgrim family by doing that.

 

[whariwharangi]

22 x 30 = 660 ... you need to cut 140 km ... and would probably be better off cutting 200 km. I would suggest starting in Logrono. No breaking up the tempo of the trip with a bus in the middle.

For me the worst part of the trip was watching new friends accelerate in the last few days in order to meet their timings. I had none and in fact wanted it to go on longer and so found myself having to force myself to slow down. Give yourself time to experience the trip; its not about putting your head down in order to make it on time.

 

[Thornley]

Your replies have the oldies heading for old notes / diaries.

Falcon,
They agree with you completely and were planning without us knowing Sahagun to Ponferrada by transport.They said they wanted to walk into Pieros or Villafranca to the albergue their kids loved [ Alb. De La Piedra ] This was not available when they walked in 2005.
This had decreased the distance by 150km and Belorado to Burgos [ another 50km] will allow them to walk to Finastere / Muxia.

Linseh,
Yes , and the worst part in their notes was walking to Virgin del Camino .
They are looking seriously at Pamplona as they have been over the mountain on the Le Puy way as well as Frances. Their flight to Madrid makes Pamplona seem like the sensible starting point.
This will allow them plenty of time as the trip to the coast is now 580km

Wharlwharangi,
The distance has never been their problem however they now realise 200km is the better option.
They will walk to the coast , i know it even though they won't say so , as Dumbria was not available 8 years ago when they walked from Le Puy .

I thank you for these answers as your comments were what they had written on paper .
Just the confirmation they needed .A nice warm up for the Portuguese [ Lisbon] camino.
Their son , a doctor , instilled into them years ago "" Use them or loose them "" so their legs just keep going on different camino's.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Yes , and the worst part in their notes was walking to Virgin del Camino

The last couple of kilometers has now been routed off the highway through the industrial area to the right. While it is hard to describe it as an improvement, it does cut down on the traffic noise!

The route to Mazarife is much quieter than the route to Villadangos, but it is still mostly paving. The roads seem to get about 5 cars per hour.

 

[na2than]

astorga then bus is a good option if they have already seen the cruz de ferroz.That walk down into Molinesca was hard...but the hotel by the river was a night of luxury i will never forget.I still get tingles when i think about the 10 of us chatting with our feet dangling in the tiny stream below the hotel windows watching the locals swim in the river.
Just remembered the cafe by the templar castle for breakfast...but all things considered it would be the best single stretch to bus over