10-day Camino - start March 29, 2016

[Kaleroo]

Hello!
This will be my first Camino after dreaming about it for 3 years! I only have a short window of time (5 days of travel + 10 days of walking), as I will be in Lisbon for an event. Thinking of travelling to my start point on the Camino Frances (Sarria? O Cebreiro?) over the Easter weekend from Lisbon. Is this an insane idea? Will busses and trains be running over this holiday? What does Easter weekend look like in Portugal and Spain? I'm trying to figure out how to begin my Camino on March 29th. Which means travel from Lisbon on Sat March 26, Sun, March 27 and/or Mon. March 29th. Any thoughts would be mucho appreciattido. Achem. That is my attempt at made-up Spanish! Cheers and thanks! Can't wait!

Kathleen

 

[purplesage]

Hello!
This will be my first Camino after dreaming about it for 3 years! I only have a short window of time (5 days of travel + 10 days of walking), as I will be in Lisbon for an event. Thinking of travelling to my start point on the Camino Frances (Sarria? O Cebreiro?) over the Easter weekend from Lisbon. Is this an insane idea? Will busses and trains be running over this holiday? What does Easter weekend look like in Portugal and Spain? I'm trying to figure out how to begin my Camino on March 29th. Which means travel from Lisbon on Sat March 26, Sun, March 27 and/or Mon. March 29th. Any thoughts would be mucho appreciattido. Achem. That is my attempt at made-up Spanish! Cheers and thanks! Can't wait!

Kathleen

@Kathleen, Great going !!! I will arrive in Porto on 25 March and then move on to Santiago for the Easter celebrations. After the Mass... I may either go to O Cebreiro to walk to Santiago OR Ferrol to do The English Way. I have two weeks, so want to walk both..... whichever rocks me at the time. There's a bus from Santiago to near O Cebreiro... don't remember the name of the place... from where you take a taxi to O Cebreiro.... he drops you off near the Church and you're in TOWN. The way to Ferrol is by train, stay a night and start walking early in the morning. Our paths may cross. Buen Camino Caesar

 

[Kaleroo]

Hello Caesar, wow - you look like a veteran Camino walker! Thanks for your thoughts. Sounds like I may need to get myself to Santiago in order to then get to O Cebreiro. Do you estimate that it takes about one week to get from O Cebreiro to Santiago? Or longer? I have 10 days to walk. Should I start further in? We may indeed cross paths. Cheers and buen camino. : )

 

[C clearly]

Welcome! You will soon learn that "burn camino" is autocorrect for "buen camino."

O'Cebreiro is about 185 km from Santiago, which is 9 days at about 20 km/day. That would be comfortable, and if you have extra time you could go on to Finistera. Or, you could start in Ponferrada and see how it goes. I don't have experience with it, but I would guess that Easter weekend (and the week before) will be quite busy with holidays and pilgrims. It is probably better that you are starting to walk after that weekend.

Are you aware that Ivar, the manager of the forum, can store luggage for you? That might be convenient if you are walking after an event where you need different baggage.

 

[Kaleroo]

Haha! Thanks for the autocorrect heads-up! I had to correct it a few times.

Thanks for the estimate of the days from O'Cebreiro. That sounds comfortable. And no, I didn;t know he could store luggage. Where does it get stored? In Santiago? I most certainly will be taking two sets of luggage, one which will need to be stored. Thanks for that heads- up too!
Cheers,
Kathleen

 

[C clearly]

I didn;t know he could store luggage. Where does it get stored?

At the top of the page there should be a link to "Services in Santiago by Ivar" or you can click here. The luggage is stored in Santiago, where Ivar lives and works.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hello!
This will be my first Camino after dreaming about it for 3 years! I only have a short window of time (5 days of travel + 10 days of walking), as I will be in Lisbon for an event. Thinking of travelling to my start point on the Camino Frances (Sarria? O Cebreiro?) over the Easter weekend from Lisbon. Is this an insane idea? Will busses and trains be running over this holiday? What does Easter weekend look like in Portugal and Spain? I'm trying to figure out how to begin my Camino on March 29th. Which means travel from Lisbon on Sat March 26, Sun, March 27 and/or Mon. March 29th. Any thoughts would be mucho appreciattido. Achem. That is my attempt at made-up Spanish! Cheers and thanks! Can't wait!

Kathleen

Hi Kathleen, as already stated O Cebreiro will be a good idea.
Wish you a great journey and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[purplesage]

Hello Caesar, wow - you look like a veteran Camino walker! Thanks for your thoughts. Sounds like I may need to get myself to Santiago in order to then get to O Cebreiro. Do you estimate that it takes about one week to get from O Cebreiro to Santiago? Or longer? I have 10 days to walk. Should I start further in? We may indeed cross paths. Cheers and buen camino. : )

Hello Kathleen, O Cebreiro to Santiago is 155.2 km.... easily done in 10 days.... definitely in less. Try and make it to Samos on the way and stay a night. The monastry is fantastic and mass is a special experience here. You may even get to spend some time talking with the monks. I've done O Cebreiro - Samos in one day... easy, flat walking. Even if there's a spot of rain now and again. What you may consider ... as a suggestion... is to ALWAYS have enough water with you. One litre is good to have. And fill up/buy fresh water when you can. I tend to drink lots of water even in cold weather. Buen Camino, sister

 

[purplesage]

Haha! Thanks for the autocorrect heads-up! I had to correct it a few times.

Thanks for the estimate of the days from O'Cebreiro. That sounds comfortable. And no, I didn;t know he could store luggage. Where does it get stored? In Santiago? I most certainly will be taking two sets of luggage, one which will need to be stored. Thanks for that heads- up too!
Cheers,
Kathleen

Kathleen... you can also store luggage at the post office in Santiago (in the old town near the cathedral) or a shop near the entrance to the cathedral.... there's a lady who has a cake shop called "Secrets of Galicia" (IN SPANISH..). They store your stuff @2 euros a day. So does the pilgrim's office. So you're spoilt for choice, really. Buen Camino

 

[NualaOC]

HI Kathleen, welcome to the forum.

I walked from Ponferrada to Santiago in 9 days. It was very doable. However, starting at O'Cebreiro is good idea too and will give you more flexibility, plus the option of spending more time in Santiago at the end.

Are you 100% committed to walking the Camino Frances? If not, you could walk the Portugese from Porto to Santiago in 10 days. It's very easy to get from Lisbon to Porto.

Whatever you decide, I suggest that you book your transport as soon as you can. Buses and trains will be busy on the Easter weekend.

Buen Camino!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is nothing flat about O Cebreiro to Samos! After descending from O Cebreiro you go back UP to the high point at Alto do Poio. From there it is a hard, continuous descent to Triacastela, then a climb back up to Samos. It is a killer day, so be in shape for it!!

 

[purplesage]

Kathleen.... another thought. Why not hit Santiago from Porto (very reasonable buses) in time for the Easter services. So near and you don't want to miss it, do you? Cheers Caesar

 

[purplesage]

There is nothing flat about O Cebreiro to Samos! After descending from O Cebreiro you go back UP to the high point at Alto do Poio. From there it is a hard, continuous descent to Triacastela, then a climb back up to Samos. It is a killer day, so be in shape for it!!

@falcon269... its funny I didn't really notice the descent so much. A bit of climbing but I thought it was ok. Yeah, walking into Triacastela is so much fun. Buen Camino