Stamps.

[Tony Maguire]

My wife and I will complete our Camino Frances when we continue on from O Cebriero. We started in SJPP 2 years ago.. do we still need to get 2 stamps a day on last 100km or will 1 a day do as we started in SJPP

 

[Rick M]

Versions of this question come up a lot.........

As I understand it, the ONLY requirement for a Compostela is 2 stamps per day in the last 100 km. Now it is common for pilgrims who walk much longer distances to just get 1 stamp per day for their entire journey, and the sympathetic volunteers let it go, and issue a Compostela anyway. Nevertheless, the rule is 2 stamps per day.

Buen Camino

 

[henrythedog]

Rick is correct. Qualification for the compostella (on foot) starts 100km away from Santiago on a recognised route. Anything before that is either a souvenir, enabler of staying in pilgrim-centric accommodation or evidence for a distance certificate.

 

[lt56ny]

Yes two stamps a day the last 100 on any camino route and it doesn't matter where you start from or how many years it takes you to complete it. You should use the same credential book that you started with in St. Jean. If it is filled up you should bring that credential with you if you want to prove you started in St. Jean and also if you want to get one of those certificates that tell you how many K's you walked.

 

[Richard Smith]

>>Now it is common for pilgrims who walk much longer distances to just get 1 stamp per day for their entire journey, and the sympathetic volunteers let it go, and issue a Compostela anyway. Nevertheless, the rule is 2 stamps per day.>>
This happened to us, happily, and we didn't find out about that rule till years later.
But don't ignore the rule now you know about it.
And a thank-you to that volunteer from locked down Australia.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

My wife and I will complete our Camino Frances when we continue on from O Cebriero. We started in SJPP 2 years ago.. do we still need to get 2 stamps a day on last 100km or will 1 a day do as we started in SJPP

You have to stamp the Credencial twice a day at least on the last 100 km (for pilgrims on foot or on horseback) or on the last 200 km (for cyclists pilgrims).
It's so simple.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

and the sympathetic volunteers let it go, and issue a Compostela anyway

Don't count on that.
What is the problem in getting two stamps.??
It's no problem , just do it.

 

[Former member 98118]

Don't count on that.
What is the problem in getting two stamps.??
It's no problem , just do it.

Also take into account that with the current number of pilgrims (1788 today!) and a bit complicated system of registering online, getting tickets etc. arriving at the front of that sympathetic volunteer is a rather big endeavor.
And you don't want to realize at that moment that this sympathetic volunteer has a bad day...

 

[Tony Maguire]

You have to stamp the Credencial twice a day at least on the last 100 km (for pilgrims on foot or on horseback) or on the last 200 km (for cyclists pilgrims).
It's so simple.

And is that even if you started in SJPP

 

[Tony Maguire]

I believe they don’t care where you started, any km walked prior to the last 100 doesn’t matter. I was told the reason they want two stamps per day in the last 100 is to make it difficult for someone to just drive and get the stamps although I’m sure someone intent on doing that could. I’d been walking on several caminos, over 700 miles by SdC (probably more, need to look and do the math) The man at the counter didn’t even glance at my credentials other than to find the one with the last 100 km

Thanks

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

Thanks

While he didn’t care about the other filled credentials he did look closely at the last 100 km and the dates on them. YCMV (your clerk may vary ). I did walk before the mileage certificate existed so the people who provide that will probably care about where you started and which stamps you got along the way. Buen Camino!

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

Some unsolicited advice: from the start of this last trip, even though you’re not in the last 100km start getting two stamps a day if you’ve room in your credential(s). I knew I’d have been on the road for two months and at least 3-4 caminos before reaching the 100km to go mark, and habits are hard to break. So from the beginning I tried to get a sello each time I stopped: stop for breakfast—sello. Wander through a church or museum—sello. Ask directions at information kiosk—sello. Every meal and every place I slept—sello.

not every place had one of course and I’d just say thanks and continue on—but I was in the habit of asking by the time I got to lugo, which was important because after that point I often walked very extended stages. If I’d been in the only at the albergue habit i’d have been toast. So even though I covered a lot of ground each day in the last 100, I had plenty of stamps that showed I was walking. It was such a habit that when I entered SdC at 630 am, I stopped at the first open coffee shop for coffee and a stamp

edit for clarity: not entire 4 caminos, parts of some, all of one

 

[henrythedog]

Some unsolicited advice: from the start of this last trip, even though you’re not in the last 100km start getting two stamps a day if you’ve room in your credential(s). I knew I’d have been on the road for two months and at least 3-4 caminos before reaching the 100km to go mark, and habits are hard to break. So from the beginning I tried to get a sello each time I stopped: stop for breakfast—sello. Wander through a church or museum—sello. Ask directions at information kiosk—sello. Every meal and every place I slept—sello.

not every place had one of course and I’d just say thanks and continue on—but I was in the habit of asking by the time I got to lugo, which was important because after that point I often walked very extended stages. If I’d been in the only at the albergue habit i’d have been toast. So even though I covered a lot of ground each day in the last 100, I had plenty of stamps that showed I was walking. It was such a habit that when I entered SdC at 630 am, I stopped at the first open coffee shop for coffee and a stamp

edit for clarity: not entire 4 caminos, parts of some, all of one

I agree entirely. My last full CF filled nearly five credentials. My Camino Ingles filled one to capacity. Sellos are free, weightless souvenirs.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

I agree entirely. My last full CF filled nearly five credentials. My Camino Ingles filled one to capacity. Sellos are free, weightless souvenirs.

At least twice (without thinking, probably more) it helped me get what I wanted: at a morning stop I hopefully wanted tortilla and coffee; no tortilla (sad pilgrim eyes and hopeful pilgrim smile notwithstanding). She did have a stamp however and as I happily opened my credential she saw David’s stamp from Casa de Dios, and went in the back to find me some tortilla. (Happy pilgrim face). At Albergue O Candida he didn’t want to let me stay in the private room (despite booking it) since he realized I was a small female and liked to keep it in case a big guy snorer appeared (not the first time that happened to me, despite my promise to snore if I could just have the room). Sad somewhat disgruntled pilgrim face. Hand over credential. He saw my stamp from St Eulalia de Boveda, launched into a long discussion of it, and that more people should take the detour, and decided I could keep the single room.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I paid for the extra Distance Certificate as I'd walked every step from SJPdP to Santiago. My certificate says I walked 799 kilometers...really?

 

[trecile]

And is that even if you started in SJPP

Yes. Even if you started in LePuy!
The only kms that count for the Compostela are the last 100 before Santiago, and this is what the Pilgrims Office says:

You must collect the stamps on the “Credencial del Peregrino” from the places you pass through to certify that you have been there. Stamps from churches, hostels, monasteries, cathedrals and all places related to the Way are preferred, but if not they can also be stamped in other institutions: town halls, cafés, etc. You have to stamp the Credencial twice a day at least on the last 100 km (for pilgrims on foot or on horseback) or on the last 200 km (for cyclists pilgrims).

The Compostela: accreditation of the pilgrimage to Santiago

The “Compostela“, the accreditation of the pilgrimage to the Tomb of St. James.

oficinadelperegrino.com

Is it possible that a friendly volunteer or staff member will still grant you a Compostela even if you don't have the requisite two stamps per day? Sure it is, but why not just make sure to collect the two stamps and alleviate any worry?

 

[Marbe2]

Some unsolicited advice: from the start of this last trip, even though you’re not in the last 100km start getting two stamps a day if you’ve room in your credential(s). I knew I’d have been on the road for two months and at least 3-4 caminos before reaching the 100km to go mark, and habits are hard to break. So from the beginning I tried to get a sello each time I stopped: stop for breakfast—sello. Wander through a church or museum—sello. Ask directions at information kiosk—sello. Every meal and every place I slept—sello.

not every place had one of course and I’d just say thanks and continue on—but I was in the habit of asking by the time I got to lugo, which was important because after that point I often walked very extended stages. If I’d been in the only at the albergue habit i’d have been toast. So even though I covered a lot of ground each day in the last 100, I had plenty of stamps that showed I was walking. It was such a habit that when I entered SdC at 630 am, I stopped at the first open coffee shop for coffee and a stamp

edit for clarity: not entire 4 caminos, parts of some, all of one

Practice is good, but honestly this is not brain surgery, where you need to do lots of it to get good at it . From Sarria onward, e.g., there are many opportunities in high season to stop and get a second stamp.

Personally, in this age of Covid, I won’t be looking for a second stamp nor seeking a Compostela. I will be content to just be able to walk into SdC.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

Practice is good, but honestly this is not brain surgery, where you need to do lots of it to get good at it . From Sarria onward, e.g., there are many opportunities in high season to stop and get a second stamp.

Personally, in this age of Covid, I won’t be looking for a second stamp nor seeking a Compostela. I will be content to just be able to walk into SdC.

Covid is a good point, and there are a lot more places to find stamps from Sarria than from Lugo, where forgetting and passing up an opportunity could mean not getting two stamps that day.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Only slightly off topic here. You may want to get many credentials and only have them stamped on one side. Quite a few pilgrims like to frame their credentials and compostelas and other certificates. If you want to do this and you stamp both sides of a credential then you are going to be able to see only half the sellos.

 

[Albertagirl]

On my camino 2019, from Madrid, to Sahagun to Ponferrada and on the Invierno to Santiago, it was, theoretically, impossible to get two sellos on the second-last day before I walked into Santiago. It was November, it had been raining for weeks, and there was not a single location open all day (I passed one church, which was locked) until I reached an open albergue, with a bar for food, and decided to stay the night. I ate at the bar, and the hostess had a bar sello, with which she stamped my credencial. Next door, not physically connected, was the albergue, which also had a sello. I stamped my credencial with that, as well. It didn't feel right: two stamps at the same location, on the same day. I had no choice, if I wanted the compostela, but it felt bad at the time, as if I had cheated the regulations and I find it hard to value that compostela. It is not always easy to get two sellos on each of the days that one walks within 100 kms of Santiago. I have no doubt that there are similar challenges on other less-walked routes. The Frances is not the only route to walk a camino.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

And is that even if you started in SJPP

Yes.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Only slightly off topic here. You may want to get many credentials and only have them stamped on one side. Quite a few pilgrims like to frame their credentials and compostelas and other certificates. If you want to do this and you stamp both sides of a credential then you are going to be able to see only half the sellos.

Than they have to take a Credential extra in there backpack.