Which cities to "skip"?

[Camila Sprague]

Hi!
I am walking the Camino for the first time this year with my husband and another couple of friends. Unfortunately we will not have enough time to walk all the way as we need to get back to work..., but we will start it in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port and finish it Santiago de Compostela, so we will need to "skip" some places to be able do finish the walk in only 28 days! I would love your advice/expertise to help us to make the most of these days.

THE PLAN => We will start our journey in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port on the 18-April-2015 and will leave Santiago on the 15-May-2015 (so, only 28 days in total), but we would love to spend 3 days in Santiago to rest and to enjoy the place before we fly back to England, which gives us only 25 days to walk.

THE QUESTIONS => Which places should we "sacrifice"? I mean, were along the way we can catch a bus/taxi/train (?) to skip a few places and save time in the journey? Is it easy to do?

TRAVEL CONDITIONS (and health) => We are all in early 40's, non-smokers, good health and all in good shape but far from super-fit! so I imagine that our walking pace will be average...

Thank you in advance for any tips you guys can give us!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Bus routes parallel the Camino for most of its distance, so just take a bus when you feel like it. It typically is 1.50 - 3E for a segment up to about 20km.

 

[dougfitz]

Don't miss the last 100km if you want a compostella!

 

[Bernard duffy]

Take the bus from Burgos to Leon,missing the meseta.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Just start in Pamplona and walk without skipping. You skip the meseta, you skip the real heart of the camino.

 

[nellpilgrim]

Well if you skip along rather than walk 25 days might be enough to cover the entire distance SJPP to SDC

 

[RENSHAW]

Take the bus from Burgos to Leon,missing the meseta.

NAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWW!!!
Falcon's idea is sound and probably the best , bus a day or two but as Doug says - walk the last 100km. Reb also gives good advice - missing the Meseta is an Absolute No No!

 

[Bernard duffy]

OK OK OK DON'T miss the damn Meseta,mind you i did and happy to have done so

 

[naplesdon]

NAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWW!!!
Falcon's idea is sound and probably the best , bus a day or two but as Doug says - walk the last 100km. Reb also gives good advice - missing the Meseta is an Absolute No No!

Totally agree, the Camino experience is not the Camino without experiencing the Meseta. Start in Pamplona or take buses from time to time like Doug suggests on the days you are too weary to walk or the weather is too dismal to face in the morning.

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi!
I am walking the Camino for the first time this year with my husband and another couple of friends. Unfortunately we will not have enough time to walk all the way as we need to get back to work..., but we will start it in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port and finish it Santiago de Compostela, so we will need to "skip" some places to be able do finish the walk in only 28 days! I would love your advice/expertise to help us to make the most of these days.

THE PLAN => We will start our journey in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port on the 18-April-2015 and will leave Santiago on the 15-May-2015 (so, only 28 days in total), but we would love to spend 3 days in Santiago to rest and to enjoy the place before we fly back to England, which gives us only 25 days to walk.

THE QUESTIONS => Which places should we "sacrifice"? I mean, were along the way we can catch a bus/taxi/train (?) to skip a few places and save time in the journey? Is it easy to do?

TRAVEL CONDITIONS (and health) => We are all in early 40's, non-smokers, good health and all in good shape but far from super-fit! so I imagine that our walking pace will be average...

Thank you in advance for any tips you guys can give us!

I agree very much with Rebekah's recommendation to just start in Pamplona and walk the entire Camino from there.

That said, if I was to skip a section of the Camino Frances, I would bus through the big cities Burgos and Leon. These cities do have a lot to offer but are not much fun to walk through. So you could jump from Atapuerca to Hontanas, skipping Burgos and Sahagun to Hospital de Orbigo, skipping Leon. I have never taken a bus or cab but they seem to be plentiful, so it should be easy to do.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[RENSHAW]

OK OK OK DON'T miss the damn Meseta,mind you i did and happy to have done so

Ooohhhy! You missed the Meseta!? How can you be happy if you dont know what you missed?

 

[Bernard duffy]

Ooohhhy! You missed the Meseta!? How can you be happy if you dont know what you missed?

I didn't like what i saw from the bus window lol.

 

[Bernard duffy]

PS, i am returning to walk from Pamplona to Santiago taking in the meseta,but don't tell anyone eh sssccchhh.

 

[RENSHAW]

Bus routes parallel the Camino for most of its distance, so just take a bus when you feel like it. It typically is 1.50 - 3E for a segment up to about 20km.

There is probably a stretch that I could recommend skipping. After staying at the Parroquial Albergue at Tosantos and seeing the church hewed out of a cliff face , take a bus or taxi to Burgos. This will save 2 to 3 days.

 

[amancio]

I would follow REbekah's suggestion, start in Pamplona. If you skip a segment, do bear in mind that you will stop seeing familiar faces for a while, since you will have left your camino mates behind you, you might be sorry to do that if you have met interesting people...

 

[Icacos]

How about missing part of the meseta. I had to do that because of injuries, and I am still happy.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Hi!
I am walking the Camino for the first time this year with my husband and another couple of friends. Unfortunately we will not have enough time to walk all the way as we need to get back to work..., but we will start it in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port and finish it Santiago de Compostela, so we will need to "skip" some places to be able do finish the walk in only 28 days! I would love your advice/expertise to help us to make the most of these days.

THE PLAN => We will start our journey in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port on the 18-April-2015 and will leave Santiago on the 15-May-2015 (so, only 28 days in total), but we would love to spend 3 days in Santiago to rest and to enjoy the place before we fly back to England, which gives us only 25 days to walk.

THE QUESTIONS => Which places should we "sacrifice"? I mean, were along the way we can catch a bus/taxi/train (?) to skip a few places and save time in the journey? Is it easy to do?

TRAVEL CONDITIONS (and health) => We are all in early 40's, non-smokers, good health and all in good shape but far from super-fit! so I imagine that our walking pace will be average...

Thank you in advance for any tips you guys can give us!

skip the ugly sections entering león and burgos (but don't skip these cities), i haven't walkd into burgos for a while, but i remember it being horrible. in fact, the whole stretch between mansilla de mulas and astorga is not that exciting.
lots of local buses, ask at the local bars for bus times if you cannot find on the internet

 

[cher99840]

I'll put my vote in for starting in Pamplona. Speaking only for myself, it would seem a hassle to seek transportation (tho readily available) to skip, always wondering if the "right" place was chosen, etc. It seems so much more peaceful to just walk, without having to deal with the logistics of getting to a destination.

 

[MechEngr69]

Hi!
I am walking the Camino for the first time this year with my husband and another couple of friends. Unfortunately we will not have enough time to walk all the way as we need to get back to work..., but we will start it in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port and finish it Santiago de Compostela, so we will need to "skip" some places to be able do finish the walk in only 28 days! I would love your advice/expertise to help us to make the most of these days.

THE PLAN => We will start our journey in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port on the 18-April-2015 and will leave Santiago on the 15-May-2015 (so, only 28 days in total), but we would love to spend 3 days in Santiago to rest and to enjoy the place before we fly back to England, which gives us only 25 days to walk.

THE QUESTIONS => Which places should we "sacrifice"? I mean, were along the way we can catch a bus/taxi/train (?) to skip a few places and save time in the journey? Is it easy to do?

TRAVEL CONDITIONS (and health) => We are all in early 40's, non-smokers, good health and all in good shape but far from super-fit! so I imagine that our walking pace will be average...

Thank you in advance for any tips you guys can give us!

I recommend that you try to walk the entire Camino in 26 days as indicated below. I walked Brierley Stages 1 to 12 in early October 2014. My longest day was 35 km (22.5 miles) from Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Villafranca Montes de Oca with an elevation gain of 480 m and a descent of 100 m. Except for the first 3 days, I wasn’t anywhere near exhaustion after completing a Brierley stage. I will be returning to Burgos on 19 April 2015 to finish my pilgrimage in 17 days, including crossing the meseta in 7 days (average pace of 33.6 km/day or 20.8 mi/day). I think 15 miles per day on the meseta would be too boring. Besides, if the weather is cool, cloudy, or rainy, the chance of getting washed clothes to dry outside in the afternoon is unlikely. I’m hoping to find clothes dryers (secadora) at the albergues. I’m 68 and fit, but not a super athlete. I run 2 miles every other day, and my longest running event in the last 25 years has been a 4-mile fund raiser that I do every year.
Camino in 26 days: Brierley Stages 1 to 4 (SJPDP to Puenta La Reina) in 4 days, 23.1 km/day or 14.3 mi/day; Stages 5 to 12 ( Puenta La Reina to Burgos) in 5 days, 39 km/day = 24 mi/day; Stages 13 to 23 (Burgos to Rabanal) in 7 days, 35 km/day or 21.7 mi/day; Stages 24 to 33 (Rabanal to Santiago) in 10 days, 24.3 km/day or 15.1 mi/day. To get a printout (or .pdf ) of your personal day-to-day stages, go to http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances Best of Luck.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I met two German soldiers committed to 50km per day. One was enjoying it, the other was not. There is no guessing what brings enjoyment.

 

[Camila Sprague]

Thank you very much for all your suggestions and tips. It has been very helpful!

Now that I know we can catch a bus easily if needed (I didn't know that...) it made us feel much more relaxed regarding any unforeseen, and now I know that we are going to enjoy the walk with not so many worries.
I have a map from the Camino in front of me right now and I am figuring out all the "skip" suggestions given

You are stars!!!!

 

[Camila Sprague]

I met two German soldiers committed to 50km per day. One was enjoying it, the other was not. There is no guessing what brings enjoyment.

I know what you mean... I have many friends who think we are absolutely crazy for doing this walk by choice...! They say we should use this holiday to do something more "useful"...

 

[Jo Jo]

Camilia,

I'm glad you are feeling more comfortable. I agree with not skipping the meseta--that was very meditative walking for me. I would, however, skip the cities rather than the mountains before Pamplona. The concrete and asphalt of the cities killed my feet, and I did not find the urban areas that spiritually or visually nourishing. The cathedrals are architectural wonders (although touristy), so you might bus in, see them, then bus out.

Often, you can just use the metro buses--take them from the first place they appear into the city center, then back out again (we did that out of Leon and should have done it into Pamplona (except the bus was completely filled with San Fermin celebrants).

Specifically, I would do this around Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, and definitely Ponferrada (which I found to be a gang-tag filled urban mess). Logrono is a nice walk, both in and out. For Ponferrada catch the bus or taxi in Molinaseca--the walk from there is all concrete and asphalt. We then took a taxi to just the next hamlet outside the city, and started walking again. For Leon we took the bus from Mules and then the metro bus to Virgin del Camino.

Finally, there is a nasty bit of road walking after Villafranca Bierzo (spelling of all city names is approximate) just as you are re-entering the mountains. From there, I highly recommend the "high route," which was steep but the nicest day of walking we had (take extra water). If you do not do that, you will be walking by a busy highway separated by a concrete barrier. That is bad enough (and I would take the high route or a taxi--I would not walk the low route), but then, just after Trabelo, the barrier ends, and you are walking with rather large trucks whizzing by within a couple of meters of you with no protection. I consider walking that section to be the most foolish, dangerous thing I have done in years. If (when) I walk it again, I would definitely take a taxi through this section. Start walking again at Las Herrerias, where the Camino turns on to a much smaller road.

If you take buses/taxis around those 4 cities and the section after Villafranca, you will have time to start in SJPP and walk the meseta and everything else except the urban areas. Should I ever be fortunate enough to have time to walk the Frances again, that is how I would do it, even if not pressed for time (I could always use the extra time to go to Finisterre and Muxia).

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

 

[alexwalker]

Just start in Pamplona and walk without skipping. You skip the meseta, you skip the real heart of the camino.

Agree completely. IMHO, the Meseta is a place for contemplation and easy walking. Do not miss it. You are young and reasonably fit (I am 61). You can do it.

A section well worth avoiding is Leon-Astorga. Terrible on the way out of Leon, and lots of road walking. I will skip it this year.

 

[KinkyOne]

Take the bus from Burgos to Leon,missing the meseta.

Noooooooo, please don't, you'll miss so much of that true Camino vibe!!!
Each Camino is special but on Frances the Meseta is THE contemplative part...

If you just skip in/out tarmac stretches of Pamplona, Logrono, Burgos, Leon, Astorga, Ponferrada... you can "save" at least 6 days.

Ultreia!

 

[frasert]

mmmm if I had 29 days.... Burgos to SDC.. No skipping then ... Finesterre. Perfect.

The come back some other time from France to Burgos

If you happy with your own company skipping is ok I guess but myself travelling alone it's nice to build some friendships.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

the camino is supposed to be a pilgrimage, not a sight-seeing hike. A pilgrim walks the tarmac, the city streets, the wildflower fields, the boring parts, the scary highway parts, even the "spiritually un-nourishing" parts. He takes the good with the bad, because it's all a part of the camino. If you skip out on any of it, you're missing something. That's why I'd recommend walking from Pamplona... so you don't have to skip ANYTHING.
Unless you are injured or ill or you gotta get to the airport right away, don't skip anything. You are coming all this way to walk the camino. If you really want to do the camino, do the entire camino!

 

[Gillyweb]

Listen to Rebekkah and start in Pamplona and walk to the end. The joy of having walked without a break through the beautiful bits AND the not so beautiful bits and of having tested yourself will be so much more. Don't skip the meseta - yes it can be hard work, but the start is so beautiful and the end is a triumph of commitment. For me, as for many, it was the most rewarding part. Skipping bits by taking the bus, just so you can start from SJPP may just leave you feeling unfulfilled.
Whatever you decide - Buen Camino.

 

[KinkyOne]

the camino is supposed to be a pilgrimage, not a sight-seeing hike. A pilgrim walks the tarmac, the city streets, the wildflower fields, the boring parts, the scary highway parts, even the "spiritually un-nourishing" parts. He takes the good with the bad, because it's all a part of the camino. If you skip out on any of it, you're missing something. That's why I'd recommend walking from Pamplona... so you don't have to skip ANYTHING.
Unless you are injured or ill or you gotta get to the airport right away, don't skip anything. You are coming all this way to walk the camino. If you really want to do the camino, do the entire camino!

I agree with you completely.
When I've stopped in Logrono in 2009 (prior to Camino ankle injury) and return in 2011 again to SJPdP nobody of my closest friends understood that. I did!

I know why. But can also understand some folks that just wants to walk CF. And then may be never back again. For me - Camino gets in my blood, I'm poisoned, I want to "reach" wider, higher, longer, deeper, whatever, it's the feeling that can hardly be explained. Therefore if someone doesn't have the time this year, just try and walk as much as you can. And later return or not. Very simple. Because surely it's not about last 100km and Compostela piece of paper...

 

[alexwalker]

the camino is supposed to be a pilgrimage, not a sight-seeing hike. A pilgrim walks the tarmac, the city streets, the wildflower fields, the boring parts, the scary highway parts, even the "spiritually un-nourishing" parts. He takes the good with the bad, because it's all a part of the camino. If you skip out on any of it, you're missing something. That's why I'd recommend walking from Pamplona... so you don't have to skip ANYTHING.
Unless you are injured or ill or you gotta get to the airport right away, don't skip anything. You are coming all this way to walk the camino. If you really want to do the camino, do the entire camino!

Agree. Period. It is a blessing and a reward. It is actually crazy to come all the way to walk the way, and then trying to avoid it...

 

[Icacos]

Whatever happened to "Walk whichever way works best for you; it's your Camino"?

 

[tpmchugh]

Hi!
I am walking the Camino for the first time this year with my husband and another couple of friends. Unfortunately we will not have enough time to walk all the way as we need to get back to work..., but we will start it in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port and finish it Santiago de Compostela, so we will need to "skip" some places to be able do finish the walk in only 28 days! I would love your advice/expertise to help us to make the most of these days.

THE PLAN => We will start our journey in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port on the 18-April-2015 and will leave Santiago on the 15-May-2015 (so, only 28 days in total), but we would love to spend 3 days in Santiago to rest and to enjoy the place before we fly back to England, which gives us only 25 days to walk.

THE QUESTIONS => Which places should we "sacrifice"? I mean, were along the way we can catch a bus/taxi/train (?) to skip a few places and save time in the journey? Is it easy to do?

TRAVEL CONDITIONS (and health) => We are all in early 40's, non-smokers, good health and all in good shape but far from super-fit! so I imagine that our walking pace will be average...

Thank you in advance for any tips you guys can give us!

Bus from Najera to Burgos will skip 3 days and a train from Sahagun to Leon will skip 2.5 days. That should put you in your 28 day frame depending on how fast you walk and you will not have skipped the two biggest cities on the Camino. A bus from Ponferrada to Villafranca will gain you the best part of another day if you need it

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Just start in Pamplona and walk without skipping. You skip the meseta, you skip the real heart of the camino.

I don't know about the heart of the Camino, but that day of walking in a straight line, only with a blue sky and flat fields, under a hot sun is something not to be missed. Nowhere else had I seen such a perspective. Very special.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I didn't like what i saw from the bus window lol.

That's because where the Camino goes is not along the highway ;0)

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I would follow REbekah's suggestion, start in Pamplona. If you skip a segment, do bear in mind that you will stop seeing familiar faces for a while, since you will have left your camino mates behind you, you might be sorry to do that if you have met interesting people...

If the people you starting walking with, the ones ahead of you are likely to also be interesting. And you get to meet more people, hear more stories.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

skip the ugly sections entering león and burgos (but don't skip these cities), i haven't walkd into burgos for a while, but i remember it being horrible. in fact, the whole stretch between mansilla de mulas and astorga is not that exciting.
lots of local buses, ask at the local bars for bus times if you cannot find on the internet

Agree on busing in and out of Burgos and Leon but if you do not walk into Astorga you will miss Davide and his Casa de Dios? His barn on top of a plateau where he offers organic fruit and veggies (I assume he is still there?) . But yeah, the rest of the walk, with useless ups and downs that could be replaced by zip line, is a bit of a bore.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Just start in SJPP and your body will tell you when it wants a seat in a taxi or bus ;0)

 

[Mark Lee]

Kind of hard to get a straight answer on this forum, huh? More people are going to recommend not skipping any of the CF, even though you already said you need to skip some of it due to time constraints.
Anyway, free of philosophical meanderings, here's three days I would shave off in your situation:

(1) The stretch going into Burgos. It's just an urban, indistrial sprawl. Nothing that great to see.
(2) The stretch leaving Leon. Again, a lot of urban sprawl.
(3) The stretch of the meseta out of Carrion de los Condes. Don't worry. There are are other stretches of the meseta to see. This is just a stretch that if you skip you won't really miss a thing. I know a lot of people on this forum will make it out to be some sort of mystical, bleak section of Spain, but what la meseta really is, is just flat terrain where they grow a lot of crops. Don't get me wrong, it is pretty, but you can skip one day of it and not miss a thing.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Kind of hard to get a straight answer on this forum, huh? More people are going to recommend not skipping any of the CF, even though you already said you need to skip some of it due to time constraints.
Anyway, free of philosophical meanderings, here's three days I would shave off in your situation:

(1) The stretch going into Burgos. It's just an urban, indistrial sprawl. Nothing that great to see.
(2) The stretch leaving Leon. Again, a lot of urban sprawl.
(3) The stretch of the meseta out of Carrion de los Condes. Don't worry. There are are stretches of the meseta to see. This is just a stretch that if you skip you won't really miss a thing. I know a lot of people on this forum will make it out to be some sort of mystical, bleak section of Spain, but what la meseta really is just flat terrain where they grow a lot of crops. Don't get me wrong, it is pretty, but you can skip one day of it and not miss a thing.

OK for 1 and 2, but 3 is a big no no, not because it's mystical, but because it will shape your perception of the planet we live on. Never will you have seen such sky and flat land.

 

[CaptBuddy]

Kind of hard to get a straight answer on this forum, huh? More people are going to recommend not skipping any of the CF, even though you already said you need to skip some of it due to time constraints.
Anyway, free of philosophical meanderings, here's three days I would shave off in your situation:

(1) The stretch going into Burgos. It's just an urban, indistrial sprawl. Nothing that great to see.
(2) The stretch leaving Leon. Again, a lot of urban sprawl.
(3) The stretch of the meseta out of Carrion de los Condes. Don't worry. There are are stretches of the meseta to see. This is just a stretch that if you skip you won't really miss a thing. I know a lot of people on this forum will make it out to be some sort of mystical, bleak section of Spain, but what la meseta really is just flat terrain where they grow a lot of crops. Don't get me wrong, it is pretty, but you can skip one day of it and not miss a thing.

OK with 1 and 2. But I'd change 3 to be, take the train from Sahagún to Leon.
The Meseta sky really is worth the walk.
And the grilled sardines in Moratinos are great.

 

[FlechaCadaDia]

To me, so much of the experience is that unbroken walking. The chain you are creating with your steps. I think that experience is more meaningful than particular landscapes (as beautiful as the pass from SJPP to Roncesvalles may be.) If you're sure you don't have time to walk from SJPP, I would recommend walking from closer by, as Reb and others suggest.

Remember: the pilgrimage is much older than busses and planes, so there is no definite starting point. In centuries past, people started from home; they didn't fly/train to SJPP. And all the French pilgrims started from home, walked to one of four French routes--three of which connect at Ostabat, a day before SJPP. This is to say that SJPP is a sort of arbitrary starting point--it's not THE start of THE Camino. (Just the start of the Camino Frances portion of it.) So, it's not that you're "not doing the whole thing" if you miss SJPP. There is no whole thing. For me, the real feeling of incompleteness could come from not contiguously walking.

Blessings and Ultreya!

 

[Mark Lee]

OK for 1 and 2, but 3 is a big no no, not because it's mystical, but because it will shape your perception of the planet we live on. Never will you have seen such sky and flat land.

Guess you never been to Montana or Wyoming.....
What turned me off a bit from that stretch out of Carrion de los Condes was that about halfway I guess to Terradillos de Templarios I stopped at these picnic tables to take a break, and as I was sitting there I noticed that previous pilgrims had decided that was a good place to have potty breaks on the ground nearby. A bit disgusting and those shapes definitely had an effect on my perception of that small stretch of the planet we live on, ha ha.

 

[RENSHAW]

Bus from Najera to Burgos will skip 3 days ...........

Waaaayy!! Thats 6 of my days? Missing Granón or Acacio y Orietta? .... NAAAWWWW!!

 

[NualaOC]

Hi!
I am walking the Camino for the first time this year with my husband and another couple of friends. Unfortunately we will not have enough time to walk all the way as we need to get back to work...,

THE PLAN => We will start our journey in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port on the 18-April-2015 and will leave Santiago on the 15-May-2015 (so, only 28 days in total), but we would love to spend 3 days in Santiago to rest and to enjoy the place before we fly back to England, which gives us only 25 days to walk.

THE QUESTIONS => Which places should we "sacrifice"? I mean, were along the way we can catch a bus/taxi/train (?) to skip a few places and save time in the journey? Is it easy to do?

Thank you in advance for any tips you guys can give us!

Buen Camino Camila and friends! You have plenty of time for an amazing experience and you should have no difficulty figuring out what do so as you go along.

 

[Angelo]

Taking the train from Burgos until Sahagun saves you a few days. It will keep you on schedule whilst letting you experience walking the Meseta.

 

[Angelo]

Better yet, skip the walk into Burgos - the never ending walk in a public park after the airport. As well as the trek out of Leon.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

You don't get a straight answer on a forum because it's a forum. All different views, not all of them in agreement. That is the beauty of a forum.

As for

Whatever happened to "Walk whichever way works best for you; it's your Camino"?

I do not agree. That is the philosophy of a consumer -- a bit of that, a bit of this, skip what is not to your taste. It might be "your camino," but if it's a pilgrimage you came for, you may be disappointed.

 

[SabsP]

Even the so called boring parts have " a value "...IMHO we in modern society we lost the ability to " be bored "....everything has to be flashy, quick, exciting ....Whereas life is sometimes boring and chores have to be done....
To me the repetition and structure of daily life and a pilgrimage opens posibilities. For example : the rules of convents are strict and structured giving nuns/ friars the possibility to attend their " core business "...
But ..I'm digressing and not making myself very clear...

 

[NualaOC]

In an ideal world we would all walk slowly and take as long it takes to walk a full Camino. However, the reality for many of us is that work and family constraints make this impossible at the moment. Does that mean that a shortened Camino is any less a pilgrimage, or that the experience is of lesser spiritual value? I don't think so.

'Skipping' sections is a practical necessity for those who wish to start in SJPdP and end in Santiago, but have limited time. It's very interesting to read all of the different perspectives on this, but a passion for our own viewpoint can very easily sound a little judgemental. While I totally agree that skipping entire sections (e.g. a significant part of the Meseta), or avoiding the 'unattractive' parts is not a good basis for pilgrimage, I think that we should be careful not to undermine any particular decisions that a pilgrim chooses to make.

To go back to the original question from @Camila Sprague, if I had 28 days I would spend as little time as possible in cities (including Santiago) and as much time as I could in the places that allow for a blend of quiet contemplation and interaction with other pilgrims. I would also choose not to plan in advance where to skip. But that's just me!

 

[Icacos]

It might be "your camino," but if it's a pilgrimage you came for, you may be disappointed.

Quite true. But the OP did not say anything about a pilgrimage. She said she was going to walk the Camino with her husband and a couple of friends, from SJPP to Santiago and, since their time was limited, she was asking for help deciding which places to skip. Not everyone who walks the Camino is there for the pilgrimage aspect of it. We realized this two weeks into the Frances when we learned that a British couple we had got to know had up and left. Their reason for leaving apparently was that there were far prettier walks in their home country than they were finding on the Camino.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

a passion for our own viewpoint can very easily sound a little judgemental.

Is that surprising when a poster asks a question for which all answers are opinion?

 

[NualaOC]

Is that surprising when a poster asks a question for which all answers are opinion?

Not at all - and it's one of the great things about this forum! I have learned a lot from the many opinions so generously shared by forum members. But I think that we sometimes lose track of the original question and the basis on which it was asked.

 

[Kanga]

Start in Pamplona and just keep walking. I am absolutely with Rebekah on this - not from any judgmental perspective but because the essence of the camino, what makes it different to everything else in our lives, is its simplicity. A huge part of that is - no decisions. Once you start mucking about with picking bits, you lose that wonderful freedom that comes with not making decisions. Just get up each morning and walk. Similarly, having to carry your own pack ensures it stays small which means no decisions to be made about clothes. Bliss!

And I just have to add that there is no such thing as a "full camino" - it is a meaningless concept. This obsession with starting at SJPDP is silly. If you go to Geneva you will see that the Camino starts there. Same with Paris. Or Madrid.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Not everyone on the camino is a pilgrim, that is glaringly true. But everyone on the camino should be well aware they are making use of a pilgrimage trail, made by and for pilgrims. When someone asks a question on a camino board, I think it is still safe to assume they are interested in the pilgrimage aspect!

This is the sad thing -- we have to make a distinction between pilgrims on the Camino and "People going for a walk, " and carefully step around those whose sensitive nature wilts when faced with (what they consider) "judgment."

 

[NoQ]

Taking the train from Burgos until Sahagun saves you a few days. You can save a few days and keep you in schedule whilst letting you experience a few days in the Meseta.

Noooooo. This is my favourite part of the Frances.

The walking between Rabe and Fromista is so peaceful, with so few motorized vehicles and miles away from those motorways that are often heard in the distance on many other stages. The villages that the pilgrim passes through are absolutely timeless and Castrojeriz, in particular, feels like you have entered into a time machine and gone back hundreds of years to a more relaxed, simpler existence, plus the churches there are magnificent. Mass in Fromista and Carrion, with pilgrim blessings afterwards are some of the most special times on the Camino. Sunrise from the hill after Castrojeriz is stunning. It's the only stretch of the Camino on which you can walk by an old canal waterway for a few kilometres. Villalcazar church is an absolute jewel. The albergues in this part are among the most atmospheric, particularly in Carrion.

In some parts too, the distance is quite far between rest stops, so you really feel you've earned your 10 am bocadillo and coffee when you come to one.

Missing this part would be a real travesty if you only walk the Camino one time. Rebekah has given the best advice already- start from Pamplona.

 

[jpflavin1]

Agree completely. IMHO, the Meseta is a place for contemplation and easy walking. Do not miss it. You are young and reasonably fit (I am 61). You can do it.

A section well worth avoiding is Leon-Astorga. Terrible on the way out of Leon, and lots of road walking. I will skip it this year.

But then you miss David's Oasis. A great break on the way to Astorga.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[tpmchugh]

Waaaayy!! Thats 6 of my days? Missing Granón or Acacio y Orietta? .... NAAAWWWW!!

Well I was basing that on a fairly fit 5km/hr at least pilgrim. Probably close to 6 for me too. Not planning to skip any myself but then I have plenty of time so I reckoned that was a good option to make 28 days doable for the original questioner

 

[annakappa]

To me, so much of the experience is that unbroken walking. The chain you are creating with your steps. I think that experience is more meaningful than particular landscapes (as beautiful as the pass from SJPP to Roncesvalles may be.) If you're sure you don't have time to walk from SJPP, I would recommend walking from closer by, as Reb and others suggest.

Remember: the pilgrimage is much older than busses and planes, so there is no definite starting point. In centuries past, people started from home; they didn't fly/train to SJPP. And all the French pilgrims started from home, walked to one of four French routes--three of which connect at Ostabat, a day before SJPP. This is to say that SJPP is a sort of arbitrary starting point--it's not THE start of THE Camino. (Just the start of the Camino Frances portion of it.) So, it's not that you're "not doing the whole thing" if you miss SJPP. There is no whole thing. For me, the real feeling of incompleteness could come from not contiguously walking.

Blessings and Ultreya!

FletchaCadaDia, I think you have hit the nail on the head! One thinks that they need to start in SJPP, for various reasons, but it seems that this Forum has gradually leant to the idea that SJPP in THE starting point for the Francés. In fact, should you wish to start your Pilgrimage in France, following the Camino Francés, then the starting point should be at Ostabad, where various routes join up!
In other words, there is no official starting point, but I do agree that for me, it's a much deeper experience to walk in an unbroken chain! On occasions, we have taken the bus, for various reasons, but the times that I have fully completed the
Camino, walking every step, was much more rewarding!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Well I was basing that on a fairly fit 5km/hr at least pilgrim. Probably close to 6 for me too. Not planning to skip any myself but then I have plenty of time so I reckoned that was a good option to make 28 days doable for the original questioner

After all the cafes con leche, I calculate 3km an hour ;0)

 

[Castilian]

we will start it in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port and finish it Santiago de Compostela, so we will need to "skip" some places to be able do finish the walk in only 28 days!

Are your starting and ending points fixed?

If your starting point isn't absolutely fixed, to start in Pamplona and walk all the way from Pamplona to Santiago de Compostela would be a good idea.

If both your starting and ending points are absolutely fixed, it would be a good idea to know the aim of your walk. You could walk all the way from SJPP to Santiago de Compostela in 28 days. It wouldn't be unreasonable but you would miss many interesting towns and cities where to spend an afternoon sightseeing, relaxing... because a desired amount of walking with your tight schedule means to stay overnight in some smaller and not too interesting towns/villages.

P.S.: Don't forget each time you take a bus, a taxi, a train or some other sort of transport, you are not walking and if you don't walk part of a walk you aren't really finishing that walk.

what la meseta really is, is just flat terrain where they grow a lot of crops.

As a mesetarian Castilian, I'll tell you the meseta is (much) more than that but it seems you've yet to discover it.

we learned that a British couple we had got to know had up and left. Their reason for leaving apparently was that there were far prettier walks in their home country than they were finding on the Camino.

There are far prettier walks than the Camino Francés (French Way) in Spain too... if that's the only thing they were looking for. To make some basic research about where are you going and what can you expect there is always a good idea although it seems there's (too many) people that doesn't make it.

 

[Mark Lee]

As a mesetarian Castilian, I'll tell you the meseta is (much) more than that but it seems you've yet to discover it.

Ummm, yeah sure. OK.....

 

[Dutch]

OK OK OK DON'T miss the damn Meseta,mind you i did and happy to have done so

Why? Why happy to have done so?

 

[Dutch]

Arrive in santiago and just stay one extra day there. That is more than enough for SdC. Its not that big.

There you go, i just saved you a day or two

 

[Dutch]

Well I was basing that on a fairly fit 5km/hr at least pilgrim. Probably close to 6 for me too. Not planning to skip any myself but then I have plenty of time so I reckoned that was a good option to make 28 days doable for the original questioner

Is that your walking speed? 6km/ph?

 

[annakappa]

Well I was basing that on a fairly fit 5km/hr at least pilgrim. Probably close to 6 for me too. Not planning to skip any myself but then I have plenty of time so I reckoned that was a good option to make 28 days doable for the original questioner

Please remember that OP Camila is walking with 3 other people, therefore all sorts of scenarios can appear. If they want to stay together, then they have to adjust to the slowest of the group. In my opinion, under the circumstances, 28 days from SJPP is asking too much.

 

[frasert]

Hmm I love forums
How about this
St. Jean to Pamplona to get the Pyrenees experience then bus/car/train to Burgos then walk all the way to SDC.

 

[RENSHAW]

Ummm, yeah sure. OK.....

Well Mark , it is true - those first few days on the Meseta are surreal as if one was in another world?

 

[Felipe]

Don't plan too much. Just go and decide on the spot.

 

[Bernard duffy]

Why? Why happy to have done so?

I was meeting a very attractive young lady in Leon

 

[RENSHAW]

I was meeting a very attractive young lady in Leon

Zoaaa! Herr Duffy , Zee plot is thickening ja!? ............ wait a bit? I'm not German?

 

[Bernard duffy]

Zoaaa! Herr Duffy , Zee plot is thickening ja!? ............ wait a bit? I'm not German?

Thicker than a pilgrim menu

 

[Mark Lee]

Well Mark , it is true - those first few days on the Meseta are surreal as if one was in another world?

Sorry, it just doesn't come across that way to me. It's pretty and has its own charm and is very much a part of the CF experience, but looks like other places I have been.
It's certainly no more difficult to walk than any other part of the CF. In fact, I thought it was easier due to the fact there was no hill-work involved.

 

[tpmchugh]

Please remember that OP Camila is walking with 3 other people, therefore all sorts of scenarios can appear. If they want to stay together, then they have to adjust to the slowest of the group. In my opinion, under the circumstances, 28 days from SJPP is asking too much.

Pesonally would not want to do it in 28 days but unfortunately, not everyone is like me, retired with all the time in the world . But 28 days must mean a bit of a dash missing out on the opportunity to just sit on top of a mountain and gaze at God's masterpiece laid out at your feet. For that reason I reckon doing a few skips gives you the time to drink in the beauty of this world without having to put the head down and charge to the next stop when you are time restricted

 

[tpmchugh]

Is that your walking speed? 6km/ph?

I wish, no 6 hours to do what others do in 3 to 4. I am the tortoise to most pilgrims hare

 

[Jacobus]

Hi!
I am walking the Camino for the first time this year with my husband and another couple of friends. Unfortunately we will not have enough time to walk all the way as we need to get back to work..., but we will start it in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port and finish it Santiago de Compostela, so we will need to "skip" some places to be able do finish the walk in only 28 days! I would love your advice/expertise to help us to make the most of these days.

THE PLAN => We will start our journey in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port on the 18-April-2015 and will leave Santiago on the 15-May-2015 (so, only 28 days in total), but we would love to spend 3 days in Santiago to rest and to enjoy the place before we fly back to England, which gives us only 25 days to walk.

THE QUESTIONS => Which places should we "sacrifice"? I mean, were along the way we can catch a bus/taxi/train (?) to skip a few places and save time in the journey? Is it easy to do?

TRAVEL CONDITIONS (and health) => We are all in early 40's, non-smokers, good health and all in good shape but far from super-fit! so I imagine that our walking pace will be average...

Thank you in advance for any tips you guys can give us!

Asking that question is like asking "which limb would you like to cut off?", "Which eye can you do without" Sophie's Choice? My advice might be to use Santiago as the end point and count backwards to a starting point which co-incides with your allotted time but I couldn't do it. Otherwise draw city names from a hat. NOT to be missed (my opinion only) and absolutely essential in no particular order are O'Cebriero, Hontanas, Puente la Reina, Navarette, Najera, Santo Domingo, Burgos Castrojeriz,Carrion,Leon, Hospital D'orbigo, Astorga Foncebadon, Molinaseca, Ponferrada, Cacabelos, Villafranca, Melide, and Santiago. At the very least try to squeeze a bus ride to Finisterre in!
Buen Camino! Im glad I don't have to make the decision

 

[RENSHAW]

.......... NOT to be missed (my opinion only) and absolutely essential in no particular order are O'Cebriero, Hontanas, Puente la Reina, Navarette, Najera, Santo Domingo, Burgos Castrojeriz,Carrion,Leon, Hospital D'orbigo, Astorga Foncebadon, Molinaseca, Ponferrada, Cacabelos, Villafranca, Melide, and Santiago............

Mmmmm , interesting - almost half of your 'not to be missed' towns or cities ........dare I say it Jaco , have been chopped by other forum members.

 

[thetravellingpen]

There is a much prettier alternative to entering Burgos, via parkland. It was really great, other than the local 'flasher' who caught us unaware!

skip the ugly sections entering león and burgos (but don't skip these cities), i haven't walkd into burgos for a while, but i remember it being horrible. in fact, the whole stretch between mansilla de mulas and astorga is not that exciting.
lots of local buses, ask at the local bars for bus times if you cannot find on the internet[/Q

 

[Jacobus]

Mmmmm , interesting - almost half of your 'not to be missed' towns or cities ........dare I say it Jaco , have been chopped by other forum members.

It seems we all have had good experiences in different places. I tend to think of the people I have met, food and wine, albergue's and special places within a village and that is bound to differ from everyones personal tastes and preferences. All in all if I wrote the list again it would probably be different.

Cheers

Jim

 

[newfydog]

Once you opt for modern transportation the entire trip becomes a bit artificial. The option of hopping on a bus becomes part of the daily decision.

Start this year in Pamplona. Next year go back and walk LePuy to Pamplona.

 

[Mark Lee]

Asking that question is like asking "which limb would you like to cut off?", "Which eye can you do without" Sophie's Choice? My advice might be to use Santiago as the end point and count backwards to a starting point which co-incides with your allotted time but I couldn't do it. Otherwise draw city names from a hat. NOT to be missed (my opinion only) and absolutely essential in no particular order are O'Cebriero, Hontanas, Puente la Reina, Navarette, Najera, Santo Domingo, Burgos Castrojeriz,Carrion,Leon, Hospital D'orbigo, Astorga Foncebadon, Molinaseca, Ponferrada, Cacabelos, Villafranca, Melide, and Santiago. At the very least try to squeeze a bus ride to Finisterre in!
Buen Camino! Im glad I don't have to make the decision

Really? Limb amputation? Eye gouging? And the "Sophie's Choice" analogy? Good Lord. Is that an appropriate comparison to make when discussing which towns to bypass while on a holiday (of sorts).
I always cringe a bit when a new poster asks a simple question about what to see, where to go or stay or what to bring, as at times they are given such roundabout, meandering answers. It's rare when 1+1=2 with the advice, but this one takes the cake.
Reality check time....

 

[newfydog]

Really? this one takes the cake.
Reality check time....

Oh lighten up! We can convolute a thread much worse than that!

 

[RENSHAW]

Oh lighten up! We can convolute a thread much worse than that!

Agreed Dog , this thread has been great fun , some members have been perhaps a tad too serious but all in all the OP now has an invaluble insight as to what options there are and adding all these up , there are probably only 2 or 3 messages that keep on reoccurring so I think we've done a good job here.

 

[Bernard duffy]

There is a much prettier alternative to entering Burgos, via parkland. It was really great, other than the local 'flasher' who caught us unaware!

Sorry about that,i had forgotten to take my meds that morning

 

[waveprof]

Take the bus from Burgos to Leon,missing the meseta.

The meseta was one of my favorite parts

 

[waveprof]

Once you opt for modern transportation the entire trip becomes a bit artificial. The option of hopping on a bus becomes part of the daily decision.

Start this year in Pamplona. Next year go back and walk LePuy to Pamplona.

I really like the idea of just starting in Pamplona. One could always even just do a long weekend of SJPD--Pamplona in the future if they really felt they missed something

 

[Bernard duffy]

The meseta was one of my favorite parts

The bus from Burgos -Leon was one of mine

 

[Mark Lee]

Agreed Dog , this thread has been great fun , some members have been perhaps a tad too serious but all in all the OP now has an invaluble insight as to what options there are and adding all these up , there are probably only 2 or 3 messages that keep on reoccurring so I think we've done a good job here.

Oh lighten up! We can convolute a thread much worse than that!

Agreed Dog , this thread has been great fun , some members have been perhaps a tad too serious but all in all the OP now has an invaluble insight as to what options there are and adding all these up , there are probably only 2 or 3 messages that keep on reoccurring so I think we've done a good job here.

Don't know if either of you guys saw the movie "Sophie's Choice" (1982), but in it the "choice" that the title is referring to is when the main character of Sophie arrives at the Auschwitz concentration camp with her two children she is forced to choose which child would live and which would die.
I'm certainly not easily offended, and that comparison didn't offend me per se, but c'mon man, do I have to elaborate any further?

 

[Jacobus]

Really? Limb amputation? Eye gouging? And the "Sophie's Choice" analogy? Good Lord. Is that an appropriate comparison to make when discussing which towns to bypass while on a holiday (of sorts).
I always cringe a bit when a new poster asks a simple question about what to see, where to go or stay or what to bring, as at times they are given such roundabout, meandering answers. It's rare when 1+1=2 with the advice, but this one takes the cake.
Reality check time....

C'mon Mark. The words amputation and gouging are not contained in my post and are used by you to enhance your own purposes.

A full review of my posting reveals I offered a sound method of determining a starting point and specifics on cities that in my opinion should not be missed. This info directly addressed the point of the question...very unlike your posting which sole purpose is to criticize mine.

 

[RENSHAW]

......... do I have to elaborate any further?

Okay, Okay Mark , we missed your first forum birthday - sorry Bud.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I do not think there is anything to avoid anywhere. On my first camino, I reached Leon, did not like it, saw the cathedral, and walked on to La Virgen. Leon is almost my favorite city now. My next stop was Villadangos, and I loved the food, but not the three-decker bunks. I have been back only once in the next five walks. I rarely stay in a place that I have been to before, but make an exception for San Xulian and Ventos de Naron. There is just no telling what I will choose, but I avoid planning to skip or include a place. I still suggest skipping when you feel like it, not on a plan. There is almost no place where you cannot grab a bus or taxi on a whim. Let exhaustion affect your decision, not the recommendation of some other pilgrim.

 

[shefollowsshells]

Hi!
I am walking the Camino for the first time this year with my husband and another couple of friends. Unfortunately we will not have enough time to walk all the way as we need to get back to work..., but we will start it in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port and finish it Santiago de Compostela, so we will need to "skip" some places to be able do finish the walk in only 28 days! I would love your advice/expertise to help us to make the most of these days.

THE PLAN => We will start our journey in St.Jean-Pied-de-Port on the 18-April-2015 and will leave Santiago on the 15-May-2015 (so, only 28 days in total), but we would love to spend 3 days in Santiago to rest and to enjoy the place before we fly back to England, which gives us only 25 days to walk.

THE QUESTIONS => Which places should we "sacrifice"? I mean, were along the way we can catch a bus/taxi/train (?) to skip a few places and save time in the journey? Is it easy to do?

TRAVEL CONDITIONS (and health) => We are all in early 40's, non-smokers, good health and all in good shape but far from super-fit! so I imagine that our walking pace will be average...

Thank you in advance for any tips you guys can give us!

You ask which part should you skip...this advice is ONLY because of your time constaint...I would skip the "3 days in Santiago" and spend 2 of those on the path ...
maybe even all 3 of them on the path and get up early on the day you walk into Santiago ...get there for mass...and only since time is critical leave on that day or in the morning to head home. I would try not to miss anything but do agree if you had to start in Pampalona.

I also want to suggest that I think it would be very difficult to preplan what ever to skip , there are so many factors in what makes the Camino wonderful and lack of asphalt is just a layer, who knows the company you will have while walking on miserable asphalt...who knows what conversations are to be had while walking on asphalt. One of my most life changing decisions happened based on a conversation I had on the Camino, leaving a city and wallking on asphalt. The surroundings might not have been the best but what was brought into my heart in those same moments can not measured.

 

[Carolina A-A]

For someone planning her first Camino for June 2016, this thread is very helpful. It's an unfortunate reality that we have time restrictions due to our jobs and other circumstances. Another important restriction is if we live in another continent, which makes the possibility of walking the Camino in installments somewhat expensive. Reading these posts helps me think of possibilities within our time/distance constraints, while keeping in mind the reasons why we want to undertake our Camino and the certainty that the experience will change us in ways I can't foresee right now. So, thanks everyone!

 

[naplesdon]

Okay, Okay Mark , we missed your first forum birthday - sorry Bud.

OMG Renshaw, OUCH! From a good friend of the Forum and my fellow pilgrims. We love you Mark HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

 

[MechEngr69]

For someone planning her first Camino for June 2016, this thread is very helpful. It's an unfortunate reality that we have time restrictions due to our jobs and other circumstances. Another important restriction is if we live in another continent, which makes the possibility of walking the Camino in installments somewhat expensive. Reading these posts helps me think of possibilities within our time/distance constraints, while keeping in mind the reasons why we want to undertake our Camino and the certainty that the experience will change us in ways I can't foresee right now. So, thanks everyone!

Back to the original question from Camila Sprague, John Brierley approves skipping Stage 19, and his guide, 12th ed. (2015) reads: “There is the possibility to avoid the busy (and dangerous) main road into (and out of) Leon by taking the bus from Mansilla directly to the city centre (1,65 EUR).” And then “. . . bus it to La Virgin del Camino . . . the following morning.” Stage 19 should be your first deletion when time is short.

 

[Dutch]

John Brierley approves? Euhhh.....Is he the camino god? Brierley wrote a guidebook, nothing more, nothing less.

(Sorry MechEngr69, dont mean this personal)

 

[shefollowsshells]

A huge part of that is - no decisions. Once you start mucking about with picking bits, you lose that wonderful freedom that comes with not making decisions.

Those two sentences sum it all up better than anything I have ever read on the subject.

 

[MechEngr69]

John Brierley approves? Euhhh.....Is he the camino god? Brierley wrote a guidebook, nothing more, nothing less.

(Sorry MechEngr69, dont mean this personal)

Dutch, no and not the Camino Czar either. I agree, but he implies that skipping Stage 19 is a good idea. You were there in 2013. Is it ugly?

 

[newfydog]

Back to the original question from Camila Sprague, John Brierley approves skipping Stage 19, and his guide, 12th ed. (2015) reads: “There is the possibility to avoid the busy (and dangerous) main road into (and out of) Leon by taking the bus from Mansilla directly to the city centre (1,65 EUR).” And then “. . . bus it to La Virgin del Camino . . . the following morning.” Stage 19 should be your first deletion when time is short.

Is there a dislike button here? The route out of Leon is magical, something that shows you how privileged we are to be on a famous trail where the trail takes priority potentially private land.

When time is short, you should shorten the trip, rather than skipping from some Brierley approved highlight to the next.

 

[naplesdon]

John Brierley approves? Euhhh.....Is he the camino god? Brierley wrote a guidebook, nothing more, nothing less.

(Sorry MechEngr69, dont mean this personal)

Ohhh! Dutch you just poked one into the Tar Baby my friend.

 

[RENSHAW]

Dutch, no and not the Camino Czar either. I agree, but he implies that skipping Stage 19 is a good idea. You were there in 2013. Is it ugly?

Ugly??!! No Doubt the 'Lizzie Velásquez' of the Camino Frances.Although the old town and the fab walk along the river is a must, easly done once checked in and refreshed at the albergue.