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  1. S

    Catholic albergues and spots

    Sorry, it wasn't something I was really paying attention to at the time. Wikipedia suggests it's not really observed outside Toledo other than at the Poor Clares monastery in Madrid on a Tuesday and occasionally in Salamanca.
  2. S

    Catholic albergues and spots

    I'm an atheist but very interested in history and there were a few places that really stood out. As a few have said, Oviedo cathedral. The Camara Sancta is definitely worth visiting. The upper part may be of interest as it's where the relics are kept on display but I preferred the simpler...
  3. S

    Favorite graffiti

    I walked ten years ago and I found the graffiti depressing, especially the closer you got to Santiago where it seemed to ramp up. Most of it just made me think "why bother?", it was often badly written, badly spelled rubbish (and I say that as someone who is slightly dyslexic). Very little of it...
  4. S

    How cold in October?

    Depends on what you are used to. I walked in late October and the weather didn't bother me but I am from Scotland and spend a lot of time outdoors all year round including winter camping. A friend I made on the walk was from San Diego and he suffered. At Cruz de Ferro he looked like he was at...
  5. S

    Your Favourite Towns/Cities to Stay Additional Night/s

    I liked Leon, I thought it was a really pleasant city to spend some time. I wish I'd had more time in Ponferada and Astorga. Both looked very interesting places.
  6. S

    Is my daily average goal too ambitious?

    28km a day average isn't unrealistic. In the later stages of walking the Frances 25km was the distance I allowed myself until my first break and I'd hardly notice doing it some days, it would fly by. If I set out at 6.30 then by 11.30 I'd have my distance done and my first beer/colacao of the...
  7. S

    2 Questions

    I walked in late October and never bothered with a sleeping bag. In the places that did not provide sheets I slept under my shemagh, more out of the habit of having something/anything over me when in bed. Anytime I wasn't as warm as I'd like I'd just put on an extra layer. A fleece top or throw...
  8. S

    CF in september: bring rain trousers or no?

    I've got a pair of water resistant trousers (Revolution Race). They're great until they're not. Eventually they reach a saturation point where the resistance stops working and then they become horrible. Really cold and really heavy. They're great in snowy conditions or the odd shower but don't...
  9. S

    CF in september: bring rain trousers or no?

    I wouldn't. I only really use rain pants in the middle of winter on long hikes and even then only if the weather is very wet and very windy. I hate wearing them, lightweight walking trousers dry really quick with just body heat as soon as you are out of the rain so it's just a matter of how cold...
  10. S

    Where to stay the night before Santiago....?

    People I'd met, various things I'd read, all seemed to imply this was the "traditional" place to stop. I suspect from the size of the place that's not an unusual view, I certainly hadn't seen anywhere like it on my walk. After visiting it I suspect it's good marketing on behalf of whoever runs...
  11. S

    Where to stay the night before Santiago....?

    I thought Monte de Gozo was a dump. I'd reserved a bed there because everyone said that was the traditional place to stop. I felt depressed the moment I set foot in the place. I went outside the fence to a nearby pizza place, it was awful too and when I had to come back inside I was in a foul...
  12. S

    Have you seen the tomb of Galicia?

    It wasn't exactly a beauty spot in 2012. It was a pretty ugly monument to begin with. I don't think putting a more robust base on it has made it any worse and I imagine in a year or two it will either have weathered a bit or be covered in as much grafitti as the marker stone so won't look as out...
  13. S

    One night in Leon

    I stayed in the hotel that is part of the San Isidoro. It was very nice, beautiful location and interior. The coffee at breakfast was some of the best I've ever had in Spain! It's not cheap but it wasn't crazy expensive, either. Great location, right in the heart of town without being right in...
  14. S

    Astorga to Santiago de Compostela

    I found Sarria a bit of a culture shock after so many days of walking rural trails. I didn't enjoy it. There seemed to be a lot of people taking advantage of the first big city in a long time. Lots of drinking. A couple of weeks earlier and it would have been me but I just was not in the mood...
  15. S

    Frances Camino in Oct

    I walked in October 2012, finishing on Halloween. Weather was lovely, cold mornings, sometimes below freezing up in the hills, even a hint of the first snows but temp builds during the day. Peaks around 4-5pm where it was very hot some days, then falls away rapidly. Lovely cool evenings...
  16. S

    What do I do when I feel like giving up?

    That is really important, on both counts. If you're tired, especially mentally tired, sitting down to a really good meal is massive. When I'm tired, a steak and a big salad is all I can think about. But also talking to someone is important. One of the most important things is being able to step...
  17. S

    Did anyone regret walking the Camino?

    I regretted walking the Salvador. Nice scenery for the first few days (pretty ugly in the last day or so) but really never enjoyed it. I like the social experience as much as the walk and the Salvador is a very solitary trek with not a lot of comforts on the route. I didn't consider myself a...
  18. S

    Jews on the Camino

    Easy targets. Trades & crafts were often forbidden to Jews by local laws and guilds which left few outlets for making a living. Becoming a merchant was one of the few professions a mediaeval Jew could do. So the Jewish community started becoming wealthy. Mediaeval Christianity forebade the...
  19. S

    Jews on the Camino

    I can't recall faith ever being much of a conversation topic on the Camino, my unscientific opinion is that English speaking walkers (Brits, US, Canadians, Aussies and Kiwis) that I encountered were predominantly walking for secular reasons. The exception were the Irish who tended to be very...
  20. S

    300 km instead of 100?

    Personally, I think all the talk of "real pilgrims" and "tourists" a bit sad and somewhat snobbish. If you're a "real" pilgrim then surely you don't give a damn how far anyone else has walked to get the same recognition? If you aren't a "real" pilgrim then surely you don't give a damn about...

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