10 stages, any Camino: the most beautiful?

[blvdve]

Just wondering (I have not anywhere near decided my where and my when): if you could go back to the most beautiful 200km (plusmin) you ever walked, where would they start and where would they end? Any part of any Camino, in any country, and Compostela aside, which section of the Way took your breath away even more so than others did?
I was discussing my hopes, plans, and dreams with a friend recently, and she mentioned an ex-colleague who had walked just part of the Camino Francès, a part he particularly wanted to experience, and I realised that perhaps ending in Santiago could wait for a following trip...
Please share! Thank you!

 

[Deleted member 36903]

It's all beautiful! Even when walking through urban sprawl, any lack of aesthetics is offset by the pleasure and privilege of having the freedom to walk across Spain (or France, or Portugal) and meeting strangers who become friends. Just to be able to walk day after day and let the unexpected and serendipitous into our lives is one of the most wonderful experiences we can have. even walking into Burgos having missed the river route.

 

[Anniesantiago]

From Lourdes.

 

[domigee]

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder

 

[tomnorth]

This feels a bit like asking me which of my kids is the most attractive. I can’t answer the question. The thing is, walking a Camino is much more about connecting with humanity than it is about taking in beautiful landscapes. If you plan to walk the Camino Frances in 200k stages, I’d start in St. Jean Pied de Port. When it came time to walk the Meseta, walk it, don’t skip it. The Meseta has a beauty all its own, and it certainly gets your mind ready for the lushness of Galicia.

 

[Aidan21]

There is no definitive answer to your question; just personal preferences. I have very pleasant memories of walking the meseta (yes the meseta and twice!!!) and feeling completely free. To be able to see from horizon to horizon, to see the cereal crops swaying in the breeze like a wave on the ocean and not see another person gave me feelings of beauty and freedom. To be alone but not to be lonely. And who can explain the absurdity of being totally alone in the world and 2 minutes later in the company of many other peringrinos. Having said all of that, I must also say that I enjoyed every single step of the Way and 99.9 % easily came under the heading of beautiful.

 

[Kitsambler]

I have two winners in your contest:
1) France, the Le Puy route from Le Puy to Conques
2) Switzerland, the Via Jacobi from Konstanz to Brienz

 

[Annette london]

Just wondering (I have not anywhere near decided my where and my when): if you could go back to the most beautiful 200km (plusmin) you ever walked, where would they start and where would they end? Any part of any Camino, in any country, and Compostela aside, which section of the Way took your breath away even more so than others did?
I was discussing my hopes, plans, and dreams with a friend recently, and she mentioned an ex-colleague who had walked just part of the Camino Francès, a part he particularly wanted to experience, and I realised that perhaps ending in Santiago could wait for a following trip...
Please share! Thank you!

For me, it was the San Salvador recently walked from Leon to Oviedo...120 km with some beautiful mountain scenery

Next week....when I can get thoughts and notes together I'll post the stages that we did and with some general info
Also loved the Meseta
The via de la plata
The Norte...

Now it's hard to make up my mind!!!!

Each one is beautiful in its own way though
Was not however too keen on the Portuguese from Porto as there's so much road walking
Best wishes
Annette

 

[blueblazing]

The most beautiful 200 km I’ve walked? Probably the Camino Aragones from Oloron-Sainte-Marie to where it joins the main route at Puente la Reina. The long approach into the French Pyrenees is gorgeous, and then there’s something stunning about the rugged open spaces in that part of northern Spain. I like Anniesantiago’s idea of starting from Lourdes.

The last 200 km of the Frances from Ponferrada to Santiago are also full of beauty. If you only have a couple of weeks, why not just start in Ponferrada so you can have the whole experience of arriving in Santiago as part of a community of pilgrims?

 

[rappahannock_rev]

I must agree with blueblazing and my old friend Anniesantiago. The walk from Lourdes to Oloron to Jaca offered scenery that took my breath away -- every darn day!

(But the Meseta remains my zen zone....)

 

[blvdve]

It's all beautiful! Even when walking through urban sprawl, any lack of aesthetics is offset by the pleasure and privilege of having the freedom to walk across Spain (or France, or Portugal) and meeting strangers who become friends. Just to be able to walk day after day and let the unexpected and serendipitous into our lives is one of the most wonderful experiences we can have. even walking into Burgos having missed the river route.

I'm sure it is, and I trust it is. I was just wondering about the aesthetics, is all. I take pictures, and I draw, and I can remember happening upon vistas that *literally* took my breath away.

 

[blvdve]

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder

Which is why I asked the beholders. These answers are not going to guide my decisions; I was merely interested.

 

[blvdve]

From Lourdes.

Thank you! Lourdes to a specific place?

 

[blvdve]

This feels a bit like asking me which of my kids is the most attractive. I can’t answer the question. The thing is, walking a Camino is much more about connecting with humanity than it is about taking in beautiful landscapes. If you plan to walk the Camino Frances in 200k stages, I’d start in St. Jean Pied de Port. When it came time to walk the Meseta, walk it, don’t skip it. The Meseta has a beauty all its own, and it certainly gets your mind ready for the lushness of Galicia.

Thanks, Tom. Good advice.

 

[blvdve]

There is no definitive answer to your question; just personal preferences. I have very pleasant memories of walking the meseta (yes the meseta and twice!!!) and feeling completely free. To be able to see from horizon to horizon, to see the cereal crops swaying in the breeze like a wave on the ocean and not see another person gave me feelings of beauty and freedom. To be alone but not to be lonely. And who can explain the absurdity of being totally alone in the world and 2 minutes later in the company of many other peringrinos. Having said all of that, I must also say that I enjoyed every single step of the Way and 99.9 % easily came under the heading of beautiful.

I'm sure it did. I was just interested in the stretches that particularly light up your eyes - just out of curiosity, not as a planning thing. It sounds absolutely beautiful!

 

[blvdve]

I have two winners in your contest:
1) France, the Le Puy route from Le Puy to Conques
2) Switzerland, the Via Jacobi from Konstanz to Brienz

Ah. I know the route to Conques, but not on foot. Husband and I followed the Lot last year, driving, camping, hiking, from the source to the Garonne... stunning.

 

[blvdve]

For me, it was the San Salvador recently walked from Leon to Oviedo...120 km with some beautiful mountain scenery

Next week....when I can get thoughts and notes together I'll post the stages that we did and with some general info
Also loved the Meseta
The via de la plata
The Norte...

Now it's hard to make up my mind!!!!

Each one is beautiful in its own way though
Was not however too keen on the Portuguese from Porto as there's so much road walking
Best wishes
Annette

Thanks, Annette. Yes, I breathe more freely away from traffic, too (doesn't everyone?). Looking forward to your impressions!

 

[blvdve]

The most beautiful 200 km I’ve walked? Probably the Camino Aragones from Oloron-Sainte-Marie to where it joins the main route at Puente la Reina. The long approach into the French Pyrenees is gorgeous, and then there’s something stunning about the rugged open spaces in that part of northern Spain. I like Anniesantiago’s idea of starting from Lourdes.

The last 200 km of the Frances from Ponferrada to Santiago are also full of beauty. If you only have a couple of weeks, why not just start in Ponferrada so you can have the whole experience of arriving in Santiago as part of a community of pilgrims?

Thank you for your input! I am not researching here, actually, just interested in what astounded others (I, truly, love turning a corner, or entering a church, or cresting a hill, and gasping in disbelief at what I see before me..)

 

[blvdve]

I must agree with blueblazing and my old friend Anniesantiago. The walk from Lourdes to Oloron to Jaca offered scenery that took my breath away -- every darn day!

(But the Meseta remains my zen zone....)

Ah. Thank you. And from all I have read about the Meseta, I think it would be my Zen xone, too. ..

 

[Tincatinker]

10 Stages?
1) First hear mention of Camino
2) Hear Camino mentioned again but in a different context
3) Curiosity sufficiently aroused to type "Camino" into Google
4) Utterly overwhelmed by number of hits close browser window
5) Forget about Camino for a bit
6) Start thinking about Camino again
7) Try Google again but resolve to avoid all adverts and "holidays"
8) Discover this forum and start to get seriously intrigued while still confused and bewildered
9) Try asking a few un-answerable questions while still wondering why you keep thinking about Camino
10) Decide to go and do it and find out what all the fuss is about. Probably starting in StJDP even though you have read that it isn't compulsory, and with too much kit even though you have read to pack light, and with so many confused expectations it will take you at least until Logrono to get into some sort of groove.

Or just walk the Primitivo

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Tinky, you are a clever guy with your quick witt and often dry humor. Many of your comments give me a good laugh, including this one.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Thank you! Lourdes to a specific place?

Lourdes to Jaca to Puente la Reina

 

[kdespot]

St Jean to Pamplona. The stone villages, Basque villagers, animals with bells, all representing a unique antiquity and fascinating history of recent times,,, proud and rebellious. On a subjective level, it's a euphoric time of beginning the Camino (for many) but objectively, it's just stunningly beautiful. If you want to paint the Camino, this area is rich.

 

[Rob the Slob]

I can't claim to have walked more than a couple of hundred Camino kilometres, but the second stage of the Madrid, from Tres Cantos to Manzanares el Real, is some of the loveliest walking I've ever experienced anywhere.