4 weeks summer 2016 - where should I walk?

[Stellaluna]

Hello all,
I have 4 weeks for sure this summer (maybe 5 if I'm lucky) to walk one of or part of one of the routes. Initially I was thinking of the Primitivo and then on to Finisterre but from what I read, one's first Camino should be the Frances. I walked the Coast to Coast in Northern England last summer so I know that I can do 25 km days with no problems. Still that would not allow me to finish the Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 4 weeks time (along with travelling back and forth to Ottawa, Canada). I could maybe start in Pamplona? What do you think?
Thanks,
Jennifer

 

[Devon Mike]

Hello all,
I have 4 weeks for sure this summer (maybe 5 if I'm lucky) to walk one of or part of one of the routes. Initially I was thinking of the Primitivo and then on to Finisterre but from what I read, one's first Camino should be the Frances. I walked the Coast to Coast in Northern England last summer so I know that I can do 25 km days with no problems. Still that would not allow me to finish the Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 4 weeks time (along with travelling back and forth to Ottawa, Canada). I could maybe start in Pamplona? What do you think?
Thanks,
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,

I take it your 4 weeks includes travel days to and from home, so how many actual walking days will you have?

In 2014, at age 66, I walked from SJPP to Santiago in 29 days. SJPP to Pamplona was 3 days, so Pamplona to Santiago was 26 days.

Buen Camino,

Mike

 

[Stellaluna]

I take it your 4 weeks includes travel days to and from home, so how many actual walking days will you have?

Thanks, Mike.

Ideally I would get the full 4 weeks for walking and then tack on the travelling days around that. If I walked 20 -25 kms a day that would be aomewhere between 650-700 km in total. So I guess my option is to either skip a part at the beginning or bus a few days in the middle. I'm less keen on the latter.

 

[Devon Mike]

Thanks, Mike.

Ideally I would get the full 4 weeks for walking and then tack on the travelling days around that. If I walked 20 -25 kms a day that would be aomewhere between 650-700 km in total. So I guess my option is to either skip a part at the beginning or bus a few days in the middle. I'm less keen on the latter.

You may well find that as you get into it, after a couple of weeks your daily average goes up. It happens to lots of people.

So I would start in SJPP and just go with the flow. Once you have got into your stride for a while you have plenty of opportunities to take a bus between the larger towns and cities if you need to, but who knows you may end up walking all the way!!

If you do need to take a bus, make sure you walk the whole of the section from Sarria to Santiago in order to get your Compostela.

 

[Urban Trekker]

You might want to consider the Portuguese way. Buen Camino

 

[Stellaluna]

You might want to consider the Portuguese way. Buen Camino

I thought of that...

 

[Stellaluna]

How important is it that one does the Frances first?

 

[jirit]

How important is it that one does the Frances first?

Not that important so I might suggest the Norte route

 

[purplesage]

Hi Jennifer,

I take it your 4 weeks includes travel days to and from home, so how many actual walking days will you have?

In 2014, at age 66, I walked from SJPP to Santiago in 29 days. SJPP to Pamplona was 3 days, so Pamplona to Santiago was 26 days.

Buen Camino,

Mike

@ Mike... R E S P E C T

 

[purplesage]

How important is it that one does the Frances first?

@Jennifer, My first Camino was the Frances and its really one that I love. The not so cool thing about it is the crowds during high season. Its a bit like a Carnival. This Easter, I hope to do the English Way and the bit from O'Cebreiro.... if it be God's will. Buen Camino

 

[Pruden]

If would have the time you have , I definitely I'll walk the Camino Frances!
Go on walking and you would see if you can make it or not , then you could even cach a bus if needed , we as pilgrims make plans but this have to bee walk journey to journey.
It depends how fit you are , and how ambitious you are, the longing to do so count a lot!
Whenever way you walk enjoy.
Buen Camino

 

[Rob the Slob]

Perhaps the Madrid route? Less than 700km, and you'll save on travelling time by flying to Madrid and starting walking from there.

 

[jmcarp]

If you have four weeks and want to do the Camino Francés starting in St Jean, but find you're not making the distance you had hoped, you can always catch a bus along the way to make up time. Just before you take the bus ride before Sarria if you want to get a Compostela when you reach Santiago.

 

[spursfan]

Not that important so I might suggest the Norte route

Except that the Norte is longer and if you started at Santander say you'd miss a lot - also there's less support and five times fewer walkers than on the Frances

 

[Urban Trekker]

How important is it that one does the Frances first?

Its not important to do the French way first. It's just the best known and it does offers several different starting points. If time is a issue you could choose one of the closer starting points or you could consider one of the shorter routes. I can't imagine enjoying my camino if I have a time schedule to meet. With the exception of the first and last few days I freestyle the whole thing. Buen Camino

Happy Trails

 

[Stellaluna]

I'm really set on either the Frances or the Primitivo (for very different reasons) The Frances calls to me because; 1. I love the distance. I want to walk 800 km! and, 2. I want to meet a "Camino family". The Primitivo interests me because ; 1. I like that it seems more physically demanding, 2. I like to walk alone sometimes, and 3. people are scaring me with stories of the Frances being a "carnival" in July.
Does this make sense?
Any input?

 

[Stellaluna]

@Jennifer, My first Camino was the Frances and its really one that I love. The not so cool thing about it is the crowds during high season. Its a bit like a Carnival. This Easter, I hope to do the English Way and the bit from O'Cebreiro.... if it be God's will. Buen Camino

@purplsage Can you expand upon your comment that it;s a bit like a carnival? From that I imagine streams of people with no opportunity to ever walk alone. Is this accurate?

 

[Castilian]

I'm really set on either the Frances or the Primitivo (for very different reasons) The Frances calls to me because; 1. I love the distance. I want to walk 800 km! and, 2. I want to meet a "Camino family". The Primitivo interests me because ; 1. I like that it seems more physically demanding, 2. I like to walk alone sometimes, and 3. people are scaring me with stories of the Frances being a "carnival" in July.
Does this make sense?

The Primitivo is much shorter than the Francés so, with your timeframe, you could walk something more than the Primitivo.

If you are looking for a phisically demanding option allowing you some loneliness, you could consider Vadiniense (Potes to Mansilla de las Mulas) plus a short stage on the Francés (Mansilla de las Mulas to León) plus El Salvador (León to Oviedo) plus Primitivo (Oviedo to Melide) plus two stages on the Francés (Melide to Santiago de Compostela). That way, you make 3 full caminos (Vadiniense, El Salvador and Primitivo) plus get two different glimses of the Francés (the most crowded part -the 2 last stages- and a not so crowded part of the meseta -Mansilla de las Mulas to León). Of course, if you like the Francés vibe once you arrive to Mansilla de las Mulas, you can continue on the Francés all the way till Santiago de Compostela or, if you are worried about the crowds on the Francés in Galicia, walk the Francés from Mansilla de las Mulas to Ponferrada continuing on the Camino de Invierno from Ponferrada to A Laxe and on the last part of the Camino Sanabrés from A Laxe to Santiago de Compostela.

 

[C clearly]

Why not a combination? You could start on the Frances, with the option of taking a bus to the Primitivo from one of the major cities on the Frances. The Primitivo is shorter so you could still have time to complete it if you have figured out your transportation options beforehand.

 

[Stellaluna]

Why not a combination? You could start on the Frances, with the option of taking a bus to the Primitivo from one of the major cities on the Frances. The Primitivo is shorter so you could still have time to complete it if you have figured out your transportation options beforehand.

I could start the Frances and if I found it to be too crowded then I could bus up to Oviedo for the Primitivo. On the other hand if I enjoy the Frances I can just continue on it. Great idea, C Clearly!

 

[Pruden]

I could start the Frances and if I found it to be too crowded then I could bus up to Oviedo for the Primitivo. On the other hand if I enjoy the Frances I can just continue on it. Great idea, C Clearly!

Very good choice !!