Advice required please 😊

[Amyheathfield36]

Hi everyone, i have decided to do the Camino in September 2020 with my Step mum. I am 36 (im pretty active, gym 2-3 times a week, dog walks etc) & Step mum 62 (prob fitter than me walks everywhere & gym 5 times a week) i live in the UK & She lives in Spain (Malaga) we have the Simon Green book and thought we’d do this route starting at Ponferrada we have planned on 9-10 days, but could possibly do another day or 2. What i would like to know is any advice/opinions on this route? Or is there a better route around the roughly the same days/kms? Any other books or maps recommended? Any advice/help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much for reading. Amy

 

[Davey Boyd]

Hi everyone, i have decided to do the Camino in September 2020 with my Step mum. I am 36 (im pretty active, gym 2-3 times a week, dog walks etc) & Step mum 62 (prob fitter than me walks everywhere & gym 5 times a week) i live in the UK & She lives in Spain (Malaga) we have the Simon Green book and thought we’d do this route starting at Ponferrada we have planned on 9-10 days, but could possibly do another day or 2. What i would like to know is any advice/opinions on this route? Or is there a better route around the roughly the same days/kms? Any other books or maps recommended? Any advice/help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much for reading. Amy

Welcome to the forum Amy! Lucky you walking with your step mum!

First of all I take it that you mean walking the Camino Frances from Ponferrada? And I take it it is your first time? If so then the route would be an excellent choice. Lots of infrastructure (cafe's, lodgings etc) for someone on Camino for the first time.

I usually walk that stretch - Ponferrada to Santiago in about ten days.

I use the maps only version of the Brierley guide. I don't know the Simon Green book.

Anyway it is a lovely walk from Ponferrada or Astorga.

Best wishes and Buen Camino

Davey

EDITED because I made a boo boo

 

[Bradypus]

I usually walk that stretch - Ponferrada to Santiago in about six days, slowly.

I make that about 37km per day. Might be slow but those are pretty long days! I usually average about 30km and most people think I am certifiable. Do you do the Fan Dance for light relief?

 

[Amyheathfield36]

Welcome to the forum Amy! Lucky you walking with your step mum!

First of all I take it that you mean walking the Camino Frances from Ponferrada? And I take it it is your first time? If so then the route would be an excellent choice. Lots of infrastructure (cafe's, lodgings etc) for someone on Camino for the first time.

I usually walk that stretch - Ponferrada to Santiago in about six days, slowly. If you had 10 -12 days Astorga may be longer but do-able too.

I use the maps only version of the Brierley guide. I don't know the Simon Green book.

Anyway it is a lovely walk from Ponferrada or Astorga.

Best wishes and Buen Camino

Davey

Ahhh great wasn’t sure if it was the Camino Frances name or not! I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by all the information online, so thats why I thought i would join this to get advice & answers to my specific questions i shall have a look at Astorga. So if i get a book Camino Frances that will cover those areas? Thanks for your reply & advice

 

[Davey Boyd]

I make that about 37km per day. Might be slow but those are pretty long days! I usually average about 30km and most people think I am certifiable. Do you do the Fan Dance for light relief?

Ha Ha! Yeah I was reading the pages in Brierley in the wrong order!

Ponferrada to Santiago for me is 10 days usually!

Sorry! I'm daft.

Don't want to do the Fan Dance ever again thanks!

 

[henrythedog]

Ahhh great wasn’t sure if it was the Camino Frances name or not! I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by all the information online, so thats why I thought i would join this to get advice & answers to my specific questions i shall have a look at Astorga. So if i get a book Camino Frances that will cover those areas? Thanks for your reply & advice

9-10 days, start in Astorga at the most. The two days out of Astorga are (relatively) challenging. Best to get a Camino Frances guide first and do some reading. There is sometimes too much information available. Opinion is divided as to the better guides - personally I find Brierley sufficiently accurate and accessible.

 

[henrythedog]

Don't want to do the Fan Dance ever again thanks!

Never having been - or wanted to be - one of ‘them’, the Fan Dance ( if we’re talking about Hereford-based aggressive camping) was never a concern of mine.

Is there a community starting to form here?

 

[Amyheathfield36]

9-10 days, start in Astorga at the most. The two days out of Astorga are (relatively) challenging. Best to get a Camino Frances guide first and do some reading. There is sometimes too much information available. Opinion is divided as to the better guides - personally I find Brierley sufficiently accurate and accessible.

Thanks Henry, yes i think you are right! I’ve had information overload. I have just ordered a guide from the shop on this site. So i shall just stick with reading that & looking on here for information i think.

 

[Davey Boyd]

Never having been - or wanted to be - one of ‘them’, the Fan Dance ( if we’re talking about Hereford-based aggressive camping) was never a concern of mine.

Is there a community starting to form here?

I had nowt to do with THEM. Some nutter in our mob thought it would be 'fun'. Once a year thing. Not at their pace though!

There are a few of us about. Lots of Yanks ex forces too.

 

[Davey Boyd]

Thanks Henry, yes i think you are right! I’ve had information overload. I have just ordered a guide from the shop on this site. So i shall just stick with reading that & looking on here for information i think.

Happy planning Amy!

If in doubt just ask

Davey

 

[NorthernLight]

Starting from Ponferrada actually gives you two options: the popular Frances or the Invierno. The Frances takes you up a long beautiful hill to O'Cebreiro, a lovely spot right out of Tolkien's shire. The Invierno (the winter route- so named as it is lower altitude and avoids some winter madness) is increasingly popular and has much less crowds ... but also less infrastructure (cafes & albergues). There are some good threads with descriptions of it ... @peregrina2000 knows it well.

Have fun with the planning.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I was also thinking of mentioning the Invierno route but the consensus of most veterans on this forum (am I wrong?) is that most first-timers should walk the Camino Frances first.

[Edit: I shouldn't have written should. See below.]

 

[Davey Boyd]

I was also thinking of mentioning the Invierno route but the consensus of most veterans on this forum (am I wrong?) is that most first-timers should walk the Camino Frances first.

Yes and no. My first was Geneva - Le Puy - Leon - San Salvador - Primitivo. But I am a walker. Met quite a few first timers on the Primitivo. Met no first timers on the VDLP though. I have a soft spot for the Frances, I love it. But I do think for a first Camino it is a good choice, breaking in gently and all that. Does not mean you HAVE to do the Frances first. So I don't think 'should walk the Frances first' is something I would say.

I think I just waffled there a bit!

Davey

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

So I don't think 'should walk the Frances first' is something I would say.

You are right there Davey. I shouldn't have written should. Maybe "first-timers would find the Camino Frances an easy way to introduce themselves to the various caminos" would be a better way to put it.

 

[Davey Boyd]

You are right there Davey. I shouldn't have written should. Maybe "first-timers would find the Camino Frances an easy way to introduce themselves to the various caminos" would be a better way to put it.

Yeah. If you have not done any long hiking before, or a bit nervous of being in a strange new land, or haven't ever been on your own before, the Frances may be best. Though if you are a tad adventurous, starting from Moscow in January might be great. If you are an Eskimo or a Lapplander maybe. Or just mad.

I'm joking obviously Rick!

Nowt wrong with the Invierno though!

 

[NorthernLight]

I did my first camino from Le Puy, with a Miam Miam DoDo guidebook purchased that morning. The friend of the camino rep at the first dorm in Le Puy nicely concealed his thoughts of the dubiousness of my capacity to manage . I managed well enough because I was determined to get to SDC, and I keep going back for more.

Amy and step-mom need to decide what kind of experience they want. I too love the Frances, but it's good to have choices.

 

[Devereaux]

I agree with the others. Start with the Frances. It has good trails, plentiful albergues, is very scenic in this section and you will meet more lovely people along this route.
Always remember, it's your feet that will get you there! Wear good socks and shoes and change your socks at mid-day.
One deviation I would recommend here is taking the "alternative" route via Samos, out of Tricastela to Sarria. It is one of the most lovely sections of the entire Camino, in my opinion. After Samos, you can make it past Sarria and I'd recommend staying at a little farmhouse in La Rente called Casa Nova (casanovaderente.com). Wonderful stop!
Buen Camino!

 

[NorthernLight]

This would be a good thread to read regarding the Invierno.

The Invierno in summertime