Alternatives for travel

[Bbb]

Hi there Pilgrims,

I have 6 days in mid Sept to get a taster of the Camino experience, and hope to go back later in the year for longer. I really want to go now when the weather is so nice. I'm open to doing just a few days of walking also, and spending a couple of days in Santiago and seeing the Worlds End. This is really an introduction exercise!
Is there a good way of coming in from another city and getting a train to a starting point, rather than flying in and out of Santiago?
Also do hostels get very booked up in Santiago? Do I need to get booking now?

Thanks everyone and happy walking,
B

 

[Al the optimist]

It would help if you say where you are travelling from and when.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Is there a good way of coming in from another city and getting a train to a starting point, rather than flying in and out of Santiago?
Also do hostels get very booked up in Santiago? Do I need to get booking now?

You can get so a lot of starting points from a lot of cities in Spain. There are more buses for doing that than trains. Trains go only to larger cities, while buses go almost everywhere. Getting to starting points from outside Spain is more of a problem. Trains go around the Pyrenees, not across them, so you can go by way of the Bay of Biscay, or Mediterranean Sea near Barcelona.

By September the crowds have diminished, so finding a bed in Santiago will not be a problem. If you mean albergues when you say "hostels," there are many. If you mean hostales, there are even more from 30E per night to 500E per night.

(6) Santiago de Compostela
Albergue Seminario Menor 177 plazas | 12-10 euros | Cocina de uso libre
Albergue Jaime García Rodríguez 156 euros | 8 euros | Solo microondas
Albergue Acuario 70 plazas | 10 euros | Sin cocina
Albergue San Lázaro 80 plazas | 10 euros | Cocina de uso libre
Albergue Santo Santiago 38 plazas | 10-12 euros | Bar-restaurante
Albergue The Last Stamp 62 plazas | 18-15 euros | Cocina de uso libre
Albergue Meiga Backpackers 24 plazas | 11-15 euros (d) | Cocina de uso libre
Albergue Mundoalbergue 34 plazas | 14-19 euros | Cocina de uso libre
Albergue O Fogar do Teodomiro 20 plazas | 15-20 euros | Cocina de uso libre
Albergue Roots and Boots 48 plazas | 12-18 euros | Cocina de uso libre

 

[Bbb]

Thank both.
I was thinking maybe the English Way would be a good plan for the time I have. If that's the case I was thinking of flying into Santiago on a Sunday evening and getting transport (train or bus) to Ferrol, staying the night there and making my way down from Monday-Thurs and spending Friday in Santiago. Does that sound reasonable?
I am open to other suggestions.
Yes I do mean albergue, thank you so much for all these options Falcon!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There are five stages in the "standard" Camino Ingles. You can look here for specifics:

http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiago/caminos/guia-del-camino-ingles

 

[Bbb]

Thank you! Do you think I will meet other people along this route in mid September?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Last September there were 570 compostelas issued to pilgrims who walked the Camino Ingles. That is about 20 per day, so you are not likely to be alone.

 

[Al the optimist]

If flying from England consider Vueling from Heathrow to La Coruna.

 

[Bbb]

I have booked to fly in and out of Santiago with 6 days to walk/see Santiago. I intend to get the bus up to Ferrol and start the Ingles train the following day. What is the best way to meet people to walk with? Are there any popular places in Ferrol where walkers hang out, or accomodation that comes recommended?
Open to any advice/tips!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

What is the best way to meet people to walk with? Are there any popular places in Ferrol where walkers hang out

Walk up to pilgrims (obvious by their backpack and attire), and introduce yourself. Do the same thing in the albergues. Be cautious about walking at a pace set by someone else, though. A walk-and-talk for a short distance is fine, but walking solo will allow you to move most comfortably. You will be meeting new friends at the next cafe, bar, or albergue, sometimes just a few minutes later.

If you stay overnight in the albergue for Ferrol, you may meet other pilgrims, but the Covas-Ferrol albergue is some 9 km north of the city. Pilgrims in hostales and hoteles are not likely to congregate in a single location. Ferrol is a good sized town.

 

[Bbb]

Great thanks Falcon. Great advice, especially about picking up other peoples pace.
I could stay in a hotel over night in Ferrol I think I arrive around 7pm-is that too late to walk to Neda or Naron-with the fading light-rather than staying in Ferrol? From what I have read it's would be a good way of breaking up the first leg and Naron only looks to be abou 1.5 hours on google maps. Also how long is the longest stretch without any cafe or alburgue. I think I have in my head that I will be walking hours without seeing anyone else or any towns/points of contact. Also would you rely on Google maps for timings or is it more complicated than that?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Go to this website for distances, elevations, and accommodations:

http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiago/caminos/guia-del-camino-ingles

 

[Olivares]

This is my honest opinion: if I had 5-6 days and had never been on the Camino, I would NEVER considered walking Sarria- Santiago unless I HAD TO have a Compostela. Otherwise, the stretch Sarria-Santiago is the least appealing in terms of scenery, food, people, "sense of pilgrimage", fraternization, etc.... I planned to walk my first Camino back in the Spring 1988. My cousin was going to accompanied me and ended up cancelling due to not been able to take the time off she anticipated. We even discussed just going Sarria- Santiago, but could not agreed on that. I am SO GLAD I did not pursued that option. I strongly advise that if limited by time, start at SJPDP. Take it slower, if you have to. Buen Camino.

 

[whariwharangi]

Thanks-What is SJPDP ?

SJPdP is a pilgrims acronym for Saint Jean Pied de Port. SJPdP is a small and historical village on the French side of the border where three major camino routes from France converge. SJPdP is becoming a popular starting point for many pilgrims because the routes to Roncesvalles - Route Napoleon and Route Valcarlos - have breathtaking scenery.

 

[Bbb]

Sounds so tempting but I have booked flights today in and out of Santiago. Any other ideas?

 

[whariwharangi]

Sounds so tempting but I have booked flights today in and out of Santiago. Any other ideas?

4 options.

Go to Tui and walk Camino Portugeuse;

Go to Ferrol and walk Camino Ingles;

Go to Sarria and walk Camino Frances; or

Walk from Santiago to Finisterre,

 

[Bbb]

This is my honest opinion: if I had 5-6 days and had never been on the Camino, I would NEVER considered walking Sarria- Santiago unless I HAD TO have a Compostela. Otherwise, the stretch Sarria-Santiago is the least appealing in terms of scenery, food, people, "sense of pilgrimage", fraternization, etc.... I planned to walk my first Camino back in the Spring 1988. My cousin was going to accompanied me and ended up cancelling due to not been able to take the time off she anticipated. We even discussed just going Sarria- Santiago, but could not agreed on that. I am SO GLAD I did not pursued that option. I strongly advise that if limited by time, start at SJPDP. Take it slower, if you have to. Buen Camino.

Thanks Olivares,
I wasn't planning on walking though Sarria as I was looking at the Ingles Camino. Have you walked this one?

 

[Tia Valeria]

@Bbb In Ferrol the Hotel Zahara is pilgrim friendly and does good food. If you download the CSJ guide - Johnnie Walker's - link on the resources section of the forum then I think the phone number is in there. Best to book if arriving at a weekend as Ferrol can be busy on Friday and Saturday nights. The guide is great not only for directions but also places to stay as well as the albergues. The Inglés is lovely. Buen Camino

 

[Bbb]

Thx Tia.
I will arrive to Santiago airport in the early evening and had in mind to walk straight to Naron or Neda once I arrive in Ferrol to break up the first leg the following day. Do you think this is a good idea? Quite a few posts say the first leg is a bit long.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Personally I would stay in Ferrol and start next morning. It is too far (16.4 Ferrol to Neda) and likely you will finish walking in the dark so you could miss your way easily near Naron.
Best to overnight in Ferrol and then walk to Pontedeume or use the guide to create your own stages eg Ferrol to Fene and then Fene to Betanzos maybe, which gives you 29 kms on your second day. Check out the Gronze guide as well for distances etc. Stages 1 and 2 can be tweaked easily, but after Betanzos it is more difficult to adapt unless you have the time.

If staying in Ferrol you can shorten the day a little by walking up from the harbour to your accomodation in the evening and then just setting off from that next morning.

Also a correction to the hotel name it is the Hotel Zahara (I have corrected it above too)

 

[Bbb]

Personally I would stay in Ferrol and start next morning. It is too far (16.4 Ferrol to Neda) and likely you will finish walking in the dark so you could miss your way easily near Naron.
Best to overnight in Ferrol and then walk to Pontedeume or use the guide to create your own stages eg Ferrol to Fene and then Fene to Betanzos maybe, which gives you 29 kms on your second day. Check out the Gronze guide as well for distances etc. Stages 1 and 2 can be tweaked easily, but after Betanzos it is more difficult to adapt unless you have the time.

If staying in Ferrol you can shorten the day a little by walking up from the harbour to your accomodation in the evening and then just setting off from that next morning.

Also a correction to the hotel name it is the Hotel Zahara (I have corrected it above too)

GREAT suggestion thank you!
Yes the Gronze guide is really good. From your exprience is the Ingles very hilly or is it fairly flat?

 

[Tia Valeria]

If you look down the Gronze pages you should be able to see the profiles. It is a mix, with a very steep hill out of Pontedeume and a fairly steep hill after Casa Julia - about halfway between Betanzos and Bruma. Johnnie's guide is a help with indicating where the hills are. Tongue in cheek we say - views=hill, good views=steep hill, cardiovascular excercise=very steep hill. Johnnie also indicates the stretches where there are no cafes etc. Note that the one at Vizono, 3 or 4kms after Casa Julia, is now closed so that you do really need plenty of water and food between Betanzos and Bruma. Casa Julia may be open, and folk say that if you call ahead or knock she may open up.

 

[Bbb]

Hi everyone,

I am due to arrive in CDS on Sunday and I just checked the weather-it is forecast to rain every day next week. I think the best thing for me to do is to travel somewhere else in Spain and do the camino another time. Would you agree?

 

[Arn]

Bbb,
I walked the CI in 2012...the forecast was mostly sunny, with the "possibility" of rain one or two days. Of the six days, three were wet and one very wet, muddy and...just unpleasant.
Stick with your current plan...let the Camino deal with the rest. There's no guarantee going to another part of Spain will be better. Besides, this is the Camino.
Buen Camino,
Arn

 

[Bbb]

Is there a way of sending luggage onto the next albergue from day to day once I start in Ferrol?

 

[Tia Valeria]

Others have said that they sent bags ahead, but I think to private accomodation maybe as the albergues may not be staffed and able or willing to receive bags. Try checking some of the threads on the Inglés section and you might find information to help you from previous posts.
Jacotrans is used on some of the Caminos so their site might also help you.