Any interest in a new "virtual camino?"

[peregrina2000]

You may have seen some of the deep dive stage planning threads we've done while in lockdown -- Vdlp/Sanabrés, Levante, Invierno, Viejo, and most recently the Lana.

Since it looks like we still have more time to stew in our camino juices before getting back out there, I'm wondering if there is interest in a new thread.

If you haven't seen these threads, they are really nothing more than a meticulous detailed look at the route, accommodations, alternative detours, things to see, etc. Whoever "leads" the thread posts a stage, gives some background, and then members have time to chat about it. We have fallen into the habit of leaving three days between the lead posts, to give everyone a chance to say what they want and to keep things more or less in order. That's because our hope is that these threads will be good planning guides in the future when we return to the camino.

So, if this appeals to you, here are some choices.

Olvidado from Bilbao to Ponferrada
Catalán (from Llançà to Montserrat and/or from Montserrat to Pamplona)
Ebro from Delta del Ebro to Logroño
Vadiniense from Santander to Mansilla de las Mulas
Castellano-Aragonés from Zaragoza to Burgos
Vasco Interior from Irún to Santo Domingo de la Calzada or Burgos
Mozárabe from Almería

Or we could go for one I haven’t walked, but am hoping to:
Geira e dos Arrieros
Portugues Interior
Zamorano Portugués

Or any other camino would be fine, too.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[charlotte19675]

I am hoping to walk my first Camino this autumn if circumstance allows - I would be interested in finding out more about the Olvidado from Bilbao to Ponferrada and the Castellano-Aragonés from Zaragoza to Burgos.

I am hoping to do the Castellano Lebaniego route from Palencia to the monastery near Potes but have noticed at least one of my accommodation choices seems to have closed permanently and I might change my route and am looking at the either the Olivdado or the Castellano-Aragones to walk instead.

Sorry but I wont be able to offer any advice but am keen to see what people have to say about these routes.

 

[SabsP]

I'm voting for the Castellano-Aragonés. Would be interesting to learn more about this one. On my list!

 

[henrythedog]

I’d be interested in following any of the less well-known routes.

I completed a ‘virtual’ CdF through dog-walking through the last UK lockdown and have just embarked on a virtual complete circuit of the Mediterranean - 15,000km starting in Tangier.

I may be quite some time.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

You may have seen some of the deep dive stage planning threads we've done while in lockdown -- Vdlp/Sanabrés, Levante, Invierno, Viejo, and most recently the Lana.

Since it looks like we still have more time to stew in our camino juices before getting back out there, I'm wondering if there is interest in a new thread.

If you haven't seen these threads, they are really nothing more than a meticulous detailed look at the route, accommodations, alternative detours, things to see, etc. Whoever "leads" the thread posts a stage, gives some background, and then members have time to chat about it. We have fallen into the habit of leaving three days between the lead posts, to give everyone a chance to say what they want and to keep things more or less in order. That's because our hope is that these threads will be good planning guides in the future when we return to the camino.

So, if this appeals to you, here are some choices.

Olvidado from Bilbao to Ponferrada
Catalán (from Llançà to Montserrat and/or from Montserrat to Pamplona)
Ebro from Delta del Ebro to Logroño
Vadiniense from Santander to Mansilla de las Mulas
Castellano-Aragonés from Zaragoza to Burgos
Vasco Interior from Irún to Santo Domingo de la Calzada or Burgos
Mozárabe from Almería

Or we could go for one I haven’t walked, but am hoping to:
Geira e dos Arrieros
Portugues Interior
Zamorano Portugués

Or any other camino would be find, too.

Buen camino, Laurie

Catalán (from Llançà) please

 

[SacredSteps]

Castellano-Aragonés, por favor!

 

[AJGuillaume]

Olvidado from Bilbao to Ponferrada
Catalán (from Llançà to Montserrat and/or from Montserrat to Pamplona)
Ebro from Delta del Ebro to Logroño
Vadiniense from Santander to Mansilla de las Mulas
Castellano-Aragonés from Zaragoza to Burgos
Vasco Interior from Irún to Santo Domingo de la Calzada or Burgos
Mozárabe from Almería

Any one of those, please.
We (my darling and I) will be slow walking along

Thank you in advance!
Buen Camino!

 

[nycwalking]

Any route you choose is fine with me.

 

[Albertagirl]

What about the Camino Catalan por San Juan de la Pena? I am longing to visit San Juan de la Pena again, while on camino, and would enjoy continuing on the Aragones from there. Or I could pick up the Salvador at Leon, spend some time in Oviedo, then the Primitivo to Santiago, either as a separate walk, or a continuation of the Frances from Puenta la Reina to Leon. Any long and interesting walk that ends in Santiago, but not via the Frances.

 

[peregrina2000]

So I see there isn’t a whole lot of interest, but that won’t dissuade me! I enjoy it and hope that future forum members using the search function might find a valuable resource.

One thought I had was to wait on the Castellano-Aragonés till @VNwalking is back online and able to participate, because I know that Camino is high on her list. So that leaves us with a vote or two in favor of the Catalán (one vote for the first half, one for the second) and the Olvidado.

Though I am pretty sure, unfortunately, that there will be time to do all of these before we are out walking again.

 

[C clearly]

I see there isn’t a whole lot of interest

What do you mean? We've got 8 already, and I'm sure others will join us. Some of us just don't have a clear opinion on which route to do, so we haven't commented.

I vote for the Olvidado.

 

[OzAnnie]

So I see there isn’t a whole lot of interest, but that won’t dissuade me! I enjoy it and hope that future forum members using the search function might find a valuable resource.

I’m sure there ‘will’ be lots of interest once you’ve selected a route. Looks like only yesterday’s post ?

some of us who aren’t the greatest ‘researchers /me!’ love to follow on and gain inspiration from those that do contribute so helpfully .
The fact that these resources are growing - will make planning in the future so much easier - thank-you.

I do like the thought of the Olvidado though from Bilbao to Ponferrada and the Mozárabe from Almería but like some others above., I’m happy to follow what you @peregrina2000 think would make a follow up after the Lana.
I will still have to go back and read more of the detail on the others when I have time.

 

[C clearly]

Since Annie brought it up, I'll sneak in another vote - for the Mozarabe from Almeria, mainly we have a number of members who can reminisce, and I think there is significant interest by others. I find it harder to keep my interest up for the remote routes that I haven't walked, since I already have several routes prepped and waiting.

 

[Magwood]

I’ll add a vote for the Olvidado. Having planned and failed to walk it twice, perhaps it will be third time lucky next year.

 

[AJGuillaume]

So I see there isn’t a whole lot of interest, but that won’t dissuade me!

Please don't be dissuaded, @peregrina2000 !

We've got 8 already, and I'm sure others will join us.

8 is a quorum! Didn't we start some of the recent virtual Caminos with just about that number?

I’m sure there ‘will’ be lots of interest once you’ve selected a route.

I agree!

I find it harder to keep my interest up for the remote routes that I haven't walked, since I already have several routes prepped and waiting.

Stuck behind closed borders, I just keep organising future years. I think I'm up to 2026...

One thought I had was to wait on the Castellano-Aragonés till @VNwalking is back online and able to participate, because I know that Camino is high on her list.

It would be great to have @VNwalking back with us!

 

[Ninja]

Now we are nine.

I vote for the Mozárabe, a Camino I would very much like to walk again one day paying much more attention to historic sites. If I have a second vote, it goes to the Olvidado from Bilbao.

 

[charlotte19675]

I have the Olvidado guide but if we can find a way to cut a couple of the longer stages into more manageable lengths than the Olvidado gets my vote.

 

[Marbe2]

So I see there isn’t a whole lot of interest, but that won’t dissuade me! I enjoy it and hope that future forum members using the search function might find a valuable resource.

One thought I had was to wait on the Castellano-Aragonés till @VNwalking is back online and able to participate, because I know that Camino is high on her list. So that leaves us with a vote or two in favor of the Catalán (one vote for the first half, one for the second) and the Olvidado.

Though I am pretty sure, unfortunately, that there will be time to do all of these before we are out walking again.

Because I and others have never walked these Caminos does not mean we are not interested in accompanying those who have, so do not underestimate the interest. However, I do understand the need to have people on-board who will contribute their valuable experience.

 

[AJGuillaume]

I have the Olvidado guide but if we can find a way to cut a couple of the longer stages into more manageable lengths than the Olvidado gets my vote.

@charlotte19675 , I always look for ways to walk shorter stages. That is the beauty of these virtual Caminos: it allows slow walkers like my darling and myself to plan for shorter stages.

 

[charlotte19675]

@AJGuillaume - thank you for your response, the reason I am looking for shorter stages is that I am recovering from illness and have only started walking again any distances after almost 6 years of being confined to a very short 1/2 mile. I am now up to about 4-5 miles a day and hope that by the time I can walk a Camino I will be able to do about 10 miles a day.

 

[LesBrass]

I vote for Olvidado too... I started the last two but life gets in the way As we're confined to home we've been working on major renovations that we've put off as we never have time... but I like to dip in and out to see what you're up to... and I think it will be a fabulous resource when we get to walk them in real-life!

(big thumbs up and thank you from me)

 

[AJGuillaume]

@AJGuillaume - thank you for your response, the reason I am looking for shorter stages is that I am recovering from illness and have only started walking again any distances after almost 6 years of being confined to a very short 1/2 mile. I am now up to about 4-5 miles a day and hope that by the time I can walk a Camino I will be able to do about 10 miles a day.

My wife has also been recovering from illness, and 15 km, or 10 miles, a day is the average we aim for. We're not purists, so when some stages cannot be shortened, we're happy to take public transport or a taxi to shorten the stage.
We also plan frequent rest days: they help the recovery process, and when the rest day is combined with being in an interesting place, it's a bonus.

Buen Camino!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I have walked from Barcelona to Pamplona via San Juan de la Peña. I would contribute on the virtual walk of this but in a couple of weeks Peg and I will be traveling south down Camino I-95 and I won't likely be able to continue to post.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Depending on which route you choose, I will participate as a contributor or as a spectator in the peanut gallery, providing occasional heckles and laughs as the flow of conversation unfolds.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks, everyone, I really wasn’t feeling sorry for myself, but thanks for the encouragement. I think that this will likely be an ongoing endeavor, since there is interest in several more. I’m going to go next to the Olvidado, then see where we go from there. We do have a bunch of Olvidado veterans here, so there should be some good first hand information.

I would really enjoy the Catalán (both branches, so it makes sense for me to wait for @Rick of Rick and Peg to return to do the first half to Montserrat), the Castellano-Aragonés (waiting for VN) and the Mozárabe (our forum mob on the Mozarabe from 2018 will be a ready-made bucket of knowledge), so there’s plenty to sustain us.

Stuck behind closed borders, I just keep organising future years. I think I'm up to 2026...

And yes, AJ, the goal here to equip you for the next decade of caminos at least.

I will target the stages to the “average” walker, which I understand as being around 25 km. But I will make sure to have short (15 km range) and long (35 km range) stage ideas as well. So get out your spreadsheets!

I will get the first stage posted later today. Yippee, another project!!!!

 

[Albertagirl]

Thanks, everyone, I really wasn’t feeling sorry for myself, but thanks for the encouragement. I think that this will likely be an ongoing endeavor, since there is interest in several more. I’m going to go next to the Olvidado, then see where we go from there. We do have a bunch of Olvidado veterans here, so there should be some good first hand information.

I would really enjoy the Catalán (both branches, so it makes sense for me to wait for @Rick of Rick and Peg to return to do the first half to Montserrat), the Castellano-Aragonés (waiting for VN) and the Mozárabe (our forum mob on the Mozarabe from 2018 will be a ready-made bucket of knowledge), so there’s plenty to sustain us.



And yes, AJ, the goal here to equip you for the next decade of caminos at least.

I will target the stages to the “average” walker, which I understand as being around 25 km. But I will make sure to have short (15 km range) and long (35 km range) stage ideas as well. So get out your spreadsheets!

I will get the first stage posted later today. Yippee, another project!!!!

@peregrina2000
I am looking forward to this. I planned the Olvidado in the past using your information from a previous walk. It soon became hopeless, as I could not walk your distances, and when I looked at accommodation where you had stayed, some of it was no longer available. Since then, there has been a lot of work on the Olvidado, and I copied a new guide. If I remember correctly, the new guide transferred the route in various places to longer stages, with no accommodation between, and the possibility of following the previous route in some places. I shall follow this virtual camino, but probably not participate. I am way too busy right now, and discouraged about my chances of ever walking the Olvidado. And at present I do not consider taking transit, but feel the need to walk the entirety, barring emergencies, of course.

 

[C clearly]

I will need to scramble to get a spreadsheet going for the Olvidado, since I don't have one in my growing binder!

 

[charlotte19675]

this is a link to the Olvidado that I have been using but am looking forward to further input on this Camino. https://www.caminoolvidado.com/

 

[peregrina2000]

I will need to scramble to get a spreadsheet going for the Olvidado, since I don't have one in my growing binder!

And you need to teach me how to make a spreadsheet.

 

[peregrina2000]

@peregrina2000
I am looking forward to this. I planned the Olvidado in the past using your information from a previous walk. It soon became hopeless, as I could not walk your distances, and when I looked at accommodation where you had stayed, some of it was no longer available. Since then, there has been a lot of work on the Olvidado, and I copied a new guide. If I remember correctly, the new guide transferred the route in various places to longer stages, with no accommodation between, and the possibility of following the previous route in some places. I shall follow this virtual camino, but probably not participate. I am way too busy right now, and discouraged about my chances of ever walking the Olvidado. And at present I do not consider taking transit, but feel the need to walk the entirety, barring emergencies, of course.

The beauty of these virtual threads is that I will not just repeat the stages I walked, because that is already available on the forum. These planning stages are opportunities to explore what works for different types of walkers. Having AJ on the thread will also be invaluable, because he ferrets out options for those who ant to walk shorter stages in the most unusual places.

 

[GuyA]

I am very interested in learning about any Camino...other than the deck in my backyard that is!

 

[peregrina2000]

The first post is up — Day 0. In Bilbao.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/virtual-planning-thread-for-the-camino-olvidado.69681/

 

[AJGuillaume]

And yes, AJ, the goal here to equip you for the next decade of caminos at least.

You are wonderful, @peregrina2000 ! Thank you!!

Having AJ on the thread will also be invaluable, because he ferrets out options for those who ant to walk shorter stages in the most unusual places

I'll do my best

The first post is up — Day 0. In Bilbao.

Buen Camino!

 

[susanawee]

Any one of those, please.
We (my darling and I) will be slow walking along

Thank you in advance!
Buen Camino!

'Slow walking along" - as will I because that is all I can do these days because of my left foot which has not responded well to its three lots of surgery, and chronic issues with my spine which do not help things at all. Cheers.

 

[islandwalker]

When you're ready for another virtual camino, I'll add a vote for the Mozarabe. I've been accumulating as much info as I can, and would love to see the day-by-day input of others. So inspiring!