April 2013

[jumidd]

Hello all!
My name is Julia, I'm a Brazilian living in Dublin! I'm doing a small part of the Camino in April.
I hope I am posting on the right place... New here!
I will start the camino on the 5th of April and need to be in Santiago on the 10th. (Flight arrives on the 4th and leaves early on the 11th). So that gives me 6 days walking... (I know... So little!!)
I think I might start at O Cebreiro. I am still figuring out. I don't need to worry about booking anything for the first night right?
Also two big questions I have:
I've been reading conflicting info on the weather. Some say it's still very cold, some say it's starting to get very nice. On the net i've seen averages of low 2 celcius and high 14 celcius. A friend told me she got some snow in April!!
And, my backpack is 22L. I've made it my challenge to take the mininum. Only 2 changes of clothes + a fleece and rain jacket, a thin/small sleeping bag, sports towel + the other minor stuff...
Any tips??
I am SUPER excited and maybe I'll meet some of you there? Anyone will be around during that time?
(I leave from Dublin BTW) Thank you SO much!!!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola Julia and welcome.
If you are flying into Santiago you could take the bus to Lugo and walk from there (101kms) without having to take another bus to Sarria so saving some time.
Also you could take a bus from Santiago to Ferrol and walk from there (121kms)
From both Lugo and Ferrol you would have time to reach Santiago 5-6 days. Some people manage to do it in less. You do need to try to get 2 sellos per day to show you have walked it fully in a short time.
Buen Camino

[Edit:- You can download Johnnie Walkers guide to the Camino Inglés, from Ferrol, which gives the route and accomodation suggestions.

The http://www.gronze.com/ site is good for the camino from Lugo - look in the Camino Primitivo section and find the stage from Lugo onwards. You can join the Francés at Melide, or take an early detour at Casa de Ponti (the Roman bridge before Ferreira, and go along the country road to Palas de Rei. Many options. ]

 

[fraluchi]

I will start the camino on the 5th of April and need to be in Santiago on the 10th. (Flight arrives on the 4th and leaves early on the 11th). So that gives me 6 days walking... [...]I think I might start at O Cebreiro.[...]I've been reading conflicting info on the weather.[...]my backpack is 22L.

The suggestions on alternative walks are worth noting. You may want to check on http://www.empresafreire.com the timetable for a bus from Santiago airport to Lugo.
A bus from Lugo to Sarria takes about 1/2 hour (http://www.monbus.es), and you'll find plenty of pilgrim accommodation without booking in advance. :wink:
Starting from O'Cebreiro with only 6 days available would seem complicating life. It's better to spend an extra day in Santiago!
Weather? You may find a reasonable forecast a few days before the week in which you intend to walk by checking http:// http://www.aemet.es and the location (municipalidad) from where you ultimately decide to start your walk. You may find it sunny, windstill, warm and comfortable.
Your backpack would seem a bit heavy, unless it's about 10% of your body weight. Even so, throw out anything which you are unlikely going to use. :|
Ultreya :!:

 

[jumidd]

Hi!

Thank you both fraluchi and Tia Valeria for the replies.

I was having a look again at my itinerary, and I think you are right... From O Cebreiro to Santiago in 6 days might be a bit too much. I found this great website called Godesalco.com and I think I might look into starting at Tricastela, and that way I will walk an average of 22k a day. I haven't looked into how to get to Tricastela from Santiago yet though... Hope it's doable. If it's not, or way too complicated, I'll start from Sarria or Lugo as you suggested.

fraluchi, my bag is 22 litres. It's pretty small! Maybe you understood i was carrying 22kg? I am taking SO little. I am convinced I'll take the bare minimum and I'm sure i'll be fine. I am also pretty pettit, so a backpack that small will be perfect!

Thanks again!!! :wink:

 

[jumidd]

Jsu found this post here on the forum (from geraldosilvaneto):

'As suggested, there is a local bus from Sarria to Triacastela, but the first bus does not leave Sarria until several hours later, so I got a taxi to Triacastela. There is a taxi stand right outside the train station and even at 6:50am, there were several taxis available (and the driver told me that's always the case as they expect quite a few runs from the passengers arriving at the 6:50am train). It took me about 10-15 mins on the taxi to get to Triacastela (about 23km from Sarria) and it costed me 23 Euros. The driver dropped me right on the Paroquia de Santiago, a beautiful little church where I got my first stamp! Now, the section from Triacastela to Sarria is one of the sections of the Camino where you have two options - the first option is to walk to Sarria through Samos, and the second to walk to Sarria via the standard Camino route. I walked through Samos to see the monastery and it was well worth it; the way is signalled with the yellow arrows just like the main Camino route and quite beautiful.'

I like the idea of one more day on the Camino... This looks interesting!

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi Jumidd,
With your timeframe Triacastela is a great place to start and the walk via Samos to Sarria is absolutely lovely.
Re Galician weather... well just like Ireland there can be lots of it especially at that time of the year! But good light rain gear and 'layering' up with your clothes will provide the flexibility to respond to wet and cold, warm and damp, windy sunshine or best of all just warm sunny weather!
You can get your pilgrim passport stamped with a lovely sello at St James Gate-the site of the medieval departure point for many Irish pilgrims-by taking your pilgrim passport into the reception area just inside and to the left of the gate into the Guinness brewrey and/or attend mass and get your first sello at St James church just up the road from the brewery.
By the way if you want to get some practice in there is the Harbour to Harbour walk on today from Howth to Dun Laoire or visa versa its 16 miles long (nearly 26km approx), or you can finish at the halfway point in the city centre.
Happy St Patricks day and buen camino!
Nell

 

[clearskiescamino]

Hi Nell. I just saw your aside about the Harbour to Harbour. Ill be doing the same.

 

[nellpilgrim]

Hi Nell. I just saw your aside about the Harbour to Harbour. Ill be doing the same.

And today on this his day our national saint sends us..........SNOW to walk in :shock: thank you Patrick!. Maybe he's trying to toughen us up? I supposte he has a point the traditional old pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick used to be on the 17th of March with a barefoot ascent of the reek and an overnight vigil and fast at the summit. For most pilgrims nowadays it's a midsummer stroll-though you can still go barefoot if you like. Ah they just don't make catholics like they used to anymore!

Clearskies perhaps may you need to change your moniker :wink:
N

 

[jumidd]

Hi Nell,

Thanks for the tips! I've been in Ireland for almost 5 years now, so well used to the weather! So I guess I should be fine regarding that!!
I work at a hotel, so of course I am working (since 7am!!!), being a big day and all... But that sounds like an Interesting walk! I've cycled from Ballsbridge to Howth before and it was lovely!
I hope you all had a nice walk regardless of the weather!

And I will def do the Tricastela to Saria stretch through Samos!

Happy St patricks Day!! :mrgreen:

 

[clearskiescamino]

Hi Nell, I walked as far as Clontarf and stayed in The Yacht. Much warmer in there Great cause too.
Oh I have to keep my name! There will be plenty of clear skies when I return to the trail in May ( I hope )

 

[jumidd]

Hello all!

I'm back and had the best time!! Thank you SO much for all the tips! I'm already thinking about the next one!

 

[Vonners]

Hi there!
I am currently sitting on my couch after walking 28 km today as part of my training for the Camino in 2 weeks time. It was a good outing and psychologically good for me as I now know I can do the distance. However, I realise that doing it once is not the same as doing it day after day! I learnt a few things along the way - notably that you need to rest along the way each day.

I arrive in Pamplona on 28 April and start my camino the next day. Getting quite excited about it all! I have given myself until about 2 June to get to Santiago.

 

[jumidd]

Hi Vonners!

You are right! Doing it day after day is quite different! I am very active with gym, walks, cycle everyday etc... I walked an average of 23k each day - the longest was around 25k. I only walked for 6 days and after 3 days I was in pain!! Still walking, slowly but in pain! Where my legs join my hips and also my ankles. I didn't use a stick or pole at the start but found one (stick) on my 4th day and I think it saved me!! I think my problem was I was soooo excited and I walked a bit too fast on my first two days. If I had taken it a bit more easy I think I would have been fine. My last day was torture (plus was ranning a LOT and very very windy). The next day I woke up a lot better though - but then it was time to leave... Oh, and my backpack was only 5.5kg!! So I think the pain was from overdoing it a bit.

But, even with all the pain I still had the best time!!! Planning the Portuguese route for sometime next year!!

Have a great Camino in May!!!