Arriving in Madrid Oct2009,

[gypsyjennifer]

This will be my first experience on a pilgrimage and I have limited time (9days of walking). From Madrid I would like to know where is the prettiest areas to walk for 9 days, not too high elevation as I am aging and approx 15=20 klms per day. I don't need to arrive in Santiago de Compostela in the first year. Important on this first walk is that I enjoy the surroundings, nature, villages, history. It is my first experience to do any long walks. There are so many routes to join up with. I read the last 100 klms to Santiago de Compostela is the busiest and most popular, but before traveling all the way to join this last 100 klms, I would like to know if there are other stretches on any routes closer to Madrid that would be beautiful. Any help would be greatly appreciated. This is the start of a pilgrimage, not the end of it.

 

[Javier Martin]

This will be my first experience on a pilgrimage and I have limited time (9days of walking). From Madrid I would like to know where is the prettiest areas to walk for 9 days, not too high elevation as I am aging and approx 15=20 klms per day. I don't need to arrive in Santiago de Compostela in the first year. Important on this first walk is that I enjoy the surroundings, nature, villages, history. It is my first experience to do any long walks. There are so many routes to join up with. I read the last 100 klms to Santiago de Compostela is the busiest and most popular, but before traveling all the way to join this last 100 klms, I would like to know if there are other stretches on any routes closer to Madrid that would be beautiful. Any help would be greatly appreciated. This is the start of a pilgrimage, not the end of it.

Well, you have many options.

1) To begin from the beginning. St. Jean, until you are able to walk in this 9 days. May be Logroño, Santo Domingo, Burgos. It depends on you.

2) To begin in Madrid, may be to Simancas. Absolutely lonely, but no problem about!

3) To arrive in Santiago you can begin in Villafranca del Bierzo.

4) Or you can begin in Portugal, why not in Barcelos?

5) Camino del Norte, or from Irun to ... ¿Bilbao? or from Ribadeo to Santiago.

Or ... Many, many other different options.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.