Best Guidebook

[Easily_confused]

What guidebook do you recommend? I'm aware of the Brierley which seems super popular. But I also see that this forum does one which sounds really comprehensive.

 

[Waka]

The Confrernity of St James (London) does a really comprehensive one, I think you can buy for £5.00 or download for free, worth checking out.
Myself I just used the Brierley guide and it got me through ok.

 

[domigee]

I used the Brierley every time but there is a new one that is supposed to be very good: the wise pilgrim guide, now in printed form. I think Ivar now sells it
There is also a German one people think highly of - now translated, also in the shop here. I bought it but didn't use it. I don't seem to need a guidebook any more

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Forum search results for best guidebook:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...t+guidebook&o=date&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=12

 

[Easily_confused]

Forum search results for best guidebook:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...t+guidebook&o=date&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=12

Thanks, Rick.

 

[Ian Afloat]

Brierley is a good read but a bit of a brick. This year I'm taking his maps only book complemented by a smart phone app.

 

[FLEUR]

You can have the Brierley books on your phone to save carrying a heavy book.

 

[joecamino]

You can have the Brierley books on your phone to save carrying a heavy book.

Can you please explain how? I found Brierly on Amazon, but no Kindle version. I'd like to find the best CF guide I can in digital form, and avoid lugging a book around. Thanks!

 

[FLEUR]

Can you please explain how? I found Brierly on Amazon, but no Kindle version. I'd like to find the best CF guide I can in digital form, and avoid lugging a book around. Thanks!

The Brierley map book of the CF - SJPDP to SDC is available on Kindle and last year I bought his Sarria to Santiago Finisterra / Muxia book on Kindle

 

[Mark Lee]

Regular Brierley guidebook....hands down seems to be the best.
If you are equipment weight conscious and don't want to tear pages out of it, the Brierley maps only fits the bill. I bought one last year. Looks perfect, weighs almost nothing.
Some people will chime in and say the distances in the various guidebooks aren't accurate, but trust me, it doesn't matter. Heck, the kilometer markers and road signs along the Camino are off as well. I'm not OCD enough to care about a kilometer or two being off. I'm not calling in artillery. ha ha

 

[domigee]

Can you please explain how? I found Brierly on Amazon, but no Kindle version. I'd like to find the best CF guide I can in digital form, and avoid lugging a book around. Thanks!

I have never found a Kindle version of Brierley's.
This one is supposed to be very good and you can get it as an App.
http://www.wisepilgrim.com/book/
I have not (yet! ) used it myself but it was well recommended.
The guide book by Raimund Joos - translated into English - also comes as a digital version.

 

[Paddington Bear]

There are also 2 free apps that give you your position. One has offline capabilities. But you might need wifi for your location. One you need wifi. Sorry to be vague but I'm not the map guy.
ECamino - offline map, diary and photos. (Related to Brierleys book)
Frances Basics - maps and info for each stage, profiles. For list of abergues you have to upgrade for $2,99

 

[FLEUR]

I have never found a Kindle version of Brierley's.
This one is supposed to be very good and you can get it as an App.
http://www.wisepilgrim.com/book/
I have not (yet! ) used it myself but it was well recommended.
The guide book by Raimund Joos - translated into English - also comes as a digital version.

Domigee the Brierley map book is definitely available as a Kindle book. It says "maps" on the cover perhaps include the word "map" when you search the title. We also used the kindle book by Gerald Kelly "walking the Camino de Santiago" History, culture etc. St.Jean Pied de Port to Santiago and on to Finisterra.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Domigee the Brierley map book is definitely available as a Kindle book.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018IN7ZTO/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[domigee]

Domigee the Brierley map book is definitely available as a Kindle book. It says "maps" on the cover perhaps include the word "map" when you search the title. We also used the kindle book by Gerald Kelly "walking the Camino de Santiago" History, culture etc. St.Jean Pied de Port to Santiago and on to Finisterra.

Thanks Fleur!
Found it! I had of course been looking for the full guide book but this is great.

 

[formerly multipurpose]

I also am considering which guidebook to take on my planed April 2018 Camino Frances. The Brierley seems to be the most popular although it has received mixed reviews. The guy who did the "Manger on the Hill" series on you tube disliked Brierley so much he burned his copy at Finsterre. A salesperson who worked at an Easter's Catholic bookstore in Sacramento and had done the Camino Frances was not fond of the Brierley guide and recommended the one by The Confraternity of St. James as he said it was more up to date since they come out with a new one every year. I have examined the Brierley guide at my local Barnes and Noble bookstore and it seems to have a lot of information with excellent maps. I suppose I could just flip a coin!

 

[Tincatinker]

For the Camino Frances all printed guidebooks are out-of-date by the time they come back from the printers. The infrastructure changes and expands on a weekly if not daily basis. The route doesn't change much though there may be temporary or even permanent diversions from time-to-time; these will be well sign-posted.

The blessed Brierley publishes almost annual updates and frequently re-walks the route his blessed self and he tries to maintain the spirituality of the route; Michael (Wise pilgrim) has a gentle humour to his commentary that might sustain some when the going gets a bit tough. The CS.J is maintained by real enthusiasts who really want to make the camino accessible. The 'Yellow' guides are highly regarded and there are probably half-a -dozen other paper or 'net based guides available.

The frequently up-dated A4 paper hand-out from the Pilgrims' Office in StJdP probably provides all the real information that a reasonably alert and sentient being might require to successfully achieve Santiago after 4 - 5 weeks of effort.

The best? What is it about the best? Why isn't the 'pretty good and entertaining' or the ' I found it in a second-hand book-store and it made me want to try' sufficient for our needs.

The best guide to the Camino Frances that I ever encountered said 'follow your shadow till you can't see it anymore - then stop for lunch"