Best Itinerary for a three week trip

[msmasri]

I have extended my trip to be for 21 days (plus one day on each side for travel) and would like to get ideas for the best itinerary to cover the most ground. I would like to focus on the Camino Frances path because it seems to be the traditional route. Does it make sense to start in Pamplona then walk to Burgos and take a bus from Burgos to Leon then walk from Leon? Not sure if it makes sense to break up the trip that way. My goal is not to be a tourist but to spend the time walking contemplatively. Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Rajy62]

Actually, you are onto it. The walk between Burgos and Leon is on relatively flat terrain with predictable scenery.
Make sense to skip that section. Starting in Pamplona is also a good idea as the first stage is a bit steep. This will give you couple of break days if you are a fast walker.

 

[scruffy1]

Pamplona will do, its a really sweet place do give it a walkabout. Your plan may work but keep it flexible. There is something sad about pilgrims so focused on timetables and Santiago that they don't have time for say Burgos or Leon even Astorga or Estella or Logrono all of which deserve a more then a cursory look. Many run simply right through not seeing say Monasterio de las Huelgas Realas, San Isodoro, Jardin de la Synagoga, San Miguel in Estella, or the Matamoros high up as you walk out of Logrono - Castrojeriz is a place that I for one, would not dream of skipping-that morning climb up for the first breathtaking view of the Mesta and back to where you have just come cannot be seen from a bus . Plan well, public transportation will get you everywhere should the beauty, the amazement, and the friendship found on the Camino destroy your timetable. Buen Camino.

 

[timr]

- Castrojeriz is a place that I for one, would not dream of skipping-that morning climb up for the first breathtaking view of the Mesta and back to where you have just come cannot be seen from a bus.

Scruffy, just to thank you for that nostalgia-provoking comment! I loved that particular stretch both times. I also loved the meseta, and I know some people don't.....

 

[NualaOC]

I have extended my trip to be for 21 days (plus one day on each side for travel) and would like to get ideas for the best itinerary to cover the most ground. I would like to focus on the Camino Frances path because it seems to be the traditional route. Does it make sense to start in Pamplona then walk to Burgos and take a bus from Burgos to Leon then walk from Leon? Not sure if it makes sense to break up the trip that way. My goal is not to be a tourist but to spend the time walking contemplatively. Any help would be much appreciated!

Hi @msmasri, Burgos to Santiago might be a good option. Burgos is a good starting point as it is well served by public transport. If you end up short of time, you could take a train from Sahagun or El Burgo Ranero to Leon. There are many other bus options along the way, so there's no need to plan this aspect in advance. Buen Camino.

 

[clearskiescamino]

Why skip the meseta?
It is my favourite section, and I'm sure others will agree.
You should start in Burgos and aim for Santiago.

 

[nidarosa]

I have to confess that I don't understand the eagerness to willingly 'skip' any part of any camino, unless it is due to injury or dangerous conditions. My personal view and I will not demand anyone agree with me, but I have my reasons:

While you walk you are in a constant stream of people, and skipping a part of the way also means skipping them - possibly forever.
While you walk you are in the landscape, sometimes it is a city, sometimes a flat section or going up or down a hill. That landscape will change with every step and skipping a part means breaking that heartbeat pace continuity. I love seeing the landscape, food, even language change! I love the Meseta for its huge sky, and Galicia for its huge views, I wouldn't miss either of them.
While you walk you have a certain amount of time to walk a certain distance. My advice is don't rush, don't skip, work backwards from Santiago and see how much you can realistically manage in the time you have. Or start where you want, leave when you must and come back later to walk the next or last bit into Santiago.

Either way you choose to do it, enjoy and buen camino!

 

[William Marques]

I have extended my trip to be for 21 days (plus one day on each side for travel) and would like to get ideas for the best itinerary to cover the most ground. I would like to focus on the Camino Frances path because it seems to be the traditional route. My goal is not to be a tourist but to spend the time walking contemplatively.

The meseta will give you plenty of time for contemplation - start in Burgos.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Don't listen to others' opinions! Try to glean the data, and make your decision. We all like different things at different times. Do that which is convenient for you.

 

[msmasri]

Pamplona will do, its a really sweet place do give it a walkabout. Your plan may work but keep it flexible. There is something sad about pilgrims so focused on timetables and Santiago that they don't have time for say Burgos or Leon even Astorga or Estella or Logrono all of which deserve a more then a cursory look. Many run simply right through not seeing say Monasterio de las Huelgas Realas, San Isodoro, Jardin de la Synagoga, San Miguel in Estella, or the Matamoros high up as you walk out of Logrono - Castrojeriz is a place that I for one, would not dream of skipping-that morning climb up for the first breathtaking view of the Mesta and back to where you have just come cannot be seen from a bus . Plan well, public transportation will get you everywhere should the beauty, the amazement, and the friendship found on the Camino destroy your timetable. Buen Camino.

Thank you so much for this thoughtful reply. I want to make sure I don't miss anything with the time constraints that I have for the trip.
sincerely,
Mona

 

[jpflavin1]

I have extended my trip to be for 21 days (plus one day on each side for travel) and would like to get ideas for the best itinerary to cover the most ground. I would like to focus on the Camino Frances path because it seems to be the traditional route. Does it make sense to start in Pamplona then walk to Burgos and take a bus from Burgos to Leon then walk from Leon? Not sure if it makes sense to break up the trip that way. My goal is not to be a tourist but to spend the time walking contemplatively. Any help would be much appreciated!

Mona:

If I had 21 days and wanted to walk the Camino Frances, I would start in Burgos and walk to Santiago. I do not like the idea of skipping sections. One thing that has always happened for me is the creation of a Camino family. A group of people that, while varying somewhat daily, enhance communal dinners and evening conversations. The continuity of this group is most enjoyable in Santiago in sharing the Pilgrim mass, dinners and memorable moments of a shared journey Skipping sections and jumping around would prohibit that development.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

I have extended my trip to be for 21 days (plus one day on each side for travel) and would like to get ideas for the best itinerary to cover the most ground. I would like to focus on the Camino Frances path because it seems to be the traditional route. Does it make sense to start in Pamplona then walk to Burgos and take a bus from Burgos to Leon then walk from Leon? Not sure if it makes sense to break up the trip that way. My goal is not to be a tourist but to spend the time walking contemplatively. Any help would be much appreciated!

I would just start n burgos, or take it slower and start in sahagún...

 

[nidarosa]

... or in Astorga and walk to the coast ...

 

[Jo Jo]

For what it's worth, these are my thoughts (copied out of an earlier thread on a very similar question with a few edits):

I agree with not skipping the meseta (Burgos to Leon)--that was very meditative walking for me. I would, however, skip the cities. The concrete and asphalt of the cities killed my feet, and I did not find the urban areas that spiritually or visually nourishing. The cathedrals are architectural wonders (although touristy), so you might bus in, see them, then bus out. Some people do not like this approach as it seems their spiritual lesson is to keep walking, even through areas that are not pretty or uplifting. My spiritual lesson is that suffering is optional. Everyone is at their own place. I think you'll figure out what you need to do for yourself as you walk.

If you do decide to skip the urban areas, often you can just use the metro buses--take them from the first place they appear into the city center, then back out again (we did that out of Leon and should have done it into Pamplona (except the bus was completely filled with San Fermin celebrants).

Specifically, I would do this around Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, and definitely Ponferrada (which I found to be a gang-tag filled urban mess). Logrono is a nice walk, both in and out. For Ponferrada catch the bus or taxi in Molinaseca--the walk from there is all concrete and asphalt. We then took a taxi to just the next hamlet outside the city, and started walking again. For Leon we took the bus from Mules and then the metro bus to Virgin del Camino.

Finally, there is a nasty bit of road walking after Villafranca Bierzo (spelling of all city names is approximate) just as you are re-entering the mountains. From there, I highly recommend the "high route," which was steep but the nicest day of walking we had (take extra water). If you do not do that (and no other pilgrim did it the day we walked), you will be walking by a busy highway separated by a concrete barrier. That is bad enough (and I would take the high route or a taxi--I would not walk the low route), but then, just after Trabelo, the barrier ends, and you are walking with rather large trucks whizzing by within a couple of meters of you with no protection. I consider walking that section to be the most foolish, dangerous thing I have done in years. If (when) I walk it again, I would definitely take a taxi through this section. Start walking again at Las Herrerias, where the Camino turns on to a much smaller road.

If you take buses/taxis around those 4 cities and the section after Villafranca (and if you need to make up time, the whole section from Molinaseca to Las Herrerias), I think you will have time to start in SJPP or Pamplona and walk the meseta and everything else except the urban areas. Should I ever be fortunate enough to have time to walk the Frances again, that is how I would do it, even if not pressed for time (I could always use the extra time to go to Finisterre and Muxia).

I hear and understand the concern about leaving behind your Camino family. This is a real concern--they become your support network while you are doing the most physically demanding thing you have probably ever done. My experience doing what I have described is that these little jumps around urban areas did not result in losing them. Perhaps it was because my badly mangled feet (another thread) limited my kms/day, but I found that we kept connecting and reconnecting with our family. YMMV, but its worth thinking about starting in SJPP or Pamplona and skipping smaller sections rather than skipping one huge section in the middle (which would surely result in having to reestablish another Camino family).

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo