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I have walked the majority of the routes you have walked with the exception of the Vdlp. I cannot choose one favorite day as I have so many, each unique and special in their own way.As preface, I had booked myself to walk (with a pilgrim I'd traveled with on a previous trek) on the Camino d’Arles, leaving March 24, 2020. For obvious reasons that did not happen, so I have been re-living my memories of previous caminos. I’ve been very fortunate to have walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago, the LePuy Route to SJPdP, the VdlP (over two years; Sevilla to Salamanca and Salamanca to Santiago via Astorga), the Camino del Norte (from Hendaye to Oviedo) and the Primitivo (from Oviedo to Santiago). All of these, without exception, have been beautiful pilgrimages and memorable experiences.
My question is this. What are pilgrims’ most memorable one day walks on any camino?
For me, perhaps because of repetition, my love of mountains or because it was the first day of my first camino, my #1 favorite is the Route Napoleon from SJPdP to Roncevalles. I have been fortunate to walk it three times, all in perfect, sunny weather! That in itself makes it amazing! The first time was Day 1 of the Camino Frances and so I was full of the excitement of the unknown, uncertainty whether I was up to the physical challenge with a 20 pound backpack (it got lighter everyday as I left things in the “free stuff” boxes in albergues), the pleasure of meeting other walkers from all over the world starting their pilgrimages and the magnificent scenery. Perhaps that’s why it’s left an indelible memory with me. The next two times were also during perfect weather, but were at the end of my walk from LePuy. I had a couple of extra days after arriving in SJPdP, so I walked over the next day to Roncevalles and returned the day after. Glorious walking – and it was unusual to be going west to east on the second day. Lots of “buen caminos” to pilgrims just starting their caminos as I was finishing mine.
My runner up has to be the Hospitales Route on the Primitivo from Campiello to Berducedo. It couldn’t have been more different! I had a cafe con leche in Borres, then headed off in the mist, fog and light rain for the Hospitales Route. Up and up, not too steep except in a few places; it was a “mist-ical” journey. At the top, where the old hospital ruins were, my head (and the rest of me) was in the clouds. I remember their being cows grazing, many with cowbells (“ringing in the rain”), and horses appearing out of the fog. Just before noon, after I had walked the highest points, the sun appeared. I enjoyed a cold beer at the truck shop at the Puerto de Palo, where the Hospitales meets the route from Pola de Allande, and finished this beautiful day in Berducedo.
I hope other pilgrims have similar stories of amazing one day treks and will share them with us all. I think it will give us all a bit of hope that we will again be making memories on a camino. For me, I hope, it's in 2021.
Buen Camino!
That particular stretch after the Somport Pass was one I had been looking forward to on the Arles/Aragones route! I hope to walk it in 2021. Thanks for your memories!Difficult to answer that one! Maybe on the Aragonés, after the Somport, walking from Canfranc-Estación to Jaca...
But maybe it is because it‘s the last Camino I walked so fresher in my mindView attachment 79122
That looks like another glorious walk for my bucket list! Thanks.My favourite day was the mountain pass on the Camino de Madrid. Here’s what I wrote about it in my live thread:
Day 4: Cercedilla to Segovia (~30km) - but only 26km according to the Health app for iPhone.
Today was so fabulous, one of my all-time favourite days on any camino.
We started shortly before sunrise when it was -3 degrees Celsius, slightly warmer than forecast and thankfully without yesterday’s wind. The ascent is not steep (600m altitude gain in 7-8km of walking) but it’s just strenuous enough to warm you up a bit! We stopped for a snack at the top and this was the coldest part of the day.
Shortly after the pass we came across a small patch of snow on the trail, and that was the only snow we saw on or near the path. But snow is forecast for at least the next three days, so we were very lucky and conditions may be significantly different for those coming soon behind us.
View attachment 79110
At the top the weather was alternating between sunny patches and rolling fog, but as we started walking down, the fog lifted and it became a glorious day, albeit still with sub-zero temperatures. The trees up there are really amazing, we had the whole place to ourselves, and the ruins of the 16th century royal way station Casa Eraso - not mentioned in the CSJ guide - are beautifully situated in the woodlands just off the camino and were a great highlight.
View attachment 79109
The walk down from the pass is in a beautiful forest for about 7-8km before becoming a more open plain with Segovia in sight (and another ruin, a 17th century albergue of sorts for travellers and shepherds that I also liked).
We briefly considered the alternative route via San Ildefonso. However, there are discrepancies about distances. Gronze lists it as 11.7km to Segovia from the fork in the road, while a sign at the fork gave it as just 6km, less than the 6.7km the same sign said it was to San Ildefonso. Google Maps had it as 9km / 1hr 45 mins from the fork to Segovia, so we decided to trust that and continue on. We eventually made it to Segovia at about 5pm.
Irun to San Sebastián on the NorteAs preface, I had booked myself to walk (with a pilgrim I'd traveled with on a previous trek) on the Camino d’Arles, leaving March 24, 2020. For obvious reasons that did not happen, so I have been re-living my memories of previous caminos. I’ve been very fortunate to have walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago, the LePuy Route to SJPdP, the VdlP (over two years; Sevilla to Salamanca and Salamanca to Santiago via Astorga), the Camino del Norte (from Hendaye to Oviedo) and the Primitivo (from Oviedo to Santiago). All of these, without exception, have been beautiful pilgrimages and memorable experiences.
My question is this. What are pilgrims’ most memorable one day walks on any camino?
For me, perhaps because of repetition, my love of mountains or because it was the first day of my first camino, my #1 favorite is the Route Napoleon from SJPdP to Roncevalles. I have been fortunate to walk it three times, all in perfect, sunny weather! That in itself makes it amazing! The first time was Day 1 of the Camino Frances and so I was full of the excitement of the unknown, uncertainty whether I was up to the physical challenge with a 20 pound backpack (it got lighter everyday as I left things in the “free stuff” boxes in albergues), the pleasure of meeting other walkers from all over the world starting their pilgrimages and the magnificent scenery. Perhaps that’s why it’s left an indelible memory with me. The next two times were also during perfect weather, but were at the end of my walk from LePuy. I had a couple of extra days after arriving in SJPdP, so I walked over the next day to Roncevalles and returned the day after. Glorious walking – and it was unusual to be going west to east on the second day. Lots of “buen caminos” to pilgrims just starting their caminos as I was finishing mine.
My runner up has to be the Hospitales Route on the Primitivo from Campiello to Berducedo. It couldn’t have been more different! I had a cafe con leche in Borres, then headed off in the mist, fog and light rain for the Hospitales Route. Up and up, not too steep except in a few places; it was a “mist-ical” journey. At the top, where the old hospital ruins were, my head (and the rest of me) was in the clouds. I remember their being cows grazing, many with cowbells (“ringing in the rain”), and horses appearing out of the fog. Just before noon, after I had walked the highest points, the sun appeared. I enjoyed a cold beer at the truck shop at the Puerto de Palo, where the Hospitales meets the route from Pola de Allande, and finished this beautiful day in Berducedo.
I hope other pilgrims have similar stories of amazing one day treks and will share them with us all. I think it will give us all a bit of hope that we will again be making memories on a camino. For me, I hope, it's in 2021.
Buen Camino!
Monteroni d’Arbia in Tuscany on the via Francigena. Almost any day in Tuscany was beautiful but this day was my favorite. Also, first day out of SJPDP is a fond memory.I have made Just one Camino, It was the French in last october, só I Just can say about my First day from SJ to Roncesvalles.
The weather was god, clean sky and sunny day, but the windbwas terrível. In the highest point was difficult to stay there more than a few minutes.
Day before, the route was closed because the more than 50km/h wind.
There até vídeo here that show some of this.
I haven't been answering this thread because I, too, found it hard to pick just one day's walk. But this gives me an idea. Perhaps I can just list the characteristics of the best one day walk on any camino:A top 1 is therefore effectively impossible, but it should (for me) include hills or mountains, long views, ancient architecture, good food, solitude, little tarmac, low heat and a clear sky.
So please, Alan, may we have that entire list in installments? You know, like Dickens...Not easy - I recently tried to make a mental list of my top 10 days on the camino, but gave up when I reached 20 days which all absolutely had to be in the top 10. A top 1 is therefore effectively impossible, but it should (for me) include hills or mountains, long views, ancient architecture, good food, solitude, little tarmac, low heat and a clear sky.
I did particularly like that stretch of road... lots of wide open spaces, sunny days, few people and time for thought. Heavy pack and high top Moabs though...a few changed to make for next timeCalzadilla de los Hermanillos to Mansilla de las Mulas. My first camino. Half-way. Pack as light as a feather; legs happy and strong; boots like carpet slippers. Striding the Calzada Romana in a bath of bird-song and flower scent and with a horizon so wide I could see the earth curve away from me. I knew it was all but a gentle stroll down hill from there - the mountains to come would be no more than speed-bumps to my peregrino machine...
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