Best way to zoom forward after a forced stop?

[ChloeRose]

Hello all,

I'm now a month and a half into my Camino. I started in Le Puy and was averaging 20-27kms a day; best experience of my life! However, I got (and ignored for days!) two separate toe infections which got bad enough to require surgery. I'm now resting up in a small French town, 5 days walking from SJPP, for the next 4-5 days (already on my 6th rest day here). My flight home is already booked for a fast approaching end of June date, leaving from Santiago.

So with only 10-15 feasible days left of walking available, I've decided to stick to this route and get a little ways into Spain, then come back and finish the Camino Frances another year.

My question: best way to travel quickly from somewhere in Spain near SJPP to Santiago and still absorb some visuals? I'd rather not fly. Any good experiences on buses or trains to share?

Thanks!

(Anyone reading this who has yet to take on their Camino adventure: Listen to your feet! And consider waiting to book your return flight until you've started your route and gotten a good sense of your rhythm. Part of the reason I didn't take care of my feet was because I was locked into a really unforgiving schedule.)

 

[Kerry C]

Hello all,

I'm now a month and a half into my Camino. I started in Le Puy and was averaging 20-27kms a day; best experience of my life! However, I got (and ignored for days!) two separate toe infections which got bad enough to require surgery. I'm now resting up in a small French town, 5 days walking from SJPP, for the next 4-5 days (already on my 6th rest day here). My flight home is already booked for a fast approaching end of June date, leaving from Santiago.

So with only 10-15 feasible days left of walking available, I've decided to stick to this route and get a little ways into Spain, then come back and finish the Camino Frances another year.

My question: best way to travel quickly from somewhere in Spain near SJPP to Santiago and still absorb some visuals? I'd rather not fly. Any good experiences on buses or trains to share?

Thanks!

(Anyone reading this who has yet to take on their Camino adventure: Listen to your feet! And consider waiting to book your return flight until you've started your route and gotten a good sense of your rhythm. Part of the reason I didn't take care of my feet was because I was locked into a really unforgiving schedule.)

 

[Kerry C]

We took two visits to finish our Camino. Good places to stop early on in Spain: Burgos took us two weeks to get to in 2015 with rest time in Pamplona. Burgos was a great starting point his year. If you are too injured, stop in Pamplona. Last year, I had multiple blisters because I didn't take enough notice. I wound up with planter fasciitis. When we returned this year I didn't blister at all, but dedicated time each day to stretches and foot care. We finished with no undo stress. We also hiked shorter days once in a while.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Leon to Sanitago typically takes two weeks. Leon is easy to get to.

 

[Deleted member 36903]

Sorry to hear about your injury and congratulations on the Camino you have already walked.

Go to the website Rome2Rio and key in St Jean Pied de Port and then Leon for the destination as falcon269 suggested. I have just looked at the options and the train looks the easiest and you would certainly travel through a variety of landscapes. I then had a look at travelling from Pamplona but getting to there from SJPDP is tricky, other forum members have more expertise in this area and no doubt you will receive much good advice in the next few hours. Buen Camino

 

[Bradypus]

(Anyone reading this who has yet to take on their Camino adventure: Listen to your feet! And consider waiting to book your return flight until you've started your route and gotten a good sense of your rhythm. Part of the reason I didn't take care of my feet was because I was locked into a really unforgiving schedule.)

I agree. If at all possible I leave making my bookings for my journey home until a few days before my arrival at my final destination. I can do that because I am fortunate in having very few commitments which tie me to home, a modest but adequate disposable income, and the good fortune to live within short and affordable travel time of much of Europe. So I can travel more or less at will. For those who have to commit themselves well in advance to specific dates and routes I think it is important to have realistic expectations of your daily progress and to allow enough slack in your schedule for a few unexpected snags and delays. Though in your case sadly that would have been a lot of wiggle room I always find it slightly amusing when I see posts here from people who intend to walk for a month or more along the Camino Frances and yet are frantically trying to find ways to shave 25 minutes off the journey time from Madrid or Paris to St Jean. I can sympathise though. In most situations I am also a bit of a control freak and a compulsive over-planner. Walking long distances makes me see the folly of that at times.

 

[Felipe]

There is a daily train from Pamplona to Roncesvalles. It stops conveniently in Burgos and León, two very interesting places. See RENFE
From SJPP to Pamplona, there is a Conda (see "ALSA") bus.
Anyway, check the situation at the SJPP tourism kiosk (it is in the main commercial street, you can't lose it). The clerks are kind and helpful.

 

[bernhugo]

Trains run from Pamplona, Sahagun ,Burgos and Leon (to name but a few) to Santiago.
It takes a long while obviously , but if it saves your camino, have a search on RENFE.
Buses do run over this route but you would have to change many times.

 

[AlwynWellington]

My question: best way to travel quickly from somewhere in Spain near SJPP to Santiago and still absorb some visuals? I'd rather not fly. Any good experiences on buses or trains to share?

Chile Rose, hi.

Based on experience there is a good range of options for bus/coach travel from Pamplona to Burgos stopping at the principal towns along the way. Just do a search using your proposed start and end stops.

Based on that experience I would confidently expect to be able to bus, using different services, from Burgos via Sahagun, Leon, Ponferrada, Lugo, Palais de Rei and the last three stops before arriving at Compostela.

 

[ChloeRose]

Thank you for the pointers! I think I'll try my best to walk to Pamplona, at my current speed I can do it comfortably in 15 days, then train to Santiago for my flight. There's a direct train on RENFE for just 37 euro. 8 hours, so I should get some excellent views and reflection time! If I have any time to spare I might split it into parts and enjoy some major cities along the way.

Cheers Buen Camino, everyone.

 

[Camino2010]

Thank you for the pointers! I think I'll try my best to walk to Pamplona, at my current speed I can do it comfortably in 15 days, then train to Santiago for my flight. There's a direct train on RENFE for just 37 euro. 8 hours, so I should get some excellent views and reflection time! If I have any time to spare I might split it into parts and enjoy some major cities along the way.

Cheers Buen Camino, everyone.

I took the train to León from Palencia (I got there by bus from Frómista) in 2010. It was very fast! But it didn't follow the path of the Camino. You found a great price though...

If you had time, I really enjoy the bus ride from Logroño to Santiago. I've done it a few times (in reverse, backtracking at the end of my Camino walks). It's always a thrill for me when the bus pulls into Sahagún by the pilgrim statue, and seeing pilgrims walking along the road on the way into Burgos, and soaring along past Vega de Valcarce, near O Cebreiro, and then seeing lots of pilgrims on their way between Arzua and Santiago! Maybe you could take the train for part and then the bus?

I love León, if you have time for a stopover there, go for it.

Buen Creative-Conclusion Camino!

Rachel

P.S. Edited to add, thanks for adding the bit about listening to your body! It's always a good point to reinforce, I think. I'm sorry you felt rushed by your schedule. After running out of time on my first Camino because of knee trouble I developed after walking too far, too fast during the first week (which is in large part why I ended up on the train from Palencia), I've made sure to plan as much time as I'll need to walk, including a few extra days as a buffer. And now that I'm living in Europe, I don't book my return flight until about 10-12 days before I want to leave Spain. I'm thankful to have that luxury, it feels like there's more freedom than with overseas flights.

 

[whariwharangi]

From SJPdP take SNCF train to Bayonne.

Take SNCF train from Bayonne to Irun/Hendaye.

Take Renfe train from Irun to anywhere Spain.