andywild
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- CF april 18.. CP sep 18.. CF april 2020
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If you go by the stats, the Portuguese has more pilgrims than the VDLP. I expect especially after Porto and most especially after Tui.I mostly loved my wise pilgrim.. but did occasionally look at a friend's Brierly.. although it did seem that Brierly made up distances and the severity of the odd climb/descent.. unless someone tells me the Portuguese Brierly is spot on I think I'll stick with a wise pilgrim.. any idea on how busy the route is? Was considering VDLP but I think I'd miss the social aspect so I'm hoping the Portuguese is more CF than VDLP
I'm doing the Portuguese (from Porto) in October. So I haven't walked it yet, nor put the two guides to the actual test on the Camino. So take this for what it is worth. I bought the Brierly but am not bringing it with me. I also got a number of CP guide apps for my phone (including Wise Pilgrim and Wisely) that I will use while walking. I'm incorporating some notes from the Brierly into the other apps as part of my preparation. That way I don't have the weight of the Brierly to carry around, but I have the benefit of it for planning and can incorporate information that is in the Brierly but not in the apps.
I dislike the Brierley guides
I expect to be leaving Porto on October 1st, walking the first day along the beaches, and then moving to the Central.When in October? I jumped from CI to CP.
I expect to be leaving Porto on October 1st, walking the first day along the beaches, and then moving to the Central.
By then I should be done, as I fly home from Lisboa on the 19th.ill be in Valenca on the 18th
No guide book is perfect and I think if someone can do better then they should get off their backside and do it. In the mean time I'm thankful those who do take on the challenge to provide we peregrinos with some assistance have the thick skin they truly must need.
I'm possibly among those who could be accused of dissing St John but the irrefutable [fact] is that he is one among some who created the modern Caminos
I cant speak for the CP, but I found the Brierly good in terms of avoiding his recommendations. Sometimes it worked out that we did stop at one of his stages, but most of the time I stopped either side of his destinations, it was much quieter that way.I'm considering sneaking a second Camino in this year.. Portuguese (I did CF in April).. I had wise pilgrim guide and was mostly happy with it... Do I go wise pilgrim for this route or the dreaded Brierly?
What, if your smartphone breaks in the middle of nowhere or if you have no connection?
Yes, you will be able to continue. But you will not know, where the bars and the albergues are and you will not know, how long it takes you to get there.Yellow arrows -- but really, even when you're far away from any waymarked Camino route and weeks away from getting onto one, you work out means to find your way.
Sounds like you already made up your mind. I did the coastal route and it was a spectacular experience. If you like the social aspect of larger groups of people this route wouldn't be a good one for you. I haven't done the interior route so can't comment on it. I used the Brierley guide and downloaded some map tracks from the resource section of this forum. I was impressed with both. I happen to appreciate that Brierly has gone through the work of correcting distances for elevation gain and loss. No guide book is perfect and I think if someone can do better then they should get off their backside and do it. In the mean time I'm thankful those who do take on the challenge to provide we peregrinos with some assistance have the thick skin they truly must need.
Yep, me too.
If it's the social aspect you're after, then go Portuguese. You'll rarely be aloneI mostly loved my wise pilgrim.. but did occasionally look at a friend's Brierly.. although it did seem that Brierly made up distances and the severity of the odd climb/descent.. unless someone tells me the Portuguese Brierly is spot on I think I'll stick with a wise pilgrim.. any idea on how busy the route is? Was considering VDLP but I think I'd miss the social aspect so I'm hoping the Portuguese is more CF than VDLP
If it's the social aspect you're after, then go Portuguese. You'll rarely be alone
Jabba, you dislike all guidebooks because you are a "true pilgrim".I dislike ALL pilgrim guide books. The only time I brought one was in '93, and I found it to be pretty much completely unnecessary.
I was very happy when someone else in the group asked to borrow it for a bit ; didn't ask for it back, though I recovered it somehow a long time after that Camino.
That's true because it depends how the distances were/are measured. When I post any distance here on the forum from my Wikiloc GPS recordings it's always either from albergue to albergue or albergue to town hall etc. and many times "my distances" are bigger than those in guides. I guess they are measuring them from end of one town to the beginning of another....though the distances listet are not quite correct (usually the GPS says 1-2 km more).
Yes, you will be able to continue. But you will not know, where the bars and the albergues are and you will not know, how long it takes you to get there.
thanks for all the help you gave me last spring when I worried about the train strike in France.
Yes, it did since the train strike days stayed "true" to their schedule. I did have to juggle and add a day to my return stay at an Paris airport hotel, but it was no big deal.I'm guessing that it all worked out ?
Great !!!
Trailsmart is awesome it has all the info you need and it's very accurate and you can purchase and offline map if you want. I did the costal with the spiritual variant using it may. It was wonderfulI'm considering sneaking a second Camino in this year.. Portuguese (I did CF in April).. I had wise pilgrim guide and was mostly happy with it... Do I go wise pilgrim for this route or the dreaded Brierly?
No guide book is perfect and I think if someone can do better then they should get off their backside and do it. In the mean time I'm thankful those who do take on the challenge to provide we peregrinos with some assistance have the thick skin they truly must need.
I used the maps only CP Brierly in 2015 from Santarem north and found it largely useless as predictor of what the trail would be like. It is more of a schematic than a set of maps; a relatively straight line would be drawn between two towns showing little if anything, then I would find myself waking through an urban or suburban area with a series of traffic circles popping off in different directions.
I’ve been fortunate to meet John and seen how hard he works. I’ve missed a few turns and didn’t stop at all points of interest.every guide and app have info, not always perfect but I saw new things when lost that others didn’t.I'm possibly among those who could be accused of dissing St John but the irrefutable is that he is one among some who created the modern Caminos. Whether we can ever forgive him for that is a matter for our own consciences. He writes guidebooks: when was the last time you dissed Lonely Planet for dodgy 'elevation gains'. At least he's never recommended a 'banging' bar that got closed down two days after it opened 'cos it got face booked to death...
I’ve been fortunate to meet John and seen how hard he works. I’ve missed a few turns and didn’t stop at all points of interest.every guide and app have info, not always perfect but I saw new things when lost that others didn’t.
I'm considering sneaking a second Camino in this year.. Portuguese (I did CF in April).. I had wise pilgrim guide and was mostly happy with it... Do I go wise pilgrim for this route or the dreaded Brierly?
Not as far as I know. But viewing it through Google Chrome can give an understandable translation. Works with both Windows and Android versions.Question...Is it possible to default Gronze to English?
I would not only rely on apps. What, if your smartphone breaks in the middle of nowhere or if you have no connection?
Well said, Sophie! Even traveling with my adult son who has no fear, I got kind of "weirded out" if we got even lost for even less than a kilometer....we are all different, including our individual comfort zones!
Gronze.com has this information about albergues. Here's an exampledid like the Brierly because it tells you how many rooms the albergue is split into so you know you're not necessarily going to be in one huge shared dorm
I guess I'll be recruiting new members but they will have to pass a series of tests. Each more cunning and difficult than the last one..
As also do I and I also get very tired and very irritated when people keep posting such small minded comments about the John Brierly Guidebooks......for a while there, his guide-books seemed to be the only ones available and, I for one was very glad to have mine, and more particularly so, for my third walk along the Frances earlier on this year.....I found myself going back to my 'good old faithful copy' each evening and still, finding something new to read. Triple Like plus an extra one for good measure.
Indeed, but the 'maps only' version. Gives you maps and all the addresses you need. Plus... it shows 3 routes: Central, Coast and Litoral. Plus the Link-routes and the Espitutual. Value 4 Money!Maybe you should consider the Brierley.
When I read responses to guidebook questions that tell others not to worry, and that there isn't a need for a guidebook or app, I'm reminded of how fortunate I am, as I might be able to do that. But, I also think others neglect to consider that not all pilgrims can 'wing it'...Some are elderly, sickly, or are doing their best to travel way out of their comfort zone. Some walkers need to know where the next stops are in order to take care of their needs. Would you rely on an arrow, not knowing the distance and what is ahead if you were a diabetic that needed to rest/eat? If you were elderly and felt you could walk a bit more, but then found it was 5K to the next rest/bar/village...you would at least have a bit of info in a guidebook to make an informed decision. There are those among us that need to plan ahead, where simply "walking" isn't an option. Be thankful that you are able to forge ahead without a plan, but try to consider why others might be concerned and ask the questions they ask. It'such a disservice to others to insist that the only way to walk any camino is without any guide, as if using one nullifies a 'real camino'. Rubbish and self centered.
What is happening on this forum in 2018? Everyone moaning and complaining? Let’s have some open minds and fellowship, please. It was the Brierley guide that got me walking The Camino in the first place, so I will always be grateful to his initiative and dedication, and the fact that every word he writes is from the heart. I’ve used Brierley CF and CP guides - full versions, not just the reduced maps versions - and have absolutely loved them. I never got lost, I never felt disappointed, and I always felt a genuine sense that his heart was truly in the spirit of the endeavour. Who cares about the accuracy of the elevations? If that’s all you are are interested in, go and climb a mountain. Camino walking is something different altogether. Bless the man for opening my eyes to something that is now dominant in my life, and which I intend to keep doing as long as I can.
I did the Portuguese twice - using Brierley. I found it spot on on all counts - practical and background. I could have done without the spiritual advice, but this is easily ignored. The book is lightweight and easy to read on the way (much more so than a small cellphone screen, or the Wise Pilgrim format). I am truly sorry there is no Brierley for the Camino del Norte.I mostly loved my wise pilgrim.. but did occasionally look at a friend's Brierly.. although it did seem that Brierly made up distances and the severity of the odd climb/descent.. unless someone tells me the Portuguese Brierly is spot on I think I'll stick with a wise pilgrim.. any idea on how busy the route is? Was considering VDLP but I think I'd miss the social aspect so I'm hoping the Portuguese is more CF than VDLP
I just got the Brierly and I think it's quite good. Don't have to worry about KML files, apps, etc.As a first timer on any Camino I do have the Brierley guide on the basis that any guide gives at least the bones of the route. It’s up to me how I follow it and up to me on what other sources of info I draw on. Plenty of advice available on this forum for example.
And my heartfelt thanks to those who have contributed.
Any mistakes/mis-steps will be down to me, no good blaming a guide book - learn, adapt and move on. The Camino is what it is and won't be found in any guide book.
It is, but he has chosen to remain a dinosaur in the digital age. His books will be found only on the remainder tables soon. He needs to publish a Kindle version or issue an app to stay relevant. Remember the Radio Shack TRS-80? Remember Radio Shack???I have found the Brierley map booklet useful
https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/26/news/companies/radioshack-back/index.htmlIt is, but he has chosen to remain a dinosaur in the digital age. His books will be found only on the remainder tables soon. He needs to publish a Kindle version or issue an app to stay relevant. Remember the Radio Shack TRS-80? Remember Radio Shack???
What is happening on this forum in 2018? Everyone moaning and complaining? Let’s have some open minds and fellowship, please. It was the Brierley guide that got me walking The Camino in the first place, so I will always be grateful to his initiative and dedication, and the fact that every word he writes is from the heart. I’ve used Brierley CF and CP guides - full versions, not just the reduced maps versions - and have absolutely loved them. I never got lost, I never felt disappointed, and I always felt a genuine sense that his heart was truly in the spirit of the endeavour. Who cares about the accuracy of the elevations? If that’s all you are are interested in, go and climb a mountain. Camino walking is something different altogether. Bless the man for opening my eyes to something that is now
dominant in my life, and which I intend to keep doing as long as I can.
What is happening on this forum in 2018? Everyone moaning and complaining? Let’s have some open minds and fellowship, please. It was the Brierley guide that got me walking The Camino in the first place, so I will always be grateful to his initiative and dedication, and the fact that every word he writes is from the heart. I’ve used Brierley CF and CP guides - full versions, not just the reduced maps versions - and have absolutely loved them. I never got lost, I never felt disappointed, and I always felt a genuine sense that his heart was truly in the spirit of the endeavor. Who cares about the accuracy of the elevations? If that’s all you are are interested in, go and climb a mountain. Camino walking is something different altogether. Bless the man for opening my eyes to something that is now dominant in my life, and which I intend to keep doing as long as I can.
It is, but he has chosen to remain a dinosaur in the digital age. His books will be found only on the remainder tables soon. He needs to publish a Kindle version or issue an app to stay relevant. Remember the Radio Shack TRS-80? Remember Radio Shack???
Maybe but I doubt it. People have been predicting the demise of print for a long time but it sticks around for a reason. There will be people who prefer a real book, because some others of us are dinosaurs, too.It is, but he has chosen to remain a dinosaur in the digital age. His books will be found only on the remainder tables soon.
Totally agree. I'm totally into technology and love Google Maps, Earth, etc., but I know that I'll never need to charge my Brierley.Off topic but I can't resist.
Maybe but I doubt it. People have been predicting the demise of print for a long time but it sticks around for a reason. There will be people who prefer a real book, because some others of us are dinosaurs, too.
Take maps. I for one find digital maps frustrating and the technology unreliable: needing unreliable connectivity for online maps, and having to try to see something on a screen that doesn't work so well in bright light, and having to carry chargers or battery packs, and running out of power at just the wrong moment when you need a map most, and not being able to go back and forth between pages effortlessly, and being concerned about said tech being ripped off, and and and....
I'm not at all a luddite but for all those reasons (and more) I intensely dislike the map experience on a device.
Once glance a paper map (or Brierley) is enough to figure out where I am - and even without a functioning or connected phone or tablet I can still find my way. I'm not the brightest light on the Christmas tree, but even my mind is vastly better and more versatile than a machine.
It could be worse,you could actually HAVE Brierley with you
Very droll ...
But also rather unkind ....
This is what I am "planning" to do....I cant speak for the CP, but I found the Brierly good in terms of avoiding his recommendations. Sometimes it worked out that we did stop at one of his stages, but most of the time I stopped either side of his destinations, it was much quieter that way.
I just followed the yellow arrows.....