Burgos - Sahagún

[Luka]

An old pilgrim says hello again! Last summer I settled down in beautiful Asturias and now it starts to ache again...

I have a big deadline the 20th of May and I am going to reward myself with a week (or a couple of days longer) on the Camino. I thought about continuing on the Norte (the stretch Avilés - Ribadeo), but maybe it would be nice to experience non-Asturian Spain for a change ;-)

So I am now thinking of good old Francés (which is less well-known to me than to most seasoned pilgrims). Mostly because I would like a bit of comfort and socialising for a change. And then somewhere between Roncesvalles and Sarria. These are my thoughts so far:

Roncesvalles - Logroño ➡ Because I missed the two stages in between Roncesvalles and Pamplona because of an injury
Logroño - Hornillos del Camino ➡ Because it is a bit easier to reach from where I live
Carrión de los Condes - Astorga ➡ Because I never walked this part (it would be all Meseta though)

I am mostly contemplating about one of the two first options.

• Because of the scenery and the enjoyable cities of Pamplona, Logroño and Burgos.
• Because it is earlier on the Camino which I hope means smaller crowds and easier to join in socially (as being an introvert)
• Because I would look a little bit up to walking only on the Meseta (however I might have enough time to walk on to Ponferrada). I am not afraid of long, dusty paths without shade or facilities, but the hardest part for me on the meseta was the endless walking on the road side (as I recall it).

What would you do or recommend? Any other options are welcome as well of course! And I do realise that I have a very first world problem here ;-)

 

[VNwalking]

1 or 3, because you've missed those parts...with a slight preference for 3 because I love the meseta. Walk the alternate route after Sahagun and you miss the 2-day-long road walk. No matter what you choose, there's no way to go wrong.
(And if you're thinking of 3, consider going from Fromista to Leon instead of Carrion to Astorga. My own preference, of course, but that stretch between Leon and Astorga is my least favorite part of the whole Frances. And Fromista is not hard to get to, as it's accessible by train and bus.)

 

[Mark McCarthy]

How about starting in Las Herreiras and start with climbing O Cebreiro?

 

[Luka]

Walk the alternate route after Sahagun and you miss the 2-day-long road walk.

Is that the old Roman road passing through Calzadilla de los Hermanillos? Looks like a lonely, dirth path with no traffic or whatsoever. Nice!

And thanks for the advice about the stretch between León and Astorga!

@Mark McCarthy I would prefer not to start with a mountaineous stage, as I probably won't be as trained as usually. Besides, this would take me into Sarria in 3 days and I can live without the Camino highway ;-)

 

[VNwalking]

Is that the old Roman road passing through Calzadilla de los Hermanillos? Looks like a lonely, dirth path with no traffic or whatsoever. Nice!

It's exactly that. Really lovely, a highlight.

And there are off-road ways from Virgen del Camino most of the way to Asorga, parts of which are very nice. Just to balance the negativity I put in your lap...

 

[Luka]

Thanks for the pictures, @VNwalking! That looks so much better than walking alongside a road.

I might include another option: Burgos - León. That will take me a bit more than a week and will make it an exclusive Meseta walk, but with two beautiful cities included and a completely different scenery from what I am used to in Asturias. And easy to reach by public transport.

Options, options...

 

[lizlane]

I'm such a fan of the meseta stage. Granted I've never walked it but I can't wait. At least it won't be scorching hot this time of year but may have other drawbacks more experienced pilgrims know about so I will hush and let them comment! Good luck with your choice!

 

[VNwalking]

I might include another option: Burgos - León.

A lovely idea, and logistically probably easier than any of the other options.
Beautiful cities as bookends and the meseta in between. Perfect.

 

[nidarosa]

Not sure I can help you with your conundrum, though I think I would pick one I had missed the last time. When people ask me where I would walk if I had one week, I always tell them the same thing: Astorga to Sarria. Astorga is easy go get to, then there is Rabanal and the gorgeous downhill walk to Molinaseca, through the vinyards to Villafranca, along the river and up to O Cebreiro, then winding down to Triacastela and finishing in Sarria where so many start. Whatever you decide, I wish you a buen camino!

 

[Luka]

@nidarosa That was my first experience with the Camino Francés! I finished the Via de la Plata and had about a week left. So I continued on the Francés and walked from Astorga to Sarria. At that point I still thought the whole Camino Francés was that beautiful and variable ;-)

 

[rappahannock_rev]

I might include another option: Burgos - León.

This year, with only two weeks free to walk, max, I'm (1) re-walking Logrono to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, (2) bussing from there to Burgos, and then (3) re-walking Burgos to Leon. The first bit is very easy and very enjoyable.... The second bit is the meseta, and the meseta is my zen zone.... I'm allowing myself a "sightseeing day" in Burgos (so much to see, one last time!) and half a "sightseeing day" in Sahagun (the most under-appreciated town on the entire CF, IMHO!)

How 'bout this Aragones option?! Lourdes to Oloron to Somport to Jaca! Nine-ten days, easy -- might be a bit lonely for you if you want lots of company -- but a genuinely extraordinary walk!

 

[Luka]

Nice @rappahannock_rev, similar plans!

I have done a lot of solitary walks, but as I have quite a solitary life now (which I really enjoy) I am going for a social camino this time

 

[Trude]

Astorga to Ponferrada

 

[Luka]

I calculated a bit and I think it will be Burgos - Sahagún. With different stages than I did before. This is what I came up with:

Burgos - Tardajos (11) ➡ I'll arrive by train in Burgos at 12.22, so that will leave me time to see the city and then walk on to Tardajos somewhere late afternoon
Tardajos - Hontanas (20)
Hontanas - Itero de la Vega (20)
Itero de la Vega - Población de Campos (17)
Población de Campos - Carrión de los Condes (15)
Carrión de los Condes - Lédigos (23)
Lédigos - Sahagún (16) ➡ I'll take a train to León late afternoon, so I'll have time to explore Sahagún

Short stages, but I think I won't be trained, so better to take it easy. And sometimes there were just no other options. I'll bring a book ;-)

After Sahagún it got a bit complicated, because on the Roman road I would have to walk a very short stage again of about 13k to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos, because 32k or so to Mansanilla de las Mulas is not an option. And I would like to see Sahagún. This scedule will cost me 8 days including travelling.

This way Carrión de los Condes is the only village that I have stayed in before. And I found some good advice about very nice albergues on this wonderful forum!

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Last summer I settled down in beautiful Asturias

I envy you! I've often thought about how nice it would be to "retire" to rural northern Spain....

With the rural northen Spain depopulation problem growing worse every year, I suspect that I could rent a room or an apartment somewhere along the CF for very little money.... And spend many a happy day sitting at some street-side cafe with a glass of vino tino, waving at the passing peregrinos.

But after 90 days I think that I'd be deemed an "illegal migrant"!

 

[Luka]

I envy you! I've often thought about how nice it would be to "retire" to rural northern Spain....

With the rural northen Spain depopulation problem growing worse every year, I suspect that I could rent a room or an apartment somewhere along the CF for very little money.... And spend many a happy day sitting at some street-side cafe with a glass of vino tino, waving at the passing peregrinos.

But after 90 days I think that I'd be deemed an "illegal migrant"!

I would have envied myself too ;-)
As an immigrant you can become legal here, also if you are not from the EU.