Camino calling me

[SamGGD]

The camino has been calling to me for a few years. More than ever now as I battle inner demons which seem to be getting stronger. I'm a 27 year old guy, struggling with anxiety and depression. I get overwhelmed very easily especially about doing something huge like this. Its something i NEED to do, but the planning and finding the right camino is proving very stressful so far.

I'll be going mid to late January as I've just finished work for the season. I'd really like to meet people on my travels. Get out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways. I want to start my Camino in spain, it's just finding the right one. Any input at all.. please!

Gracias

 

[SabsP]

The camino has been calling to me for a few years. More than ever now as I battle inner demons which seem to be getting stronger. I'm a 27 year old guy, struggling with anxiety and depression. I get overwhelmed very easily especially about doing something huge like this. Its something i NEED to do, but the planning and finding the right camino is proving very stressful so far.

I'll be going mid to late January as I've just finished work for the season. I'd really like to meet people on my travels. Get out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways. I want to start my Camino in spain, it's just finding the right one. Any input at all.. please!

Gracias

Hi Sam and welcome here.
Take your time to explore this forum.
The search function in the right upper corner can lead you to threads that might answer some of your questions.

If you want to meet people on the Camino then I would suggest walking the Camino Frances. Still IMHO an interesting Camino for a firsttimer.
The chance you will meet the " most " ( relative that time of the year ) pilgrims is the highest here.
But there is the possibility that you walk alone for a whole day ( happened to me mid March ).

Take into consideration that lots of albergues will be closed that season. Most municipal albergues will be open.

Take this list and search for updates to know which albergues are open.

Pagina nueva 1

Search for the posts from @mspath who has a wealth of information of walking Caminos in the winter.

I hope by using this forum you will become somewhat less stressed?

Happy preparations.

 

[GraemeHall]

Hey Sam. Welcome to the forum - great move!
How I envy you. 27 and already you know the Camino is your thing. I only got onto it at 69 and have done 2 Caminos in 2 years.
I find the best cure for my anxiety is to throw caution to the wind and make a firm decision to have fun, laugh at whatever happens, and be kind to everyone!
In 59 nights on the Camino, with no bookings, I have never missed out on a bed. And I have made some of the best friends of my whole life.
Go for it, don't plan it too much, and love every day, even the cold and wet ones! (Oh and the solitary ones are diamonds, believe me.)

 

[NorthernLight]

Good advice above. Plan well for your footwear, backpack and sleeping bag, keeping things as lightweight as you can afford. Then just book transport to Spain, get yourself to Pamplona, and start walking.

Practice smiling and a bit of Spanish. The smile will help make your Spanish efforts work.

Try not to overthink things.

Good luck.

 

[nycwalking]

Go.

Frances has best infrastructure for that time frame.

Watch out for the mud.

Have a blast.

Buen camino.

 

[frank rawley]

Sam, My adult son and I are walking the French Way from Pamplona starting January 21, 2020. This will be our third French Way in the Winter time. Send me a private message with a whatsapp contact and I will try to answer any questions you may have. Also feel free to join us if the starting date works for you. The Camino is awesome and worth the effort to make it happen!
Frank Rawley
Pensacola Florida USA

 

[SYates]

Hi,

Yes, those dates the Frances would be the best one imo. Also keep an eye on http://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/ to see which albergues are closed/open.

BC SY

 

[Anamya]

Hi Sam
Another vote for Camino Frances. January is winter in Spain and most services are close, so I'd stick with the route that has more infrastructure.

Also, despite the fact lots of albergues close, if you have the budget, consider going to small inns (if you share a room with another pilgrims, costs fall a lot).

The Camino Frances has many famous and convenient starting points. If you have 4 weeks and want to start in Spain, Burgos is a magical place to start, easy to reach by bus directly from Madrid airport. And it gives you enough time to arrive, spend a day in the city, start walking slowly and get to Santiago with time to enjoy

 

[Peter Wright]

Hey Sam. Welcome to the forum - great move!
How I envy you. 27 and already you know the Camino is your thing. I only got onto it at 69 and have done 2 Caminos in 2 years.
I find the best cure for my anxiety is to throw caution to the wind and make a firm decision to have fun, laugh at whatever happens, and be kind to everyone!
In 59 nights on the Camino, with no bookings, I have never missed out on a bed. And I have made some of the best friends of my whole life.
Go for it, don't plan it too much, and love every day, even the cold and wet ones! (Oh and the solitary ones are diamonds, believe me.)

I must endorse what Graham wrote. Finished my first (camino Portuguese from Porto) at age 69 in October this year. Didn't book but easily found a bed in first Albergue I tried every night. Go for it.

 

[thejoker]

It has called to millions of others too over the years. Good that you have been able to hear its voice and feel its magnetism.
As for January, it is not a personal favourite time of the year, but I walked the Plata from Seville 12 years ago, starting right at the end of January and had no problems with accommodation as I like staying in private rooms anyway.

 

[SamGGD]

Wow, thanks for all the great replies. Very easy to overthink everything, it's scary right! Good scary. Right now, I'm thinking of doing the camino del norte from bilbao, and then joining on to the primitivo route in oviedo. So that's my rough plan right now at least. Can't go too wrong i guess right?

 

[SamGGD]

Buzzing to meet some like-minded people! Hopefully have some great experiences.

 

[thejoker]

, and then joining on to the primitivo route in oviedo.

In early February? You're a very brave soul.

 

[Anniesantiago]

The first year I walked I was in a deep depression due to undiagnosed MCS.
Six weeks on the Camino went a long way toward my healing, and now I walk almost every year.

I would suggest you walk the Camino Frances, as it requires much less planning, especially if you're leaving that early. I'd suggest starting in Pamplona - easy to get to. Then just walk as far as you want each day and don't plan too much. Be flexible and relax and be open to change. No expectations.

Buen Camino!

 

[SamGGD]

The first year I walked I was in a deep depression due to undiagnosed MCS.
Six weeks on the Camino went a long way toward my healing, and now I walk almost every year.

I would suggest you walk the Camino Frances, as it requires much less planning, especially if you're leaving that early. I'd suggest starting in Pamplona - easy to get to. Then just walk as far as you want each day and don't plan too much. Be flexible and relax and be open to change. No expectations.

Buen Camino!

Plenty of time to reconsider!

In early February? You're a very brave soul.

How so? I might add, naive over brave

 

[Anniesantiago]

Plenty of time to reconsider!


How so? I might add, naive over brave

In February, not all the albergues will be open on ANY route. So more planning is necessary. If you wait a couple of months, maybe even mid March, you'll have many more options without having to plan, imo. I'm walking the VDLP in March this coming year, and DID need to make reservations because I'm walking during Semana Santa (Holy Week) but on the Frances, you're less likely to have to book lodging because it is SO well-supported. If it were me, and it was my first Camino, and I didn't want to mess with booking, I'd walk the Camino Frances and I'd wait to begin until at least March, maybe even April. That way you can just walk until you're ready to stop. And, in the end, remember, if you DO get to a village and there are no beds, it's perfectly fine to take a bus or taxi to the next village, unless you are within the last 100 km. In THAT case, there are TONS of beds available and you're less likely to find places "Completo" EXCEPT during Holy Week. If you look at your schedule and find where you'll be during that week, you may want to book those nights.

In the end, if you simply GO with no expectations, things WILL work out.
"The Camino will provide" still holds true, in my experience.
It may not be what you expected, but things DO work out.

Buen Camino!

 

[SamGGD]

Yeah I think I have faith it'll work out. Certainly not my preference to go january/February but I'm back to work in march! Seasonal work as landscape gardener. I'm scottish so at least I'm used to sh!t weather haha.

 

[thejoker]

Plenty of time to reconsider!


How so? I might add, naive over brave

The Primitivo in February is a Camino for only the most hardy of pilgrims, though I see you're a Scot, so it might be feasible. There could be lots of snow as well as very grim, wet, cold and highly unpleasant conditions. I walked the Primitivo once in July and again in May and the temperatures were hugely varied, even in July.

If you haven't read through this old thread, I'm sure it will be of interest: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/primitivo-in-winter-impossible.23516/

 

[daveag]

What everyone else said above. I’d like to just chime in a Buen Camino. I’m glad your found this forum and community.

 

[SamGGD]

Loving all this feedback. Thanks! I'm now thinking of doing the camino frances starting in logrono. Flight to Bilbao, train to logrono.

 

[steve 217]

Sam welcome to the Forum i agree with everything everyone has already said re the French way as a gateway Camino as i call it.
As a start point Logrono is nice but if your training from Bilbao can i suggest you stay on the train a bit further and start in Pamplona.
Its a lovely city which is always worth a visit but 6km outside is Trinidad de Arre a 12th century pilgrim Hospital which would be a fantastic first night experience on the Camino , as an albergue it would set the trend for what i hope will be a life changing experience.
I dont know if its open all year but if it is please consider it as a first night.
If you start in Pamplona you will also take in Alto de Perdon .

You tube is full of Camino videoss and a great resource as is this Forum which in my opinion is made up of wonderful people who love the Camino and what it represents.
I am a Camino junkie and my family and friends no doubt consider me a Camino bore as i am either talking reading planning or dreaming of my next Camnio “fix”.
Buen Camino and i hope that the simple contemplative exercise of putting one foot in front of another brings you an inner peace, walking meditation is my favourite description of it . Regards