Camino Frances - from Astorga

[MelissaOb]

Hello everyone. I will be leaving from Astorga around March 15th. I'm going between super excited and ever so slightly terrified very regularly at the moment. Talking to friends who have walked and reading all the advice here is helping greatly. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Please do let me know if you will be on the road around the same time!

Also I'm Irish and my favourite current pastime for the next few weeks is weather watching ; )
Buen Camino

 

[naplesdon]

You will reach the summit at Cruz de Ferro after about a day and a half. It is the tallest point on the Camino and I have seen snow on mountains nearby in the spring and fall. So make sure you ask about the conditions when you get to Rabanal. Check out the Stone Boat.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Hello everyone. I will be leaving from Astorga around March 15th. I'm going between super excited and ever so slightly terrified very regularly at the moment. Talking to friends who have walked and reading all the advice here is helping greatly. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Please do let me know if you will be on the road around the same time!

Also I'm Irish and my favourite current pastime for the next few weeks is weather watching ; )
Buen Camino

Hi, Melissa and warm welcome to the Forum

The good news is, you are in a forum with a wonderful group of people. Most are here to help people like you to achieve their pilgrimage goals. We can offer you encouragement, knowledge, and point you in the direction that will help you help yourself.

My suggestion to start is this:

1. Take a deep breath. Write down in large letters the reasons why you want to go on Camino. Place that piece of paper where you can see it every day. That way, if anxieties and fears threaten to overwhelm you as you plan, you can just breath, read what you have written, and focus on those reasons until the negative stuff fades.
2. Make a list of questions and concerns that you have.
3. Go to the Search Engine at the top of the Forum pages.
4. Enter the words or phrase that you want more information about. You will get a huge amount of information to explore.
5. If you find that you need help with anything, post a new thread so that your question or concern can be readily seen. If you post a question within someone else's thread, you won't receive as big of a response.
6. Remember that perfect timing as it relates to how you feel, scheduling, and day to day life issues, seldom align themselves perfectly. If one waits for such to occur, doing something like a pilgrimage will always be in danger of taking a back seat while you wait for that perfect alignment to happen.

 

[Deleted member 86234]

Hello everyone. I will be leaving from Astorga around March 15th. I'm going between super excited and ever so slightly terrified very regularly at the moment. Talking to friends who have walked and reading all the advice here is helping greatly. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Please do let me know if you will be on the road around the same time!

Also I'm Irish and my favourite current pastime for the next few weeks is weather watching ; )
Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 86234]

Hi Melissa
I agree - such excitement arises with the planning and then I get ambushed with fear. Sorry I won’t meet on the road as I’m starting late April but just want to wish you Buen Camino and
send you a quote by William Ward that’s in John Brierley’s book. You could Google. .. first line is:
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool
...last line ...Only a person who risks is truly free. All the best, Mary

 

[AlwynWellington]

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

I suggest you read, learn and inwardly digest the wise words from @davebugg above.

I would add "descents" and "ascents" and suggest you know where they are and how to cope with them The search funtion is very useful for this.

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)

 

[Peligro]

Melissa - I covered part of that stretch in January. I'm not sure what will be open in March but between Santa Catalina and Rabanal I was very hungry. First bar on the left as you see Rabanal but haven't gotten to the main part of town I had a coke, a coffee and a great ham and cheese omelette (tortilla de jamón y queso). Your two big climbs will be to Cruz de Ferro and O Cebreiro. Everything in between is El Bierzo, a high bowl surrounded by mountains on all sides. One of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! If you choose the river route after Villafranca del Bierzo it looks the whole time like the only way out is over the mountains but you just keep winding and winding along the river without really climbing much. Don't forget to look back at Villafranca down the river with mountains rising on both sides. The waters running through Ambasmestas are delightful and you may want to stay with Sabine and Uli at Das Animas there - great dinner and breakfast and they are so nice! Have a big snack in Herrerías before climbing O Cebreiro- you'll need it. Treat yourself to a souvenir in O Cebreiro - there is a great gift shop there. Don't take the alternate route out of O Cebreiro unless you want to climb some more - I did it by accident in brutal fog, rain and wind.

Most important to remember- you are going to love every minute of YOUR Camino! Yours will be unlike any other, no two are alike. You will be tired and frustrated at times but it's worth it to push through. You will be so proud of yourself and all the little things we take for granted will be so appreciated like a little rest, warm food, a bunk bed. And I've never met a pilgrim I didn't like. One of my albergue hosts said it best "we've been doing this for 2 1/2 years and we've yet to meet the first son of a b#%^* on the Camino".

Buen Camino!

 

[MelissaOb]

Thank you all so much for the warm welcome and your time and such great advice. I will be reading, learning and inwardly digesting all your wise words. I've seen mention in threads that the journey starts as soon as you make your decision to go and it does feel like that at times!

I'm very thankful that I get to have this experience : )

 

[MelissaOb]

You will reach the summit at Cruz de Ferro after about a day and a half. It is the tallest point on the Camino and I have seen snow on mountains nearby in the spring and fall. So make sure you ask about the conditions when you get to Rabanal. Check out the Stone Boat.

I will most defintely do a weather check at that point. And the Stone Boat looks rather special too. Thank you!

 

[MelissaOb]

Hi, Melissa and warm welcome to the Forum

The good news is, you are in a forum with a wonderful group of people. Most are here to help people like you to achieve their pilgrimage goals. We can offer you encouragement, knowledge, and point you in the direction that will help you help yourself.

My suggestion to start is this:

1. Take a deep breath. Write down in large letters the reasons why you want to go on Camino. Place that piece of paper where you can see it every day. That way, if anxieties and fears threaten to overwhelm you as you plan, you can just breath, read what you have written, and focus on those reasons until the negative stuff fades.
2. Make a list of questions and concerns that you have.
3. Go to the Search Engine at the top of the Forum pages.
4. Enter the words or phrase that you want more information about. You will get a huge amount of information to explore.
5. If you find that you need help with anything, post a new thread so that your question or concern can be readily seen. If you post a question within someone else's thread, you won't receive as big of a response.
6. Remember that perfect timing as it relates to how you feel, scheduling, and day to day life issues, seldom align themselves perfectly. If one waits for such to occur, doing something like a pilgrimage will always be in danger of taking a back seat while you wait for that perfect alignment to happen.

Thank you for such a welcome and such practical advice re managing the jitters! I am going to do 1. tonight and keep it with me! This forum is pretty amazing : )

 

[MelissaOb]

I suggest you read, learn and inwardly digest the wise words from @davebugg above.

I would add "descents" and "ascents" and suggest you know where they are and how to cope with them The search funtion is very useful for this.

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)

Ah yes those two parts are the ones I will get to know as much as I can about beforehand - especially that the descent can be just as difficult! I will be studying the route more and getting hiking poles I think to help with balance too!

 

[MelissaOb]

Melissa - I covered part of that stretch in January. I'm not sure what will be open in March but between Santa Catalina and Rabanal I was very hungry. First bar on the left as you see Rabanal but haven't gotten to the main part of town I had a coke, a coffee and a great ham and cheese omelette (tortilla de jamón y queso). Your two big climbs will be to Cruz de Ferro and O Cebreiro. Everything in between is El Bierzo, a high bowl surrounded by mountains on all sides. One of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! If you choose the river route after Villafranca del Bierzo it looks the whole time like the only way out is over the mountains but you just keep winding and winding along the river without really climbing much. Don't forget to look back at Villafranca down the river with mountains rising on both sides. The waters running through Ambasmestas are delightful and you may want to stay with Sabine and Uli at Das Animas there - great dinner and breakfast and they are so nice! Have a big snack in Herrerías before climbing O Cebreiro- you'll need it. Treat yourself to a souvenir in O Cebreiro - there is a great gift shop there. Don't take the alternate route out of O Cebreiro unless you want to climb some more - I did it by accident in brutal fog, rain and wind.

Most important to remember- you are going to love every minute of YOUR Camino! Yours will be unlike any other, no two are alike. You will be tired and frustrated at times but it's worth it to push through. You will be so proud of yourself and all the little things we take for granted will be so appreciated like a little rest, warm food, a bunk bed. And I've never met a pilgrim I didn't like. One of my albergue hosts said it best "we've been doing this for 2 1/2 years and we've yet to meet the first son of a b#%^* on the Camino".

Buen Camino!

Thank you for such detail and great advice!!!! It makes it so much more real and understandable! It makes me keen to be there already! I have my camino notebook which I will keep all the different gems from everyone! I have been reading about the two climbs, and descents...but great to hear about El Bierzo also - and the waters!!! And I will mind my way out of O Cebreiro too - thank you!

 

[Chris Day]

Hello everyone. I will be leaving from Astorga around March 15th. I'm going between super excited and ever so slightly terrified very regularly at the moment. Talking to friends who have walked and reading all the advice here is helping greatly. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Please do let me know if you will be on the road around the same time!

Also I'm Irish and my favourite current pastime for the next few weeks is weather watching ; )
Buen Camino

I've been weather watching too, Melissa - I set off from Astorga on March 15th also. The forecast is looking good, if it's correct! Last February I walked the same stretch ~ one of my favourite parts on the Frances ~ and had snow, which made it kind of special. Hope you have a great time and might well see you somewhere on the Path. Buen Camino, Chris

 

[MelissaOb]

Hi Chris! Lovely to hear you’ll be there around the same time - I’ll keep an eye out for you! It does look good so far weather wise. I was hoping there might be some snow high up still - with good walking conditions too! Buen Camino!

 

[Chris Day]

Hi Chris! Lovely to hear you’ll be there around the same time - I’ll keep an eye out for you! It does look good so far weather wise. I was hoping there might be some snow high up still - with good walking conditions too! Buen Camino!

Hi Melissa. If you are interested, the O Cebreiro webcam gives real-time views of what is going on up there weather wise ~ there has been a covering of snow for a time in the past week, but it's gone now! Webcam link is >>> http://www.crtvg.es/crtvg/camaras-web/o-cebreiro
You'll recognise me from my backpack mascot (The Avatar on the left) - the pack is red now though, not green! Good travelling and Buen Camino also!!
The attached image was the route up O Cebreiro last February - clear skies to Ruitelan the day before and then it snowed that night

 

[jpflavin1]

Hello everyone. I will be leaving from Astorga around March 15th. I'm going between super excited and ever so slightly terrified very regularly at the moment. Talking to friends who have walked and reading all the advice here is helping greatly. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Please do let me know if you will be on the road around the same time!

Also I'm Irish and my favourite current pastime for the next few weeks is weather watching ; )
Buen Camino

MelissaOb:

There is an old saying or book I once read "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone"

All will be well,
Joe

 

[MelissaOb]

Hi Melissa. If you are interested, the O Cebreiro webcam gives real-time views of what is going on up there weather wise ~ there has been a covering of snow for a time in the past week, but it's gone now! Webcam link is >>> http://www.crtvg.es/crtvg/camaras-web/o-cebreiro
You'll recognise me from my backpack mascot (The Avatar on the left) - the pack is red now though, not green! Good travelling and Buen Camino also!!
The attached image was the route up O Cebreiro last February - clear skies to Ruitelan the day before and then it snowed that night View attachment 53060

Your photo is amazing - wow! Thank you for the link also - it looks very green at the moment : ) I'm excitedly heading into James Gate now to get my first stamp in my credencia.
Hope to see you on the road. Buen Camino!