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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Can you complete the SDC in less than a month?

kentpei

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
July 2016
I am planning to do the Camino from SJPP end of June/First of July.. problem is, cannot get the full amount of time I wanted/needed to walk the complete trail, off from work. So My question is this.. is there a bus that I can pick up along the way to enable me to speed up my Camino? Thanks!!!
 
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Hello Kentpei!
I can't help about buses but no doubt others will have answers... My suggestion is : why not walk as far as you can and then come back another time to finish it? Just a thought (I know it worked for other pilgrims I met) and please ignore it of course if it doesn't suit. :)
Alternatively, you could start nearer to Santiago to enable you to reach it in the time you have....
Whatever you choose, buen camino.
 
there is no reason why, with proper physical preparation, you should not be able to walk easily from St Jean to Santiago in less than a month, most people just don't take their physical preparation diligently enough. I am a 55 year old diabetic and walked C.F. in 21 days in 2013 and in 20 days last year.
 
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Thanks supersullivan, I roughly calculated 20 days to be about 40KM a day, little worried about the heat at that time of year. How many KM's did you walk each day, if you don't mind me asking?
 
My question is this.. is there a bus that I can pick up along the way to enable me to speed up my Camino?
To answer your question, there isn't a hop-on hop-off bus that follows the route :p. However there are many buses and trains that run across northern Spain, serving all the major towns and many minor ones as well. You can certainly take advantage of those buses, to arrive in Santiago sooner.
 
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You can take a train from Sahagun to Leon and save 2 days of walking on the Meseta.
 
there is no reason why, with proper physical preparation, you should not be able to walk easily from St Jean to Santiago in less than a month, most people just don't take their physical preparation diligently enough. I a 55 year old diabetic and walked C.F. in 21 days in 2013 and in 20 days last year.
One question: how tall are you and how long is your stride? Because I move my short legs as fast as the others, but always am left in the dust due to my short stride.
 
Two years ago I walked from SJPdP to SdC in 24 days. Last year I took a bus from Burgos to Leon, saving around 6 days. 20 Days is very fast: I personally know only one person who has done it so quickly, a young very fit woman.
 
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There is good advice above - about starting nearer to Santiago or that you can walk the 800+km in around 24 days (give or take). If you have your heart set on starting in St Jean then I would recommend the following: do your training - this includes carrying a 10 (max 12) kg backpack - starting off at 10 km per day and work up to 20-25-30 km per day over a 5-7-9 week period. If you want to skip a few places then I suggest you take a bus from (say) Belorado to Burgos and maybe from Leon to Astorga. My experience of the Meseta is that it should not be missed - its a part of real northern Spain. If you are walking in late June you may need to start at 6.00 am (or earlier) to avoid the hot afternoons. Buen Camino
 
Whatever you choose, always have a backup plan. I couldn't find shoes my size in Estrella, or even in Santander where I caught a bus to. Ended up flying to London to get them and fly back. only to have to abandon shortly after. The best plans can always come undone..

40km per day is a gruelling schedule and you will miss some the camaraderie that exists because you will be with different people every night (which may or may or not suit you). It's the one thing I personally have the best memories from. the stories shared over the pilgrims dinner, and is perhaps the main thing drawing me back there in a few months time
 
Certainly walking 40k a day is tough but do-able - you need to be able to average close to 5k an hour for some 8 hours - and, maybe more important on the CF at that time of year, find a bed at the end of it

For me the heat is less of a problem - as long as you can get enough liquid, max temps of less than 30C shouldn't stop you

But please don't take the bus - instead come back next year and finish your walk if needed
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I am planning to do the Camino from SJPP end of June/First of July.. problem is, cannot get the full amount of time I wanted/needed to walk the complete trail, off from work. So My question is this.. is there a bus that I can pick up along the way to enable me to speed up my Camino? Thanks!!!
start from Pamplona, or Burgos, or León, or Sarria... and you will have plenty of time and (perhaps) get more out of it. i am still to understand this fixation with starting in SJPP :) in any case, it's always nice to reach santiago in my opinion. likewise, yes, there are many transport options from the larger towns and cities that would allow you to shave off kms in-between. good luck and buen camino!
 
Buses seemed readily available, and I can't count the times I saw guilty-looking pilgrims loitering around the bus stops as I trudged along! No need for guilt, though. Do your own thing.

Personally, because I love walking the whole Camino, I would certainly be starting at Pamplona if I had 30 days. Take a look at John Brierley's guide (or any guidebook of the Camino etapas--steps) and start doing the math of dividing the kilometers into days. Honestly, you can do whatever you have to, but even as a well-prepared 56-year-old, I found that the length of the walk wasn't so grueling as the every-single-day up early and out the door on perhaps not-so-great rest, and on your feet for hours....Long distance and pilgrimage is an experience like no other.

Just make sure you position yourself to NOT be on a bus for the last 100 k. so you can get your Compostela, if that matters to you. That starts around Sarria. Someone else has probably told you this.

Anyway...
 
Seems to me you'd be missing so much and stressing the whole way. Why the rush? Perhaps pick a closer point, or do it in stages as others have posted. 40 kms a day?? You risk injury. You want this to be a fulfilling experience no matter what the distance....wish you the best Camino you can work out.
 
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Seems to me you'd be missing so much and stressing the whole way. Why the rush? Perhaps pick a closer point, or do it in stages as others have posted. 40 kms a day?? You risk injury. You want this to be a fulfilling experience no matter what the distance....wish you the best Camino you can work out.
Agree with this.tendoonitis injury is the one thing that will stop you in your tracks especially doing 40 km a day, it's quiet a lot unless you have legs up to your chin and even then 40 km is a lot to do in a day. Many folk make the mistake that because they "think" they are fit they can walk walk walk walk!! Not so. We met so many young people with tendoonitis who had to give up walking the Camino. Why not take the advice given above. of starting the Camino--- see how far you get in the time that you have-- then continue from where you left off another time. " Absence will only make the heart grow fonder" for getting back to your journey. Good luck to you Annette
 
Well, to be fair, maybe the O.P is super fit and walks a lot, in which case he'd have no problems walking such long distances....
I still think it would be better not to have to hurry so much, but hey :)
 
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The Camino is not a race. Walk at your own pace and enjoy it. Others have suggesting walking a portion this year and the remainder another time, which is a very viable option -- especially if you live in Europe. But if you have to fly across oceans or continents to get there, it won't be as easy to do so. The other option, to start in St Jean and ride a bus for one or more segments to condense your time is, to me, more attractive. In the event that you never get back in the future, at least you will have tasted portions of the entire Camino. You can catch a bus in any of the larger towns along the way and in many of the smaller villages that actually are located on the bus routes. Just be sure that you walk the last 100 km if you intend to receive a Compostela.
 
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Hi peregrinos.
I walked 800 km in 29 days.
Meaning about 28 km per day.
No injuries.
 
@kentpei hasn't told us anything about his level of fitness, age, interests, walking experience, etc. So I think the suggestion that it is "easy" to complete the camino on foot in a month is a little iffy! However, I agree that he will find out when he gets there, he can certainly try, and there are options if he wants them.
 
There is a lot of sound information in this thread. However, I have a different take on it. Here goes...

First - I recommend not rushing at a hellacious pace just to cover the entire Camino Frances. You will miss much of what the Camino has to offer. It is simply not worth it IMHO. Even if you have to split it into two separate Caminos to get it done, you will in the end, appreciate doing it all. Trust us all on this observation. I suggest that the Camino is about quality, not quantity (as in how fast you can cover the distance).

Splitting it into sections is something many Europeans can do as travel to and from is relatively easier. However, if you are coming from farther afield, like North America, Australia / New Zealand, or Asia, you need to plan to do it in "one-go," as logistical concerns are usually more pressing.

Also, not having enough time to do it sort of identifies you as being either from the US or Canada. Most everyone else around the world has far more generous holiday time. I am retired and have the means to make several annual trips. So as long as the family is supportive, I am outta here..!

In 2013, (first time) I had medical problems that caused me to make a command decision to skip several days walking, to seek medical attention (minor foot surgery on both feet by a podiatrist at Burgos) then some days to walk more lightly and recover. I had to taxi over several days into Burgos to seek medical attention for my feet. After the surgery, I was told to "stay off my feet - no Camino manana - para dos dias... So, I was in Burgos for three days.

On the recovery days, I would start out walking, then stop at a cafe after a few hours depending on how my feet felt, and have the proprietor call a taxi to cover the remaining 8 - 12 Km. Plan on one euro per kilometer on average. Do not tip, but do round up. You can cover a lot of ground more quickly using this "Morse Code" approach.

I also used buses to travel from town to town. There are apps for your smart phone for ALSA and the other major inter-city bus lines. You may have to switch to the Spanish iTunes App Store to locate the apps. But once you load them at home, updates flow without problems. Many of these apps have English capability.

I felt bad about having to skip anything, especially my first time, but needs must. I made a promise to myself to return ASAP to walk the bits I missed.

In 2014, I returned and did walk the bits I had to skip over the year before. However, rotten weather in some places and my knowledge of which spots were muddy, sloppy, and not amusing, caused me to skip other stretches I had walked in 2013. However, I always make sure to be able to walk the final stretch from Sarria to Santiago.

So, it did take me two years to cover every step of the entire Camino Frances on foot. In the process, I walked at least 2/3 of it twice. But to me those were the "high points."

Second - if you are using the Brierley Guide, as at least a third of all pilgrims do, have a close look at how he treats major towns and cities with surrounding industrial parks or estates. Typically, cities like Burgos and Leon have outer "rings" containing light and medium industry, trucking firms, warehouses, and generally soulless walking conditions. it can take from a half, to one-full day to walk through these areas.

Also, some pilgrims hop on a local bus as they emerge from the more pastoral countryside, riding a bus either into the city center, or sometimes to skip the major city altogether. Leon is famous for this. Just find a bus shelter on the major surface road you are on. A bus will come by eventually. If you are lucky, you can find a web site for the local transportation authority. You can also ride a bus heading out of a city to avoid the industrial areas on the west side of the city.

Third - with the exception of the final 100 Km or so (111Km actually) from Sarria into Santiago, there is no sacrosanct requirement that you actually walk every last kilometer. Put into an historical context, if you were a medieval pilgrim a thousand years ago, and a farmer offered you a lift on his wagon or cart into the next village, town or city, would you be wrong to accept? No, you would not. Hence, riding a bus or taxi to skip one-half to a full-day's walking entering or leaving a major city is not inappropriate. It is YOUR CAMINO. No one else can judge the "correctness" of your effort. That is a very private and individual matter.

Overall - If you review the guide you are using (I presume Brierley but it could be another), and plan your daily stages closely, paying attention to his noted alternatives for skipping over the less scenic or more soul-sapping parts, you could easily follow the rest of the more-or-less standard stages and still finish in less than a month.

To do the entire thing, "according to Brierley," as written, takes 33 days, plus time to get to your starting point and time to leave Santiago. Some say that number was intended to emulate the number of years Christ lived on earth. Others maintain it is coincidental. Whatever... I tell people the time needed is a month, mas o menas...

The fact is that, if you manage your daily walking using taxis or local buses to skip the unappealing (to your assessment) bits, you can easily pick up four or five days from that 33-day number. Do not forget, if possible to allow one extra night at Burgos and Leon, and Santiago before pressing on. There is so much to see at these cities, and other places that it beggars belief that some would skip over through or around them. Personally, I try to spend two night at Burgos, Leon, Astorga, and on arrival at Santiago whenever I can. I love Astorga personally. It is also the capital of the Spanish chocolate industry. Ah HA! Bet you did not know that Spain is known for its chocolate too?

Be sure to allow the time at the end to avoid rushing to get through the Pilgrim Office welcoming process and rush out of town on a bus, train, or plane. I recommend savoring your arrival at Santiago. It can be deeply spiritual and emotionally satisfying. Your emotions are typically in a tizzy anyway, after a month on the Way. many of us suffer from a malady called "Santiago Syndrome." You will understand when you get there.

IMHO too many people plan too tightly, and have to get through the Pilgrim Office process to make a flight or bus that evening or early the very next morning. This is regrettable to my way of thought. I like to recommend that people spend at least two nights there. Most albergues will allow you to stay the extra night. Besides, there are a lot of alternative housing options for inexpensive stays. The only time bed space gets REALLY tight at Santiago de Compostela is around Santiago's Feast Day on 25 July. Last July, there was like literally no room at the inn for arriving pilgrims who had not booked ahead.

I hope this helps.
 
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YES, i did in 26 days with 3 rest days, but you don't see much :(

zzotte
 
I think most veterans would repeat the phrase "Please Don't", but I know and completely understand your desire to do this. But I'm not who I was in 2014.

We hit Santiago on day 31 day after having five down days (1 in Puenta de la Reina to ease some blister pain and 4 in Burgos due to injury) and two bus/train days (Fromista - Sahagun and then Sahagun to Leon). After a marathon 50km day of our own (just because we were soooo close and had a hotel waiting) we ended up walking into SD 4 days "early" and decided to go on to Fisterra. We stopped at interesting places along the way, but still zoomed past too many, being driven to "complete" the Camino. But I'm not who I was in 2014.

Even at our pace we met people waking what we thought of as massive distances and in a hurry. I distinctly recall leaving Santa Domingo de la Calzada and meeting a pilgrim who was planning 40k/day. We asked what he thought of the amazing cathedral in SDdlC. His reply was, "Was there a church there?".
So it really depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If your goal is a really long walk - an endurance test - a physical feat, then go for it. You'll have a good time pressing yourself and training and testing your endurance, and stamina. In the end you will have tired feet and compostella certificate. You will see beautiful scenery and eat great food. You will probably make some good friends. You can do it. Physically, it just isn't that difficult. Hard, but not impossible by any means.

But everything has a cost. The Camino offers more than a long walk....if you want it. For the cost of a more western starting point or an additional week or two, you will receive a greater appreciation of history and art, perhaps make deeper friendships, and enjoy one of the greatest gifts the Camino can offer - that of slowing down. It took me almost the entire 4 weeks, but by the end of my Camino I figured it out. I could finally sit at a cafe and sip on a Cafe con Leche and watch other pilgrims walking past without the secret ping of panic "you're falling behind!". I slowed down....and what a gift it was. But I'm not who I was in 2014.

Next year when we return, we're still starting in France. We are still going for 34 days, but we may or may not make it out of Navarre! Who knows. We will point our boots West and see what happens. I can't tell you how much better I feel about that now. But then again, I'm not who I was in 2014.
 
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I am planning to do the Camino from SJPP end of June/First of July.. problem is, cannot get the full amount of time I wanted/needed to walk the complete trail, off from work. So My question is this.. is there a bus that I can pick up along the way to enable me to speed up my Camino? Thanks!!!
Why not do a section at a slower pace and come back and finish it at another time , you are attempting it a he hottest time and you could, I say could end up like so many others injuring yourself and also missing out on so much in your haste. It will still be there tomorrow.
 
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In 2013 I started in SJPP and had five weeks to walk.After 2days walking (it was in Larrasoana)I decided to walk more kilometers a day,because I do it also when I walk in Holland.I did my walk in 22 days and I can't say I missed something.Big towns are not my favourites places.For me they were to crowded.Only Astorga was very nice,but it isn't that big as Burgos or Leon.The Meseta was for my one of the greatest moments.Just nice to be a small person in such a amazing landscape.What I try to say is do it your WAY.It is the only way to do it.Make sure that you are happy when you arrive in Santiago.Buen Camino
 
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Agree with this.tendoonitis injury is the one thing that will stop you in your tracks especially doing 40 km a day, it's quiet a lot unless you have legs up to your chin and even then 40 km is a lot to do in a day. Many folk make the mistake that because they "think" they are fit they can walk walk walk walk!! Not so. We met so many young people with tendoonitis who had to give up walking the Camino. Why not take the advice given above. of starting the Camino--- see how far you get in the time that you have-- then continue from where you left off another time. " Absence will only make the heart grow fonder" for getting back to your journey. Good luck to you Annette

As one who walked the length of the CF with Achilles Tendonitis, I can say that it may not stop you in your tracks......but it sure will slow you down ! :eek:

I needed 40 days. And even then had to jump forward a day prior to Sarria.

I think if you are looking for a Camino experience rather than a speed March.......less is more ;)

But all to their own.......
 
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As regards others who may walk seemingly insane distances as a mater of course, permit me to offer these observations:

1. MANY Europeans walk long distances regularly. They are accustomed to it. It is normal for them. I do not try to compete.

In 2014, I met a Dutch family of five coming out of Pamplona, They were walking as if in a speed race. At a red light (they obeyed traffic signals scrupulously), I asked the father why they walked so evidently fast. He explained that they all belonged to a walking club back home. In fact, their youngest (8 if I recall correctly) was about to "graduate" from his 30 Km/da group up to the next tranche of 40 Km /da. Each weekend, they walked 40 - 60 Km per DAY, as a regular family thing and usually in a large group of like-minded folks. I commented that was fine as the Netherlands was mostly flat. Then he explained that they lived in the southeastern part of the country which had rolling terrain. THAT shut me up.o_O

Later on that Camino, while I was staying with a friend at Moratinos for a couple of days, a pilgrim knocked at the door about 2100 one Sunday evening. His name was Peter, from Germany. He said he had walked from FROMISTA that day and needed a bed for the night. Shocked, I observed that must have been what, nearly 50 Km? Peter casually responded that actually, it was 51 Km. :eek:

Later, over wine, we were talking about this, and he explained that he only had a limited amount of time to make it to Sanitago. He had made a vow to do this in memory of someone else and was used to walking long daily distances as he did Volkstreks regularly "back home."

Volkstreks are organized walks of some distance in Germany, staged by various organizations. "Volkstrekking" as the sport is called, is a regular activity for many people. I have met Americans who lived in Germany for a time, and caught the Volkstrekking "bug." They actively sought out similar activities.

Talk about being humbled. Heck, no one walks anywhere in the US unless they have a set purpose in mind.

2. It is YOUR CAMINO. It is not for others to judge how you do it, even if it sounds crazy to us.

My point is that, just because someone walks what seems to you an insane distance on Camino, does not make them obsessed, or otherwise strange. The Camino attracts all sorts of people from all over the world. A walking pace I may personally consider overly fast or ambitious may be wholly normal and routine to that pilgrim.

I always recommend that people walk a pace at which they can appreciate their surroundings and absorb the experience. However, I must admit that pace can be a proper, yet much faster pace, depending on the individual pilgrim.

As pilgrims we are called to respect and honor these differences. Remember that one of the basic rules is to not judge another's Camino, their motivation, manner, or performance. So, I do not...at least I try. Yes, I am prone to personal preference and bias as much as the next person. But, I try to offer informed recommendations. On the Camino, no one is in charge...

The "Rules" as such, are observations that developed over many decades of Camino practice and observation and are mostly based on generalities. These generalities do not apply to all persons universally.

I hope this helps.
 
I am planning to do the Camino from SJPP end of June/First of July.. problem is, cannot get the full amount of time I wanted/needed to walk the complete trail, off from work. So My question is this.. is there a bus that I can pick up along the way to enable me to speed up my Camino? Thanks!!!
I walked it in 22 days, I was 65 then, how long have you got? It's surprising what good progress you can make if you put your best foot forward.
 
I am planning to do the Camino from SJPP end of June/First of July.. problem is, cannot get the full amount of time I wanted/needed to walk the complete trail, off from work. So My question is this.. is there a bus that I can pick up along the way to enable me to speed up my Camino? Thanks!!!

I can't answer your question because I'm walking around the same time as you.... I just wanted to pop in and say hi! (And are you walking with my former co-worker?)
 
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One question: how tall are you and how long is your stride? Because I move my short legs as fast as the others, but always am left in the dust due to my short stride.
I do hill walk regularly in the Wicklow Mountains and believe me when I say I find a 40 km Camino day physically far less demanding than a 20 km hike in saturated upland bog. On a typical Camino day, I very comfortably walk at about 5.3/ 5.6 kms an hour. I find I like the solitude offered by walking through the afternoon on the Camino and typically finished between 4 and 6 each day but still had enough time for at least 2 sit down light meals and stops to see the sights which attracted me and a little sight seeing in the evening. I am 179 cms tall, my pace count is 66 per 100 meters which is mid range as stride lengths go.
 
I've seen your photos of the Wicklow Mountain walks @supersullivan and your forum name says it all! I'm not surprised that you find the Camino a piece of cake. (The photos are beautiful by the way - it looks like a glorious part of the world).
 
Some pilgrims can walk long distances. Eighty year olds from France and Germany can out-walk most of us! However, 40km per day is beyond the average capability. You are likely to have to change a plan that predicts stages over 30 km (20 km in my case). So, have a plan B for taking transport. You will be glad you did.
 
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