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Complete beginner... which route?

H

HiketoShine

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Frances 2016
I have just a week in mid June that I am planning on doing some of the Camino. I'm totally new to this, so have just been reading through the forum trying to hatch a plan!
I originally planned on doing the final 111km but now am not sure this is the best plan? Is it going to be over crowded in June? I don't like the idea of getting up pre-dawn to race to hostels and would rather enjoy my time walking. Which leg would people suggest for June?
I would also like to do the Camino Norte but feel I will save this for another trip.
I'm flying from Ireland so I know I can get direct flights from Dublin to Santiago but not sure where to travel to for other routes?
Any advice is welcome and my apologies for the vagueness of this post but it is the beginning of my research!
 
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Why not walk the first part of the Norte? It's beautiful. Start in Irun, walk to Bilbao.
 
2024 edition: The Brierley Camino Frances Guide
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
I've just walked the Camino Ingles in just under a week..Never done anything like this in my life. Unfit, sedentary job.. some of it was very demanding some blissfully serene. From towns and little villages, farms, forests, and even a beautiful bay, all sorts of scenery and terrain. Possibly the way less travelled by all accounts..
 
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If walking the last 111 km is what you want to do, then I suggest that's the route to go.
I've been along that stretch during the high season on the Camino and I always found a bed in an albergue without playing the bed race thing.
Don't let all the posts on here about it put you off. It get's exaggerated so to speak.
cheers and ultreia
 
I agree with Anna, HiketoShine. I did The English Way last year in September and will hopefully start this coming monday again. Its a great walk and can be done in 5-6 days. Have fun. Buen Camino, Caesar
 
Anna... couldn't agree more with you. You are surely full of the Spirit as we speak. Well done. And Buen Camino, Caesar
 
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There is no particular reason to finish in Santiago ... except to obtain a compostela ... and there is no time limit from the time you start to the time you finish ... so it could be done over a period of years. There isn't any requirement to walk one section before another or even to walk in the direction most of the people are walking.

Many people in Spain get a week or two of holiday. They do walk the entire camino over a period of years.

I would suggest getting a guidebook ... Brierley writes a good one. Since this is your first I would suggest Camino Frances as it is the most user friendly. And start wherever you like. SJPdP, Pamplona, Burgos, and Leon are common access points with good transportation links.
 


I'd suggest you fly with Ryanair to Biarritz, get a train to St Jean Pied de Port and walk from there to Logrono. You can then get a train from Logrono to Bilbao and fly home with Aer Lingus. I did that section last year and you can read about it here:

https://carrigmanblog.wordpress.com/2015/05/11/camino-de-santiago-st-jean-pied-de-port-to-logrono/
 
All these are good options IMO. If you stretch it you could Also try Sarria to Santiago then walk to Muxia. That would take about 7 days.
 
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I would go with the Ingles too. You can fly into Santiago from Dublin, take the airport bus directly to Santiago bus station and be in Ferrol that evening. There are lots of accommodation options in Ferrol and the walk from there to Santiago is excellent: lots of variety and not too difficult. John Rafferty's guide (See Resources Section) has all the info you will need.

Take care, be safe.
 
Portugues from Porto is quite lovely, and won't be too hot in early June. (And the Portuguese are really, really good at cooking fish, and the albergues in old monasteries etc are nice...)
 
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