First Camino in April/May 2020

[Sue & Dana]

Hi! Dana and I will be walking our first Camino beginning 27 April 2020. We plan to walk the Frances from SJPdP, and want to pick up the Invierno in Ponferrada. Excited about the journey and seeing Santiago. Question: is there a reason to continue on the Frances and not do the Invierno? Special sights that are Must Sees (beautiful areas, cathedrals, historic sites, etc.)? Are we going to miss out on the specialness that is the Frances by doing only until Ponferrada? Thanks! Sue

 

[SYates]

The one thing is that until Ponferrada you might have changed your mind and want to continue with your newly found Camino friends ;-)

BC SY

PS As for what you would miss:

Villafranca del Bierzo with its quaint old town
Samos and its monastery (don't miss the more than 1,000 years old Cypress Chapel)
The sunken and new town of Portmarin
...

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I'd save the Invierno for "a next time" and continue on the Frances since it's your first...just my opinion. I agree with SY, and I'll add O'Cebreiro.

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi! Dana and I will be walking our first Camino beginning 27 April 2020. We plan to walk the Frances from SJPdP, and want to pick up the Invierno in Ponferrada. Excited about the journey and seeing Santiago. Question: is there a reason to continue on the Frances and not do the Invierno? Special sights that are Must Sees (beautiful areas, cathedrals, historic sites, etc.)? Are we going to miss out on the specialness that is the Frances by doing only until Ponferrada? Thanks! Sue

Sue:

My only question would be why? Is there a reason to veer off the Frances and onto the Invierno?

Why not veer off at Leon and walk the San Salvador and then the Primitivo?

It is hard to formulate an answer without knowing why the deviation?

I assume you have put some thought into your current plan. Do you want to incorporate more than one Camino in your walk? If so, I would go back to the other alternative I suggested. That includes parts of one Camino and two other complete Camino's including a separate Compostela.

As far as the specialness of one section of a Camino over another, that is in the eye of the beholder.

The one thing I will agree with , in the previous response, is you will probably leave a Camino family behind or they might follow.

Without knowing the driver to deviate from the Frances it is hard to answer your question. That said, your end goal to arrive in Santiago will be achieved by either path.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Sue & Dana]

Hi again and thanks for your replies. A couple of drivers re leaving the Frances For the Invierno: avoiding the traffic jam from Sarria, falling in love with the photos and blogs I have read re the Invierno. If I was going solo, I would simply do the Invierno, but Dana is in love with the idea of the Frances - a dilemma. Either way will be wonderful, but as we are both in our late 60’s, and live a far piece away from Europe, and wanting to do So Many Other Things as well, I don’t know that we would be able to simply plan on another Camino. We are fortunate in that time away from home (although dogs!) is not an issue, being retired.

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi again and thanks for your replies. A couple of drivers re leaving the Frances For the Invierno: avoiding the traffic jam from Sarria, falling in love with the photos and blogs I have read re the Invierno. If I was going solo, I would simply do the Invierno, but Dana is in love with the idea of the Frances - a dilemma. Either way will be wonderful, but as we are both in our late 60’s, and live a far piece away from Europe, and wanting to do So Many Other Things as well, I don’t know that we would be able to simply plan on another Camino. We are fortunate in that time away from home (although dogs!) is not an issue, being retired.

Sue:

I assumed you had done some level of research to choose the Invierno. The Frances has become far more crowded than my first Camino in 2010. I started on March 23rd and there were 13 Peregrino's. I walked the Frances again in 2011 and in 2017. In 2017 I started on April 11th and there were over 300 Peregrino's. The Camino has become very popular. That said, the Frances is a good first Camino if you are not a serious hiker. You will make many friends along the way and it may be hard to leave them in Ponferrada or they may join you. While I have not walked the Invierno yet it is becoming a favorite for many.

I find Spring to be my favorite time to walk, mostly for convenience in my life schedule. I am sure it will be a memorable experience. If I can be of assistance in any way, please just ask or PM me.

Joe

 

[Sue & Dana]

Sue:

I assumed you had done some level of research to choose the Invierno. The Frances has become far more crowded than my first Camino in 2010. I started on March 23rd and there were 13 Peregrino's. I walked the Frances again in 2011 and in 2017. In 2017 I started on April 11th and there were over 300 Peregrino's. The Camino has become very popular. That said, the Frances is a good first Camino if you are not a serious hiker. You will make many friends along the way and it may be hard to leave them in Ponferrada or they may join you. While I have not walked the Invierno yet it is becoming a favorite for many.

I find Spring to be my favorite time to walk, mostly for convenience in my life schedule. I am sure it will be a memorable experience. If I can be of assistance in any way, please just ask or PM me.

Joe

Thanks Joe, appreciate the comments. we may end up deciding on the spur of the moment! We are pretty experienced hikers but this is not the PCT! How ever we go, it will be wonderful - it is always wonderful!

 

[jpflavin1]

Thanks Joe, appreciate the comments. we may end up deciding on the spur of the moment! We are pretty experienced hikers but this is not the PCT! How ever we go, it will be wonderful - it is always wonderful!

With that type of attitude, your Camino will be great.