First Camino Which Option of These Two Would You Choose

[Leigharev]

Greetings! I am excited to have found this forum! Just began research. First time for myself and a few friends. We are looking to be on the Camino for two weeks and are looking at these two options:
1) Leon to Santiago de Compostela on Camino Frances route
2) Astorga to SdC (Frances) and add Camino Finisterre.

What are your thoughts on this? I appreciate any feedback. We are looking to go in late September.

 

[Bradypus]

I'd probably choose your second option - Astorga - SdC - Finisterre. The section from León to Hospital de Orbigo is not very inspiring and although the route from there to Astorga is quite pleasant the stages after Astorga will more than make up for skipping it. Late September is likely to be very busy on the last 100km and carrying on to Finisterre may give you a chance to wind down more gradually than suddenly coming to a halt in Santiago.

 

[trecile]

I agree with @Bradypus. I don't know how much time you have, but walking from Astorga gives you a little more leeway in reaching Santiago. And I prefer the walk from Santiago to Finisterre over the walk from León to Astorga.

 

[Anamiri]

Greetings! I am excited to have found this forum! Just began research. First time for myself and a few friends. We are looking to be on the Camino for two weeks and are looking at these two options:
1) Leon to Santiago de Compostela on Camino Frances route
2) Astorga to SdC (Frances) and add Camino Finisterre.

What are your thoughts on this? I appreciate any feedback. We are looking to go in late September.

It depends a little on your level of fitness.
The first two days out of Leon to Astorga are pretty flat, so quite good to ease you into your walk if you need that.

 

[C clearly]

Astorga is a convenient place to start, and that segment provides a good taste of the Camino. It gives that flexibility for going slowly, spending time in Santiago, and/or adding Finisterre either as a full walk or a day trip by bus.

 

[JMac56]

My suggestion would be Astorga to SdC, then Muxia and Fisterra if you have time. Buen Camino.

 

[Leigharev]

Wonderful! Thank you all so much for your feedback. This helps so much.

 

[RobOH]

Thanks everyone for the insights. I’m looking to start in Astorga around the same time (Sept 22). If I get to Santiago with time to spare, a may continue on. But it’s my first Camino as well so I’m building in some slack.

OP, perhaps our paths will cross!

 

[isawtman]

You can see the videos here: http://tmanshikes.com/frances-route-videos/ I just did the Frances route then I bused out to Finnesterre where my faster friends had hiked. To me Astorga to Santiago sounds good. You are still getting two great spots on the camino: Cruz de Ferro and O Cebreiro. The only things you are missing would be the Cathedral in Leon and the big roman bridge in Hospital de Orbigo.

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I don't know your preferences, but if you like mountainbike, you could walk from Leon to Santiago by walking the Salvador to Oviedo and than from there to Santiago on the Primitivo that joint the Frances in Melide.

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I don't know your preferences, but if you like mountainbike, you could walk from Leon to Santiago by walking the Salvador to Oviedo and than from there to Santiago on the Primitivo that joint the Frances in Melide.

Mountainbike should be read as mountainside

 

[Leigharev]

Astorga is a convenient place to start, and that segment provides a good taste of the Camino. It gives that flexibility for going slowly, spending time in Santiago, and/or adding Finisterre either as a full walk or a day trip by bus.

I did not consider doing Finisterre as a bus day trip if we decide not to walk it. Thank you for this.

 

[Leigharev]

You can see the videos here: http://tmanshikes.com/frances-route-videos/ I just did the Frances route then I bused out to Finnesterre where my faster friends had hiked. To me Astorga to Santiago sounds good. You are still getting two great spots on the camino: Cruz de Ferro and O Cebreiro. The only things you are missing would be the Cathedral in Leon and the big roman bridge in Hospital de Orbigo.

This helps, thank you! I look forward to watching your videos!

 

[Arctic_Alex]

Unlike others on here I would say ... it depends.

I personally would always consider the longer route to Santiago first, ... Fisterra / Muxia to me is a potential add-on, a nice-to-have if there is plenty of time.
Arriving in Santiago for me feels like "I have made it, this is the end" and what comes after ist a mere bonus, like a vacation after the Camino. Hence, if I had only 2 weeks, I would always try to spend those 2 weeks on walking to Santiago and skip the post-Camino vacation.

But then again, this is just me. Of course, arriving at the sea is also a nice experience at the end. But I on my first whole Camino Francés was surprised, how much my actual Camino felt like it ended in Santiago, even though I was actually continuing further to Fisterra.

 

[David Tallan]

Greetings! I am excited to have found this forum! Just began research. First time for myself and a few friends. We are looking to be on the Camino for two weeks and are looking at these two options:
1) Leon to Santiago de Compostela on Camino Frances route
2) Astorga to SdC (Frances) and add Camino Finisterre.

What are your thoughts on this? I appreciate any feedback. We are looking to go in late September.

I would probably choose the second option in keeping with my general principle to always give yourself more time than you think you will need, so that if you find yourself needing to pause for a few days due to illness or injury, or just find that you don't walk as far each day as you thought you would, you don't end up racing to Santiago to meet a plane. Adding the Camino Finisterre gives you that cushion. If you don't need it, you have that nice Camino Finisterre and the walk to the End of the World where the sun disappears into the ocean. If you do need it, you'll be very glad you have it and didn't start in Leon.

 

[David Tallan]

I don't know your preferences, but if you like mountainside, you could walk from Leon to Santiago by walking the Salvador to Oviedo and than from there to Santiago on the Primitivo that joint the Frances in Melide.

OP mentioned they are looking to be on the Camino for two weeks. I think few of us are in fit enough shape to tackle the Salvador and Primitivo in that time period. I know I expect to be a lot longer than that when I walk them this summer (after a warm up on the Madrid)!

 

[trecile]

I did not consider doing Finisterre as a bus day trip if we decide not to walk it. Thank you for this.

Another option if you don't have enough time to walk from Santiago to the coast is to bus to Finisterre or Muxía and walk between the two. You can do it as one 28 km day, or as two relaxing days and spend the night in Lires.

 

[Leigharev]

Unlike others on here I would say ... it depends.

I personally would always consider the longer route to Santiago first, ... Fisterra / Muxia to me is a potential add-on, a nice-to-have if there is plenty of time.
Arriving in Santiago for me feels like "I have made it, this is the end" and what comes after ist a mere bonus, like a vacation after the Camino. Hence, if I had only 2 weeks, I would always try to spend those 2 weeks on walking to Santiago and skip the post-Camino vacation.

But then again, this is just me. Of course, arriving at the sea is also a nice experience at the end. But I on my first whole Camino Francés was surprised, how much my actual Camino felt like it ended in Santiago, even though I was actually continuing further to Fisterra.

This is definitely something I am considering. Makes a lot of sense.