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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

First-timer walking the CF this May from Astorga

Jason Perez

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
5/19: Astorga to Santiago
10/22: SJPP to Logrono
Greetings, peregrinos!

I've decided to walk the Camino Frances this May (2019) starting in Astorga. Originally, my plan was to travel to Rome as a pilgrim/tourist, but decided to back out. Walking the Camino had been on my radar for some time. I figured it's now or never, so I bought a reasonably priced ticket to Madrid fairly recently. The only planning I've done so far is to check prices for private rooms upon my arrival in Astorga, SdC, and at the very end, in Madrid.
I hope to be able to make it to SdC in about 9-10 days - does this seem reasonable?
By the way, this forum is fantastic - I'm so glad I found it! Maybe our paths will cross along the Way?!

Jason
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I hope to be able to make it to SdC in about 9-10 days - does this seem reasonable?
If you can walk 26 km/day for 10 consecutive days, you'll be fine. Test yourself with a couple of 25 km days and you'll get a better idea. My first camino was Astorga to Santiago but I think I took 12 days.
 
Hi Jason,
I walked from Astorga last September and it took me 10 days. I also flew to Madrid, then train to Leon and train from Leon to Astorga. All very easy but trains were expensive because I hadn’t booked in advance (make sure you book!). I had arrived in Astorga at about 4pm and started walking immediately to a place only 5km or so out of Astorga, Murias de Rechivaldo, where I stayed for the night. It’s a tiny rural hamlet, very pretty and very quiet and the albergue there was lovely and had a great atmosphere. It was a very nice place to start walking from in the morning.

Astorga seems like a really lovely town though but as everything was closed for siesta when I arrived I didn’t linger.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi Jason,
I walked from Astorga last September and it took me 10 days. I also flew to Madrid, then train to Leon and train from Leon to Astorga. All very easy but trains were expensive because I hadn’t booked in advance (make sure you book!). I had arrived in Astorga at about 4pm and started walking immediately to a place only 5km or so out of Astorga, Murias de Rechivaldo, where I stayed for the night. It’s a tiny rural hamlet, very pretty and very quiet and the albergue there was lovely and had a great atmosphere. It was a very nice place to start walking from in the morning.

Astorga seems like a really lovely town though but as everything was closed for siesta when I arrived I didn’t linger.

That's what I've done each time traveling from the US: arrived St. Jean & walked to Orisson, arrived Logroño & walked to Navarette, arrived Burgos & walked to Tardajos. Next week it's 2 planes and a bus to get to Leon and I'm walking to Oncina. It works well because I'm the last to leave the albergue the next morning and it puts me on the same schedule as the pilgrims leaving the bigger towns I've left 10 km behind. I get a little extra sleep and a head start. ;)
 
It took 2 weeks to walk to Santiago from Leon- 10 days from Astorga.
However I had been walking for weeks already and was already in Camino mode by then, fit and coping with the heat. It takes me a couple days to get into Camino mode, I think a lot of people are also like this to a more or lesser extent.
I've noticed that this is the period when people risk injury to themselves by pushing too hard - so be kind to yourself especially in the first few days.
Weirdly the toughest part was the walk down the mountain to Molineseca.
It looks like this, but most of the other paths are good.
.
 

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Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Greetings, peregrinos!

I've decided to walk the Camino Frances this May (2019) starting in Astorga. Originally, my plan was to travel to Rome as a pilgrim/tourist, but decided to back out. Walking the Camino had been on my radar for some time. I figured it's now or never, so I bought a reasonably priced ticket to Madrid fairly recently. The only planning I've done so far is to check prices for private rooms upon my arrival in Astorga, SdC, and at the very end, in Madrid.
I hope to be able to make it to SdC in about 9-10 days - does this seem reasonable?
By the way, this forum is fantastic - I'm so glad I found it! Maybe our paths will cross along the Way?!

Jason
hello, you can do it in 8/10 days, obviously depending on your preparation. The first day you will immediately find a long but easy climb. astorga is nice, a beautiful cathedral and the episcopal palace of Gaudi.
From Madrid Airport and from Madrid Station there is also a bus for astorga, price starting from 26 €, depending on the time ( bus company ALSA ).

Buen camino !




Jason[/QUOTE]
 
I always walk in the Springtime and have never been able to walk Astorga to SdC in 8-10 days. May is marvelous for wild flowers of all types - hillsides colored blue from the wild lobellia, you will be too late for the primavera but there will be hills of yellow gorse, wild orchids and hyacinths look close for mushrooms and all sorts of wort plants, in the towns and villages expect to see the lovely wisteria, tons of irises (irides?), pansies and tulips flowering together, it is impossible to ignore and just pass on. I find myself stopping often to admire the glory and half of my photographs are all knee-high wheat and sprouting and developing grapevines (plenty of both coming through Navarre Castile and Leon) which you will miss the best grapes of Galicia are south of the Camino but the rest are all flowers! There will be plenty of others which I do not recognize and sadly, while the Spanish are a wonderful people, any question as to the name of a particular flower is usually if not often answered "flor" they don't know their wildflowers.
 
Welcome Jason! I walked from Nájera to Astorga in Sept/Oct 2018. I spent an extra day in Astorga before heading for the airport in Madrid. There is lots to see: Cathedral, Gaudi’s episcopal palace, chocolate museum...You mentioned private accommodation: I stayed at Hotel Gaudí right across the street from the palace and cathedral. It was lovely. I took the bus from Astorga to León and the train to Madrid Chamartin. Will do it in the opposite direction when I return in the fall of 2019 to walk from Astorga to Santiago. Buen Camino!
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
The Brierley guidebook stages has it being walked in 11 days.
If you are fit and traveling light (cannot be overemphasized) you could do in in 9-10 days.
If push comes to shove, and schedules getting tight, just taxi or bus over a day or two, and push on. Just make sure that if getting a compostela is a goal, walk the entire last 100 km from Sarria.
Either way, just stay casual. It is all good and there is no bad way to walk it.
Check the train and bus schedules to Astorga to Madrid. It is about a 4-5 hour bus ride (ALSA) from Madrid airport to Astorga, and under 30 euros cost.
 
Greetings, peregrinos!

I've decided to walk the Camino Frances this May (2019) starting in Astorga. Originally, my plan was to travel to Rome as a pilgrim/tourist, but decided to back out. Walking the Camino had been on my radar for some time. I figured it's now or never, so I bought a reasonably priced ticket to Madrid fairly recently. The only planning I've done so far is to check prices for private rooms upon my arrival in Astorga, SdC, and at the very end, in Madrid.
I hope to be able to make it to SdC in about 9-10 days - does this seem reasonable?
By the way, this forum is fantastic - I'm so glad I found it! Maybe our paths will cross along the Way?!

Jason
I think you’re pushing it. You need an extra day or two. The “stages” suggest 11 days and they presume you a Camino fit by Astorga. Why rush? You can take a bus/taxi if you’re overdoing it or get injured but why risk it.
The suggestion to book yr train ticket on-line well ahead is a very good one, as in Spain (like aeroplane tickets) trains get more expensive the closer you get to departure date.
 
Greetings, peregrinos!

I've decided to walk the Camino Frances this May (2019) starting in Astorga. Originally, my plan was to travel to Rome as a pilgrim/tourist, but decided to back out. Walking the Camino had been on my radar for some time. I figured it's now or never, so I bought a reasonably priced ticket to Madrid fairly recently. The only planning I've done so far is to check prices for private rooms upon my arrival in Astorga, SdC, and at the very end, in Madrid.
I hope to be able to make it to SdC in about 9-10 days - does this seem reasonable?
By the way, this forum is fantastic - I'm so glad I found it! Maybe our paths will cross along the Way?!

Jason

I will not assume you cannot do it due to your fitness level. Someone in good physical condition could easily walk from Astorga to Santiago in 9-10 days. I met a lot of pilgrims who could, of all age ranges.
Are you physically able to do it? Are you an experienced long distance walker, hiker, runner etc?
Astorga is about 260 kilometres from Santiago. Walk it in 10 days and you only need average about 26 kilometres a day. Many people walk that daily average for the entire Camino Frances.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Greetings, peregrinos!

I've decided to walk the Camino Frances this May (2019) starting in Astorga. Originally, my plan was to travel to Rome as a pilgrim/tourist, but decided to back out. Walking the Camino had been on my radar for some time. I figured it's now or never, so I bought a reasonably priced ticket to Madrid fairly recently. The only planning I've done so far is to check prices for private rooms upon my arrival in Astorga, SdC, and at the very end, in Madrid.
I hope to be able to make it to SdC in about 9-10 days - does this seem reasonable?
By the way, this forum is fantastic - I'm so glad I found it! Maybe our paths will cross along the Way?!

Jason
Give yourself a day or two i Astorga, if you can - it’s a lovely town.
 
Transport luggage-passengers.
From airports to SJPP
Luggage from SJPP to Roncevalles
Greetings, peregrinos!

I've decided to walk the Camino Frances this May (2019) starting in Astorga. Originally, my plan was to travel to Rome as a pilgrim/tourist, but decided to back out. Walking the Camino had been on my radar for some time. I figured it's now or never, so I bought a reasonably priced ticket to Madrid fairly recently. The only planning I've done so far is to check prices for private rooms upon my arrival in Astorga, SdC, and at the very end, in Madrid.
I hope to be able to make it to SdC in about 9-10 days - does this seem reasonable?
By the way, this forum is fantastic - I'm so glad I found it! Maybe our paths will cross along the Way?!

Jason

10 days is ideal. the day after you leave Astorga it gets challenging - up and over FoncebadĂłn/Cruz de Ferro. Buen Camino
 
Thank you all for the very helpful input! I have a feeling May 6 will be here in no time!

I wanted to ask some advice on traveling from Madrid to Astorga. My flight is scheduled to arrive in Madrid on Tuesday May 7 at 1:40 PM. A friend of mine who did the Camino in 2016 suggests that I stay in Madrid 1 night before heading to Astorga early the next day...but assuming the flight arrives on time, and from what I've read on other threads, it won't be difficult finding a train or bus from Madrid to Astorga in the afternoon. This would be ideal. Then again, anything can happen and one can only be so detailed in planning.

So are there trains/buses that depart from Madrid to Astorga in the late afternoon? I welcome any and all suggestions!
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Alsa buses leave the Madrid airport Terminal 4. You can check the Alsa schedule online. My preference would be to take the bus to Leon and then a second bus to Astorga. You could stay overnight in Leon if necessary. The trip from there to Astorga is very quick. Another option is the train. Check the Renfe website for schedules. Buen Camino!
 
Greeting, fellow peregrinos!

well, the final countdown begins. In approximately 12 hours, I will be boarding my flight to Madrid, the first stage on my journey to the starting point in Astorga. It feels absolutely unreal.

I've spent the last 2 days packing, repacking, repacking again, and...repacking yet again. I have a feeling that what I currently have packed will be rearranged one last time. I'm trying to get the weight below 15 pounds, but having a hard time getting rid of clothes! (Yes, I realize my reluctance to let go of the excessive weight is probably the first of many metaphors in this metaphor-saturated pilgrimage!)

I've left a few things open-ended for this journey, but I have a strange peace about it. My Spanish certainly isn't perfect, but it's passable - that helps ease some of the anxiety. The only worry I have is how my body will hold up, having avoided training these last few months. Maybe there's another metaphor in this?

I'm very thankful to so many here for the wonderful tips, insights, reflections. I look forward to checking into this forum along the way!
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-

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