Germany is Getting into the Pilgrimage

[Elle Bieling]

Thought forum members would enjoy this article that discusses many new routes in Germany, including a fully accessible one! https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa...jb206ZW46VVM&usg=AOvVaw0g0ySWe3cp-6ufFvLxqwfM

 

[Northpole]

That's so cool, thanks for sharing! I love this: "A completely new path has just been launched that cannot be found anywhere else: a completely barrier-free pilgrimage path for wheelchair users from Worms to Lauterbourg in France. “With a complete infrastructure: toilets and accommodation options,” says Zick. The more than 100 kilometers are suitable as a route for ten days with a wheelchair." Great to see more accessible options!

 

[lt56ny]

Thought forum members would enjoy this article that discusses many new routes in Germany, including a fully accessible one! https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa...jb206ZW46VVM&usg=AOvVaw0g0ySWe3cp-6ufFvLxqwfM

I think any new or revived route is wonderful. I was wondering if there is any information about the costs of walking in Germany, especially of course albergues and if there are albergues if there is cooking etc. etc.
Luckily for many budget considerations do not play much of a factor for clothes, packs, food and accommodations. But for many of us if it wasn't for municipal albergues, donativos, kitchens etc the cost of walking would quickly become prohibitive. I know this year will be more expensive. Before this worldwide inflation for the last few years I could easily walk many days for 20-25 Euros if not less than that. It all depends on the availability of municipals/donativos and kitchens of course. Last October/November walking the VDLP stretched me to the limit because of closed albergues/kitchens.
Would love to check these new routes out so any information from anyone would be appreciated.

 

[Marc S.]

I was wondering if there is any information about the costs of walking in Germany, especially of course albergues and if there are albergues if there is cooking etc. etc.

Hard to give a general answer to your question, as there are so many pilgrim paths (Jakobswege) in Germany. To give you an idea, I have included a link to a map.

On many Jakobswege there is no or very little pilgrim infrastructure. But there are exceptions. Most notably the Via Regia (Gorlitz- Vacha). I walked this, staying in an albergue (Herberg) every day for three weeks. The Elisabethpad from Eisenach to Marburg also has a good albergue structure. On the other hand, on my walk from Nijmegen to Cologne, I only came across one albergue.

I can only comment about these three paths, as I have walked them (although I will walk some others this autumn).

Please note, German albergues are not the same as what you may be used to in Spain. There is no staff or hospitalero on side, but one usually has to collect a key. But the price is usually somewhere around 10 euro's and often there are kitchen facilities.

If you are seriously interested, there is quite some more info about Germany on this forum, particularly about the Via Regia.

https://www.deutsche-jakobswege.de/wege-uebersicht.html

 

[lt56ny]

Hard to give a general answer to your question, as there are so many pilgrim paths (Jakobswege) in Germany. To give you an idea, I have included a link to a map.

On many Jakobswege there is no or very little pilgrim infrastructure. But there are exceptions. Most notably the Via Regia (Gorlitz- Vacha). I walked this, staying in an albergue (Herberg) every day for three weeks. The Elisabethpad from Eisenach to Marburg also has a good albergue structure. On the other hand, on my walk from Nijmegen to Cologne, I only came across one albergue.

I can only comment about these three paths, as I have walked them (although I will walk some others this autumn).

Please note, German albergues are not the same as what you may be used to in Spain. There is no staff or hospitalero on side, but one usually has to collect a key. But the price is usually somewhere around 10 euro's and often there are kitchen facilities.

If you are seriously interested, there is quite some more info about Germany on this forum, particularly about the Via Regia.

https://www.deutsche-jakobswege.de/wege-uebersicht.html

Thank you so much. I have no problem with a small albergue where you get a key at a bar or police station and take care of things yourself. Thanks so much I will start doing some exploring and dreaming.

 

[Jodean]

If you read German, or just want guidebooks with some of the routes mapped out, Globetrotter sells quite a few of them now. I only have the one from Fulda to Frankfurt, but would like to get more of them. Occasionally, there will be TV specials about the Jakobsweg, but finding places to sleep that are cheap is the main problem.
I do know the route as it goes through Frankfurt to Höchst is well marked as I do Camino tours here for local residents. 14km and a fun day for those who want to know more about walking a Camino. Ivar sells the shells and pilgrim passes and usually the order is on my doorstep in just a few days.

 

[edandjoan]

We just returned from walking in Germany. We crossed a camino path with a sign post 2300k to Santiago. And we were on another path for 6 days that was also a camino path that had a fork in two directions to Santiago. We crossed a few other signs for Santiago as we criss crossed around some paths as well. We were in the Hesse area near the Weser River as well as along the Rhine River area south of Koblenz. Had great walk.

Ed & Joan Walk in Germany

Resuming Our Adventures on Foot

edandjoanwalkgermany.wordpress.com

 

[florrod]

I just came back from the Via Imperii in Germany (Stettin to Berlin), and I'm thrilled! I'll be posting a stage breakdown in the coming days (see my posts). Kind of like live updates but not live since I really don't want to mess with the screen on the trail. But the road is still fresh in my memory, so I invite you to have a read!

I was wondering if there is any information about the costs of walking in Germany, especially of course albergues and if there are albergues if there is cooking etc. etc.

I did Oekumenischer Pilgerweg last year and it felt like I spent more than I did now, but I also wasn't prepared as well as I should have been. (It also rained 10 days out of 15, so I couldn't sleep in a tent). This year on Via Imperii I stayed mostly on campsites and I paid an average of 12 EUR per night. As for food, you're right, it's been a problem on the two German caminos I have walked, and apparently, I'm not the only one to think so. This year I took two army meals (as emergency food), and a tiny vertical stove (to boil water, for example for couscous). This has given me peace of mind when walking, and a great sense of independence. Before, on the Via Regia, I was really feeling the food stress, and it's not a good feeling at all. So I would invite you to explore these options. (If you're unsure about buying a tent or a stove, you can always loan them out and see how you like them).

If you are really interested in walking any of the German trails, Via Regia has been covered quite extensively on this forum, Via Imperii is in the process of being documented, and hopefully, other German Caminos will be covered soon.

 

[good_old_shoes]

I've walked a couple of German Caminos.

The via imperii section from Berlin to Leipzig has decent accommodation, and starting as well as stopping point are easily accessible. You also pass through Lutherstadt Wittenberg. It has a few low cost pilgrim-only-albergues, similar to the via regia, some cheap pensions, also campsites. I used a mix of those. A good map to this one is available with a thin guide book included. There's also a list of the accommodations somewhere in the Internet. If you want to walk longer, you can continue on the via regia afterwards. Landscape reminded me of the Meseta some days. It's totally flat. It's one of the more affordable German Caminos I'd say.

Via coloniensis from Cologne to Trier. Had no pilgrim accommodation if I remember correctly, but youth hostels, campsites... some hotels would give a good pilgrim discount. The route had a nice pilgrim spirit - open churches with stamps. Hotels ect. even had their own stamps despite few pilgrims coming through. Some locals had put sweets / cold drinks outside with a box for payments. I walked this one 2016, not sure what it is like now, after the devastating floods last year. Landscape is mostly nice hills and forests, very green. Quiet. Did like it a lot.

Moselcamino. I know many germans love it, but I didn't, at all. Too touristic for me, but good infrastructure because more people. Some pilgrim hostels, but those are not cheap, more like a pension. Constant up and down over the hills next to the Mosel river, good views. I often used the bike path instead because I find this kind of routing for a pilgrimage path annoying (I want to arrive at some point, not make 20kms over hills when the bike path is flat and only 10km - but that's personal taste). I also didn't find it had a lot of pilgrim spirit. To me it seemed as if they had just put the shell signs next to the ones for the Moselsteig / Moselhöhenweg hiking trails and voila, new Camino. This one had many campsites, but some ridiculously expensive (20€ for one person with tent! Didn't even have a picknick table for that price). Tourist area=tourist prices. Beautiful villages you walk through, though, and good food and wine if you can afford it. If you're more of a hiker than me you'll like the trails (for me with giant backpack and sandals, some were not possible to walk, would have needed real boots).
I'd say it's a nice Camino for someone with only one week time, higher budget, daypack and a love for scenic routes with lots of up and down.

Along the Rhine from Cologne to Koblenz. As on the Moselcamino, usually up on the hills and many extra kms and elevation. Took the bike path instead most of the time. Mostly hotels. Camping each night possible if you can walk 40kms here and there.

If I wanted to walk again from Cologne, I'd definitely prefer the via coloniensis again the next time.


Food was an issue on the Coloniensis and imperii. Plan well, carry enough. Eifel as well as Brandenburg have few inhabitants and very few shops. Very rural areas.

 

[florrod]

Uau, thank you for your post, @good_old_shoes. The Coloniensis goes on my radar for sure!

 

[pasiño a pasiño]

I think any new or revived route is wonderful. I was wondering if there is any information about the costs of walking in Germany, especially of course albergues and if there are albergues if there is cooking etc. etc.
Luckily for many budget considerations do not play much of a factor for clothes, packs, food and accommodations. But for many of us if it wasn't for municipal albergues, donativos, kitchens etc the cost of walking would quickly become prohibitive. I know this year will be more expensive. Before this worldwide inflation for the last few years I could easily walk many days for 20-25 Euros if not less than that. It all depends on the availability of municipals/donativos and kitchens of course. Last October/November walking the VDLP stretched me to the limit because of closed albergues/kitchens.
Would love to check these new routes out so any information from anyone would be appreciated.

Hey, you can also keep your expenses low with looking for volunteers who offer free accommodations! Like the "le ami de saint jaque" on the via Gebenensis.
Just go to the church offices and ask for volunteers/hosting....