- Time of past OR future Camino
- CF 2016 2018 2022
In the Spring of 2021, I posted “Getting Small”, about pack size and “The In-Between Places” about maybe taking a slower pace and staying in some of the villages and towns between the typically recognized overnights. This past summer I walked the Francis again starting in late June and finishing in early August. After several nights in Santiago, I spent a few weeks visiting other parts of Spain, and then returned to Leon to meet two long time friends for a Leon-Santiago Camino. Some observations and comments relating to the two earlier posts:
Regarding "Getting Small" (original post here: www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/getting-small.69729/). I wrote then that after using a 40L pack in 2016 and a 35L in 2018, I intended to to use a 20L, specifically the Osprey Pro 20 (photo in original post), and which I expected to weigh in at about 11 lbs. As I was preparing, I had a slight change of plans that would necessitate taking a few items of non-Camino attire, weighing about two lbs. I decided to go with the Osprey Stratos 24, which was more than enough—a very comfortable pack, but not quite the streamlining and I had originally planned.
I also saw plenty of very big packs, but overall it seemed to me that this year pack sizes were smaller compared to my 2016 and 2018 recollections. Particularly with respect to Spanish pilgrims. Almost every Spaniard I saw had a 30L or less pack. I also noticed that Spanish Pilgrims tended to look less “expeditionary” than say North Americans. It’s almost as if a Spaniard is watching TV on a Saturday morning in a tee shirt and shorts, thinks about the Camino and just gets up and starts walking. Ok, that’s a bit hyperbolic, but I imagine that for a Spaniard, walking the Camino is not as much of an “adventure" inasmuch as the experience is within their metaphorical backyard.
Regarding “The In-between Places" (original post here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-in-between-places.69961/). In 2016 I took about 30 days, pretty much the Brierley stages. In 2018, I intended to slow down a bit, but I wound up exactly matching the 2016 pace, and staying in most of the same villages/towns. So, for 2022, I decided to stretch out the walking days to 42, a far more leisurely pace which enabled me to stay in some of the charming towns/villages I only passed through previously. So, the in-between places for me this past summer were: Navarette, Villafranca de Montes de Oca, Rabe de La Calzada, Castrojeriz, Ledigos, Villares de Orbigo, Rabanal, El Acebo, Molinaseca, Cacabelos, Las Herrerias, and Eirexe.
From SJPDP I initially followed the intinerary of my previous Caminos—SJPdP, Orisson, Roncevalles, Zubiri, Pamplona. Although I had not crossed the bridge into Larrasoana on the previous Caminos, I walked in this time, and immediately realized I should have stayed there instead of Zubiri. I also followed my previous Camino Itineraries from Pamplona to Puente de La Reina, Estella, and Sansol, before my first in-between place which was Navarette. I think if I were to do the Francis again (which I probably will) I would walk Viana to Navarette, skipping the usual overnight in Logrono.
So, the result of a slow camino and staying at some of the in-between places was that I saw wonderful appeal in virtually all of the in-between places but also occasionally had very short days, as little as 8 km/5 miles one day. I could have avoided many of those short days by not staying in my favorite towns which happened to be close to in-between places. But for me, right now at least, certain towns I have so much affection for, I don’t want to miss staying in them—that would be the case with Pamplona, Puenta La Reine, Estella, Najera, Santo Domingo de Las Calzadas, Burgos, Hontanas, Carrion de Las Condes, Sahugun, Leon, Astorga, Villafranca del Bierzo, Triacastela, and Portomarin. So, as doctrinaire as it may seem, overnights in those places are mandatory for me.
A few other observations.
July and August are not crowded. At all. I had days I only saw five or six people walking. Got the impression that there were plenty of beds/rooms. In Las Herrerias at the very pleasant Albergue Casa Lixa, only five of the 30 dormitory beds were occupied. Of course, it’s a different story after Sarria.
I stayed in three of the in-between places—Villares de Orbigo, Melide, and Fonfria—solely because of albergue/accommodations reviews I had read on the forum. I would stay in Villares de Orbigo again.
I happened to hit the Meseta during the heat wave. I carried a liter of water from Carrion de Las Condes to Calzadilla de la Cueza. Otherwise I don’t think i ever carried more than a small 12 oz bottle. I drink a lot during the day as I tend to stop at every interesting looking bar. Most pilgrims during the heat wave were leaving very early. I typically left at 6:00 and was done by 11:00, or even earlier. So the heat wave was really not a factor if you weren’t walking in the afternoon.
On my two previous Caminos, I took the Samos alternate route from Triacastela. This time I took the San Xil route and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful sections I have walked.
Finally, a bit of a personal revelation. I carried my pack every day on three full caminos. On the shorter Camino this year (Leon to Santiago) with my two friends, one of the guys had a recent lower back issue and planned to have his pack forwarded daily. After the first day, all three of us started sending our packs ahead. Wow. The walk became distinctively more enjoyable—even though my pack at 6 kilos/13 lbs was not that heavy.
One final comment. After Santiago, I started a train tour going first to Lugo. I still cannot stop thinking about Lugo’s picturesque charm. Saw barely a handful of Primitivo pilgrims in Lugo. I stayed for three nights. I think I would like to live there.
Regarding "Getting Small" (original post here: www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/getting-small.69729/). I wrote then that after using a 40L pack in 2016 and a 35L in 2018, I intended to to use a 20L, specifically the Osprey Pro 20 (photo in original post), and which I expected to weigh in at about 11 lbs. As I was preparing, I had a slight change of plans that would necessitate taking a few items of non-Camino attire, weighing about two lbs. I decided to go with the Osprey Stratos 24, which was more than enough—a very comfortable pack, but not quite the streamlining and I had originally planned.
I also saw plenty of very big packs, but overall it seemed to me that this year pack sizes were smaller compared to my 2016 and 2018 recollections. Particularly with respect to Spanish pilgrims. Almost every Spaniard I saw had a 30L or less pack. I also noticed that Spanish Pilgrims tended to look less “expeditionary” than say North Americans. It’s almost as if a Spaniard is watching TV on a Saturday morning in a tee shirt and shorts, thinks about the Camino and just gets up and starts walking. Ok, that’s a bit hyperbolic, but I imagine that for a Spaniard, walking the Camino is not as much of an “adventure" inasmuch as the experience is within their metaphorical backyard.
Regarding “The In-between Places" (original post here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-in-between-places.69961/). In 2016 I took about 30 days, pretty much the Brierley stages. In 2018, I intended to slow down a bit, but I wound up exactly matching the 2016 pace, and staying in most of the same villages/towns. So, for 2022, I decided to stretch out the walking days to 42, a far more leisurely pace which enabled me to stay in some of the charming towns/villages I only passed through previously. So, the in-between places for me this past summer were: Navarette, Villafranca de Montes de Oca, Rabe de La Calzada, Castrojeriz, Ledigos, Villares de Orbigo, Rabanal, El Acebo, Molinaseca, Cacabelos, Las Herrerias, and Eirexe.
From SJPDP I initially followed the intinerary of my previous Caminos—SJPdP, Orisson, Roncevalles, Zubiri, Pamplona. Although I had not crossed the bridge into Larrasoana on the previous Caminos, I walked in this time, and immediately realized I should have stayed there instead of Zubiri. I also followed my previous Camino Itineraries from Pamplona to Puente de La Reina, Estella, and Sansol, before my first in-between place which was Navarette. I think if I were to do the Francis again (which I probably will) I would walk Viana to Navarette, skipping the usual overnight in Logrono.
So, the result of a slow camino and staying at some of the in-between places was that I saw wonderful appeal in virtually all of the in-between places but also occasionally had very short days, as little as 8 km/5 miles one day. I could have avoided many of those short days by not staying in my favorite towns which happened to be close to in-between places. But for me, right now at least, certain towns I have so much affection for, I don’t want to miss staying in them—that would be the case with Pamplona, Puenta La Reine, Estella, Najera, Santo Domingo de Las Calzadas, Burgos, Hontanas, Carrion de Las Condes, Sahugun, Leon, Astorga, Villafranca del Bierzo, Triacastela, and Portomarin. So, as doctrinaire as it may seem, overnights in those places are mandatory for me.
A few other observations.
July and August are not crowded. At all. I had days I only saw five or six people walking. Got the impression that there were plenty of beds/rooms. In Las Herrerias at the very pleasant Albergue Casa Lixa, only five of the 30 dormitory beds were occupied. Of course, it’s a different story after Sarria.
I stayed in three of the in-between places—Villares de Orbigo, Melide, and Fonfria—solely because of albergue/accommodations reviews I had read on the forum. I would stay in Villares de Orbigo again.
I happened to hit the Meseta during the heat wave. I carried a liter of water from Carrion de Las Condes to Calzadilla de la Cueza. Otherwise I don’t think i ever carried more than a small 12 oz bottle. I drink a lot during the day as I tend to stop at every interesting looking bar. Most pilgrims during the heat wave were leaving very early. I typically left at 6:00 and was done by 11:00, or even earlier. So the heat wave was really not a factor if you weren’t walking in the afternoon.
On my two previous Caminos, I took the Samos alternate route from Triacastela. This time I took the San Xil route and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful sections I have walked.
Finally, a bit of a personal revelation. I carried my pack every day on three full caminos. On the shorter Camino this year (Leon to Santiago) with my two friends, one of the guys had a recent lower back issue and planned to have his pack forwarded daily. After the first day, all three of us started sending our packs ahead. Wow. The walk became distinctively more enjoyable—even though my pack at 6 kilos/13 lbs was not that heavy.
One final comment. After Santiago, I started a train tour going first to Lugo. I still cannot stop thinking about Lugo’s picturesque charm. Saw barely a handful of Primitivo pilgrims in Lugo. I stayed for three nights. I think I would like to live there.