Hello all! Ideas for squeezing the Camino Francés into 25 days

[Eoin78]

Hi everyone,

I just decided to do the Camino Francés this September 21st from SJPDP to Santiago however I’m short on time.

I feel like I’m going to have to skip some section as I have to be back in Australia by the 18th October (24-25 days on Camino).

I was wondering which part you would recommend to skip as I really can’t do it all this time.

People have said Orisson is a great place at the start to meet people and although I know I will meet many more I really feel like I don’t want to miss the start of the Camino from France.

I’m keen to do some of the Meseta but maybe a few days can be skipped here. I’ve heard all the reasons for doing it so I understand the benefits but again I just need to find 4 or 5 days so I can enjoy the walk and not be too stressed about time…

I’m pretty fit and love walking so hopefully 25-30 kms a day will be an achievable goal.

Thanks for any tips passed on and hopefully see some of you out there!

 

[OzAnnie]

I’m short on time.

Hi @Eoin78
Have you thought of starting at Burgos ..
thus factoring in enough time to complete and even have time in Santiago at the end. Starting and continuing without skipping means that you don’t need to say goodbye to any friends you make as you walk.
Or alternatively- make your start in SJPDP and walk until your available days are used - finish off to Santiago next trip . Many people only have time to do it in sections.

Buen camino.
Good luck

 

[dougfitz]

I don’t want to miss the start of the Camino from France.

Start somewhere else, perhaps in Pamplona. While many people do start in SJPP, it is rather romantic nonsense suggesting that any of the Camino routes start in France, or anywhere other than where you decide to start. If you want to walk all the way from your start point to SDC, choose to start somewhere where that is possible, and doesn't rely on you doing distances that you are only 'hopeful' of achieving.

 

[trecile]

St Jean Pied de Port is really an arbitrary starting point. It's just popular because that's where the guidebooks start. Wherever you start will be perfect for your Camino. I personally think that it's more important to do a continuous uninterrupted walk than to start at a particular point. It's also important to not feel rushed on your Camino. If you start in Burgos you should have plenty of time, and if you have extra days after Santiago you can walk to Fisterra and/or Muxía.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Hi everyone,

I just decided to do the Camino Francés this September 21st from SJPDP to Santiago however I’m short on time.

I feel like I’m going to have to skip some section as I have to be back in Australia by the 18th October (24-25 days on Camino).

I was wondering which part you would recommend to skip as I really can’t do it all this time.

People have said Orisson is a great place at the start to meet people and although I know I will meet many more I really feel like I don’t want to miss the start of the Camino from France.

I’m keen to do some of the Meseta but maybe a few days can be skipped here. I’ve heard all the reasons for doing it so I understand the benefits but again I just need to find 4 or 5 days so I can enjoy the walk and not be too stressed about time…

I’m pretty fit and love walking so hopefully 25-30 kms a day will be an achievable goal.

Thanks for any tips passed on and hopefully see some of you out there!

If you are pretty fit, and you want to walk from SJDPP to SDC, I think there is every chance you may be able to do it in 25 days relatively comfortably. I did it in 26 days, and I took 1 day off to look at Leon, as I hadn’t been there before (but ended up walking 20km+ that day!). I am at best of average fitness and did no training and only decided to do it a couple days before. I started at around 25km per day but it was relatively easy to move up to 40 km a day after a week or so. All of my fellow walkers were doing in in 25-30 days.

I will caveat with saying I am a very slow walker and was doing long days which suited me. Days is not that accurate a metric to use anyway as some people walk 6 hours per day and some walk 10 hours. Also I travel very light.

It’s a pretty straightforward walk really, just a daily slog, with no really super tough parts (for a fit person) , no altitude issues, with a huge amount of bars, restaurant, accommodation and other services available. I can’t say it felt rushed, not at my snails pace. You just get into a routine of walking and eating!

That’s said I appreciate you are making a long jouney (unlike me) and the pressure to not take chances and miss flights is a key point!

 

[alexwalker]

Start in Burgos, IMHO.

 

[dick bird]

There´s no particular reason to start in Saint Jean Pied de Port, and the people you meet there will walk at a different pace and you may never see them again. If you are going to shorten your camino, it makes sense to me to do it at the beginning, not the middle or the end. Start at Burgos or Pamplona and if you arrive with time to spare, take a bus to Fisterra or Ferrol and walk back to Santiago again.

 

[donalomahony]

Start in Burgos...

 

[kelleymac]

Perhaps you can pick up some time by biking in a few sections, maybe the Meseta and someone just posted that you can rent a bike at O'Cebriero down to Tricastela.

But imho I would start at Burgos if I had just 25 days, or start at SJPP and walk for 23 days, then take the train or bus to Santiago (skipping Sarria westward.)

Also-- you know you can walk longer days than the guides suggest right? Often, on the Frances I walk about 5 to 8 miles more than the "daily recommendation". There are plenty of places to stay on the Frances. ( From LePuy, it's more difficult-- more difficult to walk extra distance (hills!), and places where I ended up either walking 5 miles or 25 in order to find a place to stay the night. )

 

[Anniesantiago]

You can take a look at our itinerary at anniewalkers.com
We do 23-24 nights and hit what we think are the best etapas.

 

[good_old_shoes]

Personally, I wouldn't plan to skip anything. Sometimes it can't be avoided (for example because of injuries) but it's not something I'd plan for, certainly not for a first camino.

You'll lose friends you made, you'll step out of the continuity that makes long distance walking so special, you'll be on a very tight schedule that doesn't allow for much flexibility (like walking a short day when you're tired, take a zero day when you feel like it, stay somewhere else than planned because you feel tired / or if you met people you'd like to spend more time with who walk shorter distances / really love a place you walk through, and so on.

If you can, start a little bit further on than St Jean, like Pamplona Logrono or Burgos (if arriving in Santiago this year is important to you) or, as I'd suggest, start in St. Jean and just see how far you will get, and start from there again the next time.

Anyway, buen Camino!

 

[thejoker]

My advice is ok, if you are young, you will enjoy the Camino in terms of physical positives but 'Don't' if you want to fully appreciate it. I walked the Frances from St Jean in 29 days when it was my first time some decades ago, but it was more a fast hike without fully appreciating it and feeling the wonderful peace of the RC angle, aside from necessitating an extra day in San Bol to recover from what went on the night before. Nowadays my older limbs still think I am walking it too fast and I am on 50+ allotted days. Basically, less is more in my opinion. Buen Camino.

 

[WalkingLester]

Start in Burgos

 

[C clearly]

If you are pretty fit, and you want to walk from SJDPP to SDC, I think there is every chance you may be able to do it in 25 days relatively comfortably. I did it in 26 days, and I took 1 day off to look at Leon, as I hadn’t been there before (but ended up walking 20km+ that day!). I am at best of average fitness and did no training and only decided to do it a couple days before. I started at around 25km per day but it was relatively easy to move up to 40 km a day after a week or so. All of my fellow walkers were doing in in 25-30 days

I think @TravellingMan22 overstates the likelihood that this would be a comfortable 24-25 day walk for most people.

Have you walked 25-30 km/day for 3 consecutive days, to see what it feels like for you? Have you factored in adequate time for recovery from the flights and jet lag?

Maybe you can do it, maybe you can't. I'd recommend starting in Burgos to improve your chances of a reasonably comfortable and happy Camino. If you have time left over, go to Finisterre

 

[alexwalker]

Personally, I wouldn't plan to skip anything. Sometimes it can't be avoided (for example because of injuries) but it's not something I'd plan for, certainly not for a first camino.

You'll lose friends you made, you'll step out of the continuity that makes long distance walking so special, you'll be on a very tight schedule that doesn't allow for much flexibility (like walking a short day when you're tired, take a zero day when you feel like it, stay somewhere else than planned because you feel tired / or if you met people you'd like to spend more time with who walk shorter distances / really love a place you walk through, and so on.

If you can, start a little bit further on than St Jean, like Pamplona Logrono or Burgos (if arriving in Santiago this year is important to you) or, as I'd suggest, start in St. Jean and just see how far you will get, and start from there again the next time.

Anyway, buen Camino!

Wise advice...

 

[TravellingMan22]

I think @TravellingMan22 overstates the likelihood that this would be a comfortable 24-25 day walk for most people.

Have you walked 25-30 km/day for 3 consecutive days, to see what it feels like for you? Have you factored in adequate time for recovery from the flights and jet lag?

Maybe you can do it, maybe you can't. I'd recommend starting in Burgos to improve your chances of a reasonably comfortable and happy Camino. If you have time left over, go to Finisterre

Just my view of course, and from your ID, I guessed your were quite young (47) and quite fit. Lots of threads on here re this, and people seem to do anything from 20 to 50 days. I walked mainly with folks younger than me who netted out at around 25 days. I guessed the better metric would be hours. I’m very slow so I walk long 10-12 days and like that.

I quite a believer that if you want to walk in 25 days you can although whether that is the best option for you is another thing.

I started out expecting to take 33-35 days but needed to do it quicker for personal reasons so was quite suprised I was able to really do it in 26 days. If I hadn’t had to have speed up I would never have known I could walk in that number of days.

I guess another key thing is that I I was high motivated. To me I had to do SJDPP to SDC, nothing else counted and no taxis, trains or buses. I had no idea that people did that, not that I have any issue with it.

So something like the foll would work for me… very much an average!
800km / 25days =32 Kms a day
32kms/ 8 hrs =4 kms an hour
Start at 0700 finish 1600 with 1 hr break

I guess that works about 8km a day more than if you did it in the 33 days some folks suggest. On other word 2 hours a day at slow pace!

That said I didn’t feel too mich different from walking 40kms at the end as to walking 25km at start!

 

[Marbe2]

Do you want to experience the culture or sights at all? To me just putting one foot in front of the other, is not exactly my idea of experiencing the Camino. Quality time is important as well for some of us. That is not to say, for some or your you with your self-reported fitness level, that you might be able to do both.

There is certainly merit to being able to continually walk and not having to skip sections, so I understand why many members recommend that option. But a lot depends upon your interests. If your sole purpose is to max miles, then as suggested by many start 24-25 days out from SdC and keep going.

My suggestion is walk SJPdP to Logrono. Then take the train to Leon. Do overnight in Leon and visit the Cathedral there as the stain glass windows are stunning!!! Take a bus Alsa.com out of Leon past the factories and begin your walk to Astorga and then continue on from there to SdC. This may also allow for a couple of padding days for rest, injuries or enjoying SDC! if you get to SdCwithtime to spare then consider walking on to the ocean!
Really up to you! Depends upon your priorities.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

My usual recommendation for speeding up a camino is to rent a bicycle to traverse the meseta. See the thread here

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/biking-from-burgos-to-leon-a-time-saving-adventure.78292/

 

[TravellingMan22]

Just my view of course, and from your ID, I guessed your were quite young (47) and quite fit. Lots of threads on here re this, and people seem to do anything from 20 to 50 days. I walked mainly with folks younger than me who netted out at around 25 days. I guessed the better metric would be hours. I’m very slow so I walk long 10-12 days and like that.

I quite a believer that if you want to walk in 25 days you can although whether that is the best option for you is another thing.

I started out expecting to take 33-35 days but needed to do it quicker for personal reasons so was quite suprised I was able to really do it in 26 days. If I hadn’t had to have speed up I would never have known I could walk in that number of days.

I guess another key thing is that I I was high motivated. To me I had to do SJDPP to SDC, nothing else counted and no taxis, trains or buses. I had no idea that people did that, not that I have any issue with it.

So something like the foll would work for me… very much an average!
800km / 25days =32 Kms a day
32kms/ 8 hrs =4 kms an hour
Start at 0700 finish 1600 with 1 hr break

I guess that works about 8km a day more than if you did it in the 33 days some folks suggest. On other word 2 hours a day at slow pace!

That said I didn’t feel too mich different from walking 40kms at the end as to walking 25km at start!

Ironically when I did my first Camino starting 18 Jun 2020 Porto to SDC, I took 12 days to reach the Spanish border. The border had been closed due Covid and whilst most EU birders reopened with one another on 22 June, the Spanish/ Portugal one didn’t open until 01 July so I had a couple of longer stays at a couple of lovejy places to kill the time.

 

[David Tallan]

I want to say start in Burgos like many have. But I am a strong believer in respecting the question as asked. So I will say "skip from Roncesvalles to Burgos".

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi Eoin
Definitely don't stay in Orisson - you'll be amongst slow-laners (absolutely no offence intended) who you will never see again and, you'll use up one of your precious days unnecessarily. SJPP isn't really an optimal place for you to start anyway. But if you are absolutely set on it, you could as Rick mentions above bicycle the meseta I guess. But IMHO...

People who are so stupidly besotted by the camino as to come back and find some solace on this forum generally value: the rhythm and challenge of one interrupted walking journey, not having to say 'sorry I can't stop, I'm on a tight deadline...', soaking up the unique atmosphere (and privilege) of pilgrimage, and the wonderful people you will meet - from all over.

These are best savoured by going at a standard, similar pace to others, which popular guides like Brierley and Gronze equate to 33 days from SJPP. So I'd say start at Logrono if you plan to finish at Santiago. Or start at Burgos if you want to party in Santiago, nurse a sore head and then stagger on and finish at Finisterre.
If the camino works its magic on you you'll find a way to come back and start from SJPP - or somewhere else...

 

[David Tallan]

These are best savoured by going at a standard, similar pace to others, which popular guides like Brierley and Gronze equate to 33 days from SJPP.

I would like to respectfully disagree. In my opinion, shared I believe by a number of other experienced walkers, these are best savored by going at a pace that is right for you, not determined by others or by popular guides. That may put you with the "slow-laners". You won't know in advance what that pace is until you actually start walking. That's why people have recommended Burgos, to give a little bit of a cushion in case the pace discovered is slower than the popular guides. I know that discovering we needed a bit slower pace transformed the state of my son's feet on our Camino Frances. I had a colleague at work who told me she had to quit her Camino in Leon. She had pushed herself too hard thinking she needed to follow the Brierley stages.

The 33 days from SJPP works for you. It works for many. It also doesn't work for many. Some take fewer. Many take more. I wouldn't presume what would be right for OP to savour their Camino.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

In my opinion, shared I believe by a number of other experienced walkers, these are best savored by going at a pace that is right for you, not determined by others or by popular guides. That may put you with the "slow-laners". You won't know in advance what that pace is until you actually start walking.

This probably doesn't mean much to anyone but our CF required 48 walking days though our Brierley guide suggested 33 days. For curiosity I checked our itinerary and we stayed at a Brierley stage only 18 times.

 

[JabbaPapa]

I’m pretty fit and love walking so hopefully 25-30 kms a day will be an achievable goal.

Then a 25-day Camino will only be achievable if you should start from closer to Santiago than SJPP -- at that speed, I would suggest a start from Logroño.

A start from SJPP in that time frame to Santiago would be achievable in that time frame with a daily speed of about 30-35K. Perhaps you're capable of it ?

 

[JabbaPapa]

Have you walked 25-30 km/day for 3 consecutive days, to see what it feels like for you?

That's not nearly fast enough for a 25-day walk from SJPP to Santiago.

 

[TravellingMan22]

That's not nearly fast enough for a 25-day walk from SJPP to Santiago.

KMs is not speed, it’s distance. You can be very very slow (like me) but walk long days (like me) and do it in whatever. Trust me I don’t do it in a rush coz I can’t

Something like this - very approx and very slow!


800km / 25days =32 Kms a day
32kms/ 8 hrs =4 kms an hour
Start at 0700 finish 1700 with 2 hr break

 

[C clearly]

That's not nearly fast enough for a 25-day walk from SJPP to Santiago.

Yes, I realize that. I was asking more as a minimal starting point for someone who is planning their camino without a lot of experience, to illustrate the challenge. In other words "have you walked even 25-30 km/day for even 3 days?"

 

[Former member 104756]

KMs is not speed, it’s distance. You can be very very slow (like me) but walk long days (like me) and do it in whatever. Trust me I don’t do it in a rush coz I can’t

Something like this - very approx and very slow!


800km / 25days =32 Kms a day
32kms/ 8 hrs =4 kms an hour
Start at 0700 finish 1700 with 2 hr break

Of course you’re right it’s possible. For me the problem with this approach for the OP is the pressure of knowing you can only make it from SJPP to SdeC in 25 days IF you are ‘on your feet’ on average 8 hours every day, to walk an average of 32 kms per day. That requirement would mess with my head. I’m sure he or she has done the calculation which is why they are asking for other ideas.

My first Camino Frances from SJPP I arrived in SdeC just before the midday mass on Day 29 (a daily average of 27 kms) but there was no time pressure on me to do that - it just turned out that way. I arrived with 4-5 days to spare so after two nights in SdeC I walked on to Finisterre. I was happy to have some time ‘up my sleeve’.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Of course you’re right it’s possible. For me the problem with this approach for the OP is the pressure of knowing you can only make it from SJPP to SdeC in 25 days IF you are ‘on your feet’ on average 8 hours every day, to walk an average of 32 kms per day. That requirement would mess with my head. I’m sure he or she has done the calculation which is why they are asking for other ideas.

My first Camino Frances from SJPP I arrived in SdeC just before the midday mass on Day 29 (a daily average of 27 kms) but there was no time pressure on me to do that - it just turned out that way. I arrived with 4-5 days to spare so after two nights in SdeC I walked on to Finisterre. I was happy to have some time ‘up my sleeve’.

Sure that’s fine and agree with all that! Guess I just want to demonstrate that if you do want to do the ‘whole way’ it’s doable, in 25 days or so…it’s not a super human effort, and you don’t have to rush. I’m very slow, have long liquids lunches and more that the odd late night! Just get a thought we can be an echo chamber along the lines it’s takes min 30-33 days and if you do less you won’t enjoy it!! Just my view.

 

[JabbaPapa]

KMs is not speed, it’s distance. You can be very very slow (like me) but walk long days (like me) and do it in whatever. Trust me I don’t do it in a rush coz I can’t

The important speed is Km/Day.

 

[TravellingMan22]

The important speed is Km/Day.

Correct!

 

[Richmond Gardner]

The op will be able to finish, if walking for 8 hrs. Per day, absolutely. And it will be a continuous experience, which satisfies a purist. However, it will be akin to skipping sections in the aspect of leaving almost everyone behind. Aside from finishing without friends made along the way, there will be the constant awareness that no roses will be sniffed. There will always be the need to push on. IMHO this would be an unnecessary challenge for most people. Logrono and Burgos have good access and would leave enough time for arriving with newfound friends (if that matters).

 

[Eoin78]

Hello all,

First of all I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all who replied with advice many taking a lot of time to do so. Thank you!

I have decided after many suggested to start my walk in Burgos and so I should have plenty of time to complete that section of the Camino without skipping ahead anywhere.

One day I will start from SJPP on what I expect will be many future Caminos

Buen Camino

 

[jldelta]

Burgos ? Probably the most sensible, but I was going to suggest Pamplona. I walked from St Jean in 27 days earlier this year. "Standard" stages till two stages before Burgos and then my 71 year old legs just went into overdrive & I started walking 30+km every day (sometimes 40km+).

I bet you have a wonderful time & get to SdC early The key will be no blisters, so make sure
"Those boots* are made for walking ('cos that's just what they'll do...)"

(LOTS on the forum about that...)!

* trailrunners (HOKA Challenger 6 ATR Wide in my case)