- Time of past OR future Camino
- Some in the past; more in the future!
For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
I hadn't really considered the Norte for this camino because I'd still like to do it in full one day.Could I suggest a fifth option for your radar? Start in Irun and walk the Norte to Oviedo, and further if you have the time.
This sounds really intriguing. But it seems like another one that I might prefer to dedicate more time to (i.e. all the way from Arles to Santiago). Also, the start (especially) and end points are quite a bit further from home than the other options which isn't ideal on this occasion. I will be returning to Portugal from Australia only a few days before starting and I'd prefer not to book anything for the camino (including transport to/from) in case it falls through. So ideally, I would be able to just jump on the train from Lisbon to Madrid and either travel a bit further to the start point, or just start walking on the Madrid.What about starting "somewhere" on the Arles route (Pau?) and then the Camino Aragones to Puente la Reina?
I’m doing the primitivo in June 2019. Go for this one.TL;DR - Which camino would you recommend in late spring for about 18 days?
Things have changed a bit since the last time I asked for advice about choosing a camino for 2019. Now, it looks like I’ll have a window to walk a solo camino in late May - early June while junglegirl is leading a tour in India. So I've been looking at the map for the last couple of days and thinking about possible options.
Here are a few things to consider:
With all that in mind, here are the four caminos that are currently on my radar.
- I would have a maximum of about 18 walking days.
- On my first two caminos, I walked about 25km/day. But junglegirl had to deal with painful plantar fasciitis in both feet on both caminos, so that slowed us somewhat. I think 30km/day should be pretty doable. I’ll be 39 and somewhat fit.
- Finishing in Santiago is not a must, but it’s always nice.
- I prefer to walk ‘full’ caminos (even though I know that’s a bit of an oxymoron) rather than parts of caminos.
- I like historic villages/churches/sites, especially from the Roman and medieval eras. Some examples of sites I really liked on the Francés and Primitivo were the St. Anton monastery, the church of San Martín in Frómista , the pre-Romanesque churches outside Oviedo, the Roman walls of Lugo etc.
- I used to live in Switzerland (and have hiked in the Dolomites, Himalayas, Patagonia etc) so I've been pretty spoiled when it comes to scenery, and therefore I wasn't really blown away by any scenery on the Francés or the Primitivo.
- I speak Spanish pretty well (probably upper B2 on a good day), so language barriers wouldn't be an issue on remote caminos.
- I like 'camino spirit' so I'd probably rather not be completely alone. But perhaps I could be convinced otherwise!
- I'm fine with albergues or private accommodation, though I'd obviously rather not spend too much.
Which of these (or another one that I haven't thought of yet) would you recommend?
- Invierno (10 days) + Finisterre (4 days). I didn’t make it to Finisterre on either of my first two caminos so that would be nice, although I’d feel a little bit bad by going without junglegirl. I don't know much about the Invierno.
- Salvador (5 days) + Primitivo (12-13 days), including the Camino Verde crossover to the Norte. I’ve already done the Primitivo, but I really liked it despite the poor weather. I would love to do it in better weather although the time of year would be almost identical. Plus, the Salvador and the crossover add some new elements and everyone I know who’s done the Salvador raved about it.
- Madrid (13 days) + Francés Sahagún-León (3 days). I don’t know much about the Madrid but if nothing else this one would be the easiest starting point for me to get to, by overnight train from Lisbon. I’ve already been to Segovia but it’ll have been 12 years since my visit by next year.
- Olvidado (@peregrina2000 did it in exactly 18 days!). Mostly I just love the name, but the recent @alansykes thread about it makes it sound pretty spectacular.
Thanks!
Yes, the Portuguese is an obvious choice but junglegirl is quite keen on doing the central from Lisbon so I don't think I could get away with doing it solo. I could do the coastal route from Porto but I'm less interested in that.How about the Camino Portugues from Lisbon (doable in 3 weeks) or - if you only have 18 days - from Santarém (skipping some of the road walking at the beginning)? This would enable you maximum flexibility as you could almost start from your home.
All this stuff is definitely right up my alley! Although it's a little bit unfortunate that if/when I get around to the CP, most of this won't be new for me because I have already been to Porto and Coimbra multiple times, as well as Conimbriga and Tomar.Santarém (lots of churches, City walls), Tomar (UNESCO heritage site and eldest synagogue in Portugal), Conigimbra (Roman excavations), Coimbra, Porto, Valenca and Tui offer lots of historic sites.
Invierno (10 days) + Finisterre (4 days). I didn’t make it to Finisterre on either of my first two caminos so that would be nice, although I’d feel a little bit bad by going without junglegirl. I don't know much about the Invierno.
Which of these (or another one that I haven't thought of yet) would you recommend?
- Salvador (5 days) + Primitivo (12-13 days), including the Camino Verde crossover to the Norte. I’ve already done the Primitivo, but I really liked it despite the poor weather. I would love to do it in better weather although the time of year would be almost identical. Plus, the Salvador and the crossover add some new elements and everyone I know who’s done the Salvador raved about it.
- Madrid (13 days) + Francés Sahagún-León (3 days). I don’t know much about the Madrid but if nothing else this one would be the easiest starting point for me to get to, by overnight train from Lisbon. I’ve already been to Segovia but it’ll have been 12 years since my visit by next year.
- Olvidado (@peregrina2000 did it in exactly 18 days!). Mostly I just love the name, but the recent @alansykes thread about it makes it sound pretty spectacular.
Thanks!
I didn't know about this! It sounds like a great addition to a possible Invierno.My comments on all four terrific options.
Another way to add days would be to do a circle from Ponferrada to some of the most beautiful countryside and towns I’ve walked through. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...n-splendor-from-ponferrada-or-el-acebo.27697/
Sounds fantastic. I had been thinking about the Rota Vicentina for junglegirl and I in the first two weeks of April (as a short option further south with warmer weather), but it seems she would rather do a 'proper camino'. So maybe we should do either the Madrid or the Invierno then. It looks like there was a fair bit of snow on the Madrid in April this year but as we know, this spring had unusually dreadful weather throughout most of the Iberian peninsula so I don't know if that should be a deterrent or not.The Camino de Madrid is in many ways a perfect camino.
@jungleboy , greetings.
If you are not wedded to walking in Spain I have something completly different for your consideration.
I'm planning the Primitivo next year, May/ June / July/ August, what would be the driest time ?I’m doing the primitivo in June 2019. Go for this one.
I walked Le Puy to Auvillar, adding in the Cele Variant and it was all incredible. It was a nice change of architecture and terrain from walking the caminos in Spain three times prior...That said, I love them all!@jungleboy , greetings.
If you are not wedded to walking in Spain I have something completly different for your consideration.
Le Puy-en-Velay to Moissac: 14 plus days - 416 km.
Le Puy is where one of the earliest recorded pilgrims to Compostella, Godelasco, started from. Le Puy is about two hours by train from Lyon, France's seond largest city. Lyon is about two hours by fast train from the rail station in Charles de Gaulle airport (20 km north east of Paris).
Their are a variety of gite d'etape (French equivalent of Spanish albergue) along the Way. I walked in April 2016 and had no trouble getting a bed at the first gite I stopped at each day. And most stops had more than one gite. Except in the smallest villages, an evening meal was usually on offer. As I do not speak French I did not book ahead except on two occassions. Then I asked my overnight hostess to make the call for me before leaving that morning.
You will likely encounter many French and Swiss doing as you are: spending one or two week of their annual leave on the Way, restarting from where they stopped last time.
There are a number of guides. The one I found most helpful for me was the Michelin 161 Chemins de Compostelle. It is neither thick, large or heavy. When opened, the top page shows a distance and elevation image with stops and major points of interest marked and a selection of accomodation with contact details. The facing page has a standard Michelin map for the stage with the route highlighted. This guide suggests 19 days to Moissac with half under 20 km. You can make your own stages: I managed Moissac in 14 days. Alternatively you could stop at Cahors after 345 km (Michelin suggests 16 days) with rail links to Paris.
There are a number of highlights. For me these included:
*) Massif Central - a plateau over 1,000 m asl - 4 or 5 days;
*) Estaing - fairy tale castle on a hill with the town around it;
*) Conques - monastery and medieval houses in a secluded valley;
*) Lauzerte - newish buildings, medieval streets on a rock outcrop.
And Moissac makes a good place to stop for a full day before moving on.
Moissac is served by rail with links to Paris (for example) through either Bordeaux or Toulouse.
Whatever you decide, kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going).
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?