Help with my camino.

[katiawt]

I´ll have only 28 days and I don´t like running. As a matter of fact I love going slow
I´ll be on the camino next october.
Is this a good plan or I have to change it??

Pamplona - Puente La Reina 23,5
Puente la Reina - Estella 22,1
Estella - Los Arcos 21,1
Los Arcos - Logroño 27,8
Logroño - Nájera 28,7
Nájera - S. Domingo de la Calçada 20,9
S. Domingo - Viloria de Rioja 15,3
Viloria de Rioja - LEON - by bus
LEON
Leon - Villandangos del Paramo 20,1
Villandangos del Paramo - Astorga 28,1
Astorga - Rabanal del Camino 20,2
Rabanal del Camino - Molinaseca 24,8
Molinaseca - Vilafranca del Bierzo 30,2
Vilafranca del Bierzo - Las Herrerias 20,4
Las Hjerrerias - Alto de Poio 16,7
Alto de Poio - Triacastela 12,3 - rest a little after so many "ups"
Triacastela - Sarria 24,6
Sarria - Portomarin 22,5
Portomarin - Palas del rei 24,8
Palas del rei - Arzúa 28,9
Arzúa - O Pedrouso 18,5
O Pedrouso - Santiago 20
Santiago 2 days
The end...

Thanks for any advice, I don´t mind changing everything, it´s plan time!!!

 

[Madidi]

It's whatever you feel is right for you. Slow or fast or bits of both, everyone's Camino is different.

You have set out a very do-able programme and include some lovely walks: I particularly like Rabanal to Molinaseca walk, spectacular!!

Buen Camino

 

[Kiwi-family]

This plan serves the purpose of showing you that you can cover the distance in the days you have available. It also shows you are willing to take a bus. SO now, just go to Pamplona and start walking. Go as far as you feel comfortable with. Don't worry about sticking to your plan. If you discover you are "falling behind" closer to the end you cant take a bus to "catch up". Unless you have a particular reason to stop at a certain place (eg you want to experience Vespers at Rabanal) you won't need to make plans to be anywhere in particular. Listen to your body and see how the journey unfolds.

 

[whariwharangi]

Find a way to add another 7 to 14 days. Start in SJPdP and walk the whole distance.

You may never get a chance to walk the camino again. Give yourself the gift of time to live the experience of it.

And if 28 days is all you have now ... walk from SJPdP (or maybe even LePuy or other start point) till your time runs out then come back another year (if you feel you must) and walk the rest.

Santiago de Compostela is just the stated goal. Its almost a let down when you get there. The real trip, the real deal experience, is in the travel on the road ... thats what the pilgrimage is about ... it matters nought if you don't actually get to Santiago.

 

[NoQ]

With respect to the previous poster, I feel it does matter to many whether Santiago is reached or not. To walk the Camino with a mission and goal to pray at the resting place of St James is hugely significant and motivational and of course has been for centuries. Visiting churches, cathedrals and shrines along the way is highly relevant too, but to reach Santiago to offer prayers is what sets this walk apart from the many other trails across the planet that may also have set stages with accommodation available at the end of the day (such as the Coast to Coast).

 

[zammy]

If you wish to reach Santiago and you wish to walk the camino without hopping in the middle-I suggest you calculate 25 km per day (max) + one zero day every 6 days and then decide where to start.
there is nothing special in starting in Pamplona.
Give yourself at least day and a half to enjoy Santiago.
There's no need to set your stops along the camino as you will be walking off off season.
Just walk and stop where you wish, or where you hiking friends that you will have decide to stop, or where and when you are tired or where you decide to tour around for a day.
No rules, you are free as the wind.

 

[KinkyOne]

I must agree with most of the previous posts that on the Camino you should be as free as possible to change your plans. But if you'll stick to your plan I have some suggestions:

- from Sto.Domingo de la Calzada to Viloria de la Rioja: guess you want to stay at Acacio y Orietta overnight , but from there I don't think many connections to Leon are available. 9km onwards there's Belorado with good connections to Burgos and from there to Leon,
- in this case you'll miss the Meseta :cry: ,
- Herrerias - Alto do Poio: there's really nothing interesting or nice at Alto do Poio so I suggest you proceed another 3,5km (mainly downhill) do Fonfria where is very nice albergue on the left at the entrance to the village. Next day you can do planned 12km, but to Samos monastery which is really worth visiting and sleeping there.

I don't know from which source you got the distances, but it varies up to 3km +/- to that in Brierleys guidebook (which I found very accurate, and I'm not mentioning this for commercial reasons). It's not a big deal when planing 16km and find out that you have to add 3km, but when planning 28km stage that's something else. Nevertheless you have a lo of time remaining to decide how and where you're going to do your Camino.

Ultreia!

 

[SYates]

... it matters nought if you don't actually get to Santiago.

That might be the case for you, and I respect that, but please respect also that for many other pilgrims it does matter very much to reach the Cathedral! SY

 

[SYates]

I´ll have only 28 days and I don´t like running. As a matter of fact I love going slow
I´ll be on the camino next october.
Is this a good plan or I have to change it??
...
Thanks for any advice, I don´t mind changing everything, it´s plan time!!!

Hi,

I personally would start in Burgos (very easy to get to) and walk all the way to Santiago. You will always "miss" something, no matter where you start. The reason I suggest that you do a more continuous walk is that, most likely, you will make many friends on the way that will become your "Camino Family". Leaving them because you need to take the bus will hurt a lot, more perhaps than knowing that you "missed" some of the previous stages by starting later, SY

 

[brawblether]

Find a way to add another 7 to 14 days. Start in SJPdP and walk the whole distance.

Umm...SJPP is not the "start"!! There is no "whole thing!!" The Camino is a pilgriage, whether one walks it for that reason or not, one starts where one starts and THAT is the "start!" To say SJPP is the "start" is to discount all the routes through France culminating at that point, to say nothing of the other routes which don't connect to the Camino Frances, and goes against any notion of pilgrimage.

 

[CaptBuddy]

Find a way to add another 7 to 14 days. Start in SJPdP and walk the whole distance.

Umm...SJPP is not the "start"!! There is no "whole thing!!" The Camino is a pilgriage, whether one walks it for that reason or not, one starts where one starts and THAT is the "start!" To say SJPP is the "start" is to discount all the routes through France culminating at that point, to say nothing of the other routes which don't connect to the Camino Frances, and goes against any notion of pilgrimage.

I have to agree 100% with brawblether. But I would add one more thing: There is no end for the pilgrimage either.

Buen Camino.

 

[annakappa]

Santiago de Compostela is just the stated goal. Its almost a let down when you get there. The real trip, the real deal experience, is in the travel on the road ... thats what the pilgrimage is about ... it matters nought if you don't actually get to Santiago.[/quote

WHAT!!!
To walk down the final flight of steps and turn the corner into the Plaza del Obredoiro and finally face the Cathedral and then walk up the steps, enter the Cathedral and kneel and give thanks for having arrived safe and sound after, often soooo many weeks of walking, often with unforeseen tribulations - how can that be a let down?
The experience of the journey is unforgettable but Santiago is the destination! After all, it's a Pilgrimage - at least for many! Anne

 

[Kanga]

I agree with SYates. Walking continuously as part of a loose knit community is important, especially on your first camino. If you treat the Camino as a sightseeing trip, trying to cherry-pick the "best" bits, then that's what it will be - a sightseeing trip. Which is fine by me but probably isn't really what you intended.
Burgos is as good a starting place as St Jean. As is Leon, Sarria, and many other places. Paris is as good a starting place as St Jean. Le Puy is as good a starting place as St Jean.
With your time frame Burgos sounds about right - it has a wonderful cathedral and you can start from there, ask a priest to bless you before you set out if you want "official" sanction.
And go back another year and walk the earlier sections in Spain or France or a route other than the Frances. You will want to.

 

[ZacM]

Re: Re: Help with my camino.

Find a way to add another 7 to 14 days. Start in SJPdP and walk the whole distance.

Umm...SJPP is not the "start"!! There is no "whole thing!!" The Camino is a pilgriage, whether one walks it for that reason or not, one starts where one starts and THAT is the "start!" To say SJPP is the "start" is to discount all the routes through France culminating at that point, to say nothing of the other routes which don't connect to the Camino Frances, and goes against any notion of pilgrimage.

I agree. I believe you have started your Camino once you leave your house. I will be going on retreat to prepare spiritually for mine a few days before and even though I still will be in the States, I consider myself to have begun my journey already.

That being said, buen camino!!!

 

[Olivares]

Go from Estella to Torres del Rio instead of Los Arcos. The Camino after Los Arcos to Torres del Rio is a very pleasant, easy walk and the extra kms will make easier the next couple of days which are a bit rougher terrain.

 

[jpflavin1]

Katiawt:

There is nothing wrong with your plan nor is there any bad plan. That said, the Camino itself will have something to say about your journey.

You have picked a starting point. My recommendation it that you pack light, start slowly and just let the Camino be your guide.

Ultreya,
Joe