How long did it take you to walk from SJPP to Santiago?

[TravellingSonn]

Hi All,

I start my Camino this coming September. At present I'm in the throws of booking all my various flights, due to restrictions on some of these tickets, I would greatly appreciate if anyone can share how long it took them to walk from SJPP to Santiago.

I'm hoping this will give me a rough idea how long it might take me. I'm a healthy and fit 29 yo female walking the Camino alone.

Thanks for your help
Love and light to you all
Sonia

 

[Anonymous]

No Caminotrotter, took me 44 days, walking slowly/comfortably. Buen Camino, xm 8)

 

[Donovan]

Hi Sonia,

Coming from Australia I faced the same problem. Eventually I allowed 35 days from SJPP, which I found to be a comfortable amount. Many people were travelling at about that pace, perhaps plus or minus a couple of days. Faster is certainly possible, but you start missing out on the experience of the Camino

Cheers.........Donovan

 

[spursfan]

Just to give you some idea of the other end of the distribution - I took 20 days, walking for just over 7 hours a day and a couple of others did it in 21 days - as otherwise I was getting to my intended refuge (following Brierley's 33 day schedule) by lunchtime or a little after

Certainly do-able in 25-30 days, you just have to walk for a bit longer during the day: practice some walking with 5-6 kg load and see how far you can comfortably walk in 4 or 7 hours

 

[oursonpolaire]

While I have done it faster (31 days), I would schedule 35 days, which would allow you to pace yourself more carefully in the first week while your body gets used to the strain of continuous walking with a pack-- I should note that I saw more people in their 20s having physical problems on the Camino than any other age group, mainly becaused they pushed themselves too much at the beginning.

As well, this permits you to hang out with slower people you may end up making friends with, and also will allow you to take a day in Burgos or Leon checking the place out, or take a detour through Samos, or to Silos or wherever you please, and not thereby stress you out.

Enjoy it.

 

[debonthecamino]

how fast from St. Jean

It took me exactly 4 weeks, May 12 to June 12 in 2006. I didn't make any great effort to go fast, just listened to my body. Wasn't in any super-fit condition either.

Deb
http://www.onthecamino.squarespace.com

 

[TravellingSonn]

Hi Everyone,

Wow, the reponses I've recieved vary quite a bit, especially Spursfan, that's amazing! From all my research I believe that's the quickest time I've come across....Did you run all the way? :lol:

I have 6 weeks off work, in my head I was thinking it may take me 30 days at the most, but after all your responses, I've decided to go with the flow, so whether it takes me 28 days or 35 days, who knows I'll keep on walking at a nice pace.

If I finish my Camino any earlier, I'll continue on to Italy for the last part of my adventure, otherwise I'm happy just to have completed a 10 year dream. Hence I shall only book my tickets for my Camino at this point in time.

Thanks again everyone

 

[Anonymous]

If I finish my Camino any earlier, I'll continue on to Italy for the last part of my adventure...

Excellent idea.. Last year I had a bit of time left and hopped on a train to Chartres, via Paris, a life-long dream. The amazing thing was that Chartres is located on the Camino. Best, xm 8)

 

[sillydoll]

Onto Italy

Hi there,
You could do two pilgrimage trails in one visit to Europe! If you have a week left over you could walk the St Francis trail in Italy. It is an 80km walk divided into eight stops that have been blessed by the presence of Saint Francis. You get a credential and a certificate at the end.
Visit the website here - it also has a pilgrim Forum.
http://www.camminodifrancesco.it/eng/index.php

 

[spursfan]

At the end of my Camino I found Santiago a bit touristy so I went to Finnisterre by bus for the day - and that provided a much quieter and peaceful end

 

[Minkey]

Spursfan, even for 7 hours a day, that's a hell of a lot of ground to cover in such a short space of time... :shock:

 

[spursfan]

Well actually 7.25 hours walking per day giving an average speed of 5.5 km p/hr - well I do like walking

The most I walked in a day was 57km or so from Hospital de Orbigo to Riego including all the climbing up to the Croix de Fer and down some taking something like 10.5 hours - after a rare evening meal of steak and chips and a coke and a good night's sleep, I was fine and rested the following morning

 

[Minkey]

That's quite some pace, I'll give you that... About 4.5 mph.

Longest I did was from Carrion de los Condes to Sahagun. It was nice and overcast to start with, then the sun broke out in the middle of the afternoon. I was a broken man by the end of that day, having guzzled a stupid amount of water.

Personally I prefer to do it over a longer period, but if that's the way you like to do it, then that's cool. Each to their own and all that.

 

[spursfan]

It's only 3.5 miles an hour - though when I walk on the flat carrying liquid only for a morning I can average 4.5 miles an hour

 

[Minkey]

Dur... That's right, being a bit dim for a moment then.

 

[Magnara]

We took 5 weeks, with three days off in the middle in Leon. We took a bus for 100 km in the middle to get to Leon as we were suffering injuries and decided to get to Leon and have a few days rest in an interesting place. It was an excellent decision for us, and I don't know if we would have been able to finish without that break. The rest of our journey we felt very fit and happy.
So, just do what feels right for you as you go along, that's part of the pleasure of the camino, just living it - different from being heged in by the demands and habits of our normal daily life.
There are no rules on the camino, it's just you and your feet and the horizon - lovely!

 

[Deleted member 12253]

Hi All,

I start my Camino this coming September. At present I'm in the throws of booking all my various flights, due to restrictions on some of these tickets, I would greatly appreciate if anyone can share how long it took them to walk from SJPP to Santiago.

I'm hoping this will give me a rough idea how long it might take me. I'm a healthy and fit 29 yo female walking the Camino alone.

Thanks for your help
Love and light to you all
Sonia

30 days but most people take 33 days

 

[Dave2525]

I took 33 days with no rest days. I had booked some but didn't need them so I used it at the end for some extra time in Santiago

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I took 39 days including 2 rest days, but I walked slow and definately smelled the roses along the way.

 

[Koidream]

We walked for 30 days and did 3 more days to Finisterre.
Buen Camino!

 

[Koidream]

...I can average 4.5 miles an hour

That is 7,2km/h... average!!!
respect

The fastest I can walk, without gear and without starting to run, is only 6,8km/h (and not longer then an hour)

 

[Houlet]

22 days, start at first light, early finish, but to be fair I walk fairly quickly and do not sightsee or take more than a fifteen minute break. It is not for everybody but it suits me.

 

[Deleted member 75649]

29 days for me walking every day. I then spent 3 nights in Finisterre which I went to by bus.
I didn't really enjoy this as it rained and was cold however one swim. I wished I had walked there

 

[Former member 77504]

Hi !
I walked the Francès Backwards, from Santiago to SJPP last autumn. It took me 25 days.
I'm 64 and walk caminos twice a year since 2009, with a light backpack.
Buen Camino !
Gilles

 

[Isobeljc]

Greetings,
We did it in a total of 40 days which included 3 rest days.
Could have done it quicker but we had self confessed turtles among our new Camino family.
Ended up timing it to arrive in Santiago on the 31st October 2017, just in time for All Saints Day.
A very special time.

 

[spursfan]

That is 7,2km/h... average!!!
respect

The fastest I can walk, without gear and without starting to run, is only 6,8km/h (and not longer then an hour)

On the Camino these days my best average pace for a whole day with a pack of up to 5kg is 4.5-4,8 km/hr

 

[Former member 49149]

Sonia, I was twice your age, and likely twice your weight, if half your height when I walked from Roncesvalles to Santiago. We were working on an average of 25km a day. We used the ST James Guide, and Eroski, for stages. By the time we got to Portomarin, stamina had kicked in so when we had to do an additional 13km that day, and the following day we also covered more kms we actually got there in 29 days, so it would be 30 if we had begun in France. We never did take rest days, but always started early to try to avoid the noonday heat, and it was around 7 hours walking, and I even timed myself: 12 mins one km! One of the greatest, because unexpected, delights was Boadilla en el Camino. Behind a huge wall, through an ancient door - a secret garden, a kidney shaped pool, and wonderful hospitality. Another, the blessing of the Belgian albergue where the hospitaleras came to the waiting queue with platters of melon and watermelon. Pure nectar. You will have your own unforgettable moments. Buen camino!

 

[Kanga]

Between 34 and 38 days. I like to look.

 

[C clearly]

40 days

 

[GaryAus]

I took 36 days. 33 days of walking, and rest days Pamplona, Burgos and Leon. Started 13 Nov 2017 SJPP and finished Compostela 17 December 2017. Split first “Brierley leg” in two by stopping at Valcarlos and made up a day later by walking 2 consecutive 35k days on the Meseta just after Burgos. I made the mistake of getting straight off the plane from Australia, one nights sleep, and then walking on arrival SJPP. Took me a week to get over jet lag and start to sleep properly. Wouldn’t do that again! Best advice is start slowly and build into it. Do bigger days later when you are fitter and the body adjusted to the daily grind.

 

[Lirsy]

For me it was 30 days .... but I promised that the next camino(this year) will take me 40 days as a minimum!! I really want to find out a lot more about the cities/towns/villages that you see along the camino!!

 

[CWBuff]

That is 7,2km/h... average!!!
respect

The fastest I can walk, without gear and without starting to run, is only 6,8km/h (and not longer then an hour)

I try to stay at 3.6mph (6kmph) but it is hard sometimes

 

[Lindsay53]

I have planned for 40 days, which, all going well, will allow me to walk to Finisterre and have a couple of rest days/side trips as well. Coming from Australia is a big commitment in time and money and I want to savour the journey without rushing.

 

[CWBuff]

I have planned for 40 days, which, all going well, will allow me to walk to Finisterre and have a couple of rest days/side trips as well. Coming from Australia is a big commitment in time and money and I want to savour the journey without rushing.

Same here (well I started with 40 but upping it to 41, planning to leave a day earlier to save on air fare)
So 36 days SJPdP --> SdC (x day) and then 4 days Finisterre
As it seems this should be a good pace
Good luck and Buen Camino

 

[AndrewDavOz]

I have allowed 36 days including some rest days. I will depart SJPP on 27th August. Age will be 70 by then. I’ll wave as you pass me by.
Andrew

 

[Reija]

31 days, I was 46 and my daughter was 16 at the time. We had done zero training before, but regularly commuting by bike had yielded me a good basic fitness level and my daughter's young age helped her to get in shape really fast. The first days were bad for her. We played by ear every day, and sometimes changed our plan in the afternoon if we simply felt like we were not done yet. If I hadn't got a nasty stomach bug somewhere after Leon, we might have finished a day or two earlier.