How much past Pamplona

[sree]

Hi - I am walking the initial part of the camino - starting from SJPP. I dont have too many days vacation, and so limited by how much I can walk. I was thinking of walking up to Pampalona - but was wondering if I would miss a beautiful part of the camino if I didnt make it up to Estella? My option would be to take a bus up to Burgos and visit the church there? Any recommendations on what I should do, if I had a day or two, after reaching pamplona?

 

[MIAPilgrim]

Start in SJPDP and go as far as you can. I wouldn't skip in your situation. That way you can start where you left off on your next trip.

Burgos is a great town to tour and catch transportation if you do decide to jump ahead for travel logistics home.

 

[Tincatinker]

St Jean to Pamplona is usually a three day hike, Estella five to six days depending on how fit you are starting out. Burgos is double that. I'm not sure I understand your question. If you want to walk from St Jean and only have limited time, fine. Walk from St Jean and stop when you run out of time. The Camino will still be there next time, and the Cathedral at Burgos has been there for quite a while and isn't going anywhere else soon.

 

[HalfDomeOrBust]

Hi Sree, I'm with MIAPilgrim and Tincatinker on this one. Start in SJPDP and go as far as you can with the time you have. Use a bus to get yourself set up logistically to get back home then either Plane or train. Buen Camino. Ed

 

[whariwharangi]

There is nothing particularly outstanding about the scenery on the camino throughout its length. Yeah it varies, yeah its pretty such as it is. But it is either cultivated land or urbanized areas. Even the forests are obviously planted. News flash ... there is nothing spectacular to see on the camino. The beauty of the camino is that it provides a place to walk for a long distance ... as long as you want.

The biggest problem of running out of time in the middle of nowhere in particular is that you have to get back to your transport home.

Si yo fuera tu, I would spend a couple days in Pamplona. The old fortifications and old streets are as memorable as anything else on the camino. Pintxos are to be had and so is good Navarra wine.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Ha, just got scolded on another thread when I suggested one not just do the beautiful bits but walk from point A and just go until she run put of time. Then I thought, on the CF the only truly beautiful bits are the day from SJPP though the mountain and a view past El Perdon. It is about the long distance opportunity. Well said.

 

[GettingThere]

There is nothing particularly outstanding about the scenery on the camino throughout its length. Yeah it varies, yeah its pretty such as it is. But it is either cultivated land or urbanized areas. Even the forests are obviously planted. News flash ... there is nothing spectacular to see on the camino. The beauty of the camino is that it provides a place to walk for a long distance ... as long as you want.

Wow. Really?? Just - wow. I guess I kind of feel sorry for you (and @Anemone del Camino ), if you were never struck by the sheer glory of the landscape you walked through - and no, it is certainly not all either cultivated or urbanized. Although - yeah, I guess all those old cathedrals and things get a bit blah after a while... And no, I don't live in some beauty-deprived urban jungle such that any old tree or hill blows me away. I live in a beautiful part of the world, and I found the scenery on the Camino Frances staggeringly beautiful at times. Of course there are urban areas and cultivated areas (also beautiful, many of them), but... words fail me. I really don't know how to respond except with a few of my own photos.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Yup, really. Pretty, lovely, yes. But those sceneries are not what make the Camino.

 

[GettingThere]

Yup, really. Pretty, lovely, yes. But those sceneries are not what make the Camino.

Well no, of course not. But that's a very long way from saying there is nothing outstanding about the scenery on the Camino, as @whariwharangi did, or that it's just "about the long distance opportunity" as you did. I just thought, how sad. But maybe I'm missing the point, thinking that appreciating the beauty of the landscape in all its forms, in this country that welcomes us so generously, is part of what makes this such a special, significant journey. That's just my personal view - not trying to impose it on anyone else.

 

[Thornley]

Well no, of course not. But that's a very long way from saying there is nothing outstanding about the scenery on the Camino, as @whariwharangi did, or that it's just "about the long distance opportunity" as you did. I just thought, how sad. But maybe I'm missing the point, thinking that appreciating the beauty of the landscape in all its forms, in this country that welcomes us so generously, is part of what makes this such a special, significant journey. That's just my personal view - not trying to impose it on anyone else.

I think i know what they mean G'there.
Whariaharangi lives in BC and the scenery there is seriously beautiful.
Anemore has walked the Norte and also the Primitivo.
I can guarantee you that sections of the Le Puy, Norte and Primitivo have scenery we found more .........isn't this really something.... in my opinion more stunning than Frances.
Then again i took 400 photos in 08 when doing the camino so something must have been nice.

 

[whariwharangi]

Wow. Really?? Just - wow. I guess I kind of feel sorry for you (and @Anemone del Camino ), if you were never struck by the sheer glory of the landscape you walked through - and no, it is certainly not all either cultivated or urbanized. Although - yeah, I guess all those old cathedrals and things get a bit blah after a while... And no, I don't live in some beauty-deprived urban jungle such that any old tree or hill blows me away. I live in a beautiful part of the world, and I found the scenery on the Camino Frances staggeringly beautiful at times. Of course there are urban areas and cultivated areas (also beautiful, many of them), but... words fail me. I really don't know how to respond except with a few of my own photos.

Your pictures show how attractive the scenery along the camino is. Attractive isn't spectacular.

I think this is spectacular but that's just me, no accounting for taste:

Torres del Paine Chile. The circuit around this pile of rocks is 10 days of more of the same mountain scenery ... *sigh* I could go back ... except I refuse to get rooked for a reciprocity tax.

 

[GettingThere]

Your pictures show how attractive the scenery along the camino is. Attractive isn't spectacular.

I think this is spectacular but that's just me, no accounting for taste:
View attachment 20526
Torres del Paine Chile. The circuit around this pile of rocks is 10 days of more of the same mountain scenery ... *sigh* I could go back ... except I refuse to get rooked for a reciprocity tax.

That's a spectacular view, of course it is! And I also found parts of the Camino spectacular, but as you say, no accounting for taste. I guess the point is that everyone experiences things differently. The OP's question is unanswerable of course, for that reason. I guess I just have very lovely memories of some glorious days on the Camino, which no camera could really capture, and your comment about the beauty of the Camino being the long distance seemed an injustice to those days. Which is my problem of course, not yours! Or maybe it's just a matter of different use of language. I should probably say, I thought there was some really quite nice scenery on the Camino. Really quite - pretty, imho!

 

[C clearly]

But maybe I'm missing the point, thinking that appreciating the beauty of the landscape in all its forms, in this country that welcomes us so generously, is part of what makes this such a special, significant journey.

I think that is exactly what Anemone and Whariwhargi are saying. The beauty is not so much in impressive physical features, it is in the overall experience and appreciating the beauty of the landscape in all its forms - good, bad and indifferent. To say that the scenery is not "spectacular" is not disrespecting it at all. It emphasizes the fact that the beauty is subtle, and is so much in the eyes of the beholder. I thought that crossing the Pyrenees was lovely and even glorious, but there are many other places I'd go if I was mainly seeking spectacular scenery.

 

[GettingThere]

I think that is exactly what Anemone and Whariwhargi are saying. The beauty is not so much in impressive physical features, it is in the overall experience and appreciating the beauty of the landscape in all its forms - good, bad and indifferent. To say that the scenery is not "spectacular" is not disrespecting it at all. It emphasizes the fact that the beauty is subtle, and is so much in the eyes of the beholder. I thought that crossing the Pyrenees was lovely and even glorious, but there are many other places I'd go if I was mainly seeking spectacular scenery.

Well of course, and I don't think I said otherwise. Just that, as I tried to say in my subsequent post, this is all very subjective and everyone has a different experience. But I'm happy to go along with your interpretation of what they meant! Hmmm. This Camino thing seems to have affected me more than I realized, getting upset about perceived dissing of the views!! Guess I'd better go back and do it again....

 

[CaminoCruiser]

Yup, really. Pretty, lovely, yes. But those sceneries are not what make the Camino.

Again, that's all a matter of personal taste isn't it? You may not think it is but obviously others do. It would be a pretty boring world if we all liked the same things.

 

[bystander]

Yup, really. Pretty, lovely, yes. But those sceneries are not what make the Camino.

Again, that's all a matter of personal taste isn't it?

"To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour."
William Blake

Beauty is in the eye of the.........

 

[Bozzie]

Well no, of course not. But that's a very long way from saying there is nothing outstanding about the scenery on the Camino, as @whariwharangi did, or that it's just "about the long distance opportunity" as you did. I just thought, how sad. But maybe I'm missing the point, thinking that appreciating the beauty of the landscape in all its forms, in this country that welcomes us so generously, is part of what makes this such a special, significant journey. That's just my personal view - not trying to impose it on anyone else.

I totally agree with you, Getting There...wondering if perhaps some people walk the fabulous Way blindfolded or perhaps just blinded by the beauty! hahaha

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I think the most important on what @whariwharangi and I agree on is that what is truly particular about the Caminos is that "The beauty of the camino is that it provides a place to walk for a long distance".

There are lovely landscapes around the world, and certainly the Norte and Primitivo have some spots that take your breath away, including on the CF.

But where is there another place than on the Caminos where one can walk for days on end like we do? Especially in such comfort and such a low cost. Of course our appreciation of the landscape is subjective, but that was not the essence of the point. The fact is that what is unique, or really quite rare, because there are a few here that do walk across Europe quite a bit, is the opportunity to WALK long distance, no matter what you are looking at.

If it were a matter of beauty, or lack thereof, and of me not finding beauty on the CF, I would not have posted a picture of the photograph I asked a fellow forum member for from his CF to have printed in a large format and have paid a small fortune to have framed to hang in my office. Of course, if anyone has a stunning picture of the Hospitales route or the small beach past Hazas I'm a taker! ;0)

 

[whariwharangi]

I took 625 photos. Nearly all of them are showing buildings, bridges, signs, or other cultural feature. Most of the scenery shots are taken of the sea at Finisterre.

The OP was afraid to miss some beautiful section of the camino. I'm sticking to my point that there is nothing spectacular enough along the camino to go out of your way to see. There is nothing to recommend walking any section over another. If you are going to walk for the scenery it doesn't really matter where you do that along the camino; its all good. It makes more sense (in my opinion) for the OP to stop at Pamplona and hoist in the sights there than to continue for a couple more days and end up compounding issues of transportation logistics.

 

[sree]

Thank you all for your perspectives on the Camino...I can tell, its going to be awesome!

 

[MIAPilgrim]

It will work out. May be good to have an idea of the bus and train options in advance so you can have certain cities in mind as you walk, You can keep your options open.

I had a similar experience. I knew I would not have enough time to complete the Camino in 2013 but in the last few days, I gauged where I could take a train from to head back to Madrid. (For me it was Ponferrada)

My prediction: this may be your first camino, but it won't be your last.
Buen Camino, sree!

 

[Scott Sweeney]

I guess it completely depends on the individual, as they say "la belleza esta en el ojo del espectador". I cannot think of any place I've been or any day God has given me that I have not seen something of spectacular beauty. To say " nothing particularly outstanding about the scenery", I am truly sorry. I've walked in downpours on the meseta and been amazed how beautiful those waves of rain seem to surf or dance over plush green fields. Or stand in Muxia and look into the ocean or watch the sunset in Muxia. Truly sorry.

 

[C clearly]

I am truly sorry.

I'm certain the "disagreement" reflects the way different people verbalize their experiences. Some people rave and speak in superlatives, while others understate their feelings. Please don't feel sorry for me if I describe my joys in more modest terms.

 

[CaptBuddy]