How to finish this thing?

[Lhollo]

You may know that my partner and I have been doing our first Camino, the Frances, in stages: Aug/Sept 2021 was SJPDP to Belorado; this May/June (2022) was Belorado to Sarria, and our plan is to reach Finisterre next year.

We intended to walk the rest of the Frances, Sarria to Santiago then on to Finisterre.

But now we’re wondering… do we really want to return as part of the ‘100km crowd’?

To clarify, I think in many ways, the ‘100km crowd’ must be very interesting to experience and be a part of. I imagine we’d meet many people with profound reasons to walk. However, I also think it might be a much busier experience for us and I’m not sure how important that would be.

That said, on our last day walking—just last week!—we found Sarria very quiet! I was surprised. And then again, we spoke with just one new pilgrim there, a lady from Iceland who was there with a group of friends and pretty unprepared for everything to do with the Camino. Suddenly the next sections seemed a long way from the Camino we’d experienced so far.

Long and short of it… we’re also now looking at next year doing the Invierno instead of the Sarria to Santiago bit. We’d have to skip back to Ponferrada, of course.

We have to stay in private rooms because of my health condition, so that’d be a consideration.

What do you think? Should we do the last bit from Sarria, because it would complete the Frances, and maybe everyone should walk it once?

Or should we forget the ‘should’ and walk the Invierno, because we love the landscape and culture, and because I enjoy using my Spanish whilst there?

(Edit: Just to add… when I say ‘finish this thing’ I really mean “Reach Santiago so that I can get started on the Via de La Plata” Although that dream seems logistically a long way off).

 

[Former member 49149]

Oh, my goodness! Please erase should from your camino recentvocabulary. There are enough shoulds in everyday life. Soak up your most redcent experience and then, with whatever hindsight you can muster - make a fresh decision. You are the author.

You may know that my partner and I have been doing our first Camino, the Frances, in stages: Aug/Sept 2021 was SJPDP to Belorado; this May/June (2022) was Belorado to Sarria, and our plan is to reach Finisterre next year.

We intended to walk the rest of the Frances, Sarria to Santiago then on to Finisterre.

But now we’re wondering… do we really want to return as part of the ‘100km crowd’?

To clarify, I think in many ways, the ‘100km crowd’ must be very interesting to experience and be a part of. I imagine we’d meet many people with profound reasons to walk. However, I also think it might be a much busier experience for us and I’m not sure how important that would be.

That said, on our last day walking—just last week!—we found Sarria very quiet! I was surprised. And then again, we spoke with just one new pilgrim there, a lady from Iceland who was there with a group of friends and pretty unprepared for everything to do with the Camino. Suddenly the next sections seemed a long way from the Camino we’d experienced so far.

Long and short of it… we’re also now looking at next year doing the Invierno instead of the Sarria to Santiago bit. We’d have to skip back to Ponferrada, of course.

We have to stay in private rooms because of my health condition, so that’d be a consideration.

What do you think? Should we do the last bit from Sarria, because it would complete the Frances, and maybe everyone should walk it once?

Or should we forget the ‘should’ and walk the Invierno, because we love the landscape and culture, and because I enjoy using my Spanish whilst there?

(Edit: Just to add… when I say ‘finish this thing’ I really mean “Reach Santiago so that I can get started on the Via de La Plata” Although that dream seems logistically a long way off).

Oh, my goodness! Please erase should from your camino vocabulary. There are enough shoulds in everyday life. Soak up your lessons from your most recent experience and then, with whatever hindsight you can muster - make a fresh decision. You are the author.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Up to you but if you choose Sarria to Santiago then as long as you don't go in August and you leave Sarria mid-week then it won't be any more crowded than the rest of it.

Most of the people who walk from Sarria are locals and start on a weekend.

 

[Tincatinker]

Most of the people who walk from Sarria are locals and start on a weekend.

Very true. Sarria on an average Wednesday looks like an average town in Galicia with a few long-distance hikers wandering through. Most of the bars & restaurants will be open. They are "cerrada para descansar" Monday & Tuesday. With luck the Junta clean-up crews will have been through and the astonishing volume of litter along the trail will have vanished. For the next few days the mid-week wanderer will be behind one surge and well in front of the next. The Camereros will have lost that wild-eyed look and may even enjoy trying to improve your Spanish as you order Poyo (a dry sink-hole in Karst Limestone landscapes) rather than that chicken you were looking forward to. You'll get to eat Pulpo without 24 astonished Spaniards watching your every forkful.

And for @Lhollo, you'll get to complete that journey, that narrative, that you've walked for quite a while.

I've always hated stories where the ending is left hanging...

 

[Anamiri]

Up to you but if you choose Sarria to Santiago then as long as you don't go in August and you leave Sarria mid-week then it won't be any more crowded than the rest of it.

Most of the people who walk from Sarria are locals and start on a weekend.

I left Sarria on a Monday late September and it was a serious conga line

 

[Barbara]

I don't know. Could always walk the Ingles of you want a Compostela

 

[OzAnnie]

What do you think? Should we do the last bit from Sarria, because it would complete the Frances

You will always wonder if you don’t ‘finish it off ‘.
‘ What do I think ?” Well.. I like to finish what I start. I only walked the CF once and it all still holds good memories.

It’s up to you

Buen camino.

 

[mspath]

If you walk late in the year ie mid October or November without the hordes of summer all will be much easier. Some places will be closed but in the past when I walked late in autumn there was always some accommodation open. However, the weather can be cold. Be prepared.

 

[woody66]

OzAnnie said:​

You will always wonder if you don’t ‘finish it off ‘.
‘ What do I think ?” Well.. I like to finish what I start. I only walked the CF once and it all still holds good memories. It’s up to you

Hi Lindsey! that's my answer as well. It's up to you!
(Whether you choose to walk Sarria or Invierno it will be your choice; if great you will think great decision.
If it's awful your more likely to accept what comes your way and carry on.)
Only you know what you want from the Camino?

I think after all you have been through just to get to the starting line your a winner!
But to walk and finish is an amazing achievement!
Who knows what the experience will bring to you; good or bad it will defo leave it's mark !
I only walked the Coastal but walking into the cathedral square was the icing on my cake!
All the best Woody

 

[LavanyaLea]

Most of the people who walk from Sarria are locals and start on a weekend.

This is true! Most are locals who start on a weekend, hoping to reach Santiago by Fri/Sat, go to Sunday mass then go home.

We had to pause our Camino for several days and when we resumed, we were out of synch with the weekend starters. We also left earlier (6AM), but I was told if you have prebooked accommodation then if you leave after 10AM the trail will be quiet too. The last 3 days to Santiago (arrived on Tuesday) were very quiet bar the occasional horses and bikes.

 

[Zordmot]

You may know that my partner and I have been doing our first Camino, the Frances, in stages: Aug/Sept 2021 was SJPDP to Belorado; this May/June (2022) was Belorado to Sarria, and our plan is to reach Finisterre next year.

We intended to walk the rest of the Frances, Sarria to Santiago then on to Finisterre.

But now we’re wondering… do we really want to return as part of the ‘100km crowd’?

To clarify, I think in many ways, the ‘100km crowd’ must be very interesting to experience and be a part of. I imagine we’d meet many people with profound reasons to walk. However, I also think it might be a much busier experience for us and I’m not sure how important that would be.

That said, on our last day walking—just last week!—we found Sarria very quiet! I was surprised. And then again, we spoke with just one new pilgrim there, a lady from Iceland who was there with a group of friends and pretty unprepared for everything to do with the Camino. Suddenly the next sections seemed a long way from the Camino we’d experienced so far.

Long and short of it… we’re also now looking at next year doing the Invierno instead of the Sarria to Santiago bit. We’d have to skip back to Ponferrada, of course.

We have to stay in private rooms because of my health condition, so that’d be a consideration.

What do you think? Should we do the last bit from Sarria, because it would complete the Frances, and maybe everyone should walk it once?

Or should we forget the ‘should’ and walk the Invierno, because we love the landscape and culture, and because I enjoy using my Spanish whilst there?

(Edit: Just to add… when I say ‘finish this thing’ I really mean “Reach Santiago so that I can get started on the Via de La Plata” Although that dream seems logistically a long way off).

I’m writing this from an albergue on a Saturday evening in June between Sarria and Santiago. This part of the Camino bears very little resemblance to earlier segments. Groups of friends out for a weekend of fun together and families. I’m not dissing them, it’s just different. Different from the people I met on the first third of the CF who were here for the sense of community, the spirituality, the silence, and for meeting people. This is my third CF. If I walk again, I won’t do the final 100-130 km’s.

 

[vanrobin]

I walked Sarria to Santiago to Finisterre with my son last October and it was great, Not too busy and you get to visit Portomarin, one of the great towns on all of the Camino Frances. Depends when you go I guess but a few more people need not in any way undermine your Camino experience, and the walk to the coast is a wonderful conclusion. Go for it!!
'

 

[RJM]

I have been in Sarria at the height of the summer and found there to be very few pilgrims in town that day and no problems finding somewhere to stay. There really is no way of predicting day to day experiences when walking the Frances.

 

[Richmond Gardner]

Up to you but if you choose Sarria to Santiago then as long as you don't go in August and you leave Sarria mid-week then it won't be any more crowded than the rest of it.

Most of the people who walk from Sarria are locals and start on a weekend.

I walked through Melide onto Santiago from the Primitivo, in early September. There were still BIG crowds and school groups with boom boxes etc… so I would not underestimate crowds into September. That said, a little further off season might well solve the crowding issue. The infrastructure issue is, however, more durable. Bars, vendors and many more buildings along the way, make it a different experience than you are used to.
I think the Invierno would be a lot more solitary and nature oriented (although I have no actual experience to draw from).
Good luck with your choice!

 

[Isabelpilgrim]

You may know that my partner and I have been doing our first Camino, the Frances, in stages: Aug/Sept 2021 was SJPDP to Belorado; this May/June (2022) was Belorado to Sarria, and our plan is to reach Finisterre next year.

We intended to walk the rest of the Frances, Sarria to Santiago then on to Finisterre.

But now we’re wondering… do we really want to return as part of the ‘100km crowd’?

To clarify, I think in many ways, the ‘100km crowd’ must be very interesting to experience and be a part of. I imagine we’d meet many people with profound reasons to walk. However, I also think it might be a much busier experience for us and I’m not sure how important that would be.

That said, on our last day walking—just last week!—we found Sarria very quiet! I was surprised. And then again, we spoke with just one new pilgrim there, a lady from Iceland who was there with a group of friends and pretty unprepared for everything to do with the Camino. Suddenly the next sections seemed a long way from the Camino we’d experienced so far.

Long and short of it… we’re also now looking at next year doing the Invierno instead of the Sarria to Santiago bit. We’d have to skip back to Ponferrada, of course.

We have to stay in private rooms because of my health condition, so that’d be a consideration.

What do you think? Should we do the last bit from Sarria, because it would complete the Frances, and maybe everyone should walk it once?

Or should we forget the ‘should’ and walk the Invierno, because we love the landscape and culture, and because I enjoy using my Spanish whilst there?

(Edit: Just to add… when I say ‘finish this thing’ I really mean “Reach Santiago so that I can get started on the Via de La Plata” Although that dream seems logistically a long way off).

I always think of the last 100 kms as integration back to everyday life, taking what you've learned in the quieter days and applying it to the noise and busyness of life. But maybe since you've been walking in stages you have already done that. The Invite o looks pretty.

 

[Richmond Gardner]

I also came through Sarria on May 5, on the way to Santiago in 2017. Also quite busy then. Portomarin is a great stop along the way, with a nice restaurant overlooking an excellent view- so, highly recommend that. Also, Ezekiel’s (sp?) for pulpo, in Melide is a fun stop… maybe just go in October or April ( but not Semana Santa!)

 

[Philtration]

You may know that my partner and I have been doing our first Camino, the Frances, in stages: Aug/Sept 2021 was SJPDP to Belorado; this May/June (2022) was Belorado to Sarria, and our plan is to reach Finisterre next year.

We intended to walk the rest of the Frances, Sarria to Santiago then on to Finisterre.

But now we’re wondering… do we really want to return as part of the ‘100km crowd’?

To clarify, I think in many ways, the ‘100km crowd’ must be very interesting to experience and be a part of. I imagine we’d meet many people with profound reasons to walk. However, I also think it might be a much busier experience for us and I’m not sure how important that would be.

That said, on our last day walking—just last week!—we found Sarria very quiet! I was surprised. And then again, we spoke with just one new pilgrim there, a lady from Iceland who was there with a group of friends and pretty unprepared for everything to do with the Camino. Suddenly the next sections seemed a long way from the Camino we’d experienced so far.

Long and short of it… we’re also now looking at next year doing the Invierno instead of the Sarria to Santiago bit. We’d have to skip back to Ponferrada, of course.

We have to stay in private rooms because of my health condition, so that’d be a consideration.

What do you think? Should we do the last bit from Sarria, because it would complete the Frances, and maybe everyone should walk it once?

Or should we forget the ‘should’ and walk the Invierno, because we love the landscape and culture, and because I enjoy using my Spanish whilst there?

(Edit: Just to add… when I say ‘finish this thing’ I really mean “Reach Santiago so that I can get started on the Via de La Plata” Although that dream seems logistically a long way off).

If you get "Off Stage" and you will experience much less crowding in this final section. My brother and I encountered the conga line between Sarria and Portomarin last summer. We jumped a half stage ahead and it was instantly back to reasonable levels of crowding for the rest of the way to SdC. We also stayed in private rooms for health reasons and I believe we probably had an easier time getting reservations.

 

[maryloufrommadison]

You may know that my partner and I have been doing our first Camino, the Frances, in stages: Aug/Sept 2021 was SJPDP to Belorado; this May/June (2022) was Belorado to Sarria, and our plan is to reach Finisterre next year.

We intended to walk the rest of the Frances, Sarria to Santiago then on to Finisterre.

But now we’re wondering… do we really want to return as part of the ‘100km crowd’?

To clarify, I think in many ways, the ‘100km crowd’ must be very interesting to experience and be a part of. I imagine we’d meet many people with profound reasons to walk. However, I also think it might be a much busier experience for us and I’m not sure how important that would be.

That said, on our last day walking—just last week!—we found Sarria very quiet! I was surprised. And then again, we spoke with just one new pilgrim there, a lady from Iceland who was there with a group of friends and pretty unprepared for everything to do with the Camino. Suddenly the next sections seemed a long way from the Camino we’d experienced so far.

Long and short of it… we’re also now looking at next year doing the Invierno instead of the Sarria to Santiago bit. We’d have to skip back to Ponferrada, of course.

We have to stay in private rooms because of my health condition, so that’d be a consideration.

What do you think? Should we do the last bit from Sarria, because it would complete the Frances, and maybe everyone should walk it once?

Or should we forget the ‘should’ and walk the Invierno, because we love the landscape and culture, and because I enjoy using my Spanish whilst there?

(Edit: Just to add… when I say ‘finish this thing’ I really mean “Reach Santiago so that I can get started on the Via de La Plata” Although that dream seems logistically a long way off).

Last week it was quite crowded but not unpleasant. And the walk to Finisterre has been quiet and contemplative. I met several people on group tours (Sarria to Santiago) who were very thoughtful and interesting.

 

[Roland49]

As I walked in July 2019 it was a bit more crowded after Sarria. Yes, there were louder groups, too. Yip, they walked really slow and stand in my way, but there was nothing I would regret! The interactions with the groups were really pleasant.

In late spring or the early fall it will may be another experience. Or maybe I was just lucky. You never know.
Just walk!

 

[henrythedog]

Pick your time. The first and last quarters of the year are when you’ll find me on Camino. Accomodation takes a bit more planning; but there’s enough and if you’re looking for private rooms - as do I - it’s not an issue.

I love Santiago; but never again will I arrive via the Frances. There are lots of other options.

Try the Ingles - but don’t tell everyone.

 

[Lhollo]

Hi Lindsey! that's my answer as well. It's up to you!
(Whether you choose to walk Sarria or Invierno it will be your choice; if great you will think great decision.
If it's awful your more likely to accept what comes your way and carry on.)
Only you know what you want from the Camino?

I think after all you have been through just to get to the starting line your a winner!
But to walk and finish is an amazing achievement!
Who knows what the experience will bring to you; good or bad it will defo leave it's mark !
I only walked the Coastal but walking into the cathedral square was the icing on my cake!
All the best Woody

Thank you so much for this lovely response! Somehow, along with the other ideas people have posted here, this really helped to pull it all together for me. I do forget that it’s been difficult, largely because I’m aware that many people on the Camino have things much harder than I do!

 

[Lhollo]

Pick your time. The first and last quarters of the year are when you’ll find me on Camino. Accomodation takes a bit more planning; but there’s enough and if you’re looking for private rooms - as do I - it’s not an issue.

I love Santiago; but never again will I arrive via the Frances. There are lots of other options.

Try the Ingles - but don’t tell everyone.

The thing about the Inglés vs the Invierno is that, whereas the Invierno connects directly with the part of the Frances we’ve already done, just branching at a different angle to reach SdC, the Inglés is a completely different route. But we’ll look at it for a future Camino!

 

[Lhollo]

Thank you so much for all the responses above! They’ve really helped me to reach a decision…

It’s funny, in many ways, I wasn’t really seeing the Invierno as not finishing what I’d started because we would still walk from SJPDP to SdC East to West in a mostly continuous line. And yet, in another way, we wouldn’t have finished the most historical route in it’s entirety, so obviously that experience as a whole wouldn’t be complete.

Anyway, I got an offer today from Booking.com and took the plunge to book accommodation in SdC: I figure that’s the place that’s most likely to fill up.

I may be wrong, but I ended up looking at arriving there so as to both avoid weekend crowds on our arrival day but also to coincide with memorial services at the cathedral. I figure this may be more important than when we leave the Sarria area. As it is now, we’ll walk through Sarria on a Saturday.

I then just kept looking at the implications for days leaving Sarria. A key thing here is that we LOVED our lunch at the Pension A Fonte das Bodas, on the day when we walked through Samos, and I had the idea to stay there when we returned, then shoot through Sarria and stay somewhere on the far side of it.

So, I’m now three bookings into our next Camino: staying between stages, walking from June 10th. I know it may be busy, but hopefully the weather will be reasonable—I won’t have to carry too much extra cold-weather gear, which would be difficult for me—and we’ll strike a happy medium as regards the hoards.

I’ll post a separate thread about my plans for the stopover places (Edit: it now exists and is here), because I do have questions and dilemmas! Thanks again for your help here. You’re brilliant!

 

[David Tallan]

You may know that my partner and I have been doing our first Camino, the Frances, in stages: Aug/Sept 2021 was SJPDP to Belorado; this May/June (2022) was Belorado to Sarria, and our plan is to reach Finisterre next year.

We intended to walk the rest of the Frances, Sarria to Santiago then on to Finisterre.

But now we’re wondering… do we really want to return as part of the ‘100km crowd’?

To clarify, I think in many ways, the ‘100km crowd’ must be very interesting to experience and be a part of. I imagine we’d meet many people with profound reasons to walk. However, I also think it might be a much busier experience for us and I’m not sure how important that would be.

That said, on our last day walking—just last week!—we found Sarria very quiet! I was surprised. And then again, we spoke with just one new pilgrim there, a lady from Iceland who was there with a group of friends and pretty unprepared for everything to do with the Camino. Suddenly the next sections seemed a long way from the Camino we’d experienced so far.

Long and short of it… we’re also now looking at next year doing the Invierno instead of the Sarria to Santiago bit. We’d have to skip back to Ponferrada, of course.

We have to stay in private rooms because of my health condition, so that’d be a consideration.

What do you think? Should we do the last bit from Sarria, because it would complete the Frances, and maybe everyone should walk it once?

Or should we forget the ‘should’ and walk the Invierno, because we love the landscape and culture, and because I enjoy using my Spanish whilst there?

(Edit: Just to add… when I say ‘finish this thing’ I really mean “Reach Santiago so that I can get started on the Via de La Plata” Although that dream seems logistically a long way off).

It's really up to you. There isn't a "should" except to do what you want. I can tell you what I'd want to do, but it isn't necessarily applicable to you at all.

I would continue from Sarria. It makes one continuous route (even if completed during three different walks) and that is more pleasing to me. It gives me that sense of completion. And I don't mind having lots of other pilgrims around. I like other pilgrims! I'd save the Invierno for another Camino, where it happened "naturally" and didn't involve backtracking and a "loose end" in Sarria.

That doesn't mean you should do so, just because I would. You should definitely forget the "should", enjoy the landscape and culture, and use your Spanish whichever route you walk.

EDITED TO ADD: I see you've made your decision so this is all moot. But I stand by my advice anyways!

 

[hel&scott]

Your have had some good advice and made your decision so all the best for what ever route you take. I'm just sorry that you had to break up your trip into sections as completing the journey in a single go has a power of its own. But understand time and work commitments don't always allow for this and glad you sorting out logistics to suit you.

For us, just a week or two at a time wasn't an option so we saved up our time and took longer breaks, this can also be pretty tough on your body too. I see you want to do the VdlP and wish you well with this fab route when you get to it. You'll find it more isolated the the CF, which is its appeal. I remember that when we got to Sarria on our first Camino we were pretty shocked in the change (due more to the people then the terrain) but just got on with it and generally the days walking was fine and you could nearly always find a quiet spot to enjoy a beer at the end of the day.

The Finisterre route is interesting too and often provides a good way to end as sometimes Santiago can be an anticlimax and at least when you run out of land you know it's time to stop. It also gives you a chance to meet people who have often come up different routes. The main stops can be pretty busy, I remember one rowdy group trying to throw newbies out insisting that those who had travelled the furthered should get the beds. "Fine," said one fistey octogenarian "this pair have come half way around the world and walked 1000kms from Seville", given she had walked several thousand more kms from her home in the Netherlands and was planning on walking back, I thought she was pretty generous.