How would you rank the Caminos by difficulty?

[ksam]

Which one did you like most

If it ain't easy...I like it!!

Seriously...the solitude on that route is amazing. For 5 1/2 days I was the only one walking. One evening there were to French cyclists. For those reasons I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a first time camino.

 

[Keith H]

I hear ya on the difficulty thing. The ‘Road Less Travelled’ and all that. I don’t get to speak from any Camino experience so I’ll start with the Frances. I have been looking at other Caminos for future trips.

 

[David Tallan]

Hmmm ok so here's my HO!

Portuguese (from Tui)
Ingles
Frances
Del Norte (from Muros de Nalon)
Invierno (from Monforte de Lemos)

The only reason for the Invierno being marked "hardest" is because of markings...or lack there of! There are longer stretches too as there is so little infrastructure. But ask me which one I liked the most

Which one did you like the most? And why?

 

[camster]

Can someone explain me why the VDLP is thought to be hard? Is it hard mentally bc of long stretches or is it hilly? I thought it was rather flat. Maybe it's because of the distances between stages? I would like to do it someday and I'm trying to understand what makes it a 'harder' camino than say, the Francés.

 

[NomadBoomer]

Can someone explain me why the VDLP is thought to be hard? Is it hard mentally bc of long stretches or is it hilly? I thought it was rather flat. Maybe it's because of the distances between stages? I would like to do it someday and I'm trying to understand what makes it a 'harder' camino than say, the Francés.

I walked the second half from Salamanca. I didn't find it particularly hard. Compared to the Frances the gaps between shops / coffee / alburgues is much longer on average. The number of other walkers is much less. You need to be more self reliant than on the Frances but that suited me.

 

[domigee]

Can someone explain me why the VDLP is thought to be hard? Is it hard mentally bc of long stretches or is it hilly? I thought it was rather flat. Maybe it's because of the distances between stages? I would like to do it someday and I'm trying to understand what makes it a 'harder' camino than say, the Francés.

There are fewer cafes, for instance. And sometimes, although your guidebook says there are 3, all 3 are closed... You need to carry more water... There are greater distances between albergues, too.
But nothing unmanageable!
I walked it in June and for me, the heat was the main difficulty to start with. An umbrella made it easier but I remember it was very difficult to sleep at night.

 

[C clearly]

Can someone explain me why the VDLP is thought to be hard? Is it hard mentally bc of long stretches or is it hilly? I thought it was rather flat. Maybe it's because of the distances between stages? I would like to do it someday and I'm trying to understand what makes it a 'harder' camino than say, the Francés.

I walked from Seville to Astorga as a moderately fit 69-year-old who prefers to do 20-25 km/day but can do 30-35 when necessary. The route is not difficult, as long as you avoid the hot season (I walked Mar-Apr) and you do a sensible amount of planning to avoid getting into a difficult situation. I recommend that you:

• Know where the lodgings are for a couple of days ahead, so you can plan suitable stages. This is no problem. Several guides are available for the route, and booking.com is also handy.
• Know what the options are for the 3 stages where you might need help to manage distances over 30 km (Castilblanco to Almadén de la Plata; Embalse de Alcántara if the albergue is closed; Cáparra).
• Take appropriate snacks and water.
• Use a phone with WhatsApp so you can confirm the situation at some key albergues.
• Have maps.me on your phone with the tracks marked.
• Learn some Spanish.

If you are prepared in these ways, you will probably not find it any more difficult than the Francés. Come to think of it, the above advice would be appropriate for any Camino, but not necessary for the Francés.

 

[chrisje]

It’s longer than the Frances, longer daily distances, less cafes and if you turn on to the Sanabres more hills. But so beautiful ! We started 8 sept and for 14 days it was realy hot but we didn’t have to walk in the water !

 

[Canche]

Salvador is easier than Frances?

Much, much more difficult than Frances

 

[lunna]

In my opinion...and it appears to be the opinion of others here who have walked the VdlP....

The second hand report that the Via de la Plata is monotonous reported above is far off line.
The 1000 km distance takes you virtually across Spain from the South to the North direction. It goes though Roman towns with ruins, through wonderful towns like Salamanca, cattle ranches, past rivers and lakes, through National Parks and countless small villages. It is a very different local culture than the Norte or CF.

Boring is the last word I would use to describe it.

The vdlp (including sanabres) may be my favorite walk of all. Absolutely not boring or monotonous. More meseta than the frances, but the meseta itself is wonderful.

 

[lunna]

I haven't walked Via de la Plata. But I've heard repeatedly how boring the Meseta is on the Frances. To the contrary, I've chosen to walk that section again because I love it so much. But talking about which is boring or most beautiful is like the answers you get to what kind of shoes. Ask 5 people and you will get 5 wildly different opinions.

The meseta is fantastic!

 

[MichaelC]

I liked the meseta, but I think I liked it as part of a larger whole that included the Pyrenees and Galicia.
I’ve been following friends on social media who are walking the VDLP this fall. It looks soooo flat. As much as I liked the meseta, I’m not sure I’d like it for weeks-on-end.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I liked the meseta, but I think I liked it as part of a larger whole that included the Pyrenees and Galicia.
I’ve been following friends on social media who are walking the VDLP this fall. It looks soooo flat. As much as I liked the meseta, I’m not sure I’d like it for weeks-on-end.

That's been my fear too, but I keep hearing otherwise...there must be something to what they are saying. I'm keeping it "tucked away for another day".

 

[lunna]

That's been my fear too, but I keep hearing otherwise...there must be something to wgat they are saying. I'm keeping it "tucked away for another day".

A tip - don't overthink this!

 

[Canche]

The meseta is fantastic!

I hated the one after Leon and would never go on anoyhet Camino that had one. To each his own. I need dramatic beauty so it’s Norte, Primitivo, San Salvador for me

 

[Tincatinker]

Camino by order of difficulty? 1st Camino; 2nd camino; 3rd camino, 4. 5th camino, 6th camino, 7th camino, more...

 

[David Tallan]

[On the meseta] I hated the one after Leon and would never go on [another] Camino that had one. To each his own. I need dramatic beauty so it’s Norte, Primitivo, San Salvador for me

There's hardly any meseta after Leon. Maybe a couple of days to Astorga. That's not a lot to base such a judgement on. When most people talk about "the meseta" on the Camino Frances, they are talking about before Leon. There is also dramatic beauty in endless fields of wheat and enormous skyscapes.

 

[trecile]

I hated the one after Leon and would never go on anoyhet Camino that had one. To each his own. I need dramatic beauty so it’s Norte, Primitivo, San Salvador for me

Yeah, no natural beauty on the Meseta...

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Agree...it's just awful looking down on Castrojerez from the castle above.

 

[MichaelC]

It was a touch more barren in October

 

[Camino Chrissy]

View attachment 66504
It was a touch more barren in October

Yes, just a "touch"!

 

[trecile]

View attachment 66504
It was a touch more barren in October

Yes, time of year is a key factor.