I only have 5 days

Kate Allenger · Apr 25, 2016

Hi Pilgrims!

I'm dying to walk the Camino de Santiago and plan to do the whole walk next year. I'd love to get a taster for the walk this summer though, around the 3rd week in August. I will be walking alone and would love to hear suggestions about where to start/finish with 5 days of walking. I hear it is very safe to walk alone, but would love some reassurance.
Thank you in advance for your help
Kate

Peter Fransiscus · Apr 25, 2016

Kate Allenger said:
Hi Pilgrims!

I'm dying to walk the Camino de Santiago and plan to do the whole walk next year. I'd love to get a taster for the walk this summer though, around the 3rd week in August. I will be walking alone and would love to hear suggestions about where to start/finish with 5 days of walking. I hear it is very safe to walk alone, but would love some reassurance.
Thank you in advance for your help
Kate

Hi Kate. You are planning to walk the Camino Frances next year. You have 5 days this year, why not walk from Santiago to Finistere. It‘s a nice walk.
Wish you a wonderful time and a Buen Camino, Peter.

Richard Ward · Apr 25, 2016

Why not start in SJPdP and hike to Pamplona? I just did it in 3 days, but 5 days would be about perfect. If your first three overnights are Orisson, Roncesvalles, and Zubiri you will meet lots of people, and get an idea of what to do right the next time. Buen Camino!

SabsP · Apr 25, 2016

Kate Allenger said:
Hi Pilgrims!

I'm dying to walk the Camino de Santiago and plan to do the whole walk next year. I'd love to get a taster for the walk this summer though, around the 3rd week in August. I will be walking alone and would love to hear suggestions about where to start/finish with 5 days of walking. I hear it is very safe to walk alone, but would love some reassurance.
Thank you in advance for your help
Kate

Hi Kate and welcome here.

First of all : do you have to travel far to get to Spain? Important in terms of jetlag and getting to your departure point of your choice? For instance if you land in Madrid most bigger cities on the Camino Frances are more or less easily reachable by public transport.
Pamplona , Leon , Leon, Burgos, Ponferrrada or Astorga are all bigger cities that could be a good starting point.

Secondly, is it important for you to earn the Compostela? Therefore you will have to walk t00 k towards Compostela. In that case Sarria is an option.

Other shorter routes are the Ingles from Ferrol or the Portugues from Tui.

trecile · Apr 25, 2016

Kate Allenger said:
Hi Pilgrims!

I'm dying to walk the Camino de Santiago and plan to do the whole walk next year. I'd love to get a taster for the walk this summer though, around the 3rd week in August. I will be walking alone and would love to hear suggestions about where to start/finish with 5 days of walking. I hear it is very safe to walk alone, but would love some reassurance.
Thank you in advance for your help
Kate

If you want to walk the Frances you could start in SJPDP, walk as far as you can, then continue next year where you left off.

Kate Allenger · Apr 25, 2016

Peter Fransiscus said:
Hi Kate. You are planning to walk the Camino Frances next year. You have 5 days this year, why not walk from Santiago to Finistere. It‘s a nice walk.
Wish you a wonderful time and a Buen Camino, Peter.

Thank you so much for your help. Are there albergues on this section? I really love the sound of them and would prefer them to pensions or hotels. Kate

Kate Allenger · Apr 25, 2016

trecile said:
If you want to walk the Frances you could start in SJPDP, walk as far as you can, then continue next year where you left off.

Thanks very much for your help. Kate

Kate Allenger · Apr 25, 2016

SabineP said:
Hi Kate and welcome here.

First of all : do you have to travel far to get to Spain? Important in terms of jetlag and getting to your departure point of your choice? For instance if you land in Madrid most bigger cities on the Camino Frances are more or less easily reachable by public transport.
Pamplona , Leon , Leon, Burgos, Ponferrrada or Astorga are all bigger cities that could be a good starting point.

Secondly, is it important for you to earn the Compostela? Therefore you will have to walk t00 k towards Compostela. In that case Sarria is an option.

Other shorter routes are the Ingles from Ferrol or the Portugues from Tui.

Hi there and thanks for your help. It's not important to earn the Compostela.

NiniSum · Apr 25, 2016

I think the best 3 options have already been posted; and I would agree with them all! Starting in SJPP to Pamplona with a night in Orisson will give you 4 days of walking with an extra day to explore Pamplona. Walking from Santiago to Finisterre is a beautiful walk, and I would imagine in August you won't be alone on that route. Plus you are able to receive a Finisterre compostela. And then if you want a compostela from Santiago, you would need to do the Sarria to Santiago. If it was me, I would either do SJPP - Pamplona or the Finisterre route. Save the Sarria to Santiago for the following year when you will enjoy the satisfaction of entering Santiago after starting in either SJPP or starting where you leave off this August in Pamplona.

Whew!..... that felt long-winded!

buen camino!

Kate Allenger · Apr 25, 2016

Richard Ward said:
Why not start in SJPdP and hike to Pamplona? I just did it in 3 days, but 5 days would be about perfect. If your first three overnights are Orisson, Roncesvalles, and Zubiri you will meet lots of people, and get an idea of what to do right the next time. Buen Camino!

Hi Richard, thanks for your help. I'm just scared that if I start in SJPdP, after 5 days, I won't want to stop and then I'll be in terrible trouble with my job and my daughter!! Ha Ha!

jefferyonthecamino · Apr 25, 2016

Kate Allenger said:
Hi Pilgrims!

I'm dying to walk the Camino de Santiago and plan to do the whole walk next year. I'd love to get a taster for the walk this summer though, around the 3rd week in August. I will be walking alone and would love to hear suggestions about where to start/finish with 5 days of walking. I hear it is very safe to walk alone, but would love some reassurance.
Thank you in advance for your help
Kate

Do the Aragonés section of the Camino, starting in Somport or Jaca and finish in Puente la Reina. That way you wont walk the same section twice and taster it will be
Good luck and Buen Camino

Davey Boyd · Apr 26, 2016

Hi Kate, If i had five days for my first Camino I wouldn't recomend Sarria as a start point. I would probably go for Santiago to Finisterre, as mentioned above you would receive a Compostela for this too. and it is a lovely walk with some nice Albergues. There is a good guide book by Brierley too.

A more adventurous 5 days would be maybe the Camino San Salvador (Leon to Oviedo), but it is a really mountainous and sometimes lonely route, though some say the most beautiful of all the Caminos. I walked it last year and it was spectacular! Although I like jefferyonthecamino's suggestion of the Arogones route - Somport to Puenta la Reina too!https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/members/jefferyonthecamino.34547/

Let us know what you choose and how you get on!

Buen Camino!

Davey

Deleted member 3000 · Apr 26, 2016

For a great five day walk, I would suggest Leon to Ponferrada. Both cities are easy to access by bus or train, and the scenery is fantastic. You get to load up on chocolate and cocido Maragato in Astorga, and leave a stone at the Iron Cross. The first couple of days out of Leon are rolling hills, so you build up a bit before the big climb to the Iron Cross. It is a bit over 100 km with stopping places about every 5 km except for the first day when you have to choose Villadangos or Mazarife.

Anemone del Camino · Apr 26, 2016

Surely you have done some research for next year, so why not pick where ever you aim to star or perhaps a stretch that scares you and get that out of the way?

Dutchwalk53 · Apr 26, 2016

I agree with

NiniSum said:
I think the best 3 options have already been posted; and I would agree with them all! Starting in SJPP to Pamplona with a night in Orisson will give you 4 days of walking with an extra day to explore Pamplona. Walking from Santiago to Finisterre is a beautiful walk, and I would imagine in August you won't be alone on that route. Plus you are able to receive a Finisterre compostela. And then if you want a compostela from Santiago, you would need to do the Sarria to Santiago. If it was me, I would either do SJPP - Pamplona or the Finisterre route. Save the Sarria to Santiago for the following year when you will enjoy the satisfaction of entering Santiago after starting in either SJPP or starting where you leave off this August in Pamplona.

Whew!..... that felt long-winded!

buen camino!

I agree......If you are sure you're going again next year....I would save Sarria to Santiago for then. However if you are not sure, then you may want to do this stretch. It's obviously all personal. Sarria to Santiago, scenery wise, was my least favorite stretch....But others love it. I liked Pamplona to Logrono ( 4 days max ) Nice vineyards, small hills (Alte de perdon) and good food (Pamplona and Logrono) and nice towns to walk through or sleep (Los Arcos, Puente de la Reina and Viana) Have fun figuring out all these opinions

daesdaemar · Apr 26, 2016

I was faced with same issue several years ago and did the Camino Ingles. I loved it and gave me the flavor of doing a "complete" Camino.

Aglass · May 1, 2016

Davey Boyd said:
Hi Kate, If i had five days for my first Camino I wouldn't recomend Sarria as a start point. I would probably go for Santiago to Finisterre, as mentioned above you would receive a Compostela for this too. and it is a lovely walk with some nice Albergues. There is a good guide book by Brierley too.

A more adventurous 5 days would be maybe the Camino San Salvador (Leon to Oviedo), but it is a really mountainous and sometimes lonely route, though some say the most beautiful of all the Caminos. I walked it last year and it was spectacular! Although I like jefferyonthecamino's suggestion of the Arogones route - Somport to Puenta la Reina too!

Let us know what you choose and how you get on!

Buen Camino!

Davey

Hi Davey,
Just seen your post from last year re the Salvador. Which month did you do it? When you say 'lonely', did you meet any other pilgrims along the way? I a certainly not looking for the hordes but the odd chat would be good! Best, Andrew

Al the optimist · May 1, 2016

I go with daesdaemar. The Ingles is a lovely introduction to Caminos. Frequent buses Santiago to Ferrol or A Coruna from the Santiago bus station right next to where the airport bus arrives. Note no compostela if walking from A Coruna. As you are only going for a few days might I guess that you might be going from Europe? If England then note that there are flights with Vueling from Heathrow to A Coruna (there are no buses A Coruna to Ferrol).
See Johnnie Walkers guide to the Ingles (under resources tab above). You can choose a variety of days depending on your time-scale and fitness level. I wish you well in your decision.
Buen Camino.

Davey Boyd · May 2, 2016

Aglass said:
Hi Davey,
Just seen your post from last year re the Salvador. Which month did you do it? When you say 'lonely', did you meet any other pilgrims along the way? I a certainly not looking for the hordes but the odd chat would be good! Best, Andrew

Hi Anglass, I walked the San Salvador from July 6th to July 11th last year. I met a Spanish pilgrim on the first day from Leon and we walked together. Most of the time we saw no other pilgrims, though we did meet others in some of the albergues on the way. Sometimes we had the albergues to ourselves. When you start in leon you can ask at the albergue you stay in if they know anybody going up the San Salvador. There are probably a few each day in summer. Some of the albergues on the Salvador only open if a pilgrim turns up, you might have to ring up for the key or go and fetch the key from the mayor! It is a wonderful route and stunningly beautiful! I hope to walk it again this year. Recommended. Go for it!

Davey

Aglass · May 4, 2016

Davey Boyd said:
Hi Anglass, I walked the San Salvador from July 6th to July 11th last year. I met a Spanish pilgrim on the first day from Leon and we walked together. Most of the time we saw no other pilgrims, though we did meet others in some of the albergues on the way. Sometimes we had the albergues to ourselves. When you start in leon you can ask at the albergue you stay in if they know anybody going up the San Salvador. There are probably a few each day in summer. Some of the albergues on the Salvador only open if a pilgrim turns up, you might have to ring up for the key or go and fetch the key from the mayor! It is a wonderful route and stunningly beautiful! I hope to walk it again this year. Recommended. Go for it!

Davey

Thanks for your advice Davey. Let me see if I can fit it in this year. Enjoy your repeat walk. Regards, Andrew

Aglass · May 6, 2016

Aglass said:
Thanks for your advice Davey. Let me see if I can fit it in this year. Enjoy your repeat walk. Regards, Andrew

Booked..heading off on 30 June

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I only have 5 days

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