I want to do another one but which?

[MikeJS]

Walked the Francis in 2011 and the Norte in 2012. Had my right hip replaced immediately after my Norte trip (thought my leg was a little sore!) and now looking for another camino route. I would prefer something that ended in Santiago again as I just love the feel of the place as new pilgrims arrive each day. Time an distance is not a problem and I remain very fit and able (running most days again), also I would prefer something longer than just a couple of weeks. I am attracted by something like the Salvador (Leon to Oviedo) and then onto the Primitivo, but not sure if this would be a little too short for me - I like long hikes and am happy with longish (30km plus) stages. Must say I do prefer well marked stages as I do not like overly planning or having to have my head in a book or map all day! So on another cold day in UK anyone got some other suggestions?

Thank you - Mike

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Mike,

Please dont mention the weather.

In 2009 I walked the Camino Inglés by starting in Ferrol walking to SdC.

Then went to A Coruna and walked back to SdC.

Then to Muxia.

Have you walked to Finisterre, if not then maybe Inglés followed by Finisterre and on to Muxia.

The Camino Portugese is surely worth looking at. 2 weeks from Porto, a month if you start in Lisbon. Both accessible from England.

Let us know what you decide.

Oh, yes, I walked the Inglés with a blocked artery so I undestand what it means to come from the Camino and face surgery. Like you I obviously didn't know that I had an issue with my body.

Good job we both got back safely.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Mike,
Here's what I did last summer, which would add some weeks to the Salvador/Primitivo option that is so appealing:

Santander to San Vicente de la Barquera (a few days on the norte)
San Vicente to Potes (two days on the Camino Lebaniego)
Potes to Leon (the Camino Vadiniense)
Leon to Oviedo
Oviedo to Santiago

There's a separate forum section for Vadiniense, here is a link to my "report"
camino-vadiniense/topic14649.html

Sitting here in Illinois, USA, waiting for a huge snowstorm to hit, so I much prefer thinking about the Camino! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[MikeJS]

Methodist/Laurie - Thank you for your replies. Sat in Rottingdean near Brighton England on the south coast where it is supposed to be spring (last year it was 20 degs C). Today it is 1 deg!!

Yes I walked the Finisterre route as part of the Francis.

Thought about the Portugese route but have heard some less than flattering reports about the amount of road walking, poor signage and difficulty to obtain accommodation.

Laurie - Like your idea, although the Santander to San Vincent part was not my favourite section of the Norte. Will start doing some map plotting to get a general idea of the route.

Mike

 

[LTfit]

And what about the Via de la Plata (via Orense on the Sanabrés)? If you are looking for a longer route that will give you a mere 1,000 km to Santiago!

 

[LTfit]

And what about the Via de la Plata (via Orense on the Sanabrés)? If you are looking for a longer route that will give you a mere 1,000 km to Santiago!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Mike, I agree with your assessment of Santander to San Vicente, but you could of course start in Comillas or San Vicente itself without taking off too many kms.

And I second LTfit's suggestion of the Via de la Plata through Ourense, it's a wonderful walk and allows for lots of long stages. What month are you going to walk? I think most of us would say the Vdlp is best walked in spring, or very late in the fall. And if the Vdlp isn't long enough you could add on a few hundred kms by starting in Granada on the Camino Mozarabe.

One more possibility would be the Camino de Levante, which starts in Valencia. I haven't yet walked it, but you can get some reviews on the Levante section of the forum. I'm planning to walk in early May, and I"ll definitely be reporting back as I go. That should be 1100-1200 I think.

Lots of good choices, IMO. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[MikeJS]

Laurie/LTfit

I looked at the VdlP before and will again. I will be starting around 10 Sept so maybe it will not be too hot at the start!

Otherwise, at the moment I think Laurie’s combination is looking favourite. Probably fly into Santander and get transport out towards Comillas as the first part from Santander is not particularly attractive.

Thank you.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Mike,
Either one is a great choice, but if you like mountains, the Vadiniense/Salvador/Primitivo is definitely the way to go. I had a blog for friends and family, it's at this link if you're interested: http://caminovadiniense.blogspot.com/

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[MikeJS]

Laurie - Thank you for the blog link, that will help a lot.

When I walked the Norte last year we caught the train at Boo to avoid the detour and cross over the river. Took about 5 mins and its free for pilgrims!

 

[mikevasey]

Another possible option is starting in Madrid walking to sahgun then going to Leon, i have not walked the madrid route, but i keep hearing good things about it. you would have about 830 kms to santiago.

mike

 

[Anniesantiago]

I walked from Lourdes last year and it was wonderful!

I just posted the link to my blog on a post about the Aragones.
I love that route! You can hook up in Pamplona and continue to Santiago.

I'm considering finishing the VDLP this year - have you thought of that?

 

[MikeJS]

Annie/Mike - Thank you for your comments. Looked at the VdlP and it is on my short list but for some reason I am not drawn to it.

Currently, I think my favourite is Santander to San Vincent - NORTE
San Vincent to Pote - LEBANIEGO
Pote to Leon - VADINESE
Leon to Oviedo - SALVADOR
Oviedo - Melide - PRIMITIVO
Melide - SdC - FRANCES

but I may consider Camino Madrid to Leon an then pick up the above route at Leon! I walked my last 2 caminos with 2 different friends so am tempted to walk (or at least start) by myself this time…...

 

[peregrina2000]

Just to throw out another option for you, Mike,

You could walk Madrid - Sahagun - Ponferrada and in Ponferrada get on the lovely Camino de Invierno.

I've got a bunch of posts in both the Camino Madrid and the Camino de Invierno section, and here's my blog from two summers ago: http://peregrina2000.blogspot.com/

Based on the little you've said on these posts, I have a feeling you'd like the Invierno.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[MikeJS]

Laurie - Aaah, now another choice. Although it is great to be spoilt for choice as that means I can plan on another for 2014!!!

 

[peregrina2000]

Mike,
I know what you mean about choices. Here are some random comparisons between the two routes

-- in both you'll have some sections that aren't so pilgrim-ready. The Invierno has a couple of wonderful albergues, but a lot is in pensiones. Same is true for the Vadiniense. But if you want an unbroken line of good pilgrim infrastructure, the Madrid-Leon-Oviedo-Santiago combination would be hard to beat.

--on the VAdiniense-Salvador-Primitivo, you are alone at the beginning, but from Oviedo onward you will surely find your own wonderful camino family and will have some real albergue standouts (San Juan de Villapanada and Bodenaya would be at the top of my list).

-- on the Madrid-Invierno, you will essentially be alone the whole time (of course numbers are growing), except between Sahagun and Ponferrada (which is on the Frances), and from Laxe to Santiago (the Invierno merges with the Vdlp in Laxe, an albergue a few kms outside of the city of Lalin)

--Madrid to Sahagun is essentially flat, except the lovely day from Cercedilla over the pass of Fonfria. But the pilgrim infrastructure is astonishingly good. I did walk with two Spanish pilgrims for about 6 days but after that I was without exception the only person in every albergue I slept in. I'm a 62 year old woman, never felt anxious or creeped out.

--For mountains, the Vadiniense/Salvador/Primitivo is hard to beat. There is more road walking on the Norte/Vadiniense segments than on any of the others but the scenery is pretty incredible and the off-road stages (much of Potes to Fuente De and Fuente De through the Picos) are spectacular, not to mention the Buiza-Pajares stages on the Salvador, which are also incredible.

If you think you will be back to do both of these two alternatives, I think the pairings I used are sensible, but if you think you will only do one, maybe madrid-leon-Oviedo-Santiago is the best in terms of totality of off-road walking, pilgrim infrastructure, and the strength of the pilgrim community on the Primitivo from Oviedo to Santiago.

There's no bad decision here, that's for sure! Laurie

 

[MikeJS]

Laurie - Thank you very much for the last set of details. Now cogitating on the best choice, but at least I have months to decide! Happy to be by myself and happy to stay in pensions/hotels if necessary. In the next few weeks I will try to find some mapping info as although I will not plan step by step and am pretty happy to let things flow I do want to know what the end of the day option are! Don’t like feeling that I have to stop at 1 pm because I do not know if the next place to stay is within distance. Have done this a few times only to find another lovely place to stay 2 to 3 hours down the round that I had no prior knowledge of!!

Thank you for your help.
Mike (my login name - MikeIan - came from my first camino when I walked with Ian!)