If you were in a rush, which stages would you skip and why?

[DingDong]

I'm getting a bit nervous that I didn't budget enough time for the walk, and I don't feel like running or being stressed all the time, so if I'm thinking there might be a stage or two in the middle that I might skip, any recommendations?

 

[whariwharangi]

If you think you don't have enough time, skip the first part and start closer to Santiago. You'll not want to break up your journey experience with bus trips.

And if you still don't have enough time ... nothing says you have to finish in Santiago. Its just this pile of rocks you know, not a whole lot different from the other baroque heaps of stone you'll pass by enroute.

 

[Robo]

A common question and a tough one.
If you start gathering a group of friends around you, you won't want to skip parts, as you may get separated.

Very tough call. All sections have their merits.

Maybe pick a start point and walk till you run out of time, then come back?

 

[Mike Savage]

I don't know what works best for you but I prefer a continuous journey. Also one of the hardest things for me to do on any camino is break up my camino family.

Buen Camino and good luck with your decision.

 

[tomnorth]

I'm getting a bit nervous that I didn't budget enough time for the walk, and I don't feel like running or being stressed all the time, so if I'm thinking there might be a stage or two in the middle that I might skip, any recommendations?

How much time have you allowed yourself? It would be helpful to know that. There are taxis all along the way, so rather than skip entire sections you might find that you can take the odd taxi/bus day and not really miss any sections of the Camino.

 

[trecile]

I agree that if you are limited in time start closer to Santiago if it's important to you to finish there. Otherwise just walk continuously as far as you can. You can always go back to finish.

 

[peregrina2000]

So, the first question I would ask is -- what are you rushing towards?

If it's that you want to get the compostela, then I would start at a point that makes it more likely that you will get to Santiago. IMO, there is absolutely no point in walking on the camino and feeling pushed to get going, get there, keep to a schedule. You can do that at home.

There is no beginning point. I've met people who have walked from the Netherlands, from Germany, from Istanbul, from Poland. But they all just walked out their front door and had unlimited time. If that's not you, and if you really want to walk into Santiago on limited time, then pick a reasonable starting point. Just my opinion.

 

[JabbaPapa]

There's nothing "special" about starting in SJPP -- just start closer to Santiago, and then skip nothing.

 

[AJ]

Santiago. Its just this pile of rocks you know, not a whole lot different from the other baroque heaps of stone you'll pass by enroute.

PHEW!!!!!!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

If you are behind in your schedule by Burgos consider renting a bicycle to travel through the meseta or a portion of it. There are companies that cater to pilgrims that want to do this. This way you can finish your planned route under your own power and not miss anything.

 

[DurhamParish]

At the risk of being called a blasphemer, I'd skip any of the parts between Burgos and Hospital de Obrigo. While I find that section to have some inspiring moments, walking along beside a busy highway on a flat, dusty senda tends to get a bit tedious after a while.

 

[Niels]

I'm getting a bit nervous that I didn't budget enough time for the walk, and I don't feel like running or being stressed all the time, so if I'm thinking there might be a stage or two in the middle that I might skip, any recommendations?

If I was in a rush? I simply wouldn't go. I think, you're missing the point of doing the Camino ... Wait, 'till you got the time!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

At the risk of being called a blasphemer, I'd skip any of the parts between Burgos and Hospital de Obrigo. While I find that section to have some inspiring moments, walking along beside a busy highway on a flat, dusty senda tends to get a bit tedious after a while.

There is an alternative to walking along the road.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

If you are behind in your schedule by Burgos consider renting a bicycle to travel through the meseta or a portion of it. There are companies that cater to pilgrims that want to do this. This way you can finish your planned route under your own power and not miss anything.

What do you then do with your backpack? I can assume they rwntthe bikes with the paniers, but do they fit a backpack?

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

What do you then do with your backpack? I can assume they rwntthe bikes with the paniers, but do they fit a backpack?

I'm no help here. We didn't do a bicycle rental and when passed by a fellow walker, now on a bike, we didn't ask and I can't remember what she did with the pack.

 

[Former member 35551]

I know someone who rented a bike when he hurt his leg. Kept his pack on his back.

 

[november_moon]

I think if you rent a bike, you could send your pack ahead with a pack transport company like Jacotrans.

I think that starting closer to Santiago is a good idea. We only had about 3 weeks to walk, so we started in Burgos.

 

[owms2323]

I'm getting a bit nervous that I didn't budget enough time for the walk, and I don't feel like running or being stressed all the time, so if I'm thinking there might be a stage or two in the middle that I might skip, any recommendations?

I would skip walking into and out of Leon. Leon, itself, is beautiful, but we trained in and bussed out. You can skip a couple of stages that way and not really miss much

 

[RENSHAW]

There's nothing "special" about starting in SJPP -- just start closer to Santiago, and then skip nothing.

Ah ah ahhhhhhhhhhh? Hehe - I have never started from SJPP but always think that it would be nice to do so. Of my many experiences I certainly value my first ever start at Roncesvalles in 2003 - MAGIC and the Zubiri Municipal Albergue - what a derelict dump at the time but my first taste of camino heaven after a days walk.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

I'm sure this is unique for each person but for my two cents worth I found the 'magic' of the Camino in the least likely places. Sure, sitting in the Pilgrim's Mass in SDC was moving and unforgettable but I had far more profound moments walking alone in deep snow across the Pyrenees or in the sticky mud crossing the Meseta. Those are the moments that truly defined my experience and if I had skipped them in a quest for a piece of paper I sincerely doubt I would have ultimately transformed from Trekker to Pilgrim. I guess I'm saying you don't know where the magic will happen so planning for it probably won't work out as you hope it will. As wisely mentioned above, decide why you are doing this first and you'll be able to answer your own question.
Wishing you a Buen Camino.

 

[mspath]

Like jozero in the post above I have sensed "camino magic" in surprising places.

On every camino there were stretches which seemed to be in another world. Past were the hoards of camera-clicking tourists and/or pilgrims as well as any urbane atmosphere with a bar at every corner. All was reduced to simple basics; I was alone on a seemingly endless gravel path beneath the vast dome of an immense sky. The only sound was the companionable crunch of my boots and perhaps distant birdsong.

Happily for me while tramping along and alone I often sensed that special moment when everything 'clicked' realizing that this was, indeed, MY way and that all was and would be good. ...Perhaps such secular transcendence felt while walking might be akin to what runners call 'the zone'. Your body can handle the task while your spirit glows with the effort. Neither easy, nor impossible; all simply is. ...Thus, thankfully you continue.

 

[Purky]

Like jozero in the post above I have sensed "camino magic" in surprising places.

On every camino there were stretches which seem to be in another world. Past were the hoards of camera-clicking tourists and/or pilgrims as well as any urbane atmosphere with a bar at every corner. All was reduced to simple basics; I was alone on a seemingly endless gravel path beneath the vast dome of an immense sky. The only sound was the companionable crunch of my boots and perhaps distant birdsong.

Happily for me while tramping along and alone I oftened sensed that special moment when everything 'clicked' realizing that this was, indeed, MY way and that all was and would be good. ...Perhaps such secular transcendence felt while walking might be akin to what runners call 'the zone'. Your body can handle the task while your spirit glows with the effort. Neither easy, nor impossible; all simply is. ...Thus, thankfully you continue.

I just spent the better part of an hour trying to formulate why your post moved me so. Luckily I remembered that less is more, so I deleted the lot. You articulated what is at the core of the 'grace' I felt during my camino. And nailed it. Thanks for that.

 

[MaryLynn]

At the risk of being called a blasphemer, I'd skip any of the parts between Burgos and Hospital de Obrigo. While I find that section to have some inspiring moments, walking along beside a busy highway on a flat, dusty senda tends to get a bit tedious after a while.

The Camino out of Burgos is not always next to a busy highway. Near Calzada del Coto, ~5km after Sahagun, the path splits and you could choose the right-hand path and walk the old Roman Road to Mansilla de Los Mulas in a quiet, wide open landscape--my very favourite part of the Camino. Although I like every part of the Camino, Burgos to Mansilla feels like the essence of the Camino to me. As already suggested, either figure out how much time you have and and calculate backward to determine your best starting point for reaching Santiago or start in St.Jean (or before) and go as far as you have time--then next year you can walk the part you missed. (You may be hooked!)

 

[DurhamParish]

There is an alternative to walking along the road.

Yes, I guess there is always walking "on" the road.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Yes, I guess there is always walking "on" the road.

No, there is a path that takes you away from the road.

 

[Curlygirl]

First of all, many people skip sections due to time constraints, health and other reasons.

If you want to skip a stage and are in a place where there is taxi service to take you to the beginning of the next stage that same day then you can skip a stage and walk the subsequent stage easily in a day.

Keep in mind that if you have to take public transportation to skip that stage you may be no farther ahead as the transport might not arrive in time for you to walk the subsequent stage on that day. So you may have to skip two sections in a day to catch up with your schedule. Also public transportation may not be available with any consistency in small towns. So that would affect where you could skip. I would say once you have started walking and realize you may not make it to Santiago when you want to, calculate how many stages you need to skip and skip them all at once. I believe it will be less stressful for you.

Walking out of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is awesome. If you want to start there do so. If you do skip you will most likely lose touch with the pilgrims you have been walking with and, that will be sad, however you will meet other wonderful people as well.

Buen Camino!

 

[Deleted member 12253]

I'm getting a bit nervous that I didn't budget enough time for the walk, and I don't feel like running or being stressed all the time, so if I'm thinking there might be a stage or two in the middle that I might skip, any recommendations?

Dont skip sections. Start finish and you can always go back

 

[wally]

you didn't state which route you had planned to take so let's assume we are talking about the camino frances

The hike from SJPDP, France over to Pamplona is long, difficult, and tricky.

It's nice to visit SJPDP, stop in at pilgrim office, get a flavor of french countryside (yadda, yadda). if you were in a real rush, you could then take the bus from SJPDP to Pamplona and cut off about 3 days of hiking

buen camino

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

I'm getting a bit nervous that I didn't budget enough time for the walk, and I don't feel like running or being stressed all the time, so if I'm thinking there might be a stage or two in the middle that I might skip, any recommendations?

Hi,
Question , why rush ??

Begin in SJPdP and see where it brings you in the time you have and come back to the Camino to pick up your walk where you ended it .

Wish you well,Peter.

 

[Ding]

Thanks to those that gave genuine answers about which sections they would skip. To the others, I would remind you that indeed everyone has their own reasons for walking the camino, and while you may not understand another person's reasons, that does not make them any less meaningful.

 

[BiggBlue]

In my travels, I remember people more than I remember places. As I have often said "I would rather be in the wrong place with the right people than the right place with the wrong people".

Personally if walking for the experience of opening yourself up to the experience of Camino, Start at the beginning and just keep walking until you run out of time. You will meet remarkable people, have amazing once in a lifetime conversations, drink too much wine one night, get lost one morning and be able to share it all with your Camino companions.