is this too crazy?

[Dexi]

Hello, Starting April 2024 I´m planning on doing around 60-75days on the camino. My plan is to start Camino del Norte in Bilbao. In Gijon I would take transport to León and do San Salvador and then in Oviedo do the Primitivo. And of course finish with Camino Finisterre

 

[OZAJ]

No. Not crazy at all. I did something similar in 2010, starting with the Voie de Vezelay and including part of the Frances, Salvador, Primitivo and back to the Frances. 1790 km in total over 70 days. I did 't continue to Fisterra.

 

[trecile]

Not crazy at all. Lots of people have strung several routes together. In 2019 I walked the Francés from SJPdP to León, then the Salvador to Oviedo. From there I walked to Avilés and continued in the Norte to Santiago, then on to Finisterre.

 

[Anamya]

If you don´t want to take buses, you can go south via the Camino Vadiniense in San Vicente de La barquera (around 15km after Comillas) until Leon, and go back North on the Salvador.

Sounds like an awesome trip regardless

 

[Dexi]

If you don´t want to take buses, you can go south via the Camino Vadiniense in San Vicente de La barquera (around 15km after Comillas) until Leon, and go back North on the Salvador.

Sounds like an awesome trip regardless

I will check out your suggestion, thank you

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I am wondering why you don't start in Irun, the first part of the norte is very beautifull allthough perhaps the hardest part.( perhaps you have done this section earlier)

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi Dexi
you've not said anything yet about your capabilities - whether you are fit and expecting to walk long or hard stages each day etc and what kind of accommodation you prefer to stay in. Without knowing those, I'll just give my view on the basis that you are fit, strong, capable and ready to stay in the simplest accommodation.
Firstly, one of the great things about walking towards a pilgrimage destination is that each day your own body and feet, through trial and tribulation, are carrying you a little bit closer to your destination - and that gives a focus to what you are doing that is hard to describe - but it exists. I think that going more than half way along a recognised route and then jumping on a bus that takes you backwards and starting again, to cover what you think might be the highlights, is a bit less meaningful from a pilgrimage point of view. And it means you are less likely to 'dig in' when you are facing challenges and instead possibly just jump on a bus when it suits you. And ultimately that can detract from the overall sense of meaning. But that's your choice - and this is my view ;- )
I think you could make an epic single path instead. And in the process join up some of the most important places on the pilgrimage routes of northern Spain.
As Anamya says, you can come off the Norte at San Vicente and head for Santo Toribio - a famous place of pilgrimage in its own right. Then take the Vadiense to Leon, experience the cathedral and one of the main cities of the Frances and then head up on the Salvador to the cathedral at Oviedo and then west again. Alternatively if you are capable and adventurous and want to save a few days, you could go west from Sabero/Cistierna (about the 8th day on the Vad) and joint the Savador after its first day, at La Robla. This something that is being discussed on this thread.
I also agree with Antonius above that the first week of the Norte from Irun is super special and I can't understand why you would want to exclude it.

 

[David Tallan]

Hello, Starting April 2024 I´m planning on doing around 60-75days on the camino. My plan is to start Camino del Norte in Bilbao. In Gijon I would take transport to León and do San Salvador and then in Oviedo do the Primitivo. And of course finish with Camino Finisterre

My immediate instinctual response to a thread title like this is to respond simply "No, of course not" before I even see what is being proposed.

In this case I can confirm it is not too crazy. That's a bit different than saying it is advisable. Is it advisable? I don't know. Partly because I have never walked the Norte. Partly because I don't know what you are looking for in your caminos.

Is it something I would do myself? Probably not, because I tend not to like such a big disconnect in my caminos as is represented by the transport from Gijon to Leon. But that may not be an issue to you and I can attest from personal experience that the San Salvador/Primitivo combination is a sweet, sweet camino. (My Camino, a bit shorter in duration than your plans, was Madrid/San Salvador/Primitivo/Finisterre-Muxia, with a bit on the Frances between Sahagun and Leon.)

 

[Kiwi-family]

Is this too crazy? You jump right on in to the Echo Chamber!!!!
I'll agree with what the others have said about the benefits of aiming for a continuous walk. So why don't you get a bit MORE crazy?!!

 

[Vacajoe]

I am wondering why you don't start in Irun, the first part of the norte is very beautifull allthough perhaps the hardest part.( perhaps you have done this section earlier)

Or start at the airport in Bayonne if that’s where the OP is flying into! From there to Irun is spectacularly lovely.

 

[Dexi]

Hola!


Thank you all for your responses. I’m humbled you take the time to give me your thoughts on this, and yes, all these suggestions made me get more and more excited about MY camino next spring, and also learn about routes I didn’t know. ( this is why I thought the only way to get from one point to the other was by bus). I will re-plan my route for sure! And I do need to get one of those wonderful all Caminos map! I just live in a country where online shopping is practically impossible.
As to answer on some subjects, yes I do think I´m fit (physical and -hopefully-mental)capable and ready to share accommodations at the albergues. I also know that whenever I need my space I will book another kind of lodging. Listening to my soul and needs is priority. Flexibility=always.
As far as the pace, I want to take it easy, I want to take time to sit, enjoy the views and locations, I love culture so time to explore and very important time each day to just sit and draw on my travel journal are very important to me. I have an artist friend that always says ” la prisa no es elegante” and I totally agree.
As far as staring in Irún….mmmm I’m very much more leaned towards walking mountains, fields etc and I have travelled a few times between Bilbao and Bayonne so, no, Not this time.
I’m very excited about exploring more in depth all of your suggestions. I will do a “pause” on this until March, its been very distracting (a beautiful distraction) and I need to get many things done before my mind can be 100% Camino de Santiago 2024.

So again, muchas gracias for you time, kindness and knowledge.

 

[trecile]

@Dexi you can check out Gronze to see how the Caminos are connected.

El Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com

Bienvenido a Gronze, tu Guía del Camino de Santiago: Información práctica, actualizada y participativa de los principales Caminos de Santiago.

www.gronze.com

 

[lt56ny]

Not crazy at all. Lots of people have strung several routes together. In 2019 I walked the Francés from SJPdP to León, then the Salvador to Oviedo. From there I walked to Avilés and continued in the Norte to Santiago, then on to Finisterre.

Exactly. My dear friends from Australia did the Primitivo, Salvador and the Coastal Portugues this year. I did the Vasco, Meseta and Coastal Portugues this year too. In fact for the foreseeable future I will be doing my caminos like this.

 

[David Tallan]

And I do need to get one of those wonderful all Caminos map! I just live in a country where online shopping is practically impossible.

If it helps, here's a little map I put together in Google Maps with the different Camino GPS tracks shared by the Spanish Centro Nacional de Información Geográfica (CNIG).

 

[Dexi]

If it helps, here's a little map I put together in Google Maps with the different Camino GPS tracks shared by the Spanish Centro Nacional de Información Geográfica (CNIG).

Gracias David!

 

[Dexi]

@Dexi you can check out Gronze to see how the Caminos are connected.

El Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com

Bienvenido a Gronze, tu Guía del Camino de Santiago: Información práctica, actualizada y participativa de los principales Caminos de Santiago.

www.gronze.com

Thanks!

 

[David61]

Crazy is as crazy does. Back in 2019 I met a Belgian who had literally walked out his front door and began his Camino. This was end of June and he had started beginning of April if I recall correctly. We worked it out if he had walked the most direct route he would do 1800km but he was not a crow and had meandered so more than 2000km to the finish. On his route through France he had slept in many varied places including fire stations but was overwhelmed by the generosity of people he met and stayed in their homes