just 12 days!

[susan johnson]

Hello everyone! I have enjoyed reading some of the messages here. I just signed up. I hope to do the camino sometime in may. I was hoping someone could help me with this? If you only had 12 days, and only 8 of those days to walk; where on the route would you begin? I have been looking at maps. I don't have the map in front of me, but I beleive "Burgos" looked like a distance I could complete in the amount of time I have. I'd apprediate any help with this. To all the people who are beginning their pilgrimage this month - Best of journey's to you.

sincerely Susan

 

[wulf]

How much walking do you normally do? If you have got eight days and it is your first time down the route, I'd be tempted to suggest the route I just did in July - O'Cebreiro to Santiago.

That gives you about 150km of walking. The group I was with did the trip in seven days but an extra day would allow you to do a couple of very light ones or perhaps take a break or a detour one day.

If you are in the crowd who habitually cover 40km a day then you'll want to start further back. However, if your feet aren't trail hardened and you want to allow space to rest as well as opportunity to walk, then don't put your starting point too far back.

Wulf

 

[WolverineDG]

If you want the Compostela, you need to walk the last 100 kms. The last place you can pick up a credential along the Camino is Sarria, where most people walking just the last 100 kms start. Buen Camino!

dg

 

[Ann Davidson]

I agree with Wulf. My husband and I did the camino in May and walked from O Cebreiro to Santiago in 7 days as we could only get a week off work. There was enough time to enjoy the scenery and appreciate the experience. It's not about how far you walk - although you do need to walk at least the last 100k to get the compostela - it's more about entering into the spirit of the camino. May's a lovely time to walk as it's not too hot and the flowers are in bloom. We didn't even have rain!

Enjoy it, as I know you will.

Ann.

 

[anne-marie valton]

12 days..

Dear Susan
12 days is not much time and only 8 to walk - I had 7 days a couple of years ago and started in Sarria (110 km from Santiago). This was a wonderful choice - we walked in oktober and did the distance in 5 days...
Anne-Marie

 

[Simon]

Hi there, I agree: myself and some friends are starting on 26th Aug from O Cebreiro and aim to be in Santiago on 2nd Sept.

By the way, any recommendations from you folks on somewhere comfy to stay for a couple of nights in Santiago?

Buen Camino!
Simon

 

[ivar]

This site has "User Reviews" for over 30 hotels in Santiago, have a look here:

http://www.bookings.org/searchresults.h ... dmark=1655

Ivar

 

[wulf]

I found Hostal Girasol to be clean, friendly and inexpensive (while being located a couple of minutes of walk from the cathedral). They didn't seem to have any English but were very understanding and patient with my attempts to communicate in Spanish (a bonus for a language learner like me). They also have a very good restaurant service.

Wulf