Last minute freak out - Do I have enough time?

[trecile]

I start my Camino on July 4th from SJPDP, and have 48 days before I need to return to Madrid. I want to walk the Frances to León, then the Salvador to Oviedo, and finish off on the Primitivo to Santiago. I also want to walk to Muxia and Finisterre. I'd also like to have several days to spend in Spain or Portugal after I walk. I'm starting to think that I should have allowed myself another week to fit everything in. Or I can just walk the Frances straight through.
I'm also starting to worry that the Salvador and Primitivo may be too solitary for me, and with too many long stretches without any services.
I know that I probably just need to relax, and see how things go. I can probably change my return flight if I think I need more time.
Does anyone have a good estimate of how long my hybrid Camino should take? I can walk 24-30km a day.

 

[Marc S.]

Hello. Well I think it is possible to do your whole planned walk in app. 40-45 days. But you never know what happens, so it would be shame to start worrying before you have even started. As you say yourself "I know that i probably just need to relax, and see how thing go". It seems to me there are opportunities to changes your plans if you find the Salvador or Primitivo too solitary, like bussing ahead or back to the Frances. And if it takes longer than planned you may to have to skip the walk to Muxia, but hey - there should always remain something to look forward to.

My suggestion would be to just start walking and see what happens (I see you have walked the CF already so I guess you liked it and feel comfortable walking). Buen Camino !

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Not in my book.

Eroski has 18 to Leon, I would do 22-23.

I had planned the Salvador in 8 I think.

I did the Primitivo to Santiago in 18.

Santiago to Fisterra another 4, then 2 to Muxia.

54 for me, and that is assuming not needing to stop anywhere for a full day.

 

[Marc S.]

Not in my book.

Well. It would not have my preference either, but some people do it (SJ-Leon 19 / Salvador 5 / Primitivo 14/Muxia 4 =42;, not including rest days)

 

[jsalt]

Does anyone have a good estimate of how long my hybrid Camino should take? I can walk 24-30km a day.

48 days looks exactly right to me
(I’m thinking of a similar trip, but starting in Arles.)
Jill

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

SJPdP till Leon is about 465km. The Salvador and Primotivo is about 439km.
And Santiago till Muxia is about 117km.

That makes about 1020km.
My opinion is,why not walk the Camino del Northe and the Primotivo than you have time enough.

You and you alone have to make the decission witch Camino to walk.

Wish you well,Peter.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Well. It would not have my preference either, but some people do it (SJ-Leon 19 / Salvador 5 / Primitivo 14/Muxia 4 =42;, not including rest days)

Sure, some would do it in 40 I'm, with even fewer stages than those typically published, but the OP asked from experience how we felt.

Also, I imagine that the longer the walk the more difficult it is to complete the same distance. So a fresh pilgrim walkinh the Salvador might be fine in four days, but an already used and abused body that has been worked for 300, 400 km may not appreciate that rythm. All days are not made equal. Add the weather to that and ...

 

[Marc S.]

Just for clarification. I have walked SJ - Leon once in 18 days, and once in 25 days. Walked the Salvador in 5 (after having walked for three weeks already) and walked to Muxia in 4, 5 and 6 days respectively. Hence my motto always is us to just start walking and see what happens.

 

[edandjoan]

I did a quick look at my blog and we took 42 day from SJPP to Leon, bus to Oviedo and then the Primativo to Santiago and then to slow 4 days to Muxia and did not do Fisterra. We also spent an extra day in Santiago as it was raining and then walked on. I'd say just walk and see where you end up. Don't put pressure on yourself to be somewhere at a certain time. Just be in the moment.

 

[Tincatinker]

Can't see where the problem lies. Have just walked Irun to Santo Domingo de la Calzada; SDC to Leon; Leon to Oviedo; Oviedo to Santiago via the Camino Verde in 32 days. Plus two rest days in Haro & Oviedo. How far, how fast, how many roses you stop to sniff ain't that designated. We had 30C+ days and we had grey, rainy & foggy days; we had some grinding up-hill sweaty days and we had some cruising days. Its all the same camino. Chill. What you would 'like' and what the Camino chooses to give you are two different views of the Beast but aspiration and desire are part of the game. Enjoy. I wish you Buen Camino.

 

[domigee]

All I can say is... relax. These are just last minutes nerves. You know you can adapt and change things, even if it means changing a plane ticket. Take it as it comes and enjoy it (or better said still, do as I say, not as I do )
You'll be fine

 

[trecile]

48 days looks exactly right to me
(I’m thinking of a similar trip, but starting in Arles.)
Jill

Yeah, I think that 48 days is probably exactly right for me, but that doesn't leave me with any extra time in Spain before I fly home.
I guess that I'm just not sure if the Salvador and Primitivo are exactly right for me at this time.

 

[SYates]

Stop panicking ;-) Just have a look at your time situation when you reach Leon and adjust accordingly if necessary ;-) Buen Camino, SY

 

[trecile]

Stop panicking ;-) Just have a look at your time situation when you reach Leon and adjust accordingly if necessary ;-) Buen Camino, SY

I think that it's mostly pre-Camino jitters.
Also, I just printed out Ender's Camino del Salvador guide, and this elevation map graphic didn't inspire confidence in me!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I hate these elevation things. Just do it! Slow and steady!

 

[trecile]

I hate these elevation things. Just do it! Slow and steady!

I will wait until León until I decide what to do. If I decide that I want to do the Salvador/Primitivo I'll see if I can change my ticket without spending too much money I'll go forward with it. I just don't want to feel pressured to finish sooner than I'm ready.

 

[Coleen Clark]

I think that it's mostly pre-Camino jitters.
Also, I just printed out Ender's Camino del Salvador guide, and this elevation map graphic didn't inspire confidence in me!
View attachment 34706

Looks like a lot of grapple hooks and slides are involved here. Do I hear yodeling???

 

[KinkyOne]

I think that it's mostly pre-Camino jitters.
Also, I just printed out Ender's Camino del Salvador guide, and this elevation map graphic didn't inspire confidence in me!
View attachment 34706

Trecile, don't look at those elevation profiles as such. There's no incline so steep as pictured here. Calculate distance vs. elevation and you'll get right result. I walked it last summer and this particular stage isn't that steep/hard at all

 

[trecile]

Sure, some would do it in 40 I'm, with even fewer stages than those typically published, but the OP asked from experience how we felt.

Also, I imagine that the longer the walk the more difficult it is to complete the same distance. So a fresh pilgrim walkinh the Salvador might be fine in four days, but an already used and abused body that has been worked for 300, 400 km may not appreciate that rythm. All days are not made equal. Add the weather to that and ...

I found the opposite for me. As I went on I was able to walk longer distances more easily. On my final day of walking to Finisterre I walked 32.5 km from Olveiroa to Finisterre with a bad cold. It wasn't the best day walking, but I was determined to get there because I had a hotel room with a bath tub reserved!

 

[Kitsambler]

I can walk 24-30km a day.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. I like the "just start walking and see what happens" approach.

 

[Jersey]

Can't tell ya how long it is to walk from point A to point B.
No one can, in my opinion.
Each day is different. But I know logistics
Give yourself an extra week if you can.
I'm walking Leon to Santiago starting July 24.
Have to be in Madrid August 14, Valencia August 15 & back up to Coruna August 20. Much easier to call an audible if your running ahead of schedule & much less stressful lol

 

[Purple Backpack]

OK, Trecile, I was curious because that is a wicked elevation chart. I assume it's in meters? If so, the steepest part looks like Olloniego to Manzanipa, from about 460 feet to 1180 feet ( I hate uphills and love the downs so, for someone else, the ridiculous previous downhill slope may be worse). That's a difference of 720 feet.

Dodger Stadium in LA is the tallest baseball stadium in the US, at 501 feet. So your worst uphill is the equivalent of a going from the bottom of the baseball stadium to the beer stand at the top plus another half stadium again. Not so bad!

Full apologies to any engineers, mathematicians or beer drinking baseball fans out there.

 

[trecile]

I know that I should have worked out how long it would take me to walk before I booked my flights, or at least sooner than 2 days before I leave! The main thing about my Camino this year is that I don't want to feel like I have to be somewhere by a certain date. Last year I wanted to join my new Camino friends in Santiago on my birthday (they were buying dinner! ), so I altered my walking schedule to fit that in. I want to feel freer this year. So if the Salvador and Primitivo have to wait for another year, so be it.

 

[KinkyOne]

I know that I should have worked out how long it would take me to walk before I booked my flights, or at least sooner than 2 days before I leave! The main thing about my Camino this year is that I don't want to feel like I have to be somewhere by a certain date. Last year I wanted to join my new Camino friends in Santiago on my birthday (they were buying dinner! ), so I altered my walking schedule to fit that in. I want to feel freer this year. So if the Salvador and Primitivo have to wait for another year, so be it.

What I usually do is calculate my stages according to my daily comfort-zone average mileage and infrastructure (less walked Caminos in latest years that is, 1 day stops in bigger towns included), add a week to max of 10 days for return ticket. Added days depends on length of the whole Camino combo and of course on price of the return airplane tickets. And then I can really wing it. Whether it is for company, weather or my laziness
It worked out perfectly in last three summers.

 

[trecile]

What I usually do is calculate my stages according to my daily comfort-zone average mileage and infrastructure (less walked Caminos in latest years that is, 1 day stops in bigger towns included), add a week to max of 10 days for return ticket. Added days depends on length of the whole Camino combo and of course on price of the return airplane tickets. And then I can really wing it. Whether it is for company, weather or my laziness
It worked out perfectly in last three summers.

I knew that I really should have made my total time away from home an even 2 months, but I felt a bit guilty being gone for longer than necessary.
Actually, I should have gone for the whole 90 days that I'm allowed in the Schengen zone!

 

[KinkyOne]

I knew that I really should have made my total time away from home an even 2 months, but I felt a bit guilty being gone for longer than necessary.
Actually, I should have gone for the whole 90 days that I'm allowed in the Schengen zone!

Necessary? Whats that??? Completely new word for me

You should have/take your time. And enjoy it as well. Don't any(body)thing stop you in that!

 

[dougfitz]

OK, Trecile, I was curious because that is a wicked elevation chart. I assume it's in meters? If so, the steepest part looks like Olloniego to Manzanipa, from about 460 feet to 1180 feet ( I hate uphills and love the downs so, for someone else, the ridiculous previous downhill slope may be worse). That's a difference of 720 feet.

Dodger Stadium in LA is the tallest baseball stadium in the US, at 501 feet. So your worst uphill is the equivalent of a going from the bottom of the baseball stadium to the beer stand at the top plus another half stadium again. Not so bad!

Full apologies to any engineers, mathematicians or beer drinking baseball fans out there.

Nice analysis. If I could add, this section appears to be about 2 km in length, and with an elevation gain of about 200m, is going to have a bit over a 10% slope. Steep, yes, but it is a slope that road vehicles could manage. Humans on foot can manage much steeper slopes, albeit they will slow you down. The vertical scale being used has grossly exaggerated the appearance of difficulty here.

 

[dougfitz]

Also, those unfamiliar with making elevation gain adjustments to the time calculations might want to check Naismith's Rule or variants of that.

Just roughly, the major climbs would appear to total over 500 m of elevation gain, and with the other gains over that leg, might easily exceed 600 m of gain. This is broadly the equivalent of adding another 5 km to your walking day. The flat distance appears to be about 35 km, I would estimate the elevation gain adjustments to make it equivalent to a 40 km flat walk.

 

[domigee]

I knew that I really should have made my total time away from home an even 2 months, but I felt a bit guilty being gone for longer than necessary.

Can totally relate to that!

 

[NualaOC]

Wishing you a Buen Camino, @trecile! For what it's worth, I think that this is very doable. You're a strong walker and I think you said on other threads that you prefer short days to rest days.

You might of course decide to tweak things along the way, or you might run into unexpected obstacles, such as illness. However the great thing about your plan is that you don't have to think about changing it until you reach Leon. At that point, you'll be very much in Camino mode and every option (including the train from Leon to Oviedo!) will be a good one.

 

[OzAnnie]

I start my Camino on July 4th from SJPDP, and have 48 days before I need to return to Madrid. I want to walk the Frances to León, then the Salvador to Oviedo, and finish off on the Primitivo to Santiago. I also want to walk to Muxia and Finisterre. I'd also like to have several days to spend in Spain or Portugal after I walk. I'm starting to think that I should have allowed myself another week to fit everything in. Or I can just walk the Frances straight through.
I'm also starting to worry that the Salvador and Primitivo may be too solitary for me, and with too many long stretches without any services.
I know that I probably just need to relax, and see how things go. I can probably change my return flight if I think I need more time.
Does anyone have a good estimate of how long my hybrid Camino should take? I can walk 24-30km a day.

Hi Trecile
My 2 cents worth. But this may not now fit in with your pre arranged travel for arrival and start -
I gather you've already walked camino Frances -
You could - get a train to Leon (mine was from Madrid )., start Del Salvador there without the haste. And all the rest with flow without worry. And time for that 'after' stuff you'd like to do.
Buen camino
Annie

 

[Coleen Clark]

I know that I should have worked out how long it would take me to walk before I booked my flights, or at least sooner than 2 days before I leave! The main thing about my Camino this year is that I don't want to feel like I have to be somewhere by a certain date. Last year I wanted to join my new Camino friends in Santiago on my birthday (they were buying dinner! ), so I altered my walking schedule to fit that in. I want to feel freer this year. So if the Salvador and Primitivo have to wait for another year, so be it.

Now you are talking! You never know what you will find when you are walking. If you are only concentrating on time and distance you may walk right past opportunity. A Galacian Wedding, a fantastic art exhibit, a cafe conversation with a local farmer's wife, a quiet moment when something finally makes sense. Don't walk the Camino as a race to get somewhere else, when you're on the Camino you've arrived at your destination.

 

[Finisterre]

I'm curious why you are walking those routes.

 

[trecile]

I'm curious why you are walking those routes.

I thought that I'd like to walk a different path than I did last year. Although even if I walk exactly the same route as last year it will still be different. Different people, slightly different season, different stops, etc.

 

[Finisterre]

I get that. We do the same walk every Sunday unless there is a pressing alternative. Getting to know each new set of ducklings etc. Watching the seasons pass and following families of water fowl through generations.

Good luck with your expedition. Personally I'd try to save options some for later. But I'm a fairly unambitious kind of guy.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

I think that it's mostly pre-Camino jitters.
Also, I just printed out Ender's Camino del Salvador guide, and this elevation map graphic didn't inspire confidence in me!
View attachment 34706

LOL!!! How steep the elevation gain looks on paper, changes with the length of the paper. Stretch that graph out by two feet and see what happens.

 

[nycwalking]

Trecile,

I have read your posts and replies. This is truly pre-camino jitters. You will find time and the way!