ChristianF
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Coastal route Porto-Santiago (2016)
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Here's a link to all the GR's in Spain. Some, like the GR 7 (2,600 km), are over 1000 kms. Open the page in Chrome for auto-translation.would like to do a long distance route (1000+ kms / 2-3months) with as much as possible on 'off-road' terrain.
The Le Puy? It follows the GR65 and is predominantly a nature walk. You could start from Geneva to add kms.
I recall shortening some of the stages ... I felt no need to walk up every stinking hill ... by following the road instead, but the marked route meandered down farm tracks and along fields and woods.
The Via de la Plata is a good alternative. 1005 kms., easy walk (not many ups and downs).
Plenty of albergues.Looks good. Is this route furnished with Albergues or perhaps a little camping is in order?
Is this more about long distance walks rather than pilgrimage routes? There are many long distance routes across Europe including European Long Distance TRails, Grand Randonnee Routes in France, Kungsleden in Sweden. There are rules for instance on GR routes in France about avoiding roads as much as possible
I can't blame you for wanting to avoid asphalt. The further east you go, the less pavement. There are marked routes from the far eastern fringes of formerly-Catholic Europe (Bratislava, Warsaw, even the Baltic states). At least on the Prague - Nuremberg - Geneva - Le Puy - SJPP route, there was accommodation available at practical intervals. (Most European camping-grounds have some sort of cabins available, no need to carry a tent or stove for real camping.) Some maps for your inspiration: http://www.prodeogemist.nl/karte-vom-jakobsweg.htmlI'm looking for a route within Europe (including the UK) which has a low proportion of walking on paved roads/paths.
Here's a link to all the GR's in Spain. Some, like the GR 7 (2,600 km), are over 1000 kms. Open the page in Chrome for auto-translation.
Tu web de Senderos favorita - Senderos GR
Senderos GR no es sólo una página de información. Somos algo más; vivimos, sentimos, lloramos y reímos el senderismo. No entendemos la vida sin saborear una noche bajo las estrellas o una conversación con un pastor, un artesano, un compañero de viaje.www.senderosgr.es
Here's a map of the e-paths:
E-paths - European Ramblers Association
E-paths connect Europe via the long distance hiking trails and routes. Discover the European paths for sustainable mobility with ERA-EWV-FERP. Our mission is to promote sustainable mobility in Europe. Learn more about our initiatives today!www.era-ewv-ferp.com
Do be advised that the Camino del Norte is not considered to be a loargely off-paved-road walk. Elsewhere on the forum you will find alternatives for reducing the amount of paved road walking on this route.Thanks. Perhaps if I combined Le Puy with Camino Del Norte I would find a largely off-paved-road walk.
Hi Christian,Thanks very much. Is it realistic to expect to be able to find basic provisions along
the long distance trails (food supplies, water)? (Oh and I'm not talking about hunting...
I walked the Via Baltica and Via Regia, lots of asphalt on both. The Le Puy, which I have walked 3 times now, has rather more asphalt, then I remember, especially, from just before Moissac onwards.
The Madrid route is 95% natural paths! Flattish. Heaven!
The trail network through the Czech Republic is superb. Very well marked and practically all off road. You can create your own route and snake through the country and discover beautiful landscapes and old towns and villages.
Do be advised that the Camino del Norte is not considered to be a loargely off-paved-road walk. Elsewhere on the forum you will find alternatives for reducing the amount of paved road walking on this route.
2020 is the anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Thomas Beckett, so why not take the Pilgim's Way from Winchester or London to Canterbury. http://onestepthenanother.com/pilgrimsway/discovering-the-pilgrims-way-in-england/
The Le Puy route has more asphalt than the routes further east, and much less than the CF. It's about one-third forest paths, one-third unpaved farm roads, and one-third paved country by-ways with little or no traffic. But it's not evenly distributed. West of Moissac, you hit the flats with the big commercial agriculture areas, so more of the paved stretches are there.Le Puy has lots of asphalt??
The Le Puy route has more asphalt than the routes further east, and much less than the CF. It's about one-third forest paths, one-third unpaved farm roads, and one-third paved country by-ways with little or no traffic. But it's not evenly distributed. West of Moissac, you hit the flats with the big commercial agriculture areas, so more of the paved stretches are there.
If I were to opt for a non-Pilgrimage route I would be keen to wild camp as much as possible
why not take the Pilgim's Way from Winchester or London to Canterbury.
Not much until Conques. Not much along Cele Valley. Asphalt creeps in more and more towards the end, into Moissac and after...I have walked this route 3 times now, could swear, they re routed some of the tracks...the last week or so had quite a lot of it....Le Puy has lots of asphalt??
NO! It's well signed, off road all the way to Cahors, and few people and those are 99% French, Lots of Auberges, a bit of 'wild camping' goes on. And you can wander on alternative routes, you must see Conques and you must see Pech Merle!Le Puy has lots of asphalt??
Agree with Pech Merle, but after walking it 3 times, there is more asphalt than you would want!NO! It's well signed, off road all the way to Cahors, and few people and those are 99% French, Lots of Auberges, a bit of 'wild camping' goes on. And you can wander on alternative routes, you must see Conques and you must see Pech Merle!
Correct KitsamblerI guess my memory of non-paved paths on the Le Puy was stuck in the earlier part. Thanks for clarifying.
I suggest you consider :
1) Thames Path from the source in the west to Woolwich on the eastern side of London. My recollection is that most of the trail is unpaved to at least Pitney Bridge, well into central London. About three weeks. Food and water etc most days. I wild camped most days to Windsor I noticed quite a number of wild campers discretely camping after that. I "camped" with my London family near Staines and used the variety of backpacker hostels from Waterloo eastwards.
2) 1 suggest walking some of the European route E2. In the UK I would consider a start near Birmingham in the west Midlands of England. The sectons before have many widerness tramps with infrequent supply points over 1000 km or more. If you consider this suggestion you combine part of Thames Path (Oxford to Weybridge - west London) an the North Downs Way from Guildford to Dover, diverting to Canterbury as you may be inclined.
I'm my experience in Scotland and England nackpacker hostels are almost always only found in the larger cities and can fill up quickly. On my progress down the Thames in late June there were no beds at Oxford that week! B&Bs were expensive and tended to be hide-bound as to breakfast times. If sunrise was 06h breakfast was non-negotiable at 08h, for example. "And you want porridge? Don't you know... "
@ChristianF, kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going) and please let us all know what you intend and what you completed.
Hi Christian,
Re finding food and water along the GR's, yes, you will almost always be able to resupply every day. All the GR's we've walked go from village to village. In fact, you can usually resupply several times a day. To check it out, take a look at the topoguides that are linked to various GR's and are generally available free online.
Here are some other links that will give you an idea of how each stage ends in a village. Open the Spanish language sites in Chrome for auto-translation. Note that the shorter GR's - say 250 km - often intersect with longer ones, so you could string several together.
Senderos de Gran Recorrido (GR)
Rutas y Viajes .NET Rutas de senderismo, senderos, tracks y waypoints para GPS, viajes, utilidades, documentos, fotografías, etcwww.rutasyviajes.net The E4 Trail
The E4 is one of a network of 11 long distance paths (soon to be 12) developed by the European Ramblers Association (the ERA), an ass...www.johnhayeswalks.com Home - SOUTHERN WOODLANDS TRAIL. GR247. Trail within the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas Natural Park.
Bosques del Sur. GR247. Etapas, planos, alojamientos. Planifica tu ruta en el gran sendero de las Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas.www.sierrasdecazorlaseguraylasvillas.es
If you decide to research a specific GR, let me know, and I'll send you the links I've found for that one.
Elaine
Other than the GR 5 in France, all our GR walking has been in Spain on the GR's 7, 48, 240 (Sulayr), and 247 plus several other shorter GR's. These sometimes coincide with a camino route. Re wild camping, here's a nice summary from a Spanish walker:Which GR routes are you familiar with and as far as you know is wild camping tolerated? I appreciate this last question probably depends upon which country you're walking in.
Looks like you know the Via Francigena? How are you finding it?
Hello there,
I'm looking for my next long distance walk and hoped to dip into the collective knowledge of this forum.
I'm looking for a route within Europe (including the UK) which has a low proportion of walking on paved roads/paths. I find that tarmac/asphalt etc doesn't agree with my feet/ankles/knees over long distances and would like to do a long distance route (1000+ kms / 2-3months) with as much as possible on 'off-road' terrain. Dirt or gravel paths are fine. I've walked the French and Portuguese ways so far, so would like to try something different.
I hoped to get a few suggestions
Thank you
Christian
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