Love and Love of Solitude

[EmoJohnson]

Dear Pilgrims,
Ugh. I've got a profound case of Camino-itis. I took my first Camino (Portuguese coastal) this past May/June and now the way I calm my nervous system, after decades of living in NYC, is to read/YouTube/fantasize about the next Camino. I want to walk again! I am protective of my solitude, very independent, take actual delight in my own company , and experienced bliss and a deep confidence while walking alone. BUT! I've been dating a man for 1.5years, a slowly unfolding but nevertheless profound long distance relationship, and I (bravely for me) asked him if he'd join me on a Camino in April. I suspect he'd love the big walk and was deeply affected by hearing of my pilgrimage. I am still feeling the effects of the Camino. I want to hold onto that clarity and simplicity and have all senses charged again. I'm reaching out to those of you who might identify as introverts, or not, to ask how you managed walking with another (loved one/friend/stranger-no-more). While on the Portuguese, I was often alone, but now I'd like to try the (very social?) Camino Frances. Practical questions:
Camino Frances in mid-April: less of a "bed race"?
If we've only 15-ish days, how might we abbreviate the trip -- which city might we arrive in if the goal is to end in Finisterre? While still allowing for a relaxing pace?
(I could probably push for a longer Camino)
I am now interested in Camino Frances as I want more of the pilgrim/albergue experience than the Portuguese coast offered and bc I hear CF is cheaper than the Norte.
Your feedback to my misc. rambling is most appreciated.
Fellow Camino enthusiast,
E

--ooh I see my donation has expired on this site, guilt until payday---

 

[Deleted member 43985]

I'm sure it will be a different experience in many ways. More beds available for sure, race unlikely except from SJPDP - Pamplona (we started last year on 12-April and had to search a bit in Zubiri and now that Roncesvalles is taking in less that can be an issue to). That won't apply to you really if you're taking 15 days but just background info. For a starting point, I think I'd consider somewhere like O'Cebriero or Triacastella. That would be a nice relaxed walk into SDC plus a day to look around and then 3-4 days out to the coast. That said, we all have our own unique walking style and speed so based on your previous experience you should be able to look at a guidebook and work backwards from SDC pretty easily.

Last thought on different Caminos... I've been fortunate to walk the CF twice, first time alone in the winter and the second time in spring with my wife, a woman of unending patience and flexibility (They do say opposites attract ). It was two very, very different experiences, weather aside. When you're alone you don't have to think about or remember to consider someone else's needs. You wake when you wake, eat when you're ready, rest and walk as you will. It's a wonderfully selfish time in a person's life!! As you would expect, that all changes when you walk with someone. I will never say it's a bad thing because sharing that with her was a life highlight. But... it really, really was different I guess the point to all this is just to be prepared and accepting of the fact that it won't be the same and allow yourself to go with that so you aren't disappointed during or at the end of your experience.

Wishing you a great time... Buen Camino!

 

[simply B]

@EmoJohnson -

My recco would be to start in Ponferrada for "15-ish" days to Finisterre. It is a preference; @jozero has made a good case/plan for a more relaxed pace.

I walked a late Winter Camino from there to Santiago in 2016 and despite a gamey knee and a few other problems, it took me 9 days from Ponferrada going through the Samos variant after Triacastela. (Ponferrada is an easy train or bus trip from Madrid so that influenced my plan at the time.) Figure three more days to walk to Finisterre directly (ie. not through Muxia). A rest day in each SdC and Finisterre with a half-day transport back to SdC from Fin and that will bring you to your limit.

Here's a link to a planning tool to help you visualize Ponferrada to SdC. (216.9 km without adjustments for altitude changes):

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances

Buen camino!

Edit - to answer the rest of your questions

1. bed race - no, not much of a problem in mid-April. (Been there, done that but refused the t-shirt because I already had enough weight to carry.)

2. on walking with a companion - read through this great thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/walking-with-a-companion.11101/

B

 

[EmoJohnson]

I'm sure it will be a different experience in many ways. More beds available for sure, race unlikely except from SJPDP - Pamplona (we started last year on 12-April and had to search a bit in Zubiri and now that Roncesvalles is taking in less that can be an issue to). That won't apply to you really if you're taking 15 days but just background info. For a starting point, I think I'd consider somewhere like O'Cebriero or Triacastella. That would be a nice relaxed walk into SDC plus a day to look around and then 3-4 days out to the coast. That said, we all have our own unique walking style and speed so based on your previous experience you should be able to look at a guidebook and work backwards from SDC pretty easily.

Last thought on different Caminos... I've been fortunate to walk the CF twice, first time alone in the winter and the second time in spring with my wife, a woman of unending patience and flexibility (They do say opposites attract ). It was two very, very different experiences, weather aside. When you're alone you don't have to think about or remember to consider someone else's needs. You wake when you wake, eat when you're ready, rest and walk as you will. It's a wonderfully selfish time in a person's life!! As you would expect, that all changes when you walk with someone. I will never say it's a bad thing because sharing that with her was a life highlight. But... it really, really was different I guess the point to all this is just to be prepared and accepting of the fact that it won't be the same and allow yourself to go with that so you aren't disappointed during or at the end of your experience.

Wishing you a great time... Buen Camino!

Excellent advice, thank you! And thank you for your good humor! How was the weather in mid-April? I may try to push my walking partner for March; he seems flexibly unendingly patient with me.

 

[EmoJohnson]

@EmoJohnson -

My recco would be to start in Ponferrada for "15-ish" days to Finisterre. It is a preference; @jozero has made a good case/plan for a more relaxed pace.

I walked a late Winter Camino from there to Santiago in 2016 and despite a gamey knee and a few other problems, it took me 9 days from Ponferrada going through the Samos variant after Triacastela. (Ponferrada is an easy train or bus trip from Madrid so that influenced my plan at the time.) Figure three more days to walk to Finisterre directly (ie. not through Muxia). A rest day in each SdC and Finisterre with a half-day transport back to SdC from Fin and that will bring you to your limit.

Here's a link to a planning tool to help you visualize Ponferrada to SdC. (216.9 km without adjustments for altitude changes):

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances

Buen camino!

Edit - to answer the rest of your questions

1. bed race - no, not much of a problem in mid-April. (Been there, done that but refused the t-shirt because I already had enough weight to carry.)

2. on walking with a companion - read through this great thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/walking-with-a-companion.11101/

B

Wow! What a wealth of information and you can bet I poured over the thread you sent me!
I'm liking the sound of that easy bus from Madrid to Ponferrada. I do wonder about my potential walking partner's stamina so I'll be sure to involve him in some of the planning
I'm so curious about what the weather was like for you in late winter...
I do hope your knee is improved.
Thanks for your helpful advice.

 

[simply B]

Wow! What a wealth of information and you can bet I poured over the thread you sent me!
I'm liking the sound of that easy bus from Madrid to Ponferrada. I do wonder about my potential walking partner's stamina so I'll be sure to involve him in some of the planning
I'm so curious about what the weather was like for you in late winter...
I do hope your knee is improved.
Thanks for your helpful advice.

@EmoJohnson -

Late winter weather is only acceptable for those of us who are a tad masochistic/desperate for a walk (guilty on both counts)...seriously! I reverted to the CF after an aborted attempt on the Invierno...nothing/nobody at fault; it just was a confluence of unfortunate events. I have no regrets at the way it turned out for me but, again, I think it an inhospitable introduction to the Way.

Much of the Camino itself at the time was covered in snow and ice bridges which left a lot of "limited-to-road" walking available. Once past Samos the Camino path was again available but was ankle deep in mud or water. This was really pronounced once past Portomarin and I would not advise it for newbies. (And that is not pejorative! We were all newbies once!)

The weather past mid-April is much better. That said, Galicia is a rainy place. Count on donning rain gear at least a portion of every third day. It might be more often than that for you, as I am just relating probabilities, but cool temps and shade take much of the sting out of it. (And, IMHO, Galician mud is a lot easier to kick off one's footwear than that found in Navarre and Rioja.)

[Hoping here to not start an argument over the relative adhesiveness of mud from the various regions. ]

The knee is much improved, thank you!...and I appreciate you asking! It was "tweaked" from one too many drops through ice bridges up to O Cebreiro before I diverted to the road. I had some therapy on it and learned some new stretching exercises and walked the Dingle Way in Ireland two months later. (A flexible knee brace was on hand in Ireland but used only a day or two.)

BTW, bus and train from Madrid to Ponferrada were equivalent "cost/km" 18 months ago. I chose bus because of timing and proximity to where I wished to spend the night. You can find a scheduling for either that works for you.

Buen Camino,

B

 

[EmoJohnson]

@EmoJohnson -

Late winter weather is only acceptable for those of us who are a tad masochistic/desperate for a walk (guilty on both counts)...seriously! I reverted to the CF after an aborted attempt on the Invierno...nothing/nobody at fault; it just was a confluence of unfortunate events. I have no regrets at the way it turned out for me but, again, I think it an inhospitable introduction to the Way.

Much of the Camino itself at the time was covered in snow and ice bridges which left a lot of "limited-to-road" walking available. Once past Samos the Camino path was again available but was ankle deep in mud or water. This was really pronounced once past Portomarin and I would not advise it for newbies. (And that is not pejorative! We were all newbies once!)

The weather past mid-April is much better. That said, Galicia is a rainy place. Count on donning rain gear at least a portion of every third day. It might be more often than that for you, as I am just relating probabilities, but cool temps and shade take much of the sting out of it. (And, IMHO, Galician mud is a lot easier to kick off one's footwear than that found in Navarre and Rioja.)

[Hoping here to not start an argument over the relative adhesiveness of mud from the various regions. ]

The knee is much improved, thank you!...and I appreciate you asking! It was "tweaked" from one too many drops through ice bridges up to O Cebreiro before I diverted to the road. I had some therapy on it and learned some new stretching exercises and walked the Dingle Way in Ireland two months later. (A flexible knee brace was on hand in Ireland but used only a day or two.)

BTW, bus and train from Madrid to Ponferrada were equivalent "cost/km" 18 months ago. I chose bus because of timing and proximity to where I wished to spend the night. You can find a scheduling for either that works for you.

Buen Camino,

B

Super helpful, thanks! I love the specificity of knowledge given freely by fellow pilgrims! The adhesiveness of mud! The width of a toebox! The particular peculiarities of everything!
I'm such a fan of this forum. Thanks for all you contribute.

 

[HeidiL]

I really don't like heat, and prefer to walk in March if at all possible.

Like many other choices: It Depends.

 

[intrepidtraveler]

Like you, @EmoJohnson, I would describe myself as an introvert.

My first Camino I walked with a friend. On the basis of that experience I chose to walk my second Camino solo with no regrets. YMMV. Prior to the first outing I talked with a lot of people in my town who had already walked the Camino with another person. A comment that came up repeatedly was "the Camino will either bring you together or tear you apart."

My recommendation would be to TALK A LOT about how much togetherness you're looking for. Does walking together mean staying together all day. Or does it mean meeting up occasionally throughout the day at pre-agreed upon times and places. Is one of you a hare and the other a tortoise when it comes to natural walking pace? Will one of you want to stop at every castle and cathedral along the way and the other want to keep moving? Communal living in alberques or privacy in pensiones? All things you might want to discuss ahead of time. If you're both on the same page, so much the better.

Personally, I've often thought that couples in a relationship would be smart to spend time on the Camino together before committing for the long haul. You can learn a lot about yourself and the other person, both good and bad, in the Camino environment.

Good luck and Buen Camino.

 

[EmoJohnson]

Like you, @EmoJohnson, I would describe myself as an introvert.

My first Camino I walked with a friend. On the basis of that experience I chose to walk my second Camino solo with no regrets. YMMV. Prior to the first outing I talked with a lot of people in my town who had already walked the Camino with another person. A comment that came up repeatedly was "the Camino will either bring you together or tear you apart."

My recommendation would be to TALK A LOT about how much togetherness you're looking for. Does walking together mean staying together all day. Or does it mean meeting up occasionally throughout the day at pre-agreed upon times and places. Is one of you a hare and the other a tortoise when it comes to natural walking pace? Will one of you want to stop at every castle and cathedral along the way and the other want to keep moving? Communal living in alberques or privacy in pensiones? All things you might want to discuss ahead of time. If you're both on the same page, so much the better.

Personally, I've often thought that couples in a relationship would be smart to spend time on the Camino together before committing for the long haul. You can learn a lot about yourself and the other person, both good and bad, in the Camino environment.

Good luck and Buen Camino.

Thank you for all of this terrific advice!