Maps

[harry bowerman]

Hi,
I am walking the Camino Frances in April with my wife starting in JPDP. I have learned a lot from looking at the forum so thank you to everyone. The one aspect that I am still puzzled about is map coverage of the route. I have walked in the hills and mountains for years and always carry a map and compass. I am not sure which maps most pilgrims carry or where to get them? I have a guide book with basic maps but nothing 25000/50000 coverage.
Thank you
Harry

 

[Bradypus]

I think most people simply follow the yellow arrows and the outline maps printed in their guidebooks. Technophiles can also use one of the many Camino apps with their phone's GPS and mapping. I walked from St Jean to Santiago in September and October this year and the only times I found a map was needed were when going off-route in the larger towns. Glancing over the next day's route over an evening drink was usually all the navigation required. Signposting along the CF is not only adequate - it is excessive. Combine that with the huge number of walkers and you will find it quite difficult to lose the trail for long.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Yep all you need is a guide book I still carried my compass it came in handy when I had too many cervasa Grandes & walked in the wrong direction.

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome Harry, no maps required. As stated above, just a guide book and follow the arrows.

 

[Marion-SantiagoInLove]

Hi Harry, welcome
I love "real" maps and use them too when I walk!
Not on the Camino Francés though. It's marked in such way one can easily walk with no map at all! (Which is an interesting experience to, byw)
The other thing is, the CF is not a path through wild nature. It's mostly a "humanized" path, built for pilgrims and quite often near civilization. So, no 25000/50000 map or compass required...
Like Bradypus said, most people use the ones in their guidebook or an app. I never saw anyone with a compass either (although I would have loved to see MTtoCamino use his!)
If you stay on tracks, don't worry about what seems to be a poor coverage in your book: it will be enough. As for cities, just be more careful and take your time to find the marks. If lost, people will help you spontaneously. Otherwise, ask around or find a map at a public transportation point.
If you want to go off-Camino, a "real map" would certainly be useful. I don't remember if the pilgrim's shop in SJPdP sells any, but in any case Internet can certainly find one for you!
Another nice advantage I find in real maps: using them as a diary... Quick notes on the Camino, wonderful memories years later!
Buen Camino!

 

[kaixo]

Glancing over the next day's route over an evening drink was usually all the navigation required.

Yep, and helps to know the elevation changes for the next day.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Santiago-Michelin-booklet-KAARTEN-MICHELIN/dp/2067148052

Good for maps, distances, and locations, but its 2010 publication date makes is fairly useless for accommodations! It is lightweight and convenient, so supplements the yellow arrows for the "big picture."

 

[whariwharangi]

Hi,
I am walking the Camino Frances in April with my wife starting in JPDP. I have learned a lot from looking at the forum so thank you to everyone. The one aspect that I am still puzzled about is map coverage of the route. I have walked in the hills and mountains for years and always carry a map and compass. I am not sure which maps most pilgrims carry or where to get them? I have a guide book with basic maps but nothing 25000/50000 coverage.
Thank you
Harry

The Brierley guidebook has a map that is quite basic but points out the major features. You don't really need it; but its nice to have.

The reason you don't really need a map is because the entire route is marked with yellow arrows, ceramic tiles depicting a scallop shell, and signposts. Its a case of 'follow the yellow brick road', (and there are sections where the road is actually made of yellow bricks)

A secondary reason is that people who live in the area are accustomed to seeing pilgrims wander about aimlessly. They will point you out the direction of travel; often without being asked.

A tertiary reason is the road basically goes West in the shortest possible distance. Some sections are arrow straight remains of Roman roads.

 

[Mark Lee]

The Camino Frances requires no need for GPS, detailed/scaled maps or even a compass. It is well marked the entire Way all the way to Santiago. You would have to work really hard to get lost on it. Sure, you might make a wrong turn in a town now and then, but hardly anything worth being concerned about.
After walking it more than once I've come to the conclusion that the Brierley maps only guidebook is the perfect size, weight and information needed.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

No map needed. Folow the arrows and then take a look at the sketches provided in the guidebooks if in doubt. There's a reason you haven't seen maps.

This being said, if you do like the typical detailed map, for which you will habe no need what so ever, Roher publishes Camino guides that have these small maps. What I like about these is that theu show you the escape route: bus and train stations!

https://www.rother.de/rother-english titles-camino de santiago-4835.htm

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Also, I hope you are not expecting a walk "in hills and mountains" on the Frances. Other than the day to Roncessvalles the whole thing is quite built up and civilized. When you will be walking in fields it will most likely on private land traversed by the Camino.

 

[AlinaM]

Hi,
I am walking the Camino Frances in April with my wife starting in JPDP. I have learned a lot from looking at the forum so thank you to everyone. The one aspect that I am still puzzled about is map coverage of the route. I have walked in the hills and mountains for years and always carry a map and compass. I am not sure which maps most pilgrims carry or where to get them? I have a guide book with basic maps but nothing 25000/50000 coverage.
Thank you
Harry

Dear Anemone del Camino,
In the Pigrims Office in SJDP you will be given the most valuable map with topographic data, very easy, very usefull. This was a very good supporting info for us who did the Camino Frances in 2 years. (We are 70+). If you can´t wait, pls go to Les Amis di Chemin de Saint Jaques des Pyrenees Atlaniques and download the map already now. Buen Camino! (We two are ready for Camino Portugues in May, 5 2017) Buen Camino, Bon Caminho and Merry X-mas to all pilgrims!

 

[dennisvrees]

Yep all you need is a guide book I still carried my compass it came in handy when I had too many cervasa Grandes & walked in the wrong direction.

Did the compass tell upside from down?

 

[harry bowerman]

Thanks all. No maps it is then, just go west as the song says.
Harry

 

[MTtoCamino]

Did the compass tell upside from down?

I did not get to test that as I remained upside

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Dear Anemone del Camino,
In the Pigrims Office in SJDP you will be given the most valuable map with topographic data, very easy, very usefull. This was a very good supporting info for us who did the Camino Frances in 2 years.

Is it a map? Back in 2007 it was a series of sketches of the elevations for each suggested etapas. I still have mine from 2007. It came with another sheet which listed the albergues. If they still have that one it must now be a few pages long. But the OP was hoping for a more typical road map, and that is found in the Rother guides.

 

[Mark Lee]

I did not get to test that as I remained upside

upside is the best way to be when looking for a box of grid squares

 

[MTtoCamino]

upside is the best way to be when looking for a box of grid squares

Merry Christmas Mark, I hope your weather is warm & life is good. That goes for all you other Folks as well.
Keith

 

[Mark Lee]

Merry Christmas Mark, I hope your weather is warm & life is good. That goes for all you other Folks as well.
Keith

Thanks and merry Christmas to you too

 

[tpmchugh]

Hi,
I am walking the Camino Frances in April with my wife starting in JPDP. I have learned a lot from looking at the forum so thank you to everyone. The one aspect that I am still puzzled about is map coverage of the route. I have walked in the hills and mountains for years and always carry a map and compass. I am not sure which maps most pilgrims carry or where to get them? I have a guide book with basic maps but nothing 25000/50000 coverage.
Thank you
Harry

Have walked three times now and never needed a map outside of the cities. Started this year from Pamplona and got kind of lost getting from the bus station to the first yellow arrow. Needed a map again when I took a wrong turn leaving Ponferrada in the early morning darkness. Out in the countryside however, never needed a map at all. Used the rough maps at times in the guide book for nothing more than checking distances. On very long days, I tend to break the journey up in my mind to short 3 or 4 km sections

 

[AlinaM]

Is it a map? Back in 2007 it was a series of sketches of the elevations for each suggested etapas. I still have mine from 2007. It came with another sheet which listed the albergues. If they still have that one it must now be a few pages long. But the OP was hoping for a more typical road map, and that is found in the Rother guides.

Hi again! No, it is not "a real map", but the information in the "boxes" is excellent! You can plan your walk depending on difficulty of up and downs, then you can have a look in the list of albergues. And: if you are a little bit interested of the culture, churches, nature and other, the you also must complete with a traditional guide (printed or online). I used a combination of the 3, put also own notes on how far we have reached every day, earmarked places/churches/villages/cafees etc we wanted to visit - we did not follow the recommended distances in the boxes, but the information was very usefull.
Now me and my companion are searching for something like "the boxes" for our next Camino Portugues in May 2017. Merry Xmas!

 

[Mark Lee]

Have walked three times now and never needed a map outside of the cities. Started this year from Pamplona and got kind of lost getting from the bus station to the first yellow arrow. Needed a map again when I took a wrong turn leaving Ponferrada in the early morning darkness. Out in the countryside however, never needed a map at all. Used the rough maps at times in the guide book for nothing more than checking distances. On very long days, I tend to break the journey up in my mind to short 3 or 4 km sections

Same here. Got mixed up once in Ponferrada too, and once going into Leon. Walked straight when I should have gone right. Took all of ten minutes to find the Camino again.
The guidebook maps are great for checking distances and seeing which towns are where along the Camino. They are not precise and were never intended to be.
I too break up my Caminos in short distances. In my mind it's a long series of 5k's.

 

[dalstonmarra]

if you have smart phone download from Amazon for kindle ,"Outdoor , The way is the goal" has all the info you will need.

 

[pjacobi]

While it is possible to do the entire Camino without the aide of a map, I highly suggest that you carry a map at least as detailed as the those in the Brierley guidebook. Most stages have only one route, however many stages have alternate routes that keep you further away from auto routes. If you like breathing exhaust, follow the herd! I prefer the slightly longer, well-marked routes across the farmer's field with beautiful views. You would also miss the church at Eunate if you did not follow the 6km detour.

-Paul

 

[Saint Mike II]

Good for maps, distances, and locations, but its 2010 publication date makes is fairly useless for accommodations! It is lightweight and convenient, so supplements the yellow arrows for the "big picture."

Hola @falcon269 ; @Jimmy Smith - the edition I have has a 2013/2014 publication date. But I take your point about is specific usefulness in regard to albergue data. For this info I rely on Brierley. But in reality if you download the albergue data on the Forum you could survive with virtually no maps. Cheers

 

[Flem]

I think most people simply follow the yellow arrows and the outline maps printed in their guidebooks. Technophiles can also use one of the many Camino apps with their phone's GPS and mapping. I walked from St Jean to Santiago in September and October this year and the only times I found a map was needed were when going off-route in the larger towns. Glancing over the next day's route over an evening drink was usually all the navigation required. Signposting along the CF is not only adequate - it is excessive. Combine that with the huge number of walkers and you will find it quite difficult to lose the trail for long.

Try the Michelinguidebook
Camino de Santiago, Michelin Zoom 160 (Michelin Zoom, nr. 160)

 

[SabsP]

Try the Michelinguidebook
Camino de Santiago, Michelin Zoom 160 (Michelin Zoom, nr. 160)

This little booklet is all I take with me. Combined with the info from websites Gronze and Eroski it is more than sufficient.

 

[Jodoug]

Hi,
I am walking the Camino Frances in April with my wife starting in JPDP. I have learned a lot from looking at the forum so thank you to everyone. The one aspect that I am still puzzled about is map coverage of the route. I have walked in the hills and mountains for years and always carry a map and compass. I am not sure which maps most pilgrims carry or where to get them? I have a guide book with basic maps but nothing 25000/50000 coverage.
Thank you
Harry

You just follow your shadow in the morning and you are heading west. Then follow the sun and the signs in the afternoon. You can't go wrong.

 

[J Willhaus]

Hi,
I am walking the Camino Frances in April with my wife starting in JPDP. I have learned a lot from looking at the forum so thank you to everyone. The one aspect that I am still puzzled about is map coverage of the route. I have walked in the hills and mountains for years and always carry a map and compass. I am not sure which maps most pilgrims carry or where to get them? I have a guide book with basic maps but nothing 25000/50000 coverage.
Thank you
Harry

Hi Harry,
I also wanted a map when I started, but was able to make do with the guidebook and the arrows. We did not get lost and whenever we did stray off the path, there was usually some kind person there to call to us and set us back in the right direction. In Pamplona while searching off the path for a hotel we had reserved, more than one local tried to return us to the Way. "Santiago, Santiago!" Followed by lots of pointing and one even man trying to take us by the arm to walk us back! We had to show our hotel reservation and then the same man pointed out the way to the hotel. In Santo Domingo a man walked clear to the post office with us to make sure we would not get lost! It seemed easiest to get lost in cities.
Janet