Meaning of circles in the John Brierley Guide Books

[RayZee]

I had a question dealing with the John Brierley Camino Guides. On maps associated with towns or city’s, more often than not, there are faint circles that appear on the map and for the life of me I can’t figure out what these circles are supposed to represent.
As an example, in the Camino Portugues guide on page 63 (city of Tomar) there are three different sized circles. Do the sizes mean something. I’ve looked at the legend and read numerous pages trying to answer my own question but to no avail.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I don't know but a guess is that they are indicating the size of the town, perhaps. Big circle = big town.

 

[C clearly]

I'm looking at a different Brierley book. One town map has 3 circles, each with an A, B or C label, that correspond to text descriptions of Zone A, Zone B and Zone C. Another map has a single unlabeled circle so I'm guessing that it corresponds to the text description of the Central area.

 

[RayZee]

I don't know but a guess is that they are indicating the size of the town, perhaps. Big circle = big town.

Sometimes there are more than one circle of various sizes in the same town/city.

 

[RayZee]

I'm looking at a different Brierley book. One town map has 3 circles, each with an A, B or C label, that correspond to text descriptions of Zone A, Zone B and Zone C. Another map has a single unlabeled circle so I'm guessing that it corresponds to the text description of the Central area.

Which guide and page are you referring to please.

 

[t2andreo]

IIRC, they indicate that there is a relating focus map - on a larger scale. These are usually found on the next page - after the larger - area map with the circles.

If I recalled correctly yippee! If not, someone will surely correct me. Thank you in advance.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[RayZee]

IIRC, they indicate that there is a relating focus map - on a larger scale. These are usually found on the next page - after the larger - area map with the circles.

If I recalled correctly yippee! If not, someone will surely correct me. Thank you in advance.

Hope this helps.

Tom

Hi Tom,
Thanks for your response.
I thought the same thing early on, but was disappointed to find out that wasn't the case. As pointed out in my example (Camino Portugues p.63) there are no larger scale images of the circle areas anywhere close to p. 63.

 

[C clearly]

there is a relating focus map - on a larger scale.

No. The detailed city maps are indicated with rectangles on the less detailed route map.

Which guide and page are you referring to please.

I am looking at the 2021 Camino Sanabres - Camino Invierno book. The circles seem to be used to indicate an area where there is some discussion in the text. One image (page 31, attached) shows three circles labelled A, B and C, and on the facing page you can see the discussion for these Zones (all together in a single paragraph, though). The second image (page 127) shows two unlabeled circles. Both those areas are discussed in the text on pages 125 and 126 but without specific labels since they aren't really necessary.

This type of circle seems to be drawing attention to an area that is discussed in the text, but admittedly the labeling and referencing is not totally consistent or obvious.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I am looking at my Brierley Camino Portuguese guidebook at the page in question (page 63). I doubt I even noticed those three circles when I walked that stage. It is a mystery to me and unfortunately, we can no longer ask JB why he chose to do that.
I have flipped through the pages of my guidebook and see a few other pages (#33, 51, 63, 79, 232) with one or more of these pale circles on the maps; they are definitely a bit of a mystery. Possibly the circles are relating to certain areas in the larger cities?
I'm sure someone can give us some insight. I know @dougfitz has recently walked the Portuguese; possibly he used the guidebook and has some thoughts and insights.

 

[dougfitz]

I'm sure someone can give us some insight. I know @dougfitz has recently walked the Portuguese; possibly he used the guidebook and has some thoughts and insights.

Your optimism is misplaced. I have tried several theories about what they might be, but they have all been falsified along the way. I have skimmed my 2020 edition of the CP guide and haven't found an explanation. The same pattern is used in my much older edition of the CF guide, and I couldn't find an explanation in it either. They only occur on town plans, but not every town plan has these symbols. I am unable to solve this mystery either.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Your optimism is misplaced. I have tried several theories about what they might be, but they have all been falsified along the way. I have skimmed my 2020 edition of the CP guide and haven't found an explanation. The same pattern is used in my much older edition of the CF guide, and I couldn't find an explanation in it either. They only occur on town plans, but not every town plan has these symbols. I am unable to solve this mystery either.

Well, Doug, if you couldn't figure it out, I doubt any one else can!

 

[C clearly]

I am unable to solve this mystery either.

Does my theory apply for your guides?

 

[Tincatinker]

My 2011 Brierley (RIP) guide to the Frances, on reference, features these fine-line circles on some town plans. My interpretation is that they are a demarcation of the “pilgrim” centre of urban areas. This is evident from the maps of Leon and Mansilla amongst others. Bear in mind that John’s daily distances are based on the journey from specific Albergue to Albergue. His circles, where they appear, centre on that selected Albergue. Interestingly the map of St Jean, pp45 in my edition, features two seperate circles. One centred on the Albergue cluster on the Rue de Citadelle, the other on the crux, the decision point, where the sensible and informed pilgrim chooses Napoleon or Valcarlos.

There is no explanation anywhere in the text that I can find but I’d like to think that John trusted us to be able to work that one out for ourselves, eventually

 

[RobertS26]

Looking at the town plan for Ponferrada in the CF guide, there are three circles. The first one directly surrounds the first bridge over the rio Boeza as you enter town. The second circle is larger and encompasses the center of town. The third is another small circle that directly surrounds the second bridge over the rio Boeza as you leave town.

Looking back on my time in Ponferrada, I remember those three locations as the most interesting parts of Ponferrada that deserved a little non-Camino related sightseeing.

So, is it possible they represent areas of "interest"?

 

[RayZee]

It appears that I'm not the only one who enjoys a good mystery.

 

[dougfitz]

Does my theory apply for your guides?

That is a challenge! I have looked at the three Brierley guides I own, CP, CF and Finisterre. The circled areas all do contain places that are discussed in the text where I have checked. But the text also discusses other areas that are not contained in any circled areas. Some circled areas contain several places, others only one. Nonetheless, @C clearly, the theory you have advanced seems to be better than any I had tried, and there is nothing that indicates it isn't correct.

 

[t2andreo]

I tried to reverse-construct the meaning of the light lined circles by comparing multiple pages with circles, but drew a blank. I even read the map legend, about four times. Also, I re-read all the lead-in material in the first 40 or so pages to my 2017 version of Brierley.

I did discover, and agree that it is small squares or rectangles that tell the reader there is a nearby expanded scale map of an area. The circles have an entirely different, and as yet undiscerned purpose. I simply conflated the two shapes.

Has anyone reached out to his daughter? If she took over the guidebooks on John's passing, she may know. If she does not know directly, perhaps she can access John's notes.

I am stumped.

 

[asl]

Related question - I have reviewed the legends in the Camino Frances 2023 Guide and noted a red heart on some pages, though cannot find a reference the image, e.g. p. 222 next to #7 de La Piedra.

 

[cce]

I had a question dealing with the John Brierley Camino Guides. On maps associated with towns or city’s, more often than not, there are faint circles that appear on the map and for the life of me I can’t figure out what these circles are supposed to represent.
As an example, in the Camino Portugues guide on page 63 (city of Tomar) there are three different sized circles. Do the sizes mean something. I’ve looked at the legend and read numerous pages trying to answer my own question but to no avail.

Could it be Historic Buildings and Monuments... see page 32 with the circle before the text on the Camino Portuguese guidebook and the faint circles on page 33.

 

[OTH86]

Related question - I have reviewed the legends in the Camino Frances 2023 Guide and noted a red heart on some pages, though cannot find a reference the image, e.g. p. 222 next to #7 de La Piedra.

I believe it's a place John found particularly nice, friendly, etc... At least the places I've stayed at that had the little red heart were special...