Need guidebook for St Jacob's Way

[BobM]

I am hoping to walk a very short part of St Jacob's Way for about 5 days in July or August, probably from Oberhofen in Austria to St Johann.

Does anyone know of a good guidebook that covers this part of the route - or even the whole route through Austria that links up with routes in France joining the Camino Frances?

If anyone has walked that section, I would love to hear feedback on route signage/navigation. Maybe a guidebook is not even necessary?

Bob M

 

[domigee]

Hi Bob, don't know if that helps but I bought guide books in Germany and Austria : the 'Danube bike trail'. They're spiral-bound, longish little guides, the map was useful to judge the distances and they also listed accommodation. I think there were at least three so I didn't keep them (too much weight ).
I found the first one in a Tourist information office but just checked and found them on Amazon.

Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/dp/3850006174/?tag=casaivar02-20

The way itself is well sign-posted (Jacobsweg) but the distances are sometimes fantasist (if you're walking).
Walked the other way, it does lead you to Santiago. The only pilgrim I met was on that route, walking from Prague and aiming for...Santiago!

 

[BobM]

Hi Bob, don't know if that helps but I bought guide books in Germany and Austria : the 'Danube bike trail'. They're spiral-bound, longish little guides, the map was useful to judge the distances and they also listed accommodation. I think there were at least three so I didn't keep them (too much weight ).
I found the first one in a Tourist information office but just checked and found them on Amazon.

Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/dp/3850006174/?tag=casaivar02-20

The way itself is well sign-posted (Jacobsweg) but the distances are sometimes fantasist (if you're walking).
Walked the other way, it does lead you to Santiago. The only pilgrim I met was on that route, walking from Prague and aiming for...Santiago!

Thx, Domigee, especially for troubling to find a weblink for the Danube bike trail book. These books look interesting. And they are spiral bound. Why aren't all guidebooks spiral bound?

After walking from Rome to Bari last year, I swore that was it for me as a long distance walker; but the obsession has come back, drat it..

Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is also unfinished business. I found a supported guided tour that has useful ideas about stages and places to stay: http://aufgangtravel.com/travel-tours/walking-tour-tel-aviv-to-jerusalem

Best wishes for your own walks.

Bob M

 

[Purky]

I couldn't (quickly) find a guide available on this site, but this interactive map might be of some use. I have spent some time near Kitzbuhel (just south of St. Johann) in that area, and signposting there is usually excellent. Beautiful hiking country, and I think I will look into this a bit more because I'll be in Kitzbuhel again for a week this christmas. Let us know how you fare out there!

EDIT: just found out that you can get pretty much everything you need out of the two links above. GPX data files, Google KML files and Garmin MapSource downloads are available for every stage, and I also found .PDF way descriptions (including detailed maps). Text is German, but the maps are all you need. Accommodation listings here.

 

[domigee]

Thx, Domigee, especially for troubling to find a weblink for the Danube bike trail book. These books look interesting. And they are spiral bound. Why aren't all guidebooks spiral bound?

After walking from Rome to Bari last year, I swore that was it for me as a long distance walker; but the obsession has come back, drat it..

Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is also unfinished business. I found a supported guided tour that has useful ideas about stages and places to stay: http://aufgangtravel.com/travel-tours/walking-tour-tel-aviv-to-jerusalem

Best wishes for your own walks.

Bob M

Oh, I'm sure I could gather enough info. to help you for the walk Tel-viv to Jerusalem! You may not know but my blog was lost.... Have to rely on memory but maybe my walking partner is best bet in that respect!
Still, ask if you need it.

Best wishes Bob!

 

[BobM]

I couldn't (quickly) find a guide available on this site, but this interactive map might be of some use. . . . . . . EDIT: just found out that you can get pretty much everything you need out of the two links above. GPX data files, Google KML files and Garmin MapSource downloads are available for every stage, and I also found .PDF way descriptions (including detailed maps). Text is German, but the maps are all you need. Accommodation listings here.

Thank you for the helpful links.

Bob M

 

[BobM]

Oh, I'm sure I could gather enough info. to help you for the walk Tel-viv to Jerusalem! You may not know but my blog was lost.... Have to rely on memory but maybe my walking partner is best bet in that respect!
Still, ask if you need it.

Best wishes Bob!

Sorry to hear your wonderful blog was lost. Sometimes stuff can be recovered, but it depends on how the loss occurred. It might be worth asking if the blogging platform you used makes backups of blogs. Or maybe one of your followers has a copy.

Good luck

Bob M

 

[willydp]

Sorry to hijack your posting BobM.
@BobM, @domigee
All info is welcome
CF was planned next month, but my back said no, have to rest and see further
The walk in Israel and Kumano Kodo in Japan are on the wishlist

 

[BobM]

Sorry to hijack your posting BobM.
@BobM, @domigee
All info is welcome
CF was planned next month, but my back said no, have to rest and see further
The walk in Israel and Kumano Kodo in Japan are on the wishlist

I agree that all info is welcome, so I encourage everyone to hijack at will. Which reminds me of a saying that there are no bad questions, only bad answers.

I saw a TV program about the Kumano Kodo and noted it in my bulging (impossible) wish list. Unfortunately I did not note the name of the TV program itself, but maybe it was one of Simon Reeve's pilgrimage walks. Professor Google does not know either, but his associate Prof. Wikipedia has some information on the Kumano Kodo at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumano_Kodō. The appeal for me would be walking in a totally different but sympathetic culture.

As for Israel, there are so many interesting walks apart from the daunting INT. Arranging accommodation can be problematic, although there is an excellent network of Trail Angels to assist.

Bob M

 

[willydp]

Hi,
I got some info for the Kumano Kodo from jill81 on this forum.
http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/world-heritage/dual-pilgrim/
http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/
Enjoy.

As for Israël, it is not that popular to walk.
Most of the places to stay in that tour can be booked online
Just the Jafa ride to the startingpoint is not clear, why ride and not walk...
No info on water and food supply on the way...
Probably dessert walk Point A to B short distance.

 

[Kitsambler]

probably from Oberhofen in Austria to St Johann.

The main Jakobsweg route through Austria is covered in this guidebook from the excellent Conrad-Stein-Verlag "little yellow book" line: https://www.conrad-stein-verlag.de/...tml?startIndex=40&endIndex=50&t=1492439405805 There are a few other Austrian routes covered by Conrad-Stein titles, but my limited knowledge of Austrian geography isn't helping me point you to the right one. In addition to being available from the publisher, amazon.de carries them.

I have not walked in Austria, but I have walked extensively in German-language areas with only very limited German-language capability. The routes are well-marked, but in the Germanic spirit (ie, turn when we tell you and not before; and you shouldn't need reassurance between turning points). So a guidebook with a local map can be extremely useful. You can probably also find an online map of the route to download to your phone, which I strongly recommend (since I tend to turn before I'm told, and need reassurance between turning points). Guidebooks also give local transit and service connections, and contact info for a few lodging options. The Conrad-Stein titles do not give as extensive a listing of lodgings as Miam-Miam Dodo does in France. But then, the MMD line does not cover the German-speaking areas.

Other sources of information on this route might be available from the Tourism Office in your starting town, and the regional hiking association for that area.

 

[willydp]

@Kitsambler
Seems al to be in the German language (exept one for the CF).

 

[Kitsambler]

@Kitsambler
Seems al to be in the German language (except one for the CF).

Yes, Conrad-Stein publishes in German for the German-speaking audience in Europe. Maps and graphics are an international language, however, and it takes only a few words of German to decipher the listings of lodgings and services (about as much as the level of French necessary to decipher Miam Miam Dodo).

Google Translate does work on the Conrad-Stein website, if you need it.

 

[willydp]

@Kitsambler
It was just to point it out to the forum.
I do understand & speak German (writing not so good), so for me no problem
French no problem either.

 

[BobM]

Thx for the Conrad-Stein reference.

I have good offline maps for my phone and I have found a GPX file for my walk that I can load on my phone and on another GPS unit, so navigation won't be a problem. (God, why am I tempting fate with such unjustified hubris?)

BTW, I will be starting from Seerkirchen near Salzberg on July 10 and I will have a couple of days to look for local guidebooks.

One more question: Is it possible to get a credencial for Jacobsweg in either Salzberg or Vienna?

Best wishes to all of you who are about to embark on your own summer pilgrimages - and to those who are already on the road.

Bob M

 

[willydp]

@BobN
Talking Greek now
Tempting faith... or is it just following the path that lays before you?
Step by step...follow your instincts, all will be fine
Go for it...I'm stuck at home with my back (almost 2 months), but I have time (retired)
I will walk that Camino or part one day, also step by step

 

[BobM]

@BobN
Talking Greek now
Tempting faith... or is it just following the path that lays before you?
Step by step...follow your instincts, all will be fine
Go for it...I'm stuck at home with my back (almost 2 months), but I have time (retired)
I will walk that Camino or part one day, also step by step

I tried to learn written Greek some years ago. Many English words come from Greek and Greek-Latin combinations. Cradle of Western thought, philosophy, politics, natural science (Aristotle) . . . blah . . blah . . .blah.

Good luck with the back. Back pain still baffles medicine to some extent, so far as I understand. The old treatment was total rest; but now the recommended treatment seems to be moderate activity as soon as pain allows.

Bob M

 

[willydp]

You can order one online here (German): http://www.jakobswege-a.eu/index.php?option=com_forme&Itemid=99999&fid=2
When you look click international the you get a picture from the one in Spain?
But they have a local one that is OK for Santiago de Compostella.
http://www.jakobsweg-tirol.net/de/Pilgerpass.html

Found this for Salzburg:
Österreichischer Jakobsweg
Planungsunterlagen und Pilgerpass:
Salzburger Jakobusgemeinschaft
Adelbert Pointl --> adelbert.pointl@wasi.tv
Tegetthoffstraße 11
A-5071 Wals
Tel. 0043662 855365
Fax 0043662 855365
jakobusgemeinschaft.salzburg@wasi.tv
www.jakobusgemeinschaft.at

You can send them an email

I found this for Vienna: Spanish one??

Abholung:
Der Pilgerausweis kann in der Regel am nächsten Werktag im "Quo vadis?" abgeholt werden.
Adresse: 1010 Wien, Stephansplatz 6 (Zwettler Hof - Durchgang zur Wollzeile)
Telefon: 01/512 03 85
Öffnungszeiten: Montag- Freitag 10:00 - 18:00 (Mittagspause 12:00-12:30)

 

[BobM]

Thanks to willydp for the info on the credencial and the websites.

The latter led me to this site which has useful information on the various routes in Austria that might help others who are considering this route:
http://www.jakobswege-a.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=53
There are also links to GPS data, but they are not so easy to find.

It is all in German, but Google Translate is quite good.

Bob M