Scott Peters
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- del Norte - late May (2017)
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@Scott Peters , take some really deep breaths. Then take a few days, minimum, paying attention to what you do in your current, pre-camino, life. Think hard about whats good and what isn't. Write lists: pros, cons, neutrals. Then have a big think about what you want out of the camino: a life changing experience; an easy hike in lovely countryside; a chance to think without every-day life interrupting; a chance to party with all sorts of amazing people from all around the globe.
Then think very, very hard about what it is you are really scared of - how well would you cope with a day with no-one to talk to who speaks your language; what if you were all alone in a strange building for the night (safe, just alone); how long can you queue at the bar before it all gets too much; how disastrous would it be if you can't get a bed in your first pick Albergue but have to go somewhere else; what if someone tells you you are not a real pilgrim because...
By the way there are no, or rather few, rules on the camino. And there is definitely no rule that says that you have to walk the Frances first. In May there will be many pilgrims on the Norte. In May there will always be a bed on the Frances - and room at the bar.
If you want to walk to Santiago start in Leon, or Oviedo, or Porto. But try hard to understand why you want to do it then your camino experience will be real, for you.
And when you have figured out why you want to walk camino take a few deep breaths, pick up your pack and walk.
Well said...great advise and help given to a newbie!@Scott Peters , take some really deep breaths. Then take a few days, minimum, paying attention to what you do in your current, pre-camino, life. Think hard about whats good and what isn't. Write lists: pros, cons, neutrals. Then have a big think about what you want out of the camino: a life changing experience; an easy hike in lovely countryside; a chance to think without every-day life interrupting; a chance to party with all sorts of amazing people from all around the globe.
Then think very, very hard about what it is you are really scared of - how well would you cope with a day with no-one to talk to who speaks your language; what if you were all alone in a strange building for the night (safe, just alone); how long can you queue at the bar before it all gets too much; how disastrous would it be if you can't get a bed in your first pick Albergue but have to go somewhere else; what if someone tells you you are not a real pilgrim because...
By the way there are no, or rather few, rules on the camino. And there is definitely no rule that says that you have to walk the Frances first. In May there will be many pilgrims on the Norte. In May there will always be a bed on the Frances - and room at the bar.
If you want to walk to Santiago start in Leon, or Oviedo, or Porto. But try hard to understand why you want to do it then your camino experience will be real, for you.
And when you have figured out why you want to walk camino take a few deep breaths, pick up your pack and walk.
Hi Scott, there are no 'bad' options. Whichever one you choose will be the right one for you.
Although the CF is usually recommended on this forum for one's first Camino, most of the people we met on the Primitivo last year were first-time pilgrims. If you are reasonably fit and active, you could walk the Primitivo in your two-week timeframe. You'll have company and camaraderie in late May, without the crowds, stress and bed-races of the CF. There's lots of information on this forum and on sites such as Gronze that will help you to do some initial planning.
I'm sure that two weeks on the Norte would also be wonderful
Buen Camino and happy planning!
Thanks so much for the help. However, when I've searched on the ALSA site, I haven't been able to find a route / trip from Luarca to Tineo. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.I looked at an Alsa site (spanish buscompany) There seems to be a possibility to take a bus to Luarca and from there a bus to Tineo (3 walking days; 70 kilometers from Oviedo) It would take you a day : Leave at 9 in the morning and arrive in the end of the afternoon) At the end you would have to walk 2,5 kilometer. In Tineo there is an albergue and a luxurious hotel opened a welprovided private albergue downstairs (I cannot remember the name) If needed I could find more specific information.
If you are flying into Santiago then you take the bus to Lugo. From Lugo there is a bus to A Fonsagrada (Linea Hervei) where you can start walking. There is no bus to Grandas de Salime as you cross the boundary between Galicia and Asturias.Is there any way to get to the Primitovo from Santiago (when I'm flying into) other than Lugo or Oviedo? I have more time than just to start from Lugo but I can't find any place a bus might stop farther back between Luco and Oviedo.
I agree, but for many pilgrims the problem is which airport they arrive at. Lack of any public transport between A Fonsagrada and Grandas de Salime would mean either walking, or taking a taxi (expensive), the 27kms eastwards a to start in Grandas or catching the daily bus from Grandas to Tineo etc to start further back. Those who arrive via Asturias airport (Oviedo) don't have that problem.From Fonsagrada to Santiago is about 150 km, about a week walking. You would miss some beautifully stretches. In Fonsagrada there is,like in Tineo a luxurious pension with a wellprovided alberguesection. I think it was called Cantabrico
I agree, but for many pilgrims the problem is which airport they arrive at. Lack of any public transport between A Fonsagrada and Grandas de Salime would mean either walking, or taking a taxi (expensive), the 27kms eastwards a to start in Grandas or catching the daily bus from Grandas to Tineo etc to start further back. Those who arrive via Asturias airport (Oviedo) don't have that problem.
I think that if the OP is arriving via Santiago then the A Fonsagrada option could work out best. It also gives the opportunity to walk shorter days into Lugo to start up slowly - A Fonsagrada; Cadabo; Castroverde; Lugo etc ad it took us 10 days to Santiago after A Fonsagradaplus 2 days in Lugo to see the walls etc
The lovely hotel mentioned above in Tineo with pilgrim lodging downstairs is called Palacio de Meras (according to the Dave Whitson guide book.)I looked at an Alsa site (spanish buscompany) There seems to be a possibility to take a bus to Luarca and from there a bus to Tineo (3 walking days; 70 kilometers from Oviedo) It would take you a day : Leave at 9 in the morning and arrive in the end of the afternoon) At the end you would have to walk 2,5 kilometer. In Tineo there is an albergue and a luxurious hotel opened a welprovided private albergue downstairs (I cannot remember the name) If needed I could find more specific information.
Having done the Primativo, I would suggest starting in Oviedo if possible, walk to Lugo, (both lovely cities), then catch the bus in Lugo and ride all the way to Santiago. This avoids the less interesting terrain and the crowds that form when merging with the Frances route. However, you would not be able to receive a compostella, as you would not have walked the last 100k.Another possibility would be to travel to Oviedo, see a little bit of the city and next morning take a bus to Tineo. 1 1/2 hour. The stage from Tineo to Borres is only 16 kliometer. Borres is the most logic stoppingplace, certainly if weather permits you to walk the beautifull Hospitalesroute (
I totally agree that the most beautiful part of the Primitivo comes before Lugo, but if a compostela is your goal, you have a conundrum. One thing to consider is that many people walk the Primitivo in 11 or 12 days from Oviedo to Santiago. I don't know what you think your daily averages would be, but you can find a lot of "standard" itineraries that would get you to Santiago in 12 days, which would give you the "best of both worlds", so to speak.
Scott, would you mind if I give you a personal observation about stress...? I walked the Norte last September / October and was really quite nervous about so many issues, such as the language, accommodation, route finding, meeting people etc. A forum member said to me that all my fears would be left behind once I started walking,. I was sceptical but never a truer piece of advice was given. Despite my initial misgivings, it was the most amazing, glorious experience ever and there was never a day I didn't enjoy, even the wet days. Hmm... not strictly correct, the blister days were a nightmare (seriously test your shoes and boots beforehand!)
I would recommend you wring every possible day out there. For me, each day improved the experience and it took around 10 - 12 days before I was really in 'the zone', totally chilled and loving every second of it. You shouldn't find the Norte or Primitivo too isolated in May, it will be a wonderful time to walk it.
It's easy for me over sitting in front of my laptop to say 'don't worry about stress', but I promise you that it will be fine and you'll wonder what on earth you were so stressed about beforehand! If ever there is a problem, the Camino always has a way of providing. Well, that's my experience, and of course, every journey is unique, as will be yours.
Lastly, I had the Wise Pilgrim app on my iPhone, great for route finding and accommodation. although I only used the map very occasionally to ensure I was more or less on track. The iTranslate app was also very useful, and the 4G signal is excellent in Northern Spain, much better than the UK, so a data bundle would be useful, as you sometimes fight for wi-fi with all the other peregrinos in the albergues!
Have a blast, and keep us updated!
Pete
To take the stress out of getting a bed or room at the end of your day's walking. You could think about booking small hotels ahead? I did this on my first trip because walking alone I didn't know what it would be like to get somewhere tried and not be able to get a bed in an Albergue. I believe I could still call myself a peregrina ( though others might disagree)!An awesome response!
So if I want a life changing experience, which do I choose (half in jest)? I think what I fear most is stress on the walk - I don't want to feel like that and I'm prone to do it (such as stress about a room or not knowing where to go, etc).
Is there any way to get to the Primitovo from Santiago (when I'm flying into) other than Lugo or Oviedo? I have more time than just to start from Lugo but I can't find any place a bus might stop farther back between Luco and Oviedo.
I have about two weeks to spend on the Camino. After deciding the CF would be too crowded (late May) I planned my entire trip for the CdN. Now I'm worried that will be too isolated / not as good of an experience / not as nice and historical as other options. Someone else just suggested I look at doing the last 12 days or so of the Primitivo. any other thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks!!!
I must agree about the Frances. I started out on the Camoino Norte which was wonderful, not too solitary either and I went in Sept. I lost a few days due to blisters so I went down to the Frances at Leon. Not nice. The part from Leon to Astorga is horrible. Flat, ugly and no trees. Then along the trail lots of dirty toilet paper and outside of Leon I believe there were groups of loud people breathing down my neck. Never again and that was in late Sept and Oct. I hope to return and do the other have of the Norte or the Primitivo which I hear is really, really nice.I did not walk the CF except the last two stretches after Melide where the Camino Primitivo joins the CF. It was quite a shock to walk with so many people in a totally different atmosphere. The Camino Primitivo was very nice, not lonely, at least not in may. There were enough albergues, the landscape was very beautifully
In may last year I walked the Primitivo, it was very good, beautifull landscapes, Oviedo and Lugo are nice cities. There were no big crowds, but it sure was not a lonely camino, more than enough people in the evening for "socialising". In Melide the Primitivo joined with the Camino Frances, that came quite as a shock, I never walked the Frances, because of all the stories I heard about the crowds on this route. All I heard proved to be true. For long stretches I walked in a row behind other pilgrims, when I finally succeeded in overhauling them, I soon came to one of the many bars and this proces started all over again. There were people walking with loud music; probably because of the many I did not hear as many birdsounds as on the primitivo and other caminos .Perhaps the crowds in the earlier stages on the Frances are not that big. A possibility for you might be to walk earlier stages, but then you would not walk in to Santiago
So walk the comforting Frances - loads of beds, loads of bars, loads of little yellow arrows and always a pilgrim to share your confusion with.
Or walk the Primitivo and challenge your socks off and walk into Santiago laughing at the glory of it all.
What you choose is your choice. If you knew about some of the choices I've made you definitely wouldn't be asking me for an opinion
Sorry not to reply sooner but we have been away.I hope everyone knows just how thankful I am for all this help.
I've done some exploring and it seems like getting to Lugo and/or Fonsagrada from Santiago is pretty easy and fast. However, I was hoping to hike farther. It looks like that is too short and that going from Oviedo (hiking the Primitivo) is too long. There does look like a bus to Luarca (4hrs) and then another one the next day to Tineo (2hrs). Worth all the hassle for the extra days?
Interested to hear that Brendan. I walked Primitivo finishing almost exactly 2 years ago. And shared your experience of few on the Primitivo and certainly no bed issues. And I loved it. And yes, arriving in Arzua was a shock to the system, but I had arranged to coincide with three friends there for the last couple of days, which was great.Time for me to update my earlier post. I mentioned that I never felt the crush of crowds that many others have noted? UPDATE...WOW!
I need to change my position....I just finished the Camino Primitivo ( every bit as beautiful as they say and maybe even a bit more challenging than I expected ) .
Maybe because I stayed in Pensiones, casa rurals, etc....I only saw 11 people on my entire walk 'til Melide....Cripes, then they came out of the woodwork....hundreds of them!
I still believe that everyone is entitled to their own version of the Camino but it really was a shocker from Melide to Santiago. There were always at least 20-30 folks in view.
They had every right to be there but it is time for me to find some other routes!
My Caminos will always stay in my heart!,
Buen Camino, all!
Hello,@Scott Peters , take some really deep breaths. Then take a few days, minimum, paying attention to what you do in your current, pre-camino, life. Think hard about whats good and what isn't. Write lists: pros, cons, neutrals. Then have a big think about what you want out of the camino: a life changing experience; an easy hike in lovely countryside; a chance to think without every-day life interrupting; a chance to party with all sorts of amazing people from all around the globe.
Then think very, very hard about what it is you are really scared of - how well would you cope with a day with no-one to talk to who speaks your language; what if you were all alone in a strange building for the night (safe, just alone); how long can you queue at the bar before it all gets too much; how disastrous would it be if you can't get a bed in your first pick Albergue but have to go somewhere else; what if someone tells you you are not a real pilgrim because...
By the way there are no, or rather few, rules on the camino. And there is definitely no rule that says that you have to walk the Frances first. In May there will be many pilgrims on the Norte. In May there will always be a bed on the Frances - and room at the bar.
If you want to walk to Santiago start in Leon, or Oviedo, or Porto. But try hard to understand why you want to do it then your camino experience will be real, for you.
And when you have figured out why you want to walk camino take a few deep breaths, pick up your pack and walk.
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