Only 10 days what to walk?

[Dannuss]

Hi, i've enjoyed searching and reading this forum over the past month. Such and active and fun group of contributors. So thanks in advance!

My father (68) and i (35) have a small window to walk. We arrive in Madrid early morning May 14 and fly out the afternoon Of the 24th. Our main objective is to have some good father son time and enjoy some of the camino experience. My question i'm struggling with is what would be a good part of the trail to walk and is it worth trying to finish in Santiago since the last 100k seem to be more commercialized? How important is it recieving the compostela?

For me, I'd prefer to walk in as much beautiful wilderness and dirt trails as possible, so i was looking into starting in roncevalles. But for my father this might be his only chance to walk, so a trail closer to Santiago may be better... Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

[Rhun Leeding]

For me, the compostela is only a piece of paper with some nice colours on it, but it is still on display in my home! In terms of shorter caminos - I walked the Ingles from Ferrol to Santiago, which was much quieter from the Frances, and that was a combination of trail and smaller farm roads without too much walking near big roads and so forth, although you do encounter them from time to time. As a smaller camino though, even in September last year the accommodation was quite busy, but with two of you finding cheap rooms shouldn't be too much of a problem.

After Sarria, the last 100km does get quite busy - I've only walked from Leon on the Frances, so can't comment on the earlier parts - but in terms of path walking I think that maybe Astorga over the Cruz de Ferro was quite good with minimal paths, and I might then go on to cross O Cebreiro as well - but I do like climbing and ascending rather than flat walking, so it may be a matter of preference. Keep researching, and I'm sure you'll find something that ticks a fair few boxes for you.

 

[MTtoCamino]

I have looked at this amount of time many times. Since I do not plan to retire for another 6 years. I was blessed to have 6 weeks open up in 2014. I vote Pamplona. The reason is because it is an easy city to get to either from land transport or aircraft. I walked with a German woman who only had 2 weeks & caught a bus to Bilbao & flew out from there.

 

[Dannuss]

Should we start in Pamplona or is it worth catching a ride up to roncesvalles?

 

[Dannuss]

Thanks Rhun, i will look into the english route as well. Could be a good compromise and wet our appetite to do the frances in the future. Thanks to you both.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks Rhun, i will look into the english route as well. Could be a good compromise and wet our appetite to do the frances in the future. Thanks to you both.

And if you have ten days, you might be able to add on the three or four days out to Finisterre and/or Muxia. Either way, I bet your appetite will be well whet!

 

[Rhun Leeding]

And if you have ten days, you might be able to add on the three or four days out to Finisterre and/or Muxia. Either way, I bet your appetite will be well whet!

That's exactly what I did, as I usually only can take two weeks of holidays at a time per year...five days from Ferrol to Santiago, and then four down to Muxia. I found the smaller groups of people - at least on the Ingles, meant there was more of a community, which was important as I was walking by myself last year.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Should we start in Pamplona or is it worth catching a ride up to roncesvalles?

I Really liked the walk from Roncevalles to Pamplona, so if you stopped @ Logrono the timing would be about right to get back to Madrid. There are just a bunch of options, you also could start in Porto Portugal & walk to Santiago, or do part of the Madrid to Leon, or walk the Primitivo from Ovidio to Santiago. There are plenty of routes it just depends on how quiet you want it.

 

[MikeShaw]

Hi, i've enjoyed searching and reading this forum over the past month. Such and active and fun group of contributors. So thanks in advance!

My father (68) and i (35) have a small window to walk. We arrive in Madrid early morning May 14 and fly out the afternoon Of the 24th. Our main objective is to have some good father son time and enjoy some of the camino experience. My question i'm struggling with is what would be a good part of the trail to walk and is it worth trying to finish in Santiago since the last 100k seem to be more commercialized? How important is it recieving the compostela?

For me, I'd prefer to walk in as much beautiful wilderness and dirt trails as possible, so i was looking into starting in roncevalles. But for my father this might be his only chance to walk, so a trail closer to Santiago may be better... Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks.

I thought about this too, and finally decided to start in SJPP and walk for two weeks at my own pace. Who knows? Maybe I'll come back next year and do more. Here in USA people hike the Appalachian trail in sections, so the concept is okay with me. Do I need to have a compostella this trip? No, that's not what it is about for me (although at one time it was! When I first decided to walk it, I was going to start in Sarria.) I just want to enjoy the walk and I offer you that approach too, because you're walking with your Dad and it's a father and son time you'll cherish.

I start out on May 23rd 2017, so I shall look for your footprints. Buen Camino.
-Mike