Part of the camino Francès in 2016

[Camembert]

Anybody can give me an advice.?
We walked the caminho Portugues twice and once the camino Inglès .
We are intending to walk a part of the camino Francès next year. 14 days and max 20 kms a day

We will make a trip of 2 months with our car and caravan to Spain and Portugal and in that time walk for a fortnight.
We want to park the car and caravan on a campingsite for ex. León and travel backwards by public transport to a place which will be two weeks walking at our pace and walk back to our camping on the camino.
Anybody has an idea what is an interesting part ?
It is no need to end up in Santiago. We have seen it there allready 3 times.

Is Pamplona a good idea and where should we end up ?

 

[Marc S.]

hi Albertinho. How to advice on this one ...
Pamplona is definitely a good place to start and I guess in two weeks you will get as far as Burgos (app. 220 kms). This is a good walk, passing green hills and Rioja country, as well as some nice towns. From Burgos you can easily take a train to Leon & to your caravan.
The walk from Burgos to Leon would be app 200 kms and would take you through the mesetas, which I consider to be something really special, but it is not to everybody's liking (flat).
But how to choose which is the nicest or most interesting part of the CF ? - quite impossible imo. I suggest to just keep it simple: start in Pamplona and walk from there, and continue walking the Frances next time around.
Hope this is helpful. Marc.

 

[Robo]

I would tend to agree. Start in Pamplona. St Jean to Pamplona is great, but it'd really the St Jean to Roncesvalles that is best. So you are only missing one really good day of that section.

Whereas from Pamplona you'll really see some of the best of the CF....every day. Don't stress about how far you might get. You'll get to Burgos OK, Hornillos and Catrojeriz are good sections and give you a flavour of the Meseta. Fromista might be a stretch in the time you have.

The only downside of Burgos to Lean is that you'll have 2 or 3 days of 'Senda' which is not the nicest section..... (last stages into Leon) IMHO probably the most uninspiring sections of the CF ......18, 19, 20 in the Brierly guide,

 

[Camembert]

Thank you MarcS and Robo. I am going to work out your suggestions and start in Pamplona and walk as far as 14 days .
We did the same on the Camino Ingles last year . Parked our caravan in Valdoviño,north of Ferrol, walked from Ferrol to Santiago and travelled back to Valdoviño by bus.

From Burgos or around we easily can get on our roundtrip to Portugal and the south of Spain

Thanks again.
Buen camino

 

[MTtoCamino]

Pamplona is a very interesting place, Too bad you could not stay an extra day.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Albertinho,
I never thought I'd see you over here in the Camino Frances part of the forum. You know, there's this apparently wonderful Caminho Interior from Viseu to Chaves and on to Verin -- have you seen Aurelio's posts and edumad's pictures? I know some of the towns along that route and it is untraveled Portugal at its finest!

But if you are going to stick with the Frances, I second the idea of parking your van in Pamplona, walking for two weeks, and then hopping a bus back to Pamplona. That is very easy to do on the Frances. I think it's a much better idea to park the car at the starting point and then take a bus/train back to the car, so you are then free to walk as far as you want every day. Sounds like you have a wonderful two month trip planned for next year! Bom caminho, Laurie

 

[jsalt]

Anybody can give me an advice.?
We walked the caminho Portugues twice and once the camino Inglès .
We are intending to walk a part of the camino Francès next year. 14 days and max 20 kms a day

We will make a trip of 2 months with our car and caravan to Spain and Portugal and in that time walk for a fortnight.
We want to park the car and caravan on a campingsite for ex. León and travel backwards by public transport to a place which will be two weeks walking at our pace and walk back to our camping on the camino.
Anybody has an idea what is an interesting part ?
It is no need to end up in Santiago. We have seen it there allready 3 times.

Is Pamplona a good idea and where should we end up ?

Another option might be to leave your van in Burgos. There is a nice camping site near the river walk into Burgos http://www.campingburgos.com/ and take public transport to St Jean Pied de Port. See what all the hype is about when starting from there . It would be an average 20.8 km walk over 14 days, your goal being your lovely comfy van waiting for you in Burgos. Make sure you take the river walk into Burgos . Then, something to look forward to over the next two years: Burgos to Astorga, and Astorga to Santiago . Jill

 

[Camembert]

Another option might be to leave your van in Burgos. There is a nice camping site near the river walk into Burgos http://www.campingburgos.com/ and take public transport to St Jean Pied de Port. See what all the hype is about when starting from there . It would be an average 20.8 km walk over 14 days, your goal being your lovely comfy van waiting for you in Burgos. Make sure you take the river walk into Burgos . Then, something to look forward to over the next two years: Burgos to Astorga, and Astorga to Santiago . Jill

Thanks Jill for your alternative. Before I looked on the map, I did not realize the distance from SJPDP to Burgos is about a fortnight to walk.

Last year after walking the camino Inglès and touring through Portugal we ended up in the French place of Sain Jean de Luz nearby Biaritz and made a touristical daytrip to Saint Jean Pied de Port. so we have an impression of the village and "the hype is about "
The Burgos campsite is a good idea. We missed it last night .we came from Salamanca and I was intending to go there but due to heavy traffic I decided to avoid the town and go on to the Bask coast. Missed an exit at a toll gate so ended up in Saint Jean de Luz. A long day driving

A lot to consider. Burgos is on the route via Salamanca ,Cáceres and Évora to Lisbon where we will spend our holiday around the coast and after that we drive to Casa Fernanda, to be hospitaleiros at her pilgrim albergue as we did this year May too.
So it will be another interesting journey with some walking.
Thanks again.

 

[Camembert]

Hi, Albertinho,
I never thought I'd see you over here in the Camino Frances part of the forum. You know, there's this apparently wonderful Caminho Interior from Viseu to Chaves and on to Verin -- have you seen Aurelio's posts and edumad's pictures? I know some of the towns along that route and it is untraveled Portugal at its finest!

But if you are going to stick with the Frances, I second the idea of parking your van in Pamplona, walking for two weeks, and then hopping a bus back to Pamplona. That is very easy to do on the Frances. I think it's a much better idea to park the car at the starting point and then take a bus/train back to the car, so you are then free to walk as far as you want every day. Sounds like you have a wonderful two month trip planned for next year! Bom caminho, Laurie

Hi Laurie,

Mankind can surprise two days ago I wrote Stephen Nicolls in a post we had no plans to walk the camino next year .the only plan was being hospitaleiros at casa Fernanda.
Yesterday I passed a bookshop and by coincidence found the book of Derry Brabbs, medival pilgrim roads through France and Spain and was so intriged by it that we changed our coming plans ( we are just back last monday from a camping trip through the French Alsace,the German Black Forest and the German Saar region )
Initially we planned a trip next year from Catalunya via Murcia, Malaga and Huelva to Lisbon (Cascais) and so on to Coimbra and Viseu to explore the caminho Portugues Interior first by car. The camino in general keeps us busy. It must be a virus.
Reading the book we got new insights .nothing changes as much as a man
Your idea of parking the car and caravan in Pamplona I agree with.
Thanks for your advice.Regards from this side of the world.

 

[wayfarer]

Another option might be to leave your van in Burgos. There is a nice camping site near the river walk into Burgos http://www.campingburgos.com/ and take public transport to St Jean Pied de Port. See what all the hype is about when starting from there . It would be an average 20.8 km walk over 14 days, your goal being your lovely comfy van waiting for you in Burgos. Make sure you take the river walk into Burgos . Then, something to look forward to over the next two years: Burgos to Astorga, and Astorga to Santiago . Jill

I would agree with this option as well, its a lovely campsite run by friendly people. Its a short walk or cycle in the centre from there.
The walk from Pamplona is really lovely.
Happy planning and Buen Camino.

 

[Camembert]

I would agree with this option as well, its a lovely campsite run by friendly people. Its a short walk or cycle in the centre from there.
The walk from Pamplona is really lovely.
Happy planning and Buen Camino.

The Burgos idea can be an option.Professionally I traveled a lot all over Europe and specially the last 3 years before retirement in Spain.As I posted to Laurie our initial plan before the idea to walk next year grew, was entering Spain in the north east , Catalunya where I used to work and than rounding Spain via Valencia, Murcia Malaga to Portugal. A rather complex way to go to Lisbon by the way but..we are pensionado's and have all time of the world.
Last year we came from Ferrol to Lisbon and from there to Sevilla, Cáceres,Salamanca and missed Burgos, ending up nearby Biaritz.(and so had the oportunity to see SJPDP.)
Now studying all propositions on this thread a good idea is going to Pamplona, do our walk and carry on to Zaragossa, Valencia and round the initial plan to Lisbon via Andalucía .
On our way back from casa Fernanda nearby Barcelos in Portugal to Holland the motorway connection will be by León and Burgos so we are able to see these places too.

Thanks for your idea
Buen camino

 

[countycork]

The Burgos idea can be an option.Professionally I traveled a lot all over Europe and specially the last 3 years before retirement in Spain.As I posted to Laurie our initial plan before the idea to walk next year grew, was entering Spain in the north east , Catalunya where I used to work and than rounding Spain via Valencia, Murcia Malaga to Portugal. A rather complex way to go to Lisbon by the way but..we are pensionado's and have all time of the world.
Last year we came from Ferrol to Lisbon and from there to Sevilla, Cáceres,Salamanca and missed Burgos, ending up nearby Biaritz.(and so had the oportunity to see SJPDP.)
Now studying all propositions on this thread a good idea is going to Pamplona, do our walk and carry on to Zaragossa, Valencia and round the initial plan to Lisbon via Andalucía .
On our way back from casa Fernanda nearby Barcelos in Portugal to Holland the motorway connection will be by León and Burgos so we are able to see these places too.

Thanks for your idea
Buen camino

I would suggest from St Jean to Burgos. Myself and husband did 5 days from St Jean to Estella in 2013 and in 2014 did 7 days from Estella to Burgos walking approx 20kms per day...we used the Brierly guide for our overnight stops along the way. So you would surely cover all that in 14 days with perhaps an extra day in Pamplona or Burgos, both beautiful cities.

 

[Camembert]

I would suggest from St Jean to Burgos. Myself and husband did 5 days from St Jean to Estella in 2013 and in 2014 did 7 days from Estella to Burgos walking approx 20kms per day...we used the Brierly guide for our overnight stops along the way. So you would surely cover all that in 14 days with perhaps an extra day in Pamplona or Burgos, both beautiful cities.

Thanks for the advice. Studying seriously now.
Best regards from Holland

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hi Laurie,

Mankind can surprise two days ago I wrote Stephen Nicolls in a post we had no plans to walk the camino next year .the only plan was being hospitaleiros at casa Fernanda.
Yesterday I passed a bookshop and by coincidence found the book of Derry Brabbs, medival pilgrim roads through France and Spain and was so intriged by it that we changed our coming plans ( we are just back last monday from a camping trip through the French Alsace,the German Black Forest and the German Saar region )
Initially we planned a trip next year from Catalunya via Murcia, Malaga and Huelva to Lisbon (Cascais) and so on to Coimbra and Viseu to explore the caminho Portugues Interior first by car. The camino in general keeps us busy. It must be a virus.
Reading the book we got new insights .nothing changes as much as a man
Your idea of parking the car and caravan in Pamplona I agree with.
Thanks for your advice.Regards from this side of the world.View attachment 21560

Hi Albertinho, found the same book last Friday in an old church that is now a bookshop in Maastricht.
Great reading and lovely pictures.
Wish you well and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[Camembert]

Hi Albertinho, found the same book last Friday in an old church that is now a bookshop in Maastricht.
Great reading and lovely pictures.
Wish you well and a Buen Camino, Peter.

Nice. ! Beautiful book indeed.
Are you from Maastricht ?
Bom caminho

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Nice. ! Beautiful book indeed.
Are you from Maastricht ?
Bom caminho

No , I'm from Zwijndrecht . We stayed for the weekend just outside Maastricht .
Wish you well , Peter .

 

[Camembert]

No , I'm from Zwijndrecht . We stayed for the weekend just outside Maastricht .
Wish you well , Peter .

Allmost neighbours !
Best regards from Rotterdam