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Pilgrim Credencial

Teej41

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
April/May 2018
I commence my 1st Camino from SJPdP in September. I already possess a Credencial, courtesy of Ivar when I bought a guide book from the bookstore. So that I don't make too many mistakes on Day 1 I ask the following questions:-
(a) Is there any need to visit the Pilgrim's Office with it on the day before I commence?
(b) Do you need to acquire 2 'sellos' every day of walking. One will be from Roncesvalles where I've booked accommodation on the first night. Would the other one be from Orisson?
(c) Is there any chance that you would run out of space to put the sellos on the Credencial?
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Welcome @Teej41 ,

Sounds like you're already better prepared than I was. To answer your questions;

a) You don't need to go to the pilgrim office but I would recommend it. Not only will you get a lovely sello to signify where you started but they will also give you useful information about the route up to Orisson/Valcaros/Roncesvalles, albergues in SJPdP and a guide to almost all the albergues on the entire CF. And if that weren't enough you'll also get a ziplock bag to keep it all in.

b) You only need a one sello per day until you hit the final 100km after which you will need two.

c) This all depends on how many spaces are in Ivar's credential and how long you think your journey will take. If the worst comes to the worst you can always pick up another along your walk. Some Albergues can be a bit careless with where they mark your credential so if you feel you might run out of space you can always ask them to bunch them up a bit, I did this in order to keep them on ones side of my credential and allow me to frame it with all sellos on display once I got home.

Buen Camino,

Rob.
 
I filled up three Credentials, but primarily because I wanted a chronicle of the journey so I got one every time I stopped for coffee, a snack, lunch, dinner, etc. But that was just me....you may not be so fanatical about it. Also some of the sellos are quite big and take up more than one space. You can get one at the Pilgrim Office in SJPP that is different than the one you got from Ivar (I think they are 2 or 3 Euros) if you decide you want another one, or when you get to Spain there are plenty of places to pick one up as well.
I know you will have a great time!
Buen Camino
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

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€60,-
I agree with what Rob (Dorpie) says (all three). The only thing I would add is that if you don't get a stamp in SJPP and wait until Roncesvalles to get your first stamp, the good people in SdC who give you your Compostela will assume you started in Roncesvalles. But if you are arriving in SJPP the day (or night) before you start walking, your first stamp there can be from your albergue rather than the Pilgrim's Office, I think.

Also, to reinforce what he said about a second credencial, we started in Roncesvalles and filled two credencials each on our Camino. I picked up second ones in Leon when it became obvious that one wasn't going to be enough. We did walk on to Finisterre, though.
 
I agree with what Rob (Dorpie) says (all three). The only thing I would add is that if you don't get a stamp in SJPP and wait until Roncesvalles to get your first stamp, the good people in SdC who give you your Compostela will assume you started in Roncesvalles. But if you are arriving in SJPP the day (or night) before you start walking, your first stamp there can be from your albergue rather than the Pilgrim's Office, I think.

Also, to reinforce what he said about a second credencial, we started in Roncesvalles and filled two credencials each on our Camino. I picked up second ones in Leon when it became obvious that one wasn't going to be enough. We did walk on to Finisterre, though.

Hi Dave.

Many Thanks for this excellent reply. I'll endeavour to get a stamp from SJPP the day before, as I am scheduled to arrive at midday and should have plenty of time to sort things out. I plan to make it to Finisterre also. Time will tell!
 
Welcome @Teej41 ,

Sounds like you're already better prepared than I was. To answer your questions;

a) You don't need to go to the pilgrim office but I would recommend it. Not only will you get a lovely sello to signify where you started but they will also give you useful information about the route up to Orisson/Valcaros/Roncesvalles, albergues in SJPdP and a guide to almost all the albergues on the entire CF. And if that weren't enough you'll also get a ziplock bag to keep it all in.

b) You only need a one sello per day until you hit the final 100km after which you will need two.

c) This all depends on how many spaces are in Ivar's credential and how long you think your journey will take. If the worst comes to the worst you can always pick up another along your walk. Some Albergues can be a bit careless with where they mark your credential so if you feel you might run out of space you can always ask them to bunch them up a bit, I did this in order to keep them on ones side of my credential and allow me to frame it with all sellos on display once I got home.

Buen Camino,

Rob.

Hi Rob

Many Thanks. Your reply is very informative. I will indeed visit the Pilgrim's Office. After reading so so much about this whole adventure and so much about SJPP it'd be a real shame to miss out on the Pilgrim's Office. I should arrive in SJPP at about midday on the day before I commence so I'll have loads of time. I can't wait to get going to be fair. Just over 8 weeks to wait.

Best Wishes

Terry
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
The pilgrims office in SJPDP gave us our scallop shells, our credentials, stamped them, a printout of all albergues - with a smile and a "buen camino"
 
The pilgrims office in SJPDP gave us our scallop shells, our credentials, stamped them, a printout of all albergues - with a smile and a "buen camino"

Thankyou for your reply. I think the Pilgrim's Office will be a definite MUST visit on the afternoon before I start the Big Walk. May I ask whether your scallop shells had a couple of holes already drilled into them? - so that you can easily attach them with a cord to your rucksacks. I have read somewhere that it can be a bit of a problem making your own holes in the scallop shells as the material is somewhat brittle and fragile, even if you had access to the right tools to do the job. Is there any other way of attaching the shells to your backpack?
 
Transport luggage-passengers.
From airports to SJPP
Luggage from SJPP to Roncevalles
Thankyou for your reply. I think the Pilgrim's Office will be a definite MUST visit on the afternoon before I start the Big Walk. May I ask whether your scallop shells had a couple of holes already drilled into them? - so that you can easily attach them with a cord to your rucksacks. I have read somewhere that it can be a bit of a problem making your own holes in the scallop shells as the material is somewhat brittle and fragile, even if you had access to the right tools to do the job. Is there any other way of attaching the shells to your backpack?

Yes, shells come with holes and string, thank goodness. I'd ahte to imagine how many I'd destroy boefore I got it right if I had to do it myself.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
I met a fellow who collected every "stamp" which he got his hand to in the town :)
 
......hello peregrinos (?) I've been here following the many journeys over the past 12/18 months before beginning my Camino early Sept. ( 4th)...and would deeply appreciate any answers to two relatively simple questions.1/ Can anyone give me the approximate distance from SJPdP..to the 'infamous' gate that leads off the road and onto the mountaln 'proper? and 2/...is there anything that will prevent me 'stamping up' 2 passports...one as a 'gift to an elder brother ( I'm 73yrs) he's 78 and suffering a debilitating vascular disease and can barely walk, and will be so proud of his younger brother...him having been a super fit individual most of his life ( ex RM Commando)....many thanks!!
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Another reason to visit the pilgrims’ Office is to pick up the sheet of paper that shows all the elevation changes on the Frances. Although also available online, we enjoyed reviewing it over a beer or glass of wine as we planned our next day. 20k of walking on flats is different the 20k of walking u and down hills and it is good to be able to visualize the next day’s elevation changes
 

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