Reverse Camino

[DharmaBum]

Has anyone on the Forum finished their camino in Santiago and then did it in reverse to their original starting point? I assume that the "pilgrims of old" turned around and headed homeward. What obstacles would you perhaps foresee?

 

[Vacajoe]

I’ve walked reverse on a portion of a Camino and found the main challenge to be the waymarking. With a good gps app or map, though, that is easily surmountable. The greatest challenge is that everyone you meet will be headed the other direction, so that gets a bit lonely. Otherwise, it’s as simple as walking it the proper direction

 

[dick bird]

You will also need to grit your teeth as you are greeted for what the speaker thinks is the first time ever, with cries of 'wrong way'. But seriously, I have met a fair number of people doing it. Mainly Europeans. Finding the route is one obvious problem but with downloaded GPS tracks, it should be easy. And of course, our Medieval predecessors all had to get back home the way they came (acting as pre-Brierley Brierleys as the met oncoming new pilgrims). Make sure you have a very big credencial though.

 

[Bob P]

If you pay attention to following route, I think you will enjoy the trip. I did few days backwards just to accommodate schedule delays of others. I met incoming "tramily" that I had lost touch with. Caught up on all the trail gossip and enjoyed all the visiting with folks that thought I was going wrong way. A little confusing because the markers aren't so obvious, but like mentioned earlier, with phone tracking GPS, its not bad.

Enjoy!

 

[pelerine]

Anecdote: I was going counterflow from Astorga to Leon connecting the VdlP to the San Salvador. Arriving in Hospital de Orbigo the hospitaleira asked “And where have you come from today?” And with a look of pity with the confused old lady (76 at the time) “No, to Astorga you will go tomorrow!”

 

[Vacajoe]

You will also be a valuable resource for those moving forward as you can report on trail and albergue conditions.

 

[DharmaBum]

You will also be a valuable resource for those moving forward as you can report on trail and albergue conditions.

Been tagged with many monikers in my life (mostly good) but never "resource".
I like the prospect of that happening actually and having the opportunity to play forward some of the guidance i've received myself. Some of which i have gleaned from replies to this thread.

 

[DharmaBum]

In 2021 i completed Hadrian's Wall Walk (84 miles) in the UK from Bowness-on Solway to Wallsend (west to east) in 4 days. After 3 rest days i did the reverse in 6 days (not recommended by some). My take away from going the "other way" was...same same but different. The landscape can take on a completely new look when coming from the opposite direction - hills for example. So this was in part the seed that was planted in my mind for doing a "reverse camino".
Thank you all for your valuable replies.
Cheers!

 

[Flatlander]

I biked from my front door in the Netherlands and back several years ago.
I wasn't too worried about following an "official path" until I got to St. Jean, then followed the CF to Santiago. After a pleasant diversion to the west coast back to Santiago then north towards Santander, the coast and towards home, criss-crossing a couple of other Camino routes.
I did not view it as a "Camino in reverse" but as a chance to explore Northern Spain with a more "normal" and freer schedule. I did not stay in Albergues on the return leg, as an example. St. Jean to Santiago was my pilgrimage, the rest was my bike tour.
I particularly enjoyed it as it gave me a different perspective to Spain than the Pilgrim one.
People were invariably concerned for me thinking that I was going the wrong way but it led to many interesting encounters.

This year I travelled parts of the CF in reverse (again on a bike), preferring to camp rather than use Albergues. It felt very different to going the other way and not something I'd be in a rush to repeat.

If you enjoyed your Camino, have no regrets and some time I'd suggest to explore the non-Camino side. Otherwise look to walk your favourite stretch or the part you feel you didn't appreciate properly again. Or another Camino, altogether

 

[WGroleau]

Has anyone on the Forum finished their camino in Santiago and then did it in reverse to their original starting point? I assume that the "pilgrims of old" turned around and headed homeward. What obstacles would you perhaps foresee?

I met a Korean who had started in Santiago, headed for St. Jean. Unlike many Korean pilgrims, she could understand English, but needed help finding the right path of several at an intersection. The post tells you which one goes to Santiago, but doesn't tell you which one others come from. Of course, if you stand there long enough, you'll see where the pilgrims are coming from.