Ribadeo to Santiago

[Krista]

Hello all,
Ḿy mother and I are planning on walking the Camino for 8 days in June. We would like to start in Ribadeo to have at least one day along the coast, but then travel inland towards Santiago so we can finish in 8 days.
I've been reading that the resources on the Camino del Norte are less extensive than others.
My main concern is about where we could stop each night. I've read some camino guides that other users have written and some have days as long as 30 km. We are both in fairly good shape and healthy, but this will be our first camino of any sort. 30 km in one day seems very long.
Is this camino less flexible than others, where we have to plan our stops ahead of time?
Is 30 km normal for one day or is that only for experienced walkers? (It seems crazy to me)
Can someone recommend or lead me to a place where someone has done this specific route?

Sorry for so many questions, I´m new to the forum and camino but I would truly appreciate some guidance!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jan_D]

Hi Krista,

Just so you know the path goes inland from Ribadeo, so you won't get to spend a day along the coast as you'd hoped… You'd have to start a day earlier, maybe in La Caridad or Tapia de Casariego, which can be reached very easily on the lovely coastal narrow gauge railway Feve (which you can board at either in Galicia or Asturias, depending on your point of arrival).

As for the rest of the walk, you definitely won't need to do 30km in one go (unless you want to of course)!! There's lots of accommodation along the way, although you might need to opt for a pension or hostal (cheap hotels) in the smaller towns or villages, which will cost you €35-€50 for a double room (and this might even be more suitable for you and your mum, especially for a shorter camino where you haven't had a month to get used to albergue bunkbeds and nightly snoring symphony!

You might find this link helpful (go to the bottom 'Galicia' section):
http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiago/caminos/guia-del-camino-del-norte

Even if you don't know any Spanish you can probably figure it out, just click on the links for each 'etapa' (stage) and they list all possible accommodation, distances, and even the elevation profile. By the way, the 'etapa' is just a guideline, some people stick to these stages quite religiously, but most just stop and start wherever they feel most comfortable…

(p.s. 'etapa 31' is a dizzying 41km but most people stop off halfway in Miraz or A Roxica… apparently there's also an amazing rural hotel called 'Bi Terra' around here which with a free shuttle service, although you would probably need to book this in advance…)

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Also take a look at the Eroski site: http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/del-norte/

 

[jpflavin1]

Hello all,
Ḿy mother and I are planning on walking the Camino for 8 days in June. We would like to start in Ribadeo to have at least one day along the coast, but then travel inland towards Santiago so we can finish in 8 days.
I've been reading that the resources on the Camino del Norte are less extensive than others.
My main concern is about where we could stop each night. I've read some camino guides that other users have written and some have days as long as 30 km. We are both in fairly good shape and healthy, but this will be our first camino of any sort. 30 km in one day seems very long.
Is this camino less flexible than others, where we have to plan our stops ahead of time?
Is 30 km normal for one day or is that only for experienced walkers? (It seems crazy to me)
Can someone recommend or lead me to a place where someone has done this specific route?

Sorry for so many questions, I´m new to the forum and camino but I would truly appreciate some guidance!

Thanks in advance!

Krista:

Eight days should be adequate to walk from Ribadeo to Santiago. That said, Jan's recommendation to go back to Tapia de Casariego is a good one if you want a Sea view. This Albergue is in a beautiful setting right on the Coast.

I would also second both Jan's and Anemone del Camino's choices of online guides, I used them both and they were great.

You should not have to walk more than a 25km day unless you choose to from your starting point. All the locations, with the exception of Miraz, have places to eat. Miraz is a very nice Albergue but only has a bar in town. Therefore, I recommend you purchase food to cook in Baamonde, 15 km's before Miraz. Miraz has cooking facilities and have a light breakfast in the morning.

There are several post under the Norte that discuss Albergues and other accommodations. I posted a lot last year and so did Shefollowsshells.

Hope this helps.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[joe g texas aggies]

Hello all,
Ḿy mother and I are planning on walking the Camino for 8 days in June. We would like to start in Ribadeo to have at least one day along the coast, but then travel inland towards Santiago so we can finish in 8 days.
I've been reading that the resources on the Camino del Norte are less extensive than others.
My main concern is about where we could stop each night. I've read some camino guides that other users have written and some have days as long as 30 km. We are both in fairly good shape and healthy, but this will be our first camino of any sort. 30 km in one day seems very long.
Is this camino less flexible than others, where we have to plan our stops ahead of time?
Is 30 km normal for one day or is that only for experienced walkers? (It seems crazy to me)
Can someone recommend or lead me to a place where someone has done this specific route?

Sorry for so many questions, I´m new to the forum and camino but I would truly appreciate some guidance!

Thanks in advance!

Here's what you can do. Walk as far as you can each day. If you intend to stay at a place (albergue, hotel, etc.), further along the Camino - call a taxi to take you there.
Next morning, hire a taxi to take you back to where you stopped walking and begin there. You can even leave your pack where you slept the night before. Pick it up as you pass through.
It is starting to get warm in Spain and I would not relish the thought of a 30 km stage or segment.