Senior Aussies

[terryg]

We are a couple of senior Aussies who would like to attempt the Camino Frances pilgrimage in May 2011. We are generally pretty fit and could be on the trip for about 21 days; and think we could manage manage 100km every 3 days - 2 x 25 on foot and 1 x 50 by bus or train. (This is a very conservative estimate until we hear more.) Obviously we would be walking the last 100 km.
If this is feasible where should we start? How would we get there? What villages, churches and refugios are "must sees"?
Lots more questions to come.

 

[sillydoll]

I will be accompanying (not leading) a group of 'mature' pilgrims on the Camino for 3 weeks in May. I spent a lot of time choosing what for me were the best sections of the Camino and where to take transport. The first week from the Pyrenees is very scenic - beech woods, oaks and willows in the Pyrenean foothills, vineyards and wheat field after Puente La Reina with lots of little villages and olive groves until Logrono.
After spending a night in Burgos and Leon we start walking again from Astorga to Villafranca Del Bierzo through some of the most beautiful country in the Irago Mountains. We then move onto Sarria and walk the last 100km to Santiago so that our friends can earn the Compostela if they so choose. I have arranged for a mini-bus to take us to Finisterre one night to watch the sun set over the Atlantic - sunset time will be 10:12pm!
Have a look at my 'amawalkerscamino' website for more info on the stages.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I try not to stay in the same place a second time, so after 3 1/2 Camino Frances, I have been in a lot of them. Almost everyone is a favorite, so now if I stopped in every albergue that I liked, I would end up stopping every 5 km. I suggest that you walk a comfortable distance each day, and stay anywhere. You may hit a couple of duds, but that will make you appreciate the next good one a little bit more! Have fun!

 

[terryg]

Thanks to The Falcon and Sillydoll for their advice and tips. We are still progressing with getting kms into our legs. Hope to see you on the trail in May, Sillydoll.

Helen and Terry G

 

[Debinq]

Hola Helen & Terry
Good to hear that you're preparing a camino to SdC .... I would recommend you somehow include some of the C Aragones as well - I walked it in Sept 06 starting at Jaca; it took me 8 days (including a side trip to San Juan d/l Pena) I hopped on an early morning bus from Jaca up the mts. to Somport pass which is also the border between FRA and ESP and walked back (downhill) to Jaca and thence along the relatively flat Rio Aragon valley to Puenta de la Reina - the Pyrenees are a magnificent backdrop on your right as you head in a generally W'ly direction. The C Aragones is a sort of 'feeder' into the C Frances - but you'll probably find it less crowded than the C Frances!

Then I took a bus from Puente de la Reina to Pamplona and a train from Pamplona to Salamanca and a bus from there via Zamora to Puebla la Sanabria and completed the la Plata route on foot from there to SdC in 15 days

I'm now preparing for the C Mozarabe from Grenada via Cordoba to Merida - plan to go later this year (late Sep/Oct)


buen camino (from a nearly-sr Aussie)

Peter

 

[sharon w]

Hi Terry.
As you are from Oz, I think you would enjoy starting from St Jean Pied de Port and crossing the Pyrenees. It is spectacular. You could walk most of the way, if you are fit enough, in your time limit. Or you could catch a bus from Burgos to Leon to cut down on time.
We walked from SJPDP to Santiago in 37 days, but that included some rest days and some short walking days.
All the best with your preparation.
Sharon

 

[jprogers]

Hi terry & helen
All the "near" senior Aussies come out of the woodwork. -its very exciting planning the camino. We also had a shorter time- But we only 2 weeks on the CF and did one week from SJPdP to Logrono and one week from Sarria. The only problem with that was leaving the camino "half way" through- whilst others walked on. -by that time we had great companions ...its hard to explain that bit...and something to keep in mind. I would almost recommend starting at 21 days out from Santiago.
We ended up just wanting to go back immediately and walk again -
Cheers Jill