Spring Camino, where?

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

I looks like I’ll be able to be off work from Mars 11 to mid May. I’m thinking of using that time for walking another Camino. I have never seen the caminos in green. But where to go. I have done:
Camino Frances, Ingles, Primitivo, San Salvador, Norte, Mozárabe (and therefor a huge part of Via de La Plata), Sanabrés, Levante, Invierno as well as Fisterra-Muxía and Camino Português Central. I have also walked small bits here and there of Via Turonesis.

One option is to walk “connection routes” here and there but not go to Santiago this time so more hiking than pilgrimage.

Any suggestions what I could spend my days with? I could spend between 6-8 weeks walking. Normally I do around 1650 km in 6 weeks. But doing small pieces here and there also have to accommodate some travel days. So what longer routes do you recommend? Ruta de Lana and Ruta Argar? Other?

 

[domigee]

How exciting! Are you only considering walking in Spain? Otherwise I would suggest a Camino in France, like the Vézelay route, or Le Puy? Or Via Francigena in Italy?
I was also recommended the Camino del Cid but I haven't walked it (yet).

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

How exciting! Are you only considering walking in Spain?

I can walk somewhere else as well. But I like the infrastructure around the Camino routes and the spirit of the Camino. I speak basic Spanish as well. Any particular other routes that pops into your mind?

 

[J Willhaus]

Zamorano? Camino Catalon?

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

I assume you mean Camino Catalan, it is an option by as it isn’t so long before reaching Frances so I have to combine it with something else. I’m not interested to walk on Frances again. Way to much people. Zamorano was an option last time but I decided to do Invierno instead as end of my Levante. Zamorano is really short as so have done Sanabrés already and not interested in doing that again the last part is also the same as Invierno. I want to see new places.

 

[MinaKamina]

There are more Caminos than the one to Santiago, and not all of them are pilgrimages.
Perhaps the so-called Caminos Naturales could be of interest to you? They are part of the rural development in Spain. In March, I probably would visit the south and enjoy the landscape.


https://caminosnaturales.es/

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, @BeatriceKarjalainen, good to see you back here! You could start in the south, either on the Ebro from Deltebre or the Lana, which you can start in Valencia, Alicante, or Villajoyosa/Benidorm (the last choice gives you a couple of mountain days to start out instead of the asphalt out of Alicante). Then you could somehow transition to the Olvidado, which goes from Bilbao to Ponferrada and is the camino with the most mountain stages I have walked.

I really liked the Torres and Geira — from Salamanca to Braga, then onto Santiago. It would give you a new entrance into Santiago.

Probably our most intrepid forum pilgrim is @alansykes, who has put together a lot of creative camino combinations. He always posts a live thread, and you can easily find them.

You don’t have to spend a lot of time on the Francés if you walk the Catalán. You could start the Cami Sant Jaume in Llançà to Montserrat, the Catalán through Huesca to the Aragonés, to Puente la Reina and then backwards to Pamplona, where you can start the Viejo from Pamplona to Aguilar de Campóo. From there you get on the prettiest part of the Olvidado from Aguilar to Ponferrada. I haven’t walked the Viejo from Pamplona but it is very high on my list, based on the live threads I’ve read here!

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[peregrino_tom]

March would be a great time of year to start from Arles. Good infrastructure nowadays, all recorded on Gronze. And when you get to the Pyrenees, plenty of options. Including Aragones+ or go north on Piedmont/GR10 to Hendaye/Irun, then Vasco to Burgos.

 

[Rmarkob]

How exciting! Are you only considering walking in Spain? Otherwise I would suggest a Camino in France, like the Vézelay route, or Le Puy? Or Via Francigena in Italy?
I was also recommended the Camino del Cid but I haven't walked it (yet).

If you hike from Le Puy, be aware that Ascension Thursday in 2024 is 9 May, and it is a public holiday. In 2023 it fell on 18 May, when I walked that route. It was extremely difficult to find lodging as many French hikers made it a four day weekend, or scheduled additional vacation time around it and did longer treks along the Chemin Le Puy/GR65.

 

[wynrich]

We loved the Ruta del Cantabrico: https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/desarrol...rales/sector-noroeste/cantabrico/default.aspx

It's not a camino as such but very well marked, spectacular ocean scenery. But, no albergues. It kind of parallels (and sometimes intersects with) the Camino del Mar which ends up in Ferrol, I think, and from there you can take the Camino Ingles to Santiago.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

We loved the Ruta del Cantabrico: https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/desarrol...rales/sector-noroeste/cantabrico/default.aspx

It's not a camino as such but very well marked, spectacular ocean scenery. But, no albergues. It kind of parallels (and sometimes intersects with) the Camino del Mar which ends up in Ferrol, I think, and from there you can take the Camino Ingles to Santiago.

Thaks will check it out. As long as there is accomodation it's fine. I'm used to few alvergues on Levante/Mozarábe.

I have already walked Ferrol-SdC so might skip that part and go somewhere else.

 

[wynrich]

Thaks will check it out. As long as there is accomodation it's fine. I'm used to few alvergues on Levante/Mozarábe.

I have already walked Ferrol-SdC so might skip that part and go somewhere else.

There is plenty of accommodation, especially plentiful in April/early May when we did it -- we were often the only people in a hotel or whatever. Accommodations are tighter and more expensive in summer (and Semana Santa, all week) when lots of Spanish like to travel to the area.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

Hi, @BeatriceKarjalainen, good to see you back here! You could start in the south, either on the Ebro from Deltebre or the Lana, which you can start in Valencia, Alicante, or Villajoyosa/Benidorm (the last choice gives you a couple of mountain days to start out instead of the asphalt out of Alicante). Then you could somehow transition to the Olvidado, which goes from Bilbao to Ponferrada and is the camino with the most mountain stages I have walked.

I really liked the Torres and Geira — from Salamanca to Braga, then onto Santiago. It would give you a new entrance into Santiago.

Probably our most intrepid forum pilgrim is @alansykes, who has put together a lot of creative camino combinations. He always posts a live thread, and you can easily find them.

You don’t have to spend a lot of time on the Francés if you walk the Catalán. You could start the Cami Sant Jaume in Llançà to Montserrat, the Catalán through Huesca to the Aragonés, to Puente la Reina and then backwards to Pamplona, where you can start the Viejo from Pamplona to Aguilar de Campóo. From there you get on the prettiest part of the Olvidado from Aguilar to Ponferrada. I haven’t walked the Viejo from Pamplona but it is very high on my list, based on the live threads I’ve read here!

Buen camino, Laurie

Thanks for this, now I have some suggestions to look into.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

A quick update. I decided to do Camino Arlès. Will start April 4 and walk as long as I manage during the time I have off. A lot of admin stuff at work regarding my time off and the possibility to get a train ticket delayed my trip with weeks so I work with what I have.

I’ll use Gronze and/or The Camino App as guide and have downloaded the GR GPX-tracks.

Now i just have to hope that all my trains are on time. Leaving April 1 from Boden.

Main concerns, I don’t know a word French, will I find gluten-free food and do I have to bring some other footwear than my sandals (that has been used on all other caminos and several mountain hikes at home). I might bring a pair of old train runners as a I have 6 h waiting time in a cold Stockholm and therefor I might also have a puffer down jacket in my bag that I usually don’t bring with me. But maybe it could be useful in the mornings and double as a pillow in the sleeping bag. In my 2 latest caminos I have had to buy some warmer stuff along the way walking north.

 

[MinaKamina]

A quick update. I decided to do Camino Arlès. Will start April 4 and walk as long as I manage during the time I have off. A lot of admin stuff at work regarding my time off and the possibility to get a train ticket delayed my trip with weeks so I work with what I have.

I’ll use Gronze and/or The Camino App as guide and have downloaded the GR GPX-tracks.

Now i just have to hope that all my trains are on time. Leaving April 1 from Boden.

Main concerns, I don’t know a word French, will I find gluten-free food and do I have to bring some other footwear than my sandals (that has been used on all other caminos and several mountain hikes at home). I might bring a pair of old train runners as a I have 6 h waiting time in a cold Stockholm and therefor I might also have a puffer down jacket in my bag that I usually don’t bring with me. But maybe it could be useful in the mornings and double as a pillow in the sleeping bag. In my 2 latest caminos I have had to buy some warmer stuff along the way walking north.

Here's some info about gluten-free food sans gluten in France.

The Essential Gluten Free Guide to France (2023 Update)

A one stop guide to eating gluten free in France: what to eat & avoid, restaurants, and a detailed gluten free restaurant card in French.

www.legalnomads.com

 

[DouglasM]

Hi @BeatriceKarjalainen
I plan to start the Chemin d’Arles on the 8th April so we may run into each other along the way. I’ll be walking slow and short distances initially. If we don’t meet - Buen Camino

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

Here's some info about gluten-free food sans gluten in France.

The Essential Gluten Free Guide to France (2023 Update)

A one stop guide to eating gluten free in France: what to eat & avoid, restaurants, and a detailed gluten free restaurant card in French.

www.legalnomads.com

Thank you. I managed to find pretty good food on my way home on my last Camino when I stopped in larger towns in France. I have to create a text to say/send to half board places I might stay at to figure out what they can provide. At least in Spain food at albergues/pensions where it was included was often pasta as dinner and bread as breakfast so I have payed a lot of money for food I can’t eat. In some places I got a reduction of the price but most places not. But I’m lucky I don’t have celiac desease I just get really stiff and pain in my joints for approx 14 days so traces can be handled. And that is also a problem as they sometimes don’t want to serve me anything as they have flour in the kitchen etc.

 

[peregrino_tom]

A quick update. I decided to do Camino Arlès.

Nice one Beatrice. Good luck for an excellent adventure.
Hope we get a few reports (please)
Just to add: I know you're going to take GR GPX tracks, but also be worth having Mapy.cz app as well, as it's really good at showing which paths are GR and which is the camino - and how they cross over. Also, if you do Facebook, the Via Tolosana group is very grown-up and helpful. I haven't checked FB for over a year, but the group was by invitation and it took about a week for me to get cleared, so worth doing before you start!

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

Nice one Beatrice. Good luck for an excellent adventure.
Hope we get a few reports (please)
Just to add: I know you're going to take GR GPX tracks, but also be worth having Mapy.cz app as well, as it's really good at showing which paths are GR and which is the camino - and how they cross over. Also, if you do Facebook, the Via Tolosana group is very grown-up and helpful. I haven't checked FB for over a year, but the group was by invitation and it took about a week for me to get cleared, so worth doing before you start!

Thank you.

I have mapy.cz installed as well. I also have the gpx tracks from https://www.outdooractive.com/en/route/pilgrim-walk/gard/via-tolosana-arles-st-gilles/24513811/ (this is the first stage) so I hope I’m covered together with Buen Camino app and Gronze App

I’m a non FB-user so unfortunately I can’t join the group.

 

[MinaKamina]

Thank you. I managed to find pretty good food on my way home on my last Camino when I stopped in larger towns in France. I have to create a text to say/send to half board places I might stay at to figure out what they can provide. At least in Spain food at albergues/pensions where it was included was often pasta as dinner and bread as breakfast so I have payed a lot of money for food I can’t eat. In some places I got a reduction of the price but most places not. But I’m lucky I don’t have celiac desease I just get really stiff and pain in my joints for approx 14 days so traces can be handled. And that is also a problem as they sometimes don’t want to serve me anything as they have flour in the kitchen etc.

In France / French, always start with a greeting, at least one compliment and lots of regrets and excuses.
This will open many doors! The tendency is to be as factual as possible, for obvious reasons, but in France, the golden rule is to do the groundwork first.

You like yoghurt and fruits or an omelette for breakfast? Deeply regret that you are unable to taste the wonderful croissants and tartines for breakfast. Would it perhaps be possible to get a plain yoghurt and fresh fruits instead? Or maybe an omelette?

Happy planning and do tell us how it goes

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

In France / French, always start with a greeting, at least one compliment and lots of regrets and excuses.
This will open many doors! The tendency is to be as factual as possible, for obvious reasons, but in France, the golden rule is to do the groundwork first.

You like yoghurt and fruits or an omelette for breakfast? Deeply regret that you are unable to taste the wonderful croissants and tartines for breakfast. Would it perhaps be possible to get a plain yoghurt and fresh fruits instead? Or maybe an omelette?

Happy planning and do tell us how it goes

Thank you so much!!!

 

[MinaKamina]

Thank you so much!!!

Supermarket Carrefour has an on-line overview of gluten-free products:

https://www.carrefour.fr/s?q=sans+gluten

Lots of crackers and toast to top with les fromages.
Plus French specialties like cassoulet, duck with lentils and gratin dauphinois.

Here's a cake, gluten-free, for inspiration:

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

Supermarket Carrefour has an on-line overview of gluten-free products:

https://www.carrefour.fr/s?q=sans+gluten

Lots of crackers and toast to top with les fromages.
Plus French specialties like cassoulet, duck with lentils and gratin dauphinois.

Here's a cake, gluten-free, for inspiration:

That looks yummy. I have some other allergies as well like mushrooms (so no Brie, or blue cheese for me ) I’’ lactose intolerant as well but tablets works fine.

But I’ll survive, I have only been really sick on the Camino twice and both were regular food poisons. Oh my got it sucks walking then.

Thanks for the link.

 

[jpflavin1]

I looks like I’ll be able to be off work from Mars 11 to mid May. I’m thinking of using that time for walking another Camino. I have never seen the caminos in green. But where to go. I have done:
Camino Frances, Ingles, Primitivo, San Salvador, Norte, Mozárabe (and therefor a huge part of Via de La Plata), Sanabrés, Levante, Invierno as well as Fisterra-Muxía and Camino Português Central. I have also walked small bits here and there of Via Turonesis.

One option is to walk “connection routes” here and there but not go to Santiago this time so more hiking than pilgrimage.

Any suggestions what I could spend my days with? I could spend between 6-8 weeks walking. Normally I do around 1650 km in 6 weeks. But doing small pieces here and there also have to accommodate some travel days. So what longer routes do you recommend? Ruta de Lana and Ruta Argar? Other?

I did not read any other responses, so sorry if redundant.

You could walk the Vasco. Starts in Irun and connects to the Frances in either Burgos or Santa Domingo de Calzada.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

I did not read any other responses, so sorry if redundant.

You could walk the Vasco. Starts in Irun and connects to the Frances in either Burgos or Santa Domingo de Calzada.

Thanks. That has to wait for some other time, Vasco is a bit short with my love for long stages it would be less than a week I think. Have decided for France this time on Camino Arles.