The Best Bits to Miss!

[Brett Scott]

Planning to walk July, Camino Frances. Plan to catch the Bulls in Pamplona 6th/7th, take off and be in SdC for St James Day 24th. That means more klms than time, so will be going hard, but in reality need to probably bus or train around 100klms twice during our 20+ days, which will be our rest days. Any suggestions on where those non walking days would be best? Dull or boring sections? Over populated sections?
First post, only just started looking at the Forum, but what a wonderful resource. Thanks in advance. Good luck and safe travels to all Pilgrims. Looking forward to it.
Brett and Sue

 

[naplesdon]

I don't want to sound like a downer but that weekend in Pamplona is essentially a drunken mosh pit; there is more broken beer bottles and puke on the streets than bulls. There is no "boing" part of the Camino but if you want to speed walk I'd suggest avoiding the large towns like Burgos and Leon. Just my humble opinion

 

[PANO]

Welcome, Brett and Sue,
assessing your query is difficult without taking your age, fitness, walking speed etc. into account. Presuming that you know what distance you can comfortably walk in a day, I'd recommend that you space that with the help of the chart at http://www.caminodesantiago.me/comm...lbergues-on-the-camino-frances-in-one-pdf.10/, this gives you an over-all perspective.
With only 24 days available and with Pamplona as a mandatory halt (to see the bulls) I'd start the Camino right there. Rests in the cities of Burgos, Leon and possibly Astorga would make sense and combining this with the following "trick" will save you a maximum of time: Take transportation in what would be your stop before the city; then spend the night in that city. Next day do the sightseeing and depart in the afternoon by taking transportation again directly to the next stop-over. The advantages:
1. You speed-up your camino while resting and seeing the sights
2. you'll skip the dreary walks through the ugly industrial suburbs of the cities.
After this, you probably still need to further shorten your walk-time, but it is difficult to give you a recommendation. If for instance, you take a train from Pamplona directly to Burgos, you'll miss some of the loveliest stretches of the CF. I would not want to skip the Meseta or parts of it or the passages over O'Cebreiro neither and after Sarria, you need "the milage" for the Compostela, if this important to you. Difficult choices! Maybe other experienced peregrinos on this site may offer their advise and reasoning, to help you further.
Buen Camino.

 

[Icacos]

I have good memories of Logrono itself, but those miles of concrete walkways leading into and out of the city were very hard on the feet. Also, the walk into Burgos seemed interminable - however, once in the city, the last two-hour stretch beside the river to the cathedral was very pleasant.

 

[koilife]

Ditto to @PANO, with the addition that, if you like the Sanfermines, you might stay overnight in the larger cities in a hostal rather than albergue; that way you can stay out for the night life. But, like so much else, that is a personal preference (as for myself, you won't catch me anywhere near Pamplona during the Sanfermines).

I would also suggest that you consider planning your hike to start at Burgos or Leon (depending on your fitness levels) and go straight through to Santiago. Then, if you ever return, you can pick up the earlier stages if that so interests you. The bottom line is that you're going to miss a lot regardless, and what is sublime to some is dreary to others. I think the one thing most of us are mostly likely to agree on is that some of the final 5-10km walks into the bigger cities are relatively unattractive; after that, it's a jump ball.

 

[Bill_R]

My sons and I will be doing the Frances at the same time as you in fact we have hotel reservations for the 5th and 6th in Pamplona. 90 % chance we won't attempt to run w the bulls but you never know.


Buen Camino
Bill

 

[amancio]

I think that your approach to the camino is not really the best, breaking the camino to take a bus or train means two things

1) you break away with the "wave" of pilgrims that surround you every day and do not get to know people so well.
2) taking a bus or train breaks your ritual of walking, it may be practical, but it is not the same, really.

This said, do as you like but if I had 18 days, I would start in Burgos or Sahagún and go all the way.

I understand that when you plan your camino from outside, you are using your everyday approach of trying to fit in as much as possible (I am not blaming you, I seem to make the same mistake over and over), while the best of the camino is to regain control and remember the concept and importance of time, YOUR time.

Buen camino, regardless of what you end up doing!

 

[MaryLynn]

Amancio has a good point - it will be hard to say goodbye to Camino friends you have made when you jump ahead (I speak from experience), and it significantly breaks the rhythm of your Camino. You could probably get a train from Pamplona to Sahagun (halfway point of the Camino) and walk to Santiago in about 16days @ 25km/day, and maintain your connection with the pilgrims who will become your Camino family. Many find that the people they meet are the highlight of their journey, and it would a shame to miss out on that aspect of the walk. You could return the following year and walk from St Jean to Sahagun...or Santiago. There are no boring parts of the Camino!

 

[newfydog]

There is no section you should miss. Just start or finish where you can and come back later to do the rest.

 

[Rambler1959]

I agree with those folks that encourage you to pick a point from which you can comfortably complete every segment to Santiago. Your Pamplona experience will offer a transition between your home and your Camino. Enjoy the party and then start fresh in a town well down the road. I would personally suggest 17 days x 20 km per day average. That would allow you to go farther on some days and take a rest day or two if you wish. If you get to Santiago early, enjoy the spectacular city. Lots of folks complain about the tough slogs into and out of the big cities, but I find that they provide perspective on the beauty of the other days.

 

[Kanga]

I'd miss the bulls.

 

[newfydog]

The bulls would agree!

 

[Anniesantiago]

I agree with you both... And the bulls.

 

[Felipe]

To me, the Camino (contrary to other trails) is a kind of metaphor of life...it has wonderful, pleasant, delightful moments...and yes, some dull or even bad ones. I feel that I can't pick up only the nice parts, all comes in a package. On the other side, it is not a matter of principle, I'd take a bus if really needed. But I think that all sections and stages, good or not (and sometimes it is not easy to tell apart one from another) , add to my experience. Just a personal feeling, friends.
So, in general I recommend that pilgrims with limited time (that has been my case, too) make a section, and another years the following.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

sounds like you are more in the mood for a tourist trip than a pilgrimage. Nothing wrong with that, just keep in mind you are on a spiritual trail. You will have a great time, long as your expectations are limited to scenery, food, and fun. The "best bits to miss" are usually the places wheres the spirit moves and a pilgrimage happens.

 

[Sraaen]

Planning to walk July, Camino Frances. Plan to catch the Bulls in Pamplona 6th/7th, take off and be in SdC for St James Day 24th. That means more klms than time, so will be going hard, but in reality need to probably bus or train around 100klms twice during our 20+ days, which will be our rest days. Any suggestions on where those non walking days would be best? Dull or boring sections? Over populated sections?
First post, only just started looking at the Forum, but what a wonderful resource. Thanks in advance. Good luck and safe travels to all Pilgrims. Looking forward to it.
Brett and Sue

I dk if this helps. I've been messing around with Google Maps and came up with a blog-map that lets you zoom into over 100 of the pueblos & cities along the way. Buen Camino!
http://steveport.com/caminomap

 

[fernandezr]

Planning to walk July, Camino Frances. Plan to catch the Bulls in Pamplona 6th/7th, take off and be in SdC for St James Day 24th. That means more klms than time, so will be going hard, but in reality need to probably bus or train around 100klms twice during our 20+ days, which will be our rest days. Any suggestions on where those non walking days would be best? Dull or boring sections? Over populated sections?
First post, only just started looking at the Forum, but what a wonderful resource. Thanks in advance. Good luck and safe travels to all Pilgrims. Looking forward to it.
Brett and Sue

I once went to the Feria de San Fermin with my son, who wanted to run with the bulls. Being an older man, I wasn't up for that but went along and was in Pamplona but outside of the route where the bulls actually run. I had heard that it is just about impossible to find a room in Pamplona during the Feria so we were staying in San Sebastian and rode over by car. It was sort of interesting but the streets were full of trash, urine and puke from all the drunk and stoned people that were there en masse. People were friendly but their behavior was pretty disgusting (to me) and it was very difficult to get any food or drink or use a bathroom because of the overwhelming mob of people. I would never return to the Feria de San Fermin even though I love Pamplona. If you are actually running with the bulls, it is a different experience because more serious people are doing that and not just those who want to be bombed the whole time.

 

[Charlie Mason]

I agree with those folks that encourage you to pick a point from which you can comfortably complete every segment to Santiago. Your Pamplona experience will offer a transition between your home and your Camino. Enjoy the party and then start fresh in a town well down the road. I would personally suggest 17 days x 20 km per day average. That would allow you to go farther on some days and take a rest day or two if you wish. If you get to Santiago early, enjoy the spectacular city. Lots of folks complain about the tough slogs into and out of the big cities, but I find that they provide perspective on the beauty of the other days.

Hi Rambler1959,
I am new to the Camino and plan on walking this September. Is 20km/day pretty tough? I've never walked that far before I don't think...

 

[wayfarer]

Hi Charlie, 20km a day is fine, you won't be doing it all at once. You walk for an hour and stop for a cafe con leche, then walk for another and have an other cafe con leche and so on, before you know it you will have walked 20kms and maybe more.
Have a safe a memorable Camino.
Buen Camino.