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I thought Villafranca Montes de Oca was the most treacherous road crossing. Trucks came racing through the town full speed and there was no crosswalk.
A good idea Ivar. Certainly at least a new thread for each Camino, rather than each spot maybe.
Would it also be helpful to lock this - asking that folk do post on the new threads?
I also found this particular section of the Camino to be very dangerous and witnessed several Pilgrims ignoring the trucks and acting in a very Cavalier manner.IVAR-- as always, thank you for listening and responding to the needs of Camino Pilgrims' community. I think this thread honors the memory of the two gentleman who lost their life yesterday by bringing awareness that while this is an ancient route, the dangers are very 21st Century.
I, too, witnessed many ocassions where trucks came so close to the side of the road and pilgrims distracted looking at maps, or the scenery or by conversation. All it takes is a split second. For example-- BEWARE of the approach to VILLAFRANCA MONTES DE OCA. The entrance to the town is a popular truck stop. It is also a crossroads for pilgrims. The bridge right before the town has zero sidewalks so you pretty much share the bridge with huge trucks going by. Scary.
The Camino Resource section is good for "home made pdfs" like this...Another option is to generate a Google map with placeholders marking the hazardous areas - much the same way as marking the location of an albergue or cafe, etc. A brief description of the hazard could accompany the placeholder marker.
This along with a simple downloadable PDF spreadsheet listing each hazardous area, a brief description of the hazard, the mileage indicator, and the before and after towns, could be all that people need.
I have thought about what I posted and have come to the conclusion that I can't put my point across any clearer than I already have. My apologies.I must be missing something Christer,what do you mean?.................Vicrev
I have encountered no hazardous parts of the camino if one has one ounce of common sense and are not missing several senses. I don't mean to sound harsh but I am being serious.
I'm reading about no sidewalks combined with large, fast driving vehicles. Sounds hazardous to me no matter where in the world it is!
Be careful on every km and i think you should be fine!Sorry christer ....you might not need that sort of Info,but,I think you will find a lot of us wrinklies would welcome it !!!!................Vicrev
I walked from Coimbra in 2010 and many of the stretches on road, which formed the greatest part of the camino Portuguese Porto were dangerous because of the Portuguese driving and some of the small streets in the villages. There is a very bad part where the road is walled on both sides around Rates, if I remember correctly. Perhaps someone else will be more specific.....Where exactly are these hazards on the Portugues ??.........Vicrev
I second this view point. I just completed the Camino Frances and found no sections that were particularly dangerous or worth a lot of concern. Actually I was impressed with how safe the Camino was. For the most part there was remarkably little traffic and drivers were almost always very courteous. Of course the cities require attention to traffic signals and vehicular traffic, but this is the same anywhere in the world.I have encountered no hazardous parts of the camino if one has one ounce of common sense and are not missing several senses. I don't mean to sound harsh but I am being serious.
Only rarely, and the circumstances usually explain why thousands walked safely while someone was injured. It takes really bad luck or a small amount of negligence to be injured. No one should be alarmed even about the intersection of pedestrian ways and highways. If you take a wrong turn and end up on a highway, yes, you may have jangled nerves. Otherwise, just take normal precautions and do not insist on the pedestrian right of way. You will be fine.there have been deaths from traffic interface
the Michelin map (Camino de Santiago; St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiage de Compostela) has a wrong section for stage 29 out of Samos to Sarria.
A few kilometers outside Samos, my map said to stay next to highway LU 633 and walk into Sarria that way. It did NOT indicate there was a trail through the Pascais, Gontan, Calvor section to Sarria.
...
The Michelin map must have been made before that super highway went in? or was enlarged? Back when this was the main trail? In any case, it's not the way to go. DEF not the way to go. Danger Danger
Yes, not a particularly pleasant walk from Samos to Sarria via Alan (Highway). However, I found the walk from Triacastela to Samos to very nice....Michelin guidebook and walking from Samos .... showed the route as hugging that highway.
In Brierley's book the highway isn't even marked as an option and there was no signs pointing out the highway as an option either when I walked. I thought the people I saw walking on to the highway made a mistake I would never selected that route. The 9,5 km from Samos to Perros was really nice. There are no bars and almost no other pilgrims in that beautiful forrest and the small hamlets are nice. The Samos way is 6,4 km longer than Can sil, that is for me about one hour walk so maybe two for slow walkers and that is almost nothing compared to the whole routeI had the Michelin guidebook and walking from Samos to Samaria, the guidebook showed the route as hugging that highway. But by following the markers, you hike a few hours through the forest and reconnect with the northern route from Tricastela to Sarria. There are no bars or water along that route out of Samos until you connect with the northern trail. I was annoyed with Michelin that day, as the real route makes the Samos route considerably longer than the northern route. I think what Michelin was showing was the cycle route.
do you have any pictures of the ascent or descent leaving SJPP, just feeling slightly anxious!Whoever believes that there are no points along an 800 Kms trail in rural Northern Spain that could be considered hazardous.
Are there preventable measures to deal with those...? Absolutely. Do that makes them non-hazardous...?
There are: 1) steep downhills (i.e. commonly covered with wet rocks) 2) sections with known sudden weather changes, i.e. thunderstorms, 3) long stretches without water source, 4) stretches walking along highways heavily transited by (huge!) trucks, 5) bridges with no "walking shoulders" shared with (huge!) trucks, 6) long sections with no shade, 7) sections with steep side incline (falling hazards), 8) sections with unsafe water supplies, 9) sections without medical support for at least 20 Kms radius, 10) sections with potential trigger altitude sickness, etc, etc, etc...
I only listed 10 that I encountered, I am sure there are many more. As somebody said well-- Don't walk the Camino before walking the Camino...
AWARENESS and PREPARATION is what this thread is about.
Annie, I just finished watching the video that Gunnar did of the entire route. You might find the first one particularly helpful. It's an excellent series showing what the terrain and scenery is like. http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/movie-radio-buen-camino-a-r-r-i-v-a-l.12338/ Penniedo you have any pictures of the ascent or descent leaving SJPP, just feeling slightly anxious!
Thanks Pennie, have now watched it - I just wanted to get an idea on how rough those tracks are - felt a little more comfortable seeing that as Im used to scrambling around, and despite climbing experience I never take anything outdoors for granted! Have you done this route? I'm planning to do it in September, it looks like alone at the moment!Annie, I just finished watching the video that Gunnar did of the entire route. You might find the first one particularly helpful. It's an excellent series showing what the terrain and scenery is like. http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/movie-radio-buen-camino-a-r-r-i-v-a-l.12338/ Pennie
Annie, I'm leaving home May 15 and heading towards SJPP. I have 6 weeks to make it to Santiago. I too am going solo, but I've already met some people here on the forum, via email, who are also going to be on the trail. I think that will make it a little easier. I am breaking up the first stage into two and staying at Orisson the first night. After that, I'm just going to take it as it comes. Buen Camino! PennieThanks Pennie, have now watched it - I just wanted to get an idea on how rough those tracks are - felt a little more comfortable seeing that as Im used to scrambling around, and despite climbing experience I never take anything outdoors for granted! Have you done this route? I'm planning to do it in September, it looks like alone at the moment!
Allan, .... just curious ... is there a particular reason you say not to take the forest track? Is it for the same reasons Olivares gives in the post after yours? From what I've read of that forest, it sounds quite interesting........ Just don't take the forest track option towards the end. ....
Annie, I just finished watching the video that Gunnar did of the entire route. You might find the first one particularly helpful. It's an excellent series showing what the terrain and scenery is like. http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/movie-radio-buen-camino-a-r-r-i-v-a-l.12338/ Pennie
Agree AnnieY- you will see Roncesvalles at a distance and that's when the descent will start getting a bit more steep. You will come to a point where you can go left towards a forrested area or right on an asphalted road much less steeper. It is marked with wooden posts. I recommend you go right. It may be a bit longer (400 meters longer to be exact) but the descent is more gradual and much "knee-hip friendlier". Also, the right option takes you by Ibañeta where there is a lovely chapel (Capilla de San Salvador) built on the spot where there was a medieval bell shed that used to rang after dark hours to guide pilgrims still in the mountains. These last 4 kms just take a deep breath, take your time and enjoy it. Buen Camino!
Allan, .... just curious ... is there a particular reason you say not to take the forest track? Is it for the same reasons Olivares gives in the post after yours? From what I've read of that forest, it sounds quite interesting.
If you're used to scrambling and backpacking, the forest route down to Roncesvalles is probably not an issue, unless the weather is inclement. If you're not used to scrambling, or it makes you feel more comfortable, take the road descent.Thanks Pennie, have now watched it - I just wanted to get an idea on how rough those tracks are - felt a little more comfortable seeing that as Im used to scrambling around, and despite climbing experience I never take anything outdoors for granted!
Anne don't feel too anxious, the ascent from St Jean is indeed steep, but my 62 year old wife did it on Wednesday, she has a bad knee, and we are not expert walkers and she has just finished egg bacon chorizo and fries in Punto La Reina and seems non the worse for her ordeal.do you have any pictures of the ascent or descent leaving SJPP, just feeling slightly anxious!
I just saw your post for the first time today and will reply there are only a few place you share the path with speeding trucks and cars (still less than on the CF) but the absolute worse is a short stretch before arriving at Pedra Furada.....Where exactly are these hazards on the Portugues ??.........Vicrev
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