- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances 15,16,18
VdlP 23, Invierno 23, Fisterra 23
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From what I heard and read, the through hikes were getting busy, and I found the thought of having to leave the trail every few days to get food disagreeable.
Neither is better than the other OK.
And they are quite different things, I think ?
But, for those who have done both, and I know a few of you are here, I think it might be an interesting conversation.
So why do people embark on a Thru Hike?
We all know why we walk a Camino. (though the reasons are many and varied)
Are the motivations that different?
A. It's generally a younger crowd. (the physical demands would dictate that and appeal to a younger crowd)
B. It seems to be more about completing the journey, than the journey itself (that might be unfair)
C. There seems to be quite an emphasis on maintaining a good 'speed' and not to many 'zero days' that could all prolong the journey too much.
Ditto!All that I can tell you is that I love to travel, and I love to walk. When I found out that I could walk across a country and sleep in a bed and take a shower every day (not to mention not having to cook!), I was ready to go!
Of course I learned that the Camino is so much more than that. I love the cameraderie of being part of a mass of humanity walking towards a common destination.
erm, so really is the Way of Saint James.B. It seems to be more about completing the journey, than the journey itself (that might be unfair)
As a thruhiker and a Camino addict..... both types of walking have their charms.
The biggest difference is that the Camino doesn't have the challenge of supporting yourself independently in the wilderness. The degree of safety, level of preparation, and past hiking experience required is much lower.
Not all thru-hikes are created equal. The experience on the "busier" Appalachian Trail with well blazed trail, trail shelters and frequent road crossings is much different --- than crossing the Negrev Desert on the Israel National Trail, or cross-country mountain route finding on the Continental Divide Trail.
Here is a video from The Pacific Crest Trail in 2018 when I did a "slackpack". I got a lift to a trailhead and hitched back into a town at another trailhead. This means I didn't need to carry my camping gear or food for the day. I forgot my headlamp is which is VERY bad to do! It is possible to "slack pack" many short sections of the big American thruhike trails if you have an aversion to tenting.
Sara on the Pacific Crest Trail Day 66 VLog
Wilderness thru-hiking and Camino de Santiago pilgrimages have brought balance and happiness in my life. I will never give up either - both are essential to who I am as a person.
All that I can tell you is that I love to travel, and I love to walk. When I found out that I could walk across a country and sleep in a bed and take a shower every day (not to mention not having to cook!), I was ready to go!
Of course I learned that the Camino is so much more than that. I love the cameraderie of being part of a mass of humanity walking towards a common destination.
The Camino could be a LOT like that back in the early 1990s ...Each departure from a supply point on the AT opens one up to the following mental journey: Day one and I am getting comfortable again. Day two: "I think I stepped in something" Day three: nope that odour is me. Day four: actually I don't mind the odour. Day five: I wonder where the odour went. Day six: rinse and repeat. Actually over the week most people begin to smell the same and so the general wafting off of bodies is the same and so no one notices it much. Go a couple days without showering' on a Camino, and you run the risk of visits from vigilantes
The Camino could be a LOT like that back in the early 1990s ...
Neither is better than the other OK.
And they are quite different things, I think ?
At the risk of trying to split hairs across the Ditch, a Camino is a way, a journey, a trip.My motivations for a Camino are.........
- A spiritual journey of reflection... enhanced by the path and ...
- A chance to totally unplug from daily life.
- The opportunity to live simply.
- Get closer to nature and the 'earth'
- Undertake a journey through ... amazing history and culture.
- 'Pause' ... to further experience surroundings/culture/history.
- Meet others along the way undertaking their own journeys.
- To live in a 'World' or 'Environment' that seems more natural, rewarding and 'human' than the one we inhabit day to day.
- For the physical and emotional 'challenge'
For waht it's worth, here's a short video (just under 20 min) comparing the Camino de Santiago to the Appalachian Trail by someone who has walked both (although with a lot more experience thru-hiking than Camino-walking):
In my opinion she compares appels with pears (as we say in german).A good balanced perspective
I walked a section of the Appalachian trail and it deliberately avoided going though habitation most of the time. On a few occasions I hitched into town.Really, I had assumed the trail led through small areas of habitation where hikers could re-supply.
Leaving the trail all the time would kind of break the rhythm a bit.
Surely this depends on where you start "The Camino", those starting in Scotland, Scandinavia, Russia, or even further afield would disagree about the lack of wilderness or challenging situations that would be better tackled with high levels of safety, preparation and experience, even closer ones can be just as wild depending on the route taken.The biggest difference is that the Camino doesn't have the challenge of supporting yourself independently in the wilderness. The degree of safety, level of preparation, and past hiking experience required is much lower.
OK, let's keep this a civil discussion
Neither is better than the other OK.
And they are quite different things, I think ?
Though that 'infamous' blog post "The Camino Sucks" perhaps didn't appreciate that they are like apples and oranges.
Let's not get into those types of negative comparisons.
But, for those who have done both, and I know a few of you are here, I think it might be an interesting conversation.
What got me thinking about it?
Am I about to head off the the AT or PCT? No. Not at all.
They really hold no appeal for me. (due to #1 in my motivations list mainly)
But I was watching a lot of videos made my Thru Hikers as they have some great tips on lightweight gear, nutrition and all kinds of other stuff.
I've just ordered an Ultra Lite 'Ass Pad' as a result.
Who knew, it's a thing! Better than a square of bubble wrap!
So why do people embark on a Thru Hike?
We all know why we walk a Camino. (though the reasons are many and varied)
Are the motivations that different?
Obviously the trail is.
We sleep in a bed at night, and don't need to carry tarps/tents, cooking stuff, and 3-7 days of food.
(OK a very few of you carry tents and stuff)
And we are never far from a store! Or a taxi in case of emergency.....
From my perspective, which of course is the only one I have........
My motivations for a Camino are.........
* Whilst I have not done a Thru Hike, I imagine it might meet my goals * 2, 3, 4, 7, 9 and perhaps 1 (a little bit). But perhaps in different ways, I'm not sure.
- A spiritual journey of reflection and contemplation enhanced by the path and infrastructure itself.
- * A chance to totally unplug from daily life.
- * The opportunity to live simply.
- * To get closer to nature and the 'earth'
- To undertake a journey through a country of amazing history and culture.
- To 'pause' at times to further experience the surroundings/culture/history.
- * To meet others along the way undertaking their own journeys.
- To live in a 'World' or 'Environment' that seems more natural, rewarding and 'human' than the one we inhabit day to day.
- * For the physical and emotional 'challenge'.
I've watched quite a lot of Thru Hike type videos, and my observations are: (which might be totally off course)
A. It's generally a younger crowd. (the physical demands would dictate that and appeal to a younger crowd)
B. It seems to be more about completing the journey, than the journey itself (that might be unfair)
C. There seems to be quite an emphasis on maintaining a good 'speed' and not to many 'zero days' that could all prolong the journey too much.
I'm sure the terrain must dictate this focus. If I have 6 days to the next town and re-supply, there is no way I want to go slower. That means carrying more supplies, or running low.
And this might be a totally unfair observation / thought.
Are Thru Hikes 'manufactured' journeys? Rather like setting up an endurance test? (perhaps there is a long history of the routes I'm not sure)
Whereas perhaps a Camino could be more like a journey back in time/history to tread the paths taken by Pilgrims for a Thousand years and Roman Soldiers over 2,000 years ago.
Just some thoughts.
I'd be very interested to understand the motivations for Thru Hiking and what the similarities might be.
I think when most people here or elsewhere talk about "the Camino" they are talking about established routes with some supports for walking, either in Spain or the various routes in France (from Arles, Le Puy, Vezelay, or Paris) or the Jacobsweg in in German-speaking countries, etc. While I don't doubt that there are people who walk from Scotland or Russia, I think their experiences are hardly representative. People who are walking south from Scotland or west from Russia, can certainly be said to be on a Camino, but I'm not sure if I would say they are on the Camino, until they join that European-spanning network of established trails.Surely this depends on where you start "The Camino", those starting in Scotland, Scandinavia, Russia, or even further afield would disagree about the lack of wilderness or challenging situations that would be better tackled with high levels of safety, preparation and experience, even closer ones can be just as wild depending on the route taken.
That's why I avoid using the "C" word but rather the "Way of St James", so as not to confuse walking/hiking along a Spanish path with a Pilgrimage to Santiago. I also think that by using the C word that the Pilgrimage part is in danger of being lost and becoming a "thru hike". At least I'm presuming that the OP original intention, is to compare Pilgrimage to Long distance walking, not just Spanish trails to American ones.
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