Time constraint suggestions for the Camino...

[Grease]

Hey it’s my first post! I am looking for advice on a planned first “Camino”.
Like many folks I am limited by work time off constraints, I am pretty sure that when I go I will be able to take like 25 days off from work. The only real planned efforts will be the logistics of the trip there and back (to Kuwait… Don’t ask, long story! :roll: ), otherwise I just wana kind'a go with the flow. So that being said, I’m looking for suggestions on how to best approach an available time frame of 23 – 24 days on the “Camino”. I’m hoping maybe some recommendations on starting points that wouldn’t have me running a pace that’d sap the experience. I really hadn’t researched too hard at the time of typing this but would starting around Logrono area, be feasible in my time frame?

This is an awesome site, it's pretty much covered just about any other question that I've pondered!
Thanks in advance,
Mike G "Grease"

 

[tyrrek]

Welcome Mike!

Logrono is certainly possible, but you'd be stretching it a bit if there were any hold-ups along the way.

You could consider starting in Burgos instead, which would build in more flexibility.

Or you could start wherever you like and get a bus/taxi part of the way.

Or consider a different route...

...sorry, I'm just confusing things further, aren't I? Buen Camino!

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Mike,

this is a question that has been asked before and the first question to you is

how fit are you?
have you done any training?
have you walked carrying a rucksack with all that you need within it?
how far did you comfortably walk in one day?
where are you flying in to?
have you broken your boots/footware in so that you won't be held up by blisters

tyrrel is right that on paper Logrono to SdC ought to be possible, but that depends on the above.

I have met people who have both over and under estimated how far they can walk in a day and if it is the former then they have injured themselves pushing to keep up with a time table they cannot keep. Most people fall into the "over" rather than the "under".

Both Logrono and Burgos are easy to get to so they are good choices.

The advice on buses, trains and taxis is excellent except that to receive your Compostella you MUST walk the last 100km (Sarria onwards in reality) - but then you probably already know that.

Are you intending to walk to Finisterre? If you get to SdC earlier than anticipated you could use the spare days - you need 4 - to walk to Finisterre.

 

[Grease]

Appreciate the suggestions!
I’m actually planning this out for a September/October 2013 effort, figuring I should be able to skirt the crowds of July/August pilgrims. So with that being said, I have just purchased my Asolos’ so they should be just about right by the time I plan to go. I live in a twenty-two story apartment building here in Kuwait and have started doing the stairs, to which I’ll be adding my backpack and like 40lbs… once I can do it without coughing up a lung! :lol:

I knew Pamplona would really be stretching it, Logrono looked fairly feasible, and Burgos looked like it might be too short. I’ve taken into consideration the accessibility to those three cities for starting points. I’m pretty sure I could pull the Logrono starting point, but again I want to enjoy it without doing a race against the clock… I will at some point prior to returning to the States do the whole Camino, let’s call this trip a primer! :? I really don’t have any finite details with regard to flights at this time, but I suspect flying from Kuwait City I will more than likely be flying into Paris, possibly Madrid, that will be determined based on air fares as I get closer date wise.

I do like the idea of starting in Burgos and then having the continuation to Finisterra as an option… I’m really leaning heavily on that since reading that suggestion. Are the any travel issues (logistically speaking) that I need to be aware of in getting from Finisterra to… Oh, say Madrid for my return flight. I don’t suspect any; it’s just that departing from SdC seems to have been covered pretty thoroughly here on the forum in comparison to Finisterra.

Thanks again,
Mike G

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Mike.

I can't think of any better options for getting to Madrid other than back through Santiago.

The bus I got from Finisterre back to Santiago took about 3 hours, which is quite long because it goes around the coast. You'd just have to be careful if you had an early flight/train from Santiago to Madrid and probably get to Santiago the previous evening. It's all fairly straightforward, though.

Burgos to Finisterre would be a great idea. If you found that you took a bit longer to get to Santiago than expected you may still have time to do the extra bit by bus. If you arrived sooner than expected you could continue to both Finisterre and Muxia, or consider doing the Camino Ingles from A Coruna or Ferrol back down to Santiago.

Buen Camino!

 

[sillydoll]

I take small groups on 22-day hikes of the Camino Frances.
We start in St Jean and walk to Logrono.
Bus to Burgos and spend a night there.
Bus to Leon and Spend a night there.
Short bus-ride to Astorga and walk to Villafranca del Bierzo.
We get a taxi to take us to Sarria (with an option to be dropped off at Samos and walk to Sarria from there) via a breakfast visit in O Cebreiro.
Then we walk to Santiago.
I think we cover the three most scenic sections of the Camino in three weeks. (I must say that I miss the meseta though!)

 

[tyrrek]

Sil's itinerary is good. The only thing I'd say is that by doing one continuous stretch you would be less likely to lose the friends you make along the way.

Buen Camino!

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

the other aspect of doing a continous stretch is that if you come back to walk the bits you missed it would be straightforward walking to Burgos (say SJPP to Burgos) and easy to return from there.

I am sure you can get to Madrid direct from SdC by either bus or train but as tyrekk says make sure you leave yourself time to do that.