Turning around on the Camino

[npak907]

Has anyone ever arrived at their destination, only to realize that the experience has only began? How many people turn around and walk in the opposite direction?

 

[tyrrek]

You will encounter a few people walking in the opposite direction, but a tiny number compared to those heading for Santiago. Unfortunately you often only have the chance to exchange a 'Buen Camino' while passing, but I'm sure there are some stories to be told.

 

[npak907]

So it's probably safe to say that if your pilgrimage has only began to maybe hop a train or bus to another starting point and venture from there? I was feeling like not many people would be turned around.

 

[tyrrek]

I'm not 100% sure I understand what you mean. Do you mean start another Camino immediately after arriving in Santiago?

If so, you could walk back along the Camino Frances. It's probably the easiest to walk backwards as it's so well marked, and you also have a stream of pilgrims coming towards you to reassure you that you're on the route. Or you could do the Camino Ingles, Camino Portugues etc in the right direction after getting a bus/train to a suitable starting point.

One of the issues with walking backwards is that in all likelihood you'll be the only one. You'll meet people but they'll be 50kms away the next evening so you won't form the same friendships.

Buen Camino!

 

[Tia Valeria]

From Santiago you can go to Ferrol, Lugo, and down onto the Portugués all by bus/train and then walk again for 100kms into Santiago, if that is what you are thinking you would like to do.

 

[mspath]

Has anyone ever arrived at their destination, only to realize that the experience has only began? How many people turn around and walk in the opposite direction?

On each Camino as I slowly walked towards Santiago I have met a few pilgrims who once they arrived at Santiago decided to walk back to where they began. An older Belgian couple In March 2006 in Mansilla de las Mulas had walked from home in Antwerp to Santiago and had been on route since early January! Without knapsacks they pushed their luggage in a remodeled ice cream cart!! Highly motivated and intensely focused they intended to walk back to Antwerp; early June was their estimated time of arrival home! What perseverance!

Margaret

 

[Sue Kenney]

The pilgrims of the past had to walk to Santiago and back home again. I believe there is some value in the idea that when we get to Santiago, the journey is half over. I walked the Portuguese route in both directions in 2004 from Valenca to Santiago, Finnestera to Muxia, back to Santiago and back to Valenca. It was an incredible journey and I wrote about it in a book. Again in 2010, I felt compelled to finish my first Camino by walking back from Santiago to St Jean Pied de Port. It was incredibly fulfilling, mystical, and a very difficult journey. I got lost so many times and often ended up sitting on the side of the road waiting for a sign of some sort or crying. When I got to a fork in the road coming from the other way, it was impossible to figure out which way to go. There are some squirly blue arrows painted part of the way and you can follow the arrows from Fatima in some places. I would highly recommend the journey back. You can read about my first 16 days on the Camino Frances return here. I'm going to finish the next 16 days of The Contrary Way - this blog/book very soon. http://mycaminojourney.blogspot.ca/
Suseya!
Sue

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have walked a few stretches in the reverse direction. That nasty descent from Alto de Perdon is really a fairly nice climb, for example. Downhill is my Waterloo. So when I thought about the long descent into St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, I reached the conclusion that my knees and ankles could not survive it. So, forward it is for me!