Via Baltica and Scandinavica

[gittiharre]

Hi. Got back recently from walking 470 km on these routes from Swindemuende in Poland to near Lueneburg in Germany. Most of the trail through former Eastern Germany. My blog incl pics is up. www.gittiharre.blogspot.com
If you want a solitary route with good pilgrim lodgings at 5 to 10 Euros per night and no bedbugs, here it is.

 

[mla1]

Thank you for posting this. I look forward to reading the blog!

 

[Bernice M]

Hi Gitti, This looks interesting. Will dip in as wifi allows. On Arles route at present without the stuff i bought from you, as pack went missing.
Bernice (Auckland).

 

[Kiwi-family]

How fabulous! Where do you find the guides for these wonderful German walks?
By the way, I keep reading blogs of people who bump into Deborah - quite inspiring!
(I googled Via Baltica and Via Scandinavica and both seemed to show something different to what you walked)

 

[Kitsambler]

The publisher of the famous "yellow books" for the long-distance walking routes (Jakobsweg and other) in the German-speaking lands (and others) is Conrad-Stein (https://www.conrad-stein-verlag.de/p/verlag/verlag_home.html). These titles are usually available on amazon.de (which is now available in English). Reading a bit of German helps, but Google translate is also available. The route Gitti walked is new, however - so I don't think the yellow book is out. There was a thread on this route a few months ago, with resources. Can anyone find it?

 

[gittiharre]

Hi Gitti, This looks interesting. Will dip in as wifi allows. On Arles route at present without the stuff i bought from you, as pack went missing.
Bernice (Auckland).

Hi Bernice. Great to hear from you. What a disaster you lost your pack. Did you check it in? Go well on Arles route. Would love to catch up and hear about it when you are back. Gitti

 

[gittiharre]

How fabulous! Where do you find the guides for these wonderful German walks?
By the way, I keep reading blogs of people who bump into Deborah - quite inspiring!
(I googled Via Baltica and Via Scandinavica and both seemed to show something different to what you walked)

Hi I bought the yellow German Guides. Conrad Stein Verlag. There is hardly any info on line and what there is is in German. Look at a website called www.jakobswege.de
How was the Portugues? I am off to walk that and Finesterre routes end of may next year. Planning a walk with my daughter and granddaughter in 2017. You inspired us.

 

[gittiharre]

The publisher of the famous "yellow books" for the long-distance walking routes (Jakobsweg and other) in the German-speaking lands (and others) is Conrad-Stein (https://www.conrad-stein-verlag.de/p/verlag/verlag_home.html). These titles are usually available on amazon.de (which is now available in English). Reading a bit of German helps, but Google translate is also available. The route Gitti walked is new, however - so I don't think the yellow book is out. There was a thread on this route a few months ago, with resources. Can anyone find it?

There is a guide book out for the Via Scandinavica. Just published I bought it en route. For the Via Baltica there is also a book Pilgern auf der Via Baltica von Swinemuende nach Bremen. Published by Via Baltica Verlag author Bernhard Weber. It comes with Pilgrim's passport. The maps are better in it. We did not use GPS.

 

[Kitsambler]

There is a guide book out for the Via Scandinavica.

Gitti, what rain kit are you using? It looks like my Ferrino Trekker, but you sound much happier with yours. Mine soaked through in the rain in Switzerland this year.

 

[gittiharre]

Gitti, what rain kit are you using? It looks like my Ferrino Trekker, but you sound much happier with yours. Mine soaked through in the rain in Switzerland this year.

I am using the Altus lite. It is not perfect as one has to manage the climate in it carefully but it only weighs 250 or so grams, so I am sticking with it....it is ugly though and if you need rain protection without a pack on I. E. Evenings etc it is not a pretty option. Have toyed with taking a 150 G shell jacket as well but don't want to carry the extra weight..

 

[Kiwi-family]

Hi I bought the yellow German Guides. Conrad Stein Verlag. There is hardly any info on line and what there is is in German. Look at a website called www.jakobswege.de
How was the Portugues? I am off to walk that and Finesterre routes end of may next year. Planning a walk with my daughter and granddaughter in 2017. You inspired us.

Reading German is OK for me so I don't mind info auf Deutsch. Unfortunately the link you provided seems dead.
Portugues was not stunning beauty-wise like some of the other walks we have done, and the first few days out of Porto were hard on the feet, but we love walking anywhere and those are our favourite weeks from all of this year.