• Get your Camino Frances Guidebook here.
  • For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
  • ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

walking summer 2011 limited time

newwalker

New Member
Hi
I am in desperate need of some advise. I have about 10 -12 days available to walk and am wanting the best of both worlds ie wanting to get to santiago but also want to walk through the scenic areas of the camino - this is where i am getting stuck - please can i have some suggestions as to what is the most scenic / interesting section of the camino (obviously this does come down to personal taste) but i would like to see some old castles / monestaries / beautifull country side etc and get a feel of the real spain. I have looked at the blogs and see that it is possible to do one section catch and then catch a bus to sarria and then do the last section.
Thank you for your time :D
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi newwalker,

The most scenic areas--as you said--obviously depend somewhat on your tastes. I can only think of two castles on the route: the ruins of one above Castrojeriz, and the Templar castle in Ponferrada. There's a monastery at Samos, and the Monasterio de Irache by the Fuente del Vino (just after Estella). There are probably more, but I can't think of them right now.

Really, you might enjoy just doing the last part of the Camino without skipping parts by bus (wherever you think you have the time and stamina to start from--Astorga might work). You'd get some beautiful mountain scenery, walk through the vineyards between Ponferrada and Villafranca, more mountains, and then the countryside/eucalyptus forests of Galicia. You'd get to see the Cruz de Ferro (the cross in the mountains where pilgrims leave rocks), the Templar castle in Ponferrada, the monastery at Samos (if you took that variant), the submerged remains of the old Portomarin (which were flooded by a dam), and some really beautiful towns.

The main thing you'll be missing is the large cities and their cathedrals (but then again the large cities don't tend to be nice to walk into). You'd also be starting with some fairly steep ascents and descents--but lots of people survive that when they cross the Pyrenees on their first day.

Of course, I walked in late fall, so I don't know what things are like in summer.

Just a thought. I hope this helps.

Anna-Marie
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Astorga to Santiago is 259 kms. A very manageable distance to walk in 10 to 12 days.
26 kms per day is achievable, but perhaps a little faster than most.
Getting to Santiago in 10 days will leave you time to explore the Cathedral in Santiago... Hug the saint, visit the crypt, get your Compostela...

Having a couple of extra days if you need it will take the pressure off the goal of 26 kms per day.

If I could only walk one segment, I would walk from Astorga to Santiago.
And having a continuous uninterupted walk is most condusive to the pilgrim experience.

You describe your wishes and desires as a tourist... seeing the sights.
The alternative is to travel as a pilgrim, on an inward journey, learning about yourself... are you flexible with your time and other people? Do you set goals for yourself and achieve them? How do you feel when you don't achieve your goals?

Most walkers are a mixture of tourist and pilgrim.

Enjoy your planning and preparation
and buen Camino for your journey in 2011

David, Victoria, Canada.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I agree with Anna Maria and David. Start in Astorga. The jumping off and on buses means that you loose the friends you meet all the time. Walk the last part, meet people that walk the same distance that you. beautiful sights and places over the mountain from Astorga to Ponferrada and up to O`Cebreiro. There is a nice cathedral in Astorga too.
ranthr
 
I just finished walking the Astorga to Santiago segment (took me 14 days, but I had bad blisters & walked slowly anyhow since I take a lot of photos). I found it beautiful & am really glad to have chosen that part. You can see my blog at http://dustyscamino.blogspot.com to see some of my photos & read about the walk.
Good luck & try not to rush if you can avoid it.
dusty from texas
 
Thank you for all your help. I had been thinking along the lines of starting at Astorga as I was abit unsure of breaking the walk and taking public transport to get across to Sarria and your answers have helped me finally make up my mind. Now i can concentrate on buying the right hiking boots and pack and getting walking fit. Dusty how did you carry your camera - i have been wondering what would be the easiest way to take mine other than going out and buying a small point and shoot camera. :D
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi newwalker,

What kind of camera do you have? I reluctantly decided to leave my SLR at home before my Camino. I carried my point-and-shoot (which I actually used in manual mode, and which is on the large side) in a small-ish photo bag that attached to my backpack's waist belt. In the evenings, I reattached its removable strap and used it as a purse. When it rained, I stuffed the whole thing in my backpack, which was protected with a rain cover.

I looked rather ridiculous, but it was nice to have my camera so accessible.

Hope this helps! I'm not sure what you'd do with an SLR to keep it accessible while you walked.

Anna-Marie
 

Most read last week in this forum

When I hiked the Frances Route this happened. I was hiking in the afternoon just east of Arzua. I was reserved a bed at an albergue in Arzua, so I had already hiked all the way from San Xulien...
First marker starting from Albergue Monasterio de la Magdalena in Sarria (113.460 km) Start: 2023.9.29 07:22 Arrival: 2023.9.30 13:18 walking time : 26 hours 47 minutes rest time : 3 hours 8...
A local Navarra website has posted a set of photos showing today's snowfall in the area around Roncesvalles. About 15cm of snow fell this morning surprising pilgrims on the way...
Hi! I’m a first time pilgrim. Is it possible to take a taxi from Astorga to Foncebadon? Thanks, Felicia
HI all, I will be starting my walk on March 31, taking the Valcarlos Route, and am having trouble getting in touch with the albergue in Valcarlos (tried email and what's app - no luck!). Does...
I have been planning to return and rejoin the path from Leon next week. ( Main route) I am wondering whether it might be better to wait until later in April to rejoin the path, my hope is to...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Similar threads

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top