Walking the Camino Frances a second time yes\no

[Fosta]

Hello I walked the Camino alone 2years ago and had a wonderful time, Last year I walked the Arles route with a friend, and was very pleased to have the company, as often we would see only one or two other walkers during the day.
I am keen to do another walk next year and will be alone, I am thinking of re walking the Camino Frances but am in two minds as I fear I might be anticipating whats around each corner. Has any one got any comments on walking the route for a second time?
I would take a different route but after the Arles route, I am rather fearful of being completely alone for long stretches during the day, it is reassuring knowing someone is not too far away on the path. Or perhaps you might recommend another route?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I fear I might be anticipating whats around each corner

I have found that is one of the beauties of re-walking the Camino Frances -- I know what is ahead!

 

[mspath]

Fosta,

From 2004 through 2011 I have walked the Camino Frances in its entirety seven times. The terrain may have been the same but the realities were greatly varied. Although each Camino began with both anticipation and trepidation as I wondered how it all would go, each pilgrimage developed its own rich mix of old friends and new, fickleness of weather, stamina and health plus, of course, philosophical musings and thanksgiving.

Remember "The end of one journey is simply the start of another. You have to see what you missed the first time, see again what you already saw, see in springtime what you saw in summer, in daylight what you saw at night, see the sun shining where you saw the rain falling, see crops growing, the fruit ripen, the stone which has moved, the shadow that was not there before. You have to go back to the footsteps already taken, to go over them again or add fresh ones alongside them. You have to start the journey anew. Always" Jose Saramago, A Journey to Portugal

Thus mid October I will set out once more on the Camino Frances.

Even at 73 hope springs eternal!

Margaret

 

[Fosta]

Thank you for your words-yes true we can never tread the same steps twice-
I trust you will come across some fine Autumn foods.

 

[miguel_gp]

The Portuguese Route is pretty busy through the summer months, not on the scale of the Frances, but plenty of people to walk, chat and generally socialise with.

Most seem to start in Porto or on the border at Valenca or Tui, although you can start down in Lisbon and I think even further South down in the Algarve. Might be worth considering if you want a change of scene although Margaret's argument above for re-visiting the Frances is mighty persuasive!

Buen Camino for whatever you choose.
Mig

 

[Kitsambler]

The Le Puy route has plenty of companionship, if you decide you would like to see different areas.

 

[fraluchi]

I am thinking of re walking the Camino Frances but am in two minds as I fear I might be anticipating whats around each corner. Has any one got any comments on walking the route for a second time?

The second time was different from the first, so were the third and fourth times. You can only plan so much and must leave things to happen as they come. The weather changes, the paths often change, the companions change, etc. If you're positive and extrovert you'll have the best camino ever.

 

[julie]

I would take a different route but after the Arles route, I am rather fearful of being completely alone for long stretches during the day, it is reassuring knowing someone is not too far away on the path. Or perhaps you might recommend another route?

The Le Puy route is beautiful and you'll find many more pilgrims on it compared to the route from Arles.

However, don't be put off if you are drawn to walking the Camino Frances again. It is guaranteed to be different from your first time because the people you meet will be different and, perhaps more importantly, you are different. You have new things to learn each time you go so the experience is always a fresh one.

 

[scruffy1]

Don't change your route, change your pace of walking, stop at totally different places, stay in other albergues. The other big thing which helps, my first Camino was like visiting WonderLand-every corner has something amazing a new enchantment, something which will totally amazes and confounds one. It probably won't work that second time since you do indeed know what to expect. So, turn the experience into something intellectual, search out special museums along the way, stray off the Camino for Romanesque churches, seek out those places where the service includes Gregorian chants, learn something about Christian art iconology and architecture. I would heartily recommend "The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago-The Complete Cultural Handbook" by David Gitlitz and Linda Davidson a large cumbersome paperback which has made it with me to Santiago twice and if its pages will hold together, one more time next spring. A treasure chest of knowledge which will show the Camino in a different light. Look for it used a t http://www.abebooks.com/

 

[Fosta]

Book is on order, I must admit my knowledge of reading the church architecture was lacking and you have reminded me how much more I wished I knew at the time. Thank you

 

[markss]

Normally one who prefers new experiences, my initial inclination would be to sugggest against repeating the Frances route. However for many of the reasons outlined by previous responses, I would definately suggest a second go at this route.

To add to some of those comments, another variable in the mix is the time of year that you travel. If you have the flexibility my recommendation would be to select a time of year different from when you previously walked your last Camino. From experience I walked the Frances in both March and October of 2010. Not only were weather conditions different but it seemed that so many other things were as well. Including the type people encountered along the way. March was the tail end of winter. The weather was harsh in places. Not that that was a deterent, but it added an element of additional challenge. Some of the villages seemed to still be in winter hibernation so there was not much opportunity for the casual outdoor cafe type socializing. The mix of people at that time of year tended to be younger, more rugged and individualistic. Nordic and cold weather countries were represented well. In general there were relatively fewer people, making for a more isolated walk yet at the same time enough other people to ensure that you were never alone.

October was warm and pleasant with a more lively vibe in many of the villages. Pilgrims tended to be older, many of whom were retired and kept a more leisurly pace. They were maybe a bit more sociable preferring to spend more time around the albergue mingling with one and other.

One thing that I noticed throughout the Camino, and it is so true in other aspects of life, in general people tended to cluster into groups based on common age range. Sure the 25 and 65 year old will get along, but do they really want to spend a lot of time with each other? Despite differences in nationality, age is a common thread. You may want to give that thought to the timing of your next Camino and consider when you are more likely to have a greater number of people within your age group. Although of course at any time there will be people of all ages.

The point in all of this is merely to suggest that if you are able to walk the Camino at a different time of year than you have before it is another factor, and a significant one, that will make it an all together new experience for you.

Buen Camino!

 

[elzi]

I find the Frances different everytime! Try a different season for a variation on the landscape. People are all different.

I wouldn´t do the Portugues alone again personally. I found the Portugal part, whilst beautiful, a little scary (in terms of men) and during the whole route although there were a few people in the albergues at nights the trip was a little lonely, especially as my spanish/portugues is terrible.

 

[Fosta]

Thank you

 

[jirit]

Hello Fosta

Strangely I guess I am now veteran of five long distance pilgrim walks; once in Italy on the Via Francigena, once in Austria on the Jakobsweg, once in France on the Le Puy/Arles routes to Lourdes, and finally twice on the Camino Frances route in Spain

After doing the Camino route back in 2007 I never thought I would do the Camino route again but on a last minute whim, I did and had one of the best walks in my life.

This said I still miss the Via Francigena in Italy tough as it was back in 2008, since for me it represented probably the closest I came to doing a real modern day pilgrimage. The route has since improved and continues to improve with more accommodation and better signage. And I am finding more and more people willing and wanting to do this route, many single women looking for something different.

The Le Puy and Arles in France were pleasant and enjoyable and the former is well traveled by others so you are never alone. The people, countryside and food are excellent (most days) but it lacked that special something.

I have posted some photos from all three walks, so you are welcome to check them out, to give you a feel of each experience.

https://plus.google.com/photos/11327594 ... banner=pwa

 

[annakappa]

Hello Fosta,
If you are already thinking about doing it again, then your answer is already half-formed. Just do it! You won't regret it.
I completely agree with Scruffy who suggests that this time round, take more interest in these beautiful Romanesque churches that you will pass. Visit more musuems, stay indifferent Albergues, stay overnight in villages new to you.
Tomorrow we leave for our 4th long Camino, this time starting in Jaca on the Camino Aragónes, by which we join up with the Francés in puente de la Reina. We also did a mini camino from Ourense , but keep returning to the francés.Anne

 

[Mark2012]

I walked the Camino Frances for the first time earlier this year, and this topic came up when speaking with some of the people I met along the way. There were a lot of different thoughts, but I think for quite a few of us it was precisely because we had such an amazing experience that we were reluctant to 'risk' repeating it... if that makes any sense.

My own feeling on it was that I would be open to walking the Camino Frances again, but either at a different time of year or in about 10 years. For me, to walk it again in the near future and/or at a similar time of year would risk so many 'ghosts' as to make it a less than fully attractive prospect.

That said, I've read the previous posts in this thread with great interest and note that recurring sentiment that each Camino is a separate and distinct experience, even if it happens to be on the same route. It's funny, because I recall saying almost the same thing to a friend who was curious about my experiences this year. The context was that I was reluctant to make any recollections beyond the fact of encouraging him to do it, based on the fact that so much of the experience relates to the people you meet along the way. I had memorable nights in places like Zubiri, Ventosa, Belorado to name but three, but it would have felt wrong to say "oh, you must stop for the night there", as my enjoyment derived from the company I was in, and the experience would have been completely different (not necessarily negative) had I found myself there alone or with other people. So, I suppose my own advice also applies to myself - a second walk on the Frances would most likely be a very different experience, geographical familiarity notwithstanding.

... but I would miss all those friends I made this year very much!

 

[AJ]

One of the joys of the Frances is the people you meet. They are the same but different on each camino. I enjoyed the Frances more the second time than the first.

 

[Fosta]

Thank you all I have bought the book recommend "The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago-The Complete Cultural Handbook" by David Gitlitz and Linda Davidson. This has inspired me to walk the route again and spend some time soaking up and learning more about the vast cultural history linked at every corner along the way. Foster