What do you think of breaking the journey in two?

[WldWil]

So, a buddy tells me about a pilgrimage he wants to make after watching the movie ‘The Way’. Short story is that it became contagious. Short, short story is I am considering it in 2016.

My challenge is that I run a website and social media business, which means constant supervision and tech support. There are a couple family issues that make taking a month off unrealistic.

If I want to travel the 800km from the French border to Santiago and I would have to break the walk into two parts.

I am about 50 and in excellent health. Questions are:
• What do you think of breaking the journey in two? (I’ve read quite a bit already how… it is your journey, but I would appreciate input.
• What do you think would be a good half way spot and how many days to allow (considering a reasonable pace but taking it in along the way with an ocasional vino)?

This is my first post here and I have not really found where someone breaks the journey into parts. I suspect, I’ll be doing more lurking here than anything else. Being a web guy, I have a special appreciation for forums. Also, being a web guy means 8 hours of screen time a day. This I think would be a great experience.

Thanks in advance

 

[whariwharangi]

I met a woman from Barcelona who had started in Roncesvalle ... several years before. She walked one week every year picking up where she had left off. Apparently many people who often only have a week or two of vacation time walk the camino in this way.

The big deal for many of us on this forum is we are travelling from Australia Canada USA etalia ... its just too cost prohibitive for most of us to consider walking only one week per year.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

It's quite common for many Europeans to walk in one or two week stints so that they can fit the Camino into their normal holidays. Thus those that start somewhere like Le Puy fully expect to take 5 or 6 years before they will reach Santiago.
If you want to break the journey in parts, somewhere like Sahagun is close enough to midway, and you will have crossed much of the Meseta by the time you reach there. it is also an easy enough place to get transport connections to/from when you finish/re-start.
Margaret

 

[tyrrek]

Yes, I agree with Margaret. Sahagun is half way with a direct train to Madrid. If you're going faster or slower than expected you have Burgos or Leon as 'Plan Bs'.

Lots of people do the Camino that way. Ideally it's probably better done in one, but maybe you can use the two separate trips to your advantage to avoid the busiest times etc.

Buen Camino!

 

[Dave2525]

Like the others, I also met many Spaniards who walk it into 2 week increments as it fits their schedule. I met another who had done Sarria to Santiago 4 times.

Limiting your self to 20k - 25k a day will allow you to see everything and still have some relaxation time as well

 

[Felipe]

I remember vaguely some kind of sign between Burgo Ranero and Reliegos stating that it was the exact middle point between Roncesvalles and Santiago.
The great thing about breaking the journey in two, is that the first time you don't need a preset final destination. You can walk as fast and as far as you like, with only a very general plan, and check transportation options a couple of days before you finish your walk. Spain is a well communicated country; the only problems are after Burgos, with a couple of days of isolated villages.
Buen camino!

 

[Olivares]

Yes, if I had waited to have over a month to walk the Camino Frances, I would still be dreaming about it instead of rejoicing on the fact that I have completed one of the most amazing experiences in my life! I walked in 1997 Leon to Santiago, but I started walking from SJPDP in 2011 and got to Santiago this past July (2014). All said and done, I honestly can tell you that I would actually recommend people to break it down. By doing so, 1) I experienced the Camino on different times of the year (The Meseta in the Fall was glorious!), 2) really had time to carefully focused and researched each section, 3) people from home were able to accompany me (one section I walked with a nephew, another my husband came along), 4) were able to take in Lessons Learned and apply to the next time on the Camino. Also, because I usually finished on an iconic city, I had time to visit at the end and at the beginning, i.e. Pamplona and Burgos. I started from Sahagun this last time and made it to Santiago. I was able to appreciate the Meseta and transitioned in nicely into the El Bierzo and Galicia regions. Start at SJPDP and walk as far as you can get. Most likley the Camino will become an obsession for you as well and a return trip will be in the makings even before leaving Spain!

 

[Olivares]

I remember vaguely some kind of sign between Burgo Ranero and Reliegos stating that it was the exact middle point between Roncesvalles and Santiago.

The gorgeous monument above is located a couple of Kms before Sahagun at la Ermita de la Virgen del Puente (S.XII). It supposedly marks the midpoint of the Camino Frances in Spain (not from SJPDP...). Spaniards take their history very seriously so how ever they calculated this, I go with their estimate...

 

[JimandCarolyn]

So, a buddy tells me about a pilgrimage he wants to make after watching the movie ‘The Way’. Short story is that it became contagious. Short, short story is I am considering it in 2016.

My challenge is that I run a website and social media business, which means constant supervision and tech support. There are a couple family issues that make taking a month off unrealistic.

If I want to travel the 800km from the French border to Santiago and I would have to break the walk into two parts.

I am about 50 and in excellent health. Questions are:
• What do you think of breaking the journey in two? (I’ve read quite a bit already how… it is your journey, but I would appreciate input.
• What do you think would be a good half way spot and how many days to allow (considering a reasonable pace but taking it in along the way with an ocasional vino)?

This is my first post here and I have not really found where someone breaks the journey into parts. I suspect, I’ll be doing more lurking here than anything else. Being a web guy, I have a special appreciation for forums. Also, being a web guy means 8 hours of screen time a day. This I think would be a great experience.

Thanks in advance

We walked the Camino in two parts, Starting in SJPP, September 2012 to Fromista and then again in April 2013 from Fromista to Santiago. The break in our Camino was due to a knee injury (stress fracture) that was healed with about 6 months rest. Fromista was just short of half way on the Camino and is a nice town, but transportation to and from is difficult. Carrion de los Condes which is very near the halfway point, has much better bus and rail connections to major cities for air transport to and from the USA. Buen Camino, Jim Krogness

 

[november_moon]

We are going to go back and walk it in 2 or 3 parts. We walked Leon to almost O'Cebreiro this year before we had to leave the Camino due to an unrelated circumstance at home - we chose the Leon to Santiago portion because that is the amount we thought we could do in the time we had. Now the Camino has gotten into our soul and we want to walk from Saint Jean. Due to our work schedules, it will have to be a multi-year project. We plan to walk from Saint Jean to someplace in 2016, then pick up where we left off in 2018 and come back in 2020 if we haven't finished yet

 

[Helen1]

In my opinion, being away from home/work for a month+ is something special and gives you time to really get away and change your perspective. On the other hand, it’s not an option many of us have. I split my trip and I think I got more out of it by doing so. I had seen and experienced so much on the first leg of my journey that it was almost overwhelming, by coming back to complete the journey made it much more special for me.

Sounds like your family issues might prevent this but if your business is mostly online you could always duck out of the camino for a week and work from Madrid or one of the other big cities rather than heading home.

 

[Felipe]

View attachment 14399
The gorgeous monument above is located a couple of Kms before Sahagun at la Ermita de la Virgen del Puente (S.XII). It supposedly marks the midpoint of the Camino Frances in Spain (not from SJPDP...). Spaniards take their history very seriously so how ever they calculated this, I go with their estimate...

My comment about this halfway sign let me with some uneasiness. I usually have a good topographical memory (as far as the Camino is concerned ), but this time I was not sure. I thank you for the correction, but in my mind, the sign was a little one, in the place of some unimpressive ruins (a hermit? and ancient albergue?), just some decaying walls. Looking for confirmation, I discovered a webpage with a new and (more or less) exact measurement of Camino, made by Orietta Prendin, Acacio da Paz (who I suppose they are the owners of the well known albergue) and Marcelo Mendonça, by way of bicycle, odometer and GPS. Problem is that the route sometimes is not evident, especially in big cities. They have made their best, with common sense solutions.
Upon their measurement, the iconic Roncesvalles’ “790 km to Compostela” road sign is quite exact (on foot, it is 793,454) , and the middle (from Roncesvalles) is about Terradillos de los Templarios. Not too far, anyway, from the Ermita de la Virgen del Puente.
My very personal conclusion: I have to come back to Camino, just to check this very important issue....

 

[christy wharton]

So, a buddy tells me about a pilgrimage he wants to make after watching the movie ‘The Way’. Short story is that it became contagious. Short, short story is I am considering it in 2016.

My challenge is that I run a website and social media business, which means constant supervision and tech support. There are a couple family issues that make taking a month off unrealistic.

If I want to travel the 800km from the French border to Santiago and I would have to break the walk into two parts.

I am about 50 and in excellent health. Questions are:
• What do you think of breaking the journey in two? (I’ve read quite a bit already how… it is your journey, but I would appreciate input.
• What do you think would be a good half way spot and how many days to allow (considering a reasonable pace but taking it in along the way with an ocasional vino)?

This is my first post here and I have not really found where someone breaks the journey into parts. I suspect, I’ll be doing more lurking here than anything else. Being a web guy, I have a special appreciation for forums. Also, being a web guy means 8 hours of screen time a day. This I think would be a great experience.

Thanks in advance

 

[christy wharton]

I from SJP to Sahagun--- 16days walking and got an afternoon train on last walking day to Bilbao and home to Ireland next day in june 2013. In 2014 I flew to Bilbao then an early morning train to Sahagun to and spent another 15 days walking to Santiago in June 2014. I actually carried on to Finistere after a rest in SDC --- 3 more walking long days and flew home from SDC. If you would like more detail jut ask.

 

[Olivares]

My comment about this halfway sign let me with some uneasiness. I usually have a good topographical memory (as far as the Camino is concerned ), but this time I was not sure. I thank you for the correction, but in my mind, the sign was a little one, in the place of some unimpressive ruins (

Felipe-- I have no doubts that there are not one, but many such stake claims along logical midpoints. It reminds me of the many ocassions I would see posted distances to Santiago just to walk for two hours and encountered a sign indicating I was actually FURTHER away from Santiago than previouslt posted . Have no worries, I would think there cannot be a set midpoint given that the Camino has alternate routes on ocassions.

That said, I think the Monument at Sahagun is one of the most beautiful, spectacular, interesting monuments I saw along the Camino. Hence, I gladly labeled my picture "Midpoint Camino Framces in Spain".

 

[WldWil]

I really appreciate everyone’s input. I suspect the flight there will be about $1,500. I live in Northern Wisconsin in the USA. It makes my annual trip to Canada look short.

Part of the challenge is to leave travel time. It takes 27 hours to get there. This means you leave Friday afternoon and get in Saturday night to start on Sunday morning (if no delays). I am guessing a day to recover and get to the airport and 24 hours to get home. My math says 17 days minimum to walk 14. That means in two trips 28 days will be on the road and 3-8 days of traveling to do so.

Anyway, I know I will have other questions like flights and such, but I’ll save them for another post. For now, I need to start looking at maps and read some more.

Thanks again.

 

[madame_shepard]

I really appreciate everyone’s input. I suspect the flight there will be about $1,500. I live in Northern Wisconsin in the USA. It makes my annual trip to Canada look short.

Part of the challenge is to leave travel time. It takes 27 hours to get there. This means you leave Friday afternoon and get in Saturday night to start on Sunday morning (if no delays). I am guessing a day to recover and get to the airport and 24 hours to get home. My math says 17 days minimum to walk 14. That means in two trips 28 days will be on the road and 3-8 days of traveling to do so.

Anyway, I know I will have other questions like flights and such, but I’ll save them for another post. For now, I need to start looking at maps and read some more.

Thanks again.

Hi my husband and i walked from sjpp to fromista in June, 2013 and from Astorga to Santiago this June. We're from Ohio. We had to break it into two parts because we could only get 3 weeks of vacation. We thought it worked out great and had the benefit of looking forward to part 2 for 11 months. Now were hooked and looking forward to starting le puy this summer.My recommendation is to start walking and stop the day before your flight home. We had booked our flight home from bilbao, so we just took a couple of buses to get there the day before our return flight.

 

[isabelle304]

Found this photo I took in 2008. Can't remember what the plaque was affixed to, I seem to recall it was just an anodine bit of wall (ie not a monument or anything grand like that!).

 

[jdpiguet]

In my opinion, being away from home/work for a month+ is something special and gives you time to really get away and change your perspective. On the other hand, it’s not an option many of us have. I split my trip and I think I got more out of it by doing so. I had seen and experienced so much on the first leg of my journey that it was almost overwhelming, by coming back to complete the journey made it much more special for me.

As Helen1 said, to be away from daily life for a month is really an experience.
So in your situation, I would try to plan an absence as long as possible for 2017 or 2018, count back from Santiago to determine what would be the last step.
From this, I would arrange 1 or 2 smaller steps in order to reach the starting point of this "big" final journey.

But in any case, it will be your camino!
In the mean time, enjoy the preparation, the planning and this forum...

Buen camino,
Jacques-D.

 

[greggfr]

I am about 50 and in excellent health. Questions are:
• What do you think of breaking the journey in two? (I’ve read quite a bit already how… it is your journey, but I would appreciate input.
• What do you think would be a good half way spot and how many days to allow (considering a reasonable pace but taking it in along the way with an ocasional vino)?

Thanks in advance

Dont do it.... I walked from St Jean to Leon last year and returned to Leon this year to complete it. Big mistake.
Couldn't get back into it, my camino family were last year.
Just wasn't the same this year from Leon. After Sarria I became very dispondant and took to walking on main roads to avoid the commercialisation of the whole thing.
Bed bugs, 5.00 am loonies, ignorant cyclists, kicked out of the cathederal at santiago for entering with my sack. I was releived when I lost my certificate in Morocco.
Wish I had walked the camino portugese 10 days followed by muxia and finistere.
My advice is to do a shorter camino twice.

Gregg - in my 50th year

 

[Julio Gone Camino]

We are completing the Camino Frances over 3 years, 1 week first time, then 2 spells of 2 weeks. We didn't have any problem stopping and starting: true, we left our Camino family behind in Leon this year, but they are not forgotten, and we look forward to making more new friends next year.

As for the earlier comment about the commercialism of the last week, it seems to me to make no difference whether that is done on a continuous Camino or a split one.

Everyone has to do what is right for them. Of course we would love to do it "straight through" - preferably from Le Puy - but that's just not possible at this time, so it was in stages or not for the forseeable future. Hopefully, there will come a time when we can - in which case we will do it again!

 

[WldWil]

Hi my husband and i walked from sjpp to fromista in June, 2013 and from Astorga to Santiago this June. We're from Ohio. We had to break it into two parts because we could only get 3 weeks of vacation. We thought it worked out great and had the benefit of looking forward to part 2 for 11 months. Now were hooked and looking forward to starting le puy this summer.My recommendation is to start walking and stop the day before your flight home. We had booked our flight home from bilbao, so we just took a couple of buses to get there the day before our return flight.

How much time did each part take?

 

[madame_shepard]

How much time did each part take?

We walked 17 days the first time and 13 days the second time. As much as we hated to miss part of the middle of the Camino, we wanted to have time to go to finisterra. We had hoped to walk there, but didn't quite have time. We took a bus, and had two great nights there. We generally walk about 20- 25 k per day.

 

[WldWil]

Thanks for the response. That is part of my concern of allowing for 2 days to get there and two to get home my 14 day trip is now to 18. This is pushing it since I run my own business.

I'll have to do more reading and see how far is a reasonable expectation in 14 days. As wonderful as it it sounds, three trips from the USA would really be a lot.

 

[Felice]

Dont do it.... I walked from St Jean to Leon last year and returned to Leon this year to complete it. Big mistake.
Couldn't get back into it, my camino family were last year.
Just wasn't the same this year from Leon. After Sarria I became very dispondant and took to walking on main roads to avoid the commercialisation of the whole thing.
Bed bugs, 5.00 am loonies, ignorant cyclists, kicked out of the cathederal at santiago for entering with my sack. I was releived when I lost my certificate in Morocco.
Wish I had walked the camino portugese 10 days followed by muxia and finistere.
My advice is to do a shorter camino twice.

Gregg - in my 50th year

Even if you do the entire journey in one go, you can still lose your Camino family along the route. Most of my family had dispersed by the time I got to Leon, and I lost touch with the remainder when I had to take time out in Ponferado to thoroughly de-bug. As the number of albergues increases the further west you go, it got increasingly more difficult to relocate with friends.

Then there was the last 100km. It had a very different feel. The openness and friendliness of the earlier journey had gone, instead there were lots of pilgrim groups, who seemed content and complete as they were. As a single walker, I felt that I had got 'lost in a crack'. However, the Camino provided, and each evening in the restaurant, as I sat down to enjoy a solitary meal, I was graciously invited to join an adjacent table, for which I was incredibly grateful.

 

[madame_shepard]

Thanks for the response. That is part of my concern of allowing for 2 days to get there and two to get home my 14 day trip is now to 18. This is pushing it since I run my own business.

I'll have to do more reading and see how far is a reasonable expectation in 14 days. As wonderful as it it sounds, three trips from the USA would really be a lot.

I'm sure that you'll get lots of different opinions, but I'll give you my two cents worth. "Finishing" the Camino turned out to be the least important aspect of the experience. As a matter of fact, I cried my way to Santiago on the last day because I was so sad for it to end. You might find your two week walk to be a fulfilling experience on it's own. Or you might be like me, and spend the next year dreaming of your return trip. You won't know for sure until you give it a try. As for me, this summer I'm heading to France to start the Le Puy route. One day I'll have time to do it all at once, but for now I'm content with my three week walks. I know you'll end up making the right decision for you. Buen Camino!

 

[Kanga]

Walk the time you have, and in two parts is just fine. As others have said many Europeans take years to finish their Caminos. Those of us who come a long distance to start tend to walk longer but that is really only a matter of practicality and expensive air tickets. I have a dream of walking all the way from Paris to SDC but at present it is not practical - and anyway I would miss my family too much.

I think it is a bit like looking at a meal when you are hungry - sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs and really, we don't need that much. I am just thankful that I can walk at all.

 

[A. Narciso]

Most likely, you will go back to the Camino a third time. We know we are!
We don't know how strong is your desire of starting at SJPP but if it's not that important why don't you choose to start in one of the first main cities with easy connections - Pamplona or Logroño? You walk as far as you can within your time frame of 14 days. The following year you pick up from where you left off or a little further ahead if time is short. As you say you are fit, you will probably do the Meseta fast enough to meet your time goals.

 

[WldWil]

Well, I made the decision to go for it. I believe that it is doable without too much compromise of 28 days (14x2 trips) of walking with a day and night to get here and two days to get home. It will take over 26,000 km and 7 days of traveling to complete the Camino.

Everyone has their personal challenge, time, money, health, desire or more. This I think I can handle.

So, it is on to some planning now. I started a new post to keep topics clean at https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/26-stage-walk-realistic.29612/ about considering a 26 stage with 2 days to buffer to or slow down.