what to skip. out of necessity.....

[luckylefty]

I have 32 days off that includes my travel days.... so i have a decision to make. I was going to start in Burgos but would really like to hike the Pyrenees. In all of your experiences......which area would you skip (if you were forced to). I understand it all has worth but would like the opinion of those who have travel and experienced the beauty of the camino.... thank you so much and buen camino.. planning on joining the class of Sept 2015...

 

[Felipe]

I suggest you just start walking, and think about the issue in Burgos, and again in León.
We can do a lot of armchair planning, but the personal "feeling" about distances and priorities is different when you are in the Camino.

 

[Telelama]

I have 32 days off that includes my travel days.... so i have a decision to make. I was going to start in Burgos but would really like to hike the Pyrenees. In all of your experiences......which area would you skip (if you were forced to). I understand it all has worth but would like the opinion of those who have travel and experienced the beauty of the camino.... thank you so much and buen camino.. planning on joining the class of Sept 2015...

Here's something to consider; if you skip a middle section, like the Meseta, you leave behind your new best friends. Its hard to have spent days walking, talking, eating, drinking, partying, sleeping in the same room and growing close to these wonderful people and then leave them behind as you move on by train or bus.

Having said that, we are going back in May for just a few weeks. Its all the time I can get away from work. Last fall we started in Roncesvalles b/c I was just healing from tendonitis in both achilles tendons. My PT guy suggested I might re-injure them going over the pass from SJPP. In May we'll start in SJPP and walk to Pamplona and then train to Ponferrada. From there we'll walk in to Santiago. We all have our reasons. Listen to the sage advice here, then do what works for you. Buen Camino Pilgrim!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Perhaps you can sprinkle your passing, a day here and another there, rather than cutting out a whole chunk. For example, I would skip the 1st day out of Leon. Don't remember the day from Belorado to Burgos being anything special, especially the entry into Burgos.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

I have 32 days off that includes my travel days.... so i have a decision to make. I was going to start in Burgos but would really like to hike the Pyrenees. In all of your experiences......which area would you skip (if you were forced to). I understand it all has worth but would like the opinion of those who have travel and experienced the beauty of the camino.... thank you so much and buen camino.. planning on joining the class of Sept 2015...

Hy , start your Camino and let it come over you , see what happens and decide than. Wish you a Buen Camino , Peter .

 

[scruffy1]

I would have to agree with Peter Fransiscus. Arizona to Saint Jean Pied de Port is a long haul from Arizona, back again is the same distance-travel time and jet lag may be disastrous for your plans. I also realize the financial considerations. Saying all that, I would recommend starting from SJPP and walking until you run out of time-where ever that may be. Go home with a marvelous experience of pilgrimage camaraderie, spiritual and personal inspiration and start saving. The Camino will still be here next year, next decade, and next transmigration. Save your money and come back to finish at a later time. I would not skip or purposely dispense with any part of the Camino experience, you will be left with a feeling of an almost pilgrimage, what if… thoughts, or fall into that desperate and unwelcome prejudice of I wasn't a "real" pilgrim and it wasn't a "real" pilgrimage- whatever that may mean, a sad view held by too many.

 

[NoQ]

Depending on how many days you need to allocate for travel to and from Spain and adding at least another to spend in SdC, you must still have plenty of days. I walked it in 29 a year and a half ago, and I'm rather unfit.

If you had to shorten anywhere, I personally (and I'll probably get shouted down for this) would take a bus to Leon from Carrion, and after a night in Leon another bus to Hospital de Orbigo ( the bridge is amazing so better to restart there than in Astorga). This way you would save on 4 or 5 days and miss out on miles of rather featureless straight flat walking, though you'd also not see Sahagun, Moratinos and Mansilla, which are interesting places. Plus as has already been mentioned, you will miss those you met already who are walking every km, though you will surely meet lots more great pilgrims. Whatever you decide, have a fab Camino!

 

[NualaOC]

Hi @luckylefty,

Lots of good advice from everyone so far.

My suggestion is that you just plan where you want to start and see how it works out. When you're walking, you'll realise that it's very easy to skip sections as some parts of the Camino are well served by public transport. This could also be a good use of your rest day - an early morning bus or train could take you to a place where you can rest for the remainder of the day.

Potential options might be:
1. There seem to be plenty of local buses between Pamplona and Burgos. We met a few people who were doing a combination of walking and buses on this stretch. If you decide to skip a 'chunk' at that point, you could get a bus from Logrono to Burgos.
2. As @Anemone del Camino said, you won't miss much by taking a bus into Burgos. You could also consider taking a bus for the 11kms between Burgos and Tardajos - giving you a good head start on your first day of the Meseta.
3. There's a direct train link between Sahagun / El Burgo Ranero and Leon. We took it from El Burgo Ranero as our feet were in bad shape. It left at 8am and got into Sahagun at 8.31, giving us a whole day to get new shoes and explore Leon.
4. A lot of people seem to take a bus out of Leon to avoid all the concrete. There are regular buses to Vergen del Camino and beyond.

There are of course many variables and all become clear (and easy) when you are there. You might find it hard to leave the friends that you made when you began your Camino. Or, you might look forward to meeting even more people when you move on. You'll probably also meet other pilgrims on the buses and trains!

31 days is a lovely amount of time, even when you allow for the travel and jet lag. We've only been able to do about 16 days each time so far, but it has still been an amazing experience.

Buen Camino,

Nuala

 

[Kanga]

It rather depends on your motivation. If you are walking a pilgrimage then making decisions based on seeing the sights or good scenery or the "best" bits rather misses the point.

If your motivation is mixed then you have to decide if it is important to get to Santiago, or whether you are more concerned with the journey. If it's the journey, start in SJPDP and see what happens.

Or is this just a great walk and a wonderful way to see Spain? If the last, start in SJPDP and catch the bus from Santo Domingo to Burgos, from Carrion to Leon, from Leon to Hospital de Orbigo.

My preference is that wherever I start, I just want to keep walking. If it was my first camino I would like to get to Santiago. Given your timetable I'd probably start in Logroño.

 

[Dutch]

Last time i walked from Sjpp to SdC in 31 days. Ok, so i had a few long 50+ days in there, but also 2 restdays in Leon and 1 in Burgos, so i say, just start walking and who knows...you might just make it in your timeframe.
If not, just figure it out on the go. It will all work itself out without planning ahead.

If you are really set on skipping a part of it, because of time issues, i would do it in the beginning. If you do it halfway, you would probably have to say goodbye to "old" friends and find your place in a new group. Thats just my take on things.
Idea: walk to Roncesvalles and hop on bus/taxi from Roncesvalles to pamplona the same day and the next day walk from there. Thats one day you've gained, right in the beginning, and you get to walk the pyrenees.

 

[naplesdon]

I suggest you just start walking, and think about the issue in Burgos, and again in León.
We can do a lot of armchair planning, but the personal "feeling" about distances and priorities is different when you are in the Camino.

I totally agree with Felipe, that being said last year I stayed at Peaceable Kingdom in Moratinos, walked to Sahagun the next morning, took the train to Leon and the bus to Virgen de la Camino and walked on to Villar de Mazarife. That basically cuts 4 stages out of the Camino and some reasonably unattractive real estate but it also means you miss a visit to Leon, Elvis's Bar and the Via Romano, but then I'd been there before and was willing to miss it this time and I still ended up reuniting with pilgrims in SdC I'd met at Orisson and Zubiri. Another strategy would be taking the bus/train on days the weather is so miserable you don't want to walk or your nursing blisters and other health related issues. To each his own.

 

[Al the optimist]

Well you have probably opened a can of worms here. There will be so many valid replies that you will find it hard to decise.

It rather depends on your motivation.

This is a very valid point. How important is reaching Santiago to you? The travelling is also important from so far away what with jet lag and connections once in Europe. Crossing the Pyrenees is not such a big deal and often isn't the supplier of great views and there are a plethora of just as delightful ones. It would be a shame to miss the joys on offer by having a tight schedule. If flying into Madrid or Barcelona then a start at Pamploma might be good and would give you some 3 days grace for later. A lot depends on your physical fitness and how far you might walk in a day and whether you have any health or injury issues on the way so do bear such possibilities in mind. Yes you will become part of a Camino family and yes you would be loathe to leave them. Again those 3 days may become important. Go, start, go with your flow and play it by ear? Good luck with your planning. Don't get over anxious. We all do but remember thousands enjoy it every year. Take it slow and easy when you get there and find your daily rhythm. Buen CAmino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

if you skip a middle section, like the Meseta, you leave behind your new best friends.

Or ditch a few bores (boors?)!!

Make more new friends. You leave them all in Santiago anyway.

 

[LesBrass]

I'm going to say the total opposite of Falcon (sorry Falcon) but I think it's lovely to see the same faces as you move along the route. Due to blisters I broke up with my original group and it felt quite lonely for a little while not knowing anyone... not due to anyones fault but just because I missed the people I'd grown to know from day 1. It only took a couple of days to resolve this but if you're moving along frequently this could be an issue?

I think whatever you miss out you miss, so if I was in your shoes I would choose to maybe get to Pamplona/Alto de Perdon-ish and then move on the number of days you need and start from there. As a few folks have suggested there are some opportunities to skip a few dull bits but this does mean you keep changing those faces. (but not so bad if you're walking with a friend)

Think about what is more important... if you're in Falcon's camp then do as so many have suggested and move on whenever the mood grabs you... if you're more like me then pick a point and start from there.

Hope that makes sense... it's all down to what you want to get from the walk... there's not a right answer

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Entering León, leaving León (but not León) and the section after León until Astorga. I also recall the section between Pamplona and Puente la Reina as not very inspiring.

Nothing wrong with skipping sections (I would and do, some places are just plain ugly), and people you have met will move on or fall behind, it's part of the beauty of the Camino.

 

[Mark Lee]

As you quickly found out, nobody is going to give you a straight answer on that question. Actually, it seems nobody ever gives a straight answer on anything on this forum, ha ha.
Let's see, 34 days including travel days......I would say cut 4 days out of the traditional CF (SJPdP to Santiago). Personally I would cut out:
section going into Burgos
section coming out of Leon
two days worth of sections coming out of Carrion de los Condes
There ya go....problem solved.
Don't sweat skipping four days out of the whole thing. Not that big a deal and believe me you will meet other people as you jump over, so don't worry about that whole "Camino family" thing. It's okay to be a Camino polygamist. Who knows, you might meet someone cooler down the road.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

I you ask me you don't have to skip a thing, it took me 23 days from SJPP to Santiago ;-) In 29 days I hade walked SdC-Fisterra-Muxía and back to SdC as well ;-)

Walking over the Pyrenees was a nice experience, so beautiful. But why not cut some distance after that and have a second starting point that fits your schedule and then walk from there. I would not skip the "boring" parts, that is were my mind wanders of where I really just am. When it is beautiful and interesting I have my search eyes on for items to photograph, to remember. On the least interesting parts of the camino I had my moments of self insight. That is where I "talked to my self" and that was one of the reasons for me to walk the camino, have time to think.

 

[rometimed]

I you ask me you don't have to skip a thing, it took me 23 days from SJPP to Santiago ;-) In 29 days I hade walked SdC-Fisterra-Muxía and back to SdC as well ;-)

Walking over the Pyrenees was a nice experience, so beautiful. But why not cut some distance after that and have a second starting point that fits your schedule and then walk from there. I would not skip the "boring" parts, that is were my mind wanders of where I really just am. When it is beautiful and interesting I have my search eyes on for items to photograph, to remember. On the least interesting parts of the camino I had my moments of self insight. That is where I "talked to my self" and that was one of the reasons for me to walk the camino, have time to think.

This is what's freaking me out is the amount of time... I hike a lot already (i've done over 100 kms this week...) but want to leave time in case something happens or I want to chill. I have left myself 36 days which could be technically stretched to 37 in a crunch. As you did I will just add on Fisterra, Muxia etc if I have so many extra days.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

This is what's freaking me out is the amount of time... I hike a lot already (i've done over 100 kms this week...) but want to leave time in case something happens or I want to chill. I have left myself 36 days which could be technically stretched to 37 in a crunch. As you did I will just add on Fisterra, Muxia etc if I have so many extra days.

I did that AND took the buss to Ferrol and did Camino Inglés in 4 days just because I had some time left. Had 33 days to walk and 2 travel days. But I never planned for those extra routes. I let my legs walk me where they wanted to go each day. I realised day 4 or something that I was way ahead om my travel plans so I decided not to have any gols more than for the week, I need to be at X at the end of the week to be sure to make it in time. Some days were long, some were shorter. The most important thing is to listen to the body. I didn't take any days of, shorter walks was rest enough for me. But for me the camino was about the walking not so much spending time in towns and doing sightseeing but we are all different. When you hike at home do you bring a backpack with similar weight to what you will have on the camino, using the same shoes etc. that will help you a lot. Walking with the backpack is different from without regarding speed and how the body react. Walking 100 kms a week s a really good preparation.

 

[frasert]

If your looking to make friends and all finish up in Santiago maybe start in Pamplona or even closer.
St Jean doesn't have to be the start.

 

[Dutch]

It does if you really would like to walk the pyrenees, like OP

 

[rometimed]

I did that AND took the buss to Ferrol and did Camino Inglés in 4 days just because I had some time left. Had 33 days to walk and 2 travel days. But I never planned for those extra routes. I let my legs walk me where they wanted to go each day. I realised day 4 or something that I was way ahead om my travel plans so I decided not to have any gols more than for the week, I need to be at X at the end of the week to be sure to make it in time. Some days were long, some were shorter. The most important thing is to listen to the body. I didn't take any days of, shorter walks was rest enough for me. But for me the camino was about the walking not so much spending time in towns and doing sightseeing but we are all different. When you hike at home do you bring a backpack with similar weight to what you will have on the camino, using the same shoes etc. that will help you a lot. Walking with the backpack is different from without regarding speed and how the body react. Walking 100 kms a week s a really good preparation.

A lot of mountain hikes I do are with a similar sized bag and camera equipment which would weigh about the same as my Camino stuff but those hikes are shorter, but very steep (higher than the highest point of the Camino in elevation in less than a few hours).

Most of the long distance recently has been without a bag as I have taken up jogging... however I am keeping my weight up and will drop 10-15lbs just before, so technically I am training with the extra weight on my legs now I plan to carry, it's just not in my bag.

I'm doing a bunch of hikes in a row, the Camino de Santiago (33-36 days)... then Hadrian's Wall (7 days), then the West Highland Way (7 days)... then the Westweg Schwarzwald (13 days).

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

Sounds like a lovely hiking vacation.

 

[rometimed]

Sounds like a lovely hiking vacation.

I'll have to share pictures here when I get back in mid August