Where to start?? Can a group stay in mixed accomodation...

[eok56]

Hi All,

New to this forum, looking forward to walking the last 100k or so in July of this year....

Flights are booked and there is 7 of us meeting in Santiago on the 1st of July, planning to take bus to our starting point and start walking on the 2nd, 7 days for walking as we need to be back in Santiago on the 8th of July!

Question 1: Where do you suggest we start from, is Sarria too near for 7 days walking? We want to do it at a nice leisurely pace but at the same time we don't want to be bored....

Question 2: There are some members of our group who are not too enthusiastic about staying in Alburgues and want to stay in hostels or hotels. Is it possible to do this without breaking up the group during the day? Would they need to book these in advance?

 

[Tincatinker]

Hi eok56, welcome to the Forum.

Q1: I presume that you have calculated your logistics for getting to Sarria for your day 2. Most guides suggest 5 days to walk Sarria to Santiago and, I would expect, you will want to spend some time exploring the lovely city when you arrive, there is much to see. As to pace - Sarria is 115 / 120 k from Santiago giving you 5 20 - 25k days, how leisurely you will find that will depend on how "match fit"you are; how you cope with carrying a pack for those sorts of distances on consecutive days. Frequent advice on this forum to new pilgrims is start slowly. Though if you want a more challenging walk start from Tricastela or even O' Cebreiro.

Q2: There is a broad variety of accommodation along the camino. Your group will find something to suit every taste and budget, but (that should probably be BUT) the chances of those coinciding - so you can socialise in the evenings and start together in the mornings - are slim. It won't be impossible but it will require organisation, probably some intensive web and forum surfing and a lot of careful planning and compromise. Booking in advance in July would be advisable at least some of the private accommodation along the route in the more popular stopping points. Xunta & Paroquial Albergues do not take bookings but most privately run Albergues do, as do the Pensions, Hostals, Hotels and Casa Rurals.

And an entirely personal viewpoint - Albergues are part and parcel of the Camino experience. Not a requisite and certainly not compulsory, but definitely memorable.

 

[eok56]

Hi Tincatinker,

Thanks for your reply!

We will be able to leave Santiago to get to the start of our walk first thing on the morning of the 1st of July and we have a couple of days in Santiago after the 8th... so we will want to spend the 7 days walking... I found this handy website http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances and from this I was thinking starting in Samos? 130km in 7 days. Do you think this would be ok?


I plan on staying in the Albergues.. looking forward to the experience.

 

[Tincatinker]

You are welcome. Just checked my 2012 notes. I walked Samos ( Lovely monastery, with a cold and damp Albergue (there are alternatives) and I was there in a damp May) to Santiago in 5 days but I had started in France and was well into the groove. Probably a great place to start.

Stern advice here - you will need to consider your and your whole groups fitness and abilities. Practice together, find out if you have a common pace, and remember walking 20k in a day is easy for most people of average fitness levels, in good footwear and carrying a sensible pack weight. Doing it for 7 days consecutively can challenge anyone.

I wish you Buen Camino

 

[eok56]

Thanks Again,
Already our group is of mixed fitness levels, everyone has at least a moderate level of fitness... the plan was that each would walk at their own pace and meet in the evening's at our destination... this is the plan that I put together using that website... any suggestions appreciated?

 

[Tincatinker]

Looks as good a plan as any other . The places you have selected should provide for all your groups needs.

A couple of suggestions: The "diversion", side-trip to to Vilar de Donas from Portos, a little before Palas de Rei is well worth it. A mostly 14c but in parts 10c church with some fabulous fresco remnants including an image of the Christ newly awoken in the tomb. I found the image stunning - the unknown artist painted an ordinary man who has been crucified - his wounds clearly visible - and yet he is resurrected. He looks shocked. The pain is still fresh, his death recalled, yet here he is awake, arisen in the tomb. No angels yet. And visit the Iglesia Santiago in Arzua, it has twin images of Santiago Matamoro and Peregrino. I remember it with affection because a young man in the congregation touched my arm, smiled and said , 'the church is modern but the Way is old".

You haven't said whether you are on pilgrimage, out for a hike or somewhere between the two. Personally I've never quite worked that one out.

 

[eok56]

Thanks so much!
A little bit of both... looking forward to the experience!