Which Camino Now ?

[scubajunky]

HI All, I walked fromo SJPP to Burgos three years ago and then from Astorga to Santiago last year.
I loved it both times and had a really great time. I started at the beginning of April and walked for two weeks.
This year I will walk again but cannot decide which Camino to do, I do enjoy the social aspect of the camino and would not like to walk a camino that was very quiet with no other people to meet and talk too.
Any recommendations ? I'm considering the Norde but here it is very, very quiet.
Like I say I do enjoy the social aspect and nice scenery etc
Hope someone can help

 

[Bradypus]

I have walked the Frances, the Ingles, the Portugues and the Primitivo. Also the Via Francigena If I could only choose one to walk again it would be the Primitivo without question. Challenging but varied. Enough people for company and albergues for comfort. Not a great choice if you don't enjoy hills though.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

HI All, I walked fromo SJPP to Burgos three years ago and then from Astorga to Santiago last year.
I loved it both times and had a really great time. I started at the beginning of April and walked for two weeks.
This year I will walk again but cannot decide which Camino to do, I do enjoy the social aspect of the camino and would not like to walk a camino that was very quiet with no other people to meet and talk too.
Any recommendations ? I'm considering the Norde but here it is very, very quiet.
Like I say I do enjoy the social aspect and nice scenery etc
Hope someone can help

Hi, why not begin in Ponferrada and walk the Camino de Invierno .
But at the end the decision is yours.
Wish you well and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[MaryLynn]

Why not fill in the missing section from your previous walks--start in Burgos and walk to Astorga (or on to Ponferrada if you need a train connection) and enjoy the meseta? (my favourite part)

 

[purplesage]

HI All, I walked fromo SJPP to Burgos three years ago and then from Astorga to Santiago last year.
I loved it both times and had a really great time. I started at the beginning of April and walked for two weeks.
This year I will walk again but cannot decide which Camino to do, I do enjoy the social aspect of the camino and would not like to walk a camino that was very quiet with no other people to meet and talk too.
Any recommendations ? I'm considering the Norde but here it is very, very quiet.
Like I say I do enjoy the social aspect and nice scenery etc
Hope someone can help

My two cents would be "go to the pilgrim office and talk the them". They KNOW. But like Peter said, the decision will be yours. Buen Camino Caesar

 

[jpflavin1]

HI All, I walked fromo SJPP to Burgos three years ago and then from Astorga to Santiago last year.
I loved it both times and had a really great time. I started at the beginning of April and walked for two weeks.
This year I will walk again but cannot decide which Camino to do, I do enjoy the social aspect of the camino and would not like to walk a camino that was very quiet with no other people to meet and talk too.
Any recommendations ? I'm considering the Norde but here it is very, very quiet.
Like I say I do enjoy the social aspect and nice scenery etc
Hope someone can help

Scuba junky:

Both the Norte and Primitivo offer social interaction but not on the scale of the Frances. If you enjoy seascapes, walk the Norte. The Primitivo is more rural rolling hills with mountain views to the South. Both of these routes can be challenging but are great walks with accommodation and moderate social interaction versus the Frances.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[scubajunky]

I have walked the Frances, the Ingles, the Portugues and the Primitivo. Also the Via Francigena If I could only choose one to walk again it would be the Primitivo without question. Challenging but varied. Enough people for company and albergues for comfort. Not a great choice if you don't enjoy hills though.

I do enjoy hills so are you walking over them or viewing them ? why do you view the Primitivo as the only camino you would do again ? Is it still a social affair ? I would be leaving at Easter.

 

[scubajunky]

Thanks to everyone for their responses.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hi, why not begin in Ponferrada and walk the Camino de Invierno .
But at the end the decision is yours.
Wish you well and a Buen Camino, Peter.

Surely the Invierno will be one of the loneliest routes. Not what the OP is looking for.

 

[Bradypus]

I do enjoy hills so are you walking over them or viewing them ? why do you view the Primitivo as the only camino you would do again ? Is it still a social affair ? I would be leaving at Easter.

Both over and viewing. But especially over. In Scotland we call hills over 3000 feet "Munros". People "collect" them. I passed over several on the Primitivo. Dropping nearly to sea level between two of them. So a lot of up and down. After Lugo the hills are far more gentle. I began walking during Holy Week and found more than enough company along the way.

If you are walking at Easter did you know that the cathedral in Oviedo displays its famous relic the Sudarium - a cloth claimed to have covered the face of Christ in his tomb - on Good Friday? A less well known cousin of the Turin Shroud. I timed my departure so I could view it.

I would walk other caminos again but for beauty and variety I think the Primitivo wins.

 

[movinmaggie]

I have walked the Frances, the Ingles, the Portugues and the Primitivo. Also the Via Francigena If I could only choose one to walk again it would be the Primitivo without question. Challenging but varied. Enough people for company and albergues for comfort. Not a great choice if you don't enjoy hills though.

Bradypus, when you say 'challenging' how does the Primitivio compare (probably already a naïve question) to the first couple of days out of StJpdp and O'Cebreiro on the CF? I'm looking at another route for 2017.

 

[Chito]

That's great... Thanks

 

[Bradypus]

Bradypus, when you say 'challenging' how does the Primitivio compare .

I last walked the Camino Frances in 2002. I walked the Primitivo last year. With such a long gap between I don't think I could really make a useful comparison. The toughest day on the Primitivo - from Borres to Berducedo - struck me at the time as being on a par with the Route Napoleon but a little shorter. I dont recall finding the climb to O Cebreiro difficult - just VERY long.

 

[scubajunky]

So the primitivo wont be a lonely experience ? it's about two weeks is that right ? Ideally a month or three week trip would be best. Which camino is the second most popular ?

 

[Bradypus]

Won't be short of company but not the big numbers you would find on the Frances. I would expect albergues to be busy but not full. The Primitivo and the Frances merge at Melide. You will already know the way from there.

Albergues, bars and shops are often much further apart on the Primitivo. I took 10 days from Oviedo to Santiago but that would be much faster than most people prefer. I enjoy long days and usually walk 30-35 km per day if weather and the terrain are good.

I really enjoyed the warmth - physical and spiritual - in the little private albergue in Bodenaya. A good place with an excellent host.

 

[MichaelSG]

Another suggestion would be the Caminho Portuguese from Porto and then on to Muxia and/or Finesterra. I believe the Portugese is the second most popular route and you can find people to walk with daily if you want. You wall certainly be with plenty of people at the albergues north of Porto.

If you want as many people as the Frances, following Marylynn's advice of filling in the meseta is a great idea.