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I was just thinking about this, and I log in and found your post @C clearly .As stated, there is no "whole camino" unless you start from your front door.
I was just thinking about this, and I log in and found your post @C clearly .
Why is there not a full Frances (since that when this issue pops up, SJPP vs Roncesvalles) when there is a full Primitivo, Salvador, VDLP. We all know where these start and end, so why so much tension when SJPP is brought up as the starting point for the Frances?
Oddly enough, I thought about pointing that out when I wrote my post! Yes, there can be considered a "whole Camino Frances", although it is arguable whether it would start in SJPP or Roncesvalles.Why is there not a full Frances (since that when this issue pops up, SJPP vs Roncesvalles) when there is a full Primitivo, Salvador, VDLP. We all know where these start and end, so why so much tension when SJPP is brought up as the starting point for the Frances?
I would definitely bus or train into and out of Leon, and maybe bus into Burgos. That should save you maybe 3-4 days.Hi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
Hi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
Jean, you and I are exactly the same! When do you leave? I had my heart set on starting at SJPP and walking the entire thing before I went back to work in a school but life prevented me from starting and now I have decided to just do what I can in a little less than you...21 days. So many threads I have read give so many different ideas. I got so overwhelmed I almost felt like I should just wait until another year but I am going to start and figure it out as I go. When do you leave? Just wondering if we will be starting about the same time?Hi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
Oh darn! I will just miss you by a few days. I am flying into Paris on the 4th but thought I should see Paris for a day and will probably get to SJPP by the 6th. I would have been much comforted to have been able to start with you!Hello!
Thanks for your reply - it's reassuring to learn that someone else is having a similar dilemma!
I fly to Biarritz on Thurs Aug 3rd, and will start from SJPP the next day. Does this coincide with you?
I've only just found time to read all the replies, as I've still not broken up from school. There are some good suggestions, but I've bought my airline ticket now so will start from SJPP as planned. I like the idea of hiring a bike for part of it, but don't know if I'd be able to cycle with my backpack on, lol!
I think I'll be inclined to do as you say, and go with the flow. Would be great if it turned out we were starting same time!
Jingles, I just may see you. Based on the research and the kind feedback I have gotten, I am not thinking I will just forget seeing Paris this trip and go right from the airport to a flight to Biarritz. I will add some days to my window and take away the stress of doing "two trips". Looking at flights now.Oh darn! I will just miss you by a few days. I am flying into Paris on the 4th but thought I should see Paris for a day and will probably get to SJPP by the 6th. I would have been much comforted to have been able to start with you!
Hi, Jingles, Welcome to the forum,
You've gotten lots of good suggestions about how to save a few days by busing certain parts. All are quite do-able. But I think there are a couple of other things to consider, especially in light of what so many people have said about our use of the term "whole camino," when that is really a misnomer.
-- You may find that hopping on a bus or train right in the middle really messes with your sense of the journey. I have had to do it, in fact I did it this year to transition from the Baztán to the Norte, but it is jarring and in my case it left me with the Norte from Irún in tact.
-- You may find that you have established bonds with others, all of whom you will have to leave when you skip ahead.
-- That "long boring bit in the middle" has many wonderful aspects, as others have noted.
If it were me, and if it were my first camino, I would do one of two things, assuming you need to shorten the SJPP-Santiago stretch by 4 or 5 days. One option is to start at a point where you are pretty sure you will be able to get to Santiago (Logroño would be a sure bet, maybe a few days further back like Estella, all of these places are reach-able by public transport). BUT... taking into account the point made by @Anemone del Camino about the beauty of the first few days, you might just walk SJPP to Pamplona and then make a clean break up to a reasonable starting point five days ahead. That will give you a 3-week-plus uninterrupted Camino. For me, ripping out the insides of the Camino Francés by skipping the meseta really takes away a lot of the magic that comes from being on your own in wide open spaces with nothing but your thoughts. But in part it depends on your own reasons for going. If it's a bucket list challenge (and I mean no disrespect, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that), skipping the "boring parts" might be just what is called for. Buen camino, Laurie
Hi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. ...
... I fly to Biarritz ...
Hi, Jean,Hi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
Oh don't skip the Meseta!! It's the place where your soul really gets to sing and instead of watching where your feet are going you can simply 'be' and experience the wonder of the Camino. It's hot, yes, but not a problem if you rise early and hide from the midday sun. There is a moment coming out of the Rioja region where you reach the crest of a hill and the Meseta suddenly expands before your eyes ;.It's wonderful. If you really really must skip a bit then perhaps the very end of the Meseta where it gets a little industrial but it is truly the most contemplative wonderful part of the walk. Or do as others suggest and start in Pamplona. 28 days should do it from there and save the Pyrenees for another journeyHi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
Just walk for 28days you will have walked your Camino ,you do not have to reach a large building covered in blue plastic.Hi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
Hi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
For a number of reasons that happened to me last summer I had to break up my Walking. I've walked Via de Bayona (took a train three stages before its' ending to Burgos and Sahagun and back from Leon to finish it), then again trained from Burgos to Leon and walked Salvador to Oviedo. Such a bad weather I've had made my decision (also because of a friend in need who was in Santiago at that time) to take a bus to SdC where I injured my little toe pretty badly hitting the curb. The time I had allowed me to walk slow Ingles (although the Primitivo was the plan) and Fisterra. But that wasn't "my" real Camino with all those hitchhiking, trains and buses. Those interruptions are just that - interruptions.Yes, I am another that does not like to break the journey. I've enjoyed them all, but it definitely feels more like a "pilgrimage" if I Just Keep Walking.
but I've bought my airline ticket now so will start from SJPP as planned.
I like the idea of hiring a bike for part of it, but don't know if I'd be able to cycle with my backpack on, lol!
Hi Jean ,Hi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
Hi- There is not such a thing as a "whole Camino". Many Camino Frances guides start with the Saint Jean Pied de Port stage, but it is just a modern convention.
- You can start in SJPP and walk as far as you like; then come back another year to finish your pilgrimage. A lot of persons do that, and it does not exclude you from getting the Compostela.
- Or you can begin, for example, in Pamplona or Logroño, and walk all the way to Santiago in 28 days.
- If you absolutely want to start in SJPP and reach Santiago, I suggest you don't plan beforehand the stages you need to miss out. Decide on the spot.
It would be a pity, because there are not really "boring stages"; in this forum we, the fans of the Meseta (the middle, flat stages) are legion.
Buen camino!
Oh don't skip the Meseta!! It's the place where your soul really gets to sing and instead of watching where your feet are going you can simply 'be' and experience the wonder of the Camino. It's hot, yes, but not a problem if you rise early and hide from the midday sun. There is a moment coming out of the Rioja region where you reach the crest of a hill and the Meseta suddenly expands before your eyes ;.It's wonderful. If you really really must skip a bit then perhaps the very end of the Meseta where it gets a little industrial but it is truly the most contemplative wonderful part of the walk. Or do as others suggest and start in Pamplona. 28 days should do it from there and save the Pyrenees for another journey
Hi
I would not aim to miss a whole stage but skip bits which would bring little joy, such as bussing out of Burgos, and thus save some energy to walk a little bit further that day. Like the other posts I am a huge fan of the Meseta, endless space, quiet and time to be you. If you can bring your self to leap frog you can quite easily knock 3 days off your itinerary. I have walked the Meseta in blazing sun and rain and mud and just love it . Buen Camino.
Hi Jean ,
I would say don't skip anything,come back when you can on a later date and begin where you ended.
But who am I, you have to make the decission what to do.
Wish you a wonderful time and a Buen Camino,Peter.
He means come back another year to walk from where you end this year to Santiago, when school is out again. Many people walk only a couple of weeks at a time and come back to pick uo where they left off.Thank you Peter- school determined the date I will finish, sadly x
If you are not concerned about a Compostella you can skip the crowds, lineups and aggravation of the last 100K.Hi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
If I have to miss a section it is León. I know a lot of people love the place but not me. Bus or train into the city, walk to the plaza just before the cathedral and get the bus to La Vergin on the outskirts. There are of course many shortcuts by bus but only you can choose but in my opinion, think about skipping León, I have only stayed there once out of three caminos and did not like it. I have walked through and did not like the walk out but then, just my personal opinion which will be different to that of othersHi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
I understand your need to cut down. Life is not always kind to us. Start in Pamplona: Forget SJpdP: It is just a place, like any other. Pamplona is better: I will start there Sept. 1. (Or around that date: On the Camino, it is good to not fix dates: Anything can happen, and let there be room for it...)Hi everyone,
I am preparing to make my first pilgrimage to Santiago in a couple of weeks, and I'm still unsure about which part to miss out as, sadly, I only have 28 days to walk it. I'm in my late 50's, reasonably fit, and I've done quite a bit of training for the Camino, but I'd have to go some to complete it in such a short time. I need to be back at school for early Sept, so I guess I'll have to take some form of transport at some stage.
My son walked the whole Camino a few years ago, and reckons that I should skip the 'long, boring bit in the middle,' where there's no shade for miles (you'll know better than me where he means!) but I must admit, these conditions actually appeal to me!
I need to know more specifically where might be a good place to (regretfully) take some transport. I'm starting from SJPP and hoping to walk at least 400 miles.
Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm really looking forward to it, not long now!
Jean
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