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Which Primitivo book should I use?

timjstark

Primitivo 2018
Time of past OR future Camino
2018
Hello,
As a newbie to the Camino, I have a question: Do I need to have both Primitivo books?
1. The Camino Primitivo - A Wise Pilgrim Guide to the Camino Primitivo from Villaviciosa, through Oviedo, to Santiago de Compostela
2. The Cicerone Guide: The Northern Caminos


I already have the Cicerone guide (the luggage service provided it), but the 2018 version of the alternate one just came out.
Any advice would be welcome.
Tim
 
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Speaking generally, I personally think one (good!) book is enough - for space/weight first of all (if you're carrying the physical book; obviously it's not a concern if you're using e-books). Beyond that, I think one book plus advice from the forums will give you plenty of great info without weighing down your mind with too many agonising choices because one book tells you to stay in a certain village/albergue and the other recommends a different one.

Regarding the specific Camino Primitivo books that you mentioned, I'm also interested in hearing what others have to say because I will be walking it in May/June and don't have a guidebook yet.
 
Can't help you yet with those guide books Tim. Tangentially related, I carried both the Brierly and Dintamin/Landis books when I walked the CF in 2015. Only I had them scanned to pdf and carried them on my iPod backed up to the cloud. Saved me the weight of two books over 500 miles.

I'll follow your plans. I'm in the early stages of planning for the Primitivo with the hope of leaving Oviedo for SDC around May 7th.

Buen camino.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hmm, haven't walked with either but like them both. Walked the Primitivo twice now with the CSJ guide and my own notes extracted from posts on the forum and every other guide in as many different languages as I could find. Now you know how I spend my non-walking time :).

Personally I think the Cicerone is too heavy if you are only walking the Primitivo - why carry a guide to where you ain't walking. I like Wise Pilgrims style - linear narrative rather than set (implied) stages and I like Cicerones historical and geographic information.

Depends what you want or need from a guidebook. You can walk the Primitivo just following the yellow arrows and the westering sun though most of us take some comfort from knowing where the Albergues are and where, might, be open for coffee.

Happy planning & buen camino
 
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I think, on the Norte and Primitivo any printed guidbook is useless. Just follow the arrows and use the Gronze. com for accomodation. The route is very well waymarked.
 
I used the Cicerone guide by Dave Whitson for my 2016 Norte/Primitivo. Once I got used to the differences from Brierley's camino guides, I found it very useful.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I like Wise Pilgrims style - linear narrative rather than set (implied) stages.

I like the sound of that. That was one of the things that attracted me to the Kelly book for the Camino Francés. Although on the CF, I guess there's more opportunity to switch up itineraries and stages given the plethora of albergues.
 
I used the Primitivo book as part of my planning and for historical background. I didn't take any book with me. Just Laurie's guide and the Wise Pilgrim app
 
Like @Tincatinker we used the CSJ guide and wrote extra notes in from the Cicerone, gronze etc. Light to carry and a place for extra notes and updates. CSJ like to have any updated info so we sent them a note of the changes we found
 
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Hello,
As a newbie to the Camino, I have a question: Do I need to have both Primitivo books?
1. The Camino Primitivo - A Wise Pilgrim Guide to the Camino Primitivo from Villaviciosa, through Oviedo, to Santiago de Compostela
2. The Cicerone Guide: The Northern Caminos


I already have the Cicerone guide (the luggage service provided it), but the 2018 version of the alternate one just came out.
Any advice would be welcome.
Tim

Yes, that's also my current concern, which guidebook to use? I think I'll buy The Camino Primitivo - A Wise Pilgrim Guide..... Maybe the way is well marked and you can't be lost, but anyhow I'll feel safer with guidebook. On my Camino Frances I carried the Brierley and it wasn't some significant weight, and The Camino Primitivo is even smaller and lighter then Brierley's guidebook, so I'm guessing the weight won't bother me much :)
 
Yes, that's also my current concern, which guidebook to use? I think I'll buy The Camino Primitivo - A Wise Pilgrim Guide..... Maybe the way is well marked and you can't be lost, but anyhow I'll feel safer with guidebook.

It's not just about way-finding though, is it? You also rely on a good guidebook for information on albergues, distances between towns, historical information about villages/sights, prices etc. Of course, most of or perhaps all of this information can be found online without buying a book/app, but it might not be presented, formatted, edited etc in the same way you'd expect from a book.
 
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wisepilgrim - is the material in the guidebooks the same as in the app? or additional info as well? i've used the apps for 3 caminos, and wondering if the guidebook adds more information. thanks.
The books have the advantage of having more maps. They are analog of course but for me that is a better for forward planning as I am better able to visualize the terrain and distances. Some people prefer digital maps and I suppose for them the apps are better.

There is an app for the primitivo at the moment, and as was mentioned elsewhere here in the forums it will receive a full content update in early March to bring it up to speed with the book.
 
It's not just about way-finding though, is it? You also rely on a good guidebook for information on albergues, distances between towns, historical information about villages/sights, prices etc. Of course, most of or perhaps all of this information can be found online without buying a book/app, but it might not be presented, formatted, edited etc in the same way you'd expect from a book.

Yes, all that, but most importantly - I just love books :D
 
I have a lot more confidence in walking the Primitivo without a guidebook than I had during my first CF several years ago. It is nice to have a plan, some phone numbers, etc. The Gronze stages may be enough for me. I do like having maps, ideally topographic maps, and my gps tells me how long to my next coffee.

I hope to be walking before May 1rst. Meanwhile I'll spend four days planning online for every day I'll spend on the trail. Thank you for the help.
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
We are on the Primitivo now. I’m finding the two wise pilgrim apps together with the Eroski app (if you are a Spanish speaker) to provide more than enough info, and don’t regret leaving the Cicerone guide or the Wise Pilgrim book at home. Last time I did the Portuges I used both Brierly and the CJS guides, and while I thought I’d miss having a paper book it’s nice not to carry them!

The downloadable map in the WP app with the purple icon plots your location with GPS, so works with your phone on airplane mode. No data or even service required.

The maps in the WP book are great and would be nice to have on the trail but are unnecessary given the apps -
 
I am getting a bit losr in ressources too, which one is Lauries please?

I have the olde ed of the CSJ, but it is a bit heavy and as I am combining with muxia & salvador I have 3 guides. I think of skipping the guides for Primitivo and Muxia as there will be more people but am afraid to skip salvador where I will likely walk alone
 
Hello,
As a newbie to the Camino, I have a question: Do I need to have both Primitivo books?
1. The Camino Primitivo - A Wise Pilgrim Guide to the Camino Primitivo from Villaviciosa, through Oviedo, to Santiago de Compostela
2. The Cicerone Guide: The Northern Caminos


I already have the Cicerone guide (the luggage service provided it), but the 2018 version of the alternate one just came out.
Any advice would be welcome.
Tim
Hi, I used the CSJ 2018 and Gronze. Com which were more than adequate. Other pilgrims and locals will fill any gaps.
 
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