which should be my next camino

[gittiharre]

Hi, I am looking for advice, I have walked several routes, the Frances, the Le Puy, the route from Geneva to Le Puy and the Robert Louis Stevenson as well as half the Austrian Jakobsweg and the Czech Greenways. I plan to take another pilgrim route next year and had thought of the Vezelay route, but am put off by the reports of lots of road walking. Can anyone recommend a route I could walk solo, which has little road walking, but a good network of accommodations and good sign posting???? Thanks Gitti

 

[sillydoll]

Gitti, how about a smorgasbord of Camino routes?
My ultimate was to walk from Lourdes to Pamplona ± 300km
Get a train to Leon and walk the Salvador to Oviedo ± 120km
Walk the Primitivo to Lugo ± 300km
Bus to el Ferrol and walk the Camino Ingles to Santiago ± 110km
Santiago to Finisterre 90km and then to Muxia. 25km

In 2009 I managed the Lourdes to Pamplona: Camino Ingles and Santiago to Finisterre. Still want to walk the el Salvador and Primitivo.

 

[Canuck]

Hi Gitti,

Considering all the caracteristics mentionned, one way that springs to mind, and I am sure you thought of it, is the Arles Route.

Cheers,
Jean-Marc

 

[gittiharre]

Thank you guys, I will ponder for a few months, a smorgasbord had crossed my mind, so had the Arles route...after all my husband who turns 80 this year may walk with me, if he does decide to there is something to be said for arriving in Santiago...Gitti

 

[Caminando]

Hi G

You must consider the Camino de Madrid.

I suggest it fits your wishlist.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Gitti,

I see no mention of the Vdlp -- it's great for off-road walking, spectacular scenery in the springtime, lots of great cities and towns to go through. All in all, it's got to be a lot of repeat offenders' favorite! (though I know it's impossible to choose a favorite)

If it's too long, there are lots of good places to start -- Merida, Caceres, Salamanca, Zamora -- all well connected and all wonderful places to get over jet lag. You've got a lot of choices.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[gittiharre]

Thank you, I thought of the Madrid route and the Via de la Plata, wondered whether they might be a little monotonous???? landscape wise??? Re the Arles route, I met an austrian man, who said it was very tiresome, i.e. he got lost a lot, bad signpositng???The Le Puy route was wonderfully varied, so was the Frances...what do you think? Gitti

 

[Crossing7Continents]

My husband and I walked Roncesvalles to Santiago exactly one year ago. It was the most amazing experience to share together. We talk about the Camino every day since we returned home. We would like to walk the Camino Frances route again, because it was pure magic. Perhaps walking again the same route would stimulate a lot of memories, but perhaps the second time would not compare to our memories of our first experience. We do not want to jeopardize the fantastic memories we have now. We would like to hear from other returning pilgrims: Would it be better to choose a new route before we return again to walk the Camino Frances?

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I love mixing it up. I love walking in rural Spain. I am lately quite taken with the Camino Invierno, but I am not sure it is the best hike for someone who is 80 years old...

 

[gittiharre]

Hmmm I know about the dilemma of walking a route a second time. One of my ideas is to walk highlights of the Le Puy and Frances routes with my husband, I have such great memories of my first time on these routes and don't want to spoil them by perhaps having expectations and feeling let down.. there is so much choice of other routes out there. 7continents, if you enjoyed the Frances, I would definetely recommend the Le Puy route as a route to walk with your husband. I loved it and am glad I walked it rather than walking the Frances a second time.

 

[AJ]

the Vdlp -- it's great for off-road walking, spectacular scenery in the springtime, lots of great cities and towns to go through. All in all, it's got to be a lot of repeat offenders' favorite! (though I know it's impossible to choose a favorite)

Yes, the VdlP takes a lot of beating. I used to think it was my favourite because it was my first, but after hearing what others say, maybe not.