Would you take more time if you could?

[inspiredjen]

I'm planning to walk next spring and have the option of taking longer from SJPP to Santiago than the recommended minimum of +/- 33 days. Ahh, self-employment.

If you could take 6 weeks to walk it, would you? And what would you do with the extra time?

Blessings on your journey!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If going slowly gets you to Santiago early, there is plenty to do. If you are sure that you are ahead of schedule at Burgos, you can take a side trip to Santo Domingo de Silos to hear the monks chant vespers. Once in Santiago you can walk to Muxia or Fisterra. You can take a bus to Ferrol or Tui, and walk another camino into Santiago. Don't worry. There is plenty to do.

 

[nellpilgrim]

Yes I would take that extra time-dawdling is a vastly underrated skill. When I first walked the CF in 2009 I met some retired people who were doing 10-15 km most days but fewer or even 0km some days.They took detours, stopped for long lunches, had delicious siestas and were some of the happiest and healthiest pilgrims I met en route. Not only that but these 'Camino flaneurs' really engaged with the landscape and culture and connected with the people they met. Though they had to say adieu to faster paced 'camino friends', those who had to keep to schedules dictated by vacation time etc, they learnt that each day would deliver a new batch of comrades.
Though it might seem a rather curious criteria for a pilgrimage taking time to stop/or pause has become a sort of litmus test of what is-for me-a 'good' pilgrimage.
Not being tied to any timetable is such a luxury - become a 'Camino connoiseur' and savour every step! However if you do discover your inner greyhound and become a racing class pilgrim (note I'm talking entirely theoretically here as this is never going to happen to me :lol: ) then don't be bound by a slower agenda either- in this case you might even decide to do sections of one of the other camino route after you reach SDC!

 

[robertt]

When I walked out of Le Puy (after much dawdling there), I had no intention of getting to a particular point in the 90 days allowed by Schengen. In fact, I ended up in Pamplona, after which I visited San Sebastian and Bordeaux. Next year, I got to Santiago, Valenca and, lastly, Fisterra, every inch walked (not that it matters!). The few days I had left over before the flight were spent in lovely Segovia. The best and cheapest meal (dhal with brains) was had near Dubai docks, on the way home. (Why am I mentioning that?) God didn't care about this lack of serious focus, Saint James didn't care, and nobody back home cared. I didn't care.

The point is, all kinds of stuff does not matter unless we make it matter. We talk of leaving behind our old selves, but I bring my slackness and dawdly nature on pilgrimage, just as surely as others bring their goal setting and scheduling. I think achievement-oriented people are just wonderful, and I quite understand their frustration at my afternoon starts, constant rest days, and short stages.The world needs more of them and fewer of me. They must increase, I must decrease. But I think God or nature allows a few of my species to survive and flaunt the flag of dawdling so others know it's okay to stop, rest, linger, cancel or just go home. Really, it's okay! There are no thunderbolts, and anybody who has had the privilege of walking through the Auvergne in Spring shouldn't be looking for thunderbolts. If you get as far as Conques, you've been given a great gift and received a great gift. Hey, you're in Conques!

Medieval pilgrims had to keep going because of vows and practical factors. I'm not medieval. Some modern pilgrims make a kind of vow. I don't. Yet I feel I am a pilgrim, and always have been, in a way. Whether jogging in the scrub here, catching a train to Chartres, walking through Paris slums to Saint-Denis or strolling the hills near Siena, I always feel a bit pilgrimish. But if I'm ever refused an albergue or a credencial, I won't argue. They're probably right!

Fortunately, none of it matters.

 

[mralisn]

My thought is to take as much time as you can, and wander as much as you like. Do what pleases your soul and elevates your spirit. Just as knowledge, the Camino is something which can be all yours and never taken away.

Trust in the arrows,
Simeon

 

[Anniesantiago]

I always take 6 comfortable weeks to walk the Camino and highly recommend that speed. It gives you the opportunity to take some "tourist" days in the big cities, where there is so much to see, like in Leon, Astorga, and Burgos. Also, rest days in case of illness or injury are nice to have factored in.

 

[Abbeydore]

Lise,

This made me laugh! :lol:

"I am doing just that next year.
I am taking 2 months off work (thanks to long service leave)."

It's only 3 years since your last Camino.
Buen Camnio
David

 

[julie]

I'm planning to walk next spring and have the option of taking longer from SJPP to Santiago than the recommended minimum of +/- 33 days. Ahh, self-employment.

If you could take 6 weeks to walk it, would you? And what would you do with the extra time?

Blessings on your journey!

I allowed 39 days the first time because I factored in rest and sightseeing days. To my great surprise, I found that long distance walking is my thing and I end the day with lots of energy in reserve. Consequently I didn't take any rest days and arrived in Santiago well ahead of schedule. I decided to walk to Finisterre and, on my return, had a few days in Santiago meeting up with people I had met along the way.

Now that I know what my walking style is like, I still allow heaps of time so that there is no rush. Sometimes I walk 20km but, if I happen to walk 35km, it's because I feel like I'm flying and I don't want to stop. It is wonderful to be able to let go of a timetable and have the freedom to finish whenever it feels right.

 

[sillydoll]

I don't think there are recommended minimums - different guide books offer different guidelines to average walking schedules.

In 2001 I made the mistake of slavishly following Nancy Frey's Camino guide in the Lonely Planet. 27 days from Roncesvalles to Santiago. Some days we walked 18km and others 40km - an average of 28km per day. Now 37 to 42 days or 20km - 23km per day is just right for me!

In late spring - May/June - if you choose to take longer, you have a dichotomy of choice. If you get up early and racewalk to the next town you might have to wait for the albergue to open and in many places will have a very long afternoon with nothing to do. (Some places are so small they don't even have village status so there is nothing to see).
If you dawdle and take your time getting there you might find that there is no room at the inn when you arrive. Budget for an occasional private room just in case the Completo signs are up.

 

[Abbeydore]

I don't think there are recommended minimums - different guide books offer different guidelines to average walking schedules.

In 2001 I made the mistake of slavishly following Nancy Frey's Camino guide in the Lonely Planet. 27 days from Roncesvalles to Santiago. Some days we walked 18km and others 40km - an average of 28km per day. Now 37 to 42 days or 20km - 23km per day is just right for me!

In late spring - May/June - if you choose to take longer, you have a dichotomy of choice. If you get up early and racewalk to the next town you might have to wait for the albergue to open and in many places will have a very long afternoon with nothing to do. (Some places are so small they don't even have village status so there is nothing to see).
If you dawdle and take your time getting there you might find that there is no room at the inn when you arrive. Budget for an occasional private room just in case the Completo signs are up.

How negative of you Sil,
How about a lovely lunch, that's what we did on our first lunch @ Rabinal, sitting outside making/eating & drinking, & then being first into getting a bed(@ JW's hostel)......WONDERFUL,
our first day, our first camino (ps we had walked from Astorga @ 0430 knackered)

 

[Abbeydore]

True David
If I was closer I would have been back sooner.....Its amazing how the Camino just gets into your bones......and creates this pull to just go back. It doesnt demand anything or expect anything from me....its like a old woolly comfortable jersey that is so nice to put back on again. :wink:
I only had less than two weeks last time on the Camino...and while it was what I needed at the time..... I just knew when I was there...that I would be back. Good health permitting.....fingers crossed I will make it. And it will be nice to have more time to just .......Be there.

Glad I gave you a bit of a chuckle.

Hope you make it too, I've only got to put my Camino socks on & then ...........icebreakers :lol:
Buen Camino
(in lieu of your your physiotherapist you could take arnica gel, mind you there is one in Villafranca albergue we stayed in Hope I get you chuckling one day.

 

[nreyn12]

My thought is to take as much time as you can, and wander as much as you like. Do what pleases your soul and elevates your spirit.

Beautifully said, Simeon. Time is perhaps our greatest resource. If you have it, take it and use it fully.

I recommend - especially - saving a few days at the end of the walk to enjoy all that Santiago has to offer. And as others have mentioned, the walk to Fisterre is a great add-on. I found that part to have some of the most beautiful scenery of the entire Way.

In this case, 'more is more'!

 

[Al the optimist]

Yes, yes, yes. So I am! Flying into Biarritz from England on the 9th May and out of SDC 46 days later. Having decided last year that I wanted to walk the Frances I was a little concerned whether I could do it. So I practised and then walked the Ingles as a trial. Loved it so much I continued with the Finisterra. So I know my rhythm and capabilities. Even so I intend to keep my averages down, enjoy what and who is there, and go with my inner flow. Who knows where I will go or what will happen.
allan

 

[sillydoll]

Its one of the negative things about the Camino to find full albergues - all beds taken by those who get up at 4am and rush to be first in line when the albergue opens!
If you arrive fairly early your chances of getting a bed are good. If you saunter and dawdle into the late afternoon you might not find a bed!
In May/June the sun sets after 10pm so if you've arrived in a place like Lorca - or Rabanal del Camino - by mid-day you could have 5 hours to spare before mass and 6 or 7 hours before dinner.
This was the one thing that my husband found a bit frustrating when he walked with me in 2007.
Also - in Galicia - some of the albergues only take people who have walked at least 20km so after doing 10km 0r 15km you might be told to walk on!

 

[fortview]

Hi,
We took six weeks and it was just right for us ! It was lovely not to be pressured by time constraints .
We had a rest day in Burgos, and one in Leon. Otherwise, we still walked around 20 Kms a day. But if you are tired or hurting its nice to know you can stop sooner. Lucky you to have the option ! Enjoy.
Buen camino

 

[fraluchi]

If you could take 6 weeks to walk it, would you? And what would you do with the extra time?!

What "extra time"? Who tells you how much time you need to walk what distance, stop on the way, visit churches, museums, monasteries, "off-Camino" sites (Las Medulas near Ponferrado, Sto. Domingo de Silos, f.e.) and enjoy your time reflecting and pondering why you should be rushing your life?

 

[julie]

Its one of the negative things about the Camino to find full albergues - all beds taken by those who get up at 4am and rush to be first in line when the albergue opens!
If you arrive fairly early your chances of getting a bed are good. If you saunter and dawdle into the late afternoon you might not find a bed!

I've walked in September and in June, slept on a mattress on the floor many times (feels just the same as sleeping on a bed) and outside in Cacabelos though, thankfully, under the awning.

Never have I left early in the morning. I wake up whenever, do some stretches, have breakfast and set off at about 7.30 or 8.00am. I walk until I arrive, usually around 4.00pm though, on occasion, I've walked till 6.00pm just because it felt so good.

I prefer to walk in the faith that, as a pilgrim told me on my very first day, "St Jacques will provide". He was right, St Jacques hasn't let me down yet.

Perhaps it's easier to be of "a certain age", comfortable in the knowledge that you have a credit card so if necessary a lift/taxi to the nearest hotel is there as a safety net. I haven't had to use this back-up thus far but I do recognise that it could make a difference in attitude.

On pilgrimage, one of the wonderful things you have the opportunity to let go of is the fear of uncertainty. Allowing a lot more time than you are likely to need enables you to take each day as it comes, to sleep wherever you end up and to take a day longer if, when and where you wish.

Don't buy into the race for a bed. Have faith and enjoy the freedom.

 

[max44]

I am coming a long way from Australia. Quit a fantastic job and will take two or three months. I have earned some time out. I decided I will not join a race. I am taking a matt and sleeping bag, I dont care if there isnt a bed, I wont spend each day in a race.
I have learned so much from this site.
I now know that taking time to enjoy things will work for me.

 

[reuben79]

I think it is great to have more time available to you, although we found that the time or two we thought about slowing down we ended up continuing at the "normal" pace so as not to fall behind many of the friends we had met. And likewise, a couple times we had friends continue on after considering a rest day so they didn't fall behind us.

But having extra time will give you a chance to rest if you so choose, or maybe add on the walk to Finisterre at the end. If you can manage it definitely book the extra days.

 

[inspiredjen]

You are all too wonderful! Thank you so much for your thoughtful replies, ruminations, and philosophies! They're exactly what I hoped for!

As of this week, my flights are booked and I will have 47 days on the ground. That is very exciting to me. I tend to be a "get there!" person in my head, but a "be present" person in my body. This path will be an incredible teacher for me.

From your responses, here are my take-aways:

-- Avail myself of the myriad side trips
-- Take time to enjoy
-- Walk until I arrive
-- Let go of the fear of uncertainty -- and trust
-- Trust some more
-- Go with my inner flow (I love this!)
-- Do what pleases my soul and elevates my spirit
-- When in doubt, eat lunch
-- Finish whenever it feels right
-- All kinds of stuff doesn't matter unless we make it matter
-- Leave my competitor self behind
-- Take time to rest afterward
-- Savour every step

Thank you, each of you, for your inspirational guidance!

 

[tomandlauren]

I will be, Lord willing, on the Camino Frances in September/October. I have a couple of questions: 1) when the alberques fill up are there usually other types of rooms available in town? And if it is necessary to sleep outside, can a pilgrim use the bathroom facilities in the alberque? I don't want to do the early bird race to the next stop thing. 2) How full does the Camino get in the Fall? We are walking SJPP to Santiago and maybe on to the coast starting mid September. Thx for all the comments on this forum! Very helpful. I've only walked for 4 days on the Camino as a last minute opportunity in 2011...I fell in love and have been wanting to return as soon as I left. Buen Camino!!
~lauren

 

[mspath]

Walking I average 55 days from SJPdP to Finisterre! 'Slow, but dependable’ would be a good motto. After eight Caminos I know my strength. Trusting my gear, tenacity and ability to endure I try to take it as it comes enjoying the good and bearing the bad. With age what matters most is to contine. Conscious that any moment might be the last I try to savour all.
Carpe Diem and Ultreia! Margaret Meredith

 

[Deleted member 3000]

We are walking SJPP to Santiago and maybe on to the coast starting mid September.

You may feel a residual bed race at this time, but the crowding will be gone. Sometimes there is a weekend burst of activity that gives you an uneasy feeling, but you should be confident that you will not have a problem finding a bed. July and August are the months where finding a bed can require some extra walking.

You may find it difficult to start later in the morning. Other pilgrims will be packing and leaving at 0600, and the hospitalero will want you to leave, breakfast eaten, by 0800 to 0830. To really sleep in, you will need to stay in hostales, where the checkout time is normally 1130.

 

[rafadamian]

Hi, Lauren!

I´ll be in the Camino the same time as you, and also have this same doubts that you asked... I wouldn´t like to get early in my destination, like I was in a race through the way... Probably we´ll meet at some point... See you there!

 

[MeganG22]

I tend to look back at my November camino and think "I wish I had..." I try not to have any regrets in general, yet there are definitely a couple things I'd do differently, and most of those revolve around taking more time! Not necessarily more days (or not too many more) but just taking more time to reach our destination each day.

I would still aim to walk 20-25 kms per day for sure, but I'd take my time with those kilometers and not be afraid to take more stops, more side trips, and MORE PICTURES. This is definitely what I dwell on most at this point. I came home with hardly any photos and it's so sad! I have connected on Facebook with a friend from the trail and am in awe of all his photos- and his videos! He took his time each day (really, we wouldn't see him in town until around 7pm almost every day) and never rushed himself. He still walked about the same distances that we did, but he stopped to talk to people all the time- pilgrims and locals- and took the time to make special memories for himself. This is definitely something I'd do next time.

My boyfriend and I had the same mentality you seem to, in terms of being a "get there!" person, but my biggest piece of advice would be to try and ignore those feelings during your Camino! I definitely wish I had.

Buen Camino