Camino de Santiago queries, info ...

Banterville · 13-05-2005 8:05pm #1

Hey, has anyone ever done this walk???? I'm doing it in a couple of weeks. Have any tips??

Cheers.

jay567 · 20-05-2005 10:19am

I was in pamplona last week, lots of ppl around doing the walk. Most ppl are older this time of the yr, closer to the summer u get more young ppl.
its an early start in the mornings as u dont want to be walking if the sun gets to hot.
Bring straps and tape for any injuries. Cans of ice spray from the pharmacy

.

Friend just got back from doing part of it for the 1st time and they have sworn they are going back again next yr! So thats a pretty good sign that ur going to enjoy it.
People up north of spain are very friendly. Basque region, being irish is a passport to smiles.

gaizka71 · 20-05-2005 10:31am

That is if you take the "Camino de la costa", if you take the "standard" Camino you do not really see that much of the basque country, just the old kingdom...
but for sure Basques look up to the Irish.... even for the peace proces....

Banterville · 15-06-2005 7:10pm

A couple of weeks ago I posted looking for people's experiences on the Camino. Having successfully completed it I can now give mine. I went with a group of students from UCD and it was absolutely fantastic.

We walked about 24k a day on average. It was tiring but we all had a great time. When we got to Santiago we were ecstatic to have reached our destination. It is an unbelievable feeling.

Blisters, cuts, aching knees and feet...it was all worth it, an amazing experience!

Thanks to those who posted giving their experiences.

johnnydd · 14-05-2008 4:17pm

Has anybody done this walk??If so any advice?

bess · 22-05-2008 11:06am

hi i did this walk in 2006 with a group of 7 people. We did around 170 klm in 7 days. Advice would be to prepare for blisters- buy the expensive socks and bring compede... also get a pilgrims passport so that you can stay in pilgrims hostels for free. you should also be aware that one leg of it is a massive hike up a place called "Cebreiro" - you should get a van to carry your backpack at this stage- we covered on average 30klm per day - varied wildly depending on path

galwaybabe · 29-05-2008 2:02pm

Hi. Can anyone recommend accomodation in Santiago De Compostela in Galicia for June. I am travelling on my own and in an ideal world would like self catering. I am open to ideas. My main priority is to have my own room with bathroom and to be close enough to the centre ( a train or bus ride is fine). I am going to be there from 18th june to 26th june. Thanks in advance

galwaybabe · 07-06-2008 6:38pm

Resurecting this thread on the off chance someone might respond:)

jimbod · 24-06-2008 1:48pm

Not too sure if this the right forum, but I am doing the Santiago de campostella walk in Northern Spain in july with a couple of mates. Just wondering does anybody have any tips or advice or what the general experience is like??

Davidth88 · 24-06-2008 2:21pm

I read a book by a guy who did that with a donkey , just can't remember.

He had loads and loads of advise how to get the best hostels etc

Someone out there may know it , I think he was a comedian or something , it was written in a humorous style for sure .

Hearvee · 24-06-2008 5:51pm

That'd be this one: Spanish Steps by Tim Moore.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spanish-Steps-Tim-Moore/dp/0099471949

Haven't read it yet, but French Revolutions (about cycling the Tour de France
route) and Do Not Pass Go (about the monopoly board locations) are both
very good.

Davidth88 · 25-06-2008 9:54am

Thats the one !

Thanks Hearvee

scaramanga · 26-06-2008 3:24pm

i remember reading somewhere that the local hostels/pension on the route offer a bed for €3/4 , but this includes no alcohol and in bed by 1030.
im sure they're other alternitives

boomboombazza · 27-06-2008 12:08pm

my dad is just back. his feet are totally ****ed. have good shoes that are nicely broken in before you go. i'd start walking jogging a few miles a day to prepare. you'll enjoy it more if your fit

bleary · 29-06-2008 7:15pm

Colm Tobin also wrote a book about it called the sign of the cross
1st chapter on this link
http://www.colmtoibin.com/books/nonfiction/signOfTheCross/content/CTSC03.htm

donegalboy · 12-08-2008 11:09am

Hi all,
Im thinking of a last minute trip to Northern Spain to walk part of the famous Camino pilgrimage route.
Any tips ie would it be too warm this time of year etc and do you have to book accommodation along the way before hand??
Any other tips would be great!

arse..biscuits · 16-08-2008 5:26pm

Hi, my Pop cycledit last year, he had a great time, said there was loads of cheap/basic accom along the route, no need to book

Lucas10101 · 06-02-2009 5:25pm

Hola,

I'm doing the Camino del Norte in June...I was wondering has anyone here done this, and what is the route like. I've done a small portion of the Camino Francais route last June...

Any info would be great...

paddyblue · 07-02-2009 8:44pm

I travelled from Bilbao to Saniago last Sept along the north coast (think it's just above the 'North Way'. Went mostly by 'FEVE' the local train, with stops in a few towns & cities along the way. I can't help you if you are looking for pilgrim 'tips' but if you want some info on the various towns/etc then I may be able to help....

passingthrough · 03-04-2010 7:38pm

hi there, sorry if this has been asked before but im thinking of doing the camino this summer but i dont know where to start looking or what route to take. any advice is very welcomed

thanks

djcervi · 04-04-2010 8:32pm

I know that there was an advert in the Irish independent for the past while. Don't have it on me. Maybe Joe Walsh tours or somebody would organise something like that. I know people wjo have done it, starting from Lugo (Northern point of Galicia, same province as Santiago de Compostela), Lisbon and Soria (Centrish Spain)

Good luck!

Rive Gauche · 07-04-2010 3:25pm

It's something I'd really like to do too but it's a few years away for me right now. John Brierley has written some great books on the routes you can take, check out www.thebookdepository.co.uk to find them. That's as far as I've got for now, good luck!

shotgun mike · 11-04-2010 4:33pm

Hey... this is a pretty good forum: http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/

apart from that briefly ya can start and finish it whereever you want, though the tradional place to start is in St Jean Pied de Port... fly to biarritz and then 3 hour train....

pampolona and burgos are also good place to begin, but the pyrnees is the toughest albeit nicest place. Apart from that I'd say avoid teh tours... why pay extra money and tie yourself down.... and if your doing it on your own don't fret...most people start on their own and make friends along theway...

buen camino...

jfh · 13-04-2010 3:55pm

hi passingthough, lucky you if you have the time, takes about a month from st jean peid de port, only had 7 days so bought john brierley guide which was excellent and walked from sarria, wonderful experience, went back last year and di the camino portegues only had 6 days this time, nice but preferred the camino francis, met some colourful characters. great experience with very little expense.you wont be disappointed

laoise09 · 12-05-2010 1:48pm

hi there. i did the last section of the camino last year - sarria to santiago. i did it through an organisation called one foot abroad. they booked hotels and arranged for bags to be moved each day. this year i'm doing from St Jean de Pied de Port to Logrono on the Frances way but I'm doing it solo and will stay in albergues along the way. its a great experience and you meet great people along the way. i wld highly recommend.

pangeran · 12-05-2010 5:26pm

Hi there

I looked into doing it in June but had too much going on in work so might wait until September myself.
One thing to note that from what i gather and read end of June to end of August are the busiest months and may find it very difficult to secure a bed in a hostel. I dont think you can reserve a bed, it's based on a first come first served basis.
This year is a holy year for the camino so i've read to expect 3 times the number of walkers. I hate crowds so wouldn't enjoy the summer months.....wished i had organised going in April/May....alas
My friend is returning from the camino at the weekend and all reports are she loved it, she walked from Burgos i think.

good luck with it

Sr. Pirotecnic · 13-05-2010 10:08am

Walked from St Jean PP to Santiago two years, wonderful experience. There is no need to look at guided tours from travel agents and whatnot, just get yourself over there and start walking. As other posters have stated, this year being a Holy Year (ie St James's Day, 25 July falls on a Sunday) numbers double (at least) especially around the final 100km and especially in the summer so be warned, it will be very busy. I walked in September, it's quite a popular month too.

The message board mentioned above http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board
is the best one I've come across. There are loads of online resources out there. Had the Brierly book with me, was very accurate and informative though with all the markings and fellow walkers it would be hard to get lost.

Aglomerado · 15-06-2010 2:44pm

I'm going on the 10th July, starting from Sarria on the Camino Frances. I'm a solo female traveller so the crowds (which I normally don't like) shouldn't bother me too much. I think these last 100km are the most crowded, but that just means more people to get chatting to! I'm hoping to do the full Camino Frances from Saint-Jean Pied-de-Port next year, this year's just dipping my toe in the water!

I'm going with a Spanish company http://awayfromthecrowds.com/ who pre book acccomodation in hostels/ pensions for me but other than that I'm self guided.

StripeySocks · 04-08-2010 3:48pm

Aglomerado - How did you get along on the Camino? Would you recommend the experience / the company you travelled with? I'm also thinking of a self-guided walk on the same section of the Camino.

Aglomerado · 23-08-2010 12:47pm

Hi Stripy socks, sorry, I only just saw this!

I would definitely recommend the company I went with, the accomodation they organised was excellent, baths in some of the rooms which was great for sore feet! Luggage transfers organised between hostels too so all I needed to take with me on a daily basis was very little, water, rain gear (needed once only), some food etc.

People are very friendly and it's hard to feel lonely on the trip. I didn't think it was too crowded, it was just right!

StripeySocks · 26-08-2010 5:51pm

Thanks for the recommendation Aglomerado - I hope to go out and do the last 100km next month (or else I'll have to wait until next year!).

Steros37 · 25-01-2011 7:50pm

Hi there,
new poster, so apologies,etc. My wife and I are hoping to do the Camino de Santiago this year(OK, part of the Camino) and I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on a good place to start from, maybe half to two-thirds of the way along. We could probably cope with a week or ten days walking, so any info(nearest airports, etc.) would be appreciated.

newbie! · 25-01-2011 8:07pm

Steros37 wrote: »

Hi there,
new poster, so apologies,etc. My wife and I are hoping to do the Camino de Santiago this year(OK, part of the Camino) and I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on a good place to start from, maybe half to two-thirds of the way along. We could probably cope with a week or ten days walking, so any info(nearest airports, etc.) would be appreciated.

Coincidence, this was just included in Fionn Davenports circular on newstalk. Look on the Newstalk/George hook site and you'll find some info.

Steros37 · 26-01-2011 2:33pm

newbie! wrote: »

Coincidence, this was just included in Fionn Davenports circular on newstalk. Look on the Newstalk/George hook site and you'll find some info.

Thanks, Newbie, I'll check that out.

Aglomerado · 28-01-2011 2:10pm

Hey Steros,
I did the very last stage ( Sarria - Santiago, 116km) last summer. This is the minimum you need to do to get the Compostela at the end if you want it.

It takes just under a week.

I flew to Santiago from Dublin with Aer Lingus and took a bus to Sarria - I had to change in Lugo as it was a Saturday and there were no direct buses to Sarria, but if you go midweek (Aer Lingus also fly ex Dublin on Wednesdays I think) you can get a direct bus (Freire are the company).

Excellent trip, would do it again!

Hope this helps!

Wanderer16 · 28-01-2011 4:34pm

Hey there,
My partner & I are also hoping to do it this year from France. We've spoken to a few people and they have recommended May/June or September as good months. The following link seems very informative: http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/

Steros37 · 28-01-2011 9:05pm

Aglomerado wrote: »

Hey Steros,
I did the very last stage ( Sarria - Santiago, 116km) last summer. This is the minimum you need to do to get the Compostela at the end if you want it.

It takes just under a week.

I flew to Santiago from Dublin with Aer Lingus and took a bus to Sarria - I had to change in Lugo as it was a Saturday and there were no direct buses to Sarria, but if you go midweek (Aer Lingus also fly ex Dublin on Wednesdays I think) you can get a direct bus (Freire are the company).

Excellent trip, would do it again!

Hope this helps!

Thanks very much, bud. That's most likely the way we'll go.

Steros37 · 28-01-2011 9:07pm

Wanderer16 wrote: »

Hey there,
My partner & I are also hoping to do it this year from France. We've spoken to a few people and they have recommended May/June or September as good months. The following link seems very informative: http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/

Thanks for the link, and see above.

littlema · 02-02-2011 11:58pm

We have done 3 years @ 1 week @ a time on the Camino, so we reckon we have 2 more to do!! The 1st stage was very tough over the mountains but after that it was really beautiful. Maybe if you flew into Bilbao and got the bus to Pamplona and walked for a week through the vinyards and tiny villages, you would get the real feel of the Camino, as opposed to the last section that everybody does to qualify for the certificate. If you are doing it with backpacks and hostels, dont carry any more than 7-8kg as it makes it a penance rather than a liberating experience! Make time to see all the little churches along the way but still enjoy the craic in the evening as you soak your feet and sup a beer or the local Rioja wine.
Go for it!!
Enjoy, and ask for more advice if you need to.:D
ooops, forgot to say-mid September best time to go, not too wet, not too hot, not too many!!!

Sr. Pirotecnic · 03-02-2011 12:12am

Walked to Santiago in 2008 from St Jean Pied de Port. Fantastic experience. It's a pity you haven't got time to walk for longer. As above posters have indicated your decision is not so much where to start to get to Santiago in 7/10 days but whether you want to make Santiago this year or would rather do a week of walking at the "start" of the camino and continue on when you have more time int he future.

This board
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/
is an excellent resource and a search of it will probably yield the answer to whatever questions you have.

Steros37 · 03-02-2011 11:43am

little ma wrote: »

We have done 3 years @ 1 week @ a time on the Camino, so we reckon we have 2 more to do!! The 1st stage was very tough over the mountains but after that it was really beautiful. Maybe if you flew into Bilbao and got the bus to Pamplona and walked for a week through the vinyards and tiny villages, you would get the real feel of the Camino, as opposed to the last section that everybody does to qualify for the certificate. If you are doing it with backpacks and hostels, dont carry any more than 7-8kg as it makes it a penance rather than a liberating experience! Make time to see all the little churches along the way but still enjoy the craic in the evening as you soak your feet and sup a beer or the local Rioja wine.
Go for it!!
Enjoy, and ask for more advice if you need to.:D
ooops, forgot to say-mid September best time to go, not too wet, not too hot, not too many!!!

To be honest, the 'passport' isn't that important to me. I am more interested in the experience and sharing it with my wife. We both agree yours is the best idea so far. Thanks very much.

Steros37 · 03-02-2011 11:44am

Sr. Pirotecnic wrote: »

Walked to Santiago in 2008 from St Jean Pied de Port. Fantastic experience. It's a pity you haven't got time to walk for longer. As above posters have indicated your decision is not so much where to start to get to Santiago in 7/10 days but whether you want to make Santiago this year or would rather do a week of walking at the "start" of the camino and continue on when you have more time int he future.

This board
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/
is an excellent resource and a search of it will probably yield the answer to whatever questions you have.

Once again, you mention the same website. I guess that's the one to start with. Thanks for the info.

Sr. Pirotecnic · 03-02-2011 4:34pm

Different message board, the forum on the link I gave has a lot more info I think.

The passport ("credencial") is essential, by the way, if you want to stay in official hostels on the way. Whether you collect the 100km+ certificate in Santiago is up to you (though you might as well).

I too walked in September, might not be as busy as July/August but there are still many pilgrims.

heskey · 04-02-2011 3:54pm

I did the caminoportugese from Porto to Santiago last year. Its way more relaxed with loads of beds in the hostels so your never in a panic. John brierley's guide book was great too. It takes about ten days from Porto and its very well waymarked.

billyhead · 06-02-2011 3:53pm

Hi,

I would like to the walk this year but am undecided as to when would be the best time to go (quitest and not to hot) and whether I should walk it on my own or as part of a package with these guys. http://caminoways.com/. They have a 10% discount if you book before the end of February. Also in your honest opion which would be the best route to take (scenary wise). I don't mind how hard or difficult the terrain or oute is to walk:D

Sr. Pirotecnic · 07-02-2011 2:55pm

There is absolutely no need to book a package, just get out there and start walking. I walked alone, as did many friends on other occasions, and it's a great way to do it. You will have no problem hooking up with people along the way or you can do your own tihng, you are your own boss, that's the best thing. You stop when and where you want.

Paulj · 07-02-2011 3:06pm

I did one week of it starting at St. Jean Pied du Port last year in July. It was a superb experience and I'd highly recommend it. The route we did was quite scenic and the start was mountainous which i liked. We had a group going but you could easily do it on your own too. It's quite easy to get chatting to others along the way. People of all ages do it. The sense of achievement is amazing. I'd recommend bring as little as possible with you (around 7/8 kg before water). Make sure to get one of those water pouch things with the tube coming out of it. Try and start early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat.

johny12345 · 08-02-2011 10:47pm

billyhead wrote: »

Hi,

I would like to the walk this year but am undecided as to when would be the best time to go (quitest and not to hot) and whether I should walk it on my own or as part of a package with these guys. http://caminoways.com/. They have a 10% discount if you book before the end of February. Also in your honest opion which would be the best route to take (scenary wise). I don't mind how hard or difficult the terrain or oute is to walk:D

Hi Billyhead,

I traveled with CaminoWays last year, they were very good, good customer care and attention to details on teh ground. I know this is not the hard way. But I got a bed everynight (en-suite), and my luggage transfered. There is a lot of fuss about doing it the right way... But you know on the Camino there is no Right way (most of us are not penitent anymore

) we do it our way! Enjoy. Johny:)

Potatofarl · 09-02-2011 11:10pm

Paulj wrote: »

I did one week of it starting at St. Jean Pied du Port last year in July. It was a superb experience and I'd highly recommend it. The route we did was quite scenic and the start was mountainous which i liked. We had a group going but you could easily do it on your own too. It's quite easy to get chatting to others along the way. People of all ages do it. The sense of achievement is amazing. I'd recommend bring as little as possible with you (around 7/8 kg before water). Make sure to get one of those water pouch things with the tube coming out of it. Try and start early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat.

Hi Paulj,

Hoping to walk in April starting at St Jean Pied du Port. Did you walk the full route or just part? I can commit about 5-7 days walking, if I start at St. Jean Pied du Port how far do you think I would get? Not sure what average km/day would be. Thanks

Sr. Pirotecnic · 10-02-2011 11:54am

Potatofarl wrote: »

Hi Paulj,

Hoping to walk in April starting at St Jean Pied du Port. Did you walk the full route or just part? I can commit about 5-7 days walking, if I start at St. Jean Pied du Port how far do you think I would get? Not sure what average km/day would be. Thanks

I think in seven days the furthest you would get would be Logroño (good city to finish in with good trasnport links and a great tapas scene!). A nice target but you might only get as far as Los Arcos or Estella. Just take it as you go,. Km/day is up to you but I would say most people average 25 but it depends on your fitness/age/experience. Some people break the first leg (SJPP-Roncesvalles) by stopping at Orisson.

Good summary here
http://www.santiago-compostela.net/frances/index_cf_en.html

Pablo_ · 17-02-2011 4:38pm

Anyone who has walked it think budget of 18-22 euro per day is possible for a 27day approx camino? Keep in mind broke student, fairly handy at skimping, don't need luxury ( barre a cofee and a beer, singular!). Is the stopover accomodation now bit more commercial since so many 'pilgrims'?

Camino de Santiago queries, info ...

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