Camino de Santiago queries, info ...

Paulj · 17-02-2011 5:25pm

<quote>
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
</quote>

Ya we made it to Logrono. That was 7 days walking and then got a bus back to San Sebastion from there for our flight home. Some of the days towards the end were quite long though. Towards the end of that route you can get local buses between the towns so if your stuck for your flight you could always take the local bus to Logrono to make it back for your flight.

@Pablo_ : our daily spend was usually around 6euro for the hostel and then about 9euro for a nice 3 course meal out. That usually included wine too! That was from a 'Pilgrim menu' by the way which you get at many places along the route. The only other expense i suppose then is some breaky and a sandwich for your lunch. So ya i reckon you'd be looking at 22euro per day to be safe.

Pablo_ · 17-02-2011 9:52pm

thanks paulj, 15euro is very tight so decided 22 realistic ... sounds like ye done well for 22/day

Potatofarl · 21-02-2011 10:46pm

Sr. Pirotecnic wrote: »

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).

Can you get the passport in SJPP if starting from there? Does this get stamped to prove you have walked? I will probably only get as far as Logrono, can you only get the certificate if you get to Santiago? thats a pity! Wish I could dedicate enough time to go all the way from SJPP to Santiago.

bagsy · 24-03-2011 3:37pm

Hi,

I was thinking of doing the above this summer starting in Biarritz if possible.
Just wondering has anyone any advice on how best to complete it from there and if it is possible to cycle it the whole way to the end. Also what is the story woth accomodation and getting a pilgrims pass etc.

Cheers

Clareboy · 24-03-2011 3:59pm

bagsy wrote: »

Hi,

I was thinking of doing the above this summer starting in Biarritz if possible.
Just wondering has anyone any advice on how best to complete it from there and if it is possible to cycle it the whole way to the end. Also what is the story woth accomodation and getting a pilgrims pass etc.

Cheers

Hello bagsy, I have done the Camino de Santiago ( Camino Frances) on foot from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago. I would not reccommend cycling as many of the hostels do not accept cyclists until 19.00. All of the cycling pilgims that I met were Spanish males, who would have had their own bikes. At the moment, I am in the process of starting a new thread on the travel review section of this forum, in which I will give an introduction to the Camino and a detailed account of my pilgrimage. Watch out for it!

Clareboy · 24-03-2011 4:07pm

The Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James) is a long distance walking route that follows an ancient pilgrim’s way across northern Spain. The final goal of pilgrims is the city of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, north-western Spain where the remains of St. James are buried. I have known about the Camino de Santiago for some time, but coming across a Camino guide in a bookshop in Limerick aroused my interest in it. The most popular route is the Camino Francés – the French Way, which begins at St Jean Pied de Port on the French side of the Pyrenees. The Camino Francés is 798 kms or 496 miles long. It can be walked in 33 days or it can be done over a lifetime. Pilgrims doing the Camino can stay in special pilgrims hostels along the way.
People do the Camino de Santiago for many different reasons, both spiritual and otherwise. For me personally, my main reason for doing it is to immerse myself in the history and culture of Spain and to meet interesting people on the way. The fact that one can stay overnight in special pilgrims hostels at a very reasonable cost was also a factor in my decision to give it a try. I like the idea of rambling through the Spanish countryside from village to village, staying in hostels and meeting other people who are doing the same thing.
In order to stay in the pilgrims hostels, one needs to have a credencial or ‘pilgrim’s passport’. They are available at the start of the Camino or from local societies that promote the Camino. I got my credencial from The Society of St. James in Dublin. At each hostel, the passport is stamped and when the pilgrim finally reaches Santiago de Compostela, he or she is entitled to receive a certificate that proves that they have done the Camino de Santiago. Pilgrims using the pilgrim’s hostels have to be on foot or travelling by bicycle or on horseback. They do not cater for motorised pilgrims and they do not take advance bookings.

History

The first recorded pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela took place in 950 AD. In the middle Ages, it was the 3rd most popular pilgrimage in the Christian World after Jerusalem and Rome. In order to cater for the pilgrims, a network of pilgrim’s hospices was established by religious orders along the route of the Camino. By the 1960s, the number of pilgrims doing the Camino was down to a trickle. In the 1970s, some academics did a project which involved exploring the route of the Camino and interviewing older people about the traditions and folklore associated with it. Tourism heads then got together and started to promote the Camino again as a way of getting pilgrims and tourists to visit parts of Spain that rarely saw any visitors. It was proclaimed the first European Cultural Itinerary in 1987. The Camino de Santiago was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. Nowadays, up to 200,000 pilgrims per year are completing the Camino. Many of the medieval hospices have been restored and reopened as albergues or pilgrims hostels. The revival of the Camino de Santiago has brought prosperity to some of the poorest parts of Spain with many abandoned or semi-derelict villages enjoying a new lease of life as hostels, restaurants and shops have opened up to cater for the pilgrims. There are over 1800 buildings of architectural and historic interest on the Camino and it is a celebration of Spanish culture and heritage.

Guidebook

I own my interest in the Camino de Santiago to an excellent publication called A Pilgrims Guide to the Camino de Santiago by John Brierley. It is published by Findhorn Press, Forres, Scotland and is described as an ‘A Practical and Mystical Manual for the Modern Day Pilgrim.’ It is a compact full colour guide that has all the information that a person doing the camino would need including a packing list, maps of each stage of the Camino, town plans, details of the hostels and other accommodation on route, where to eat and all sorts of practical advice. After reading this guide, I was hooked on the Camino. No other guide books or maps are needed only this one. There are many websites on the Camino de Santiago, the most comprehensive being the multi-lingual www.mundicamino.com.

Preparation

Doing the Camino de Santiago needed more advance preparation than any of my previous trips. I needed to buy some extra items such as a new pair of Gore-Tex walking boots, a light weight sleeping bag, water-proof rucksack cover, walking socks and other specialised trekking accessories. One’s equipment needs to be lightweight and compact. I became a regular customer at the two outdoor shops in Ennis – All Seasons and Venture Out. In the weeks prior to my departure, I got in a lot of walking practise, including some walks carrying my fully loaded rucksack.
The scallop shell as illustrated on the cover has been the symbol of the Camino since medieval times. Pilgrims still carry the shell on their rucksacks in order to identify themselves as pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela.
As well as reading my guide book from cover to cover, I also spent many hours surfing the Internet, where I found out a lot about the Camino from the different web sites, forums and blogs. It was fascinating to read the experiences of the pilgrims and to see the photos of the different places that they passed through.
As regards my flights to and from France, I was lucky to get a really low fare from Ryanair on their Shannon/Biarritz route - €12 return! The only drawback is that the flight to Biarritz departs from Shannon at 06.40, so I had to order a taxi to the airport.

bagsy · 25-03-2011 10:07am

Cheers Clareboy,ill look out for that so!

Marcus_Crassus · 25-03-2011 7:11pm

Hmm, I was wondering if anyone would talk about this. It's a strange coincidence that I am thinking about embarking on this journey myself.

Thanks for this..

Hamilton777 · 26-03-2011 12:12pm

Hi,

Very interesting article.

I've walked the Camino de Santiago many times, and loved it.

Will be headiing back out this summer to walk the Via de laPlata route to Santiago.

Check out www.spanishsteps.eu for loads of helpful info about the walks.

Clareboy · 26-03-2011 4:08pm

Glad to read that you found my Camino threads of interest. The best of luck on your Via de La Plata Camino this summer. Looking forward to reading about your experiences - Buen Camino!

Hamilton777 · 26-03-2011 4:17pm

No worries, will let you know how I got on.

If you want to submit an article on the Spanish Steps website about the Camino I will be happy to post it for you.

Just go here to submit it.

Cheers

Potatofarl · 27-03-2011 11:01pm

Anyone have a guidebook on the french route they don't want anymore or are willing to loan?? I'm an honest soul who would return it

freedom13 · 29-03-2011 1:28pm

I too was thinking of doing some part of this walk this year, as I couldn't really take too much time off, I was thinking of doing the Ponferrada / Sarria / Santiago part of the trek. I was hoping to do it in 10/11 days . Was wondering if that would be achievable ? Nice thread by the way :-]

Clareboy · 29-03-2011 4:14pm

As regards walking from Ponferrada to Santiago in 10 or 11 days, it is possible, but you would have to walk at least 25 to 30 kms per day. Now I am 60, so I would be a slow walker, but if you are young and fit, it should be no problem for you. Personally, I would advise pilgrims not to be in too much of a hurry to reach Santiago - there is always next year! Buen Camino!

freedom13 · 30-03-2011 3:16pm

I've been checking out some sites and the Sarria to Santiago trek looks the best suited for me, its 135km so should be very achievable and still give me time to enjoy the experience and sites. Might fly in to Santiago and get a bus to Sarria and trek back .It will give me a taste of the trek and hopefully in the future i can do the full trek. Thanks.

grainnemhaoil · 02-04-2011 12:29pm

Have wanted to do the Camino for years and am finally going. Leaving Easter Saturday and start walking from St. Jean on Easter Sunday. Have a month off work

. Hope I make it to Santiago. Have the boots but am off to Galway now to buy a 40L rucksack and a sleeping bag and some socks.

freedom13 · 02-04-2011 12:40pm

Ah to have a month off work :-] :rolleyes:
Well I've booked a flight from Dublin to Santiago on May 31st, from there I'm getting a bus to Lugo and then on to Sarria, the flight back is not until the June 12th [ only one available within decent time limit

], so I should have plenty of time to take it all in. Just watched the movie The Way last night, gave me a glimpse of what the camino is like, great movie.

Clareboy · 02-04-2011 2:16pm

grainnemhaoil wrote: »

Have wanted to do the Camino for years and am finally going. Leaving Easter Saturday and start walking from St. Jean on Easter Sunday. Have a month off work . Hope I make it to Santiago. Have the boots but am off to Galway now to buy a 40L rucksack and a sleeping bag and some socks.

May I wish you the very best of luck on your Camino. April and May is a good time to do it. Hoping that the your Camino pilgrimage will be the extraordinary experience that is was for me. Looking forward to reading about your Camino on the forum. Buen Camino!

Clareboy · 02-04-2011 2:21pm

freedom13 wrote: »

Ah to have a month off work :-] :rolleyes:
Well I've booked a flight from Dublin to Santiago on May 31st, from there I'm getting a bus to Lugo and then on to Sarria, the flight back is not until the June 12th [ only one available within decent time limit ], so I should have plenty of time to take it all in. Just watched the movie The Way last night, gave me a glimpse of what the camino is like, great movie.

Where did you see the movie The Way? I understood that it was to be released Ireland in May.

freedom13 · 02-04-2011 2:31pm

Shhhh I watched it online last night , here is the link http://www.letmewatchthis.ch/watch-2338679-The-Way

the veehd version is probably the best, just let it buffer for a while. That is in 2 parts , so make sure to start the 2 parts off at once and let both buffer for a little time.

Morzadec · 23-04-2011 12:50am

Hi I was just wondering if anyone has done this and if they would recommend it?

I'm thinking about doing it for roughly 1 week, so from what I've found out that would mean starting in Saria.

I'm not in the slightest bit religious, so would be doing it for the general experience and to see the area and meet new people. Are there a lot of religous nuts that go on it? Also, I'm quite young so are there many other young people that do it? Is it very easy to meet people if you are on your own?

Just an idea that's bouncing around in my head at the moment, as I've got a week's holiday 1st week of June and I want to get away for it, but will be travelling alone. Any other recommendations around Spain are welcome!

Cheers in advance!

Teyla Emmagan · 23-04-2011 12:56am

I'm going next month!! Doing a stretch around Pamplona. I'm only walking for 4 days or so, but haven't been before and am really looking forward to it.

I know a few people who have done it and it's certainly not for religious nuts. You get all ages and nationalities doing it and the atmosphere is supposed to be very good. The hostels are supposed to be basic enough, but if you're 'very young' you should be able to cope with that

There was a thread about a fortnight ago, maybe have a look for it.

Morzadec · 23-04-2011 12:58am

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

I'm going next month!! Doing a stretch around Pamplona. I'm only walking for 4 days or so, but haven't been before and am really looking forward to it.

I know a few people who have done it and it's certainly not for religious nuts. You get all ages and nationalities doing it and the atmosphere is supposed to be very good. The hostels are supposed to be basic enough, but if you're 'very young' you should be able to cope with that

There was a thread about a fortnight ago, maybe have a look for it.

Great thanks for the info, I'll have a look for that. Didn't even consider doing a different stretch of it, any particular reason you've chosen that stretch?

Teyla Emmagan · 23-04-2011 1:02am

I didn't choose it at all, I'm just doing what I'm told. The person doing all the research has decided that we'll 'get fit' walking on the plains of Pamplona for a few days and then head back to tackle the Pyrenees (!).

Who am I to argue...

Does suit me though as I can go in and out of Bilboa with Aer Lingus (booked today €177) and see the Guggenheim on the way home.

Oh yeah, a lot of people just do random stretches of it apparently - you don't have to finishing by walking into Santiago itself or anything.

Clareboy · 23-04-2011 11:28pm

Morzadec wrote: »

Hi I was just wondering if anyone has done this and if they would recommend it?

I'm thinking about doing it for roughly 1 week, so from what I've found out that would mean starting in Saria.

I'm not in the slightest bit religious, so would be doing it for the general experience and to see the area and meet new people. Are there a lot of religous nuts that go on it? Also, I'm quite young so are there many other young people that do it? Is it very easy to meet people if you are on your own?

Just an idea that's bouncing around in my head at the moment, as I've got a week's holiday 1st week of June and I want to get away for it, but will be travelling alone. Any other recommendations around Spain are welcome!

Cheers in advance!

I have walked the Camino de Santiago and you can read about my experiences on the Travel Review part of this forum. I never met any ' religious nuts'.

freedom13 · 01-05-2011 12:04pm

Hi
From what I've read about the Camino, it sounds like an experience of an lifetime . I'm not very religious myself, but I'm also doing it, arriving in Sarria 31st May and walking for a week or so. Hope you have a good Camino

summerplans · 24-05-2011 2:38pm

I am deliberating over whether to do the Camino Pilgrimage. I was thinking of doing it for the month of July on my own. Any thoughts?

Clareboy · 24-05-2011 9:30pm

summerplans wrote: »

I am deliberating over whether to do the Camino Pilgrimage. I was thinking of doing it for the month of July on my own. Any thoughts?

Speaking as a former pilgrim, I would not recommend doing the Camino in July because of the heat and the crowds. The best months to walk the Camino are April, May or October. My Camino threads can be found in the Travel Review section of this forum.

fifilarue · 07-06-2011 7:02pm

Myself and a friend are planning to head over to do a section of the Camino in September. We have 7 days/6 nights and would like to include the section from Santiago to Finisterre. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of this?

brian duffy · 15-06-2011 11:46pm

Looking into flying over to france in a week or two to walk (part of) the Camino de Santiago.

Is Biaritz a good place to start? Is there a better place? I'd do a week maybe 8 or 9 days of walkin but not sure Im dedicated enough to pound it out for 800km.

If anyone has done it then I'd love to hear about your experience

Meathlass · 15-06-2011 11:52pm

This is a trip that I'm hoping to do in the future and am currently reading Buen Camino by Peter and Natasha Hogan. It goes through the Camino day by day, each stop off. Well worth the read. Might give you some realistic idea of distances you can cover each day and hostel facilities etc.

kevrr · 16-06-2011 4:02am

brian duffy wrote: »

Looking into flying over to france in a week or two to walk (part of) the Camino de Santiago.

Is Biaritz a good place to start? Is there a better place? I'd do a week maybe 8 or 9 days of walkin but not sure Im dedicated enough to pound it out for 800km.

If anyone has done it then I'd love to hear about your experience

Hi Brian. I did it a few years ago. Couldn't recommend it enough, a great experience. You can fly pretty cheap into Biarritz and from there catch a quick train to a small town in the Pyrenees called St.Jean Pied de Port, and start wallking from there.

St. Jean is a good place to begin, you can get your pilgrims passport there (allows you to stay in really many excellent pilgrims hostels/refuges along the route) and also it's on the French side of the Pyrenees so you get to cross them on your way into Spain which is pretty nice, and a lot of the small vilages and towns in the Basque Country that you'd pass through are really cool.

It takes most people the guts of 30-40 days to get to Santiago from St. Jean, unless you're cycling or something like that. So in 8-9 days you'd still get to see a lot, but if you can the time off to walk the whole lot in one go I'd highly reccomend to do that.

Civilian_Target · 18-06-2011 1:02am

My sister and several friends did it.
IIRC, she started in San Sebastian, but traditionally there is a starting point in each country... in Ireland, the starting point is Saint James' Gate

Get yourself a comfy set of shoes, suncream, a good hat, and blister pads

brian duffy · 18-06-2011 3:06pm

Thanks for the tips everyone. After posting the question i did more googling and found out about St. Jean but cudnt find out how long it would take. 30-40 days?? I've got the time - but I was hoping to fit some partying in this summer too. Sure I'll head for St Jean and see how it goes. Should I bring a tent/sleeping bag I wonder?

blorg · 19-06-2011 12:11pm

No need for a tent, there is an abundance of refuges and other accomodation (and virtually no campsites, incidentally, they are all on the northern coast.) I wouldn't bother with the sleeping bag either, shouldn't be necessary, although a light silk liner might be handy (it won't be cold.) But again shouldn't be needed, anywhere we were had bedding.

brian duffy · 20-06-2011 1:16pm

thanks to everyone for the responses. One last question and I'll stop pestering everyone....

I was planning on just wearing some runners. Will runners be alright or should I invest in proper mountain walking boots?

springhill6 · 20-06-2011 8:54pm

brian duffy wrote: »

thanks to everyone for the responses. One last question and I'll stop pestering everyone....

I was planning on just wearing some runners. Will runners be alright or should I invest in proper mountain walking boots?

I walked last 110km in 2005 from Sarria to Santiago and used Ecco road shoes, and found very comfortable. Here's an interesting discussion on the subject

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/equipment-questions/topic7621.html

also this forum has lots of questions and answers. Good luck.

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/el-camino-frances/

blorg · 21-06-2011 4:20am

I didn't walk the Camino (I cycled it) but I am just done walking the Annapurna circuit in the Himalayas in cheap trail runners, and found them fine. The Camino would be less difficult I think.

kevrr · 21-06-2011 12:54pm

brian duffy wrote: »

Thanks for the tips everyone. After posting the question i did more googling and found out about St. Jean but cudnt find out how long it would take. 30-40 days?? I've got the time - but I was hoping to fit some partying in this summer too. Sure I'll head for St Jean and see how it goes. Should I bring a tent/sleeping bag I wonder?

Depending on how you want to go, the tent/sleeping bag could come in useful. I met some people while walking it who mixed things up and stayed in refuges/accomodation half the time and camped out the other half in fields along the way, either in tents or just unrolling a mat/sleep bag and sleeping out under the stars.

With the shoes, you'd probably be fine in any kind of trail runners/hiking boots, unless it rains bad the terrain is never too difficult...a lot of it is very flat and blisters are the real nuisance for most people so if you can get shoes that are comfortable and that you've worn/broken in a bit before starting the trek it helps.

Other useful stuff is some really good walking socks and some first aid materials for patching up said blisters. And in general you'd probably want to keep your pack as light as possible.

Horse4horse · 22-06-2011 10:14am

Hey,

Really good thread. I was just wondering is language a big barrier? I've read a few different sites that say no one really speaks english on the trail. Would you want to have alot of Spainish/ French?

blorg · 22-06-2011 10:43am

I have basic Spanish which certainly helps, but I would have thought there was a fair bit of English. Not everyone doing it is Spanish and English would be the dominant language amongst the other Europeans, eg if you have a German, Dutch and French group talking together odds are they will be doing it in English.

Starting in St Jean you are one day walking in France so French not really relevant unless you are talking to French walkers. I have basic French also but few and far between has it happened that a non-French person spoke French better than they did English.

Apart from that everyone is very friendly and while the effort is appreciated if you learn a few basics in Spanish with regard to greetings, accommodation, food and so on, I wouldn't stress over it too much.

kevrr · 22-06-2011 2:17pm

Horse4horse wrote: »

Hey,

Really good thread. I was just wondering is language a big barrier? I've read a few different sites that say no one really speaks english on the trail. Would you want to have alot of Spainish/ French?

Yeah for practical stuff like food/accomodation you can get by fine with hardly any Spanish at all, but a little bit does go a long way. A lot of times you're in small villages and towns etc....and would be glad of having a few words to communicate with the locals you meet, it can make the trip a lot more enjoyable and interesting.

Precious1 · 30-06-2011 2:26pm

Just returned from doing the trek. It was incredible beautiful from Sarria but tough doing from 15 to 23 kilometers a day at times, and the exhaustion you feel when you get to your albergue is delicious, and after a brief rest, maybe a shower, lol you are ready to go and explore the village or town you are resting in. Having a friend to do it with is better I think than doing it alone, as it is more rewarding to share just like in life. The local people are the most hospitable and very friendly. The hostels, albergues, are great fun and I loved the minimalist, good sportsmanship, social aspect of it. .

When you reach the old town of Santiago and first glimpse the magnificent structure of the Cathedral, the destination of your pilgrimag...it is moving. Then when you get your certificate, there is a sense of accomplishment in getting this symbolic document. You are now a pilgrim for life on the Way of Saint James, which to me is the way of agape.

You don't want to miss the Mass for the pilgrims every day at noon regardless of your affiliations. I was overcome by the throngs of people crowding into the huge cathedral, the transporting music sang by a nun with a voice of an angel, and got teary eyed when one of the priests read out the names of all the countries from around the world pilgrims had arrived from...even though I speak no Spanish beyond hola, buen camino, and por favor...

Then, when they swing the great incense burner hung from the rafters before the gold embossed altar, it is a spectacle in itself but suggests things different for each person. Me, I was thinking of how this is how they fumigated the pilgrims of old who arrived tattered and sweaty ...much like it was fumigating my camino buddy and me. lol :]

Though the Cathedral of this holy man is the destination of this pilgrimage, the end of the journey by way of mileage is the peninsula on the wild and mountainous coast at Finisterre. This was thought to be the end of the earth for a long time and where James the Great landed when he arrived from Palestine and where he departed from to return, where he was crucified by King Agripa I.

Even if you are not spiritual, it can't help but be a transcendent experience. It will change you, your view of life, values and what is precious to you in this pilgrimage of life, it this fleeting time, becomes very clear. The end is only the beginning of a journey to the inner Self, and towards Transcendence.

Clareboy · 01-07-2011 11:23am

Hello Precious1, Delighted to read that you have completed the Camino and that it was such a wonderful experience for you. You were lucky to have a good friend to walk with. Congratulations and well done!

Precious1 · 03-07-2011 12:17pm

That is indeed a good film, freedom13, thanks!!! :]

Horse4horse · 04-07-2011 12:16pm

Does anyone no if the walk is seasonal or can you do it all year? I was thinking of starting in mid to late august so would not be finished til nearly the end of September? Would weather be an issue or anything?

Fox McCloud · 04-07-2011 3:15pm

I did a week of the camino in April, starting in st jean.

Found alot of info here, especially in the forums. Camino frances is the one your looking at.
http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/

I would say proper boots and a light comfortable backpack are really impotant to enjoy your trip. I found tying my boots tight with proper hiking socks avoided any chafing and I didnt get any blisters. Your supposed to limit your backpack to 10% of your body weight, we carried 5-6 kilograms of weight which was quite comfortable, barely noticed carrying it!

Autumn and spring are the best times to go apparently, it gets crowded and very hot in summer, with spots in hostels going very fast.

Clareboy · 04-07-2011 4:02pm

I have posted a full account of my Camino in the Travel Reports and Reviews section of this forum. Buen Camino!

kevrr · 07-07-2011 11:11am

Horse4horse wrote: »

Does anyone no if the walk is seasonal or can you do it all year? I was thinking of starting in mid to late august so would not be finished til nearly the end of September? Would weather be an issue or anything?

It's not seasonal in that people do do it at all times of the year.

However mostly during the the summer months, like someone else said those months are so busy that there is often not any room left in the hostels at the end of the day. In August, even into early September, it would still be quite busy.

The autumn and the winter are quieter, and you don't have to contend with the sun so much. The rain can be a pain though, a good poncho is very usefull but you'll still get wet.

I remember reading in the guest books at one of the hostels an entry from some people who had been there on Christmas day, and they were talking about how they were the only people there and were walking through the snow in the cold and the dark! So, you could really go whenever I guess, just depends what you're looking for.

tripline · 07-07-2011 12:53pm

Clareboy wrote: »

I have posted a full account of my Camino in the Travel Reports and Reviews section of this forum. Buen Camino!

Hi Clareboy, I have read your account of your Camino journey from Astorga to Santiago de Compostela, have you written a similar account of your trip from St. Jean de Port to Logrono and the other stages of your journey ?

Camino de Santiago queries, info ...

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