Camino de Santiago

[stevejones99]

Anyone walk any of the routes? I've done the Camino Frances in 2010, served as a hospitalera in 2011 and leaving next week to walk the Camino Portuguese from Porto.

[Old Hillwalker]

Yes, I walked from SJPP to Santiago last September in 30 days. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I have my tickets for a return to Hispania this late August to hike the GR11 across the Pyrenees. Planning on 45 days total. I'm not starting at Cabo Higer, but from SJPP on the Camino. Then turn left when I get to the old GR 11 at the Spanish Border and head for the Mediterranean. Enjoy, Buen Camino!

[msupple]

Did it last September....had an awesome time. Favorite part was meeting people from around the world. We lost track of the countries they were from.

[58starter]

What is the best trail guide book for the Camino De Santiga?

[Hikerj53]

The John Brierly book is pretty good and was updated in 2014. Ivar has a Camino Web site that has all kinds of very helpful information on the Camino including a download listing all current albergues (hostels).

[Hikerj53]

Sorry...forgot to mention that I used his guide for my recent spring hike of the Camino Frances, very helpful. Spring and fall are probably the best times to go. Summer on the maseta can be pretty uncomfortable, no shade and lots of sun.

[Ricky&Jack]

Where in the world is Camino de Santiago?

Sorry, I totally have aixelsyd and thought that said CARMEN SAN DIEGO.

[Mrs Baggins]

We're doing the Camino Frances Aug 2015. Taking Aug and Sept off so that we don't have a time crunch to get back.

[Akela]

North of Spain

[kidchill]

Actually, I literally just returned a few weeks ago from the Camino...Well, my intention was to hike the Camino del Norte, but I didn't complete it. I thru-hiked the AT in 2012 and this euro trip was supposed to be more of a vacation then a hiking challenge. I started in Irun and got to about Gijon. I probably hiked a couple of hundred miles, but then started to do some busses and trains, hitting the towns/cities along the way. I'm not sure why I wasn't really into the hiking, but I just wasn't feeling it. I think I really just wanted to hang out in europe and have a good time. It kinda sucks when you get up, pack up, coffee up, walk most of the day, get checked in, shower, hand-wash laundry, and then everything is closed for siesta! So, I just took my time and chilled. I spent many a days on the beach drinking beer! I don't know much about the Portugal side. I chose the Norte 'cause it was along the coast for most of the trail and was supposed to have a lower number of hikers. I went off season as well, which meant the hostels were closed...also, some of the towns I stayed in were insanely small (population size of one was literally 90 people), and there wasn't much to do. That's not to say I didn't have fun. It was a great time! I spent about a month and a half in Spain, then about 2 weeks in Amsterdam, and another 2 weeks in Belgium (I was in a lot of different cities over there). So, I didn't do a ton of hiking compared to what I planned, but I had a blast! Northern coastal Spain really is beautiful. The language barrier was a hassle. I don't speak Spanish or French, and it seemed like a lot of the natives were actually speaking their regional dialects more then anything (Basque, Cantabrian, etc). If I had pics on the computer I would post some. The ocean cliff trails were insanely beautiful!

[blue blaze cafe]

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/

Here's an online place/resource like this one, only specifically for the Camino ( all routes). You can meet lots of folks hiking, past current or present there.

[SYates]

Another good starting place to gather information is also: http://www.csj.org.uk/ especially the articles on history of The Way are worth reading. SY

[ninebeans]

I did the Norte from Irun, then took the Primitivo to connect with the Frances for the last part to Santiago de Compestela. I recommend the Norte, especially if you prefer the coast and want to avoid the crowds.

It was a wonderful, wonderful experience and a beautiful introduction to Spain (my first time there). The Spanish are proud of their Camino and welcome the peregrinos. Regions compete to have the best of something along the Camino: the best beaches, the best mountains, the best food, etc. Some Spanish families have been opening their homes and hearts to peregrinos for generations. Staying in one of these homes was one of the best memories of my trip.

Having said all that, I'll share a dirty little secret of the Camino that I wish someone had told me before I began my walk: there is a significant contingent that uses the various routes as one big party for their 2-4 weeks of annual vacation. They get the credencial and use it for cheap sleeps. They walk the shortest possible distances from town to town drinking and whooping it up in - sometimes trashing - the albergues. No one will care if you are trying to sleep. It's not just the kids, either: there were plenty of middle-aged people making idiots of themselves.

It seems to be worse on the Frances than the other routes (perhaps because the Frances is the most popular) and gets worse the closer you get to Santiago (because there are increasingly more people). If you take another route that joins the Frances later, be prepared for the culture shock. You can usually spot the partiers vs. the peregrinos. The partiers walk a segment of the Camino, without a particular goal for the day. They walk a short distance, spend the rest of the day in a bar then wander into the albergue late, loud, and drunk. HYOH applies to the Camino, of course, I just wish I'd known what to expect. The Norte rarely had this problem except for a few individuals here and there, and the Primitivo was partier-free.

Also, prior to my walk I was told over and over DON'T bring a tent. Time after time I was thrilled I had. When the albergues filled and I got there too late to claim a bunk, I still had a comfortable bed. When the albergues filled and I had a bunk but an older person (there were many) arrived late and didn't have one, I had the privilege of freeing a bunk for them. When the albergues were full of partiers, I had another option for a good night's sleep. When a particularly beautiful area coaxed me into stopping there for the night, I could comfortably sleep anywhere - and I did many times. When a freezing wet storm stopped me in my tracks in the mountains on the Primitivo, I had a warm, dry place to wait it out.

[SYates]

... Also, prior to my walk I was told over and over DON'T bring a tent. Time after time I was thrilled I had. When the albergues filled and I got there too late to claim a bunk, I still had a comfortable bed. When the albergues filled and I had a bunk but an older person (there were many) arrived late and didn't have one, I had the privilege of freeing a bunk for them. When the albergues were full of partiers, I had another option for a good night's sleep. When a particularly beautiful area coaxed me into stopping there for the night, I could comfortably sleep anywhere - and I did many times. When a freezing wet storm stopped me in my tracks in the mountains on the Primitivo, I had a warm, dry place to wait it out.

Whilst I can understand you, please bear in mind that wild camping is not allowed in many regions of Spain, see this article for a comprehensive overview: http://thespanishbiker.wordpress.com.../free-camping/

The five million $ question is obviously, is it enforced? In my experience that really depends how fed up the people are with finding pilgrims pitching up their tents on their property and in Spain, land nearly always belongs to a private person, especially along the Camino Frances. SY

[Mrs Baggins]

We're doing the Camino Frances Aug 2015. Taking Aug and Sept off so that we don't have a time crunch to get back.

Changed plans. Starting Sept 13th now.

[Mrs Baggins]

credencial [/I]and use it for cheap sleeps. They walk the shortest possible distances from town to town drinking and whooping it up in - sometimes trashing - the albergues. No one will care if you are trying to sleep. It's not just the kids, either: there were plenty of middle-aged people making idiots of themselves.

HYOH applies to the Camino, of course, I just wish I'd known what to expect. The Norte rarely had this problem except for a few individuals here and there, and the Primitivo was partier-free.

.

What time of year was that?

[Sly]

If anyone lives in the south is interested the Southern Ruck at NOC over MLK weekend will be having a workshop/slideshow of the Camino.

Southern Ruck

[Coffee]

One of the things that has deterred me from more seriously considering the Camino is that I actually like to camp. Hostels are ok once in a while but every night? I think that would get annoying quickly. So good to know that the Norte and Primitivo routes offer some camping options... BTW same issue exists on the Swiss Alps routes, as far as I know.

[ninebeans]

What time of year was that?

August - September - October.

If you want to camp on your camino you're not limited to "wild camping." There were often tents outside the albergues: people with dogs, couples who wanted privacy, others who simply wanted a later start than the albergue permitted. There are also campgrounds, depending your route. There are tons of campgrounds along the Norte but many are seasonal so check in advance to see if they're open.

If I wanted to stop elsewhere it was usually just a matter of politely asking a farmer if I could spend the night in his field. No one ever said no (I speak Spanish, that probably helped), most just said "Sure!" with a wave of their hand. The few times I was asked anything they just wanted to know how many (only me) and would I be making a fire (no way). I always, always, always practiced LNT and made sure to leave the spot exactly as I had found it.

I arrived in San Sebastian right in the middle of an international film festival. Everything from the albergues to the youth hostels to finest hotels were booked solid, no amount of money could find accommodation anywhere... except at the local campground. It was an 8-minute bus ride into the city from a stop right outside the campground and they had hot showers, a laundromat, restaurant and well stocked camp store. I had such a great time there I ended up staying there for several nights.

I was also told not to bring a stove and I can't tell you how many times my little Esbit came in handy. A few other walking peregrinos had similar small stove and everyone envied our ability to cook a meal where there were no facilities. The award for the fanciest kitchen gear definitely goes to the cyclists - they had amazing, elaborate setups.