Camino de Santiago
May 10th 2011, 8:24 am
#1
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Camino de Santiago
Hello,im interested in doing this walk or part of it,any of you guys done this,im interested in where you started,best time to do it weather wise etc,thanks,BB.
May 10th 2011, 8:59 am
#2
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Re: THE CAMINO WAY WALK.
I presume u mean the Camino de Santiago.
There are several different ones, the main one and busiest being the French one.
I walked the Via de la Plata (1000km approx Sevilla to Santiago) during winter 2 or 3 years ago.
It's difficult to advise on weather etc, as it varies so much. For instance the VdlP gets very hot during summer months. Winter is only for the hardened hikers like myself.
If you just want the certificate or compestela, start 100km from Santiago on any of the routes.
There are several different ones, the main one and busiest being the French one.
I walked the Via de la Plata (1000km approx Sevilla to Santiago) during winter 2 or 3 years ago.
It's difficult to advise on weather etc, as it varies so much. For instance the VdlP gets very hot during summer months. Winter is only for the hardened hikers like myself.
If you just want the certificate or compestela, start 100km from Santiago on any of the routes.
May 10th 2011, 9:21 am
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Re: THE CAMINO WAY WALK.
Many thank's for the above advice,much appreciated
May 10th 2011, 11:40 am
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Re: Camino de Santiago
There was a sticky thread on here about one of the members that was doing it, but it has gone awol.
May 10th 2011, 12:37 pm
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May 10th 2011, 12:45 pm
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May 10th 2011, 1:05 pm
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Re: Camino de Santiago
Is this the one - http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=560304 
Some interesting links, photos and experiences if I recall correctly.
May 10th 2011, 1:16 pm
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Re: Camino de Santiago
He's in his mid-60s and me in my mid-50s and neither of us did any walking.
We opted for the Camino Frances ( http://www.santiago-compostela.net/f...dex_cf_en.html ) - the thinking being that we'd at least have a damn good dinner in France before heading over into Spain.
Several weeks later we flew to Biarritz and got the train to the start point and did indeed have a good dinner.A very good dinner.With lots of really nice wine.
Which made for an interesting early morning start the next day with creaking,hungover bodies. We started climbing this bloody great hill and it seemed to go on all day. Which wouldn't have been too bad but it was 3000 metres high and soon the mist closed in, the wind started howling and the rain came at you horizontal.
Anyway, it cleared the hangovers and we did about 25kms that day and another 25kms the next day across spectacular countryside - but then I got huge blisters on my feet and couldn't walk so we buggered off to Bilbao and went on the piss for a few days.
My observations are this - do plenty of preparation beforehand and get your feet hardened up for walking thus avoiding blisters.
Choose which part of the route you're doing very carefully - the walk attracts a variety of rambling-type people, religious nutters and the occasional odd-ball ( we met one guy dressed like Jesus doing the entire 2000 kms in sandals ! ). The keen ones set off very early as there's a mad rush to get a dorm at the next location - I say dorm because of lot of the places you overnight in are quite remote and you could end up sharing a dorm with these nutters or rambling-types.
On the plus side it's great fun and a chance to do something you never thought you could.
Time-wise avoid winter ( the weather can be horrendous ) and the height of summer when it can be roasting and thousands of other people are doing the same as you on the same route looking for the same accommodation.
So, to sum up - Spring or Autumn and try to book a reasonable hotel each night in advance as nothing beats a hot bath and a cold beer in a nutter-free environment after a hard day.
Last edited by Cuthbert Rizla; May 10th 2011 at 1:20 pm.
May 10th 2011, 2:13 pm
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Re: Camino de Santiago
A chum and I decided to do the same thing a couple of years ago whilst sharing a jar or eight on night - it seemed like a good idea at the time.
He's in his mid-60s and me in my mid-50s and neither of us did any walking.
We opted for the Camino Frances ( http://www.santiago-compostela.net/f...dex_cf_en.html ) - the thinking being that we'd at least have a damn good dinner in France before heading over into Spain.
Several weeks later we flew to Biarritz and got the train to the start point and did indeed have a good dinner.A very good dinner.With lots of really nice wine.
Which made for an interesting early morning start the next day with creaking,hungover bodies. We started climbing this bloody great hill and it seemed to go on all day. Which wouldn't have been too bad but it was 3000 metres high and soon the mist closed in, the wind started howling and the rain came at you horizontal.
Anyway, it cleared the hangovers and we did about 25kms that day and another 25kms the next day across spectacular countryside - but then I got huge blisters on my feet and couldn't walk so we buggered off to Bilbao and went on the piss for a few days.
My observations are this - do plenty of preparation beforehand and get your feet hardened up for walking thus avoiding blisters.
Choose which part of the route you're doing very carefully - the walk attracts a variety of rambling-type people, religious nutters and the occasional odd-ball ( we met one guy dressed like Jesus doing the entire 2000 kms in sandals ! ). The keen ones set off very early as there's a mad rush to get a dorm at the next location - I say dorm because of lot of the places you overnight in are quite remote and you could end up sharing a dorm with these nutters or rambling-types.
On the plus side it's great fun and a chance to do something you never thought you could.
Time-wise avoid winter ( the weather can be horrendous ) and the height of summer when it can be roasting and thousands of other people are doing the same as you on the same route looking for the same accommodation.
So, to sum up - Spring or Autumn and try to book a reasonable hotel each night in advance as nothing beats a hot bath and a cold beer in a nutter-free environment after a hard day.
He's in his mid-60s and me in my mid-50s and neither of us did any walking.
We opted for the Camino Frances ( http://www.santiago-compostela.net/f...dex_cf_en.html ) - the thinking being that we'd at least have a damn good dinner in France before heading over into Spain.
Several weeks later we flew to Biarritz and got the train to the start point and did indeed have a good dinner.A very good dinner.With lots of really nice wine.
Which made for an interesting early morning start the next day with creaking,hungover bodies. We started climbing this bloody great hill and it seemed to go on all day. Which wouldn't have been too bad but it was 3000 metres high and soon the mist closed in, the wind started howling and the rain came at you horizontal.
Anyway, it cleared the hangovers and we did about 25kms that day and another 25kms the next day across spectacular countryside - but then I got huge blisters on my feet and couldn't walk so we buggered off to Bilbao and went on the piss for a few days.
My observations are this - do plenty of preparation beforehand and get your feet hardened up for walking thus avoiding blisters.
Choose which part of the route you're doing very carefully - the walk attracts a variety of rambling-type people, religious nutters and the occasional odd-ball ( we met one guy dressed like Jesus doing the entire 2000 kms in sandals ! ). The keen ones set off very early as there's a mad rush to get a dorm at the next location - I say dorm because of lot of the places you overnight in are quite remote and you could end up sharing a dorm with these nutters or rambling-types.
On the plus side it's great fun and a chance to do something you never thought you could.
Time-wise avoid winter ( the weather can be horrendous ) and the height of summer when it can be roasting and thousands of other people are doing the same as you on the same route looking for the same accommodation.
So, to sum up - Spring or Autumn and try to book a reasonable hotel each night in advance as nothing beats a hot bath and a cold beer in a nutter-free environment after a hard day.
That is the route i'm thinking of taking,if i can stay in the night before,so you reckon the best place in France to fly to is Biarritz,then ?? train to start ??