The perfect iPhone App for the Camino Francés ?

[Yoyo]

For my upcoming (first) Camino starting mid-May, I'm looking for a good app to have on my iPhone for maps, profiles, route-planning, albergues, fountains, background information on sights etc.
In the App Store I found three options:
1. Camino de Santiago Companion
2. Camino Francés - A Wise Pilgrims Guide
3. Buen Camino: A Pilgrims Guide to the Camino de Santiago
Have you used any of these – or others?
How well did they work for you?
What features did you enjoy or miss?
How do you think they compare to printed guidebooks?
Thank you for your input.

 

[Jean Guy Richard]

For my upcoming (first) Camino starting mid-May, I'm looking for a good app to have on my iPhone for maps, profiles, route-planning, albergues, fountains, background information on sights etc.
In the App Store I found three options:
1. Camino de Santiago Companion
2. Camino Francés - A Wise Pilgrims Guide
3. Buen Camino: A Pilgrims Guide to the Camino de Santiago
Have you used any of these – or others?
How well did they work for you?
What features did you enjoy or miss?
How do you think they compare to printed guidebooks?
Thank you for your input.

Hello there and have a great Camino. We used the Camino Frances app by TrekRight on our IPhone 6. The app had the maps for the entire Camino built in. So even if you had the roaming feature off, the GPS was still on and you could always see where you were. It came in really handy while sightseeing in the larger centres.

Although many alberfues were listed in the App, the Brierly guidebook had more. The guidebook is an excellent back up and does not require batteries.!

 

[Yoyo]

Hello there and have a great Camino. We used the Camino Frances app by TrekRight on our IPhone 6. The app had the maps for the entire Camino built in. So even if you had the roaming feature off, the GPS was still on and you could always see where you were. It came in really handy while sightseeing in the larger centres.

Although many alberfues were listed in the App, the Brierly guidebook had more. The guidebook is an excellent back up and does not require batteries.!

Thank you for your reply.
That GPS feature sounds quite handy. As to the battery-free option: Does the Brierly maps book come with the albergue information or do you have to get the full (and heavier) guide version for that?

 

[SYates]

I used the Wise Pilgrim App together with the full Brierley guide on my last Camino. In my experience you don't need GPS at all on the Camino Francés, it is extremely well marked. The only time you 'need' the maps is two visualize alternative routes and make a decision which one to take. IMO Brierley is far too heavy on his esoteric musings and far too light on practical infos like the albergues and their equipment.
Wise Pilgrim has now also a printed guidebook out http://wisepilgrim.com/book/ which would be hands down my first choice when it comes to a paper guidebook!

Buen Camino, SY

 

[Ajrk]

For my upcoming (first) Camino starting mid-May, I'm looking for a good app to have on my iPhone for maps, profiles, route-planning, albergues, fountains, background information on sights etc.
In the App Store I found three options:
1. Camino de Santiago Companion
2. Camino Francés - A Wise Pilgrims Guide
3. Buen Camino: A Pilgrims Guide to the Camino de Santiago
Have you used any of these – or others?
How well did they work for you?
What features did you enjoy or miss?
How do you think they compare to printed guidebooks?
Thank you for your input.

I also used TrekRight app and found it invaluable and I brought a copy of the Brierley maps only book which I only studied at night time for the next day's route ( and the map only book lists accommodation ) a great app that lets you pre load the maps on your phone so no data charges and spares the battery as well Enjoy

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

IMO Brierley is far too heavy on his esoteric musings

Brierley puts his initial information about each stage on a left hand page with the map for the stage facing that on the right. He uses his personal reflections and spots for you to put your own reflections as fill to make this happen. You are not carrying any extra paper for his musings, just some extra ink (excepting 3 pages in his introduction.)

 

[Yoyo]

I used the Wise Pilgrim App together with the full Brierley guide on my last Camino. In my experience you don't need GPS at all on the Camino Francés, it is extremely well marked. The only time you 'need' the maps is two visualize alternative routes and make a decision which one to take. IMO Brierley is far too heavy on his esoteric musings and far too light on practical infos like the albergues and their equipment.
Wise Pilgrim has now also a printed guidebook out http://wisepilgrim.com/book/ which would be hands down my first choice when it comes to a paper guidebook!

Buen Camino, SY

Thanks! I just had a look at the link. It looks like it is going to be a great book, but it seems the printed version is not available yet and probably won't be before I start my Camino. Was the app-version anything like it?
By the way, one of the first books I got when I started to consider doing a Camino, was your book "Pilgrim Tips & Packing List" on kindle. I found it really useful and had a few giggles over the pilgrim anecdotes.

 

[marciarsm]

The Wise Pilgrim Guide is now available in Kindle version from Amazon (February 2017)

 

[Yoyo]

The Wise Pilgrim Guide is now available in Kindle version from Amazon (February 2017)

Thank you! I just downloaded the sample to check it out.

 

[poogeyejr]

I like the Camino App from Eroski
It has all the albergues and from what I found it is kept up to date.

The only slight issue is that it is in Spanish - but once you translate the page for 1 albergue all the rest are in the same format.
It was easy to use after just a little work.

Kathy

 

[Yoyo]

I like the Camino App from Eroski
It has all the albergues and from what I found it is kept up to date.

The only slight issue is that it is in Spanish - but once you translate the page for 1 albergue all the rest are in the same format.
It was easy to use after just a little work.

Kathy

Thank you, Kathy! As I live in Mexico, I do speak Spanish, so that wouldn't be a problem at all. I'll definitely consider it.

 

[poogeyejr]

Then definitely download that one. It is free and provided by Eroski, the major department store in Spain.

 

[Cambridge Pilgrim]

TrekRight for us. Great for planning whilst on-the-go. We cycled most of our Camino so gradient info was particularly useful(!) as was the ability to quickly check how far ahead various place were and where we'd likely make it to. Albergue contact details allowed us to phone ahead on the day and check they were bike-friendly.

We'll definitely use it again later this year when walking.

 

[Yoyo]

TrekRight for us. Great for planning whilst on-the-go. We cycled most of our Camino so gradient info was particularly useful(!) as was the ability to quickly check how far ahead various place were and where we'd likely make it to. Albergue contact details allowed us to phone ahead on the day and check they were bike-friendly.

We'll definitely use it again later this year when walking.

Thank you! So that's another vote for the TrekRight app. Definitely a strong contender. I also liked their description in the App Store. As I haven't made any plans for specific stages, other than a reservation at Orisson for my first day, I will have to do exactly as you mention: plan on-the-go. Good to know you liked it enough to use it again.

 

[Gregory Graf]

Update on TrekRight. They have updated the app and it is now called TrailSmart. Some cosmetic changes and functional upgrades. They have great customer service. It seems very good for directions with the GPS and offline maps. Buen Camino has pictures and more info regarding alburges and smaller towns but requires you to be online

 

[JayPaul53]

I also used TrekRight app and found it invaluable and I brought a copy of the Brierley maps only book which I only studied at night time for the next day's route ( and the map only book lists accommodation ) a great app that lets you pre load the maps on your phone so no data charges and spares the battery as well Enjoy

Agree - TrekRight was my go-to app, along with Booking.com (yes, I'm one of those!) as well as Google Translate.

 

[Yoyo]

Thank you, everyone! TrekRight / Trail Smart it will be, plus the free Eroski app.

 

[Anniesantiago]

... or you could just follow the flechas amarillas?

 

[Jan de Kaper]

I like the Camino App from Eroski
It has all the albergues and from what I found it is kept up to date.

The only slight issue is that it is in Spanish - but once you translate the page for 1 albergue all the rest are in the same format.
It was easy to use after just a little work.

Kathy

Please how can I translate from Spanish as you said ?

 

[poogeyejr]

I use Google translate. I copy the page from the Camino app into the Google Translate app and read the English translation. Once you do that a couple of times you can figure out most of the words with out translation. My friend printed out the translation of one hostel (all 4 tabs) then she used that to translate the other hostels on the fly.

If you need to use it on the computer it is at:
HTTPS://translate.google.com


See below:

• Impresión general:
  • Estado de conservación: Bien
• Disponibilidad del albergue: Todo el año
• Precio: 10 euros con desayuno incluido.
• Plazas
  • Plazas totales: 32
  • Nº de plazas en litera: 32
  • Nº de plazas en suelo:
  • Nº de colchones en suelo:
  • Nº de camas:
  • Descripción de habitaciones:
  • Reserva de plaza en el albergue: No
  • Condiciones de admisión para acceder al albergue: Peregrinos
  • Hora de apertura: A las 6:30 se preparan los desayunos
  • Hora de cierre: 22:00
  • Posibilidad de salir o no cuando se cierra:No

General impression:
Book Condition: Good
Availability of hostel: All year round
Price: 10 euros with breakfast included.
Plazas
Total seats: 32
Number of berths: 32
Nº of places in floor:
Nº of mattresses in floor:
Number of beds:
Description of rooms:
Reservation of place in hostel: No
Conditions of admission to the hostel: Pilgrims
Opening time: At 6:30 am the breakfasts are prepared
End time: 10:00 p.m.
Possibility of leaving or not when closed: No

 

[Jan de Kaper]

I like the Camino App from Eroski
It has all the albergues and from what I found it is kept up to date.

The only slight issue is that it is in Spanish - but once you translate the page for 1 albergue all the rest are in the same format.
It was easy to use after just a little work.

Kathy

Thank you for your reply !!!

 

[poogeyejr]

Thank you for your reply !!!

My pleasure!

 

[Yoyo]

... or you could just follow the flechas amarillas?

Oh, I'm sure I could, but I will love having maps, albergue info and some background info on sights with me.