caminos with shorter stages?

[BookGirl305]

feel free to move this to another place- I'm challenged to ask my question coherently.
On the CF, there are many towns "off stage" with a wide availability of accommodation and the ability to walk a shorter distance if one chooses. There are also a lot of traditional hotels within the towns or within a taxi ride away. While an albergue is the preferred, I'm not scared of an Ibis on the highway and a cab back to where I left off if need be, But- the CF is crowded and I do feel a pull towards a more solitary walk. I read other threads about those who are walking quieter routes and the distances spoken of walking in a day are well beyond my ability. So my question is this- are the quieter routes near where one could do smaller stages or are they only for the hearty walkers?

 

[C clearly]

I don't think there is a generalizable answer that is useful.

Pick a route that interests you, and follow it through, stage by stage and see if you can work out a suitable itinerary. It will depend on what accommodation you are willing to use, what happens to be open, what compromises you will accept, etc.

What distances are these that are "well beyond" your ability?

 

[BookGirl305]

for where I am right now? I would say 15-20k a day is going to be the point where I quit being a pleasant person at the end of the day and switch to being a whiner who is not enjoying the moment.

 

[roving_rufus]

I would suggest the Via Bayona/Vasco Interior. It possible to start from Bayonne or from Biarritz train station (the walk between them is okay but urban). The only difficult bit is the day through tunnel in the mountains- but good albergue in Zegama, and either to Zalduondo (need yo bring food) or Salvatierrs Agurain. It is not heavily travelled but decent infrastructure and markings, and albergues in many places, one or two spots you might need a ension/hotel.

Camino Vasco del Interior | Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com

El Camino Vasco del Interior (o Vía de Bayona, o Camino del túnel de San Adrián) enlaza Irún con el Camino Francés; dicho enlace puede ser en Santo Domingo de la Calzada o en Burgos, según el itinerario preferido. El camino cruza la Sierra de Aizkorri por el singular túnel de San Adrián, un...

www.gronze.com

 

[davejsy]

I would suggest the Via Bayona/Vasco Interior. It possible to start from Bayonne or from Biarritz train station (the walk between them is okay but urban). The only difficult bit is the day through tunnel in the mountains- but good albergue in Zegama, and either to Zalduondo (need yo bring food) or Salvatierrs Agurain. It is not heavily travelled but decent infrastructure and markings, and albergues in many places, one or two spots you might need a ension/hotel.

Camino Vasco del Interior | Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com

El Camino Vasco del Interior (o Vía de Bayona, o Camino del túnel de San Adrián) enlaza Irún con el Camino Francés; dicho enlace puede ser en Santo Domingo de la Calzada o en Burgos, según el itinerario preferido. El camino cruza la Sierra de Aizkorri por el singular túnel de San Adrián, un...

www.gronze.com

What a beautiful sounding route!

 

[naplesdon]

I believe the Vasco is very much what Bolitx wrote about in his wonderful book "The Great Westward Walk" which has been translated into English by Rebekah Scott.

 

[C clearly]

I would say 15-20k a day is going to be the point where I quit being a pleasant person at the end of the day and switch to being a whiner

I think there are many routes where you can come up with stages generally of that length, if you have the days available. There might be a few stages that require bus/taxi/train assist, or you might accept an occasional longer day.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

. I read other threads about those who are walking quieter routes and the distances spoken of walking in a day are well beyond my ability. So my question is this- are the quieter routes near where one could do smaller stages or are they only for the hearty walkers?

My sweet spot for walking is now the 15-20k that you speak of. I have more recently been walking other less traveled routes and use Gronze to calculate and shorten some of the stages to suit me when possible. I just finished the Sanabres from Rionegro del Puente to Santiago and only four stages needed to be over 20k due to no lodging options as I booked everything before I left home, and never needed to take a bus or taxi. I have posted my spreadsheet stages at the end of my "Live on the Camino" thread. I know other camino paths can be made into shorter stages, too, which I did for the Camino de Madrid that I walked last fall.

 

[512]

We did the Norte @ about 15-20 km/day, staying in albergues and monasteries. Several of the days we could have split into two 10 km days had we had the time. We spent a lot the days alone, but that was several years ago.