Planning how long from SJPdP to Sarria to rendezvous with a friend?

[surelygoodness]

Hi y'all!
Newbie here, so please bear with me Been looking through the forum messages all day!
I'm walking the Camino Frances (SJDD) this September and am so excited! I'm trying to plan with a friend who wants to join me for the last 100km from Sarria... What would you recommend I tell her? Based on just general information, if I were to leave SDJJ for Roncesvalels on September 5th, would it be reasonable to tell her we could start walking from Sarria on the 2nd or 3rd of October? Or do you think it would be better to plan before/after? What are your suggestions for meeting up with friends later on the Camino? Thank you!

 

[Tincatinker]

How long is a piece of string? Most of the guidebooks and apps would suggest 25 to 27 days from St Jean to Sarria for a reasonably fit pilgrim who avoids blisters, shin splints and an overdose of Rioja. So, yes, early October looks about right but either you may find yourself spending a few days in Sarria or your friend may. It’s not a bad place to chill.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

if I were to leave SDJJ for Roncesvalels on September 5th, would it be reasonable to tell her we could start walking from Sarria on the 2nd or 3rd of October? Or do you think it would be better to plan before/after? What are your suggestions for meeting up with friends later on the Camino? Thank you!

Yes. Unless you have problems or sick or rest days, that is average speed. But only you know your level of experience and how fast you can walk. I'd put in a couple of buffer days if possible.

 

[BarbaraW]

Flexibility of both time and mind is important, for you both. I've twice planned Caminos with the intention of meeting up with a friend, and both times the friends had to cancel for medical/ family reasons. Which meant that I ended up with spare time and was able to walk Finisterre/Muxia on one occasion, and to explore Extremadura as a tourist the other time. If you can, both of you should build in spare time, and keep in touch while you are walking. If necessary you could speed up by taking transport over a pre-Sarria section, or slow down by doing side trips or exploring more thoroughly. Or your friend could visit some of the many lovely places in Galicia if she has to wait for you.
Buen Camino to you both.

 

[t2andreo]

Hi y'all!
Newbie here, so please bear with me Been looking through the forum messages all day!
I'm walking the Camino Frances (SJDD) this September and am so excited! I'm trying to plan with a friend who wants to join me for the last 100km from Sarria... What would you recommend I tell her? Based on just general information, if I were to leave SDJJ for Roncesvalels on September 5th, would it be reasonable to tell her we could start walking from Sarria on the 2nd or 3rd of October? Or do you think it would be better to plan before/after? What are your suggestions for meeting up with friends later on the Camino? Thank you!

I suggest allowing 35 calendar days - SJPdP to Santiago. Spend two days at Santiago. Trust me on this. Then, it takes 4 more days to walk to the coast. That's 41 calendar days in all - call it six weeks - 42 days.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[Kitsambler]

If you've never done this before, several factors likely come into play. You will underestimate the difficulty of the first week. Then you will push too hard to "catch up" to your Plan A. Which is how people develop injuries and blisters. Which necessitate rest days. Now you are a week behind Plan A. So you take transport from Burgos to Leon, skipping the Meseta and arriving in Sarria before your friend.
@t2andreo is suggesting 5 weeks from SJPP to Sarria, and for a fit young adult, that's a good recommendation. Do not over-do that first week!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

With the assumption that you have more available time than your friend I would say that you should give yourself a few extra days than you would schedule yourself if you weren't going to meet your friend.

Say your friend only has a week off and has to spend several days in Sarria waiting for you. That may mean an incomplete Camino for your friend. On the other hand if you end up bussing to Sarria so your friend doesn't wait you have an incomplete Camino.

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

A number of years ago, I was planning something similar with Spouse who was ahead of me by 3 weeks -- so we said "Let's meet half way and walk half way together"... I flew into Madrid, and we were watching his location relative to mine, and to our train station options. He took a badly needed rest day to wait for me to roll into the best option train station in the Meseta relative to his location and that's the ticket I bought when I landed in Madrid.
Worked a charm. I gained 3 extra walking days, and we had time at the end to take a day trip to Fisterra.
Have a lovely rendez-vous!

 

[jflorez]

Hi y'all!
Newbie here, so please bear with me Been looking through the forum messages all day!
I'm walking the Camino Frances (SJDD) this September and am so excited! I'm trying to plan with a friend who wants to join me for the last 100km from Sarria... What would you recommend I tell her? Based on just general information, if I were to leave SDJJ for Roncesvalels on September 5th, would it be reasonable to tell her we could start walking from Sarria on the 2nd or 3rd of October? Or do you think it would be better to plan before/after? What are your suggestions for meeting up with friends later on the Camino? Thank you!

In September of 2021, I did nearly exactly what you are planning: I started walking in Roncesvalles on September 10th, with plans of meeting my friend who would fly in 29 days later and meet me in Triacastela. We planned to walk together to Santiago de Compostela. Our original plan was to fly to Barcelona afterward and spend a few days there before flying back to the U.S. On the first day in Roncesvalles I made fast friends with a small group and we ended up walking together every day. By Logroño, I realized I was walking too fast with my new friends and I would get to Triacastela too quickly and before my friend arrived. So, I had to adjust my pace and say goodbye to my Camino friends and make much shorter stages to slow down my progress. This was really hard as we had formed a tight unit. As it turned out, one of my new Camino friends had an injury and the group took a few days rest and I caught back up with them in Burgos. We continued together to Triacastela, where we met my friend from home. Sadly, 3 days later, my friend who had flown in suffered an injury on the way to Gonzar, and she decided to fly home to see her personal doctor. I continued on with my Camino friends, reaching Santiago on the afternoon of the 34th day, averaging 23km per day. Instead of going to Barcelona, I continued walking with my Camino friends to Muxia, and then a day later to Finisterre.

So, be mindful of your staging and pace as you make your way to Sarria to ensure you arrive to meet your friend, and how walking with others could affect your plans. Also, one thing that you might not at first consider, but to be mindful of: If you do happen to find yourself walking with a group as I did, your friend is going to be jumping into an established group dynamic and daily routine that you have already been nailing down and have become comfortable with. Be aware that your friend will be starting out and everything will be new and they may not be able to keep up with the pace and fitness you've built up over the last 28 or so days.

Good luck and Buen Camino!

 

[Thurland]

How long is a piece of string? Most of the guidebooks and apps would suggest 25 to 27 days from St Jean to Sarria for a reasonably fit pilgrim who avoids blisters, shin splints and an overdose of Rioja. So, yes, early October looks about right but either you may find yourself spending a few days in Sarria or your friend may. It’s not a bad place to chill.

lol. “How long is a piece of string?”

Great question. In 2014 my wife and I were 43 days from SJPdP to Sarria (48 to SdC). (Long string). I just watched a delightful video of a young woman who was 20 days SJPdP to Sarria - 23 to SdC! (Short string)
So if I was the OP I would tell my friend “meet me in Sarria sometime between 20 and 43 days. And please be on time! “

 

[RRat]

Easy. Commit to a date. Pace yourself to arrive on that date. If necessary, taxi or bus to arrive on the arranged date.

 

[Tincatinker]

In 2012 The Beloved flew to Santiago and caught the Monbus service to Villafranca to meet me and co-celebrate my birthday. I got to Villafranca two days before she did. I cheerfully spent two days getting rat-arsed in Mi Tienda, trimming some excessive beard growth and giving my t-shirts and knickers an extra rinse.

Most things work out for the best if given the opportunity