First timer; Walking the camino in two parts?

[Mjos]

Hi folks,

I (28) am new here and I'm planning to walk the Camino Francés next year. I have wanted to make a solo trip for a long time and I would like to take some time to contemplate life and escape the daily rush for a bit. Furthermore I love hiking, Spain and (Spanish) food and like to meet interesting people on the way.

Some years ago I took a Spanish A2 course so my Spanish is fairly okay. I'm figuratively stepping into my mom's shoes, she walked the Camino all the way from home in the Netherlands, spread out over the last 10 years. I'm just going to do the part in Spain though.

I'm just not really sure yet if I'm gonna do it all at once or split it in two spread over two years.
These are my considerations:

Split it in two:
+ Easier to get days off from work
+ I can choose a less crowded period for each part
+ I can note how many km's a day I walk in the first part. Makes planning a return flight on part 2 easier
- Feel like I leave behind my camino family, and start part two without people I've met in part one
- Might feel like it's not finished for a year
- Not walking long enough to really get in tune with myself

Doing it all in one go:
+ The complete experience from beginning to end
+ I see the people I met along the way all the way to the end
- Harder to get free from work
- I have to guess how fast I'm gonna walk due to my flight back I have to book

Did anyone else have to make this decision? What was your deciding factor?
And for the people who walked it in two parts, have you felt any of the cons mentioned above?

Thank you

 

[gordon1]

I live near the frontier and a few years back my wife and I decided we wanted to make this journey. Not sure if it maybe too long in one go,we started at st jean and said see how it goes. No pressure and because of COVID we had to stop.But we started again with a little more planning and after COVID arrived at Santiago. A bit of a verbal ramble but it gave us the correct planning, no rush a chance to appreciate the magic of our journey. A great reflection on life and it's blessing.

 

[dick bird]

You are young, and live a short distance from SJPdP. You have ample opportunity to come back to Spain again and again (as opposed to someone past seventy living in Australia). Why not ask your employer for as much time as they will give you, start from SJPdP, and see how far you get. If you don´t make to Santiago, come back next year.

 

[peregrino_tom]

How about walking the Primitivo? Interesting hilly topography (particularly for a Netherlander..), arguably more opportunities for quiet reflection than the Frances, plenty of time for developing a camino family (my Primitivo gave me my most enduring camino friendships), and you might be able to complete it all without taking extra holiday time from work. Also, it's just lovely!
The downside I guess is that you'll have fewer places you can share stories about with your mum, but there'll still be about three days of that on the CF from Melide.

 

[davejsy]

I think to do it in one go is always the ideal, but of course as you say not everyone has this luxury. If you are fairly fit then it shouldn't take you more than a month, which is within the realms of most Western European holiday allowances.

 

[roving_rufus]

There are lots of us who walk camino routes in sections. It's not unusual for those of us in Europe who are still working to even go and walk for a week at a time. Getting a month off in one go -even if it's in my entitlement- is nearly impossible.

Yes it's a different experience to go walk for a week at a time than a full month - but so too is the experience of walking in the quiet of winter on the CF compared to the main season. Equally don't presume that the people you meet at the beginning will be the people you enjoy celebrating with in SdeC. I went to finish my camino from home in June picking up in Rabanal- I celebrated in SdeC with 2 people I met the night before and one guy I had seen a couple of times- I had outwalked most other people who had taken a last rest day before Sarria or stopped in Lavacolla to have a short day into SdeC.

 

[markie6]

Have walked with a good few who couldn't get enough time off, so were splitting it into 4 and slowly coming back to complete it. If I hadn't been able to get the time off and I was keen to do it... then it wouldnt matter to me but given a choice... I'd much rather be away for longer and to start and finish

As Roving says, most of us don't see the same people all the way thru. Longest I walked with anybody over 3 X CF's was 5 days and it's been rare to see anybody in SDC who I walked with at all.

Then again If I was taking it slowly, met some nice people, then that might happen

 

[Bradypus]

I have walked the Camino Frances in a continuous journey several times and I am currently walking in short stages once a year with a friend who can only get a week or so off work at a time. They are very different experiences and on the whole I prefer the longer continuous journey. But a journey in short stages is better than no Camino at all! I've never wanted the "Camino family" experience and have rarely walked the same stages with others for more than a few days. I tend to walk longer daily stages than average and so gradually leave most people behind me.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I'm with @peregrino_tom on this one, I would go for the Primitivo. For exactly the same reasons.
That said I started something similar to your mother's walk ( mine: Berlin - Santiago) and have been doing it in sections. And I have enjoyed that very much. Hence, there is definitely something to be said for splitting the longer walk (Frances) should you really wish to do it. And at your age it's possible that the camino family concept may be far more important to you than it is for me.

As for booking the flight home, even a small semblance of training will give you an idea as to how many k's your generally comfortable doing per day. Throw in a rest day per week. (It also allows for short days or injuries) It doesn't matter whether you take it or not, should you not there's plenty to do in Santiago and its environs, or of course you could simply walk on to Finisterre.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Both ?

Do a shorter Camino starting (wherever) first with an arrival in Santiago, then plan something longer and in stages for afterwards ?

 

[MinaKamina]

While you are making up your mind, you might start your Camino from your own front door on Sunday and continue the next Sunday where you stopped the week before. Experience the tiniest undertaking first, with hardly any strings attached, as opposed to The Big Adventure requiring Big Plans and Huge Decisions.
You'll know it is not finished - that is obvious - and you also know that you will return.

 

[Bill905]

I wish I had known of the Camino when I was your age! Kudos to you! I have met countless people walking different Caminos on the "annual instalment plan". Besides giving you a feeling of accomplishment when you complete a section, it also gives you experience, and provides you with goal-setting and planning for many years. It is quite likely that type of planning and goal-setting experience will have beneficial impacts on other aspects of your life, whether you walk for a week or a month at a time. There are many Caminos and variants to reward you for years to come. I wish you well! Buen Camino!

 

[Grousedoctor]

For me, the key variable would be, can I get off work for 30+/- days? If that can be achieved, for many of the ideas that you have already identified, I choose doing it all at once. You will adjust very quickly and easily to “the walking life.” The learning curve is very steep. You’ll feel like a Camino veteran by the time you reach Pamplona. I’ve walked the entire CF all at once. I’ve also just walked the SJPP to Burgos section. What I can tell you from the second Camino is that when I got to Burgos I so wanted to continue on. Hope you can work out the logistics. Buen Camino!

 

[Roland49]

Did anyone else have to make this decision? What was your deciding factor?
And for the people who walked it in two parts, have you felt any of the cons mentioned above?

Did met a german couple in 2019 on the CF and they were on their third part of the CF, doing it from 2017 on every year for 14 days. First year was SJPdP to Burgos, second year Burgos to Leon and third year Leon to SdC. They told me they had amazing time each year and were happy to walk together.

I've done it in one go and was quite happy with the outcome and experience. Amazing encounters with fellow pilgrims and animals, breathtaking landscapes and sunrises and a variety of differing meals with changing company.

Both ways will get you a real unique experience.
Have fun, turn around from time to time and socialize with your fellow pilgrims!

 

[Gena]

Hi folks,

I (28) am new here and I'm planning to walk the Camino Francés next year. I have wanted to make a solo trip for a long time and I would like to take some time to contemplate life and escape the daily rush for a bit. Furthermore I love hiking, Spain and (Spanish) food and like to meet interesting people on the way.

Some years ago I took a Spanish A2 course so my Spanish is fairly okay. I'm figuratively stepping into my mom's shoes, she walked the Camino all the way from home in the Netherlands, spread out over the last 10 years. I'm just going to do the part in Spain though.

I'm just not really sure yet if I'm gonna do it all at once or split it in two spread over two years.
These are my considerations:

Split it in two:
+ Easier to get days off from work
+ I can choose a less crowded period for each part
+ I can note how many km's a day I walk in the first part. Makes planning a return flight on part 2 easier
- Feel like I leave behind my camino family, and start part two without people I've met in part one
- Might feel like it's not finished for a year
- Not walking long enough to really get in tune with myself

Doing it all in one go:
+ The complete experience from beginning to end
+ I see the people I met along the way all the way to the end
- Harder to get free from work
- I have to guess how fast I'm gonna walk due to my flight back I have to book

Did anyone else have to make this decision? What was your deciding factor?
And for the people who walked it in two parts, have you felt any of the cons mentioned above?

Thank you

I did the Francés camino in 2 trips. 2018 and 2019. Stopped and started from the train station in Sahagun. Easy on and off place. It was important to me not to miss a step. Yes I did want to do the second part as soon as possible so I completed it the same month a year later. Yes, I was sad to leave my camino family on the first trip and wanted to complete it with them. It took a few days to join in on another camino family a year later but did. I still enjoy all camino friendships from all 3 caminos (Le Puy in 2023) to this day.

 

[MikeyC]

If you walk it in one go it means you can get back sooner for your second Camino
Joking apart, if you split your Camino you will have the intervening months to anticipate the pleasure that lies ahead though you may find that time weighs heavily.
We did a taster week before returning for the full 800kms and the six months interval felt much longer.

 

[CWBuff]

Hello and welcome to the Forum
It took me 36 days to walk from SJPdP to SdC. I am not a fast walker and had only 2, maybe 3, 30+km days - not my cup of tea - so if you can walk longer distances you can be done faster.

I see your predicament but IMHO there is something to be said about doing it all in one shot. I'm from US and as most of us Americans know it is very hard to get anything past 2-weeks off as far as vacation goes. I was therefore very much surprised and grateful when I was granted 6 weeks of time off to complete this journey. Said 6 weeks gave me enough time to travel from US to SJPdP, spend 3 days in the town proper, do a Camino Finisterre in 4 days and spend 3 days in Madrid before flying back home
So it is quite doable and as someone already suggested - go ask your boss if you can take some extra time off - you got nothing to lose and maybe they will surprize you as well.

In regards to trying to plan your flight back, well... I think that if you can get about 40 days total - that will give you a good area of when to do so. It should give you a nice walk with possibility of perhaps even a rest day or two (or shorter days walking) - all based on how fast\how far you CAN walk on daily basis and if by any chance you do arrive earlier than your flight date either relax in SdC (plenty of stuff to do) or go to Finisterre or Muxia or both by bus or even walking (technically it was 3.5 days for me to walk to Finisterre)

Now...about your "Camino family"> I know lots of emphasis has been put into this but the reality may be somewhat different. There is no guarantee that you will be a part of one, that a given number of folks will be walking at the same pace and staying in same places (and I mean towns and villages, never mind same albergues). People walk slower, people walk faster, people get disconnected.... You meet who you meet and when you meet - just take it from there. I've started with some folks, walked with them for a bit, "lost" them, reconnected - sometimes weeks later - for a day or tow and "lost" them again
My story that I have told here numerous times is to meet these young kids from Texas in Orisson, walk "with them" (we didnt walk together but kept on winding being in same towns) for about 8 days or so, disconnect.... and run into each other right on entering Santiago!!!!! Were they my "Camino family" - most likely no, not in a sense many perceive it to be...but are we still in touch 2 years later? ABSOLUTELY!

So... yes I believe it would be totally cool to do it all at once, but if you think it would work out better for you to spread\break it into 2 parts then go for it and dont worry too much about Camino family. Chances are both segments will be a different experience all together - enjoy and relish both in their own way

Good luck and Buen Camino!

 

[David Tallan]

Hi folks,

I (28) am new here and I'm planning to walk the Camino Francés next year. I have wanted to make a solo trip for a long time and I would like to take some time to contemplate life and escape the daily rush for a bit. Furthermore I love hiking, Spain and (Spanish) food and like to meet interesting people on the way.

Some years ago I took a Spanish A2 course so my Spanish is fairly okay. I'm figuratively stepping into my mom's shoes, she walked the Camino all the way from home in the Netherlands, spread out over the last 10 years. I'm just going to do the part in Spain though.

I'm just not really sure yet if I'm gonna do it all at once or split it in two spread over two years.
These are my considerations:

Split it in two:
+ Easier to get days off from work
+ I can choose a less crowded period for each part
+ I can note how many km's a day I walk in the first part. Makes planning a return flight on part 2 easier
- Feel like I leave behind my camino family, and start part two without people I've met in part one
- Might feel like it's not finished for a year
- Not walking long enough to really get in tune with myself

Doing it all in one go:
+ The complete experience from beginning to end
+ I see the people I met along the way all the way to the end
- Harder to get free from work
- I have to guess how fast I'm gonna walk due to my flight back I have to book

Did anyone else have to make this decision? What was your deciding factor?
And for the people who walked it in two parts, have you felt any of the cons mentioned above?

Thank you

I think you've captured the pros and cons pretty well. Which side wins depends on how you weigh the factors, which is really up to you. A couple of observations, though:

- I have to guess how fast I'm gonna walk due to my flight back I have to book

Another way to mitigate this risk is to give yourself more time than you think you will need. When I did my 2016 Camino with my son, I went a bit overboard on this. I thought it would take a month or so walking and asked for three months off work! That worked out to: a half month before we flew to Spain to prepare; two months in Spain; a half a month after I returned to recover before resuming work. I figured we would spend a month walking and a month seeing the rest of Spain. As it turned out, we took six weeks walking and had a couple of weeks for the rest of Spain. I was glad to have had plenty of cushion! If giving yourself a cushion to mitigate this risk makes it longer than your boss is willing to give you, that weights the scales towards breaking it into two.

- Feel like I leave behind my camino family, and start part two without people I've met in part one

This si certainly something a number of people report regretting who jump ahead, or split their Camino in two, or otherwise depart from the simple straightforward "walk from the beginning and continue until the end" (wherever their beginning happens to be). On the other hand, not everyone joins a "camino family" (I think it has happened to me once on 4 Caminos.) So that reduces the risk. And there is always the possibility of joining a new "camino family" on the second trip, doubling the number of valuable relationships you make.

 

[Katykay]

Hi folks,

I (28) am new here and I'm planning to walk the Camino Francés next year. I have wanted to make a solo trip for a long time and I would like to take some time to contemplate life and escape the daily rush for a bit. Furthermore I love hiking, Spain and (Spanish) food and like to meet interesting people on the way.

Some years ago I took a Spanish A2 course so my Spanish is fairly okay. I'm figuratively stepping into my mom's shoes, she walked the Camino all the way from home in the Netherlands, spread out over the last 10 years. I'm just going to do the part in Spain though.

I'm just not really sure yet if I'm gonna do it all at once or split it in two spread over two years.
These are my considerations:

Split it in two:
+ Easier to get days off from work
+ I can choose a less crowded period for each part
+ I can note how many km's a day I walk in the first part. Makes planning a return flight on part 2 easier
- Feel like I leave behind my camino family, and start part two without people I've met in part one
- Might feel like it's not finished for a year
- Not walking long enough to really get in tune with myself

Doing it all in one go:
+ The complete experience from beginning to end
+ I see the people I met along the way all the way to the end
- Harder to get free from work
- I have to guess how fast I'm gonna walk due to my flight back I have to book

Did anyone else have to make this decision? What was your deciding factor?
And for the people who walked it in two parts, have you felt any of the cons mentioned above?

Thank you

Only one of the people my partner and I met at the start were there at the end. We did the CF very slowly. But, we met and lost people on the way. At least 3 of them were there at the Pilgrim’s mass with us just after we arrived in Santiago. One person we met on our last day! They all felt like close friends and the joy we all had, first timers and those who had completed many Caminos was special and something I’ll always remember. Despite this, special connections happen all along the Way and I don’t think it is always about the finish. Buen Camino.

 

[ScouseKeith]

Hi folks,

I (28) am new here and I'm planning to walk the Camino Francés next year. I have wanted to make a solo trip for a long time and I would like to take some time to contemplate life and escape the daily rush for a bit. Furthermore I love hiking, Spain and (Spanish) food and like to meet interesting people on the way.

Some years ago I took a Spanish A2 course so my Spanish is fairly okay. I'm figuratively stepping into my mom's shoes, she walked the Camino all the way from home in the Netherlands, spread out over the last 10 years. I'm just going to do the part in Spain though.

I'm just not really sure yet if I'm gonna do it all at once or split it in two spread over two years.
These are my considerations:

Split it in two:
+ Easier to get days off from work
+ I can choose a less crowded period for each part
+ I can note how many km's a day I walk in the first part. Makes planning a return flight on part 2 easier
- Feel like I leave behind my camino family, and start part two without people I've met in part one
- Might feel like it's not finished for a year
- Not walking long enough to really get in tune with myself

Doing it all in one go:
+ The complete experience from beginning to end
+ I see the people I met along the way all the way to the end
- Harder to get free from work
- I have to guess how fast I'm gonna walk due to my flight back I have to book

Did anyone else have to make this decision? What was your deciding factor?
And for the people who walked it in two parts, have you felt any of the cons mentioned above?

Thank you

Hi mjos
June July is good months for walking, the temperature doesn’t get too hot and the rush doesn’t really start until well into July so plenty of beds at the albergues.
You should be able to walk the complete Camino in 32 days, although the first 4-5 days will feel challenging when you first start then you’ll have your walking legs on.
Try and keep your rucksack to about 8kg maximum because you’ll have your water on top (1ltr =1kg) il walking the Via de La Plata next year and I’m carrying 6kg for 45 days so only take essentials not your likes.
The John brieley guide is excellent, its relevant, accurate and easy to use and he updates it roughly every 2years last edition was no 19.
I walked many times meeting pilgrims walking anything from 1-2 weeks but mostly all of it. The short pilgrims all said to me they wish they could have completed it in one trip and your interpretation is correct, the fellow pilgrims you meet and walk with become good friends and even now I still message my old friend from Croatia and we met up last year in Santiago, I walked the Francés and Ivan walked the Del Norte. Your life will change.Keith

 

[Richard Smith]

Either way works but I suggest to take at least 2 weeks to get into the groove. (3 weeks is better)

 

[Mjos]

Thank you all, I have read all your replies and insights with a lot of thought, they are really helpful. It sounds like I'm in for an amazing journey both ways, though walking it in one go has a bit more preference.

The situation at work is that if I'm splitting it, I can probably manage with my regular days leave, but to do it in one go I'm gonna have to ask for unpaid leave. So including Finisterre I'm looking at 6 weeks off work averaging at 21km/day and 2 rest days.

I think that I'm just going to ask my boss for those 6 weeks, and if he is willing to grant me the leave I'll probably do the Francés in one go. Otherwise I'll do either the primitivo or the first half of the francés, though the Francés gets more often recommended for first timers

 

[markie6]

Thank you all, I have read all your replies and insights with a lot of thought, they are really helpful. It sounds like I'm in for an amazing journey both ways, though walking it in one go has a bit more preference.

The situation at work is that if I'm splitting it, I can probably manage with my regular days leave, but to do it in one go I'm gonna have to ask for unpaid leave. So including Finisterre I'm looking at 6 weeks off work averaging at 21km/day and 2 rest days.

I think that I'm just going to ask my boss for those 6 weeks, and if he is willing to grant me the leave I'll probably do the Francés in one go. Otherwise I'll do either the primitivo or the first half of the francés, though the Francés gets more often recommended for first timers

Good luck, Buen Camino and add in Muxia ( you have time )

 

[David Tallan]

I think that I'm just going to ask my boss for those 6 weeks, and if he is willing to grant me the leave I'll probably do the Francés in one go. Otherwise I'll do either the primitivo or the first half of the francés, though the Francés gets more often recommended for first timers

I'm just going to interject here (as I always do once the Primitivo gets talked about) that if you get 3 weeks, the Salvador/Primitivo combination is a sweet, sweet pair of Caminos that naturally connect. You would start in Leon. Check back here if you decide to go that route, because it is good to get the right guides if you are doing the Salvador. It isn't as easy for a first timer as some of the other routes without a bit of advance research, but it is certainly doable and very rewarding.

 

[bullingtonce]

Hi folks,

I (28) am new here and I'm planning to walk the Camino Francés next year. I have wanted to make a solo trip for a long time and I would like to take some time to contemplate life and escape the daily rush for a bit. Furthermore I love hiking, Spain and (Spanish) food and like to meet interesting people on the way.

Some years ago I took a Spanish A2 course so my Spanish is fairly okay. I'm figuratively stepping into my mom's shoes, she walked the Camino all the way from home in the Netherlands, spread out over the last 10 years. I'm just going to do the part in Spain though.

I'm just not really sure yet if I'm gonna do it all at once or split it in two spread over two years.
These are my considerations:

Split it in two:
+ Easier to get days off from work
+ I can choose a less crowded period for each part
+ I can note how many km's a day I walk in the first part. Makes planning a return flight on part 2 easier
- Feel like I leave behind my camino family, and start part two without people I've met in part one
- Might feel like it's not finished for a year
- Not walking long enough to really get in tune with myself

Doing it all in one go:
+ The complete experience from beginning to end
+ I see the people I met along the way all the way to the end
- Harder to get free from work
- I have to guess how fast I'm gonna walk due to my flight back I have to book

Did anyone else have to make this decision? What was your deciding factor?
And for the people who walked it in two parts, have you felt any of the cons mentioned above?

Thank you

It is fine to reach out for advice; however, no one out there, absolutely no one, has walked in your shoes. As such, requesting advice can be a dangerous thing especially because almost all people love giving advice even though they are not the ones taking the advice (including me). I am just posing a hyppethetical question . . . 'Why, given that you have provided a good list of pros and cons, are you not able to make this decision? I am not criticizing you; rather, I am assuming you have the full abilities and capabilities to make this decision yourself without being overrly influcenced by another person when that person's advice may work for them but be quite bad for you. Between you and the Lord, I figure you can make this decision and, whatever it is, it will be fine.
Having said this, here I am offering what I guess is advice and I have not walked in your shoes and do not know you at all. Go figure. It takes all kinds of people to make this world.
All the best.
Chuck

 

[David Tallan]

I am just posing a hyppethetical question . . . 'Why, given that you have provided a good list of pros and cons, are you not able to make this decision?

I think the decision was made above in post #22.

 

[JohannaR]

Hi folks,

I (28) am new here and I'm planning to walk the Camino Francés next year. I have wanted to make a solo trip for a long time and I would like to take some time to contemplate life and escape the daily rush for a bit. Furthermore I love hiking, Spain and (Spanish) food and like to meet interesting people on the way.

Some years ago I took a Spanish A2 course so my Spanish is fairly okay. I'm figuratively stepping into my mom's shoes, she walked the Camino all the way from home in the Netherlands, spread out over the last 10 years. I'm just going to do the part in Spain though.

I'm just not really sure yet if I'm gonna do it all at once or split it in two spread over two years.
These are my considerations:

Split it in two:
+ Easier to get days off from work
+ I can choose a less crowded period for each part
+ I can note how many km's a day I walk in the first part. Makes planning a return flight on part 2 easier
- Feel like I leave behind my camino family, and start part two without people I've met in part one
- Might feel like it's not finished for a year
- Not walking long enough to really get in tune with myself

Doing it all in one go:
+ The complete experience from beginning to end
+ I see the people I met along the way all the way to the end
- Harder to get free from work
- I have to guess how fast I'm gonna walk due to my flight back I have to book

Did anyone else have to make this decision? What was your deciding factor?
And for the people who walked it in two parts, have you felt any of the cons mentioned above?

Thank you

Hi I started from the Netherlands last year and take it at a lower pace each year. So this year in spring did Givet to Vézelay and in about 2 weeks Vézelay to probably Le Puy-en-velay. Next spring I pick it up there and see how far i get etc. Reason for doing so is that at my age (68) even it's the new 58 I feel.okay now-and walking like 5 weeks in a row it's still.pleasant. no injuries so far and you can pack according to the season. I am.in no hurry and it's my way meaning it can be done the way you like it best.I understand when you still work it's harder to get a long time off but to cut it pieces it's a vacation all the time no matter how long you take. It's not a contest it's a walk to take by yourself and enjoy doing it. Visit places along the way and some day you get there. So I hope for me maybe next year or the next i will arrive but its the way itself that is whatvits all about. I wish you wisdom with your decision.