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  1. eviemonkey

    Thru Hikes v Camino - Motivations?

    Motivation-wise, I think there are some similarities between a Camino and a thru-hike (in my case the PCT). Both attract adventurous spirits who are drawn to a particular challenge. One that offers you a sense of purpose each day, and a tangible reward in the form of miles made towards a end...
  2. eviemonkey

    Día a día on the Primitivo

    Hi Judy. Just on the last bit, for sure it is possible to walk shorter days. The planning required would be a little more involved than say, the Frances/Norte because of the relative shortage of stage stops, but certainly still achievable on most days. There might be one or two days where you...
  3. eviemonkey

    Día a día on the Primitivo

    Hi there. Yes, the Primitivo was quiet for the most part, at least it was for my experience. In the places I stayed (albergues), in terms of pilgrim numbers, there were 13, 5, 3, 2, 0, 5, 2 between Oviedo and Lugo. Of course there are other albergues which may been busier? And there were other...
  4. eviemonkey

    Día a día on the Primitivo

    Day 1 Today was supposed to be a gentle introduction to the Primitivo. It wasn't. My lack of training, the sweltering sun and a late start, ensured I was a tired and weary pilgrim when I sought refuge in the Albergue De Peregrinos Villa de Grado. Kristine, a volunteer from Australia, was on hand...
  5. eviemonkey

    20 Days on El Camino for scenery and introspection. Best Routes?

    I'd stick to your original plan to be honest, Burgos to Santiago. That stretch of the Frances seems to tick the boxes you mention. After Burgos, the Meseta will provide all the introspective opportunities and solitude anyone could wish for. The Meseta isn't the easiest introduction to the...
  6. eviemonkey

    What is your most beautiful / favourite church on the CF?

    Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Río, near Villalcázar de Sirga on the longer approach trail into Carrión de los Condes. I walked pretty much alone on the back road after Frómista, which suited my mood at the time. I could see the wave of pilgrims on the other side of the river following the main...
  7. eviemonkey

    Post Camino Slump -- anyone else?

    The finality of the Camino's end can hit you like a sledgehammer. Removed from the company of fellow pilgrims and devoid of any shared tangible goal or target (Santiago), it is hard not to feel over-whelmed by bouts of nostalgia and a sense that 'real life' will always somehow struggle by...
  8. eviemonkey

    Finish Frances or Portugues

    There is part of your answer, no? If you loved the walking part of the Frances before Leon, you should love it just as much after Leon. There are some fabulous stages after Leon. The Meseta-feel of the walk before Astorga. The mountainous terrain on the days into Foncebadon and O'Cebeiro. The...
  9. eviemonkey

    Ages on the Camino

    I thought this was going to be a thread about that charming little village a day before Burgos. Nice looking spot but too early in the day for me to stop. Anyway a sprightly mid-40 something here. Four decades of Camino-longing ahead of me then, with the help of God.
  10. eviemonkey

    Overthinking my Camino Experience!

    An epiphany moment would be nice, if unlikely. As a minimum though, it is reasonable to expect that you will leave Santiago a calmer, more rounded version of yourself, with a lifetime of memories and a circle of friends you care about deeply. That and a sun tan, a love of Spain and its wonderful...
  11. eviemonkey

    My first trip... apprehensive and excited

    "It's a dangerous business, going out your front door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to"
  12. eviemonkey

    The Camino Calm

    Nice post. The 'camino calm' is one of its greatest legacies, at least for me. Having lived abroad for a number of years, I returned home after my Camino and was faced with the stark reality that I had no job, house, car or significant other to return to. And I was perfectly fine with all of...
  13. eviemonkey

    My First Camino July-aug 2017: Feedback Welcome

    Your draft itinerary and daily routine looks both realistic and conducive to allowing you to enjoy the Camino as much as possible. I enjoyed walking in the summer months, but like yourself, preferred not to stay out walking too late under the baking sun. Your daily routine looks fairly similar...
  14. eviemonkey

    Camino Day 1 From Sjdp. A Bit Scared !!!

    Karen, for many the first day will indeed be one of the most physically arduous of the Camino Frances. It certainly was for me, as someone who walked the Napolean route to Roncesvalles with limited training. I found the stretch from St Jean to Orisson particularly demanding, and had to stop...
  15. eviemonkey

    Judging Fitness Level

    A certain degree of training as a means of physical preparation is certainly better than none at all. As someone who rarely walked or exercised previously, I managed five days worth of 15-20km walks in a flat park in London before I left. Going like that from 0 kms to 20 km, my legs began to...
  16. eviemonkey

    Experiences and SJPP to Santiago de Compostela?

    How long? 31 days. Planning? Two/three weeks between the initial idea popping into my head and arriving in France. Just enough time to book a flight, buy equipment and squeeze in 5 days walking as a belated training strategy. It didn't feel enough on the first day's climb out of St Jean but I...
  17. eviemonkey

    Favorite 'low light' photos from your Camino

    Rioja country, between Logrono and Nareja. 6am walk under the full moon outside Granon. Same day's walk on the way to Villafranca Montes Del Oca. Hontanas.
  18. eviemonkey

    Why do YOU go on pilgrimage?

    Another Mallory quote. "So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won’t see why we go. What we get from this...
  19. eviemonkey

    My Last Post for a While--and a Call for Your Favorite Pic

    Taken on the first morning's walk out of St Jean and just before the beginning of the uphill climb to Orisson. I've taken other photos that were prettier, better, but I'll always remember the feeling I had when I took this picture of the sun rising over St Jean. A mixture of nerves and...
  20. eviemonkey

    How busy is the Camino Frances in August? Can it be walked alone?

    I walked SJPdP to Santiago last August. I started off alone and on two separate occasions left a group of friends to walk on my own for 2-3 days, as I was curious to experience my first Camino as a solitary journey of self-discovery. Pre-Camino, my lifestyle was a private one. I had become...

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