Camino Del Mar almost official

[ivar]

More here:

El reconocimiento del Camiño Xacobeo do Mar está más cerca

El Parlamento lo aprobó ayer por unanimidad, pero ahora la Xunta decide

www.lavozdegalicia.es

 

[jungleboy]

Is there a list of ‘official’ caminos?

 

[ivar]

Is there a list of ‘official’ caminos?

Not sure..

 

[Pelegrin]

If the Xunta is the one that decides, the official name for this Camino will probably be "Camiño do Mar" (no Camino del Mar).
That's good in my opinion because there is already the Camino del Mar de Arousa.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

no one makes up a list, because there's a new "camino" added on every year or so. Big bucks to be made!

 

[Elle Bieling]

Anyone have maps/ gps tracks of this route?

 

[peregrina2000]

Anyone have maps/ gps tracks of this route?

Check out this thread. GPS and guidebook available from Dave.

 

[Tincatinker]

Is there a list of ‘official’ caminos?

Good question for the Pilgrims' Office. I remember recent discussion of the necessity of having walked a "recognized" route when claiming a Compostella. The Camino Verde between Lugo and Sobrado is not "recognized", I was informed, so presumably they have a list to which they refer.

 

[ivar]

I think if the Xunta makes it “official” they will spend money on marking it..

 

[peregrina2000]

Good question for the Pilgrims' Office. I remember recent discussion of the necessity of having walked a "recognized" route when claiming a Compostella. The Camino Verde between Lugo and Sobrado is not "recognized", I was informed, so presumably they have a list to which they refer.

I remember this too. I walked the Invierno before it was "official" and they gave me a compostela. But only after a few people at the desk had a high level conversation. And it’s also important to remember that what the Xunta designates as official is different from what the Pilgrims’ Office designates. I believe the Pilgrims’ Office has been giving Invierno compostelas for years, even though official recognition from the Xunta just came about a year ago.

I think that in most cases with these new caminos, it's really not much of an issue, because the entrance into Santiago follows at least 100 kms of a recognized route (Mozárabe, Ebro Catalán, Levante, etc).

 

[Tincatinker]

It gets tricksy. I had informed the lovely volunteer that I had started in Irun. "Ah, Camino Norte!". No, Camino Vasco del Interior; Camino Frances; Camino Salvador; Camino Primitivo; Camino Verde; Camino Norte; Camino Frances.... "The Camino Verde is not a Camino..."

I ended up feeling apologetic to the Pilgrims in the queue behind me as the debate and the number of participants expanded.

That was the year I decided to stop collecting Compostellas. I'll face The Gatekeeper with an open heart, sod the paperwork

 

[trecile]

This will be a new decision for those walking the Norte to make after they decide to continue on the Norte rather than split off onto the Primitivo.

It will be a difficult decision for me!

When I did the Norte I continued on the Norte, and my plan for my next Camino was the Norte/Primitivo combo, but the chance to stay near the sea is very tempting!

 

[david46]

It gets tricksy. I had informed the lovely volunteer that I had started in Irun. "Ah, Camino Norte!". No, Camino Vasco del Interior; Camino Frances; Camino Salvador; Camino Primitivo; Camino Verde; Camino Norte; Camino Frances.... "The Camino Verde is not a Camino..."

I ended up feeling apologetic to the Pilgrims in the queue behind me as the debate and the number of participants expanded.

That was the year I decided to stop collecting Compostellas. I'll face The Gatekeeper with an open heart, sod the paperwork

Nice one, Tincatinker!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

This will be a new decision for those walking the Norte to make after they decide to continue on the Norte rather than split off onto the Primitivo.

It will be a difficult decision for me!

When I did the Norte I continued on the Norte, and my plan for my next Camino was the Norte/Primitivo combo, but the chance to stay near the sea is very tempting!

Trecile, I veered off onto the Primitivo and absolutely loved it and had no regrets. It was like getting two completely varying types of scenery and "feel" all in one.
That said, my 2020 Camino was to finish the Camino Norte, then walk on to Muxia, on to Finesterre and back to Santiago. I hope to keep these same plans intact for whenever I can go.
(I do hear a few say the 2nd half of the Norte isn't quite as nice...not sure if true.)

 

[alexwalker]

That was the year I decided to stop collecting Compostellas. I'll face The Gatekeeper with an open heart, sod the paperwork

I have also stopped collecting Compostellas, so I am no longer in the statistics.

I have walked many Caminos over the years. But for me, I have to say: The Camino Frances is the Majesty of all Caminos. I will return until I cannot.

As for sodding the Heavenly paperwork: Not a good idea: By not doing it (the paperwork), you could talk yourself into some trouble:

Reminds me of a dream I had: I was dead and arrived at the pearly gate. St. Peter met me and said: "Welcome to Heaven, Alex! We have been expecting you for some time, due to your lifestyle, and we have already reserved a bed for you: Just follow me!"

So I followed him along an endless corridor, with beds on both sides, filled with good-looking couples. It looked promising. After a long time (close to my 25km/day Camino limit), St. Peter stopped and pointed to a bed with a some 100-year old woman in it, and said: "This is where you are going to stay for eternity; No discussion, this is your punishment, as the boss has decided, because you have been such a sinner down on Earth."

So I had to climb into the bed, but then, across the corridor, I saw @Tincatinker, with a big grin, in bed with Marilyn Monroe. So I yelled at St. Peter: "Come back, come back! Hey, something is wrong here: I have to take care of a 100-year old woman, and @Tincatinker, who I know is a much bigger sinner than me, is in bed with Marilyn Monroe! This is not fair!"

St.Peter looked at me and said: "Alex, you haven't understood the system up here in Heaven: What you see over there, is the punishment of Marilyn Monroe." ;-)

Buen Camino!

 

[Trude]

Trecile, I veered off onto the Primitivo and absolutely loved it and had no regrets. It was like getting two completely varying types of scenery and "feel" all in one.
That said, my 2020 Camino was to finish the Camino Norte, then walk on to Muxia, on to Finesterre and back to Santiago. I hope to keep these same plans intact for whenever I can go.
(I do hear a few say the 2nd half of the Norte isn't quite as nice...not sure if true.)

True......

 

[Camino Chrissy]

True......

Thanks for the opinion based on your experience. I appreciate it.

 

[ivar]

View attachment trim.E3704A53-9BE0-4156-99BB-B2EF6F9C09DA.MOV
Ribadeo today

 

[AlanSykes]

At the risk of derailing this thread by talking about the camiño do Mar, I very much enjoyed walking it, following the coast up from Ribadeo, past the spectacular As Catedrais, along the shore enjoying delicious fish at every stop, and then over a beautiful empty section of highland. I detoured to visit San Andrés de Teixido - not quite on the official camino, but why go so close to the last resting place of another apostle and not visit? Especially if it's nestling under the highest cliffs in mainland Europe. And nobody queried my route when I claimed my compostela a few days later, after finishing along the Inglés from Ferrol (having started that year in Deltibre).

 

[Marcus-UK]

Good question for the Pilgrims' Office. I remember recent discussion of the necessity of having walked a "recognized" route when claiming a Compostella. The Camino Verde between Lugo and Sobrado is not "recognized", I was informed, so presumably they have a list to which they refer.

If you are going via Ferrol, won't this include the recognised "English" Way? So one would be entitled to a Compostella on this alone? Not a satisfactory solution but at least it would help those are interested in the certificate at the end.

 

[trecile]

If you are going via Ferrol, won't this include the recognised "English" Way? So one would be entitled to a Compostella on this alone? Not a satisfactory solution but at least it would help those are interested in the certificate at the end.

I was wondering the same thing. Why would it matter which route(s) you walked if the last 100 km are on a recognized route?

 

[peregrina2000]

I was wondering the same thing. Why would it matter which route(s) you walked if the last 100 km are on a recognized route?

You are absolutely right, it doesn’t matter where you start so long as you do those last 100 on a recognized route (which is why there was a bit of a kerfuffle years ago about the Variante Espiritual of the Portugués, but that has all been taken care of).

I think there are actually two possibilities — one to hook up with the Inglés, and the other to connect with the Ruta dos Faros.

For those who can’t get enough of the seaside walking, you could walk from Coruña to Malpica. It’s about 57 km an there are gps tracks here. A comment on the track noted that there is lodging in the middle. Then the Ruta dos Faros begins in Malpica. There are 8 stages along the coast from Malpica to Muxia and then to Finisterre. If you continue walking to Santiago, you then have completed the officially recognized camino from Muxia-Finisterre-Santiago and will quality for the compostela if that is important to you.

 

[Tincatinker]

I was wondering the same thing. Why would it matter which route(s) you walked if the last 100 km are on a recognized route?

The issue with the Camino Verde is that this unrecognized route is within the 100k limit as it starts in Lugo (which is already less than 100k from Santiago but tolerated(?)). Sobrado, on the recognized Norte is only 61k from Santiago.

 

[Dave]

You are absolutely right, it doesn’t matter where you start so long as you do those last 100 on a recognized route (which is why there was a bit of a kerfuffle years ago about the Variante Espiritual of the Portugués, but that has all been taken care of).

I think there are actually two possibilities — one to hook up with the Inglés, and the other to connect with the Ruta dos Faros.

I suspect that a lot will depend on exactly which route(s) they make official as part of the Mar. In the book, our "recommended" approach to walking the Mar covers 190km, but we include more than 400km of options. As Alan notes above, Teixido could be viewed as a detour from the Mar but, I mean, what's the point in skipping that site if you're walking the Mar? Makes no sense.

There is an established GR that goes from Teixido to Betanzos, bypassing the start of the Inglés. If that were recognized as a viable option, Mar recognition would be essential to qualify for a Compostela.

So, official recognition is the first step. The bigger question to me is what exactly constitutes that official route once all of the local horse-trading is done. (Speaking as a guidebook author, hopefully they can make a good choice and stick with it, instead of changing it annually, back and forth, over the next ten years.)

 

[Pelegrin]

As Alan notes above, Teixido could be viewed as a detour from the Mar but, I mean, what's the point in skipping that site if you're walking the Mar? Makes no sense.

I agree, someone could be disappointed by the simplicity of the church in San Andres de Teixido. But, Teixido has been a very important destination point of pilgrimage for Galician people even during Pagan times, before Christianism.
I think that it was a place of Pagan worship because It has a fonte santa (holy fountain), milladoiros (cairns) and a spectacular scenario.

 

[Tincatinker]

a place of Pagan worship because It has a fonte santa

Definitely not trying to start a fight here, or break Rule 2, but this is a popular misconception. Springs are not places or things to be "worshiped" but they are something to be grateful for, to respect and protect. A constant flowing potable spring is fundamental, elemental, to survival. Hence the significance in times past and hence some of the rituals associated with them.

 

[Pelegrin]

Definitely not trying to start a fight here, or break Rule 2, but this is a popular misconception. Springs are not places or things to be "worshiped" but they are something to be grateful for, to respect and protect. A constant flowing potable spring is fundamental, elemental, to survival. Hence the significance in times past and hence some of the rituals associated with them.

Not all the fountains are "santas" in Galicia. I have one in the municipalty of my mother: Santa Cruz de Aranga.
Anyway, let's forget about fountains. There is another issue that could reveal its Pagan past: Teixido means yew forest. An it is said that yew trees were venerated by the Celts.

 

[An Tincéir]

Anyone have maps/ gps tracks of this route?

If you check back on the "Trepidaceous Traveller" blog by "Magwood" you will find maps of her route. This was a few years ago.

 

[Tia Valeria]

I was wondering the same thing. Why would it matter which route(s) you walked if the last 100 km are on a recognized route?

We walked much of this back in 2015 but for our Compostelas gave Ferrol as the start. We had missed some parts between Ribadeo and San Andres and between there and Ferrol but walked the full Ingles ☺

 

[Canche]

If the Xunta is the one that decides, the official name for this Camino will probably be "Camiño do Mar" (no Camino del Mar).
That's good in my opinion because there is already the Camino del Mar de Arousa.

You are right

 

[Canche]

More here:

El reconocimiento del Camiño Xacobeo do Mar está más cerca

El Parlamento lo aprobó ayer por unanimidad, pero ahora la Xunta decide

www.lavozdegalicia.es

This is good news as I want to do the second half of the Norte, Camino do Mar to Ingles, and Ingles to Santiago.

 

[Pilgrim_95]

Out of curiosity, is there already a network of albergues from the times the camino was not "official", or the accommodation options are limited to commercial hotels along the coast?

 

[trecile]

Out of curiosity, is there already a network of albergues from the times the camino was not "official", or the accommodation options are limited to commercial hotels along the coast?

Here are a few old threads that mention albergues (or lack of) on this route.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/planning-my-walk-of-the-ruta-del-mar.67558/#post-849561

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/ruta-do-mar-equipment-route-etc.36049/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/ruta-do-mar-camino-ingl%C3%A9s-2015.31153/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/new-albergues-of-interest-to-pilgrims-on-ruta-do-mar-ribadeo.64979/

 

[Dave]

Forget the "almost." It's official.

La Iglesia reconoce el Camino del Mar por la costa y dará la Compostelana

Es un modo «dinamizar» A Mariña con ese tipo de producto, enfatizan

www.lavozdegalicia.es

 

[Canche]

Forget the "almost." It's official.

La Iglesia reconoce el Camino del Mar por la costa y dará la Compostelana

Es un modo «dinamizar» A Mariña con ese tipo de producto, enfatizan

www.lavozdegalicia.es

This is so exciting as I will be doing the second half of the Norte and Camino del Mar to the Ingles this September. Yeah! Que alegre

 

[david46]

It gets tricksy. I had informed the lovely volunteer that I had started in Irun. "Ah, Camino Norte!". No, Camino Vasco del Interior; Camino Frances; Camino Salvador; Camino Primitivo; Camino Verde; Camino Norte; Camino Frances.... "The Camino Verde is not a Camino..."

I ended up feeling apologetic to the Pilgrims in the queue behind me as the debate and the number of participants expanded.

That was the year I decided to stop collecting Compostellas. I'll face The Gatekeeper with an open heart, sod the paperwork

Good for you!

 

[Magwood]

That must feel good @Dave. Congratulations!

 

[John Pearce]

Hello fellow Caminoistas, I am not the greatest pilgrim and I have only walked 6000km of Camino’s, but I have worked out that the Compostela is all about statistics and little to do with my achievements. It the same piece of paper with a different date on it, so I also decided to keep my Camino’s private and not collect one, except, I do get a stamp from the pilgrim office to complete the passport. For me the most important document is the Passport that we carry, it is the best proof/memory of my Camino’s.
And for instance, I really do not like to walk from Melide to Santiago, so I take a bus to Sobrado and walk into Santiago along the end of the Norte it’s fab with very few people and it is only 54km instead of the 52km from Melide. It is my Camino and does not belong to anyone else. Having said that if you like to be a stastic be my guest.