Camino Frances last year

[lynnejohn]

Hi - we walked last year from Pied de Port to Santiago with wonderful friends we met along the way. We are now planning to walk the Via de la Plata in 2007. Our spiritual link to the Camino is stronger than ever and we want to walk as many routes as we can.

Has anyone done both the Francais and the Via de la Plata routes? How did you find the differences between them? Is there anything we should know before starting out?

All helpful hints are welcome!

 

[Markus]

I walked last year in october the same way as you and at the last days of the way I decidet to go this year the VdlP. Im planing during the last weeks the trip with an guide and i find until now when I read this and I read the discussons here, that are not so much people going this way. During the reading I mean that the VdlP look like the Northern Highway 15 years ago. So I started in september ( I think between 20 and 25) the VdlP until end of october and see whats going on there.
But I know that the people on the way are one of the reasons that make the camino to the way and everyone who goes the way find some spiritual part on it. All the people that i meet and when they goes the long distance become another feeling for the life.
And one time on the camino normaly your hole life you be on the way.
So I hope I can write in november what happend with me there.
Markus

 

[William Marques]

Has anyone done both the Francais and the Via de la Plata routes? How did you find the differences between them? Is there anything we should know before starting out?

Our experience of the VdlP is a 4-6 years old and I am told it is more popular now but the big difference then was people. The absence of pilgrims (we saw two on the whole journey) on the VdlP made that journey a quiet solitary one compared to the more lively CF. The distances especially in the Southern part can be longer with little or nothing in the way of villages between stops. Mid summer in the South is extremely hot and it is foolish to do that section in July/August. There are a number of outstanding towns on the VdlP Seville, Merida, Caceres and Salamanca come to mind, leave enough time to see them.

William