philipc67
New Member
Hello all, Philip in Athens here.
I recently finished the Camino, starting from Roncesvalles on 20 September and arriving in Santiago on 21 October (32 days). I took 3 rest days (in Burgos, León, and Sarria) and had two "cheating" stages when I took the bus from Estella to Nàjera and the train from Sahagùn to León.
First of all, I would like to thank all the Forum members for their helpful and friendly pre-departure advice.
Then, I want to thank all the good friends I made along the way: Armin, Dorle, Ilona, Dennis and his lovely dog Raki (all from Germany), Joseph from Alaska, Rosemary from N Ireland, Stephanie from the UK, Dominique from France, Peter from Zurich, Christiane and Jeannine from Quebec, Lillian and Bruce from British Columbia, Beatrice from Mallorca, and Australians Roger, Cathy and Rita from Brisbane. The companionship they offered was very precious to me.
This Camino was a unique travel experience.
Now, in my life so far (42) I have been around quite a bit. Among other things, I have trekked mountain gorillas in Rwanda, swum with tortoises in the Galapagos, escaped a hotel fire in Amman, gone up a mountain to a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan, driven across Arizona, scuba-dived in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, got sunburned in Persepolis, touched a glacier in Patagonia, seen the moon rise over the minarets of Samarkand, got stuck in the equatorial forest of the Congo, accompanied the Greek Olympic team to the Beijing Games as one of their doctors, flown supersonic on the Concorde, and crossed the length and width of India alone.
But walking 25 km a day and living out of an 8-kg backpack for 5 weeks presented a whole different bunch of challenges.
No, I did not have a spiritual “revelation” on the journey. But I have become a calmer, more patient, optimistic, resourceful person, and better organised as to what I want to do with the rest of my life. It was very important to just be alone with my thoughts and my body. I am also fitter, with considerably increased physical stamina and muscular legs!
I was moved to tears on two occasions: at the initial pilgrim blessing in Roncesvalles pre-departure and at the pilgrim mass after arrival in Santiago. I found the 12 noon mass in Santiago Cathedral, where pilgrims come together, hugging and sharing the joy of safe arrival, to be overwhelmingly emotional. When the priest said “this is the end of your Camino, now you can go home to your families and all your loved ones who miss you and have shed tears for you” we were all weeping freely. Unfortunately the Botafumeiro was not used.
I feel no guilt, being Greek Orthodox, about attending Catholic mass and partaking of Holy Communion. I believe in Christ and am sure that He knows my sins.
Shortest walk: 17km (Carriòn de los Condes to Calzadilla de la Cueza).
Longest walk: 33km (Palas de Rei to Arzùa).
Hardest climb: Herrerías to O Cebreiro (I avoided the St Jean-Roncesvalles climb).
Hardest descent: Manjarín to El Acebo (a dangerous goat track and very slippery). The Acebo to Molinaseca descent is also bad, but in a pleasant green valley. The notorious "steep" descent into Zubiri on the first day was not as bad as I expected.
Places I loved: Burgos, Frómista, Puente la Reina, Astorga, Molinaseca, O Cebreiro, Portomarín.
I will never forget the evening in O Cebreiro. After an early dinner with Bruce, Lillian, and Dennis we took a walk around the village. The wind was howling but the night sky crystal-clear and, as most of the lights were out, the star cover was astonishing, long sweeps of the Milky Way swirling above us, so beautiful!
Places I hated: Hornillos del Camino (because of the flies), Sahagùn, Triacastela.
Beautiful stretches: the climb to Alto del Perdon, the descent from San Juan de Ortega, the foggy forest paths between Sarria and Samos, the final major climb from Herrerias to O Cebreiro.
Best breakfast: Just before the descent into Molinaseca. You come down from Riego de Ambros, pass through a lovely grove of chestnut trees, and on the mountainside is this little cafe looking out onto the valley. Delicious coffee and scrambled eggs while listening to classical music.
Dangerous stretches: the 5km stretch along the highway from Triacastela to San Cristobo (no protection for walkers, trucks come screaming at you) and also a couple of similarly dangerous highway stretches between Villafranca del Bierzo and Valcarce. I took the train from Sahagùn to León so avoided the notorious highway crossing there.
By the way, the "punctuality" of RENFE trains is a joke. Our express (and more expensive) train from Sahagun to Leon was 20 minutes late. No explanation, no apology, nothing. Customer Service in Leon station was completely indifferent, their boss was, of course, away at lunch and siesta. They give an impression of incompetent laziness.
Bad stretch: the looooong, endless circumnavigation of Burgos Airport before the long schlep into the city through the industrial area. Take the No 8 bus from Castanares.
Craziest moment: being threatened with a rifle outside the Camino Real hostel in Calzadilla de la Cueza.
Happiest memory: On the way to Portomarin, I thought that I was a day behind my friends. Stopping for coffee I suddenly saw them walking up to me, one by one. We all walked together to the 100km mark and took a group photo. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day, the last day before nonstop Galician rains. We stopped for lunch in a beautiful little place in Mercadoiro with a big green garden looking out onto a valley. We had paella and beer, then lay around barefoot on the grass. Someone from the bar produced a guitar and we sang songs in various languages. A long, lazy afternoon with friends on the Camino, I will never forget it.
Weather: Rain and sticky mud during the first 2 days (Roncesvalles to Zubiri and then Pamplona) and the last 3 days (from Palas de Rei all the way to Santiago), one black rainy day in León, and a mix of sunshine and clouds for the rest of the trip. The entry into Santiago in pouring rain on the (surprisingly exhausting) last day was unforgettable, the city streets reduced to rivers of flowing mud, cars and buses splashing me with dirty water and drenching me from head to foot, I was gritting my teeth and repeating to myself, over and over again, FINISH IT, FINISH IT. It rained nonstop in Santiago from the moment I arrived to the moment I flew out 3 days later.
Monte de Gozo: I was glad to reach it but it is so unbelievably UGLY, surely they could have built a better monument and pilgrim facilities.
Arrival in Santiago: The Pilgrim Office was an anticlimax, just four bored young girls who couldn’t have cared less when I presented my precious Credencial for inspection. The “Compostela” was handed over with no interview and no fuss.
Practical tips I have learned:
You MUST break in your boots and put in some training before you leave. I trained for nearly two months, walking 10-12km on weekdays and up to 20km on weekends (with backpack).
Keep the backpack as light as possible. I started with 9kg, discarded things along the way, and reduced to under 8kg.
It is best to travel alone. You set your own pace, stop and continue as you like, spend as much or as little money you like, meet people along the way, and can be alone with your thoughts if you prefer.
"He travels fastest he who travels alone".
When you walk 25km a day you should allow yourself to enjoy eating and drinking whatever you like. I found that a stiff gin & tonic at the end of the day took the pain away.
Learn some Spanish before you go. I am fluent in Castellano and really appreciated the enhanced experience of sharing conversations and insights with local people.
You can never be too careful about foot care. Vaseline and Compeed became my best friends. I would Vaseline my feet before starting each morning, take my walking boots and socks off every 2 hours to allow them to breathe, re-Vaseline at least once during the day, wash a pair of socks (smart-wool) every day, and drink plenty of water. Only had one blister and 3 days of minor Achilles tendon pain during the whole trip! Voltaren Emulgel helps for tendonitis. Your toes bump into the front of the boot during steep descents so keep toenails clipped very short to avoid haematomas (I lost 2 toenails during a difficult New Zealand trek last year and learned my lesson).
In October it is still dark at 8am, the sun rises after 8.30, and the path lights up after 9. In the mountains the morning fog burns off at noon.
The 17km stretch from Carriòn de los Condes to Calzadilla de la Cueza is long, boring, and HOT, even in autumn, so bring TWO large water bottles.
Do NOT push yourself to exhaustion for the sake of doing a "macho" 35-40 km a day. I learned that my comfort zone was the 20km mark. I could push to 25km with no trouble if necessary but anything beyond that depleted my reserves for the next day. I walked two 30km days and one 33km day. The rest were between 22 and 27km. There is nothing easy about walking 25km a day!
For autumn journeys, a Goretex jacket AND a fleece AND a waterproof poncho AND gloves are advisable. September/October on the Meseta also mean newly tilled fields, ie manure, ie MILLIONS of flies (Hornillos del Camino was the most fly-blown place of all). They can turn a pleasant country walk into a day of misery. Bring a head net AND insect repellent. My wide, black head net frightened people, I looked like an executioner!
Do not mix Pulpo Gallego with red wine in Galicia, it can cause explosive diarrhoea.
Recommended albergues: Camino del Perdon in Uterga, San Rafael in Agès, San Bol, and El Camino in Boadilla.
Rudest albergue: San Juan de Ortega.
The wild dogs of Foncebadòn are a myth.
Recommended restaurants: La Peseta in Astorga, O Pino in Arca (you can indulge in a nice steak here before the last day).
Recommended hotels: San Antón Abad in Villafranca Montes de Oca, San Zoilo in Carrion de los Condes, Las Doñas del Portazgo in Villafranca del Bierzo (absolutely great, big comfortable beds and fluffy white pillows, my best night's sleep on the Camino, poached eggs on toast for breakfast), and Casa Benidle in Palas de Rei.
There is no shame in staying in a hotel or hostel. I value my privacy and, as I also snore, probably did other pilgrims a favor. A long soak in a hot bath after a day's walk does wonders for your leg muscles. Each travels on his own Camino in his own terms. Plus, on the "hotel days" you can get some laundry done efficiently, there is no need to stink.
If you want to splurge: the Parador San Marcos in León and, of course, the Hotel Reyes Católicos in Santiago de Compostela.
Must-sees: Estella Museum, Burgos Cathedral, Monastery of Las Huelgas (Burgos), church of St. Martin in Frómista, León Cathedral.
Recommended detours: Eunate (a MUST, the 12th century church is a jewel), Samos, Vilar de Donas (also a must, a 2.5km detour from Portos after Eirexe, a beautiful small church where the knights of Santiago are buried, the gatekeeper's name is Jesùs, make sure it is open before you go there, his phone No is +34 669 544 009, Ivar please take note).
The last detour I took was to see the Castillo de Pambre on the way to Melide. I took a taxi from Lobreiro, leaving my backpack behind and taking only my waist belt and camera. The 14th century Castillo de Pambre is just beautiful, your idea of a romantic abandoned castle. Do not attempt to walk there, it is further than you think and the route complicated. I made sure that the taxi dropped me back at Lobreiro so that I wouldn't cheat on the walk during the last days.
Obtain at least one stamp per day on the Credencial and two per day from Sarria onwards. Tick “religious reasons” when you register at the Pilgrim Office in Santiago in order to receive the “Compostela”. Otherwise you will get a secondary alternative “completion” certificate.
There is no need to buy any souvenirs or do any major shopping before the end. You will find millions of souvenir shops in Santiago with everything from jewellery to coffee mugs to bottle openers. One minor peeve was that I couldn't find an "Ultreya" T-shirt. Shops and Ivar please take note!
Finally, a BIG no-no: Do NOT take your dog on the Camino. Spanish albergues, hotels, and restaurants are unbelievably hostile to dogs. My friend Dennis from Munich brought his dog Raki along and a friendlier, lovelier animal you couldn’t imagine. They did about 20km a day so that Raki wouldn’t be too fatigued. Each day he had tremendous difficulty finding lodging where the dog would be accepted. On two occasions Raki was attacked by other dogs and we had to beat them off.
A Hungarian man I met also had his dog with him. They slept in a tent and the poor animal was always exhausted and developed paw blisters. They stopped the Camino in Ponferrada. Several of us pitched in to help buy them the bus fare back to France.
Do NOT bring a dog, think of the animal, not yourself. Please check what the law in Spain mentions re SERVICE dogs compared to "pet" dogs, Ivar any input?
So, this was my Camino. I understand the attraction it holds and why some people do it again and again, but for me, surviving it just once is enough.
I hope all the above is helpful and would welcome your input.
Take care.
Philip
I recently finished the Camino, starting from Roncesvalles on 20 September and arriving in Santiago on 21 October (32 days). I took 3 rest days (in Burgos, León, and Sarria) and had two "cheating" stages when I took the bus from Estella to Nàjera and the train from Sahagùn to León.
First of all, I would like to thank all the Forum members for their helpful and friendly pre-departure advice.
Then, I want to thank all the good friends I made along the way: Armin, Dorle, Ilona, Dennis and his lovely dog Raki (all from Germany), Joseph from Alaska, Rosemary from N Ireland, Stephanie from the UK, Dominique from France, Peter from Zurich, Christiane and Jeannine from Quebec, Lillian and Bruce from British Columbia, Beatrice from Mallorca, and Australians Roger, Cathy and Rita from Brisbane. The companionship they offered was very precious to me.
This Camino was a unique travel experience.
Now, in my life so far (42) I have been around quite a bit. Among other things, I have trekked mountain gorillas in Rwanda, swum with tortoises in the Galapagos, escaped a hotel fire in Amman, gone up a mountain to a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan, driven across Arizona, scuba-dived in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, got sunburned in Persepolis, touched a glacier in Patagonia, seen the moon rise over the minarets of Samarkand, got stuck in the equatorial forest of the Congo, accompanied the Greek Olympic team to the Beijing Games as one of their doctors, flown supersonic on the Concorde, and crossed the length and width of India alone.
But walking 25 km a day and living out of an 8-kg backpack for 5 weeks presented a whole different bunch of challenges.
No, I did not have a spiritual “revelation” on the journey. But I have become a calmer, more patient, optimistic, resourceful person, and better organised as to what I want to do with the rest of my life. It was very important to just be alone with my thoughts and my body. I am also fitter, with considerably increased physical stamina and muscular legs!
I was moved to tears on two occasions: at the initial pilgrim blessing in Roncesvalles pre-departure and at the pilgrim mass after arrival in Santiago. I found the 12 noon mass in Santiago Cathedral, where pilgrims come together, hugging and sharing the joy of safe arrival, to be overwhelmingly emotional. When the priest said “this is the end of your Camino, now you can go home to your families and all your loved ones who miss you and have shed tears for you” we were all weeping freely. Unfortunately the Botafumeiro was not used.
I feel no guilt, being Greek Orthodox, about attending Catholic mass and partaking of Holy Communion. I believe in Christ and am sure that He knows my sins.
Shortest walk: 17km (Carriòn de los Condes to Calzadilla de la Cueza).
Longest walk: 33km (Palas de Rei to Arzùa).
Hardest climb: Herrerías to O Cebreiro (I avoided the St Jean-Roncesvalles climb).
Hardest descent: Manjarín to El Acebo (a dangerous goat track and very slippery). The Acebo to Molinaseca descent is also bad, but in a pleasant green valley. The notorious "steep" descent into Zubiri on the first day was not as bad as I expected.
Places I loved: Burgos, Frómista, Puente la Reina, Astorga, Molinaseca, O Cebreiro, Portomarín.
I will never forget the evening in O Cebreiro. After an early dinner with Bruce, Lillian, and Dennis we took a walk around the village. The wind was howling but the night sky crystal-clear and, as most of the lights were out, the star cover was astonishing, long sweeps of the Milky Way swirling above us, so beautiful!
Places I hated: Hornillos del Camino (because of the flies), Sahagùn, Triacastela.
Beautiful stretches: the climb to Alto del Perdon, the descent from San Juan de Ortega, the foggy forest paths between Sarria and Samos, the final major climb from Herrerias to O Cebreiro.
Best breakfast: Just before the descent into Molinaseca. You come down from Riego de Ambros, pass through a lovely grove of chestnut trees, and on the mountainside is this little cafe looking out onto the valley. Delicious coffee and scrambled eggs while listening to classical music.
Dangerous stretches: the 5km stretch along the highway from Triacastela to San Cristobo (no protection for walkers, trucks come screaming at you) and also a couple of similarly dangerous highway stretches between Villafranca del Bierzo and Valcarce. I took the train from Sahagùn to León so avoided the notorious highway crossing there.
By the way, the "punctuality" of RENFE trains is a joke. Our express (and more expensive) train from Sahagun to Leon was 20 minutes late. No explanation, no apology, nothing. Customer Service in Leon station was completely indifferent, their boss was, of course, away at lunch and siesta. They give an impression of incompetent laziness.
Bad stretch: the looooong, endless circumnavigation of Burgos Airport before the long schlep into the city through the industrial area. Take the No 8 bus from Castanares.
Craziest moment: being threatened with a rifle outside the Camino Real hostel in Calzadilla de la Cueza.
Happiest memory: On the way to Portomarin, I thought that I was a day behind my friends. Stopping for coffee I suddenly saw them walking up to me, one by one. We all walked together to the 100km mark and took a group photo. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day, the last day before nonstop Galician rains. We stopped for lunch in a beautiful little place in Mercadoiro with a big green garden looking out onto a valley. We had paella and beer, then lay around barefoot on the grass. Someone from the bar produced a guitar and we sang songs in various languages. A long, lazy afternoon with friends on the Camino, I will never forget it.
Weather: Rain and sticky mud during the first 2 days (Roncesvalles to Zubiri and then Pamplona) and the last 3 days (from Palas de Rei all the way to Santiago), one black rainy day in León, and a mix of sunshine and clouds for the rest of the trip. The entry into Santiago in pouring rain on the (surprisingly exhausting) last day was unforgettable, the city streets reduced to rivers of flowing mud, cars and buses splashing me with dirty water and drenching me from head to foot, I was gritting my teeth and repeating to myself, over and over again, FINISH IT, FINISH IT. It rained nonstop in Santiago from the moment I arrived to the moment I flew out 3 days later.
Monte de Gozo: I was glad to reach it but it is so unbelievably UGLY, surely they could have built a better monument and pilgrim facilities.
Arrival in Santiago: The Pilgrim Office was an anticlimax, just four bored young girls who couldn’t have cared less when I presented my precious Credencial for inspection. The “Compostela” was handed over with no interview and no fuss.
Practical tips I have learned:
You MUST break in your boots and put in some training before you leave. I trained for nearly two months, walking 10-12km on weekdays and up to 20km on weekends (with backpack).
Keep the backpack as light as possible. I started with 9kg, discarded things along the way, and reduced to under 8kg.
It is best to travel alone. You set your own pace, stop and continue as you like, spend as much or as little money you like, meet people along the way, and can be alone with your thoughts if you prefer.
"He travels fastest he who travels alone".
When you walk 25km a day you should allow yourself to enjoy eating and drinking whatever you like. I found that a stiff gin & tonic at the end of the day took the pain away.
Learn some Spanish before you go. I am fluent in Castellano and really appreciated the enhanced experience of sharing conversations and insights with local people.
You can never be too careful about foot care. Vaseline and Compeed became my best friends. I would Vaseline my feet before starting each morning, take my walking boots and socks off every 2 hours to allow them to breathe, re-Vaseline at least once during the day, wash a pair of socks (smart-wool) every day, and drink plenty of water. Only had one blister and 3 days of minor Achilles tendon pain during the whole trip! Voltaren Emulgel helps for tendonitis. Your toes bump into the front of the boot during steep descents so keep toenails clipped very short to avoid haematomas (I lost 2 toenails during a difficult New Zealand trek last year and learned my lesson).
In October it is still dark at 8am, the sun rises after 8.30, and the path lights up after 9. In the mountains the morning fog burns off at noon.
The 17km stretch from Carriòn de los Condes to Calzadilla de la Cueza is long, boring, and HOT, even in autumn, so bring TWO large water bottles.
Do NOT push yourself to exhaustion for the sake of doing a "macho" 35-40 km a day. I learned that my comfort zone was the 20km mark. I could push to 25km with no trouble if necessary but anything beyond that depleted my reserves for the next day. I walked two 30km days and one 33km day. The rest were between 22 and 27km. There is nothing easy about walking 25km a day!
For autumn journeys, a Goretex jacket AND a fleece AND a waterproof poncho AND gloves are advisable. September/October on the Meseta also mean newly tilled fields, ie manure, ie MILLIONS of flies (Hornillos del Camino was the most fly-blown place of all). They can turn a pleasant country walk into a day of misery. Bring a head net AND insect repellent. My wide, black head net frightened people, I looked like an executioner!
Do not mix Pulpo Gallego with red wine in Galicia, it can cause explosive diarrhoea.
Recommended albergues: Camino del Perdon in Uterga, San Rafael in Agès, San Bol, and El Camino in Boadilla.
Rudest albergue: San Juan de Ortega.
The wild dogs of Foncebadòn are a myth.
Recommended restaurants: La Peseta in Astorga, O Pino in Arca (you can indulge in a nice steak here before the last day).
Recommended hotels: San Antón Abad in Villafranca Montes de Oca, San Zoilo in Carrion de los Condes, Las Doñas del Portazgo in Villafranca del Bierzo (absolutely great, big comfortable beds and fluffy white pillows, my best night's sleep on the Camino, poached eggs on toast for breakfast), and Casa Benidle in Palas de Rei.
There is no shame in staying in a hotel or hostel. I value my privacy and, as I also snore, probably did other pilgrims a favor. A long soak in a hot bath after a day's walk does wonders for your leg muscles. Each travels on his own Camino in his own terms. Plus, on the "hotel days" you can get some laundry done efficiently, there is no need to stink.
If you want to splurge: the Parador San Marcos in León and, of course, the Hotel Reyes Católicos in Santiago de Compostela.
Must-sees: Estella Museum, Burgos Cathedral, Monastery of Las Huelgas (Burgos), church of St. Martin in Frómista, León Cathedral.
Recommended detours: Eunate (a MUST, the 12th century church is a jewel), Samos, Vilar de Donas (also a must, a 2.5km detour from Portos after Eirexe, a beautiful small church where the knights of Santiago are buried, the gatekeeper's name is Jesùs, make sure it is open before you go there, his phone No is +34 669 544 009, Ivar please take note).
The last detour I took was to see the Castillo de Pambre on the way to Melide. I took a taxi from Lobreiro, leaving my backpack behind and taking only my waist belt and camera. The 14th century Castillo de Pambre is just beautiful, your idea of a romantic abandoned castle. Do not attempt to walk there, it is further than you think and the route complicated. I made sure that the taxi dropped me back at Lobreiro so that I wouldn't cheat on the walk during the last days.
Obtain at least one stamp per day on the Credencial and two per day from Sarria onwards. Tick “religious reasons” when you register at the Pilgrim Office in Santiago in order to receive the “Compostela”. Otherwise you will get a secondary alternative “completion” certificate.
There is no need to buy any souvenirs or do any major shopping before the end. You will find millions of souvenir shops in Santiago with everything from jewellery to coffee mugs to bottle openers. One minor peeve was that I couldn't find an "Ultreya" T-shirt. Shops and Ivar please take note!
Finally, a BIG no-no: Do NOT take your dog on the Camino. Spanish albergues, hotels, and restaurants are unbelievably hostile to dogs. My friend Dennis from Munich brought his dog Raki along and a friendlier, lovelier animal you couldn’t imagine. They did about 20km a day so that Raki wouldn’t be too fatigued. Each day he had tremendous difficulty finding lodging where the dog would be accepted. On two occasions Raki was attacked by other dogs and we had to beat them off.
A Hungarian man I met also had his dog with him. They slept in a tent and the poor animal was always exhausted and developed paw blisters. They stopped the Camino in Ponferrada. Several of us pitched in to help buy them the bus fare back to France.
Do NOT bring a dog, think of the animal, not yourself. Please check what the law in Spain mentions re SERVICE dogs compared to "pet" dogs, Ivar any input?
So, this was my Camino. I understand the attraction it holds and why some people do it again and again, but for me, surviving it just once is enough.
I hope all the above is helpful and would welcome your input.
Take care.
Philip
