Finisterre Saved Our Camino

[templarsoul]

Our family got back late Thursday from our first Camino (Frances). Together, we walked from SJPP to Finisterre. I obsessively planned for about 2 1/2 years for this family adventure. It was difficult, but the experience of a lifetime. We met many amazing, kind people from around the world. Although we often didn't speak a word of each other's language, we still found ways to bond. First, by sharing universal smiles. Next, by laughing at switching from "Buen Camino" to "Otra vez" after passing each other constantly over days. And, of course, bonding through shared meals, and the many opportunities to offer and accept acts of kindness. Our son, Cailean, really made us proud when he gave his trekking pole to a pilgrim from Barcelona. We knew the pilgrim was suffering from terrible tendonitis. Sitting at a bar we exchanged hellos and he was hobbling by and told us that he would probably have to finish his Camino another year. His pain was just too much. Cailean ran after him and convinced him to accept the pole and that it might help him walk. These "experiences" were what made the Camino so special for my family and I. Unfortunately, the last 100 km almost ruined everything.

We'd been warned about the hordes of "perenino" school kids and other pilgrims who'd hiked ahead messaged us about seeing adult groups who didn't even bother with the tiny daypacks, but simply brought luggage to send ahead each day. Everyone has a right to do their Camino in their way and these new groups alone weren't what bothered us. Soon, however, we couldn't ignore the shocking amounts of trail garbage, and grafitti. Still, the very worse part was the very tone of the Camino, as a whole, that did a 180 for us; quickly eating away at the Camino we'd known up to that point. Of the many stories I heard from other pilgrims, I'll share just one. It was told to me by a young lady from Germany who had issues with her knee popping out of its socket. It had happened earlier on the Camino, around Pamplona, and many came to her aid. She was quite moved by all the sincere kindness from complete strangers. However, just outside of Arca it happened again, but her experience was quite different. She was in such pain that she openly wept. Of the dozens of people who went by, none did any more than give her curious looks. In fact, when she first fell, a girl from one of the school groups stepped on her hand and looked back without a single word.

These kinds of experiences, couple with trash, graffitti and endless crowds of recent pilgrims left my family feeling quite dejected. We entered SDC admitting that it was very anti-climactic. We looked forward to touching the pillar in the Portico of Glory, only to find that this is not longer accessible to anyone (and NOT just during restoration of the cathedral). Then, with my wife and daughter barely able to stand from bleeding blistered feet, we couldn't sit for the noon pilgrim's mass. It was two days before St. Jame's Day and the cathedral was packed. No one enforced the clearly labeled pew signs that were meant to reserve seats for pilgrims with credentials and we saw no one even closely resembling pilgrims in any of the reserved seats (any very few in the cathedral at all). The next morning, we got to the pilgrim's office first thing, got our Compostellas and got out of SDC. Luckily, things changed almost immediately: very few pilgrims, almost no trail trash or graffitti.

We spent the next four days occasionally bumping into pilgrims we knew and embracing that original feeling of the Camino we'd come to love. The first glimpse of sea and the town of Cee were remarkable. We were emotional as we sat silently with fellow pilgrims, perched precariously along the cliff at the lighthouse, and watched the sun set. As we began our walk back down to the town of Fisterra, my family and all others agreed how happy we were to continue on from SDC. Our Caminos had ended after an amazing four final days that saved our Camino experiences from the tainted memory of the last 100km.

*Having done the Frances with my family, I'm excited to do a solo Camino in two years. My goal is the Northern Route,
...but will not include the last 100 km.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I am so sorry to hear about your experience in the last 100 km but glad things got better after you left Santiago to the point ypu want to walk another route. And Kuddos to your son who clearly learned more on his camino that those walking the last 100k.

I am one of those who believe that this business of the last 100km will end up hurting the overall camino when it comes to the experience, spirituality and eventually economics. When more people refuse to walk into Santiago with the circus perhaps some people will pay attention

When I met up with the circus this Jne my first reactionwas to bolt and hide, then I dug into my Buddhist meditation training and tried to see it for what it is and not add sentiments on it. But the thruth is that it is a disaster and I can not blame the locals for painting graffiti saying they do not want tourigrinos, nor their money.

Enjoy planning your Camino del Norte, it will be a different experience, but a beautiful one.

 

[trevorcc]

I have now walked twice, yes the crowds are there along with rubbish but I must say that I have found nothing but friendly people on both trips the first I spent 8 days in the Santiago hospital but that was just as pleasent and I made friends as well. As for the pillar it has not been open for years (it was only opened for the movie). If crowds bother you just walk one of the quiter ways the Northern is also getting busy. I am walking the Catalan way which only had 95 pilgrims in 2014 so that should give you the peace and quite, but when it joins with the CF I will just go with the flow walk to diffrent stages and smile a lot, the last 100 is always crowded but if you look u will find beauty.
PS I loved Finisterre.
Beun Camino and have no expectations that way you will not be disappointed

 

[Robo]

It's sad that you felt 'let down' in the last 100 kms. But I can understand your emotions.

It was something I too worried about prior to my Camino and during. Like you I walked from St Jean, and I was deeply worried that my Camino would change for the worst in the last 100 kms. The first couple of weeks in particular were all that I had hoped for, and I didn't want it to be 'spoiled' by sharing the path with a bunch of Tourists!

The advice I gained on this Forum prior to my departure served me well. Very well. Basically that the last 100 kms is quite different.
And that I needed to accept it and maybe treat it as a different type of Camino, or maybe another phase.

The shock of so many Pilgrims on the road, who seemed to be on a weekend hike or a School trip was considerable.
Day packs, support vehicles, the noise, the disrespect (noise and chatter) in houses of worship.

But I was ready for it.

And whilst it was in no way comparable to my journey up to that point, it was what it was.
Each day I sought out and found, something good and more valuable lessons on this final stage of my journey.

I pondered and debated with myself all through the final 100 kms. (I won't bore you with all that here, but it's on my Blog)

The conclusion I came to was this, we all walk the Camino in our own way.
There are no rules about how far we have to walk, other than the 100 kms to get a Compostella.
There are no rules about how much we carry or how much we are to suffer.

When I felt myself somehow feeling superior, I talked to some of the 'day trippers'.......and heard some amazing stories.


Next year I'm actually only going to walk the final 100 kms!
My wife wants to walk the Camino and get her Compostella.
She is not physically strong enough to walk further. And she'll get her pack transported each day. I'll carry both our gear for the day.

This will be her Camino, walked her way. And it will be no less valuable and no less an emotional and spiritual journey for her, than it was for me walking 800 kms. I'll be there to make sure of that. To see that we take our time and savour every moment and every experience that we can.

I'm so glad walking to Finisterre helped you finish in a more satisfying way. I too felt that SDC wasn't really the end for me.
My Camino actually finished way back before Leon; in an emotional and spiritual sense (in a good way).

As my feet and legs were a bit screwed up, as well as running out of time, I couldn't walk on from SDC. But I took a day trip to Muxia by Bus.

That was the ending to my Camino that I sought and needed. No crowds, no noise. Sitting by the Ocean in prayer and contemplation.... It just felt so right.........

 

[Ann O]

It's sad that you felt 'let down' in the last 100 kms. But I can understand your emotions.

It was something I too worried about prior to my Camino and during. Like you I walked from St Jean, and I was deeply worried that my Camino would change for the worst in the last 100 kms. The first couple of weeks in particular were all that I had hoped for, and I didn't want it to be 'spoiled' by sharing the path with a bunch of Tourists!

The advice I gained on this Forum prior to my departure served me well. Very well. Basically that the last 100 kms is quite different.
And that I needed to accept it and maybe treat it as a different type of Camino, or maybe another phase.

The shock of so many Pilgrims on the road, who seemed to be on a weekend hike or a School trip was considerable.
Day packs, support vehicles, the noise, the disrespect (noise and chatter) in houses of worship.

But I was ready for it.

And whilst it was in no way comparable to my journey up to that point, it was what it was.
Each day I sought out and found, something good and more valuable lessons on this final stage of my journey.

I pondered and debated with myself all through the final 100 kms. (I won't bore you with all that here, but it's on my Blog)

The conclusion I came to was this, we all walk the Camino in our own way.
There are no rules about how far we have to walk, other than the 100 kms to get a Compostella.
There are no rules about how much we carry or how much we are to suffer.

When I felt myself somehow feeling superior, I talked to some of the 'day trippers'.......and heard some amazing stories.


Next year I'm actually only going to walk the final 100 kms!
My wife wants to walk the Camino and get her Compostella.
She is not physically strong enough to walk further. And she'll get her pack transported each day. I'll carry both our gear for the day.

This will be her Camino, walked her way. And it will be no less valuable and no less an emotional and spiritual journey for her, than it was for me walking 800 kms. I'll be there to make sure of that. To see that we take our time and savour every moment and every experience that we can.

I'm so glad walking to Finisterre helped you finish in a more satisfying way. I too felt that SDC wasn't really the end for me.
My Camino actually finished way back before Leon; in an emotional and spiritual sense (in a good way).

As my feet and legs were a bit screwed up, as well as running out of time, I couldn't walk on from SDC. But I took a day trip to Muxia by Bus.

That was the ending to my Camino that I sought and needed. No crowds, no noise. Sitting by the Ocean in prayer and contemplation.... It just felt so right.........

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate what you have said about doing the 100 km with your wife next year. Everyone is on their own spiritual journey, distance and endurance are not what makes it, it's prior preparation , knowing what your on the journey for and being prepared for it to be something completely different. I only have 10 days 8 for travel and on reading different websites and forums which have made me aware of how busy it will be in August and how popular the last 100 km are I have decided on doing Santiago, Finisterre, Muxia. As I've never done anything like this before and will be traveling alone I'm very grateful for this site and all the posts which are very informative. A novice with a lot to learn

 

[KentuckyJay]

Our family got back late Thursday from our first Camino (Frances). Together, we walked from SJPP to Finisterre. I obsessively planned for about 2 1/2 years for this family adventure. It was difficult, but the experience of a lifetime. We met many amazing, kind people from around the world. Although we often didn't speak a word of each other's language, we still found ways to bond. First, by sharing universal smiles. Next, by laughing at switching from "Buen Camino" to "Otra vez" after passing each other constantly over days. And, of course, bonding through shared meals, and the many opportunities to offer and accept acts of kindness. Our son, Cailean, really made us proud when he gave his trekking pole to a pilgrim from Barcelona. We knew the pilgrim was suffering from terrible tendonitis. Sitting at a bar we exchanged hellos and he was hobbling by and told us that he would probably have to finish his Camino another year. His pain was just too much. Cailean ran after him and convinced him to accept the pole and that it might help him walk. These "experiences" were what made the Camino so special for my family and I. Unfortunately, the last 100 km almost ruined everything.

We'd been warned about the hordes of "perenino" school kids and other pilgrims who'd hiked ahead messaged us about seeing adult groups who didn't even bother with the tiny daypacks, but simply brought luggage to send ahead each day. Everyone has a right to do their Camino in their way and these new groups alone weren't what bothered us. Soon, however, we couldn't ignore the shocking amounts of trail garbage, and grafitti. Still, the very worse part was the very tone of the Camino, as a whole, that did a 180 for us; quickly eating away at the Camino we'd known up to that point. Of the many stories I heard from other pilgrims, I'll share just one. It was told to me by a young lady from Germany who had issues with her knee popping out of its socket. It had happened earlier on the Camino, around Pamplona, and many came to her aid. She was quite moved by all the sincere kindness from complete strangers. However, just outside of Arca it happened again, but her experience was quite different. She was in such pain that she openly wept. Of the dozens of people who went by, none did any more than give her curious looks. In fact, when she first fell, a girl from one of the school groups stepped on her hand and looked back without a single word.

These kinds of experiences, couple with trash, graffitti and endless crowds of recent pilgrims left my family feeling quite dejected. We entered SDC admitting that it was very anti-climactic. We looked forward to touching the pillar in the Portico of Glory, only to find that this is not longer accessible to anyone (and NOT just during restoration of the cathedral). Then, with my wife and daughter barely able to stand from bleeding blistered feet, we couldn't sit for the noon pilgrim's mass. It was two days before St. Jame's Day and the cathedral was packed. No one enforced the clearly labeled pew signs that were meant to reserve seats for pilgrims with credentials and we saw no one even closely resembling pilgrims in any of the reserved seats (any very few in the cathedral at all). The next morning, we got to the pilgrim's office first thing, got our Compostellas and got out of SDC. Luckily, things changed almost immediately: very few pilgrims, almost no trail trash or graffitti.

We spent the next four days occasionally bumping into pilgrims we knew and embracing that original feeling of the Camino we'd come to love. The first glimpse of sea and the town of Cee were remarkable. We were emotional as we sat silently with fellow pilgrims, perched precariously along the cliff at the lighthouse, and watched the sun set. As we began our walk back down to the town of Fisterra, my family and all others agreed how happy we were to continue on from SDC. Our Caminos had ended after an amazing four final days that saved our Camino experiences from the tainted memory of the last 100km.

*Having done the Frances with my family, I'm excited to do a solo Camino in two years. My goal is the Northern Route,
...but will not include the last 100 km.

I have no idea whether your personal situation will allow you to do your next Camino in May, but if it does, you might reconsider your plan to avoid the last 100k on your next Camino. I hiked from Leon to Santiago in May of 2014 and experienced none of the conditions you described. In fact, Sarria to Santiago was just as enjoyable as the rest of my Camino. I plan to do Porto to Santiago and then on to Finesterre next May.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have found that I return from the Camino pretty much with what I took with me. It all was there, just maybe in the background. Congratulations on finding joy somewhere along the way.

 

[Bozzie]

I thought I was ready for the loud, excited, new pilgrims who entered at Sarria. I'd been warned. At first I was cranky and intolerant because I'd started in SJPP and had a lot of time to find my rhythm and appreciated the lovely solace I'd grown to love. At first I thought maybe I'd stare them into a more contemplative state, but soon found that didn't work at all! I didn't want to be a wet blanket or worse, ruin my own day being irritated. So I started letting those go around me...those who were loud and "didn't get why I was there" and walking 4or 5 across the path. I'd stop, smile and say "Buen Camino" to them, wait a minute and then move on. And honestly, the first few hours I was clenching my teeth and faking it! But after a while, I began to just let it go. I examined my own beginning at SJPP to remember if I'd been "that pilgrim" and if I was being judgmental. I knew I had to change my feelings or I'd unravel everything I'd gained in the weeks before. I began listening to their stories, continued stopping and letting them pass, still blessing them with a Buen Camino. I learned something really important from that stretch of my Camino. Little did I know that it prepared me for returning back home to Dallas - the honking horns, people being inconsiderate, angry people (me, for a bit), people scurrying about being busy and people who never stop to smell a flower or to say a kind word to their fellow "pilgrim!" Yep! It was a good lesson that I came to be grateful for in the end.
I'm glad you were able to finish your time on the Camino in a positive vein. It would have been a shame not to.
Buen Camino, Pilgrim!

 

[JohnMcM]

..........................Next year I'm actually only going to walk the final 100 kms!
My wife wants to walk the Camino and get her Compostella.
She is not physically strong enough to walk further. And she'll get her pack transported each day. I'll carry both our gear for the day.

This will be her Camino, walked her way. And it will be no less valuable and no less an emotional and spiritual journey for her, than it was for me walking 800 kms. I'll be there to make sure of that. To see that we take our time and savour every moment and every experience that we can

It just felt so right.........

............... and Rob after reading your blog, it feels just so right that you will return and walk with Maybelle as she walks 'her' Camino.

Buen Camino

 

[zzotte]

Templarsoul, I'm sorry about your bad experience in SDC, I felt the same way, it was so bad at the cathedral that I almost got into a fight with a tourist, no respect for other people's church. Idiots, mess is going on and people talking loud, taking pictures right in front of the priest face no respect, and the "guards" dumb asses don't do anything about it, so what I do now is go pay my respects late at night and attend mass in the outside of town and then hot tail out of there it's a shame really.

Zzotte

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Our family got back late Thursday from our first Camino (Frances). Together, we walked from SJPP to Finisterre. I obsessively planned for about 2 1/2 years for this family adventure. It was difficult, but the experience of a lifetime. We met many amazing, kind people from around the world. Although we often didn't speak a word of each other's language, we still found ways to bond. First, by sharing universal smiles. Next, by laughing at switching from "Buen Camino" to "Otra vez" after passing each other constantly over days. And, of course, bonding through shared meals, and the many opportunities to offer and accept acts of kindness. Our son, Cailean, really made us proud when he gave his trekking pole to a pilgrim from Barcelona. We knew the pilgrim was suffering from terrible tendonitis. Sitting at a bar we exchanged hellos and he was hobbling by and told us that he would probably have to finish his Camino another year. His pain was just too much. Cailean ran after him and convinced him to accept the pole and that it might help him walk. These "experiences" were what made the Camino so special for my family and I. Unfortunately, the last 100 km almost ruined everything.

We'd been warned about the hordes of "perenino" school kids and other pilgrims who'd hiked ahead messaged us about seeing adult groups who didn't even bother with the tiny daypacks, but simply brought luggage to send ahead each day. Everyone has a right to do their Camino in their way and these new groups alone weren't what bothered us. Soon, however, we couldn't ignore the shocking amounts of trail garbage, and grafitti. Still, the very worse part was the very tone of the Camino, as a whole, that did a 180 for us; quickly eating away at the Camino we'd known up to that point. Of the many stories I heard from other pilgrims, I'll share just one. It was told to me by a young lady from Germany who had issues with her knee popping out of its socket. It had happened earlier on the Camino, around Pamplona, and many came to her aid. She was quite moved by all the sincere kindness from complete strangers. However, just outside of Arca it happened again, but her experience was quite different. She was in such pain that she openly wept. Of the dozens of people who went by, none did any more than give her curious looks. In fact, when she first fell, a girl from one of the school groups stepped on her hand and looked back without a single word.

These kinds of experiences, couple with trash, graffitti and endless crowds of recent pilgrims left my family feeling quite dejected. We entered SDC admitting that it was very anti-climactic. We looked forward to touching the pillar in the Portico of Glory, only to find that this is not longer accessible to anyone (and NOT just during restoration of the cathedral). Then, with my wife and daughter barely able to stand from bleeding blistered feet, we couldn't sit for the noon pilgrim's mass. It was two days before St. Jame's Day and the cathedral was packed. No one enforced the clearly labeled pew signs that were meant to reserve seats for pilgrims with credentials and we saw no one even closely resembling pilgrims in any of the reserved seats (any very few in the cathedral at all). The next morning, we got to the pilgrim's office first thing, got our Compostellas and got out of SDC. Luckily, things changed almost immediately: very few pilgrims, almost no trail trash or graffitti.

We spent the next four days occasionally bumping into pilgrims we knew and embracing that original feeling of the Camino we'd come to love. The first glimpse of sea and the town of Cee were remarkable. We were emotional as we sat silently with fellow pilgrims, perched precariously along the cliff at the lighthouse, and watched the sun set. As we began our walk back down to the town of Fisterra, my family and all others agreed how happy we were to continue on from SDC. Our Caminos had ended after an amazing four final days that saved our Camino experiences from the tainted memory of the last 100km.

*Having done the Frances with my family, I'm excited to do a solo Camino in two years. My goal is the Northern Route,
...but will not include the last 100 km.

Hello, sorry to hear that the experience of the last 100km was so bad. My wife started her Camino in 2013, because she got very sick just before Sarria we walked together from Sarria to Finistere in 2014 so she could finish here Camino Frances. We did this in May and we didn't had any problems what so ever. Mabe we meet in 2017 on the Nort Route that I will do alone. Wish you well , Peter.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Over 60% of the Pilgrims in July were Spanish. They probably were having the time of their life, and wondering who all the uptight outsiders were (uninvited guests disrespecting the host?)! Their perception may have been quite different from a disgruntled foreign pilgrim's.

 

[Robo]

............... and Rob after reading your blog, it feels just so right that you will return and walk with Maybelle as she walks 'her' Camino.

Buen Camino

If I walk with Maybelle, my wife Pat might be upset

Maybelle (who works with me) assisted me with editing my videos and adding my Blog posts

 

[templarsoul]

I am so sorry to hear about your experience in the last 100 km but glad things got better after you left Santiago to the point ypu want to walk another route. And Kuddos to your son who clearly learned more on his camino that those walking the last 100k.

I am one of those who believe that this business of the last 100km will end up hurting the overall camino when it comes to the experience, spirituality and eventually economics. When more people refuse to walk into Santiago with the circus perhaps some people will pay attention

When I met up with the circus this Jne my first reactionwas to bolt and hide, then I dug into my Buddhist meditation training and tried to see it for what it is and not add sentiments on it. But the thruth is that it is a disaster and I can not blame the locals for painting graffiti saying they do not want tourigrinos, nor their money.

Enjoy planning your Camino del Norte, it will be a different experience, but a beautiful one.

"When more people refuse to walk into Santiago with the circus perhaps some people will pay attention"
I, and many other pilgrims I met, completely agree with you. A German pilgrim we befriended was making his fourth, and final, Camino. He was very disheartened by the carnival atmosphere of the last 100 km and said it has grown worse with each Camino he'd done. Unless things changed, he felt the Camino had about 20 years and by that point he felt most people would lose interest and maybe then things will change.

 

[templarsoul]

It's sad that you felt 'let down' in the last 100 kms. But I can understand your emotions.

It was something I too worried about prior to my Camino and during. Like you I walked from St Jean, and I was deeply worried that my Camino would change for the worst in the last 100 kms. The first couple of weeks in particular were all that I had hoped for, and I didn't want it to be 'spoiled' by sharing the path with a bunch of Tourists!

The advice I gained on this Forum prior to my departure served me well. Very well. Basically that the last 100 kms is quite different.
And that I needed to accept it and maybe treat it as a different type of Camino, or maybe another phase.

The shock of so many Pilgrims on the road, who seemed to be on a weekend hike or a School trip was considerable.
Day packs, support vehicles, the noise, the disrespect (noise and chatter) in houses of worship.

But I was ready for it.

And whilst it was in no way comparable to my journey up to that point, it was what it was.
Each day I sought out and found, something good and more valuable lessons on this final stage of my journey.

I pondered and debated with myself all through the final 100 kms. (I won't bore you with all that here, but it's on my Blog)

The conclusion I came to was this, we all walk the Camino in our own way.
There are no rules about how far we have to walk, other than the 100 kms to get a Compostella.
There are no rules about how much we carry or how much we are to suffer.

When I felt myself somehow feeling superior, I talked to some of the 'day trippers'.......and heard some amazing stories.


Next year I'm actually only going to walk the final 100 kms!
My wife wants to walk the Camino and get her Compostella.
She is not physically strong enough to walk further. And she'll get her pack transported each day. I'll carry both our gear for the day.

This will be her Camino, walked her way. And it will be no less valuable and no less an emotional and spiritual journey for her, than it was for me walking 800 kms. I'll be there to make sure of that. To see that we take our time and savour every moment and every experience that we can.

I'm so glad walking to Finisterre helped you finish in a more satisfying way. I too felt that SDC wasn't really the end for me.
My Camino actually finished way back before Leon; in an emotional and spiritual sense (in a good way).

As my feet and legs were a bit screwed up, as well as running out of time, I couldn't walk on from SDC. But I took a day trip to Muxia by Bus.

That was the ending to my Camino that I sought and needed. No crowds, no noise. Sitting by the Ocean in prayer and contemplation.... It just felt so right.........

I wish you all the best on your, and your wife's, next Camino and pray it goes well for you!

 

[Robo]

I wish you all the best on your, and your wife's, next Camino and pray it goes well for you!

Many thanks. But who knows who is really in Control our Camino We will make the best of whatever comes up

 

[templarsoul]

Hello, sorry to hear that the experience of the last 100km was so bad. My wife started her Camino in 2013, because she got very sick just before Sarria we walked together from Sarria to Finistere in 2014 so she could finish here Camino Frances. We did this in May and we didn't had any problems what so ever. Mabe we meet in 2017 on the Nort Route that I will do alone. Wish you well , Peter.

Timing may have played a major factor. We did the last 100 km right before St. Jame's Day (July 25th), and that certainly added to the angst. We passed back through SDC on our way to the airport and home about a week later. In the Plaza Obradoiro, in front of the cathedral, the scaffolding of the performance stages were being taken down and there were only a handful of Guardia Civil toting machine guns. Far fewer people, no street performers and we were actually able to attend the noon pilgrim mass. And yes, I do hope we meet on the Northern Route in two years! Look for the crazy American with a penchant for flowers in his hat!

 

[Robo]

"When more people refuse to walk into Santiago with the circus perhaps some people will pay attention"
I, and many other pilgrims I met, completely agree with you. A German pilgrim we befriended was making his fourth, and final, Camino. He was very disheartened by the carnival atmosphere of the last 100 km and said it has grown worse with each Camino he'd done. Unless things changed, he felt the Camino had about 20 years and by that point he felt most people would lose interest and maybe then things will change.

I think we'll have to wait a long time for anything to change..........if ever.

Whilst I'll walk my next Camino with my wife from Sarria, if I ever do it again alone after that, I think I'll pick a different route for the final 100 kms

 

[Robo]

Timing may have played a major factor. We did the last 100 km right before St. Jame's Day (July 25th), and that certainly added to the angst.

This may be a key factor. I'm sure the 'experts' will have a view.

I walked the 'last 100' this year 30 May to 6 June. So time of year is certainly a factor. Whilst it was crowded it wasn't as bad as some have described. I tended to start later, and walk slower. That may have helped me stay behind the 'waves'.

 

[JohnMcM]

If I walk with Maybelle, my wife Pat might be upset

Maybelle (who works with me) assisted me with editing my videos and adding my Blog posts

Ooooops. Wrong name, correct sentiment.
Buen Camino

 

[peregrina2000]

I know I've posted several "pilgrims from Sarria" stories in the past, but I think of them when the topic of the rowdy boisterous pilgrims from Sarria who just don't get it comes up. I volunteered for two weeks in the pilgrims office in May of last year and was so lucky to get to write compostelas for arriving pilgrims. On a Sunday, we heard a loud group of young people out in the courtyard waiting for their compostelas and braced ourselves for the onslaught. More than a few grumbles from the staff, probably including me. Then in they came a few at a time, about 30 total, all wearing a shirt that said "Te queremos, Juanito". Their friend Juanito had died suddenly a year ago and they had walked from Sarria with Juanito's parents in memory of their friend, arriving on the anniversary of his death. They were happy, sad, loud, quiet, grieving, celebrating, and probably were slight irritants to more than a few along the way with their youthful exuberance. But that story and a few others hopefully have cured me of that almost inevitable irritation that arises when we feel like "our camino" has been "invaded." Buen camino, Laurie

 

[annakappa]

I know I've posted several "pilgrims from Sarria" stories in the past, but I think of them when the topic of the rowdy boisterous pilgrims from Sarria who just don't get it comes up. I volunteered for two weeks in the pilgrims office in May of last year and was so lucky to get to write compostelas for arriving pilgrims. On a Sunday, we heard a loud group of young people out in the courtyard waiting for their compostelas and braced ourselves for the onslaught. More than a few grumbles from the staff, probably including me. Then in they came a few at a time, about 30 total, all wearing a shirt that said "Te queremos, Juanito". Their friend Juanito had died suddenly a year ago and they had walked from Sarria with Juanito's parents in memory of their friend, arriving on the anniversary of his death. They were happy, sad, loud, quiet, grieving, celebrating, and probably were slight irritants to more than a few along the way with their youthful exuberance. But that story and a few others hopefully have cured me of that almost inevitable irritation that arises when we feel like "our camino" has been "invaded." Buen camino, Laurie

Multiple " like", Laurie
NEVER, NEVER should we assume when we don't know the circumstances!

 

[Sue M]

I have had a very varied experience of the Camino. First of all I walked 180 miles from St. Jean to Burgos in October, with four people I didn't know but found on the Internet. We carried everything and stayed in albergues and by the time I got to Burgos I could hardly walk. The following June I walked from Leon to Santiago with Ramblers, leaving out the industrial bits, staying in Hotels and having my main luggage carried, then in September I walked with HF holidays from Sarria to Santiago, every step of the way, staying in hotels with my main luggage carried, and collapsing from heat exhaustion at Portomarin. The following June I walked in France from Le Put en Velay to Conques with Ramblers, staying in hotels and having my main luggage carried. Then I took my husband, who has arthritis so can't walk far, on a Saga trip by coach from St. Jean to Santiago, which was disappointing especially when his camera was stolen and we spent a lot of time in Santiago's two police stations. Then this June I led a group pilgrimage with McCabe travel, taking 20 people, some very elderly (eg an 88 year old man who had had a stroke and his 85 year old wife with cancer) by coach from St. Jean to Santiago and on to Finisterre, some of us walking 5K here and there. We took a bishop friend with us. I now feel I know a lot about the Camino and I must say that, however you do it, it remains a wonderful thing to do!

 

[IngridF]

There are alternatives to walking the last 100. Timing also has much to do with it. You arrive at any time on a weekend, Santiago is overflowing. Arriving on a weekend they celebrate St James day is one huge fun and noisy Fiesta. This is like that all the time. This too should be included in any planning.

I too am dismayed by the trash along the CF... but that does not change with the season...it us not a Spanish problem, rather the insensitivity and poor manners of many pilgrims on the C. Frances. None would do that in their own country..what makes it OK on the CF?

Having completed portions of the C. Portuguese and just now the Sanabres. ...there is no litter. And believe me there is not the convenience of a bar every 10 kms where one can drop said garbage in a bin and use the toilet.

Just my humble opinion. Ingrid

 

[nellpilgrim]

Though I admit to getting a bit freaked out by the increase of pilgrim numbers from Sarria onwards in 2009 nowadays I kinda like 'them'-all of those bouncy newbies with brand new gear, full of excitement and expectations and smelling clean and fresh. I guess it's because they remind me of someone I once knew……….me way back in 2008 on the start of my first long distance pilgrimage. I love the solitude of my current routes but also really look forward to rejoining 'the madding crowd' -I can always break away on to less traveled routes if I need to-but I don't think it'll come to that.

 

[wayfarer]

Though I admit to getting a bit freaked out by the increase of pilgrim numbers from Sarria onwards in 2009 nowadays I kinda like 'them'-all of those bouncy newbies with brand new gear, full of excitement and expectations and smelling clean and fresh. I guess it's because they remind me of someone I once knew……….me way back in 2008 on the start of my first long distance pilgrimage. I love the solitude of my current routes but also really look forward to rejoining 'the madding crowd' -I can always break away on to less traveled routes if I need to-but I don't think it'll comet to that.

I loved the Sarria to Santiago section, it was nice to be able to pass on information and help to those who asked us bedraggled looking pilgrims for advice. For me the Camino can't always be about just the good bits, the industrial areas and all the other less beautiful bits are part of the whole, just like life.
I liked the Sarria section so much I went back and walked it again with my wife.

 

[Mike Savage]

Though I admit to getting a bit freaked out by the increase of pilgrim numbers from Sarria onwards in 2009 nowadays I kinda like 'them'-all of those bouncy newbies with brand new gear, full of excitement and expectations and smelling clean and fresh. I guess it's because they remind me of someone I once knew……….me way back in 2008 on the start of my first long distance pilgrimage. I love the solitude of my current routes but also really look forward to rejoining 'the madding crowd' -I can always break away on to less traveled routes if I need to-but I don't think it'll come to that.

I loved the Sarria to Santiago section, it was nice to be able to pass on information and help to those who asked us bedraggled looking pilgrims for advice. For me the Camino can't always be about just the good bits, the industrial areas and all the other less beautiful bits are part of the whole, just like life.
I liked the Sarria section so much I went back and walked it again with my wife.

My first Camino is one month from today. If I am fortunate enough to make it this far I pray that I can approach it with this same attitude.

 

[Robo]

Reserved seats for pilgrims in the cathedral? Really? That's news!

Seems so. I saw the reserved signs, but didn't have a clue 'Who' they were reserved for

 

[MichaelSG]

Seems so. I saw the reserved signs, but didn't have a clue 'Who' they were reserved for

The times I have been in the Cathedral, seats were reserved for the groups that paid for the botafumeiro to swing. Pilgrims, tourists and parishioners were shooed away. I've not heard of them reserved for us "normal" pilgrims.

 

[domigee]

Seems so. I saw the reserved signs, but didn't have a clue 'Who' they were reserved for

The front seats are now reserved for 'pilgrims with a credential' which I thought was a lovely gesture. On the days I attended Mass it didn't work though as they were all taken by very well dressed people who definitely weren't walking pilgrims

 

[nellpilgrim]

There's a blue (well it was blue when I was there) security tape at the top of the nave cordoning off first top couple of rows for pilgrims. Bring your Compostela with you in case you asked for validation-I wasn't but then again I looked pretty knackered!- and just lift up the tape and sit down. I read about this in Brierley's book but wouldn't have had the 'neck' to do it other wise-so thanks to him I got a great view.

 

[Annette london]

I was so sorry to read about your disappointment re the last 100km and glad that you enjoyed the walk to fisterra. You were all very brave to do this with such painful feet. We arrived in Sdc on July 21st and although the last 100km were considerably more crowded than the previous 600, all the people we met were really enjoying themselves and this surely is what the Camino is all about. We so admired the groups of young people who were walking - at least we thought they are walking instead of hanging around the street corners or being stuck in their rooms playing computer games. We also met people walking who due to various disabilities, not always obvious to others,who were unable to carry backpacks but at least they were walking in the best way they knew how. The camino belongs to no one or group in particular and one does not even have to be a pilgrim to walk it. It belongs to everyone and it takes all kinds of people to walk it and that is the beauty of the camino. As they say " one mans meat is another mans poison" and we should not judge how others walk it. Hopefully you will find the camino Norte to be a much better option for your needs.

 

[annakappa]

The front seats are now reserved for 'pilgrims with a credential' which I thought was a lovely gesture. On the days I attended Mass it didn't work though as they were all taken by very well dressed people who definitely weren't walking pilgrims

In fact, this year " they" decided to reserve many front rows ( not the ones in the inner circle, which are reserved for special people/ purposes). The rows were clearly marked for Pilgrims with Compostella, but, frankly, it didn't work! Lots of infiltration!

 

[annakappa]

Timing may have played a major factor. We did the last 100 km right before St. Jame's Day (July 25th), and that certainly added to the angst. We passed back through SDC on our way to the airport and home about a week later. In the Plaza Obradoiro, in front of the cathedral, the scaffolding of the performance stages were being taken down and there were only a handful of Guardia Civil toting machine guns. Far fewer people, no street performers and we were actually able to attend the noon pilgrim mass. And yes, I do hope we meet on the Northern Route in two years! Look for the crazy American with a penchant for flowers in his hat!
View attachment 20188

Considering everything, my opinion is that, most certainly, timing played a major factor.
To get a seat at the midday Pilgrim Mass, especially just before the Saint's day, you really need to be in the Cathedral a good hour before, wait for the 11 o'clock Mass to finish and quickly find a seat. And that is really hoping for a miracle at the time you were there!
I know it's uncomfortable having to stand, especially as your wife and daughter were suffering from bleeding blistered feet, but at least you were all able to carry on walking to Finisterre.
Ah, by the way, the beautiful pillar in the Portico de la Gloria, has cordoned off for many years now! Now untouchable. But you can still admire it from a distance!
All in all, all your experiences, the good, the mediocre and the unfortunate all make up part of, what I hope, was still a special Pilgrimage, especially so, because you were with your wife and daughter - and that's a privilege, I think!

 

[Chase]

My wife and I along with a few family and friends plan on doing the camino next summer (July 3-9) to celebrate our 50th birthday and will be starting in Sarria. After reading this post I kind of feel there is an "us & them" to this and really dont want to be in that kind of atmosphere... is it really that terrible to start in Sarria?

most concerned now

Chase

 

[Anemone del Camino]

My wife and I along with a few family and friends plan on doing the camino next summer (July 3-9) to celebrate our 50th birthday and will be starting in Sarria. After reading this post I kind of feel there is an "us & them" to this and really dont want to be in that kind of atmosphere... is it really that terrible to start in Sarria?

most concerned now

Chase

What about a different 100km? From the Ingles, or from Tui? Or Ourense? I really would avoid the CF, especiall in July. Mind you, if all you are hoping for is a 4-5 day walk with friends enjoying good weather, casa rurales and red wine, then why not. But if you are looking for a Camino experience, them nope. Or start further back and just don't walk into Santiago.

 

[C clearly]

After reading this post I kind of feel there is an "us & them" to this and really dont want to be in that kind of atmosphere.

I think you should continue with your plans and enjoy them. The Sarria-Santiago walk is busy and people should expect that. That is one of the camino lessons of humility that the longer walkers may benefit from. Some of them started from a place that made an easier trip than others. That is very true of life. Some people have a longer/harder/shorter/easier journey than others.

Having followed the discussions on the forum, maybe you can be tolerant of the grumpiness (another human weakness) of some more seasoned pilgrims.

No matter where or when you walk, or do anything else at all, you will not please everyone. Don't let oversensitivity spoil the joy that awaits your group.

 

[annakappa]

My wife and I along with a few family and friends plan on doing the camino next summer (July 3-9) to celebrate our 50th birthday and will be starting in Sarria. After reading this post I kind of feel there is an "us & them" to this and really dont want to be in that kind of atmosphere... is it really that terrible to start in Sarria?

most concerned now

Chase

please don't feel that you will be singled out by the "them". The fact is that, I guess, most Pilgrims starting in Sarria have NO IDEA that the weathered Pilgrims might just have a resentment to have to join the newcomers! The new arrivals are just as happy to start from Sarria ( or anywhere else back from there) as the newbe Pilgrim starting back in SJPP, or anywhere else, for that matter. That first day is very special. From wherever you start!

 

[GettingThere]

My wife and I along with a few family and friends plan on doing the camino next summer (July 3-9) to celebrate our 50th birthday and will be starting in Sarria. After reading this post I kind of feel there is an "us & them" to this and really dont want to be in that kind of atmosphere... is it really that terrible to start in Sarria?

most concerned now

Chase

Not terrible at all!! Please don't be put off, Chase. Sarria-Santiago is still a beautiful stretch of the Camino. Yes, more people start from Sarria than from any one other place, and yes, you can find yourself walking with lots of others after Sarria, but so what? You are still walking through beautiful Galician countryside, through ancient villages and shady woodland and past bubbling streams and herds of enormous cows! There is more litter around too, that's true - and very sad. When you think of how many people walk that route, and what humans can be like, it's not really surprising. But it needn't become your focus. If it really starts to get to you, take a bag and spend an hour picking some up, and make the experience better for those who follow!

When you have started much further back on the Camino it can come as a shock to the system after Sarria when the numbers increase so dramatically, but if you start from there it probably wouldn't be so much of a shock. Just expect that you won't be alone, that you will be sharing the path with people from all over the world who all have their own stories and their own reasons for being there, just like you. Some of them will be walking quietly, some will be so excited to be there that their exuberance can be a little bit much! But as described in some of the posts above, you just never know what has brought those people to be there, and why they are the way they are. If you want to, engage with them and listen to some of their stories. If you don't, that's fine too, and it is possible to just enjoy the scenery and walk contemplatively - you will find the big clumps of people tend to come in waves, having left their accommodation or stopped for coffee at the same time, so you can wait for a wave to pass. There's no "us and them". Many people on this Forum have started the Camino in Sarria - some of them then came back and did more, others set off on other Caminos.

I walked this year from Roncesvalles to Burgos and then from Leon to Santiago. I was expecting a lot more people to appear once we hit Sarria (early June), and they did. Did I have any more right to be there, or any right to expect people to behave a certain way, just because I had walked for longer? Of course not! I had the luxury of being able to take the time to walk further - most people don't have that luxury. I have no idea what "the Camino experience" is meant to be - all I know is that I experienced my own Camino, and you will experience yours. I'm planning on going back - hopefully I will have time for another long Camino, but if I only had a week I would definitely walk from Sarria, and would look forward to a fulfilling Camino experience in doing it.

End of rant - buen camino!!

 

[Robo]

My wife and I along with a few family and friends plan on doing the camino next summer (July 3-9) to celebrate our 50th birthday and will be starting in Sarria. After reading this post I kind of feel there is an "us & them" to this and really dont want to be in that kind of atmosphere... is it really that terrible to start in Sarria?

most concerned now

Chase

Don't worry and don't let it stop you!

I am walking from Sarria next year with my wife, after walking alone from St Jean this year.

For those who have walked from further afield, the section from Sarria is just 'different'. That's all. They tend to miss the open spaces, the hills, the solitude.

You will have a Ball.........

Buen Camino.

 

[domigee]

What about a different 100km? From the Ingles, or from Tui? Or Ourense? I really would avoid the CF, especiall in July. Mind you, if all you are hoping for is a 4-5 day walk with friends enjoying good weather, casa rurales and red wine, then why not. But if you are looking for a Camino experience, them nope. Or start further back and just don't walk into Santiago.

I am very sorry if you had such a 'bad' Camino experience in July on the Camino Francés... What happened?
As in everything, there is another side to the story: I did the CF in July/August and it was WONDERFUL.
Obviously, it mustbe very different in November, say, but some people have no choice and can only go in Summer.
Don't let it put you off!

I don't understand the 'problem' supposedly caused by 'new' people starting in Sarria! To me they were just as excited , happy and inexperienced as I was when I started in St Jean the 1st time.
All I met had a fabulous Camino, wherever they started.

My experience was that if you have a few weeks's walking already behind you when you reach Sarria, you are FASTER than people just arriving . If you don't like crowds, you OVERTAKE them. All you hear then is the laughter, the singing , the happy conversations as you pass by and it is a lovely experience. (IMHO!)

 

[Wokabaut_Meri]

I'll just add my last 100kms experience into the mix... it was really only bad for the first few days out of Sarria. This was late May this year. We got caught up with several large boisterous groups, surprisingly older people ie >50s+. One man would rush up behind pilgrims - not from his group - and scream loudly in their ears before rushing off again. He did this to both my husband and I as we were walking quietly along the path. Then another large group shoved past us and knocked me over. They didn't apologise or stop. It really rattled me as I was carrying an injury and clearly limping.

We also encountered a group of 20+s pilgrims with selfie sticks who would barricade bridges and other scenic spots until they had got that perfect photo. Another group had a very forceful leader who would barge into a bar and demand that her pilgrims was served before anyone else.

We deliberately stopped early and got out of sync with these groups and I like to think that we were just unlucky to stumble upon them. This certainly was 'different' to any of the stages that we had walked from SJPdP. Fortunately it did all settle down after a couple of days.

 

[camino07]

My wife and I along with a few family and friends plan on doing the camino next summer (July 3-9) to celebrate our 50th birthday and will be starting in Sarria. After reading this post I kind of feel there is an "us & them" to this and really dont want to be in that kind of atmosphere... is it really that terrible to start in Sarria?

most concerned now

Chase

Don't worry Chase. This July myself,my son and two young grandsons walked from Sarria and enjoyed it .There were many pilgrims but not as bad as expected. Everyone was friendly and welcoming.
I have previously walked 7 full Caminos and was a bit worried only doing from Sarria this year but not once did I feel an "us and them"vibe.
Not terrible at all! Enjoy!
Heather

 

[Deleted member 3000]

After reading this post I kind of feel there is an "us & them" to this

Only in one's mind! Posts like this are about the pilgrim, not the Camino. Pilgrims complained about the last 100km ten years ago when the numbers were a fraction of today's numbers. It is a perception that someone has intruded on a Camino that was "mine." The number of people is like the terrain, varied and exciting. If you yield to irritation, it becomes a nightmare, but in truth, it is merely different! Buen camino.

 

[wayfarer]

My wife and I along with a few family and friends plan on doing the camino next summer (July 3-9) to celebrate our 50th birthday and will be starting in Sarria. After reading this post I kind of feel there is an "us & them" to this and really dont want to be in that kind of atmosphere... is it really that terrible to start in Sarria?

most concerned now

Chase

Short answer is no, it is not terrible at all, it is a lovely Camino IMO and it will give you a good idea of whether you want to walk more Caminos or not. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing, walk your own Camino. You will love it.
Buen Camino.

 

[Annette london]

Only in one's mind! Posts like this are about the pilgrim, not the Camino. Pilgrims complained about the last 100km ten years ago when the numbers were a fraction of today's numbers. It is a perception that someone has intruded on a Camino that was "mine." The number of people is like the terrain, varied and exciting. If you yield to irritation, it becomes a nightmare, but in truth, it is merely different! Buen camino.

Only in one's mind! Posts like this are about the pilgrim, not the Camino. Pilgrims complained about the last 100km ten years ago when the numbers were a fraction of today's numbers. It is a perception that someone has intruded on a Camino that was "mine." The number of people is like the terrain, varied and exciting. If you yield to irritation, it becomes a nightmare, but in truth, it is merely different! Buen camino.

Well said falcon 29

 

[Seabird]

This is my first post as a new member, and I'm so thankful for all the insightful comments to know what I might expect. When I first started thinking about the Camino, I was going to start from Sarria and use a service. I have now decided to walk from Ronceville (sp?), but I'm so appreciative that the original option from Sarria was there. I don't think I would have ever considered the longer route otherwise. I'm also mindful of the advice I've read that the Camino really starts from your front door, in your heart and mind.

 

[domigee]

Hello Seabird! I wish you a buen Camino

 

[Seabird]

Hello Seabird! I wish you a buen Camino

Thank you! I'm so excited to be planning this.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

... but not once did I feel an "us and them"vibe
Heather

Absolutely, the people starting in Sarria will not feel that vibe as they are in the majority, the minority being the ones coming from further back.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Only in one's mind! Posts like this are about the pilgrim, not the Camino. Pilgrims complained about the last 100km ten years ago when the numbers were a fraction of today's numbers. It is a perception that someone has intruded on a Camino that was "mine." The number of people is like the terrain, varied and exciting. If you yield to irritation, it becomes a nightmare, but in truth, it is merely different! Buen camino.

There is a different between yielding to irritation and opting from the get go to walk a quieter route. When I arrived in Melide from the Primitivo I was in shock and ran into the first albergue I found. Then I remembered the basis principles of medition practive of not letting the river take me with it and just accepted the mayhem. But it doesn't make the mayhem any less real, as Wokabout_Meri gave 2 examples of. So why not opt from a different route if the mayhem is not likely to seat well with one's preferences?

 

[domigee]

As in everything, each to their own what doesn't work for me may work for someone else.

Were those people who started their Camino from Warsaw, Lille or Geneva looking down at me when I started at StJpdPort? When I struggled up to Orisson, thinking my last breath was... my last, when I had blisters a few days/weeks later? When I probably didn't use my sticks properly, when I had no clue how to pack my bag? Maybe. Did I care? No, I was oblivious!

Did I wreck THEIR camino? Heck, I hope not. But if I did, struggling as I was as a newbie, so be it. Their view on things, not mine

 

[domigee]

I have replied privately

Oops just noticed post was not there any more, sorry everybody

 

[Chase]

Trust me if I had 33 days i could take to walk the Camino i would do the whole thing - anyway, I appreciate this post and all the encouragement .. My Camino isnt until next July but through this post and everyone's feed back I guess it's starting now. All the words of encouragement have given me so much to think about and I truly appreciated it and it makes me more excited about my trip. I am looking forward to reading post, trying out gear and my training for it. Its a celebration for us but not a party by any means and a time to spend with our closest friends and family to experience something positive together and hopefully we'll make some new friends along the way.... thanks again

Chase

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Trust me if I had 33 days i could take to walk the Camino i would do the whole thing - anyway, I appreciate this post and all the encouragement .. My Camino isnt until next July but through this post and everyone's feed back I guess it's starting now. All the words of encouragement have given me so much to think about and I truly appreciated it and it makes me more excited about my trip. I am looking forward to reading post, trying out gear and my training for it. Its a celebration for us but not a party by any means and a time to spend with our closest friends and family to experience something positive together and hopefully we'll make some new friends along the way.... thanks again

Chase

The Camino is a true celebration of life, even with the painful steps that sometimes come with it. Another fun way to do 100km is to do the triangle made of of Santiago, Muxia and Fisterra, and collected the three certificates. The sunsets in Muxia you will never forget.

 

[kelleymac]

My 14 year old son and I walked from Leon in early Spring. The feeling changed at 100km.. it was more a conveyer belt feel to it, and then a commercial feel. But the cathedral was not packed and the people were kind. (I am amazed at how kind the local people are towards peregrines! I have lived in tourist cities and have never had the patience with "invading tourists" that the villages had with us.)

 

[Jools]

I totally understand your sentiments and mine were similar from as soon as I hit. Melide (I did the Primitivo) and by the time I got to Preguntoño (just past Arzua)I decided to get off the Camino and make my own trail (The tourigrinos had got to me)- after a quick search I found a rural b&b 10km south and even though they offered to collect me I happily walked there, despite many of the locals of Preguntoño warning me I was going the wrong way I had a delightful walk in blissful peace and beautiful clean countryside again. Spent a relaxing night and then had the most incredible 25km walk to Lavacolla (going through Touro and through the forests south of the airport) - I could easily see this as becoming part of an alternate route - when I popped into the Touro town hall to get my credential stamped they were so happy the mayor came down and gave me a t-shirt and advised me of how picturesque the area was full of waterfalls and fun activities - there doesn't seem any need to have to put up with the hoards and mess of the 'official' last 100km when there are other great alternatives

 

[Jools]

And also walking in July/Aug is always a problem so best to finish the last 100km in the quieter months

 

[towanda1961]

Our family got back late Thursday from our first Camino (Frances). Together, we walked from SJPP to Finisterre. I obsessively planned for about 2 1/2 years for this family adventure. It was difficult, but the experience of a lifetime. We met many amazing, kind people from around the world. Although we often didn't speak a word of each other's language, we still found ways to bond. First, by sharing universal smiles. Next, by laughing at switching from "Buen Camino" to "Otra vez" after passing each other constantly over days. And, of course, bonding through shared meals, and the many opportunities to offer and accept acts of kindness. Our son, Cailean, really made us proud when he gave his trekking pole to a pilgrim from Barcelona. We knew the pilgrim was suffering from terrible tendonitis. Sitting at a bar we exchanged hellos and he was hobbling by and told us that he would probably have to finish his Camino another year. His pain was just too much. Cailean ran after him and convinced him to accept the pole and that it might help him walk. These "experiences" were what made the Camino so special for my family and I. Unfortunately, the last 100 km almost ruined everything.

We'd been warned about the hordes of "perenino" school kids and other pilgrims who'd hiked ahead messaged us about seeing adult groups who didn't even bother with the tiny daypacks, but simply brought luggage to send ahead each day. Everyone has a right to do their Camino in their way and these new groups alone weren't what bothered us. Soon, however, we couldn't ignore the shocking amounts of trail garbage, and grafitti. Still, the very worse part was the very tone of the Camino, as a whole, that did a 180 for us; quickly eating away at the Camino we'd known up to that point. Of the many stories I heard from other pilgrims, I'll share just one. It was told to me by a young lady from Germany who had issues with her knee popping out of its socket. It had happened earlier on the Camino, around Pamplona, and many came to her aid. She was quite moved by all the sincere kindness from complete strangers. However, just outside of Arca it happened again, but her experience was quite different. She was in such pain that she openly wept. Of the dozens of people who went by, none did any more than give her curious looks. In fact, when she first fell, a girl from one of the school groups stepped on her hand and looked back without a single word.

These kinds of experiences, couple with trash, graffitti and endless crowds of recent pilgrims left my family feeling quite dejected. We entered SDC admitting that it was very anti-climactic. We looked forward to touching the pillar in the Portico of Glory, only to find that this is not longer accessible to anyone (and NOT just during restoration of the cathedral). Then, with my wife and daughter barely able to stand from bleeding blistered feet, we couldn't sit for the noon pilgrim's mass. It was two days before St. Jame's Day and the cathedral was packed. No one enforced the clearly labeled pew signs that were meant to reserve seats for pilgrims with credentials and we saw no one even closely resembling pilgrims in any of the reserved seats (any very few in the cathedral at all). The next morning, we got to the pilgrim's office first thing, got our Compostellas and got out of SDC. Luckily, things changed almost immediately: very few pilgrims, almost no trail trash or graffitti.

We spent the next four days occasionally bumping into pilgrims we knew and embracing that original feeling of the Camino we'd come to love. The first glimpse of sea and the town of Cee were remarkable. We were emotional as we sat silently with fellow pilgrims, perched precariously along the cliff at the lighthouse, and watched the sun set. As we began our walk back down to the town of Fisterra, my family and all others agreed how happy we were to continue on from SDC. Our Caminos had ended after an amazing four final days that saved our Camino experiences from the tainted memory of the last 100km.

*Having done the Frances with my family, I'm excited to do a solo Camino in two years. My goal is the Northern Route,
...but will not include the last 100 km.

I recommend the Invierno from Ponferrada to Santiago. Eleven days and not another Pilgrim on the trail. Locals were so kind and happy to see me. Well marked, no trash, and never any graffiti.

 

[mspath]

I recommend the Invierno from Ponferrada to Santiago. Eleven days and not another Pilgrim on the trail. Locals were so kind and happy to see me. Well marked, no trash, and never any graffiti.

All that and the marvelous Las Medulas: wow!

 

[ronhenry2]

This is my first post as a new member, and I'm so thankful for all the insightful comments to know what I might expect. When I first started thinking about the Camino, I was going to start from Sarria and use a service. I have now decided to walk from Ronceville (sp?), but I'm so appreciative that the original option from Sarria was there. I don't think I would have ever considered the longer route otherwise. I'm also mindful of the advice I've read that the Camino really starts from your front door, in your heart and mind.

Hi Seabird,
Yes, your Camino has already started. And it won't end when you finish the walking, nor when you get home. I've walked two times. First time in 2012. Walked about the last 200 miles. Returned in 2013 with hopes of walking from San Jean de Pied to where I had started the year before. Got very sick with a virus after about 50 miles and ultimately had to call it off. That second experience, so disappointing, and seeming like a disaster, turned out in the long run to be significant in my life. What insights can we gain from any experience? That's the Camino of life. At my age I thought I would never return. Now because of insights gained on my 2013 "aborted" Camino, I am going to return in September. El Camino de Santiago is a metaphor for LIFE. Go with your own expectations, but with an openness to being surprised. There is a saying, "El Camino siempre sorprenda." Wherever you start or end, "Buen Camino."

 

[Nicolette E]

My first Camino is one month from today. If I am fortunate enough to make it this far I pray that I can approach it with this same attitude.

Mike - you took the words right out of my mouth. I, too, am beginning my Camino journey in a month, perhaps our paths will cross.
Buen Camino!
Nicolette

 

[Mike Savage]

Mike - you took the words right out of my mouth. I, too, am beginning my Camino journey in a month, perhaps our paths will cross.
Buen Camino!
Nicolette

That would be great, Buen Camino!

 

[annakappa]

I totally understand your sentiments and mine were similar from as soon as I hit. Melide (I did the Primitivo) and by the time I got to Preguntoño (just past Arzua)I decided to get off the Camino and make my own trail (The tourigrinos had got to me)- after a quick search I found a rural b&b 10km south and even though they offered to collect me I happily walked there, despite many of the locals of Preguntoño warning me I was going the wrong way I had a delightful walk in blissful peace and beautiful clean countryside again. Spent a relaxing night and then had the most incredible 25km walk to Lavacolla (going through Touro and through the forests south of the airport) - I could easily see this as becoming part of an alternate route - when I popped into the Touro town hall to get my credential stamped they were so happy the mayor came down and gave me a t-shirt and advised me of how picturesque the area was full of waterfalls and fun activities - there doesn't seem any need to have to put up with the hoards and mess of the 'official' last 100km when there are other great alternatives

Sounds interesting. I'm going to check out this one on the map!

 

[annakappa]

I recommend the Invierno from Ponferrada to Santiago. Eleven days and not another Pilgrim on the trail. Locals were so kind and happy to see me. Well marked, no trash, and never any graffiti.

This is also becoming an interesting option!

All that and the marvelous Las Medulas: wow!

yup - chance to visit the Medulas, which are fascinating!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

A whole new group of villagers is going to wonder what is happening as we all descend on them with our Camino patches

 

[trevorcc]

My first Camino is one month from today. If I am fortunate enough to make it this far I pray that I can approach it with this same attitude.

Mike I have walked it both times starting in Sept. never had a problem yes it is crowded at times but we like all on the road have a right to walk just smile and I have no doubt you will enjoy your Camino, safe trip and hope that you have no problem with your feet.
Buen Camino fellow pilgrim.

 

[rometimed]

Hmmm I finished in the middle of June and I do not recall any more litter in the final 100 KMs, however I will say me and a friend I met spent most of the last 100 KMs drinking at near every town along the way so maybe my memory is hazy.

You are correct that the mood between the newbies from Saria and those who have been around for a while is quite different. I remember sitting at a bar a day out of Saria with a couple of us and an Irish Girl and her Mother were complaining about blisters after one day to us.

Girl: "I got a big blister today"

My American friend: "Really? Just the one?"

We laughed it off and explained how many blisters we had seen and what to do... but really with 100 KMs left most of us at that point were throwing caution to the wind.

I am doing the English Way in November just to close off my whole string of walking trips... but I could not imagine jumping in the French way now. Maybe starting back further in France, but the sheer overwhelming amount of experiences I cannot fathom getting in 4 days, or in spurts of days here and there like some people do.

 

[Ricka]

This may be a key factor. I'm sure the 'experts' will have a view.

I walked the 'last 100' this year 30 May to 6 June. So time of year is certainly a factor. Whilst it was crowded it wasn't as bad as some have described. I tended to start later, and walk slower. That may have helped me stay behind the 'waves'.

We walked from Leon on April 19th. and got to Santiago on May 4th. It was
a little more crowded near the end but
not bad. We were only almost shut out
of a place for 1 night and that was because people make reservations and then not show up. If I go again it would be the same time of year or slightly earlier.

 

[good_old_shoes]

The mood does change on the last stretch (I'd even say a bit earlier than Sarria, there seemed to be many organized travelling groups starting in O'Cebreiro?), but I didn't dislike it. Met many nice people on the last 100kms. I had my one and only bad albergue experience in Sarria, but that might have been my own fault (sorry for being the grumpy pilgrim that day!).


Only thing I really disliked was the behaviour of some of the weekend tourists in Santiago. I have never seen such a respectless behaviour inside a church! People walking in and out all the time, talking loudly, making phone calls, taking photos with flash light on, ect... all during mass! And security didn't even try to stop that. What they did do was telling pilgrims who were standing quietly in a corner to leave the Cathedral, because of their backpacks... that made me sad. Only moment of silence was when the Botafumeiro was swinging and after it had stopped (because the tourists immediately left mass after they had gotten their video of that...).


So, I'd say, yes, the last part of the Camino IS different. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Every stretch of the Camino has it's own kind of beauty.

From Sarria on I thought it was great to witness all those happy people who had just started, who were so excited and full of energy, in contrast to the more calm long-distance pilgrims who were excited also, but in a different way. It was a bit like watching myself start in St. Jean, because I realized that was how I must have looked back then, which, for me, helped to come to terms with the fact that my journey was coming to an end.


I think everything is what you make of it. Don't let common opinion ruin things for you, the last 100 kms isn't bad just because everyone says so. But be prepared for it being very different from the rest of the Camino!

 

[Seabird]

Hi Seabird,
Yes, your Camino has already started. And it won't end when you finish the walking, nor when you get home. I've walked two times. First time in 2012. Walked about the last 200 miles. Returned in 2013 with hopes of walking from San Jean de Pied to where I had started the year before. Got very sick with a virus after about 50 miles and ultimately had to call it off. That second experience, so disappointing, and seeming like a disaster, turned out in the long run to be significant in my life. What insights can we gain from any experience? That's the Camino of life. At my age I thought I would never return. Now because of insights gained on my 2013 "aborted" Camino, I am going to return in September. El Camino de Santiago is a metaphor for LIFE. Go with your own expectations, but with an openness to being surprised. There is a saying, "El Camino siempre sorprenda." Wherever you start or end, "Buen Camino."

A lovely thought: my Camino will not end upon my return. Thank you.

 

[Jetgirl]

I had an amazing walk out of Sarría - newbies led the way out of town after scouting it the day before. Made me smile to remember doing that in St Jean and reminded me of the Buddhist principle of "beginner's mind". Of course being day 1 for them they had an energy and pace I couldn't match after 12k or so so we said good bye.

Santiago was disappointing for so many little reasons but a nap took care of much of it!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

a nap took care of much of it!

Our attitude is inside us, not in the external world. Santiago just "is." A good nap can make all the bad perceptions go away. I commend you actions and attitude. For the best pilgrim menu on the Camino, go to Casa Manolo. Have the pimiento de Padron for your first course. If you hit a hot pepper, it will make your day!

 

[waveprof]

My family did the camino in '13 and we've long said that "next time" we'll stop before Sarria

 

[domigee]

And also walking in July/Aug is always a problem so best to finish the last 100km in the quieter months

I thought the same , after reading a few forums and knowing full well it would be a busy time and prob. hot! In fact I was so worried about walking my first camino in July/August that I re-organised my lessons and even found a replacement (I am a teacher).... so I could start later in the Autumn.
It wasn't to be as I had a few unexpected family 'events' I couldn't possibly miss. So I said 's*d it' and off I went. 14th July. It was then or nothing.

I loved it! I had the time of my life. A year later I went at exactly the same time and again it was magical. Different, of course but equally wonderful.

So please, please, don't put off people going in those busy months, some - probably most, like me - cannot go at any other time. If you have the choice, if you don't work or are retired, then yes, you are the lucky ones, you can choose.

Some can't but it can be an equally wonderful experience

 

[nalod]

I have walked many different Camino. About four years back I walked the Le Puy route and part of the Norte route with a young Lady who was a fraction of my age. She started walking alone and walked for three months to Santiago.

I was back many weeks when I got a call from her. She was on the part where the Norte had just joined up with the Frances. She said she could not get over the crowds, I said don't mind just cast your mind back to the very quiet beautiful days and let your mind stay there. She immediately said NO, NO, that is not the Camino I am on now, I must cope and learn to be part of it.

I realise now that wisdom does not necessarily come with age. Her words were indeed very wise and mine foolish.

 

[AlanB]

If you don't like crowds then avoid the Camino Frances. Particularly approaching the 25th July. I arrived in Santiago on the 25th (not planned) band had to sleep in the park. That was fun though! The crowds were a bit of a nuisance after Sarria but to be honest you have to expect that.