How many days

[bernadettep]

How long does it take approx to walk camino frances...going for the first time in mid to late Sept.

 

[C clearly]

It depends on where you start, your speed, and how far you can walk each day! I suggest that you browse through one of the many guide books or websites to understand the route better.

Gronze.com shows the route from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago in 33 stages. The Brierley guide shows something similar.

 

[SabsP]

How long does it take approx to walk camino frances...going for the first time in mid to late Sept.

Hi and welcome on this forum.

This website ( Gronze ) gives you a wealth of information regarding possible stages and distances.

Camino Francés | Gronze.com

El Camino Francés es el Camino de Santiago en el que confluyen la mayoría de las vías medievales de peregrinación europeas, siendo por tanto el camino de mayor relevancia histórica y el más seguido por los peregrinos. Su punto de inicio, hoy en día, tanto puede considerarse Roncesvalles como...

www.gronze.com

Happy planning.

 

[thejoker]

How long does it take approx to walk camino frances...going for the first time in mid to late Sept.

It totally depends on your ability to walk and the time you want to devote.

I have walked the Camino(from SJdPdP) in 74 days at a very relaxed pace and in just 29 days when I was much younger. This summer i hope to walk in about 61 days.

 

[David Harper]

I have walked the Frances from SJPP four times and my average was 31 days. I am now in my early 60's and above average fitness. I usually take 3 rest days that are included in the 30 days. There are several stages where you can double up or at least one and half stages in a day.

Buen Camino!

 

[Anamya]

Gronze.com shows the route from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago in 33 stages. The Brierley guide shows something similar.

And it doesn't mean you have to start in St Jean, you can actually start further in the trail to accomodate to your schedule/budget.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola @bernadettep First a big welcome to the Forum.
OK you have been told that there are 33 stages in the Brierley Bible.
But as this is your first Camino (and maybe your first visit to this part of Spain), how about adding a few extra days to take in this history of this part of Spain.
Pamplona - even without the " running of the bulls" it is still a city of great interest. Also your body will thank you for the rest day.
Similarly (imho) Burgos and Leon are both worth an extra day. If you are thinking about walking to the Atlantic Ocean - Finisterre and Muxia, then maybe you should plan for 40/42 days.
Any way, this is your camino. So Buen Camino (in advance).

 

[lovelyshell]

I did it in 32 days not including 4 rest days. I started in SJPDP.

 

[Rick M]

We don't know how long it will take you to walk to Santiago. Nobody does. 28 to 38 days cover most walkers from sjpp, but many are slowed up by injury as well. The good news is that you will know after a week or two what your walking pace will be.

 

[Roland49]

Expect anything from 10 days running ultra-marathon-style or 90 days if you take your time and walk slow.

I did it in 27 days, but I am quite fit for my age.
Will be on the CP in 3 weeks.

BC!

 

[markie6]

Variables include your age, fitness levels , experience , carrying your pack , rest days .. tourism ...

Start thinking of 5 weeks and If not carrying perhaps subtract 1 week . If fitter than most then perhaps a little more but if Jo Average asked me i would guesstimate a month

 

[Lexicos]

I did it my first time in about 40 days with a few stops along the way, due to my companions injuries. Doing it again in Sep and I’m allowing about 30 days, from Longrono. I don’t want to rush it. If you’re a fit person and used to walking with a backpack and no injuries with a couple of stops in beautiful towns, 35-40 days.
It really depends on a lot of things, as stated above by fellow pilgrims.

 

[Yoyo]

At age 54, it took me 40 days to walk from SJPP to Santiago (38 days of walking, 2 rest days) on my first camino. I had expected to average 25 km, but in the end I only managed to average 21 km, mainly due to bad blisters.
To whatever time you think you'll need, add a few days. If you manage to stay on schedule, then you can walk on to Finisterre or enjoy Santiago for a few days. Should something slow you down, you'll be glad to have those extra days to reach your destination.
Buen camino!

 

[Bradypus]

At age 54, it took me 40 days to walk from SJPP to Santiago (38 days of walking, 2 rest days) on my first camino. I had expected to average 25 km, but in the end I only managed to average 21 km, mainly due to bad blisters.

A good example of how different we all are. I'm 61 and overweight but I average about 30km per day on my longer Camino walks. With the odd 40km day when the conditions are right and the mood takes me that way. But it takes some experience of walking day after day to know what is a comfortable routine daily distance and a realistic goal for the occasional longer stretch. Safer to err on the cautious shorter side to begin with until that becomes clear to you. If you do find yourself travelling faster and further than planned then there is always the option of taking longer breaks along the way or extending your journey at the end.

 

[Moniq]

How long does it take approx to walk camino frances...going for the first time in mid to late Sept.

Depend on many factors. Weather, fitness, sightseeing. I did it in 37 days with one rest day in Leon, so 36 walking days.

 

[darealdeal77]

In 2014 I did Camino in 42 days, and I thought I could have done it slower. It really all depends in how much time you have available. The Guide books put it at 33 days, but personally I really think that is like a running pace, with no time to stop and enjoy the sights and people around. Plus people do encounter injuries and fatigue that can put you down for a few days. For me it was a bad blister under a toe nail ripping it off and causing me almost to quit, luckily with the good advice of other Peregrinos I rested and finished. My wife was also sick with a flu like stomach virus that put her out for 2 days. So you see, things can happen, weather, injuries, etc., personally when I do it again I will plan 40-50 days to really enjoy Camino to the fullest. Hope this helps! BUEN CAMINO

 

[staucher]

From SJPP, about 30 days +- averaging 27-28 km per day for the entire journey. If you can manage that day after day, then assume about a month. That first day from Saint Jean to Roncevalles over the mountains is pretty tough.

 

[lt56ny]

If you have the time plan for a longer period of time. The amount of time it took another person is almost meaningless. Will you get blisters or an injury or illlness and need extra days of rest? Will you be comfortable walking 20k, or 25k, or 30k a day? You don’t know that yet. Just go (again if possible), with plenty of extra time. Listen to your body on when to eat rest and sleep. Not your brain or someone else or the stages written in a book. Find your rhythm and go. If you have extra time you are in Europe. I am sure you can figure iut what to do with that time.

 

[anne a]

Lots of good advice already! I wanted to add that perhaps most important to me when deciding how long I need is to include a solid buffer (a week if possible) to account for extra rest/weather/tourist/injury days, slowing down to stay with your camino family, and simply not to feel like you have to stick to a demanding schedule. I managed this nicely on my first Camino and ended up having extra time to walk to Finnistere and visit Lisbon/Porto on my way home. But on my second Camino on the Norte, I walked more slowly up front to hang out with a group of people I enjoyed walking with – but then had to decide whether I was going to finish the Camino and catch my plane on time or continue walking with them and bus the last stretch to Santiago. This was a heartbreaking decision and as I left them behind, I never met up with the right group of people again. I wish I had given myself an extra week beyond what I expected to need… But our schedules and budgets don’t always allow for this flexibility…

The other comment I wanted to add is that your pace will vary over time. On the Frances, I average 22km/day for the first 2 weeks but 30km/day on the last 3 weeks (excluding days off). This variation is due to fitness, injury, terrain but also the people you walk with. It’s hard to predict how this might play out – so again back to having a nice buffer…

 

[JimDerry]

It will depend on how you want to go!
If you want to power through or see the sights and enjoy the food and culture. There is no wrong way.
Of course, you may have to contend with possible injuries, also. Staying healthy is a big factor.
My wife and I walked from SJPDP in 2014 and 2015.
Both times we spent 42 days. 35 days of walking and 7 rest days. We were in our mid-60's and in relatively good health.
We spent time in Pamplona, Logrono (worth an stay if only for the pintxos on Calle del Laurel, best on the planet, IMHO), Burgos and Leon.

 

[Jodean]

Age 67 and spent 46 days walking from SJPDP to Santiago this past spring. I wish I had added on a few more days. I would much rather just walk 15 km. per day and arrive at my albergue with time and energy to see what is in the town or city. If it is your first Camino, then you will want to add on at least 1 extra day to go sightseeing in Burgos, Leon, Pamplona, Astorga, maybe even Sahagun too.

 

[KiwiJohn]

I start my Camino on the 26th of August from St Jean-Pied-de-Port. I'm allowing 36 days as I want to enjoy my 'stroll'. The journey itself is important, not the speed!

 

[M and M]

How long does it take approx to walk camino frances...going for the first time in mid to late Sept.

I just finished the Camino Frances. The time it takes depends solely on you. For example, how fit you are, to complete the kilometres you want to in a day. Or how many rest days you want to take. If you aren't limited for time,I would take rest days in bigger places like Pamplona, Burgos, Leon and Astorga. They have much to see. If you do this, at 20-25km a day, you can do it in 40 days easily. If you are pressed for time and still want to see those cities (and rest days are needed, if only to avoid injury!), you'll have to increase the distances you do a little each day.

 

[hikentravel1234]

How long does it take approx to walk camino frances...going for the first time in mid to late Sept.

1. How old are you
2. Are you in good shape
3. About how many miles a day do you think you will be able to walk in mixed terrain ( flat areas and some hilly areas).
4. Without more input from you, anything would be a guess
5. You also need to advise if heat adversely affects your strength

 

[DoughnutANZ]

How long does it take approx to walk camino frances...going for the first time in mid to late Sept.

Please allow plenty of extra time so that you are able to be flexible if something unexpected comes up.

 

[Pathfinder075]

I am 47 and very overweight. An average day is 20 miles (32km). Like Bradypus I occasionally pull out a 40km when the need arises. So if you arrived at SJPdP ready to walk (say you walked/trekked for a week or two before you got there), you might be able to walk the entire thing in less than 30 days, if you committed to walking back to back 32km days. But to be really hardcore you have to do it with an 18kg pack (my average pack weight).

So my warm up for Camino this year will be the first 7 days of the Pennine way (in the UK). So when i get to Spain I am already able to walk 15-20 mile days without it being an issue, although on some stages I don't see me hitting anywhere near that.

But this question is definitely a "how long is a piece of string" type query. The answer depends on many different things. If you are an experienced long distance walker, you will have a good idea of the answers to those questions. If not the answer is probably around 45 days.

 

[Natale]

How long does it take approx to walk camino frances...going for the first time in mid to late Sept.

As long as you wanted it be, it's your Camino. Many factors to consider? I did it in 30 walking and 6 rest days, total 36 days. Something i will not repeat again lessons learned. Camino Frances was my first Camino in May 2021. I plan to walk it again in 2024 but, this time I will take my time and get to Santiago de Compostela when I get there. Lessons learned from my first Camino if which I have applied to my 7 Caminos. Buen Camino

 

[HappyValerie]

The Camino is something we spend so much time dreaming about, thinking about, planning & training for. My suggestion - Don't be in any hurry for it to be over. Take as long as you possibly can.

 

[jgiesbrecht]

How long does it take approx to walk camino frances...going for the first time in mid to late Sept.

I am obese, and without training (obv not recommended), I did it in 35 days Sept/Oct 2020. I took 0 days off, but had 4 or 5 days of 6-15 kms. I did send my bag ahead a fair bit, but my goal was to walk and complete, and I did just that.

 

[C clearly]

The OP has received 28 replies, but most of them are based on the assumption of walking from SJPP to Santiago. She hasn't indicated whether this assumption is correct.

 

[Burton Axxe]

The OP has received 28 replies, but most of them are based on the assumption of walking from SJPP to Santiago. She hasn't indicated whether this assumption is correct.

Exactly. My advice would be to consider how long she/he has, or wants to commit to the Camino, and then choose a starting point that is compatible.

 

[Paul0951]

How long does it take approx to walk camino frances...going for the first time in mid to late Sept.

I’m 67, fair shape and last year in September, from SJPDP to Santiago took me 40 days. Probably slower than some.

 

[LostFound]

There are several stages where you can double up or at least one and half stages in a day.

Hi. I am walking my first camino (CF) in late April. Which stages did you double up or walk 1.5 stages in a day? Thanks.

 

[Pathfinder075]

Sahagun to Mansilla is possible in a day and is mostly boring flat walking, so load up on music. Also the next day Mansilla to Villadangos would be very possible.

Rabanal to Ponferrada is doable. I intended to stop at Molinaseca last year but ended up pushing all the way. It gives you about a 31km day, but the kicker is crossing a mountain range on really atrocious, ankle breaker level paths.

I wouldn't shorten the stages between Ponferrada and Triacastela, they are hard as they are and if you do the variants, possibly fatal.

The stages at the end from Sarria you can increase daily grinds to turn it into a 3 day haul to the end. So say Sarria to Ligonde, Ligonde to Arzua, Arzua to Santiago. You just have to be prepared to walk for roughly 11-12 hours. On my first camino I did Sarria to Gonzar (not hard at all) and Arzua to Santiago (was pretty enjoyable with a 0600 start and arrived by 1800 including an hour for lunch). but I slacked.

 

[LostFound]

Sahagun to Mansilla is possible in a day and is mostly boring flat walking, so load up on music. Also the next day Mansilla to Villadangos would be very possible.

Rabanal to Ponferrada is doable. I intended to stop at Molinaseca last year but ended up pushing all the way. It gives you about a 31km day, but the kicker is crossing a mountain range on really atrocious, ankle breaker level paths.

I wouldn't shorten the stages between Ponferrada and Triacastela, they are hard as they are and if you do the variants, possibly fatal.

The stages at the end from Sarria you can increase daily grinds to turn it into a 3 day haul to the end. So say Sarria to Ligonde, Ligonde to Arzua, Arzua to Santiago. You just have to be prepared to walk for roughly 11-12 hours. On my first camino I did Sarria to Gonzar (not hard at all) and Arzua to Santiago (was pretty enjoyable with a 0600 start and arrived by 1800 including an hour for lunch). but I slacked.

Thanks so much. Really helpful. I have shortened my CF pilgrimage to 30 walking days (plus 4 rest days in Logrono, Burgos, Leon and Ponferrada and an extra buffer/sightseeing day in Santiago) but wasn't sure the 29+ km days that I have planned (Pamplona - Cirauqui (31.8km); Cirauqui - Los Arcos (35.9); Burgos - Hontanas (31.7); Hontanas - Boadilla del Camino (29); Ponferrada - Pereje (29); Triacastela - Barbadelo (29.4); Castromaior - Melide (31)) were realistic.

 

[Pathfinder075]

30km days is actually pretty easy. You should be able to do that in 6-8 hours.

Bad days when you can't shorten it. O Cebreiro is a bad day, pretty much straight up a mountain. I would suggest you aim to stage from Vega del Valcarce and then go from there and aim to get to Hospital da Condesa. That's what i did and then next day went to Samos (worth a visit if you have the time to spare). If you want to go hardcore the next day, you could skip Sarria and make a push on Portomarin, but the Sarria to Portomarin day isn't a cake walk, including walking up a lot.

If you do the last 100km on the Frances, be aware it can be overcrowded in comparison to the previous 500km.

If you wanted something different, you could take a train/bus from Sarria to Ourense and do the last 100km on the Sanabres which is a lot nicer and for me is a lot more interesting. I've done both, but the Sanabres is quieter and less crowded than the Frances. Also if you have the time, you could hit the hot springs in Ourense for a dip. Just avoid the municipal albergue in Ourense, the guy who runs it had less than ideal customer service skills.

 

[LostFound]

30km days is actually pretty easy. You should be able to do that in 6-8 hours.

Bad days when you can't shorten it. O Cebreiro is a bad day, pretty much straight up a mountain. I would suggest you aim to stage from Vega del Valcarce and then go from there and aim to get to Hospital da Condesa. That's what i did and then next day went to Samos (worth a visit if you have the time to spare). If you want to go hardcore the next day, you could skip Sarria and make a push on Portomarin, but the Sarria to Portomarin day isn't a cake walk, including walking up a lot.

If you do the last 100km on the Frances, be aware it can be overcrowded in comparison to the previous 500km.

If you wanted something different, you could take a train/bus from Sarria to Ourense and do the last 100km on the Sanabres which is a lot nicer and for me is a lot more interesting. I've done both, but the Sanabres is quieter and less crowded than the Frances. Also if you have the time, you could hit the hot springs in Ourense for a dip. Just avoid the municipal albergue in Ourense, the guy who runs it had less than ideal customer service skills.

Thanks again. I am looking forward to meeting people but dislike crowds so my plan has been to stay overnight in non-"stage" towns and condense the number of days on the Sarria to Santiago stretch. The Sanabres Camino sounds great but I'd like to "faithfully" complete the CF, as this is my first camino.

Now, back to tweaking my route!

 

[Roland49]

Just avoid the municipal albergue in Ourense, the guy who runs it had less than ideal customer service skills.

That made my day!

 

[David Tallan]

Thanks so much. Really helpful. I have shortened my CF pilgrimage to 30 walking days (plus 4 rest days in Logrono, Burgos, Leon and Ponferrada and an extra buffer/sightseeing day in Santiago) but wasn't sure the 29+ km days that I have planned (Pamplona - Cirauqui (31.8km); Cirauqui - Los Arcos (35.9); Burgos - Hontanas (31.7); Hontanas - Boadilla del Camino (29); Ponferrada - Pereje (29); Triacastela - Barbadelo (29.4); Castromaior - Melide (31)) were realistic.

If you haven't walked a Camino before, you will really only find out when you walk it. What is realistic for one person isn't realistic for another. For some people 30+km days are perfectly fine. Others will develop severe blisters or tendinitis or shin splints or other such conditions if they keep doing them. Unfortunately, you may not know which is you until you try them. That's why I always build in a bit of a cushion and advise doing sol, especially for a first Camino.