How to maximise 5 days, finishing in Santiago?

[djbrooksuk]

Hi everyone,

This will be my first camino and I’ll really appreciate any advice. Sorry if this is a repetitive thread - feel free to point me to the right place if so.

I only have 5 days to walk in mid November and would like to do as much as possible of the Portuguese coastal route, finishing in Santiago. I will be walking alone, am happy to do some longer days and consider myself relatively fit. However I want to be able to finish and not risk injury, and enjoy the time...

The caminodesantiago.gal site has suggested from A Guarda is possible in 5 days (32km per day), overnighting in Baiona, Redondela, Santa Maria de Alba and Carracedo. It sounds like a lot, especially day 2 (more than 40km) and day 5 (close to 40km).

All views and suggestions very much appreciated. Also what are the best ways to get to the start point? I am looking to fly from London and am happy to pay a little more for an efficient journey.

Thanks again,

David

 

[KariC]

My advice would be to do less than 100 miles and to do it at a sane pace. The Camino shouldn't be a miserable, beyond-exhaustion exercise in brutality. Enjoy it. Don't go for a compostela - there are ways to appreciate the beauty, spirituality, and community without feeling you have to walk far enough to qualify for a compostela. My advice would be to start at Porto, make sure you stay at Casa da Fernanda (central route), enjoy and explore ruins, cathedrals, Tui, or a part that brings you along the variante espiritual, and get as far as you get. I live in the desert and love the ocean, and was thinking I'd want to walk the coastal. After a day I went inland, and enjoyed it so much more.

 

[spursfan]

If you want a compostela then you might also have to factor in arriving early enough during the day or waiting to collect it early the following morning

 

[trecile]

If you want a compostela then you might also have to factor in arriving early enough during the day or waiting to collect it early the following morning

I don't think that will be a concern in November.
Personally, I would start in Tui, and walk at a more leisurely pace.

 

[surya8]

I only have 5 days to walk in mid November and would like to do as much as possible of the Portuguese coastal route, finishing in Santiago. I will be walking alone, am happy to do some longer days and consider myself relatively fit. However I want to be able to finish and not risk injury, and enjoy the time...
The caminodesantiago.gal site has suggested from A Guarda is possible in 5 days (32km per day), overnighting in Baiona, Redondela, Santa Maria de Alba and Carracedo. It sounds like a lot, especially day 2 (more than 40km) and day 5 (close to 40km).

I also think that doing it in 5 days from A Guarda is possble, the way is easy there, no big hills, no notorious Portuguese cobblestones. Of course that would be a push, might be a bit stressful especially if that's your first Camino and you are not used to walking long distances with a backpack. My fav stretch of the coast there is between A Guarda and Vigo, then Variante Espiritual - that's is you like nature. Here is my blog starting from A Guarda in Jan: https://anna-camino.livejournal.com/6348.html If you are interested in valking Espiritual concider the situation with the boat there: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...of-boat-my-fav-day-in-pics.65113/#post-796676 If you like some company on the way/more of the social walk then concider walking from Tui as the Central way always has more people on it. There is an aiport in Vigo, not sure of the connection to London though. Bom Camino!

 

[RJM]

Just start in Tui. You should have no problems finding albergue beds available in November all along the route.

 

[David Tallan]

I only have 5 days to walk in mid November and would like to do as much as possible of the Portuguese coastal route, finishing in Santiago. I will be walking alone, am happy to do some longer days and consider myself relatively fit. However I want to be able to finish and not risk injury, and enjoy the time...

That last "however" sentence is pretty important. I wouldn't start any further than Baiona, which works out to just under 25 km per day on average.

Some people can walk 30+ km per day without risking injury and enjoying their time. Others can't. I've walked with people who would get really terrible blisters if they walked 25 or more km per day several days in a row. Others get different problems on successive long (for them) days. The point is, since this is your first pilgrimage, you don't know what it will be like for you. Those "howevers" are important. Why risk them?

 

[djbrooksuk]

A belated thank you to everyone that responded to my question. I walked from Valença to Santiago a week ago and had a great experience. I had planned to do it in 5 days but ended up compressing the last two days into 1 (45km from Caldas de Reis to Santiago) because the weather forecast was looking so bad the next day. I’m very glad I did it and will continue to recommend to others.