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If you have to postpone your "big Camino" ... do you do something "smaller" or nothing at all?

Arctic_Alex

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
CF 2019
CPrim 2023
I know, this is more of an entertaining/curiosity question than a real problem ... But it looks like I myself need to postpone my extended Via de la Plata planned for next spring at least one year. We will build a log cabin and rebuild another cabin next spring in order to be able to move to the new place next summer before winter kicks in. .... and all that exactly during the weeks planned for the Camino. Hence: NO CHANCE for me to walk that lengthy northbound coast-to-coast in Spain next year. I cannot take more than 2 weeks off as it looks.

As I am not decided what to do but just enjoy being frustrated now, I wonder how you would cope with this in a similar situation? Just staying home and saving the money for the later occasion? Having some short vacation closer to home? Or even doing a short Camino that could be done in maybe 2 weeks in order to have at least a bit of the experience?
 
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We had to do exactly that last year, i.e. postpone the VdelP as we ended up with only 3 weeks available so we walked a shorter Camino.

I second thé recommendation by @J Willhaus for the Madrid Way. It’s a perfect 2 week camino. We walked it in 12 days. It meets the Frances in Sahagun so If you have days to spare, you can continue on the Frances for a day or so, or there are a couple of side trips on the Madrid or have a day in Segovia. Lots of possibilities.
 
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J Willhaus said:
You are in Europe already so the flight won't involve much jet lag. Maybe walk the Camino Madrid? Its less traveled, but no less wonderful from what I understand.
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Actually ... no jet lag at all But I live at the Northern edge of Europe so travel to Spain is quite complicated and takes about 1.5 days.
 
Arctic_Alex said:
We will build a log cabin and rebuild another cabin next spring in order to be able to move to the new place next summer before winter kicks in.
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Alex, this sounds like a wonderful project.
 
So you and @J Willhaus recommend the Madrid ... interesting as I never considered that one!
 
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Arctic_Alex said:
So you and @J Willhaus recommend the Madrid ... interesting as I never considered that one!
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If you like, I'll send you by PM a link to my blog for the Madrid Way - and see what you make of it.

There are a couple of LIVE from the Camino threads at the moment from the Madrid. And other forum members who've walked it recently.

That said, I never like to know TOO much about a path before I start walking. But that's just a personal preference.

PS I see your previous Caminos were the Frances and the Portuguese. You will likely not meet many pilgrims on the Madrid Way - maybe even fewer than the VdelP. But it's wonderful.
 
Pelerina said:
Alex, this sounds like a wonderful project.
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Oh, it certainly is! And it is therefore sad and exiting at the same time to kill my camino dreams for 2024 for this reason. We just cleared 300 sqm (square metres, not miles that is ;-) ) of trees and during the snow season we will work with the logs and set it up in march, when transport on the snow is still easy but it is not extremely cold anymore.
 
Last edited:
Thank you! Yes, just send me the link ... but my CP actually stands for Primitivo, not Portugese ...
 
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I actually did Saint Jean to los Arcos and then Ponferada to Santiago.
I’m leaving today to do Logrono to Ponferrada so I just split it up and absolutely it’s better than nothing.
if you can’t do the whole thing, it still is just a lovely experience each time.
 
Thanks. Yes, I know this is great for some, but I am wired differently: I need to get to the final destination in one go so it feels right for me and to get the sense of achievement I am looking for - else it would be just a lengthy walk and I can do those everywhere and need not to travel to Spain in the first place.
So I would not "sacrifice" my dream-walk from Gibraltar via Santiago to the coast of Northern Spain by splitting it into pieces.
Then it is better for me to walk something else that is shorter but whole and wait a year or two to find time for the larger project.
 
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Do you only want to walk in Spain on a Camino?

I wanted to walk this autumn for a few days, but not per sé in Spain. So I looked around for multiple day walks in Germany ( I live in the Netherlands) and found the Rootharsteig.

An 8 days tour naar Winterberg in a nature reserve. Very German, as in good signage and a lot of Information available about the tracks including gpx or Kml tracks. Don’t expect to find the camino spirit there I think, but I read is a wonderfull walk. Just a sugestion…
 
I absolutely loved walking from Porto to Santiago. I did the old traditional route in 2 weeks, with a rest day in Tui, at the border. You get to see two countries, two completely different ways of decorating churches, eating, speaking and being. I was enchanted by them both.
 
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It would be either a Camino in Spain or Portugal I guess ... or I would just walk close to where I live.
Germany is less exciting for me as I lived the first 45 years of my life in Germany and visit my relatives there on a regular basis ... but generally speaking you are right, there are nice paths to hike on in Germany. The Malerweg for example.
 
Arctic_Alex said:
Or even doing a short Camino that could be done in maybe 2 weeks in order to have at least a bit of the experience?
Click to expand...
I’m so surprised that no one has suggested the Invierno! Leaves from Ponferrada, about 260 Km and it’s beautiful. There’s lots of good info here on the forum and lots of Invierno alumni who live it!

P.s. I would always choose a short Camino over no Camino at all!
 
My big Camino was cancelled (Faro to Ferrol) and I'm just doing Camino Ingles instead.

I'm pouting because I don't get to do the Big Thing I wanted, but am happy I get to do Any Thing at all.

There will be time for bigger adventures! Buen Camino!
 
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Arctic_Alex said:
Or even doing a short Camino that could be done in maybe 2 weeks in order to have at least a bit of the experience?
Click to expand...
A holiday at home is great, but.....
This problem has already arisen twice for me this year. Like you, there's no way I'm doing part of a full Camino. So I just grabbed the chance - the first time I just had a week, so the Inglès. The second, two, so the Primitivo. Mind you, I only have a day's travel at most, not the 1,5 you mention!
I'm just seriously considering the Fishermans trail/ Rota Vicentina for my next two weeks, but that's also a winner because if I get to go it'll be in October - great timing temperature wise for this trail.
So long answer short - something is better than nothing!
 
This was similar to the circumstances that I faced in 2014, when my plans to walk the S:t Olavsleden were thrown askew by my son's wedding. My wife and I could only find the time and money for a one month trip to Europe, so I chose the short Camino option, and walked the CI and then to Muxia and Fisterra. I have never regretted making that choice.
 
The CI is actually one I always was interested in
 
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Do a short Camino
 
Now I was just about to open another whining thread with the same topic as this one as I had completely forgotten about it!

Yes, I gut the blues again as the year has started and there are no Camino plans for 2024 ... and what makes things worse is that a Camino friend of mine from 2019 just asked me if I would follow him as he is walking the Norte this summer ...
 
Arctic_Alex said:
Yes, I gut the blues again as the year has started and there are no Camino plans for 2024 ...
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I have a week or so lined up with a friend in August. Picking up where we left off in Logrono last summer. But I might well sneak back for a short Camino before then. Maybe the Portugues from Porto this time!
 
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Bradypus said:
I have a week or so lined up with a friend in August. Picking up where we left off in Logrono last summer. But I might well sneak back for a short Camino before then. Maybe the Portugues from Porto this time!
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Lucky you! How much time would you plan for the Portuges?
 
Bradypus said:
Probably 10 days. I average about 30km per day on my Camino walking and that would give me a bit of leeway.
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Almost tempted ... As it is near the coast most of the time it is probably less of a problem to do it closer to summer ...
 
More 2024 Camino Guides available
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I just have a short Camino (10-14 days) this year. But it's in good company! Maybe a longer one next year. I've got my eye on the Levante and the Mozarabe.
 
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