John Brierley

[CriostoirMacAodha]

Hi folks!

I am returning to the Camino this year. I am just wondering does John Brierley have a new edition out this year for 2013?

Go raibh maith agat, do chara trid Criost.

Is Mise

Críostóir MacAodha

 

[Tobyturnips]

He is giving a talk next Sunday to the Irish Society of St James in the Burlington - see their webpage

 

[tyrrek]

Yep.

http://www.findhornpress.com/index.php? ... 6ef41294bf

Hopefully the Larrasoana section will have been amended after the threads on that subject! :shock:

Buen Camino!

 

[tyrrek]

On the other hand, the red German guide has recommended avoiding Larrasoana because of mold for at least two years.

Last year I was envious of the German pilgrims with their Wanderfuhrer guides, which contained information such as approximate hostal prices and availability of ATMs etc. I know JB's guide is orientated differently, but some of us are genuinely concerned if we're going to have no food, drink, cash at the end of the day. :cry: But don't get me started on poor JB again! He's made a great contribution. Buen Camino!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

I know JB's guide is orientated differently, but some of us are genuinely concerned if we're going to have no food, drink, cash at the end of the day. :cry: But don't get me started on poor JB again! He's made a great contribution. Buen Camino!

Yes he has and good luck to him but given that John Brierley is making at least $100,000 per year from the Camino please don't hesitate to keep him on his toes!

 

[camino-david]

Hi Johnny,
I very much doubt that John Brierley is making $100,000 a year for himself. The money paid for the guides goes to the Findhorn Press, which is part of The Findhorn Foundation. This Foundation is based at a spiritual and learning residential centre in the north of Scotland, which is a community where everyone shares their talents for mutual benefit. This of course accounts for the spiritual leanings of his books.

 

[camino-david]

If you want to find out if John Brierley is doing a 2012 edition of the Frances, I suggest you email Findpress Press at
http://www.findhornpress.com or http://www.caminoguides.com or email info@findhornpress.com

 

[unadara]

John is talking for the Irish Friends next Sunday 11th in Dublin. His 2013 ed (sic) guide is already on sale, my american friend had one this Sept. If anyone wants to attend check the Irish Friends site.
http://www.stjamesirl.com

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi Johnny,
I very much doubt that John Brierley is making $100,000 a year for himself. The money paid for the guides goes to the Findhorn Press, which is part of The Findhorn Foundation. This Foundation is based at a spiritual and learning residential centre in the north of Scotland, which is a community where everyone shares their talents for mutual benefit. This of course accounts for the spiritual leanings of his books.

I understand. But Findhorn Press is a commercial publisher and John Brierley has a commercial contract with them the same as any other author. He has made a huge contribution to the development of the camino and inmho to is entitled to make as much money as the market yields.

 

[tyrrek]

I hope someone raises the Zubiri/Larrasonana issue at the Irish meeting, because to me it's just a no brainer. It's clear that JB doesn't like industry, roads, etc, but his guide should just benefit pilgrims. Real pilgrims. Like you and I. I don't care if I'm staying in an industrial town. I'm not walking with some idea of being a medieval pilgrim. I love the history of the route but I'm doing it in my day, my month, my time, my life.

I like his maps though.

Buen Camino!

ps. And why on earth does he suggest we stay in Cizur Menor rather than Pamplona?! That strikes me as madness! He must have a reason, I suppose.

 

[jennysa]

On the other hand, the red German guide has recommended avoiding Larrasoana because of mold for at least two years.

Last year I was envious of the German pilgrims with their Wanderfuhrer guides, which contained information such as approximate hostal prices and availability of ATMs etc. I know JB's guide is orientated differently, but some of us are genuinely concerned if we're going to have no food, drink, cash at the end of the day. :cry: But don't get me started on poor JB again! He's made a great contribution. Buen Camino!

I have just come back from the Camino, and I found that just about every English-speaking pilgrim clutched a copy of Brierly and most were slavishly following his steps so there was always a huge concentration of pilgrims at the places that he recommended at the end of each day. A few of us found out that in order to avoid the crowds and the congestion, the best option was either to stop at the place just before or just after his recommended step.

 

[nreyn12]

I have just come back from the Camino, and I found that just about every English-speaking pilgrim clutched a copy of Brierly and most were slavishly following his steps so there was always a huge concentration of pilgrims at the places that he recommended at the end of each day. A few of us found out that in order to avoid the crowds and the congestion, the best option was either to stop at the place just before or just after his recommended step.

I'm just back as well, and I found exactly what you described. If you stop only at the stage-breaks JB recommends, you miss some fantastic albergue experiences.

PLUS, please note that some of the albergues that are not on the JB stages are starting to suffer from lack of business, as the number of English-reading JB followers is increasing. Let's work together to keep all of these fantastic places open, thriving, and serving pilgrims as they so sincerely want to do.

Some examples of great albergues / stops not on the JB plan: Eunate, Cirauqui, Lorca, Villatuerta, Ventosa, Azofra, Viloria de la Rioja, Tosantos, St Nicholas (just after Castrojeriz), Bercianos, Hospital de Orbigo, Pieros, La Faba, Fonfria, and Samos.

Any others? Please add...

 

[nellpilgrim]

[

PLUS, please note that some of the albergues that are not on the JB stages are starting to suffer from lack of business, as the number of English-reading JB followers is increasing. Let's work together to keep all of these fantastic places open, thriving, and serving pilgrims as they so sincerely want to do.

Some examples of great albergues / stops not on the JB plan: Eunate, Cirauqui, Lorca, Villatuerta, Ventosa, Azofra, Viloria de la Rioja, Tosantos, St Nicholas (just after Castrojeriz), Bercianos, Hospital de Orbigo, Pieros, La Faba, Fonfria, and Samos.

Any others? Please add...

...though in fairness JB does list and describe the accommodation available in each village/town the Camino passes through not only the ones in his itinerary stage stops. So it's easy to hop off the 'Brierley train' if you want to and his info is, for the most part, both accurate and comprehensive.
I only wish I had an English language guide (not to mind a good one) for my current journeying!

 

[tyrrek]

...though in fairness JB does list and describe the accommodation available in each village/town the Camino passes through not only the ones in his itinerary stage stops. So it's easy to hop off the 'Brierley train' if you want to and his info is, for the most part, both accurate and comprehensive.
I only wish I had an English language guide (not to mind a good one) for my current journeying!

Yes, and most people realise pretty quickly that JB's guide isn't gospel. Unfortunately you sometimes have to learn the hard way. :shock: Buen Camino!

 

[Pieces]

I was gonna say, one is allowed to think, but tyrrek beat me to it...

I actually quite like the brierly, but then I haven't used it as a bible. I like the maps easy to figure and you always know how far the next coffee is, I like the little tips and detours and a bunch og other stuff...

for the albergue recommendations I've twice used the what not to miss post succesfully instead...

 

[julie]

Am I the only pilgrim who doesn't have a Brierley? I prefer to carry as little as possible and simply want to know how far it is to each village and whether there is an albergue, bar/restaurant and shop.

I like to carry the profile diagrams which fit on one A4 sheet of paper and haven't found it necessary to carry a map for the Camino Frances. There is a great sense of liberation in walking until you've had enough and then stopping. You tend to meet up with the same people for a few days and then one day you arrive and you don't know anyone. Are the usuals ahead or behind? It doesn't really matter as you often cross paths again even if it's not until Santiago.

Although I missed some people terribly by walking like this, I usually found that there was a reason I had to walk alone and when it was time, I bonded with yet more wonderful people.

 

[Pieces]

I don't have a brierly either, I use the Michelin map guide, much lighter, but I am one of those annoying ones always using other peoples brierlys....

Used it on the portugese though but I only brought half the book and discarded as I went so I actually don't have that one either

 

[SabsP]

Am I the only pilgrim who doesn't have a Brierley? I prefer to carry as little as possible and simply want to know how far it is to each village and whether there is an albergue, bar/restaurant and shop.

I like to carry the profile diagrams which fit on one A4 sheet of paper and haven't found it necessary to carry a map for the Camino Frances. There is a great sense of liberation in walking until you've had enough and then stopping. You tend to meet up with the same people for a few days and then one day you arrive and you don't know anyone. Are the usuals ahead or behind? It doesn't really matter as you often cross paths again even if it's not until Santiago.

Although I missed some people terribly by walking like this, I usually found that there was a reason I had to walk alone and when it was time, I bonded with yet more wonderful people.

My thoughts exactly Julie!!

 

[newfydog]

We've done it twice without a Brierley guide. I much prefer real maps, not sketches, and the only guide we ever carried was nothing but history and culture. We actually like not knowing where we will stay, and just taking something that looks nice and fits our timing and energy level.

If you go anytime but peak season, options abound. I would not like to be in lock- step with the English speaking crowd.

 

[unadara]

On the CF 2011- 2 of us carried a Pila Press guide, and a JB maps guide. The Pila Press guide was excellent. The Maps very useful. We ended up doing stages+ and a bit after a while, not sticking to major centres all the time. 2012-Camino Norte was interesting, Tourist Euskadi produce great little books, no culture or detail of interesting sites though (general but very good). Camino Madrid small book exact same, towns, accomm detail, mileage etc. I have looked at the German guides and love the maps and detail.
BUT am thinking of going on Sunday to listen to John's talk. I still have his maps and use it all the time while posting here or to remember things. I wish I had stayed in Pamplona, I did stay in Larrasoana! (for many reasons this was one of my best nights/not due to alberque). I made a list of alberques I didn't stay in and my friend used it as a guide this year, we both now say we will do this again, list towns we haven't been in and use it as a guide. My spanish friend relied on mundicamino, eroski and reviews posted within, I love it that there is so much information out there, the sources here are amazing. Laurie and Reb and Mike's updates. For a first timer JB is a good resource. Us lucky one's who have walked more than once can give advice based on experience and not expect people to agree/follow us to the letter, just a little community of diverse , wonderful opinions.

 

[Terrri]

I have bought travel guides in the past but never bring them with me on trips and I had no intentions of even buying one for the camino. Is it really necessary? I am planning on gleaning what info I think I need off of various sites and blogs and beyond that just crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. When I travel I collect info in order to leave my options open and not to have an itinerary. I have already realized that people seem to travel in unintentional groups and I am hoping to avoid the early morning rush and afternoon albergue line ups. Am I realistic?

 

[tyrrek]

I have bought travel guides in the past but never bring them with me on trips and I had no intentions of even buying one for the camino. Is it really necessary? I am planning on gleaning what info I think I need off of various sites and blogs and beyond that just crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. When I travel I collect info in order to leave my options open and not to have an itinerary. I have already realized that people seem to travel in unintentional groups and I am hoping to avoid the early morning rush and afternoon albergue line ups. Am I realistic?

Hi Terri!

No, you can survive without a guide, and you won't get lost. It's very well marked. I just found the guide useful to indicate where the next refreshments/accommodation/significant town might be. There are also some places where you can choose one of two or more routes. Someone else you meet will have a guide so it's not necessary for everyone to have one.

Buen Camino!

 

[Terrri]

Thanks Tyrrek,

All that info is available on line. I am making my notes on alternate routes, distances, albergues etc. I guess a book would save me from all this work but I like it! So many people have blogs I have to restrain myself from information over load. I want some surprises along the way and not too much predictability. The hardest part seems to be getting to and from the airport.

 

[Pieces]

Terri Dont forget to chck the which alberg wouldn't you miss, top of this forum, there are some very good recommendations in there ...

 

[nreyn12]

Am I the only pilgrim who doesn't have a Brierley? I prefer to carry as little as possible and simply want to know how far it is to each village and whether there is an albergue, bar/restaurant and shop.

I'm with you, Julie. Although I own two editions of the Brierley Book, I wouldn't dream of carrying it. It's far too heavy. But it is a great resource, and I enjoy reading it after each Camino to remind myself of where I've been. I also annotate it for further reference.

Call me old fashioned, but I carry the 27-stage etapas map that circulated a while back http://www.elcaminosantiago.com/Camino-Santiago-Map-Camino-Frances-Profiles-27-Etapas.htm, and then I just follow the yellow arrows and break up the stages as I see fit, as I go.

This map is a bit outdated, so I mark it up myself. There are more current versions of these kinds of stages plans, but old habits die hard - this is the (only) resource I had on my first Camino in 2005. Maybe it's just a bit of Camino nostalgia for me!

 

[dfitzg773]

I too thought about walking without a guidebook, but I am glad I brought one. I used Brierley and found it a good guide---not a bible, but a guide. Having the guide allowed me to make intelligent decisions on the route about where my next water fountain is, when will I find food, how far is the next albergue when it was 1:30 pm and I didn't want to stop, but didn't want to walk too much further.

There were several times I consulted the guide because I was unsure of the route. I had missed a turn once and with the guide was able to figure out I could walk a little along a road and the route would cross it again soon. I did not have to back track.

Lastly, the guide also helped me figure out which albergue I wanted to stay at. I felt like you had to read between the lines sometimes in Brierley's guide because he would not say bad things directly, but sometimes words like "basic" meant reallyl basic and I might avoid them if possible.

I met a person who was using her phone to check an Spanish online site which also helped a lot with albergue selection.

Have fun.

 

[siseale94]

I finisned the Camino at the end of Oct. and I found JB's guide useful, but I also didn't follow it to the tee. It did give me choices and other pilgims often borrowed it. Nevertheless, the Geman, Dutch and Danish guides were more to the point.

 

[tyrrek]

Nevertheless, the Geman, Dutch and Danish guides were more to the point.

Yep, if ever there was a guide book that is not 'to the point' that's JB's in my view. However 'the point' is different for different people, and while we're used to 'practical' guides on our trips to Greece and Turkey etc, JB is trying to move us somewhere else. To be fair, he's fairly honest about it as well; it just doesn't help much if you're left skint, hungry and drying out too rapidly. Buen Camino!

 

[nellpilgrim]

Nevertheless, the Geman, Dutch and Danish guides were more to the point.

Yep, if ever there was a guide book that is not 'to the point' that's JB's in my view.

Hi Tyrrek I think it's time a proper Yorkshire 'How to' guide to the Camino was produced.... perhaps titled 'Start, Walk, Stop' ? :lol: (my Grandmother was from Halifax and her succinct words of wisdom are part of our family history)

 

[tyrrek]

Nevertheless, the Geman, Dutch and Danish guides were more to the point.

Yep, if ever there was a guide book that is not 'to the point' that's JB's in my view.

Hi Tyrrek I think it's time a proper Yorkshire 'How to' guide to the Camino was produced.... perhaps titled 'Start, Walk, Stop' ? :lol: (my Grandmother was from Halifax and her succinct words of wisdom are part of our family history)

Hi Nell. Yes, on reflection I didn't make my point well. What I meant was that JB's guide is a spiritual and mystical one, more than just the practicalities.

I'm Scottish so can't really help with the Yorkshire translation. A Scottish version would read something like;
Git oot yer bed, walk fir a wee while, then pit yer heid doon.

Buen Camino!

 

[dougfitz]

Brierley on Brierley

Yep, if ever there was a guide book that is not 'to the point' that's JB's in my view. However 'the point' is different for different people, and while we're used to 'practical' guides on our trips to Greece and Turkey etc, JB is trying to move us somewhere else.

Brierley himself is quite clear that his motivation was to assist people undertake a spiritual journey as well as the practical one. In his introduction to the 2009 Camino Frances guide, he puts it this way:

But what inspired me to write another guidebook was the almost universal absence of any reference, yet alone waymarks, to the inner path.

I found Brierley a good balance, but never felt that I had to follow the stage plans in detail. I think there were 10 nights where I stayed before or past the stage points in Brierley. I would probably feel more confident choosing my own stage pattern on my next Camino.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Poor old John Brierly sure is taking a knocking!
I can only say how I find - and the Brierly guide virtually doubled the pleasure of my camino [from Porto to SdC] last year. It's not particularly the spiritual side of the guide - you can ignore that if you wish - but the extra historical notes were great, and made the camino much more interesting.
I will certainly be looking to see if he does a guide for the Camino Ingles, which I hope to do either next year or in 2014.

Buen camino ... with or without a guide!
Stephen.
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm

 

[tyrrek]

Poor old John Brierly sure is taking a knocking!

No not really. He's just like one of those friends that you find a bit frustrating, but you like anyway!

By trying to mix fact with opinion and sometimes blurring the two not everyone will agree all of the time. A 'busy road' for JB is one along which a car may pass every 5 minutes, while for me it would be every 5 seconds. I'm not suggesting he publishes road traffic statistics, but just that he qualifies some of the more opinion-based observations. Is it a guide to give you open and honest options for your Camino, or trying to lead you down a certain (sometimes odd) path?

Buen Camino!

 

[Al the optimist]

Like the Yorkshire and Scottish Guides, so I'm adding one in the Black Country dialect!
Gerup,ate,omble darn tut rard,ate a bit moor un gu te kip
allan

 

[tyrrek]

Like the Yorkshire and Scottish Guides, so I'm adding one in the Black Country dialect!
Gerup,ate,omble darn tut rard,ate a bit moor un gu te kip
allan

Ha ha. Allan, I miss Wolvo from my college days. Shouldn't you have a 'Roit!' on the end of your translation?

Buen Camino!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I am nostalgic for Frommer's "Europe on $5 a Day." Of course, it did not deal with the Camino, which was pretty much a forgotten relic at that time.

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

I carry the Confraternity of St James guide and have done so on 9 Caminos of varying length.

I have found it accurate, invaluable and not overly loaded with information.

I do not own a Brierly and would regard carrying that weight as a penance. Surely the best way to use it is to read it before you go, make notes on what to look out for and the take the CSJ guide, dropping the pages you no longer need into a recycle bin.

As the years have gone by I think we have become in danger of allowing other people's perceptions and preferences to overly shape our Camino and the Brierly guide may (unintenionally) add to that.

However, we each make our own way and we must take what we need.

ps, I have posted a request for some information from the Brierly guide which this year's CSJ guide ommited so the above must be read with that in mind!

 

[Al the optimist]

R Tyrek, yo alf roit theer ar kid. Yowm a roit lol, yo am.
allan
PS apologies to those uninitiated in the Shakespearean dialect

 

[jeffnd]

I got my Brierley guide yesterday. I don't plan to follow the stages though. I'll be taking a more "organic" approach. When I'm tired, I'll simply stop walking. I do like all the information it has in it though.

 

[supersullivan]

Used the Brierly guide for my 1st Camino ( Sarria to S de C ) 2 months ago, did like the accurate distances from village to village, the depiction of where cafe/bars were, phone numbers for various categories of accommodation and the brief info on various sights to be seen along the route, stayed in Vilache just before Portomarin, an albergue which only opened earlier this year and was our 1st overnight on the Camino and had a treat of a stay and would not have been looking out for it but for the guide, for the various faults it may have ( hands up those of us who are perfect in every way ) it still makes for a very useful guide for a 1st time peregrino, did not find the weight any problem and fully intend to have it with me in May 2013 when I plan to leave SJPP for Santiago but will back it up with a couple of sheets of A4s with the best of tips for albergues etc. posted by those who have learned their lessons the hard way. Speaking of which: the Dragonte variation appeals to me as a regular hill walker and I'd welcome any feedback from those who may have used it in the past couple of years.

Buen Camino

Seamus Sullivan

 

[grayland]

All of the faults listed for the Brierley are pretty much true.

Having said that....I still take one with me and use it as a basic information source. The maps give a good sense of what is ahead and around you and helps to plan distances. Lots of info on accommodation and eating. I have not found a better source in English.

Just be very careful not to use the same stages and stops or you will be traveling in a large crowd. :wink:

 

[renegadepilgrim]

The Brierley guide is to the Camino as Lonely Planet is to "backpackers".

Here is what I found the JB guide useful for:

*finding english speakers, especially Canadians and Americans
*finding people who are lost, because inevitably I would some poor sap looking at the not-to-scale maps trying to find their way in a larger city or town

Other than that, the maps are not to scale, the elevation charts are also not to scale (they vary depending on the stage, so there is no consistency) and there is one section where he talks about Tosantos and the hermitage in the hill and what must be up there....blah blah blah...well, in two years, he still hasn't gone there to find out, which tells me he's never stayed at the albergue in Tosantos, because if he had, he would know a woman from the village comes to the albergue and takes pilgrims to the hermitage in the hill and explains the history. It's actually quite fascinating.

If I were to walk the CF again (and I might), I would take the elevation chart/albergue list from the pilgrim office in SJPdP and do my own research beforehand, and not take a guide book. The Eroski app for the iPhone is good, even though it's in Spanish and I found the urcamino.com website to be helpful too. I was going to use the CSJ guide on the CP last month and ended up tossing it before I started walking. I'm a visual person so all that writing makes me go crazy. Perhaps that's why I don't like the JB guides...too wordy and not enough pictures!

Seriously though...I just want a simple guide with albergues, elevation gains and a decent to-scale map...the Michelin map book is the closest I've seen yet...I'd love for someone to pay me to do a proper guidebook in English...it would contain all of the stuff I would like to see and I would research the hell out of it and get people OFF the JB stages!

 

[pablo.m]

not a fan.

i stayed in a small private albergue not listed in that guys book - they told an interesting tale: some guy representing that publication in some capacity had knocked on their door a season or two before, had asked for money payment in exchange for a mention, & got told to jump in a lake. result - left out, in fact mention was that there was nothing worth stopping for there. one of the pererginos staying that night had the latest edition so we checked to validate. true enough.

that sux.

sure sells a lotta books tho...

 

[grayland]

not a fan.

i stayed in a small private albergue not listed in that guys book - they told an interesting tale: some guy representing that publication in some capacity had knocked on their door a season or two before, had asked for money payment in exchange for a mention, & got told to jump in a lake. result - left out, in fact mention was that there was nothing worth stopping for there. one of the pererginos staying that night had the latest edition so we checked to validate. true enough.

that sux.

sure sells a lotta books tho. wont be gettin my dollars, thats for damn sure.

There is almost certainly no truth to that rumor. :roll:

 

[dougfitz]

i stayed in a small private albergue not listed in that guys book - they told an interesting tale: some guy representing that publication in some capacity had knocked on their door a season or two before, had asked for money payment in exchange for a mention, & got told to jump in a lake. result - left out, in fact mention was that there was nothing worth stopping for there. one of the pererginos staying that night had the latest edition so we checked to validate. true enough.

that sux.

sure sells a lotta books tho. wont be gettin my dollars, thats for damn sure.

Be fair. The absence of a listing does not validate the claim that the place was not mentioned because it did not make a payment. There is no logical link, and plenty of alternative explanations.

This salesman story has all the hallmarks of a scam. Approach a firm offering a advertising spot in a book or magazine, demand advance payment and disappear with the money. I've had a variation on this attempted on me some years ago.

 

[pablo.m]

repeating the tale as i heard it, plain & simple
after five years in operation, seems strange a place could stay unrecognised & off the radar that long
would be nice to think a mistake had been made, it was a nice place

 

[dougfitz]

repeating the tale as i heard it, plain & simple
after five years in operation, seems strange a place could stay unrecognised & off the radar that long
would be nice to think a mistake had been made, it was a nice place

If it's good, let John Brierley know. He seeks feedback

'from pilgrims who have recently walked the route to enable it to stay fresh and relevant'

. The updates page is at http://www.caminoguides.com

 

[mralisn]

I have had great success with the small pamphlet-like guide from the Confraternity of St. James. I supplement this guide with hand-outs/input I gather along the Way from the alburgues. The guide has been great for both Frances and Norte. It can be ordered from the UK and sent anywhere. The 3 I have used arrived within a week after ordering. Inexpensive (5BP) and usually updated as much as possible. The author encourages users to give feedback to assist with updates/corrections/false or changed information. Extremely simple and easy to use. Give it a try!

Cheers!
Simeon

 

[reuben79]

I was very impressed with Brierley's book. I have traveled to over 30 countries and used guidebooks for pretty much all of them. Even the best are always slightly out of date, have occasional typos and the maps are rarely dead-on. In comparison, I thought his book was as accurate and useful as any I've used. It helps that it is for such a specific location and that he updates it annually, unlike most guidebooks. I could have done without the Mystical Path sections but other than that thought it was excellent.

It was fascinating, though, to hear so many other pilgrims complain about their Brierley guidebook almost like it was a weird fad to do so. There were also lots of people using something different or specifically using no book at all that routinely found themselves borrowing someone's Brierley to get the information they were lacking. Of course, I've experienced that phenomenon in all kinds of places, with all kinds of books. There have been times the anti-Lonely Planet sentiment has seemed almost cult-like, despite everyone around me only managing thanks to its help. It's a strange thing.

 

[max44]

Yes, and most people realise pretty quickly that JB's guide isn't gospel. Unfortunately you sometimes have to learn the hard way. :shock: Buen Camino!

I would rather not learn the hard way I have done treks before, however, I am ignorant when it comes to the camino.

Does anyone know if there is a blog or some other guide where it would have listed some places are are worth staying? I am not used to crowds and would rather stay in those places.
All the comments above make a lot of sense. I wasnt going to buy the book. I have a map and would just ask people. Why the list..so I can plan to end each day rather than walk and realise I should have stopped at a place I passed a few miles back(Not sere why i said miles when I only know Km's)
Regards to all
Terry
EDIT: Just found a book on the http://amawalker.blogspot.com.au/, that seems to suit what I need. It seems to help you decide rather than follow. I just realised it's an Australian site when i copied the link. I havnt got any books yet. Moderators..I have nothing to do with this Author or company, I was just commenting

 

[dougfitz]

Max,

Silvia Nilsen, aka Sil, aka Sillydoll, is a South African who has chosen to host her blog on a site with an Australian web address.

Don't let that deter you from buying her book . I have one of her guides, and its full of good advice.

Regards

 

[wayfarer]

Max, I didn't bring the Brierly guide because of weight, I opted for "Walking the Camino de Santiago" by Pili Pala press but after the first few days I stopped using it except for taking notes on the margins. I didn't find it great. I discovered the Michelin Guide to the "Camino de Santiago in Leon and bought that. I found it ultra light, fits in a cargo pocket or back pocket, good maps, stages marked and phone numbers for acommodation. It cost €6 in Leon in the main plaza. I am sure they have them in StJPP as well in the gear shops.

 

[Olivares]

not a fan.

i stayed in a small private albergue not listed in that guys book - they told an interesting tale: some guy representing that publication in some capacity had knocked on their door a season or two before, had asked for money payment in exchange for a mention, & got told to jump in a lake. result - left out, in fact mention was that there was nothing worth stopping for there. one of the pererginos staying that night had the latest edition so we checked to validate. true enough.

that sux.

sure sells a lotta books tho. wont be gettin my dollars, thats for damn sure.

If you think the story above is farfetched, you are being sadly naive.....

I travel quite a bit and have talked to several establishment's owners who have experienced the above. From Rick Steeves to Frommer's to Samantha Brown they all have marketing teams that do ask for advertising fees. I have owners tell me THEY have approached these publications to get in and many have been told they already have the "quota" in their city and put them on a waiting list. I just returned from Greece where the owner of a small company called Athens by taxi have just met with reps from Rick Steeve to get a "good" review for a fee.

Where there is money to be made there is greed; JB may write the book, but he has accountants, lawyers, editors, and plenty people who EAT and do not work for free....SOME funds may go to a spiritual organization, but make no mistakes it IS a business....

 

[Tia Valeria]

Max,

Silvia Nilsen, aka Sil, aka Sillydoll, is a South African who has chosen to host her blog on a site with an Australian web address.

Don't let that deter you from buying her book . I have one of her guides, and its full of good advice.

Regards

Our blog on blogspot had a .com address now when we go online it has a co.uk ending. I think that it simply adds your own country as a suffix now which is confusing IMO.

Max, I would invest in a guide, there are several including Sil's mentioned on the forum. Also 'gronze.com' is a good online site for the northern Caminos and does have a Francés section. Spanish but worth checking out even if you cannot read it all.

 

[Deleted member 12253]

I use brierley guide but not as gospel, anyway it first came out in 2003, big changes in last 10 yrs in numbers etc, tosantos now has a lady escorting pilgrims to cave church but not in 2000. Basic means basic, matt on floor, food has to be bought but I notice people will not leave donation . New cages opening daily, lovely one in zabaldica zubiri / Pamplona , larrasoana worst dump on camino, avoid it. Walked 18 km today with pack training for April next Buen camino

 

[max44]

Also 'gronze.com' is a good online site for the northern Caminos and does have a Francés section. Spanish but worth checking out even if you cannot read it all.

Thanks for this. I may not need a guide. Since everyone is going on about weight, one less thing to take.
I run linux at home..auto translates pages. This and a few others have places to stay where the owners didn't have to pay to be placed in a guide.
Thanks again.

 

[dfitzg773]

I brought Brierley guide with me and was happy with it. I used it as a guide and also asked people where they were going to stop and why. It is nice to know how far the next albergue is when you feel like you still have some walk in you.

I met a woman who had a great iPhone app which also seeed to be helpful.

If you care to read my blog, I made a comment in one post about every place I stayed.

Dan
http://www.danscaminotravels.wordpress.com