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Just starting & Lost already

JBallard2023

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
September 18,2023
Soooo…. I’m in Leon and geared up, but I’ve seen so many markers and so many arrows and nothing that says “start here.” Every app I’ve encountered either doesn’t list my route via Domus Ocinae and onto Mazarife. Does anyone have an app or guide to tell me which road to take and where to turn? Many thanks!
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
In Leon, when you stand in front of the cathedral, the Way out is right behind you, For taking the Way to Mazarife, follow this link & instructions:

 
I use the maps.me app and a kml track called "Alle Pelgrimsroutes Spanje" downloaded from this website. Most of the main Spanish routes in one file.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Every app I’ve encountered either doesn’t list my route via Domus Ocinae and onto Mazarife

The Wise Pilgrim and Buen Camino apps both show the path. You want to take the variant to the south.

Here are screen shots from both apps.







Make sure that you complete all the steps to download the maps for offline use.
 
The Camino Ninja app is really good for navigation and it has a GPS. They just updated it.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Follow the Arrows.

I tried to follow the "way-markers for Camino" to get out of Leon in 2017, they "suddenly" disappeared when I hit a busy area (I can't remember the exact place).

It was 7:00 in the morning. I couldn't see a pilgrim in the street. There were not many people either. My solution was to go to cafes that were open, using a simple Spanish word: Camino. The servers then pointed me the direction. After walking for 2 hours, I was relieved when I saw the first pilgrim.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I used All Trails app the entire Frances to Muxia. No problems.
 
Follow the Arrows.
Put away the phone.
I know this was not the case for the OP, but I think this is generally good advice.

We are living in a Camino town. I’m surprised how often we see pilgrims with their heads in their phones going the wrong way out of town, when the right way is clearly waymarked and easy to follow. When we can, we ‘catch and redirect’ them. On the upside, it often leads to a nice camino chat.
 
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Follow the other pilgrims
On my Camino for a few days I was "leapfrogging" two Japanese pilgrims when one day I was passing through a small town and saw one of them on the other side of the road walking in the opposite direction. He glanced over and obviously recognised me and stopped to allow me to get a distance between us and then he crossed over and started following me. I was quite amused thinking why on Earth he thought I knew where I was going. Eventually I came to a small rest point and his friend was there and I said Your friend is coming using, to me, appropriate sign language, but who knows, I may have been offending him, but he either spoke no English or was ignoring me. (No, I do not speak Japanese, I am not judging). Another time I was in the middle of nowhere and up ahead were four ladies walking slowly and talking and I recognised German. As I approached they stopped and spoke to me asking which was the right route. I just said "This way" and they seemed to take it as correct although I had no better idea than them but applied male logic of not changing direction until told to do so. But yes, my "pathfinding" was yellow arrows or follow that pilgrim(s)
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Fir better or worse I had absolutely no problem walking out of León. It just happened that I somehow reconnected with another Pilgrim whom I first encountered in Roncesvalles and we git separated shortly after Los Arcos....
...and so after our miraculous meeting that morning in front of the Cathedral we walked out together relying only on the arrows pointing the way...
don't know perhaps 2 of by now experienced Pilgrims as we were our Hawkeye eyes were doing a good job scanning..
Later on in my Pilgrimage I was using Buen Camino app and would simply use the Set Your Own Stage option. It gave you a clearly marked way line to follow and a blue arrow showing direction and progress. Almost 100% once I was out if the town streets I'd turn the app off... but at least it got me "on the way " so to speak
 

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