Sarria Blues

[Bumpa]

Greetings fellow forum citizens. I have just returned from Santiago and as I did in the Fall, I gave myself a little time before commenting. I walked from Roncesvalles to Sahagun in October and returned in April to finish the rest of the Camino. I arrived into Sanitago on April 25th.

I found that I quickly slipped back into the daily routines and enjoyed, once again, the experience of the people, the countryside and the beauty of Spain. As the land changed around me, as I headed towards the Atlantic, I felt rewarded by the gift of sharing with the people of the towns I walked through, the kinship of shared: pilgrim meals, sunscreen and experiences. The beauty of moving meditation and solitude.

I did understand from this forum, that there would be an influx of pilgrims walking from Sarria to Santiago.

And then I reached Sarria.

I stopped the night before just short of Sarria as I tried to avoid suggested stopping areas by various guides. So I walked past Sarria at about 9:30am and was astounded. There were people coming down sidewalks, out of alley ways and possibly even through cracks in the earth. I was immediately walking in a bubble of two hundred people. At any given turn or twist or hill top, I could see 20 or 25 people in front of and behind me. If there had of been parallel paths, there might have been 20 to 25 on either side of me. Mind you, I arrived in the area on Easter weekend. Likely not the wisest of choices But there you are.

The numbers I expected. Other things I did not. The litter that all of a sudden there seemed to be so much more of. The mileage cairns, which appear to fairly new, defaced. There appeared to be no mileage plaques left on the cairns. Pieces of the cairns were missing...how do you do that with pilgrim gear. The cairns were almost universally covered from top to bottom with graffiti. Mostly: "Harry loves Sally" and "Rock on Dude" and other noteworthy messages in languages I didn't understand. Actually my rock on dude days are behind me as well.

I saw taxis constantly patrolling the roads adjacent to the trail and several pilgrims flagging them down and going "somewhere." I saw two women get out of a taxi, collect a stamp, get back into the taxi and go "somewhere." The ultimate for me was a tour bus pulling up and exchanging people I had been walking beside with brand new fresh people. Some got on and some got off. One lady who looked as if she had just walked out of a sporting goods store walked up to me. Now you must know that at this point I was sore, bleeding from a knee where I had pitched forward at some point. As well I was sweaty and wafting about me was that peculiar odour of having washed your clothes in a sink for weeks.

She took exception of my wishing her a Buen dias. She insisted that all pilgrims were required to say Buen camino She poked me in the chest several times with a long bony finger and demanded that I say it after her. She must have been a grade school teacher somewhere. Then she got back on the bus and went "somewhere."

Please realize that I understand what I accomplished over my 780 k's and that is in no way diminished by what other people did. I just felt a little disheartened by the general feeling it generated in me over the last 100 k's as opposed to the grace,. contentment and peace I experienced previously. I finished the last 50 k's or so with my chin tucked in, my head down and heading for home. What I felt in reaching and seeing Santiago was a totally different experience and fodder for another time.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

"Grace and contentment" are no longer part of that stretch of the route. Have not been for a few years. But many, perhaps those who have not experienced this yet blame those of us who, like you, are disheartened by the scene, saying the Camino should have tought us to accept this circus.

Welcome to the club of the "Last 100km disheartened".

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Is it possible that you ruined your camino, and not them?

 

[Coleen Clark]

Greetings fellow forum citizens. I have just returned from Santiago and as I did in the Fall, I gave myself a little time before commenting. I walked from Roncesvalles to Sahagun in October and returned in April to finish the rest of the Camino. I arrived into Sanitago on April 25th.

I found that I quickly slipped back into the daily routines and enjoyed, once again, the experience of the people, the countryside and the beauty of Spain. As the land changed around me, as I headed towards the Atlantic, I felt rewarded by the gift of sharing with the people of the towns I walked through, the kinship of shared: pilgrim meals, sunscreen and experiences. The beauty of moving meditation and solitude.

I did understand from this forum, that there would be an influx of pilgrims walking from Sarria to Santiago.

And then I reached Sarria.

I stopped the night before just short of Sarria as I tried to avoid suggested stopping areas by various guides. So I walked past Sarria at about 9:30am and was astounded. There were people coming down sidewalks, out of alley ways and possibly even through cracks in the earth. I was immediately walking in a bubble of two hundred people. At any given turn or twist or hill top, I could see 20 or 25 people in front of and behind me. If there had of been parallel paths, there might have been 20 to 25 on either side of me. Mind you, I arrived in the area on Easter weekend. Likely not the wisest of choices But there you are.

The numbers I expected. Other things I did not. The litter that all of a sudden there seemed to be so much more of. The mileage cairns, which appear to fairly new, defaced. There appeared to be no mileage plaques left on the cairns. Pieces of the cairns were missing...how do you do that with pilgrim gear. The cairns were almost universally covered from top to bottom with graffiti. Mostly: "Harry loves Sally" and "Rock on Dude" and other noteworthy messages in languages I didn't understand. Actually my rock on dude days are behind me as well.

I saw taxis constantly patrolling the roads adjacent to the trail and several pilgrims flagging them down and going "somewhere." I saw two women get out of a taxi, collect a stamp, get back into the taxi and go "somewhere." The ultimate for me was a tour bus pulling up and exchanging people I had been walking beside with brand new fresh people. Some got on and some got off. One lady who looked as if she had just walked out of a sporting goods store walked up to me. Now you must know that at this point I was sore, bleeding from a knee where I had pitched forward at some point. As well I was sweaty and wafting about me was that peculiar odour of having washed your clothes in a sink for weeks.

She took exception of my wishing her a Buen dias. She insisted that all pilgrims were required to say Buen camino She poked me in the chest several times with a long bony finger and demanded that I say it after her. She must have been a grade school teacher somewhere. Then she got back on the bus and went "somewhere."

Please realize that I understand what I accomplished over my 780 k's and that is in no way diminished by what other people did. I just felt a little disheartened by the general feeling it generated in me over the last 100 k's as opposed to the grace,. contentment and peace I experienced previously. I finished the last 50 k's or so with my chin tucked in, my head down and heading for home. What I felt in reaching and seeing Santiago was a totally different experience and fodder for another time.

Sarria is there to ease us back into life off the Camino. For weeks we walk and talk with each other ignoring the blood, sweat, and tears of others and our own as common place. We forget in our simplicity of walk-eat-wash-sleep-repeat that there are such things as perfume and MacDonalds and the convenience of daily transportation. Sarria is the beginning of the end of quiet contemplation, the Camino is easing us into a life of fast people with me first mentalities, while still allowing the Pilgrims who have surrounded you for so long to be available for backup and support and comfort. We find each other by smell. ew. but true.
Be gentle with these late comers. They have not seen what you have, and are dipping their toes in to test the water. Perhaps they are not brave enough, or feel they don't need the entire Camino Experience. Maybe this is as close as they will get to the fantastic opportunities we have had of finding ourselves and our spirituality.
Take it as the blessing it is, a gentle reminder that we get out of everything exactly what we put in.

 

[Mark Lee]

Yeah, the crowds can kinda suck, and the graffiti and vandalism really sucks (what kind of idiot does that, anyway?).
Still, overall my experiences were always good.

 

[katimoyer]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Is it possible that you ruined your camino, and not them?

Case in point.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Sarria is there to ease us back into life off the Camino.
in.

Sarria wan't like this 10 years. Not even 5 years ago, so no, "it is not there" in the state it is now for anything. It's not part of a big methaphysical plan, just the result of consumerism. Well worth avoiding. There are other Caminos to be walked.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

...I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there.
but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them?
.

It's not about those who started further back not wanting you there, or them being rude. It is a simple description of what that stretch of the Frances has unfortunately become with the chase for a Compostela. And it is not judging those who are walking a section, but realsing that the number of people on that stretch make for a loud andbusy walk, something very different from what makes people love the Caminos.

May I ask why you chose that route? There are many other ways to walk 100km into Santiago that are not the circus Saria is. Or why not walk any other section of the Frances, starting anywhere else, ending where and when you want or can?

 

[Bumpa]

Is it possible that you ruined your camino, and not them?

I don't think that I meant to indicate that my Camino was "ruined." The greater majority of it was more than I expected. Of course my reaction was due to my perception of the situation and not the intentional ill will of others. I meant to indicate that I was not prepared for the large differences in environment.

 

[trecile]

How about "The Camino" by Shirley MacLaine. Not for everyone, but a different take on the Camino. Did anyone else like this book?

Sarria is there to ease us back into life off the Camino. For weeks we walk and talk with each other ignoring the blood, sweat, and tears of others and our own as common place. We forget in our simplicity of walk-eat-wash-sleep-repeat that there are such things as perfume and MacDonalds and the convenience of daily transportation. Sarria is the beginning of the end of quiet contemplation, the Camino is easing us into a life of fast people with me first mentalities, while still allowing the Pilgrims who have surrounded you for so long to be available for backup and support and comfort. We find each other by smell. ew. but true.
Be gentle with these late comers. They have not seen what you have, and are dipping their toes in to test the water. Perhaps they are not brave enough, or feel they don't need the entire Camino Experience. Maybe this is as close as they will get to the fantastic opportunities we have had of finding ourselves and our spirituality.
Take it as the blessing it is, a gentle reminder that we get out of everything exactly what we put in.

I LOVE your attitude! I had no problem with anyone who was just walking from Sarria. It was fun to see their excitement after I had been walking for weeks. And I didn't mind being considered an "old pro" by that point by the newcomers.

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

Please don't be discouraged! This forum is not representative of everyone that you will meet on the Camino. Please enjoy your walk!

 

[katimoyer]

It's not about those who started further back not wanting you there, or them being rude. It is a simple description of what that stretch of the Frances has unfortunately become with the chase for a Compostela. And it is not judging those who are walking a section, but realsing that the number of people on that stretch make for a loud andbusy walk, something very different from what makes people love the Caminos.

May I ask why you chose that route? There are many other ways to walk 100km into Santiago that are not the circus Saria is. Or why not walk any other section of the Frances, starting anywhere else, ending where and when you want or can?

I chose it on the advice of quite a few people and also several guidebooks and just from a lot of reading that I did myself but I have second-guessed myself a lot on it. I first walked the Way in Pamplona ( was there in March with a tour group and we walked a km or so of it, probably), and I felt very strongly connected to it and decided then that I wanted to do the pilgrimage. Originally I thought to start in Pamplona and just go as far as I could, with the intention of going back to complete the other parts later. Perhaps that is what I should do since I feel so connected to starting in Pamplona.

 

[Bumpa]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

Kati. My post was intended as a personal point of view of the changes around me and my reaction to them. People will not resent you as an individual and I wish you the best of luck with your walk. I wear two hearing aids and hear very little without them. Sometimes that is a bonus in noisy situations

 

[katimoyer]

Kati. My post was intended as a personal point of view of the changes around me and my reaction to them. People will not resent you as an individual and I wish you the best of luck with your walk. I wear two hearing aids and hear very little without them. Sometimes that is a bonus in noisy situations

Thank you! I'm sure that I will love the Camino.
Oftentimes I prefer to be without my hearing aids. They are so annoying in noisy situations. Luckily I read lips quite well so often I just turn them off.

 

[Bumpa]

Thank you! I'm sure that I will love the Camino.
Oftentimes I prefer to be without my hearing aids. They are so annoying in noisy situations. Luckily I read lips quite well so often I just turn them off.

Kati...I normally walk without my hearing aids in as I am a prodigious producer of perspiration and the aids do not like that at all. I find if I get into a situation where people want to speak to me; a simple "please wait until I get wired" is well received.

 

[katimoyer]

Kati...I normally walk without my hearing aids in as I am a prodigious producer of perspiration and the aids do not like that at all. I find if I get into a situation where people want to speak to me; a simple "please wait until I get wired" is well received.

(Did not mean to hijack the thread, sorry)

Yes, me too! I much prefer to be without them honestly. There are situations they're necessary though.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I chose it on the advice of quite a few people and also several guidebooks and just from a lot of reading that I did myself but I have second-guessed myself a lot on it. I first walked the Way in Pamplona ( was there in March with a tour group and we walked a km or so of it, probably), and I felt very strongly connected to it and decided then that I wanted to do the pilgrimage. Originally I thought to start in Pamplona and just go as far as I could, with the intention of going back to complete the other parts later. Perhaps that is what I should do since I feel so connected to starting in Pamplona.

Kati, I would encourage you to look at other options than Sarria. There are many stretches where shortish distances between albergues are possible, and if one is too long, you could cab the first km in the morning to make it a distance that is ok for your condition. I think it would be a much better experience.

 

[Mark Lee]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

Yeah, ditto on not listening to one dimensional voices on this forum. Just go walk the Camino. I have never seem anyone be rude and judgmental to a Sarria to SDC pilgrim.

 

[Felipe]

The problem is not the distance walked by many members of the "Sarria crowd". It is their attitude, as I think @Bumpa rightly put it.
I have walked with pilgrims that only had a week or less in other sections of the Camino (for example, from Lourdes to SJPP) and they were respectful and proper. Nobody objected or implied that their walk was less worthy.
I, after much hesitation, did this final section two years ago. I was prepared by the circus-like atmosphere, the rampant commercialism, the crowds, the taxis and minivans, the bus drivers stopping to collect many stamps in some bars, etc.
I actually had some pleasant talks with "tour-igrinos", including a guy who told me that the previous year had done the Appalachian trail (¿!). I enjoyed the picturesque Galician paths, the warm welcome of some hospitaleros, the villages and the food. Overall, it was a good experience, but I would not do it again (but doing it in winter may be an interesting idea)
Arriving at Compostela was kind of anticlimatic to me, but this is another story.

 

[Bumpa]

Yeah, ditto on not listening to one dimensional voices on this forum. Just go walk the Camino. I have never seem anyone be rude and judgmental to a Sarria to SDC pilgrim.

Ah come on Mark. I think I had several dimensions to my post

 

[frasert]

I noted all the same things but it's such a small proportion of the journey.
I just get further into my bubble and ignore it.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

the price of success

villafranca del bierzo has a 'puerta del perdón', perhaps it's time start ending there

 

[Robo]

OK, here are my 2 cents worth. Anyone planing to only walk from Sarria, do not be disheartened

The Back Story.

I started planning my first Camino in 2014, and finally walked from St Jean in late Apr 2015.
I loved it. It was everything I had hoped for and 10 times more.

But even in the planing stages I was already starting to 'dread' the final 115 kms from Sarria. The crowds, the tourists, the noise, the litter.

Many here will remember my constant stream of 'Newbie' questions and doubts. All answered with kindness and thoughtfulness. From 'should I take a Rice Cooker?'...........to "Oh no, How can I avoid the bit from Sarria'?

I was really dreading it............

The advice here was great. Basically along the lines of 'It's not bad.......just different'. Embrace it for what it is. And don't think too much.

What Happened?

A long story, but I ended up walking with an injury, right from the start. I walked quite slow.........and just got slower....and slower.

By the time I hit the 'final 100' I was really hurting. And I was down to about 12 kms a day, on a good day.

I was glum.
Not only was I reaching the stage of the 'Circus' but it was going to take me 8 or 9 days to get 'through it'.....
It was like HE wanted to punish me or something......

So I gave myself a good 'talking to'. Not the first time I had to on that Camino!

I had 2 choices. I could either wallow in glumness and be grumpy and miserable for the next 8-9 days, or I could change my attitude! I chose the latter.

I determined each day, to learn from this 'new' Camino experience. Because I had a sneaking suspicion that a 'higher power' had decided I needed to learn some more lessons still...... And I did....as I discovered.

So each morning I reminded myself that today would be different...........but good......in a different way.

Most of the people I had met along the way were way ahead of me now. So there were no familiar faces. I think I saw the last of them at Portomarin.

Now it was all news faces. Day packs. Groups of school kids. Support buses. You name it!

And I probably learnt more in those last 100 kms than all the previous stages from St Jean. About not judging people, accepting others as they are, and just letting others 'be' as they wish to.

I could relate a dozen stories. Because each day I made sure that I talked to some of these new 'short walkers'.

One day sticks right out for me. The day I started chatting to 2 ladies carrying tiny day packs who had started in Sarria. Their 'husbands' (who were brothers) were waiting with the car at the next stop. One of the husbands had almost died the year before and dreamed of walking the Camino. Now he was quite debilitated and almost blind. He would walk a few kilometers each day, and his brother would pick him up in the car, so they could both wait down the path for the ladies to finish their walk that day.

His wife had led him over part of the Pyrenees section on Day 1...... I sat with them all over coffee at the next village with my eyes watering up as I heard their story.

And there were other stories........

And sure there were lots of day trippers and tourists. So what? And there were groups with their support bus and picnics waiting along the trail. So what? And Heaven forbid! There were probably people who didn't walk every bit of that final 100 kms. Well let that sit on 'their' conscience as they collect their Compostella.......if indeed they did. Because I wasn't going to worry about what others do or don't do.

For me that first Camino was and still is life changing. And some of my fondest memories are from the 'final 100'. Because I chose to enjoy that final stretch.......

In fact in 2016. I ONLY walked that stretch. As a 'try out' for my wife Pat. We both loved it. Because we chose to. And by taking care in where we stayed and what time we started each day, we did not see crowds much at all. (May 2016). In fact our final day we hardly saw many people at all......

Sorry to ramble on a bit But I think it can be too easy to have the wrong 'mindset' on the Camino. The final 100 from Sarria, is different. Accept it.........and enjoy it

You can see how I was struggling with it all and finally accepted it here:
http://robscamino.com/31st-of-may-the-start-of-the-final-hundred/

Of course no one forces us to walk the section from Sarria. There are alternatives

Just my 2 cents worth....Climbs off Soap Box.........

 

[nathanael]

Sarria wan't like this 10 years. Not even 5 years ago, so no, "it is not there" in the state it is now for anything. It's not part of a big methaphysical plan, just the result of consumerism. Well worth avoiding. There are other Caminos to be walked.

I agree with in other Camino's to be walked and hope others will attempy this.

 

[Bradypus]

I have walked the Camino Frances 3 times - in 1990, 2002 and in September/October 2016. My memories of Sarria from earlier walks were very positive: a useful and unpretentious town where I had found sympathetic people to help me through a medical problem on my second walk. I was quite literally nauseated by the Camino-branded theme park atmosphere which I encountered there last year. I gave up my plans to stop for lunch and walked straight through without stopping. For several hours afterwards I considered abandoning my journey altogether. Fortunately my mood lifted somewhat as I left Sarria behind me. Many aspects of that final 100km were unwelcome but I am glad that I completed my pilgrimage. It was an interesting experience and very different from any I have had before on the Caminos. It is not one I am likely to repeat any time soon.

 

[Robo]

I have walked the Camino Frances 3 times - in 1990, 2002 and in September/October 2016. My memories of Sarria from earlier walks were very positive: a useful and unpretentious town where I had found sympathetic people to help me through a medical problem on my second walk. I was quite literally nauseated by the Camino-branded theme park atmosphere which I encountered there last year. I gave up my plans to stop for lunch and walked straight through without stopping. For several hours afterwards I considered abandoning my journey altogether. Fortunately my mood lifted somewhat as I left Sarria behind me. Many aspects of that final 100km were unwelcome but I am glad that I completed my pilgrimage. It was an interesting experience and very different from any I have had before on the Caminos. It is not one I am likely to repeat any time soon.

It's sad to hear how that section has changed over time.

I suppose the clear learning here is, that it is what it is.

We either accept that and walk it with that understanding, or if we want an experience in the final 100 that matches earlier stages of the CF, we need to walk a different final 100, as you have decided to do.

 

[FLEUR]

I walked last September from Sarria to Santiago. In previous years I had walked from St Palais in French Basque country to Sarria. This last section wasn't a problem.
Santiago on the other hand was full of noisy people, regular tourists etc. Overcast weather and I didn't like it much. Walking on to Finisterra next day with my friend was the very welcome, great escape for us. Bliss!

Returning to Santiago by bus was a good experience, Sun shone, we'd completed our journey and were very happy to enjoy our overnight stay there.

 

[Robo]

I walked last September from Sarria to Santiago. In previous years I had walked from St Palais in French Basque country to Sarria. This last section wasn't a problem.
Santiago on the other hand was full of noisy people, regular tourists etc. Overcast weather and I didn't like it much. Walking on to Finisterra next day with my friend was the very welcome, great escape for us. Bliss!

Returning to Santiago by bus was a good experience, Sun shone, we'd completed our journey and were very happy to enjoy our overnight stay there.

Similar experience. Santiago was a bit of a let down, which is quite common I think. Of course the Pilgrim Mass is great and spending time in the Cathedral. I couldn't walk any more but took a bus out to Muxia.

Now that was the right place for me to finally relax and feel like my Camino was finished.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

It is quite normal to be irritated by things, but I think staying irritated is not worthwhile. The last 100 km has a different aura. About 30% of pilgrims start at about Sarria. As much as many may deny it, many of those who have walked further resent the newcomers because they "get in the way" in so many different ways - beds, cafes, restaurants, and the path itself. However, that is a "personal problem" of the oldtimers, not the problem of the newcomers. Additionally, if newcomers are so self-doubting that they worry about what the oldtimers think, they really need to walk the Camino and spend some reflection time.

There have been hundreds of posts about the Sarria to Santiago stretch. Virtually all of them speak to the conflict between oldtimers and newcomers. Every thread and comment is useful both for "getting it off my chest" and informing others to prepare for a change of atmosphere. To be brutally frank, anyone who does not think that he/she can accommodate that change of atmosphere needs the Camino more than they know!! Staying home out of resentment of that change is dangerous to your mental health.

 

[domigee]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

Hi Kati,
Please don't be disheartened. You will find the people on that stretch are rather very nice (or at least ALL I came across). There is a great feeling of enthusiasm amongst the pilgrims starting in Sarria. It actually reminded me of what we were all like as newcomers in St Jean pied de Port, no difference.
Just ignore the grumpy ones - should you meet any - who for whatever reason think they are better than anyone else .
Enjoy the camino.

 

[Robo]

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

It is quite normal to be irritated by things, but I think staying irritated is not worthwhile. The last 100 km has a different aura. About 30% of pilgrims start at about Sarria. As much as many may deny it, many of those who have walked further resent the newcomers because they "get in the way" in so many different ways - beds, cafes, restaurants, and the path itself. However, that is a "personal problem" of the oldtimers, not the problem of the newcomers. Additionally, if newcomers are so self-doubting that they worry about what the oldtimers think, they really need to walk the Camino and spend some reflection time.

There have been hundreds of posts about the Sarria to Santiago stretch. Virtually all of them speak to the conflict between oldtimers and newcomers. Every thread and comment is useful both for "getting it off my chest" and informing others to prepare for a change of atmosphere. To be brutally frank, anyone who does not think that he/she can accommodate that change of atmosphere needs the Camino more than they know!! Staying home out of resentment of that change is dangerous to your mental health.

Triple like

 

[Bradypus]

Staying home out of resentment of that change is dangerous to your mental health.

I will very freely admit that I resent the change from Sarria onwards. I walked last year in part to see for myself if the many uncomplimentary descriptions posted here and in other places were true - I had deliberately avoided the Camino Frances for a number of years because of them. That doesn't mean that I stayed at home though - it just means I went elsewhere. Another route, another time, another destination. Although it has been in my heart and mind for half my life the Camino Frances is not the only Way.

 

[domigee]

Sarria is there to ease us back into life off the Camino. For weeks we walk and talk with each other ignoring the blood, sweat, and tears of others and our own as common place. We forget in our simplicity of walk-eat-wash-sleep-repeat that there are such things as perfume and MacDonalds and the convenience of daily transportation. Sarria is the beginning of the end of quiet contemplation, the Camino is easing us into a life of fast people with me first mentalities, while still allowing the Pilgrims who have surrounded you for so long to be available for backup and support and comfort. We find each other by smell. ew. but true.
Be gentle with these late comers. They have not seen what you have, and are dipping their toes in to test the water. Perhaps they are not brave enough, or feel they don't need the entire Camino Experience. Maybe this is as close as they will get to the fantastic opportunities we have had of finding ourselves and our spirituality.
Take it as the blessing it is, a gentle reminder that we get out of everything exactly what we put in.

Beautifully put!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

One of the most meaningful caminos I ever walked was a five-day Holy Year "quickie" from Sarria to Santiago, with a backup car, sleeping in hostels -- total "turigrino" material!
I walked for a good friend who'd been killed in an accident. I walked with her mother. Her father drove the car with our packs inside.
It was December, the last few days of the 2010 Holy Year dispensation. Juli died late in the year, without last rites. Walking the trail in her name (and meeting the other requirements for the indulgence) would pay off her Purgatory debt put her parents' hearts at ease.
They would not let me go alone.
Sarria made it happen for me, and for them. I am sad to see it turned to Disneyland, but it's not lost its Holy Ghost Power. Because we bring that with us.

 

[Brian&Deb J.]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

Sarria is there to ease us back into life off the Camino. For weeks we walk and talk with each other ignoring the blood, sweat, and tears of others and our own as common place. We forget in our simplicity of walk-eat-wash-sleep-repeat that there are such things as perfume and MacDonalds and the convenience of daily transportation. Sarria is the beginning of the end of quiet contemplation, the Camino is easing us into a life of fast people with me first mentalities, while still allowing the Pilgrims who have surrounded you for so long to be available for backup and support and comfort. We find each other by smell. ew. but true.
Be gentle with these late comers. They have not seen what you have, and are dipping their toes in to test the water. Perhaps they are not brave enough, or feel they don't need the entire Camino Experience. Maybe this is as close as they will get to the fantastic opportunities we have had of finding ourselves and our spirituality.
Take it as the blessing it is, a gentle reminder that we get out of everything exactly what we put in.

I felt such a strong each to positively comment on this post, then I realized that Colleen Clark, you said it all and so eloquently. We too had that Aha moment in realizing that Sarria to Santiago is the Camino Gods' way of preparing us for the return to the real world. It also forces us to remember that as in our 'real' lives, it is our Camino to embrace with our glass on tinto half full or half empty. It is also the day walkers' Camino, theirs to embrace as they will and not our business to judge. Unless we get some sort of kick out of judging others, in which case Sarria to Santiago is fertile ground. If we choose to make judgement of others a part of our Camino

 

[C clearly]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago... but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them?

I do not see anything in the original post that would support your concern and assumption that people would typically be rude or judgmental because of the distance you walk. No matter what distance you walk, or travel by other means, just don't:

• toss litter
• deface markers
• leave graffitti
• collect pilgrim stamps in your credencial, by taxi, and lie about it (say you walked) to get a compostela
• poke people in the chest
• tell other people what kind of pilgrim they are
• stereotype walkers based on distance, or any other factor you might notice or assume.

Then you will be fine!

 

[John Finn]

The first time I walked a section of the Camino was from Sarria to Santiago and I loved it. Yes, there are more people on that section but it didn't bother me at all. If anything, it made for better "craic" - as we Irish say - along the way.

 

[FLEUR]

Similar experience. Santiago was a bit of a let down, which is quite common I think. Of course the Pilgrim Mass is great and spending time in the Cathedral. I couldn't walk any more but took a bus out to Muxia.

Now that was the right place for me to finally relax and feel like my Camino was finished.

I agree Robo attending the Friday night mass in the Cathedral at Santiago was a special moment and I am not a Catholic. Also staying at the Seminario Menor was also good. A spartan, single room there seemed just right.

 

[Harington]

Is it possible that you ruined your camino, and not them?

Some things are outwith one's control

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Some things are outwith one's control

One's reactions to others are completely within one's control!!

 

[JulieandPeter]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

The short answer is no, this is not a common attitude. I felt the Sarria to Santiago portion was a wonderful opportunity to practice the many lessons we had learned along the way as well as several opportunities to help newcomers - I literally had to call one man a taxi because he was so exhausted and disoriented that he did not know his name (now thanks to this forum I know that I should have called 112). We had some of our most interesting conversations with people, regardless of where they started, during the last portion because we had so much to share with each other.

However, having said that, Sarria to Santiago is a very, very different experience. You might want to walk a different portion like Pamplona to Logrono (which is spectacular - see photo ) as your first Camino and then return for the Sarria - Santiago portion later. Finally, although I disagree with Bumpa, I do appreciate his descriptive writing style.

 

[Felipe]

Well let that sit on 'their' conscience as they collect their Compostella.......if indeed they did.

Actually, they don't. Tour operator representatives go to the pilgrim's bureau and collect all the compostelas of their customers. I suppose they receive it comfortably, delivered to their hotel rooms. No long queues under the sun or the rain, evidently.
But I digress. I agree that nobody forced me to walk this section: even the Compostela was not so important to me (it is filed somewhere in my desk...I suppose). I knew what to expect. I tried to enjoy my walk, and ignore the annoyances. It worked...most of the time.
I am looking forward to walk again this "after Sarria" section in early December, or late January. I think the landscape with some snow will be magnificent, and the atmosphere will be more akin to my style.

 

[Ian and Helen Miller]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

This is your Camino, it really does not matter what others say . You will find peace, contentment, joy, a delight in the presence of the unknown, and a richness of life that no amount of discouraging remarks, could touch, Go do your wonderful 114 KMS, go do your Camino, may you see past any rudeness with smiles and joy. Buen Camino.

 

[Mike Trebert]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

Hi Kati Bosch,

I've only walked a Camino once - the CF from SJPDP to SDC last year. Your Camino is what you make it, of course. That first one was an undiluted thrill for me. But I will avoid the Sarria stretch from now on - too crowded and too many bicycles in some sections, and that was April/May, not summer. There are many other wonderful sections of the CF, but I will try quieter Caminos in future. I'm looking at the Ingles, thinking of combining that with a walk from SDC to Muxia, and my next walk will be in Italy. Nothing will bother you if you're in your own meditative experience, but I say why not avoid distractions - I found that there were many after Sarria. Sorry to be a wet blanket.

Buen Camino, - Mike

 

[fraluchi]

There is an alternative from Ponferrada and walk the Camino de Invierno. Or shuttle to Monferrada and walk from there to Santiago if there is a time limit.
Also the Camino Sanabres from Ourense to Santiago is an interesting alternative. Both places are quick and easy to reach by bus or train from the Camino Frances and offer pilgrim facilities along well signposted caminos.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

There is an alternative from Ponferrada and walk the Camino de Invierno. Or shuttle to Monferrada and walk from there to Santiago if there is a time limit.
Also the Camino Sanabres from Ourense to Santiago is an interesting alternative. Both places are quick and easy to reach by bus or train from the Camino Frances and offer pilgrim facilities along well signposted caminos.

Monforte perhaps?

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Kati,

Everyone makes their own Camino experience. Go and make yours as well. If anyone judges you for your past, there shouldn't be any room for them in your future...

 

[FrankieBallz]

Hi Tom. Sorry your experience didn't match the walk we did in October. I pretty much ran into some of the same stuff. I guess I focused instead on the pilgrims I had met through the previous five weeks. The negative sights and sounds I just let go. Remember why you came back and pick a different route next time. Or, lets walk across Scotland! You were sporting the kilt, right?!

 

[Bumpa]

Hi Tom. Sorry your experience didn't match the walk we did in October. I pretty much ran into some of the same stuff. I guess I focused instead on the pilgrims I had met through the previous five weeks. The negative sights and sounds I just let go. Remember why you came back and pick a different route next time. Or, lets walk across Scotland! You were sporting the kilt, right?!

Hey Frank..Jim here or Bumpa which I have used as a trail name since my grandkids first tried to say Grandpa. Nice to hear from you again. Yes the kilt provided all sorts of reaction this time as well. Much of my experience equaled or exceeded the Oct trip. I loved the geography and small towns of Galicia with the myriad of stone buildings. The smell of fementing cattle feed, the peculiar aroma of milky cattle droppings which coloured the pavement, transported me to an earlier time on the family's dairy farm.

I appear to have opened a can of worms with this post but it was intended as one person's perception of the world around him.

 

[Harington]

One's reactions to others are completely within one's control!!

That is so easy to say. The OP was giving an opinion about the effects of over-crowding after Sarria. He's entitled not to like it; he's entitled not to like litter.

 

[FrankieBallz]

Hey Frank..Jim here or Bumpa which I have used as a trail name since my grandkids first tried to say Grandpa. Nice to hear from you again. Yes the kilt provided all sorts of reaction this time as well. Much of my experience equaled or exceeded the Oct trip. I loved the geography and small towns of Galicia with the myriad of stone buildings. The smell of fementing cattle feed, the peculiar aroma of milky cattle droppings which coloured the pavement, transported me to an earlier time on the family's dairy farm.

I appear to have opened a can of worms with this post but it was intended as one person's perception of the world around him.

Sorry about that Jim. I knew the name looked wrong when I posted it. I guess I was recalling our friend Tom from Ireland. I will return to Spain next year, but I'll walk a different Camino. I think 'they' push the concept of the 'Camino Light' too much to draw more people in and Sarria has been set up to provide this. I don't know of another route, out of many, that advertises the short version to a Compostela. (maybe Portuguese, but it's still a long walk from Porto). I'll think hard on which route to travel on my return, but it will definitely be the road less traveled. That being said, I wouldn't change my experience for anything. I learned so much about me, it was a bit alarming! It has changed the way I look at travel experiences. It'll always be the Journey and the fellowship of Pilgrims that matters. That's how I met you!

 

[maggiec]

I would not walk that part again. Did the Sanabres last year and it was fabulous! A bit hillier than the Sarria to Santiago route but equally as beautiful if not better and hardly saw anyone! Stunning scenery

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Maggie C - Thanks, I'll have to check that one out on line...

 

[WayWalker]

Greetings fellow forum citizens. I have just returned from Santiago and as I did in the Fall, I gave myself a little time before commenting. I walked from Roncesvalles to Sahagun in October and returned in April to finish the rest of the Camino. I arrived into Sanitago on April 25th.

I found that I quickly slipped back into the daily routines and enjoyed, once again, the experience of the people, the countryside and the beauty of Spain. As the land changed around me, as I headed towards the Atlantic, I felt rewarded by the gift of sharing with the people of the towns I walked through, the kinship of shared: pilgrim meals, sunscreen and experiences. The beauty of moving meditation and solitude.

I did understand from this forum, that there would be an influx of pilgrims walking from Sarria to Santiago.

And then I reached Sarria.

I stopped the night before just short of Sarria as I tried to avoid suggested stopping areas by various guides. So I walked past Sarria at about 9:30am and was astounded. There were people coming down sidewalks, out of alley ways and possibly even through cracks in the earth. I was immediately walking in a bubble of two hundred people. At any given turn or twist or hill top, I could see 20 or 25 people in front of and behind me. If there had of been parallel paths, there might have been 20 to 25 on either side of me. Mind you, I arrived in the area on Easter weekend. Likely not the wisest of choices But there you are.

The numbers I expected. Other things I did not. The litter that all of a sudden there seemed to be so much more of. The mileage cairns, which appear to fairly new, defaced. There appeared to be no mileage plaques left on the cairns. Pieces of the cairns were missing...how do you do that with pilgrim gear. The cairns were almost universally covered from top to bottom with graffiti. Mostly: "Harry loves Sally" and "Rock on Dude" and other noteworthy messages in languages I didn't understand. Actually my rock on dude days are behind me as well.

I saw taxis constantly patrolling the roads adjacent to the trail and several pilgrims flagging them down and going "somewhere." I saw two women get out of a taxi, collect a stamp, get back into the taxi and go "somewhere." The ultimate for me was a tour bus pulling up and exchanging people I had been walking beside with brand new fresh people. Some got on and some got off. One lady who looked as if she had just walked out of a sporting goods store walked up to me. Now you must know that at this point I was sore, bleeding from a knee where I had pitched forward at some point. As well I was sweaty and wafting about me was that peculiar odour of having washed your clothes in a sink for weeks.

She took exception of my wishing her a Buen dias. She insisted that all pilgrims were required to say Buen camino She poked me in the chest several times with a long bony finger and demanded that I say it after her. She must have been a grade school teacher somewhere. Then she got back on the bus and went "somewhere."

Please realize that I understand what I accomplished over my 780 k's and that is in no way diminished by what other people did. I just felt a little disheartened by the general feeling it generated in me over the last 100 k's as opposed to the grace,. contentment and peace I experienced previously. I finished the last 50 k's or so with my chin tucked in, my head down and heading for home. What I felt in reaching and seeing Santiago was a totally different experience and fodder for another time.

May be time to try the Portuguese Route or another less crowded one. Be a few years til it gets to this point and hopefully never.

 

[Camino with Kids]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

We could only walk a short camino last year due to time constraints and chose the Camino Ingles instead of the Sarria to Santiago stretch. It is an entire camino in itself - 118 km from Ferrol to Santiago, not busy (we did it in August) and just lovely.

 

[Phil W]

Sarria is there to ease us back into life off the Camino. For weeks we walk and talk with each other ignoring the blood, sweat, and tears of others and our own as common place. We forget in our simplicity of walk-eat-wash-sleep-repeat that there are such things as perfume and MacDonalds and the convenience of daily transportation. Sarria is the beginning of the end of quiet contemplation, the Camino is easing us into a life of fast people with me first mentalities, while still allowing the Pilgrims who have surrounded you for so long to be available for backup and support and comfort. We find each other by smell. ew. but true.
Be gentle with these late comers. They have not seen what you have, and are dipping their toes in to test the water. Perhaps they are not brave enough, or feel they don't need the entire Camino Experience. Maybe this is as close as they will get to the fantastic opportunities we have had of finding ourselves and our spirituality.
Take it as the blessing it is, a gentle reminder that we get out of everything exactly what we put in.

Well said! Thank you Coleen.
Phil

 

[clearskiescamino]

Time for another route I guess? Or take the Invierno from Ponferrada?

 

[Phil W]

OK, here are my 2 cents worth. Anyone planing to only walk from Sarria, do not be disheartened

The Back Story.

I started planning my first Camino in 2014, and finally walked from St Jean in late Apr 2015.
I loved it. It was everything I had hoped for and 10 times more.

But even in the planing stages I was already starting to 'dread' the final 115 kms from Sarria. The crowds, the tourists, the noise, the litter.

Many here will remember my constant stream of 'Newbie' questions and doubts. All answered with kindness and thoughtfulness. From 'should I take a Rice Cooker?'...........to "Oh no, How can I avoid the bit from Sarria'?

I was really dreading it............

The advice here was great. Basically along the lines of 'It's not bad.......just different'. Embrace it for what it is. And don't think too much.

What Happened?

A long story, but I ended up walking with an injury, right from the start. I walked quite slow.........and just got slower....and slower.

By the time I hit the 'final 100' I was really hurting. And I was down to about 12 kms a day, on a good day.

I was glum.
Not only was I reaching the stage of the 'Circus' but it was going to take me 8 or 9 days to get 'through it'.....
It was like HE wanted to punish me or something......

So I gave myself a good 'talking to'. Not the first time I had to on that Camino!

I had 2 choices. I could either wallow in glumness and be grumpy and miserable for the next 8-9 days, or I could change my attitude! I chose the latter.

I determined each day, to learn from this 'new' Camino experience. Because I had a sneaking suspicion that a 'higher power' had decided I needed to learn some more lessons still...... And I did....as I discovered.

So each morning I reminded myself that today would be different...........but good......in a different way.

Most of the people I had met along the way were way ahead of me now. So there were no familiar faces. I think I saw the last of them at Portomarin.

Now it was all news faces. Day packs. Groups of school kids. Support buses. You name it!

And I probably learnt more in those last 100 kms than all the previous stages from St Jean. About not judging people, accepting others as they are, and just letting others 'be' as they wish to.

I could relate a dozen stories. Because each day I made sure that I talked to some of these new 'short walkers'.

One day sticks right out for me. The day I started chatting to 2 ladies carrying tiny day packs who had started in Sarria. Their 'husbands' (who were brothers) were waiting with the car at the next stop. One of the husbands had almost died the year before and dreamed of walking the Camino. Now he was quite debilitated and almost blind. He would walk a few kilometers each day, and his brother would pick him up in the car, so they could both wait down the path for the ladies to finish their walk that day.

His wife had led him over part of the Pyrenees section on Day 1...... I sat with them all over coffee at the next village with my eyes watering up as I heard their story.

And there were other stories........

And sure there were lots of day trippers and tourists. So what? And there were groups with their support bus and picnics waiting along the trail. So what? And Heaven forbid! There were probably people who didn't walk every bit of that final 100 kms. Well let that sit on 'their' conscience as they collect their Compostella.......if indeed they did. Because I wasn't going to worry about what others do or don't do.

For me that first Camino was and still is life changing. And some of my fondest memories are from the 'final 100'. Because I chose to enjoy that final stretch.......

In fact in 2016. I ONLY walked that stretch. As a 'try out' for my wife Pat. We both loved it. Because we chose to. And by taking care in where we stayed and what time we started each day, we did not see crowds much at all. (May 2016). In fact our final day we hardly saw many people at all......

Sorry to ramble on a bit But I think it can be too easy to have the wrong 'mindset' on the Camino. The final 100 from Sarria, is different. Accept it.........and enjoy it

You can see how I was struggling with it all and finally accepted it here:
http://robscamino.com/31st-of-may-the-start-of-the-final-hundred/

Of course no one forces us to walk the section from Sarria. There are alternatives

Just my 2 cents worth....Climbs off Soap Box.........

I also enjoyed the crowd from groups of school children, teenagers, and adults. My wife, Janet, said I was Phil the friendly pilgrim as I greeted all that I met (Buenos Dias or Buen Camino if they were passing me or looked like a pilgrim). I was fascinated by the school children as they were so happy and singing. Yes they were noisy but returned my calls of Buen Camino when they passed me. I spent a few hours walking and talking with a father from Spain. It was delightful even though one of his daughters had to interpret for us. I learned from one of the daughters that this was the first time her family had done anything athletic. She was excited to be walking the Camino with her family. In Melide, I became ill and my Camino ended at that time. The gentle caring and compassion I received in Melide and Azura are remembered.

Robo I think I must have experienced a bit of what you did walking from Sarria. My desire was to enjoy the growing numbers on the Camino even before Sarria.

The Camino helped me to see that I needed to be more positive.

Phil

 

[dougfitz]

I LOVE your attitude! I had no problem with anyone who was just walking from Sarria. It was fun to see their excitement after I had been walking for weeks. And I didn't mind being considered an "old pro" by that point by the newcomers.

This response really resonated with me. Thank you @trecile. It's good to remember that those who start in Sarria are pilgrims too, many without the advantages like time, health and funds that allow us to walk from more distant starting points.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

Last did the Sarria stretch in the later part of April 2016. Yes a few more people, maybe a little more litter and graffiti , but I still thoroughly enjoyed this stretch. Since it was my second time walking this part of the Camino we did different end points each day to keep it fresh.
By the time we reached this point my wife and I were so relaxed, nothing really fazed us.
Other pilgrims or motorized pilgrims can do what they want. I decide to be amused versus upset.
If you have walked the whole Camino Frances and let the last 100 kilometers affect you negatively then the problem is with you and not those around you.
It is possible you have missed what walking a Camino is about.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

It is so lovely to read from all of the enlightened people who have seen the light so clearly while walking that they must put down those who are giving a factual assesment of the last 100km and who are too weak and petty not to rise above how disappointing it all is. Clearly some have been better pilgrims than others. I guess I am part of the ones who have failed at their Caminos, bit I a, glad I didn't check out my judgement at the start of the trail.

Oh wait, the enlightened are not that enlightened after all, since they feel the need to point the finger at the rational ones.

 

[Jodean]

Started in Pamplona Sept. 2016, and by the time I got to Fromista some medical issues were causing me to think I might have to go home. Trained to Leon, rested 2 days and began walking again. Again, major pain. So, bused to Astorga for the night, then next day to Sarria. From here I decided to just walk about 10 km or so per day, to stop at albergues that looked charming and enjoy my time. Took me 9 days to get to Santiago. Stayed in a couple of lovely albergues, met some great people, and got a kick out of watching the big groups of Spaniards doing this stretch. So happy, with their matching shirts, hats, or scarves, wearing their shells, greeting everyone.
The path was never crowded, though the cafes often were packed. Because I wasn't in a hurry it wasn't a big deal to wait for a coffee or snack. Some days, I was done walking by noon. Perhaps because this was now middle-to end of Oct. it wasn't as crowded? Was happy that I had managed to walk about 400km, but sad that many friends were left behind and that I hadn't managed to walk the whole thing as planned.

Hopefully I can return in Sept. 2018, but begin in SJPD and walk all of it without the buses and trains that were needed on my 1st Camino.

Looking forward to the joyful pilgrims of the last 100km again.

 

[domigee]

So many heart warming answers! I've told this story before but I'll repeat here as it seems appropriate .
Somewhere between Sarria and Santiago... A couple (or 3?) of long climbs ahead. I catch up with a Spanish family, about 7 of them, parents, brother and sister-in-law, a grand-pa and teens....all talking animedly (and loudly). I had hitherto walked in silence - yes, even in August! and decided to let them go well ahead of me, in order to carry on in peace and quiet.... I stop and take out my bottle of water. They notice and... go back on their steps to reach me. They look concerned. I'm fine, I said, just need a drink of water....
Their answer? Noooooo, we won't let you all on your own, come with us, we'll all help each other up that mountain, you can do it, all of us together, you'll see!'
What else can I say? This little episode will stay with me for ever. True camino spirit.

 

[Bumpa]

Last did the Sarria stretch in the later part of April 2016. Yes a few more people, maybe a little more litter and graffiti , but I still thoroughly enjoyed this stretch. Since it was my second time walking this part of the Camino we did different end points each day to keep it fresh.
By the time we reached this point my wife and I were so relaxed, nothing really fazed us.
Other pilgrims or motorized pilgrims can do what they want. I decide to be amused versus upset.
If you have walked the whole Camino Frances and let the last 100 kilometers affect you negatively then the problem is with you and not those around you.
It is possible you have missed what walking a Camino is about.

No I don't think so. What the Camino is "all about" is an individual assessment of the experience. I attempted to set down my feelings of experiencing the last 100 k's for the first time. Simply an attempt to share some vivid experiences with kindred spirits on this forum in what I felt was a safe environment.

Unfortunately, some people have taken the opportunity to become offended as if I have somehow purposely denigrated their experience of their version of what it is "all about." Surely if we learn anything from the Camino experience; it is that it is a very individualistic undertaking. By the very nature of individuality, everyone's perception will vary at some point. I am quite comfortable with what I feel the Camino is "all about" and my place in it.

 

[Klogwog]

This is discouraging to me, because I'm only going from Sarria to Santiago (I have fibromyalgia and walking is legit difficult and painful for me (use a cane in daily life) and I'm also deaf so I decided to do this shorter portion first to see if I can do it and then if possible do the rest later), and when I read posts like this I feel like people who have traveled the whole camino wouldn't want me there. Is this really a common attitude that people have? I'm looking forward to staying in albergues but are people typically going to be rude/judgmental of me because of the short distance I've traveled compared to them? I am going to carry my own pack, I'm going to walk the whole thing unless I'm actually injured or something and can't.

When your going try September when I traveled through Sarria there were not a lot of travelers it was cooler and I enjoyed my self .

 

[natefaith]

Closing down the thread now. Let's remember the OP was sharing from his personal experience, and that this forum should be a safe place for those experiences to be shared.