The credential...

[SWi]

Hello fellow-members, I am planning to walk the Variante Espiritual again. Last year I didn't go for a credential. It made me wonder if it gives a problem in getting the credential, since the Variante is part of the last 100 k. to Santiago, and as far as I know not recognized as an official Way (yet). Would you have experience, advice or news around this? Thank you very much for a reply. Best regards, Simon

 

[Bradypus]

Are you perhaps confusing "credencial" and "Compostela"? The credencial or 'pilgrim passport' is necessary if you wish to use albergues during your walk. You will also have to show it with an appropriate number of stamps ("sellos") at the pilgrim office in Santiago if you want to receive a Compostela - the certificate given to those who have walked at least the final 100km into Santiago. You can obtain a credencial in many places. Your route to Santiago can be along one of the waymarked Caminos or any other way you choose. There is no need to follow any "official" path.

 

[Theatregal]

Hello Simon. There is good discussion in this thread re: obtaining the compostela after walking the Variante Espiritual. For the ultimate conclusion to the discussion look at JohnnieWalker's post near the end.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/variante-espiritual-from-this-weekend.34816/

 

[SWi]

Are you perhaps confusing "credencial" and "Compostela"? The credencial or 'pilgrim passport' is necessary if you wish to use albergues during your walk. You will also have to show it with an appropriate number of stamps ("sellos") at the pilgrim office in Santiago if you want to receive a Compostela - the certificate given to those who have walked at least the final 100km into Santiago. You can obtain a credencial in many places. Your route to Santiago can be along one of the waymarked Caminos or any other way you choose. There is no need to follow any "official" path.

Oeps yes Bradypus, you are right...(it's really years ago I went to get the compostela..) so.. the question is indeed: if you walk 100 k towards Santiago including the Espiritual, where you collect your sellos indeed, will this be counted to get your credential, since it is not an officially recognized walk like the Frances, or recently the Finistere walk. Watching other threads - thanks @Theatregal ! - I trust that there will be a compostela at the end after having walked Porto-Variante + boat-Padron-Santiago.. And thanks for your reply @Bradypus .

 

[Former member 22438]

Oeps yes Bradypus, you are right...(it's really years ago I went to get the compostela..) so.. the question is indeed: if you walk 100 k towards Santiago including the Espiritual, where you collect your sellos indeed, will this be counted to get your credential, since it is not an officially recognized walk like the Frances, or recently the Finistere walk. Watching other threads - thanks @Theatregal ! - I trust that there will be a compostela at the end after having walked Porto-Variante + boat-Padron-Santiago.. And thanks for your reply @Bradypus .

I walked the Variante Espiritual in 2015 and got my Compostela certificate at the end in Santiago.
No problem.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hello Simon,

I walked the route you are planning this May and did NOT qualify for a Compostela. But others apparently have. It seems to depend on how lucky you get at the Pilgrims' Office.

This being said, at the end of the Variante you have two choices: the boat OR a longer route by foot.

So, if you wantto be absolutely sure you will het the Compostela, walking is the only way to do it.

As to the idea that one may not earn a Compostela because they have walked an "unofficial route", what Bradypus was explaining is that you do not have to walked one of the many marked routes, but you can walk from anywhere, to Santiago, documenting you walked at least the last 100km into Santiago, no matter which way/path/route you may have taken. The problem will be for the Pilgrims' Office people to determine that you have in fact walked at least the last 100km into Santiago since they are most likely to know distance from point A to point B of non marked routes.

But don't worry, the Variante is marked, with arrows and even mojones, if memory serves me right.

I hope this helps.

 

[Theatregal]

In the link I posted above, JohnnieWalker provides clarification from the Pilgrim's Office.

Quote: "The discussion has helped clarify one central point regarding this Variant and the Compostela - previously the Pilgrims Office required pilgrims to walk 100 kms continuously to Santiago. They have now clarified that this variant is an exception and that pilgrims who use a boat for some of it will still qualify if they started in Vigo or Porinno and therefore overall will have walked more than 100 kms to Santiago"

Simon mentions above that he is planning to walk from Porto through to the Variante which will take him through Vigo. I walked this route in the summer of 2015 and there was no problem obtaining the Compostela.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

To further clarify - this "variant" of the Camino Portuguese including using the boat option is included on the Credencial issued by the Pilgrims Office as an official route.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Theatergal, I walked May 2016 and it was a problem. So clearly staff is not well trained on the matter.

 

[SWi]

Thanks all of you for the advices. I am confident now it will work out all right.

 

[KinkyOne]

Theatergal, I walked May 2016 and it was a problem. So clearly staff is not well trained on the matter.

Happened many times in Officina I'd say. Depends how Camino-wise "educated" are volunteers I guess. In 2014 when I walked Madrid+CF+Invierno+Sanabres a girl and a boy in Officina didn't know anything about Madrid and Invierno. I was collecting Compostela in the name of another person (terminally ill) and after explaining everything there was no problem issuing the Compostela.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Happened many times in Officina I'd say. Depends how Camino-wise "educated" are volunteers I guess. In 2014 when I walked Madrid+CF+Invierno+Sanabres a girl and a boy in Officina didn't know anything about Madrid and Invierno.

Makes one wonder what these volunteers' motivation to work at the Pilgrims' Office is. One would think they would at least know that these routes exist, if not want to walk a few. Time to create a little "Volunteer's Guide to handing out Compostelas"? ;0)

 

[KariC]

Thanks all of you for the advices. I am confident now it will work out all right.

I just walked the variante espiritual in September (2016), including taking the boat to Padron, and was given the compostela with no problems or even questions. The word at the hostel in Vilanova was that the land route is all along the highway and not pleasant. The boat was mystical and wonderful. We had the good fortune to be leaving on a foggy morning, and to see the ancient crosses that have been erected over the centuries appear through the mist as we approached (there are 39) was a very moving experience.

 

[SWi]

Thanks @KariC and @MendiWalker for your advice and replys. I will walk with some people that will get their first compostella...so..needed to be sure about this! Well, I'm curious about boats and crosses!

 

[Cmeckley]

Simon, I walked from Porto, including the Variante (with the boat) in July. I highly recommend it - best part of the Camino in my opinion. Absolutely no issues with the Compostela for anyone, and there were 9 of us checking in with different attendants in the office.
When you approach Pontevedra, if you can push on a few more KM past the albergue to the center of the old town, I suggest you do so, and stay there. Pontevedra is a charming little city and if you stay on the outskirts at the albergue, and leave early in the following morning, you will miss all that it offers. Push through and enjoy the evening in one of the many little plazas.

 

[JabbaPapa]

I'll only add that a boat is one of the traditional means of locomotion on the Camino -- there was even a Mediterranean "boat Camino" in mediaeval times leading towards the Voie d'Arles, stopping at various particular locations for its stages (ports with famous Churches, an island Monastery, etc), leading to Saintes Maries-lès-Mer, then up from there to Saint Gilles.

 

[Former member 22438]

Thanks @KariC and @MendiWalker for your advice and replys. I will walk with some people that will get their first compostella...so..needed to be sure about this! Well, I'm curious about boats and crosses!

wij liepen de variante Espiritual in 2015. -we walked the Variante Espiritual in 2015. Got our Compostela in Santiago. No problem.

 

[SWi]

wij liepen de variante Espiritual in 2015. -we walked the Variante Espiritual in 2015. Got our Compostela in Santiago. No problem.

Thanks, it'll work out!

 

[SWi]

Simon, I walked from Porto, including the Variante (with the boat) in July. I highly recommend it - best part of the Camino in my opinion. Absolutely no issues with the Compostela for anyone, and there were 9 of us checking in with different attendants in the office.
When you approach Pontevedra, if you can push on a few more KM past the albergue to the center of the old town, I suggest you do so, and stay there. Pontevedra is a charming little city and if you stay on the outskirts at the albergue, and leave early in the following morning, you will miss all that it offers. Push through and enjoy the evening in one of the many little plazas.

Thank you for your reply, @Cmeckley it'll work out!

 

[SWi]

I'll only add that a boat is one of the traditional means of locomotion on the Camino -- there was even a Mediterranean "boat Camino" in mediaeval times leading towards the Voie d'Arles, stopping at various particular locations for its stages (ports with famous Churches, an island Monastery, etc), leading to Saintes Maries-lès-Mer, then up from there to Saint Gilles.

Thank you @JabbaPapa for the reply. A tradition continued then..