- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino del Norte, 2019
Via Regia, 2021
Just came back from this Camino and I'm pumped! This Road has not received a lot of attention on this forum (just a few stray mentions!), so I thought I'll follow in the footsteps of @SYates, who has described the Ecumenical Camino (Oekumenischer Pilgerweg) in the past. Her take was so useful (and also, such a darn good read!) when I was walking that Pilgerweg last year I decided to do something similar for the Via Imperii. I hope it will inspire others to try this beautiful walk.
It's not going to be the live updates that she did (well, I can't really compete with her anyway), but I'll try and describe each stage while it is still fresh in my memory.
If you're thinking of doing this trail or simply looking to walk elsewhere than in Spain, have a read! If you have done this trail, please comment--your input is so appreciated. I remember when I was walking the Oekumenischer Pilgerweg, I was literally lapping up every suggestion I could find on this forum and elsewhere! If you're just looking for some Camino inspiration and thrills, I probably have plenty to spare!
A lot of the information on German Caminos exists in German only (which is a great reason to learn this quirky language!). But I always wonder if it doesn't close the doors for some non-German pilgrims who would love to explore other walking opportunities in Europe. I for one am totally smitten with this Camino, and I'll definitely be going back! Hopefully, the next time I won't be walking alone!
In this post, I'll just give an overview of the trail (with some useful links), and all through the coming week (ish) I'll be posting the daily stage breakdowns. I was also recording audio notes in real time but I'm planning to publish these elsewhere (I'll include a link later). In general, recording yourself is such a great idea! If writing on the trail isn't your thing (for instance, I needed some time away from the screen), recording your experiences is a fun way to etch things into memory.
Some preliminary observations: At just over 200 km, this route qualifies as a short Camino fix (about a week's worth of walking). It takes you first south along the river Oder (which marks the Polish-German border) and then west through the surrounding lake land to the heart of the German capital. It lets you explore many lesser-known cultural gems, like the ruins of an ancient church in Pargowo, slowly claimed by nettles and ivy; the skeletons of churches in Gartz, bombed during WWII; the remnants of a fortification wall and a beautifully preserved Franciscan abbey in Angermünde; the breathtaking abbey at Chorin, and many, many more (see the coming breakdown). I bet you haven't heard about any of these! Germany has this curious way of incorporating the past into the present. It doesn't try and hide the damage the past has done to the monuments, it lets the ruins speak for themselves. But it also introduces new elements, as if saying, Life goes on. There's a sense of continuity in that. Taking it in really makes you wonder.
Terrain/environment: A mix of flat and hilly. You are walking along rivers, streams, and lakes, so there's plenty of variation (plenty of mosquitos, as well!). A few gorgeous forest canyons and spectacular rolling meadows. You're also passing through the Lower Oder National Park, the only national park in Germany that's all riverside forests (Auenlandschaft). I'd say easily about 60% of this route is in the woods. This is great news for your feet and eyes. However, if you're spooked by walking in the woods alone (there are very few pilgrims on the trail), that's also something to consider. It's mostly thick woods, too, with minimal maintenance, so the vibe is quite wild. I kept thinking about the Enchanted Forest (Hörselberge) in Thüringen, which in the days of old was believed to be the home of the gods. You can easily feel that primeval fear of the woods when walking this trail. The asphalt is there, but apart from the cities, there's almost always a soft shoulder to walk on. Overall, your feet will be happy. Bring a swimsuit/trunks so you can use the lakes' full potential, too.
Accommodation: The Brandenburger St. James Society gives a list of available accommodation on their site here (Stettin-Berlin stretch starts on page 9). It basically works the traditional way: you call ahead and ask if they can hold a place for you. Unfortunately, some of them can be quite pricey and others are spaced out in a bit of a chaotic way. There's two ways you can go about it: either splurge on inns (plenty of them in the towns on the way) or take a tent and stay at campsites. German campgrounds are generally a great bargain (I didn't pay more than 15 EUR anywhere), and since you're going through a lake land, there are so many you can basically take your pick. I went with the second option and I highly recommend it. You really get to enjoy the landscape so much more than when you stay in the cities, and if you have the strength left (I didn't), there's all kinds of summer sports, SUPs, kayaking, the works. Taking the tent also allows you to be more flexible with the route planning.
Food: This is a big struggle for me on German Caminos (as per the two that I've done). At one campsite, I actually talked to a guy who was cycling along the Oder and he flat out asked me, "So what do you do for the food when you're on the road? I find it so hard!" I felt so validated, haha. If you check out my last year's entry about the Oekumenischer Pilgerweg, this was one of my main gripes. This time, I was much better prepared, though: I took two emergency army meals (they weigh nothing) and a tiny vertical stove (it can boil water so I knew that in a pinch, I could at least make couscous). If you're unsure about the stove (granted, the idea sounded completely outlandish to me until I was routinely finding myself strapped for food during last year's German Camino), I'd say pack at least one dish you can use to cook with (aluminum is the lightest), and the cutlery. Some places have hot plates but no utensils or kettles, some have utensils but no cutlery, it's a real catch-22 situation that's not very fun when you're hungry.
Stamps: I got my pilgrim passport at St. James Cathedral in Stettin, but alas, no place offered any stamps
Waymarking and maps: Waymarking gets quite good from Gartz on. No waymarking whatsoever on the Polish side, which is about 20 km. The St. James Society offers you a GPS route (it's on All Trails, too), but I'd say get an old-fashioned map if you can, just in case. Unfortunately, the one listed on the site is out of print. You might still get it on Amazon. This blog by Benedict Eckelt (unfortunately in German) also does a great job of documenting the places you pass through visually.
Loneliness: You will probably be alone on the trail. When I was doing the Oekumenischer Pilgerweg, this threw me off. Now I was prepared and really liked it. It's definitely not the same experience as walking in Spain but a great experience nonetheless: very grounding, very soothing.
That's all in terms of introduction! Let me know if I forgot anything, and I'll touch base tomorrow! Ultreia!
It's not going to be the live updates that she did (well, I can't really compete with her anyway), but I'll try and describe each stage while it is still fresh in my memory.
If you're thinking of doing this trail or simply looking to walk elsewhere than in Spain, have a read! If you have done this trail, please comment--your input is so appreciated. I remember when I was walking the Oekumenischer Pilgerweg, I was literally lapping up every suggestion I could find on this forum and elsewhere! If you're just looking for some Camino inspiration and thrills, I probably have plenty to spare!
A lot of the information on German Caminos exists in German only (which is a great reason to learn this quirky language!). But I always wonder if it doesn't close the doors for some non-German pilgrims who would love to explore other walking opportunities in Europe. I for one am totally smitten with this Camino, and I'll definitely be going back! Hopefully, the next time I won't be walking alone!
In this post, I'll just give an overview of the trail (with some useful links), and all through the coming week (ish) I'll be posting the daily stage breakdowns. I was also recording audio notes in real time but I'm planning to publish these elsewhere (I'll include a link later). In general, recording yourself is such a great idea! If writing on the trail isn't your thing (for instance, I needed some time away from the screen), recording your experiences is a fun way to etch things into memory.
Some preliminary observations: At just over 200 km, this route qualifies as a short Camino fix (about a week's worth of walking). It takes you first south along the river Oder (which marks the Polish-German border) and then west through the surrounding lake land to the heart of the German capital. It lets you explore many lesser-known cultural gems, like the ruins of an ancient church in Pargowo, slowly claimed by nettles and ivy; the skeletons of churches in Gartz, bombed during WWII; the remnants of a fortification wall and a beautifully preserved Franciscan abbey in Angermünde; the breathtaking abbey at Chorin, and many, many more (see the coming breakdown). I bet you haven't heard about any of these! Germany has this curious way of incorporating the past into the present. It doesn't try and hide the damage the past has done to the monuments, it lets the ruins speak for themselves. But it also introduces new elements, as if saying, Life goes on. There's a sense of continuity in that. Taking it in really makes you wonder.
Terrain/environment: A mix of flat and hilly. You are walking along rivers, streams, and lakes, so there's plenty of variation (plenty of mosquitos, as well!). A few gorgeous forest canyons and spectacular rolling meadows. You're also passing through the Lower Oder National Park, the only national park in Germany that's all riverside forests (Auenlandschaft). I'd say easily about 60% of this route is in the woods. This is great news for your feet and eyes. However, if you're spooked by walking in the woods alone (there are very few pilgrims on the trail), that's also something to consider. It's mostly thick woods, too, with minimal maintenance, so the vibe is quite wild. I kept thinking about the Enchanted Forest (Hörselberge) in Thüringen, which in the days of old was believed to be the home of the gods. You can easily feel that primeval fear of the woods when walking this trail. The asphalt is there, but apart from the cities, there's almost always a soft shoulder to walk on. Overall, your feet will be happy. Bring a swimsuit/trunks so you can use the lakes' full potential, too.
Accommodation: The Brandenburger St. James Society gives a list of available accommodation on their site here (Stettin-Berlin stretch starts on page 9). It basically works the traditional way: you call ahead and ask if they can hold a place for you. Unfortunately, some of them can be quite pricey and others are spaced out in a bit of a chaotic way. There's two ways you can go about it: either splurge on inns (plenty of them in the towns on the way) or take a tent and stay at campsites. German campgrounds are generally a great bargain (I didn't pay more than 15 EUR anywhere), and since you're going through a lake land, there are so many you can basically take your pick. I went with the second option and I highly recommend it. You really get to enjoy the landscape so much more than when you stay in the cities, and if you have the strength left (I didn't), there's all kinds of summer sports, SUPs, kayaking, the works. Taking the tent also allows you to be more flexible with the route planning.
Food: This is a big struggle for me on German Caminos (as per the two that I've done). At one campsite, I actually talked to a guy who was cycling along the Oder and he flat out asked me, "So what do you do for the food when you're on the road? I find it so hard!" I felt so validated, haha. If you check out my last year's entry about the Oekumenischer Pilgerweg, this was one of my main gripes. This time, I was much better prepared, though: I took two emergency army meals (they weigh nothing) and a tiny vertical stove (it can boil water so I knew that in a pinch, I could at least make couscous). If you're unsure about the stove (granted, the idea sounded completely outlandish to me until I was routinely finding myself strapped for food during last year's German Camino), I'd say pack at least one dish you can use to cook with (aluminum is the lightest), and the cutlery. Some places have hot plates but no utensils or kettles, some have utensils but no cutlery, it's a real catch-22 situation that's not very fun when you're hungry.
Stamps: I got my pilgrim passport at St. James Cathedral in Stettin, but alas, no place offered any stamps
Waymarking and maps: Waymarking gets quite good from Gartz on. No waymarking whatsoever on the Polish side, which is about 20 km. The St. James Society offers you a GPS route (it's on All Trails, too), but I'd say get an old-fashioned map if you can, just in case. Unfortunately, the one listed on the site is out of print. You might still get it on Amazon. This blog by Benedict Eckelt (unfortunately in German) also does a great job of documenting the places you pass through visually.
Loneliness: You will probably be alone on the trail. When I was doing the Oekumenischer Pilgerweg, this threw me off. Now I was prepared and really liked it. It's definitely not the same experience as walking in Spain but a great experience nonetheless: very grounding, very soothing.
That's all in terms of introduction! Let me know if I forgot anything, and I'll touch base tomorrow! Ultreia!
Last edited: