Walk every day last 100 km?

[Lightfeet]

We have walked from Porto to Tui. We will begin the last 100 km stretch I know we need to get two stamps per day. Does that mean that we need to be walking every day towards Santiago de Compostela, or can we take it more slowly and have stopovers and get two stamps Each day whereever we are?

 

[C clearly]

My understanding is that there is no requirement to walk every day, just as there is no requirement that you complete the last 100 km in one trip. You probably only need the stamps for the days you are walking toward Santiago (to provide evidence that you have been on the ground en route). However, if I were you I would probably get the 2 stamps per day anyway.

 

[Robo]

My understanding is that there is no requirement to walk every day, just as there is no requirement that you complete the last 100 km in one trip. You probably only need the stamps for the days you are walking toward Santiago (to provide evidence that you have been on the ground en route). However, if I were you I would probably get the 2 stamps per day anyway.

Definitely! Walk slowly, take stops. Just get 2 stamps every day

 

[t2andreo]

Take as long as you wish. The requirement is to obtain at least two stamps / sellos daily so as to document a chronological ‘line of march’ from at least 100 km on any approved route to the Apostles’ Tomb at Santiago.

There is no official time limit for accomplishing the final 100 km.

I particularly like Pontevedra. Even Padron has interesting things to see.

Hope this helps.

 

[lt56ny]

Take as long as you wish. The requirement is to obtain at least two stamps / sellos daily so as to document a chronological ‘line of march’ from at least 100 km on any approved route to the Apostles’ Tomb at Santiago.

There is no official time limit for accomplishing the final 100 km.

I particularly like Pontevedra. Even Padron has interesting things to see.

Hope this helps.

Here we go again!!

 

[t2andreo]

I understand the OP's question was about a time limit to cover a distance, not shaving the minimum distance one has to walk. There is a clear difference, at least IMHO.

Over the years, I have learned that there are some pilgrims who are actually fully prepared to walk the FULL 118 km from Sarria or Tui (for example) to Santiago to establish eligibility for the Compostela. Unlike some others, they do not try to shave, quibble or negotiate every last meter.

However, some, perhaps a significant number (I cannot know), have health issues that may restrict their PACE, both in terms of how long they can walk daily, or how many consecutive days they can walk without a break.

For example, and I think this is very pertinent to this thread I think, there is a fellow here in the US, called the Second Chance Hiker (SCH) with a channel on You Tube. He weighed 385 pounds when he started at the US / Mexico border, determined to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from there, north, to Canada. I follow this channel every few days, whenever there is a new video posted from the trail.

The total distance of the PCT is about 2,650 miles. The SCH is now some 110 days or so from starting. He has covered only about 500 miles, but has lost some 70 pounds. On his first several weeks, he was only able to walk perhaps 4 miles (+/-) 7 km daily.

This is called a through hike. Unlike most all of the Camino routes, there are no albergues or cafes every few km. One only encounters a small town or village every few weeks. He has to scavenge his own drinking water in the wilderness, pack enough food, and carry his own shelter. Showers are only an occasional luxury. Much of the terrain, at least so far, is mountainous or desert. He only occasionally meets other hikers, going one direction or the other.

This very large fellow is now down to about 315 pounds, and walking 15 - 25 MILES daily. He is still very obese. Been there ...can relate...

But, one can see his gait and pace change over time in the video he shoots. You can hear his breathing improve over time. He is clearly healing himself as he walks. Yet his spirit and motivation is undaunted. This is one determined fellow.

That is why he calls himself the Second Chance Hiker. This is his second chance at living by losing the weight which will literally kill him. I can relate to this alternative in a VERY personal way.

I mention this video channel, and recommend it to you, to better understand the motivation for someone with a physical challenge to undertake something worthwhile, while knowing that just the trying might kill him. Also, I might add in passing that before I had weight loss surgery some 14 years ago, I too was morbidly obese.

The SCH wants to lose 200 pounds through his journey and HUGE accomplishment. By contrast, I "only" needed to lose 100 pounds...and this was well before I ever heard of the Camino de Santiago.

The distance, whether some 75 miles (118 km) or 2,650 miles, is not the point. It is the honest effort and motivation for doing the journey that provides the eligibility for at least my respect.

So, I DO understand the need for some folks to take longer than the rest of us to cover what we might think is an insignificant distance. I also respect the effort involved. This is also why I get agitated over the incessant carping about where the ACTUAL 100 km point is, and why isn't it somewhere else? Seriously?!?!?

If life were meant to be easy, we would all have been born rich, thin, and brilliant. I KNOW I was not, on any of those cases.

At some point, my wish is for all intending pilgrims to just suck it up, and get on with it. Millions of pilgrims have gone before us with only one goal in mind, making it to the Apostle's Tomb at the Cathedral in Santiago.

Nothing else mattered to them. In truth, nothing else matters now.

Nothing has changed IMHO, except the attitudes of some of the pilgrims. To our historical forbearers, The journey was the entire point. To try to continuously minimise that effort, IMHO, diminishes the accomplishment.

Hope this helps the dialog. Okay, I relinquish my soapbox...