Walking a Camino in bits and pieces

[BonitaHolland]

I've just completed half my Camino although at the moment it feels like Leon was 'my Santiago' but who knows I might come back and do the second half..... my question is how does it feel to begin in the middle if you know what I mean? I met many many pilgrims doing the Camino in 'bits and pieces' coming back year after year to do another section.... I had to take a taxi for one 17km section plus I caught a local €1 bus into Burgos for the final bit.... So if I come back I'm thinking will I go back and do those 'bits' again or will I restart from Sehugun which is where I truly stopped walking or do I begin again in Leon where I ended up resting before retiring injured? These are personal questions for me to answer however I am interested to hear thoughts on beginning again in the middle.... I'm thinking that if I came back I'd start again at the beginning to get the experience of doing the Camino in one go which was my original intention....

 

[ashleygf]

We did the St Jacques in 2 years , Le Puy to Cahors and then Cahors to Roncesvalles. 20 days for each with 1 day rest. We were happy to stop at the end of both stages .

Having just finished the Porto to Santiago , I think I personally like about 3 weeks walking. 12 days this time was a bit short.

I think the body takes a while to get used to the repetition of walking (an Alexander technique instructor told me 21 days .)

Perhaps start from where you stopped and then catch transport to the beginning if you want to keep walking ?

 

[SYates]

I think you should take one further step back. Now that you have a first impression what a pilgrimage is for you, you can evaluate what did go well/not so well in that respect. And no, I don't mean the practicalities of the exterior Camino, I mean the interior pilgrimage you made. When you have cleared that with yourself you will know where and if to start again.

Buen Camino de la Vida, SY

 

[C clearly]

I'm thinking that if I came back I'd start again at the beginning to get the experience of doing the Camino in one go

There is no set beginning. There is only a universal endpoint for the Camino de Santiago!

I walked the last 260 km first (from Astorga), then from SJPP to Sahagun (had to stop for family reasons), then from SJPP to Santiago (I wanted a 6-week experience), then from Leon to Santiago. I found that new segments were very interesting, but repeated segments were also very interesting!

So, you don't need to overthink the starting points. It would take many repeat pilgrimages to do all of the small variations. Decide on a convenient starting point that is probably do-able in the time you have available, and let it evolve.

 

[MCFearnley]

There is no set beginning. There is only a universal endpoint for the Camino de Santiago!

Amen, amen, amen to that!
What is a whole Camino? It is one that begins where ever one starts and ends at the Santiago de Compostela cathedral. It is one that is done in the spirit of the pilgrims that trod the paths over the centuries. I met pilgrims, I met tourists. Neither could be identified by the number of days walked nor by the weight of their pack nor by the company, or lack thereof, they kept. It was mainly in their attitude and the framing of their journey.

 

[BonitaHolland]

Amen, amen, amen to that!
What is a whole Camino? It is one that begins where ever one starts and ends at the Santiago de Compostela cathedral. It is one that is done in the spirit of the pilgrims that trod the paths over the centuries. I met pilgrims, I met tourists. Neither could be identified by the number of days walked nor by the weight of their pack nor by the company, or lack thereof, they kept. It was mainly in their attitude and the framing of their journey.

I suppose my 'frame' was to walk every step carrying my pack from SJDPP to Santiago in one go with no time frame .....and I didn't manage that because of injury. I've been home 18 hours and have contacted the Podiatrist the Doctor and have located my softest slippers and am currently laying down with feet up having done my foot exercises....but will I be back I'm not sure. What I am sure about is my interest in the anthropology and history of Camino- on my last day in Leon I met an amazing couple the woman had walked in 1982 and written her PhD thesis and then written a book on the experience her name is Elyn Aviva. In that year 3,000 people reached Santiago it was a holy year. She writes about the pre Christian Caminos and much besides....