• Remove ads on the forum by becoming a donating member. More here.
  • ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.
  • October the 12th 2004 I posted the first post here on this forum. 20 years have passed. Thank you for being such a good group of people and for hanging around. More here in this thread. All the best from Santiago, Ivar
  • Get your Camino Frances Guidebook here.
This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

Walking back

pastorsharon

New Member
Donating Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances
May/June (2014)
April-June 2023
My husband, Jim, and I have walked the Camino Frances twice from SJPP to Santiago, in 2014 and 2023. We are now retired in our mid-60's and would like to pilgrimage again in 2026. However, this time we are seriously thinking about going in reverse: beginning in Santiago and ending in southern France. We realize that by pilgrimaging this way, we will miss out on the Camino Family aspect of the walk. But we love the idea, not only of the different perspective of a familiar route, but of completion, of "returning home". If you have walked the Camino Frances heading East instead of West, I'd love to hear your perspective and advice!
 
Camino wristwatch
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
I've walked contrariwise on a few Camino routes over the years. Never for long. If you're seriously planning to walk the Frances against the tide I think you'll need to plan carefully. You'll need to carry your packs as there's no reverse luggage transport. You'll need a large placard bearing the slogan "No we're not! We're walking home": preferably translated into all known Camino languages and Klingon just in case.

If you want to use any of the Municipal, Paroquial and other exotic Albergues you'll need copies of your Compostela.

Apart from that.... It'll be a great opportunity to get a suntan on the other side of your face
 
Tincatinker said:
If you want to use any of the Municipal, Paroquial and other exotic Albergues you'll need copies of your Compostela.
Click to expand...
Which presumably first you would have to obtain by walking at least 100 kilometers towards Santiago. I doubt they would consider a Compostela from 2023 appropriate.

Oh, if you want to translate "we're going Home" into Klingon, there's the 'learn Klingon' group on Facebook:

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.
www.facebook.com

 
More 2024 Camino Guides available
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
2024 edition: The Brierley Camino Frances Guide
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Camino Photo

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Most read last week in this forum

  • Thread 'Camino Frances calls more strongly than the other caminos'

    In 2023 I walked the CF from SLPDP. In 2024 I walked the Vía de la Plata from Seville. For 2025 I was/am going to walk the next logical option - the Camino Portuguese. Seeing something different by starting in Portugal seemed like an obvious choice after two long caminos in Spain. So recently I’ve been consuming copious amounts of CP content online. And for whatever reason I’m just not feeling the pull towards the CP, and have surprisingly been thinking of returning to the CF for a second...
    • JustJack
    • Replies: 30

  • Thread 'Afflicted'

    Did my 5th CF this past June. After the first two (2016 & 2018), I felt like that was enough. Then a few years later in 2021 I thought well maybe one more in 2022. When I got back from that one, I thought that's it--that's plenty for me. But about 6 weeks after returning I found myself thinking about it wistfully and starting to plan the next one, which was 2023. When I returned from that one, I remember thinking now I have finally, really had enough Camino. About six weeks after returning...

  • Thread 'Starting from Burgos in September - early, mid or late?'

    My previous casinos have been in the spring. I walked the CF from SJPdP in May/June 2023. I’m thinking of going back to the CF next year to walk from Burgos to Sarria, but this time in the fall. I’m flexible and want to go while the weather is still warm/hot, when the kids are back in school, and hopefully avoiding the worst of the crowds. I know the crowds will be unavoidable, but for those that are really familiar with the patterns, would you start in Burgos in early, mid or late...
    • JustJack
    • Replies: 19
  • B

    Thread 'Royal Pantheon, Nájera.'

    There is a tomb in the Royal Pantheon in the monastery of Santa María la Real on which is inscribed "Reina Doña Clara Huraca Mujer de Rei Don Sancho". I can't find anything about a queen named Clara. I have found that the wife of King Sancho II of Pamplona was Urraca Fernández. I suppose that Huraca is a variant of Urraca, in Basque or Navarrese or some other dialect. Assuming that this Urraca, wife of Sancho II is the one buried in the monastery, why. in all the scholarly posts on the...
    • Bert45
    • Replies: 17

Similar threads

Pamplona to Burgos - your favorite towns and albergues off main "stages".
Replies
26
Views
4K
Roland49
Pilgrims Behaving Badly - Is the Camino Frances full?
Replies
54
Views
9K
Lynn R Kelly
L
7 days on the Frances - recommendations
Replies
7
Views
633
WalkingLester
W
  • Tags fiestas/holidays/markets
    • Easter 2025 on the Frances
    Replies
    20
    Views
    2K
    AlwaysABarrett
    A
    My next Camino is
    Replies
    3
    Views
    394
    JustOneGuy
    Menu
    Log in
    Register