Walking back

[pastorsharon]

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!

 

[Tincatinker]

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

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

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

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:

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[Rebekah Scott]

I have walked eastward, from Moratinos to Najera. I thought I knew that stretch of Camino well, but was surprised at how often I lost the trail!

 

[Gavala]

Do It

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I thought about this today. If you are walking in reverse in high season, don't ask to stay at the traditional pilgrim albergues. If you are not walking to Santiago, you are not a pilgrim any more. Leave the low-cost beds for the people on their Way. (If there are plenty of spare beds, no problem..)

 

[ShoshTrvls]

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

So this is where I get to say that for a brief period of time I dated a linguist who was the founder and Director of the Klingon Language Institute, and was instrumental in the development of Klingon as a real language.

I’ve known many really smart people in my life, but only two truly brilliant ones. He was in the later category.

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

Read the book Clear Waters Rising by Nicholas Crane. He walked from Finisterre to Istanbul, a remarkable journey along the chain of mountain ranges in the early 1990's. The Camino was not so well populated in those days. It's one of the best travel books I've ever read.

 

[susanawee]

I thought about this today. If you are walking in reverse in high season, don't ask to stay at the traditional pilgrim albergues. If you are not walking to Santiago, you are not a pilgrim any more. Leave the low-cost beds for the people on their Way. (If there are plenty of spare beds, no problem..)

Just wondering WHY you wrote that walking the other way, precludes you from being a pilgrim?