starvin marvin Posted August 11, 2010 Share Posted August 11, 2010 Inspired by a friend who has just walked to Santiago de Compostela from St- Jean-Pied-de-Port, we intend to track this route in the van on our way to Portugal this autumn, heading off south once we get past Ponferrada, which in midway between Leon and Santiago. We did something similar a few years ago when we followed the Danube to the Black Sea, which was good fun. Has anyone done this? Any comments/advice would be very welcome. Our intention, as always is to free camp whenever we can, use aires with occasional campsites, and to walk parts of the route on a day basis. Fortunately the old AA 5th edition Spain and Portugal road atlas (which I have threatened to bin many a time) shows the pilgrim route and highlights the hostel villages on the route, how accurate? we'll find out! Our friend can provide diary notes etc on the stopping places he used and interesting villages etc. So roll on, and watch out the grey nomads will be on the move! Fiat permitting. Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 Well, thats interesting, no info. I can see that its an unusual request for comments etc. Makes me feel like a proper little trailblazer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Can't help I'm afraid other than to say there's a nice Aire in St Jean Pied De Port in the stadium car park 5 minutes walk from the town. I travelled a few miles (maybe 20) along the route you mention in the late 1980's as far as some ski lifts but its all a distant memory now so can't help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 starvin marvin - 2010-08-13 4:43 PM Well, thats interesting, no info. I can see that its an unusual request for comments etc. Makes me feel like a proper little trailblazer! Obviously not many pilgrims on this forum. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Hi Tony Sorry you were feeling ignored. I haven't done the Route, but going back "The Way of St. James" was the subject I was given a a test for creating a small magazine using "Word" going back to the early 80's. So memory is a bit vague. However there are many websites covering the subject and the following may be of help. Tips. http://santiago-compostela.net/toptips.html French route which all converge on St. Jean-Pied-du-Port, befre continuing to Santiago d'compostela. http://santiago-compostela.net/frances/index_cf_en.html Alternative websites http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/ http://www.followthecamino.com/?gclid=CIGPqYHrtqMCFYlg4wodN0o7ag Good luck with your trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 Mike88 - 2010-08-13 5:08 PM Can't help I'm afraid other than to say there's a nice Aire in St Jean Pied De Port in the stadium car park 5 minutes walk from the town. I travelled a few miles (maybe 20) along the route you mention in the late 1980's as far as some ski lifts but its all a distant memory now so can't help. Thanks for that, we know St Jean-Pied-de -Port quite well, we drive that route out of Spain and have seen a few pilgrims were the Camino crosses the main road. There are traffic warning signs with the scallop shell logo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 malc d - 2010-08-13 5:14 PM starvin marvin - 2010-08-13 4:43 PM Well, thats interesting, no info. I can see that its an unusual request for comments etc. Makes me feel like a proper little trailblazer! Obviously not many pilgrims on this forum. ;-) There seem to be a few preachers though, perhaps they were once pilgrims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted August 13, 2010 Author Share Posted August 13, 2010 flicka - 2010-08-13 5:14 PM Hi Tony Sorry you were feeling ignored. I haven't done the Route, but going back "The Way of St. James" was the subject I was given a a test for creating a small magazine using "Word" going back to the early 80's. So memory is a bit vague. However there are many websites covering the subject and the following may be of help. Tips. http://santiago-compostela.net/toptips.html French route which all converge on St. Jean-Pied-du-Port, befre continuing to Santiago d'compostela. http://santiago-compostela.net/frances/index_cf_en.html Alternative websites http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/ http://www.followthecamino.com/?gclid=CIGPqYHrtqMCFYlg4wodN0o7ag Good luck with your trip. Thanks for the response, I'll look at one or two I've not seen, when I finish painting the kitchen. No1 daugther and partner have just gone off in the van for the weekend, makes me feel nervous! She says she's using her inheritence, rather than us spending it! No, I wasn't feeling ignored, sour grapes or whatever, just slightly surprised, and amused that a posting on two pieces of triangular plastic, (levellers) gets approx 1,500 hits and 140 replies! but hey ho whatever floats folks boat. Thanks again for taking the time to provide all that info, many thanks Flicka. Back to the paint brush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emjay Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 starvin marvin - 2010-08-11 11:10 AM Inspired by a friend who has just walked to Santiago de Compostela from St- Jean-Pied-de-Port, ........................................................ ......................... Our friend can provide diary notes etc on the stopping places he used and interesting villages etc. So roll on, and watch out the grey nomads will be on the move! Fiat permitting. Many thanks I think it is a great idea. It is certainly a part of Spain we want to spend more time in. Two years ago we passed through that general region on the way home. Whilst driving along we did notice some pilgrims walking along the trail. Unfortunately (or fortunately) we were having such a great time in south of Spain and Portugal that we left ourselves insufficient time to stop off in NW of Spain. We first got interested in the Camino de Santiago about eight years ago when our daughter (then in college) walked from Leon to Santiago de Compostela. She had a great time and wonderful experience. So enjoy your trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 A few years back we visited the cathedral in Santiago just in time to see the ceremony involving the 'swinging' of the giant incense burner. It is gradually swung higher and higher, from end to end of the building, until it almost reaches the roof. Well worth seeing if you get the timing of your visit right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Suggest you watch The Naked Pilgrim. Excellent series on Ch5 some years ago, DVD available. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Naked_Pilgrim Dogsbody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 We were up that way, on the northern coast of Spain, the summer before last.....and came upon literally hundreds of pilgrim/people walking the other way to the way we were driving; all with staves with scallop shells attached. Turns out they were all doing "The Walk" to Santiago Cathedral. Since then , a mate of ours has done a 300 km part of it. And loved doing it. Aparently, you have to do at least 100kms on foot, or 200 kms by bicycle, to get your certificate thingy. You get stamps along the route to prove you've done that section. From what we saw, you couldn't miss the route.....it seems to be very well signposted all along the North coast of Spain (and I guess, into France too). Obviously anyone who walks it is mad. It is NOT a stroll in the park; it ain't flat, and it ain't easy. But tens of thousands of mad people (some religious, some not) do it every year. Totally mad. Totally wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 I should add: if you are entirely unhinged, loopy, ga-ga, and thus want to do the Camino, DO IT IN THE SUMMER. May-to-End of September would be my window of opportunity. Do NOT do it at any other time. Unless you want to die. Rain. Snow. Biting bitter winds. More rain. Cold. Did I mention horizontal sleet?. ........all await the idiot pilgrim who tries the walk in the November-to-April period. But the scenery, the camraderie, the peace, the nature, the chance for honest reflection, being a part of what thousands of others are doing with you, and what literally millions have done before you, must be awesome. Our mate (who lives in Spain) and who did the Camino last year), is not a girlie wimp. He's ex-Paras. He did 300 kms of the Camino, and freely admits that when he got to the end of the pilgramage trail at Santiago Cathedral, he was totally overcome, and wept with emotion. It's a BIG thing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted August 15, 2010 Author Share Posted August 15, 2010 emjay - 2010-08-13 8:54 PM starvin marvin - 2010-08-11 11:10 AM Inspired by a friend who has just walked to Santiago de Compostela from St- Jean-Pied-de-Port, ........................................................ ......................... Our friend can provide diary notes etc on the stopping places he used and interesting villages etc. So roll on, and watch out the grey nomads will be on the move! Fiat permitting. Many thanks I think it is a great idea. It is certainly a part of Spain we want to spend more time in. Two years ago we passed through that general region on the way home. Whilst driving along we did notice some pilgrims walking along the trail. Unfortunately (or fortunately) we were having such a great time in south of Spain and Portugal that we left ourselves insufficient time to stop off in NW of Spain. We first got interested in the Camino de Santiago about eight years ago when our daughter (then in college) walked from Leon to Santiago de Compostela. She had a great time and wonderful experience. So enjoy your trip Joe, thanks for the reply. We're off tomorrow to meet up with our friend, so it will be maps and diary notes out for comparison; hints and tips etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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