Rest days

[mickyd17]

I'm walking the Camino Frances for the first time hopefully from 15th March. Is it usual to have a rest day, say Sunday each week or do most walkers just walk everyday?

[Covey]

If you are setting out to walk the full Camino Frances, which is usually taken to mean St Jean to Santiago you will be on the trail for 32 - 40(ish) days, so when you start, Santiago as a goal seems a long way away, so I suggest pilgrims shorten their "goals" to a more realistic distance.

My goals are 1) a really nice meal when I get to Pamplona. 2) a day off when I get to Burgos. 3) a day off when I get to Leon 4) a couple of days off in Santiago 5) a couple of days off to watch the sunset at Finesterre.

My days off mean I check in to a small hotel for a couple of nights at each stop and not only do I have the wondrous luxury of a private bathroom, but I can stay out after 10pm!! (simple things please simple minds!!)

This way, if things are a little hard, it is good for the morale to have a goal which is only a couple of days away, not 30!!

Burgos and Leon are fascinating cities to visit and just wander around and the extra day is well worth while!!

Have fun.

[Sil]

I've planned on having rest days every time I walk a camino, but, I never do, I just keep walking!
What I have done is 'put miles in the bank' and had a few shorter days. Say you plan on walking 20km each day and you end up walking 27km one day and then 23km the next, you have 10km in the bank. One day you need only walk 10km. That is like having a rest day.
You can only spend one night in a pilgrim refuge so you have to move into a hotel.
I never spent extra time in a big city. I found that I couldn't wait to get out of the city and back into the peace and quiet of the countryside. And, the problem with having a rest day in a big city is that you end up walking around all day anyway, sightseeing!
Its very much a personal choice but I would suggest that you don't actually plan your rest days ahead of time, like every Sunday. Take a day off when you feel you need it rather.
You might meet really nice people, end up walking with them, and you might be reluctant to wave goodbye because you have scheduled in a rest day.
buen camino!

[Covey]

I usually find my companions are ready for a break when we get to Burgos and Leon and at least there are things to look at and nice places to eat.

The Burgos stop is to "prepare" for the Meseta between Burgos and Leon. For some reason the guide books liken the Meseta to Death Valley in the States and many pilgrims miss out the stage because they have heard it is so hard and desert like. Personally, I think the Meseta is the best part of the Camino Frances and I love the wide open spaces and endless skies.

I tend to aim for 25-30kms a day if there is a decent place to stay, and every fourth day do a "short" day where I stop at lunchtime and do my laundry. This means I can get the dhobi done and dried before wandering off to find what gastronomic delights await on the Pilgrim Menu!!

I met a girl in 2008 who was having to average 40kms a day to fit her Camino in to the time she had available. I did not have the heart to ask if she was enjoying herself!! She looked all done in.