Advice please - Where to start? and other questions

[Ranall]

Hello

After thinking about doing the camino for the past couple of years, I finally feel the time is right. I would love to do the complete camino but unfortuately I work full time and will only be able to get 2 weeks off work. I am looking at going in September but haven't decided on exact dates yet.

I would really like to end in Santiago de Compostella and although the obvious place to start appears to be Leon I am resistant as so many people start the walk there. I speak reasonable spanish so will be able to negotiate public transport to the starting point but it would need to be within a managable distance from an airport with flights from London so that travel didn't cut too much into my walking time. Any ideas? Or anyone done the camino from Leon and could provide feedback?

Also, I am a 27 yo girl travelling on my own. I am really excited about undertaking this experience on my own and meeting new people along the route. However, I am a little concerned about safety - is it safe to walk on your own as a young(ish) girl? Has anyone had major problems trying to find a place to sleep in the busier towns?

My last question (for now at least), I don't eat red meat and having lived in Spain previously, I know how difficult it can be to find food that doesn't contain red meat! I'll be on a pretty tight budget so the pilgrims menus sound great in principle but in practice I'm assuming these are set menus which inevitably contain red meat...can anyone reassure me that I'll be able to get a cheap meal (preferably without having to cook for myself )?

I'd love to hear about your experiences on the Camino and any advice you can give!

Many thanks,
Ranall

[Covey]

Under "General Chat" there is a sticky called "Calling all Vegetarians" Sil and Huskynerd have made some very helpful suggestions as to survival in a non-vegetarian land!

Starting in Leon is probably the obvious suggestion, but not that many start from there. Those who start from Sarria and do the last 100kms to Santiago can fit that neatly in to a week, but if you want to end up in Santiago, then Leon it is.

If you start from Leon, then you can fly in to Santiago from London (Ryanair from Stansted) and catch the ALSA coach to Leon, walk to Santiago, and then Ryanair back to London from Santiago..

Given by the time you get to Santiago, you will probably have caught the Camino Spirit, you will be back the following year to do St Jean to Leon!!

Women of all ages walk the Camino and I have never heard of anyone even feeling uncomfortable, let alone at risk. You are, of course, at serious risk on any of the Camino Ways of being overwhelmed by kindness and generosity of spirit.

Were you to have been walking from Burgos to Leon, then both Sil and I would have warned you about Eduardo the owner of the albergue at Boadilla who has a certain reputation to maintain amongst Da Ladies!

[Ranall]

Thanks for your help Covey

Having read a few of the other threads now I'm thinking cooking with others may be the way to go anyway - I guess I'll have to get training in the kitchen as well as walking!!

Leon's probably the best bet then. Such a shame I can't do the whole route at once but great idea about coming back to do St Jean to Leon next year - And planning that will give me something to look forward to once I return to the rat race!

[Covey]

Cooking for yourself can be a bit hit and miss because the availability of kitchen facilities varies in every albergue you come to. I always carry a very sharp cooking knife, and a small container of rock salt and black pepper. Kuhn Rikon Colori Paring Knife - Lime Green

The shops along the way are getting better in that they are beginning to sell items in small sachets like oil and vinegar. Some albergues will have basics such as salt, oil etc left over from the previous pilgrims, but in other albergues the cleaners clear out everything left over.

The best way to cook is if there are 3-5 of you. €5 - €8 each and you can have an excellent feast with lots of wine

[Ranall]

Cheers

I'm now looking at flying to Valladolid with RyanAir and getting the ALSA coach to Leon from there - the buses are pretty frequent, are just 8,82E and only take 2 hours. Which means I'll have more time to see the sights in Leon :-)

[Sil]

If I had two weeks - and I wanted to walk the Camino Frances - I would'nt start walking from Leon. The path out of Leon is dismal - a long, straight asphalt path alongside the highway for almost two days. I think I would have a look around Leon, especially the stunning cathedral, then get a bus to Astorga and walk 12 days from there to Santiago, spend one night in Santiago, get a bus to Finisterre and back to Santiago for a flight home.
Your itinerary could look like this:
Astorga - Rabanal del Camino
20.4 km
Rabanal del Camino - Molinaseca
24.8 km
Molinaseca - Cacabelos
23 km
Cacabelos - Vega de Valcarce
24 km
Vega de Valcarce - Alto do Poio
20.2 km
Alto do Poio - Samos
22.3 km
Samos - Barbadelo
19 km
Barbadelo - Gonzar
26.3 km
Gonzar - Casanova
22.5 km
Casanova - Ribadiso da Baixo
20 km
Ribadiso da Baixo - Rúa
20.9 km
Rúa - Santiago de Compostela
20.7 km


Ah! Decisions, decisions! Whatever you choose, September is a lovely time to walk el camino with lots of fruit and vegetables available as it is harvest time. If you eat fish and eggs you'll be just fine!

[Ranall]

Thanks Sil - this is brilliant. You have done all the hard work for me and this looks perfect!

I've booked my outward flight to Valladolid on Thurs 2nd Sept and will arrive in Leon by mid-afternoon. I'm just thinking about my homeward-bound flight now...I'm not sure whether to come back on Friday 17th Sept and have the weekend to recover/reflect before I go back to work or to come back on Sunday 19th September, giving me a couple of extra days if necessary, but will have to go straight back into work on the Monday. I've never done anything like this before and I imagine it wil be a life-changing experience and pretty emotional so not sure what is the best thing to do!

Oooo...but getting excited now!

[Sil]

You are bound to have the PPB's (Post Pilgrimage Blues) anyway, so you might as well spend another day or two in Spain! I would book into a hotel in Finisterre and watch the sun go down over the Atlantic at the end of the world - magic!
You could book at the lovely Hotel Playa Langosteria http://www.hotelplayalangosteira.com It is across the road from the beach just before you get to Finisterre centre. If you tell the busdriver that you are staying there, he will drop you off at the hotel. Walk to the lighthouse at sundown and the hotel people will pick you up at the lighthouse after sunset which will save you a walk back in the dark. Get up early the next day and walk on the beach - I'm sure there's a special scallop shell there just waiting for you!

[Sil]

You are bound to have the PPB's (Post Pilgrimage Blues) anyway, so you might as well spend another day or two in Spain! I would book into a hotel in Finisterre and watch the sun go down over the Atlantic at the end of the world - magic!
You could book at the lovely Hotel Playa Langosteria http://www.hotelplayalangosteira.com It is across the road from the beach just before you get to Finisterre centre. If you tell the bus driver that you are staying there, he will drop you off at the hotel. Walk to the lighthouse at sundown and the hotel people will pick you up at the lighthouse after sunset which will save you a walk back in the dark. Get up early the next day and walk on the beach - I'm sure there's a special scallop shell there just waiting for you!

[HuskyNerd]

Sil's hotel recommendation in Finisterre is wise -- it's handy to the happenings around town, cafes, etc. After my 2008 camino, though, I stayed at the tiny Hotel O Semaforo O Sem and just loved it. To be honest it's not either cushy or cheap (the usual reasons for choosing a hotel) but the location is absolutely unbeatable. It's situated in the tiny military building just a stone's throw from the Finisterre lighthouse, right at the End of the Earth. On our visit we were treated to a 1-hour lightning storm on 3 sides. The restaurant was quiet and nice. The views are just unstoppable (ok, except in the fog), there are several nice walks through the adjacent campground, and the sunsets are unforgettable.

[Gazza]

Sil

You mention that going out of Leon is quite boring for 2 days.

Is there not an alternative route via Vilar de Mazarife that takes you away from the main drag

Gazza

[Covey]

There are two routes to Hospital de Obriga from Leon, both of which involve a fairly long trek down a road. The route splits just past La Virgen del Camino and the main road route is a path along side the main road to Hospital, and the alternative route involves a road walk as well, but away from all the traffic. Neither are much fun or very interesting.

There are two routes from Hospital to Astorga, again one route basically follows the main road, but the alternative route is across country and away from the roads most of the way.

Sil is right about it being one of the less interesting parts of the Camino, but there are those who want to walk every step of the Way and therefore taking the bus to La Virgen or Hospital or Astorga is not an option.

However if you want or need to make up time then the bus to Hospital or Astorga is a good option because you are not missing anything worthwhile.

[Ranall]

Thanks for all the help and suggestions guys. I've booked my return flight from SdC on the Sunday so I have 17 days. In my case as I'm only starting the camino in Leon, I'm not so concerned about cutting the route and getting the bus to Astorga. I think it would be quite disheartening starting such a challenge with 2 days walking along a busy road. However, if I was doing the whole route I'd want to walk every step.

By cutting out those 2 days from Leon to Astorga, I'm hoping that I may then have time to walk to Finisterre but if not I'll get the bus as suggested. The hotels both look lovely and just what will be needed!

I'm doing my first 16 mile walk this weekend in preperation. Is anyone able to advise on the terrain on the route from Astorga to SdC?

Also, my current walking boots are traditional leather walking boots - I'm going to get some hiking sandals as well but I'm also considering buying some trail walking-type trainers as I have read that walking boots aren't the best for this route because of the heat (plus if I'm wearing the sandals a lot the boots are pretty heavy to carry). Obviously this is a decision I need to make pretty quickly to have time to break them in! Any opinions?

Cheers

[Leslie]

Hi,

I have walked twice along the full route and wore my walking shoes both times - however my other half would not set foot on a trail without her boots on and that included the Camino and she found no issues with wearing boots all day - well no more than me wearing shoes.

[Covey]

My first trip on the Camino Frances was when I joined my son at Sarria for the last 100kms to Santiago. I was using my all leather UK walking boots which were fine in the UK and were well treated with dubbin to keep them in good condition.

My feet were wrecked in 4 days because the leather did not breathe and as the weather was hot, my feet perspired a lot, and there was nowhere for the moisture to go. Wet socks equals blisters and I ended up with more than my fair share!

The following year I started at St Jean in September with a pair of Salomon boots which had Gortex panels to allow the feet to breathe, and used Smartwool socks. The combination was OK and the blistering stopped, but as I start the Camino in either July or September, the combination of boots and Smartwool was still a little too warm.

Last year I tried some socks called "1000 Mile" socks which were a double layer sock, but which were much cooler with the Salomon boots. Sadly the boots suffered from torn Gortex panels by the end of my fourth Camino, so they went in the bin, and I bought a pair of Merrell walking shoes which are very light but strong and will hopefully carry me from St Jean to Finesterre starting on 4th Sept.

The majority of pilgrims in the summer wear boots, but those who wear shoes say they are fine and keep the feet cool. If I were going to walk the Way in winter( some do!!) or spring, then I would want boots as it can get very muddy in places, but for July - October shoes are fine.

I have carried a pair of Teva Trail Sandals for 4 years which I occasionally spend the day walking in, but this year have bought a pair of Crocs to take for the evenings and in the shower. The Teva's are excellent, but heavy, and the Crocs are very light, but no good for walking in during the day.

Each year I refine my kit list to incorporate items which are more use, and leave out items which I really don't need. For 4 years I have carried a Craghopper Gortex rain jacket and worn it once for an afternoon in Santiago town wandering around in the rain (Galecia can be very wet!!) I am considering not taking it this year and maybe taking a sleeveless fleece instead.

[HuskyNerd]

Sounds like I'd land closer to Leslie's wife than to Leslie or Covey. I began my 2008 Camino from SJPP with heavy hiking shoes, which were a disaster. I found the soles to be too thin and got far too much water through the uppers and too many pebbles over the tops. They ended up in the trash in Burgos, where I bought the Salomon hiking boots with the highest tops and thickest soles available. They do have Gortex panels and mesh weave for breatability and I'm fine year-round with SmartWool socks. For me, the biggest issue is thickness of soles, since going over jagged rocks and uneven surfaces seems to cause foot pain on the long stretches. I also appreciate ankle support available in the tall uppers of "real" hiking boots.

The stretch you're doing, Ranall, has lots of pathways, both ascents and descents, with rocky surfaces that are uneven and sometimes fairly difficult. I feel it's a good place for hiking boots, especially if you are a little heavier (like me) or carrying too much in your pack (like many).

Buen camino!

[Covey]

I appreciate that I might live to regret swapping my Salomons for the shoes, as the boots were very good. I found carrying a little stiff brush useful for keeping the Gortex panels clear of dust. My first year with them I found that after a few days in dusty conditions, the Gortex stopped breathing cos it was clogged with dust.

In Sept/Oct you get the evening/morning dew and the small stones/grains of gravel stick to the soles early in the morning and get thrown up and in to the top of the boot, necessitating sometimes frequent stops to take off the boots and get the offending bit out of the boot and socks. Leave them in and you get blisters quickly. I have seen a very lightweight gaiter to stop that with shoes and boots and if I can find something suitable, might well take a pair as insurance.

The Merrell soles seem OK on my training walks which I have just started, so only time will tell. In the Army, we used to have an ankle support called Puttees which were a 1m length of 10cm material with a 0.5m tape sewed on one end which one wound around the ankle covering the top 10cm of the boot and the bottom of your trousers. This was an old Indian Army idea to stop snakes shinning up ones trouser leg and engaging with ones private parts!! but also very effective at stopping anything dropping into ones boots.

Before anyone asks, I have never seen a snake on the Camino, so those of a nervous disposition need only worry about the bed bugs!!