Camino Frances in 4weeks

[Happy2010]

So I now only have 4 weeks off to do the route from mid July, anyone any recommendations of which bits I should leave out, or should I get a bus for part of the way?

I'm a little sad that I wont get to complete the entire route, but I am still getting the chance to go which is the main thing

[HuskyNerd]

The easiest thing to do is to bus it between Burgos and Leon. You'll miss the long, flat, dry Meseta, which some people dislike because they see it as monotonous. Others (like me) love the Meseta because it's quiet, the towns are far apart, and it's fairly primitive. But taking a bus from Burgos to Leon will cut a week off your trip and still allow you a wonderful Camino.

[Leslie]

It depends on your fitness. If you are very fit you will be able to walk the whole route in that time, a friend of mine walked it in 26 days - I still keep asking him which parts he got a bus or taxi on - but he swears.

I have a slight disagreement with Husky - I LOVE THE MESETA - this is my favorite part of the Camino and it is the part where the least amount of pilgrims are. the long hot days here were great for slowly getting to know people and seeing a lot of the same people day after day.

So I would start in Pamplona and walk to where you can - hopefully Santiago. If you are not bothered with the compostela I would even miss the last 100 in favor of starting at St Jean - but dam that hill...

[HuskyNerd]

I have a slight disagreement with Husky - I LOVE THE MESETA - this is my favorite part of the Camino and it is the part where the least amount of pilgrims are. the long hot days here were great for slowly getting to know people and seeing a lot of the same people day after day.

Hi Leslie ~
I have a slight disagreement with your slight disagreement with me. Here's what I originally said:

You'll miss the long, flat, dry Meseta, which some people dislike because they see it as monotonous. Others (like me) love the Meseta because it's quiet, the towns are far apart, and it's fairly primitive.

So I think our slight disagreement x2 could be boiled down to my "I love the Meseta" vs your "I LOVE THE MESETA."

I'm always intrigued and a little saddened by people who don't "get" the Meseta. I found it to be spectacular on my May/June 2008 Camino. What I loved was the endless rolling green of the crops. The green was unbelievable and overwhelming. Last July my son did the Camino and, as he approached the Meseta, he was told by other peregrinos/as to avoid it as long, dull, hot, and spiritually dangerous. He went anyway and loved it (lower case), even though many of the crops had already been plowed under and the colors of the scenery were shades of gold and brown instead of green. In addition to the fairly level terrain, the Meseta has great small towns like Villalcalzar and Hontanas and Carrion and Bercianos and Mansilla which all embody a rural Spanish way of life that seems to be disappearing.

Thanks for all your great work on this super website, Leslie. All the best ~
Sandy

[Leslie]

Sorry, brain not working right.

Hi Leslie ~
spiritually dangerous.

Wow

Being able to see so far into the distance was what did it for me. Both times for me it was Aug and the soil was dry and red - i still have socks that will never get the meseta out of them. Walking there was just so different from Ireland or Scotland.

[Happy2010]

Thanks a mill guys for the advice. I'll try keep the meseta in the plan, will let you know when I get back whether its 'love' or 'LOVE' for me

[HuskyNerd]

"Spiritually dangerous" is the warning German and English pilgrims gave to my son about the Meseta. They insisted that they needed to take a bus between Burgos and Leon because the Meseta, with its long and hot marches, forces one to confront one's demons. Sounds like secular Europe has some issues to work through ;-).

[Leslie]

Life gives us many people to try to understand - though it is not something I try hard enough at in my day to day life. Offline now for next 2 days - away training some people and I have no idea what my net access like be like in the evening 2mor.

[Sil]

I did my first camino in 2002 from Roncesvalles to Santiago in 27 days (no bus, no taxi, no train, no burro - promise!)
My friend was 74 years old and I was the 'baby' at 55 years.
There is no historical reason to start at St Jean Pied de Port. The only reason guide books start there is because of the scenery crossing the Pyrenees. (Did that in 2004).
Start at Roncevalles, use the website: www.godesalco.com/plan to plan your daily stages. Take it slow in the first week, you can play catch up on the long flat plains if you get behind.
Go for it!
Sil

PS: I LOOOOOOVE the meseta and wouldn't miss those gorgeous, rustic ancient pueblos for anything! And, you'll miss having your feet washed at Hospital St Nicolas (and a quemada at San Bol).

[Covey]

I know that St Jean is a traditional start point for many Pilgrims (10% max) walking the Camino Frances, but the reality is that most pilgrims would probably find life easier by starting at Roncesvalles or even Pamplona.

Pilgrims fly in from all over the world, and St Jean is not the easiest of places to get to. The Nordic and northern German pilgrims often find it easier to fly to the UK and then catch a flight to Bairritz in order to end up in a small town at the French base of the Pyrenees. 4 hours of walking and you are in Spain anyway!

As for the scenery going over the Pyrenees? Last year on the 4th July we walked virtually the whole way in low cloud and mist with visibility of 5m (ish) Only once in four years of a summer start in July or September have I had the spectacular views( a Sept start!!). They were really awesome, but for the following three years, nothing but cloud.

Next year I shall probably start at Pamplona.

[Covey]

Its a strange world!! Those of us who have been before such as Leslie, Sil, Huskynerd, Gerald and myself all have enjoyed walking the Meseta and seem to regard that stage as something very special, and yet the guide books are somewhat ambivalent about the attractions of the Meseta, and other sites are quick to advise pilgrims to miss it out because of the heat and distances.

There are stages of the Camino Frances where you have to look down and watch each footstep and you can spend 20kms looking at your feet. On the Meseta you can walk with your head up and appreciate the horizon which can seem 20kms away. The sky's are vast, the landscape huge and you are such a small speck on a huge canvas. I love it!

[Pavel]

I report the same time as Leslie's friend (26 days from St Jean to Santiago) and the same scenery in Pyrenees as Covey. About meseta, I just "like" it.
As an advice, I would subscribe Leslie's first post with one exception - reserve three days to go to Finisterre. It's the place I LOOOOOOOOVE most