Help! Too many routes!!Where to start?

[greenlights]

Hi there,

I very much want to make it to SDC this year 2010 by June 1st to mark my 40th year on earth but I have no idea where to start from...! - there are so many different routes..norte/primitivo/ingles/frances etc. etc. etc..and don't know where to start in terms of what will suit my needs best -ie. certain amounts of quietude but not too solitary as I am a female travelling alone, and also much variety in scenery to inspire!! (Im a songwriter and am bringing my guitar) My understanding from various blogs is that the frances route gets over crowded - is this true? Would this be the case at end of May? I will give myself a minimum of 10 days - 2 weeks ( possibly longer if I can afford it )

Any tips/suggestions/comments would be all so greatly allpreciated.

Many thanks for your time.

[Covey]

First the Good News!!

Everybody on the Camino loves a singer with a guitar. I have had many a memorable evening sitting in the garden of an albergue singing along with someone with a guitar. The Beatles songs are universally popular.

For your first trip down a Camino, the easiest option is the Camino Frances. It has the most pilgrims, and there is a well developed chain of albergues. Some of the less popular routes have albergues much further apart and there are far fewer pilgrims, so you could spend a long time alone.

[greenlights]

Hi Covey,

Thank you for that. It looks like I may be bringing my three aunts and mother now so there will be company so I am still thinking of maybe a quieter route but not too demanding as they are all in theit 60's. What do you think of the Ingles route? I would love to do the Norte but I think it may be a little demanding. We want to be able to get from town to town easily enough in case rest stops are needed. I hear that there are hundreds of thousands expected on the Frances route this year because of Holy year. How populated does it really get because I think the five of us would like little stretches of lanes and small roads at least with maybe just us and our souls on the open road! I am thinking also of maybe making it a small enough distance - say 120km or something. This may help to know where would be a good starting point for us? Once again many many thanks for your tips and I am gathering beatles songs as we speak!!

[Covey]

Steady!! I am over 60 and have managed the Camino Frances each year for the past four years. The Olds can hold their own!!

If I was you, I would start at Pamplona and wander along the Camino Frances for as long as your time or feet last.

Pamplona, Burgos and Leon are very nice cities to spend a couple of days in. The "normal" start point is St Jean Pied Du Port in France at the base of the Pyrenees. Day One is a fairly brutal introduction to the Camino and consists of cams straight up, followed by mks straight down. It is the downhill part which is the hardest, so if you want a more gentle start, then Pamplona it is.

Have fun!! The Olds will surprise you

[Covey]

Sorry, my spell checker went awol. The last message should read "20kms straight up, followed by 8kms straight down"