Walking and Cycling The Camino De Santiago

woodlands walking, Roncesvalles

The Camino De Santiago or simply ‘ The Way’ is one of the World’s greatest walking and cycling routes, an 800km journey through northern Spain and the French Pyrenees that dates back over 1,000 years. To follow the Camino is to walk in the footsteps of millions of Pilgrims who have passed this way before you over the centuries. There is a palpable sense of history as you set out on the way of St. James and all along it’s length you will find monuments that testify to it’s former glory. Some of Europe’s most magnificent and ornate Cathedrals where built along the Camino, such as the incomparable Burgos cathedral and the Gothic masterpiece of Leon, not to mention of course Santiago De Compostela itself.

People are drawn to walk the Camino for many different reasons today, less than 20% do it for religious reasons and the rest for personal, spiritual or pure adventure. It is the Camaraderie amongst the ‘Peregino’s’ that makes the Camino such a special experience. You will rub shoulders with people of every nationality on the way and of every age group. Some people come to walk or ride the whole 800km, setting off from St. Jean De Pied Port in the French Pyrenees. To walk you’d need around 6 weeks average to complete the Camino or 2-3 weeks by bike. Many other people choose to do a section at a time, coming back to complete the Camino over several years.

No matter what you choose to do you’ll find warmth and respect from your fellow Peregrino’s. The Spanish people are remarkably accommodating and hospitable, Pilgrims have been protected ( initially by the Knight’s Templar) by the Spanish crown and to walk the Camino is an accepted and honourable tradition. The Camino also bring vital income to some very remote parts of Spain and communities that could have otherwise been impoverished.

The Camino de Santiago

Which way is the right way for you?There are no shortage of ways to enjoy the Camino - in fact there is more than one Camino, there are numerous routes across Europe coming from France to converge on the Pyrenees or cross Spain and from Portugal. All Roads ultimately lead to Santiago!

The route that we offer is the ‘Camino Frances’ or the French way, which is the most recognized & popular route - and arguably the most interesting as it incorporates so many historical monuments and cities along the way.

Most modern Pilgrims use the Camino Frances, though some of the more intrepid ones my return to choose another Camino for their next pilgrimage. If you relish solitude then you may prefer one of the quieter Caminos such as the coastal route across Northern Spain. If you enjoy meeting people and some company then the Camino Frances will suit you well - you are never that far from another Pilgrim and the Camaraderie & signage along the route is excellent.

A lot will depend on who long you can go for - if you are planning a short taste of the Camino then the Camino Frances has several short sections that you can dip and out of. To collect your official Stamp of the Pilgrim at Santiago De Compostela you must either walk the last 100km from Sarria or cycle the last 200km from Ponferrada to ‘qualify’ as a bonafide Pilgrim! The Pilgrim Passport can be picked up locally and is stamped at Refugio’s, Churches or other places along the way. It becomes a great souveneir of your trip along with the Scallop Shell - the official symbol of the Camino. This is something that you’ll always remember along with the countless thousands of yellow arrows that mark the way.

Walking over The Pyrenees

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Walking the first 10 days Day 1: St. Jean de Pied Port Day 2: St. Jean de Pied Port - Roncesvalles (25km)

Day 3: Roncesvalles - Akaretta (29km)

Day 4: Akaretta - Pamplona (18km)

Day 5: In Pamplona

Day 6: Pamplona to Puente de la Reina (24km)

Day 7: Puente de la Reina to Estella (22km)

Day 8: Estella to Los Arcos (21km)

Day 9: Los Arcos to Logrono (28km)

Day 10: Depart Logrono

The Camino de Santiago

Cycling the last week of the Camino

Day 1 In Leon

Day 2 Bike Leon to Astorga 53km

Day 3 Bike Astorga to Villafranca 78km

Day 4 Bike Villafranca to Samos 63km

Day 5 Bike Samos to Palas de Rei 56km

Day 6 Palas De Rei to Santiago 68km

Day 7 In Santiago

Example itineraries for cycling and walking

Both these itineraries have been priced on our website but we can put together tailormade trips to suit the number of days you’d like to spend on the Camino and your ability. Ask about our tailormade trip options, we are happy to advise. Any tailormade trips usually require a booking deposit which is refunded off the cost of your trip.

Which sections to walk and cycle?

So your next decision is whether to walk or cycle the Camino? For many people that’s an easy answer as they fall into one or the other camp. But if you are equally happy on a bike as on foot then it will depend on your time frame and which areas you’d like to see. The middle sections of the camino through the elevated plains of the ‘Meseta’ can be a draining experience for walkers as there is no shade and about a weeks’s worth of walking - so you probably wouldn’t choose that section if you only had a week to walk. The beginning and end sections of the Camino offer a great introduction with history, hill walking and green verdant scenery in the countryside. Not to mention good local food and wine and great accommodation.

Thoughts for cyclists

Cycling the Camino opens up different possibilities and challenges. If you are a fit cyclist then you may relish the mountain challenges of Galicia or the Pyrenees, which offer spectacular cycling for those able to keep their wheels turning up steep hills. If you are more of a casual cyclist then the thought of big hills may fill you with dread. In which case you may be better riding the relatively flat sections of the Meseta and other flatter sections which lie mid way along the Camino.

Combinations & highlights

We can offer trips where you can both walk and cycle on different sections, and rather than doing a block of walking or riding along one section you may prefer to do the highlights of The Camino - taking in the variety of experiences along it’s length by doing a few days at a time then skipping to another section using Spain’s excellent public transport system. The Camino has many train stations in the larger towns as well as buses.

The Camino de Santiago

Hontanas

The Camino de Santiago

Paradore de Leon

The village of Castrojeriz

THE WAY OF

ST. JAMESThe Way of St. James has existed for over a thousand years. It was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during medieval times, together with Rome and Jerusalem, and a pilgrimage route on which a plenary indulgence could be earned. It grew in importance once Jerusalem was lost during the Crusades.

Legend holds that St. James's remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where he was buried on the site of what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela.

A thriving Medieval Pilgrimage route developed after the discovery of the remains and the ‘verification’ by the local Bishop - a shrewd move on his behalf given the extraodinary wealth and prominence that the new Pilgrimage brought to the region.

The bones of St. James are kept in a silver coffin can be viewed in a crypt directly under the altar of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral.

Beautiful & unique accommodationThe Camino is well set up for accommodation en route and offers the chance to stay in very unique hotels, some of which are like living museums. From the basic ‘refugios’ or ‘Albergues’ which offer inexpensive dormitories for Pilgrims to the grand Paradores at the other end of the scale, which offer palatial accommodation in historic centuries old buildings.

We have chosen our accommodation carefully to offer a mix of comfortable, historic and intimate accommodations in the best locations. We use historic hotels where possible, some dating back to the 11th century, through to intimate posadas and ‘Casa Rurales’, beautiful country houses. We avoid modern style hotels and go for places that have more character or exceptional locations & hosts. All the accommodation that we use have comfortable en suite rooms. If you would like to experience the exceptional Paradores in Leon and Santiago we can also offer an upgrade and book you into this accommodation for an extra $80 - $120 per person depending on seasonality. Book early though as they are a popular option! Please note that we do not use the Albergues on our private trips as they cannot be booked in advance.

The Camino de Santiago

Paradore at Santiago

The Camino de Santiago

Our Leon Hotel

The Camino De Santiago

Various Hotels that we book for our guests

Notare quam littera gothica 2009The Camino De Santiago

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Places on the Camino

The Camino de Santiago

St. Jean de Pied Port

The Camino de Santiago

The Meseta

The Camino de Santiago

Burgos

The Camino de Santiago

Leon

The Camino de Santiago

Galicia

The Camino de Santiago

Santiago de Compostela

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