Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[sylvia coates]

There will be two of us doing that part of the trail. We are not seasoned walkers. Does anyone know if it could be done in about 12 days? We have also thought about doing some of it by bus, if necessary. Can anyone help?

[sillydoll]

Hi Syl,
Depending on any detours, it is about 312kms from Leon to Santiago. It is possible to walk it in 12 days - you would need to walk about 26kms per day.
If you are thinking of getting buses anyway, you might like to consider not starting from Leon! The walk out of Leon isn't great and if I were you, I would get a bus to Astorga and start walking from there. There are frequent buses throughout the day that take about 50 minutes and cost 6 euro. Astorga is 260km from Santiago which means that you can walk about 22kms per day. This is quite doable, and even if you are not a seasoned walker you will be so proud of yourself if you walk all the way to Santiago!Pilgrim hugs,
Sil

[WolverineDG]

Sylvia, here is what I plan to do: get to Leon from Madrid (train or fly, depends on cost). Take the train from Leon the next morning (first one is at 7am) to (can't think of the town offhand, will get it later if you like), & then walk to Hospital de Orbigo. I'll either make a short day of it there or continue on to Astorga. Does this make sense? If you overnight it in Leon, I stayed at both the convent (very nice & for a donativo) & Hotel Paris (also very nice, but $$).

Kelly

[Rambler]

Sylvia:
We are doing the same trip and have planned 14 days just to have one day off and to start slowly. We arrive in Leon June 1. But I suspect we will push to do it in 13 days so we can take the extra day at the end of our trip. We are going on to Finisterre.
Ultreya
Rambler

[Minkey]

I did it in 13 the last time. I reckon 12 days may be pushing it a little.

[davlog0326]

Sylvia,

I did the Camino last fall. I took the bus from Madrid to Astorga. It took 10 days from Astorga to Santiago. This was perfect. I walked with a big group of 5-6 people most days. So we walked leisurely. One of the guys I walked with left from Leon and it took 2 days to get from Leon to Astorga.

I found for my first time during the Camino with a limited schedule, Astorga to Santiago, was great. It allowed me to really enjoy the pilgrimage. I didn't rush and got to spend 2 days in Santiago to explore and hang out with my new friends.

Dave

[sylvia coates]

Thanks to all who have replied to my post. This is just great!!! Since we do want to see Leon, we will try to get the bus to Astorga and begin our walk from there. I am in France right now and will be probably leaving from Bordeaux. My friend will meet me in Spain. She is coming from U.S.A.

[Whalleyranger]

You won't miss anything if you take the bus between Leon and Astorga. It's nothing but following a long straight busy dusty road for a day and a half.

[jayney]

Hi,
I am walking with three friends. We fly to Madrid Sept. 10, plan to take bus/train to Leon and start walking Sept. 12 allowing 14 days to get to Santiago. This is the first time for all of us. So we won't miss much if we start in Astorga? Leon is supposed to have lots to see.
All of the info for Sylvia is great to know.
I really enjoy all of the info on this discussion board and have learned lots.
thanks,
Jayne

[alipilgrim]

There is a lot to see in Leon, but as others have written the walk out of Leon is a slog on hard pavement thru busy city streets. Many guidebooks even recommend bussing in and out of the city. Last year when I walked the Camino I said to myself: if I come back again and only did the walk from Astorga to Santiago I would be completely happy. I loved mountains and Galicia is absolutely gorgeous.

[WolverineDG]

In Leon, you can see the Cathedral, which is nice (but unlike Burgos, you can't take photos inside) & you must see San Isidro, especially the medieval frescos inside. San Isidro used to be a required stop for pilgrims in the Middle Ages.

You can stay at the convent albergue for a donativo, then take the train the next day to Astorga.

dg

[brendan nolan]

Hi Sylvia and welcome to the Forum
You haven't said when you intend to walk but since you have said you are not seasoned walkers be careful. Sil(lydoll) has said that starting from Leon means approx 26kms per day - in view of what you have said I wouldn't try to walk that from the start, you are likely to be getting buses because of injury. Either work out your bus bits or start further along the road, as others have suggested, eg Astorga. Try to get some training in before you start

[falcon269]

The airport in Leon is actually in La Virgen del Camino. I walked off the plane at 3 p.m., up the hill to an ATM, then on to Villadangos, arriving at about 7:30 p.m. Fourteen days later I was in Santiago. The first few days are gentle terrain, so it gave me a chance to get in shape for the uphill parts later.

There are buses in Hospital del Orbiga, Astorga, Molinaseca, Ponferrada, Cacabelos, Sarria, Melide, Arzua, and Arca that can be used to skip parts of the Camino. There were a lot of buses in O Cebreiro, but they may all have been tour buses.

[sylvia coates]

We made it! Left Astorga on July 12 and arrived in Santiago on the 23. It was an experience like no other. For 2 fifty-something ladies with no walking experience we did incredibly well. Not a blister or a fall. The first two days climbing were difficult, but afterwards, we felt like teenagers walking. We took it easy on the descents, where most people go too fast and hurt their knees.
We had nothing but sun and gorgeous weather until the day we arrived in Santiago, where it rained until we left on the 26. The celebrations were incredible with concerts everywhere, the fireworks and ¨burning of the Cathedral,¨ the Mass on the 25, and of course, the fact that we received our Compostela, was a great culmination to it all.
Thank you so much to all who replied and helped with suggestions. We owe you a lot.

Sylvia Coates

[brendan nolan]

Hi Sylvia,
Congratulations on your pilgrimage and so glad you had such a great experience . Hope the memories are long lasting
Regards,

Brendan

[jleex88]

Hi,
I have found this topic extremely valuable as I prepare for my Camino journey in 2 weeks. I was wondering if there is any way to get from Santiago (where I fly into with Ryanair) to Astroga (to begin my Camino).

Thanks in advance!

[sillydoll]

ALSA has buses from Santiago to Astorga - 8am arr 13h20: 9h45 arr 15h25 : 13h45 arr 18h15
Tickets are 19.87 euro.

You can book at http://www.alsa.es If you click on SHOW it will give you a list of towns that it stops at.

You can also take a train:

Daily from Santiago to Astorga - 9:04am arrives 14:19pm and costs 26.90 euro.

Book at http://www.renfe.es

[sillydoll]

jleex88 - A better option would be to fly Ryanair to Valladolid and get a bus from the airport to Astorga.
I did a check on the Ryanair website:

Depart: London Stansted 08:30 Arrive: Valladolid 11:35

1 x Adult 3.79 GBP
Fare: 3.79 GBP
Taxes / Fees: 26.85 GBP
Total Price 30.64 GBP

The Alsa bus:
Departs Valladolid 13:00 and the Airport at 13:15 arrives Astorga 15:30 Costs 10.23 euro

[yuip]

I am planning to do exactly this - Ryanair to Valladolid and bus, except to Leon rather than Astorga, also starting in a couple of weeks. The bus seems pretty regular and you can book a ticket online (http://www.alsa.es)

[jleex88]

Thanks so much!
I will definitely be looking into the Alsa bus.

I actually already booked my ticket to Santiago (I should've waited and gotten the cheaper flight, and cheaper bus)...arg. O well

Hopefully I'll be able to walk from Astroga to Santiago in 10 days...my flight leaves on the 4th (I plan on starting August 24th). I might start a little before Astroga to be safe. Anyways, thanks a lot!

[jleex88]

Does anybody know how many days it takes from Ponferrada to Santiago? I'm considering starting from there because of my time restraint.
Thanks

[sillydoll]

It is 205km from Ponferrada to Santiago. You have a hard climb up to O'Cebreiro and an undulating route from there all the way to Monte de Gozo. If you can walk 20km a day you will cover it easily in 9 or 10 days. This is what your walking schedule could look like.

Ponferrada - Villafranca del Bierzo 22.4 km
Villafranca del Bierzo - La Faba 23.7 km
La Faba - Triacastela 25.6 km
Triacastela - Sarria 24.6 km
Sarria - Portomarín 22.4 km
Portomarín - Palas de Rei 25 km
Palas de Rei - Ribadiso da Baixo 25.7 km
Ribadiso da Baixo - Pedrouzo 22.4 km
Pedrouzo - Santiago de Compostela 19.2 km

There are ALSA buses from Santiago to Ponferrada.

[Javier Martin]

jleex88,

I've walked several times from Astorga to Santiago. When alone, 8-9 days. When not, 10 day. So, if you begin walking on 24th, the 2nd you can arrive in 10 days in Santiago. And you have booked your plane on 4th ... so in my opinion you have time enough.

If you begin in Ponferrada you will miss Astorga, Rabanal, Irago Mountain, Manjarin, El Acebo ... buff can't imagine!!

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

[Margo]

To Javier,
I will be walking my first segment of the Camino in October. I am an experienced walker and am planning to fly to Santiago and spend the night and then take the bus to Astorga. I will have 9 nights on the trail prior to my reservation for the 10th night in Santiago. Based on your posts this sounds doable. I love mountains and don't want to miss the sites you have suggested. Any suggestions on how to space this walk out?

Thanks,
Margo

jleex88,

I've walked several times from Astorga to Santiago. When alone, 8-9 days. When not, 10 day. So, if you begin walking on 24th, the 2nd you can arrive in 10 days in Santiago. And you have booked your plane on 4th ... so in my opinion you have time enough.

If you begin in Ponferrada you will miss Astorga, Rabanal, Irago Mountain, Manjarin, El Acebo ... buff can't imagine!!

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

[amancio]

Any suggestions on how to space this walk out?


Just use common sense, try to do the uphill bits at the beginning of your walking days and you will be better off, or even break the mountain stages halway up the Cebreiro (vega de valcarce, portela, a faba) or halfway down to Molinaseca (El Acebo is a gorgeous place, for example)

enjoy!