El Camino De Santiago

[easytiger95]

It's a long walk
Much of the walk is quite boring.
Days merge into each other.
You start out early to avoid sun and to have time in the evening.
Took me 30 days from France to Santiago.

Looking back, I'd have preferred a week or two walking in alps, Kerry or so somewhere else scenic

Does the scenery vary by route? I'm told the coastal route is better than the inland ones.

[The Iceman]

It's a long walk
Much of the walk is quite boring.
Days merge into each other.
You start out early to avoid sun and to have time in the evening.
Took me 30 days from France to Santiago.

Looking back, I'd have preferred a week or two walking in alps, Kerry or so somewhere else scenic

why did you go? what were you seeking or were you just out for a walk? did you mix with people? meet people you connected with?
It's a pilgrimage, a journey - I'm very surprised to hear your account of it

[gallsman]

It's a pilgrimage, a journey - I'm very surprised to hear your account of it

It's a walk. Whether you're doing it for pilgrimage or not is entirely down to the individual.

[The Iceman]

It's a pilgrimage, a journey - I'm very surprised to hear your account of it

It's a walk. Whether you're doing it for pilgrimage or not is entirely down to the individual.

I disagree. It isn't just a walk. It's a walk that traces the footsteps of a disciple of Christ. It has always been more than just a stroll down a country lane. People do it with a purpose.  To go with no purpose and then write the whole experience off because you went with the wrong intention isn't a fair representation of it.

It's like someone going to Croke Park the day after a match and saying it's a total shit hole what's all the fuss about.

[Owen Brannigan]

It's a pilgrimage, a journey - I'm very surprised to hear your account of it

It's a walk. Whether you're doing it for pilgrimage or not is entirely down to the individual.

I disagree. It isn't just a walk. It's a walk that traces the footsteps of a disciple of Christ. It has always been more than just a stroll down a country lane. People do it with a purpose.  To go with no purpose and then write the whole experience off because you went with the wrong intention isn't a fair representation of it.

It's like someone going to Croke Park the day after a match and saying it's a total shit hole what's all the fuss about.
[/quote

Would it be like booking a hotel for the AI final and discovering you were on the wrong weekend then thinking the atmosphere was crap?]

[manfromdelmonte]

It's a long walk
Much of the walk is quite boring.
Days merge into each other.
You start out early to avoid sun and to have time in the evening.
Took me 30 days from France to Santiago.

Looking back, I'd have preferred a week or two walking in alps, Kerry or so somewhere else scenic

Was it physically tough? Would you need to do anything each day to prevent injury? I'd have thought lugging a backpack around for a month would be the toughest part of it?

I walked from St Jean along the French route
Yes it is quite demanding
I didn't do enough walking in advance of it
Blisters, fatigue

I met so many people along the way. Still in contact with a retired couple from nova scotia
Walked with different people every day, dinner with different people every day, plenty of drinks in various towns and villages

Why did I do It? I'm not religious at all. Was interested in the challenge and the social aspect of it.

Some sections of the walk are along roads. You might as well be in kildare. Some of the villages and towns  slong the way were interesting

As I said, would I do It all again? Not along the French route due to proximity to roads for much of the way

a few weeks hiking in the Sierras in California, Olympic National Park or up in British Columbia would be a much nicer experience. Or just go to NZ for a few weeks and do some of the great walks

[The Iceman]

right, because those are walks, hiking trails known for their scenery and beauty.....
It's like going for an island getaway to lough derg.....

[manfromdelmonte]

right, because those are walks, hiking trails known for their scenery and beauty.....
It's like going for an island getaway to lough derg.....

Ok.
The northern Camino is meant to be very scenic

My point was, if spending a few grand on a walking holiday, you might as well go somewhere scenic

[gallsman]

It's famous though, and a renowned challenge, so lots of people just do it for the craic. A bucket list item.