Our “Eclectic Camino” Trip Schedule

Saint James the pilgrim in the collegiate church in Roncesvalles

The bridge at Puente la Reina is, according to James Michener, the “technical beginning” of the Camino Santiago

At the city limits of Santiago. The plastic bag covering Anita’s Tilley purse shows how we adjusted to the (all too frequent) rainy days

This is a brief summary. Here is a map to help you see the overall picture of what we did. As you will see, it is quite manageable.

Our Eclectic Camino Map

As I said in my previous post, it is not the purest of caminos, but it is our very own and we seniors (both 68 years old) recommend it without hesitation. We planned this trip together and grew closer in the planning, the training and the Camino itself. We are still on our Camino and will be for the rest of our lives. We walked some of the hardest stages of the Camino Frances, about 200 km in all, including the high route through the Pyrenees. We walked 113 km across Galicia and received our Latin compostelas. Public buses were used as much as possible for routes we did not want to walk. Taxis were used when necessary. A full itinerary with accommodation and bus companies is in my post of June 1. I am also adding photos on the June 1 post. As the photo additions are a work in progress, you might want to revisit that post from time to time. I would really appreciate your comments or questions and will try to respond to all of them.  Splitting the last four stages up made it less grueling and more meditative. We left ourselves plenty of flexibility – still had four nights in Santiago and a chance to see Fisterra (Galician for Finisterre) and Muxía. Distances we walked are centered and bold type. I first became interested in Spain and the Camino while reading James A. Michener’s great book, Iberia – a non-fiction work describing, with great love and style, his visits over a period of about four decades. Michener has influenced the way I look at all aspects of that crazy, amazing and uniquely-historied country.

Itinerary Summary

Apr 22	Toronto à Paris CDG
Apr 23	Paris CDG à Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Apr 23	Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Apr 25	8 km
Apr 25	Orisson	PrivR
Apr 26	17.1 km
Apr 26	Roncesvalles	H
Apr 27	Taxi
Apr 27	Pamplona	P
Apr 29	Public bus
Apr 29	Óbanos	PrivR (3 km from Eunate Church)
Apr 30	3.5 km
Apr 30	Puente la Reina	Many routes funnel across this beautiful 12th C Romanesque bridge
Apr 30	Bus
Apr 30	Estella	P – “Toledo of the North”
May 2	Bus
May 2	Santo Domingo de la Calzata	Miracle of the chickens
May 2	Bus
May 2	Burgos	P (Well worth 2 days)
May 4	Bus
May 4	León	Parador J
May 5	Bus
May 5	Puente de Orbigo	Crazy knight defends this bridge for 30 days against all braggarts
May 5	17.5 km
May 5	Astorga	MR
May 6	Taxi
May 6	Foncebadón
May 6	2 km
May 6	Cruz de Ferro	Drop your stones here and pray
May 6	20.7 km
May 6	Molinaseca	H
May 7	Taxi
May 7	Villafranca del Bierzo	P   –  La Puerta del Perdón
May 8	Bus	2 buses via Lugo, then Sarria
May 8	Sarria	MR –  Start of the essential camino if you want a compostela
May 9	22.4 km
May 9	Portomarín	PrivR
May 10	12.8 km
May 10	Ventas de Narón	PrivR
May 11	12.0 km
May 11	Palas de Rei	P
May 12	15.0 km
May 12	Melide	H
May 13	13.9 km
May13	Arzúa	Hostel
May 14	16.3 km
May 14	Santa Irene	PrivR
May 15	13.8 km
May 15	Vilamaior	CR
May 16	9.0 km
May 16	Santiago de Compostela	P – Took bus tour to Finisterre and Muxía on May 18
May 20	Bus
May 20	Bilbao	P
May 23	Bilbao à Toronto
	Distances walked in kilometers centred and bold	H = hotel, CR = Casa rurál, MR = Municipal Refugio, PrivR = Private Refugio, Parador = Parador