Planning for the Camino - Part 2. Timing

2. When to walk is a tricky question!

The best time to walk or bike the Camino de Santiago is the one that best suits our own needs. If we depend on our vacation, we are probably short of options and will walk whenever it is possible… period!

But if we are blessed with flexibility there are several variables to consider, being the weather only one of them. Then there is the question of which Camino we decide on taking, if we’ll walk the whole way or only some stages and then which ones. Spain is big, and the weather conditions change according to where we are!

There is a general conception about the best time to do the Camino de Santiago being during either spring (April / May) or autumn (September /  October). Some people consider it to be a good idea to walk around Easter when there are fewer pilgrims than in the middle of the summer. Nevertheless, these months are all usually cold and rainy, sometimes in some places, you could even have snow!

July and August are the most common vacation months for everybody, and many have no option other than to walk the Camino during the summer, nonetheless the Spaniards! So parts of the Camino will be crowded but if we must walk during summer, it would be a good idea to choose the first weeks of June if possible. Finding accommodation and facing the worst weather will not yet be big issues. Planning ahead is the best you can do, especially if you're planning on walking the last 100km on the more popular Camino Francés from Sarria or from Samos. However, and according to my own experience of running a B&B in Samos, because of many avoiding the summer months, the Camino in Leon and in Galicia have turned out to be less crowded than expected, even in July and August, offering a really nice weather and plenty of accommodation from León and at least all the way to Sarria.

If we walk the Camino on a winter vacation, we will most definitely need to plan ahead, since many albergues and hostels remain closed from November to February, opening as late as a couple of weeks before Easter. We must also keep in mind that the weather can be really harsh, even on the Spanish Meseta and it will be especially difficult to cross the mountains in Galicia. The path over the Pyrenees is usually closed and we should consider taking either the Camino de Invierno or any of the other paths. They are all beautiful! 

It is all your own choice!! Buen Camino 

Planning for the Camino - Part 1. Training

Before embarking on a journey to Santiago we usually feel a lot of excitement, but we also have many doubts and questions that we want answers to. How do I reach my departure point? Which route should I take? Carry my bag or send it to my next stop? Do I choose a more busy or a more quiet route? Should I walk or go by bike? There is a lot of useful information for pilgrims out there so here we try to condense some of the answers and fill in your gaps in several posts. 

Let's get started! 

1. Preparing ourselves for the walk

Walking the Camino is both physically and mentally challenging. Most of us are not used to walking several tens of kilometers with a backpack on our shoulders for many days in a row. This does not mean that we should not or cannot do just that if we are not in our best shape to begin with. It just means that we might want to train ourselves into longer walks with a load, and the shoes! We are all different and it is of course up to each and every one of us to decide whether we will train or not, with the bag or without it.

Normally we would start taking short walks with a light load, 4 times a week, around 2 months prior to departure. Try to gradually increase both the length of the walk and load in your bag. This will also help you know how much luggage you can carry without it being too demanding. The most important thing with training is to achieve a constancy in time so that both body and mind get used to the wear and tear of walking on a continuous basis. Beating ourselves up the week before traveling will only have us starting the journey with sore muscles and at risk of injury. So give yourself the time you need! Plan ahead!

BUEN CAMINO!! ⧝

Why make a Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela?

More and more people are attracted to traveling and walking the Camino de Santiago with the purpose of leaving aside their usual routines. For many, it means fleeing from their surroundings, even for only a few days, and coming in contact with nature, with other pilgrims who have the same motivations, in other words, for breathing some fresh air. 

Many pilgrims are looking for that experience on the Jacobean route that can take them back a couple of centuries, and lead them into learning and to valuing life's small details - such as time, company, solidarity, respect - and have them look past those insignificant things that otherwise can have an exorbitant weight in our life.

A Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela requires a huge effort, big conviction, and a true commitment to walking tens of kilometers every day. Precisely this is what many pilgrims are looking for, knowing that everything they give on the Camino de Santiago is multiplied by 10. When we finish the Jacobean route and return home we do it with a little regret for having to return to the routine, but with our spirits full of great experiences and memories for life to share.

Most of us return... on and on again! Buen Camino :) 

What does it mean to be a pilgrim?

Despite the fact that the concept of pilgrim itself has a different meaning for each and every one of us, we could start by taking a look at what the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) defines as a pilgrim.

On one hand, we find a fairly general meaning that defines the pilgrim simply as a "person who walks through foreign lands."

On the other hand, there is a more religious definition with a historical focus on what a pilgrim has been defined as: that person who "by devotion or by vow goes to visit a sanctuary". So originally and from a Christian perspective, pilgrims are all those who go to a holy place, be it Santiago de Compostela, Jerusalem, Rome or any other sacred destination in the world, to pay their respects, atone for their sins or ask for blessings. In the case of the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrim would make the Camino with the objective of arriving at the Cathedral and kneeling before the tomb of Saint James the Apostle.

Over time, this religious approach has dissipated a bit and the definition of what a pilgrim is has become broader, more global. As of today, the meaning of a pilgrimage goes beyond faith and spirituality. More and more pilgrims travel to holy places in search of experiences such as the intrinsic adventure of the pilgrimage itself, with the intent of overcoming their own physical and psychological limits.

To us, a pilgrim is a person who walks a pilgrimage route in search of a personal objective. This objective is not necessarily religious. It can be just to have an adventure different from others, or to disconnect from the overwhelming daily life, to learn about the simplicity and wonders of walking surrounded by breathtaking nature, experiencing a different culture and maybe even enjoying a nice company, seeking to enjoy the walk, the historical and artistic heritage of the place they visit and much more.

Making the Camino better and safer for our Pilgrims!

The goal - Santiago de Compostela - is of course important, but the Camino itself also matters a lot.

Looking forward to the Holy Year 2021 the Xunta de Galicia is investing more than 12 million euros in order to improve the signaling of 1,600 kilometers of pilgrimage routes. The Camino maintenance plan foresees a total investment of 15.6 million euros on the different routes throughout the whole of Galicia, about 1,250 kilometers of routes in 121 municipalities. The largest investment of about 1.7 million euros will go to the French Camino, through which 57% of pilgrims travel to get to Santiago de Compostela every year.

Source https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/galicia/2020/01/04/

What is Cee YoU Walking in Spain?

Hi!

We are Cecilia and Urban - Cee & U - and we are here to help you plan your once-in-a-lifetime travel and walk through the gorgeous landscapes of Northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago Francés.

But why do you need US you'd think.... well, there are quite many things to take into account when planning your trip, and it can be both complicated and really time-consuming. Some things can be somewhat overwhelming for you to handle on your own. Especially if you don't speak Spanish! Some of the most common questions to deal with are e.g.
How do you start organizing your Camino de Santiago?
Are you doing the whole Camino or just some stages?
Where do you want to start?
When do you want to do it?
How many weeks can you dedicate to this?
What is the best time of the year to do it?
How will you get to your starting point?
How many hours/km can you walk a day?
On foot, by bike, with your pet, on horseback. How do you prefer to experience your Camino?
How much/what type of luggage will you have with you?
Are you carrying it through the Camino or do you want it sent to your destination of the day?
What type of accommodation is best for you? Do you want to book in advance or maybe not?
What do you need to do
- Before starting?
- While you walk?
- By the end?

Having spent some years now living in Spain and managing a B&B on the Camino Francés, we are familiarized with most of the troubles you could face. And we have helped a number of customers, familiý members, friends, and acquaintances minimize possible headaches, making their experience one of the best to remember for life! Being fluent in 3 languages (Swedish - Spanish - English) really does help! Knowing the area as locals is also a great advantage.

All of our knowledge, expertise and engagement we will put to your service.  We are here to save you time, money and most of all, disappointment and trouble through your journey. So we are looking forward to Cee YoU Walking in Spain!

Buen Camino!