UKC

The GR65 Camino de Santiago de Compestela is only a stones-throw from the house. I'm out most days for a couple of hours walking, often using the GR for a while. Each new season sees more and more people doing 'the pelerinage'. As an atheist, all the religious aspects leave me cold, but I've had some interesting conversations with people doing it, either a section or the whole thing and the majority appear to be doing it because it's fashionable ! Last week I chatted with an American couple who decided to do it after seeing Emilio Estevez's film 'The Way'. The whole 3 months from Le Puy to Santiago de Compestela, staying in 'gites' and 'chambre d'hotes'. Budget around $12 000 ! You don't even need to carry a heavy sack, there are companies that follow you in vans and move your luggage forward each day. There are also quite a few doing it with a donkey. You can rent a donkey for the whole thing for 1400 euros !

It's certainly not the GR20 and you are never far from civilisation, but even so, I've seen a few very sorry sights ! Any UKC's done or, plan to do it or are interested in doing it ?

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

I did it in 2010, on foot, from Oviedo to Santiago to Finisterra. A fantastic experience.

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

Funnily enough, I saw The Way the other night, having bought the DVD ages ago. I wasn't as taken with it as I expected to be, and I felt they undersold the scenery.

I've seen sections of the route in northern Spain, and they looked fairly uninspiring trudges. Would far rather get out to Nepal - better countryside at a fraction of the cost.

Martin

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

Yep, it's on my list for when I am too weary to keep going up and down the bloody things....

...and I enjoyed the film too.

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

I'd like to do it on a bike, partly for the travel aspect and partly for the history and the tradition, even if like you the religious context is meaningless to me other than being part of the history. (I like visiting churches too). I've never visited those parts of Spain.

For fans of early music, The New London Consort recorded a fantastic double CD based on stories and folk songs along the way.
http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-pilgrimage-to-santiago-mw0001882295

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

thinking about trading in the Octavia and doing it like Brian Sewell - 560 SEC for most of the trip, then donkey and sanctimonious expression for the last few miles, dear boy.

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

I was out walking yesterday and noticed someone had erected a sign pointing to their gite on the GR: "turn left, 2 km". Adding that if you want to be picked-up here, just phone. How very considerate ! In addition to the "gite" you can also sleep in a yurt and have yoga lessons from the owner, a qualified instructor.

I did the via del Plata variation on bike starting in sevilla, an amazing experience, great to see the change in culture and landscape as you cycle north, rural Spain is very cheap, and the locals look after the pilgrimes, accommodation is mostly good and varies from being free to about 10/15 euros max, plus a lot of local restaurants will do a pilgrim dinner, three course and bottle of wine for 10-15 euros. Some restaurant let us eat for free, other places let us stay and eat for free. Makes a very cheap holiday, great fun.