On a very rainy and misty day when I have no desire to leave the house, my thoughts turn to my next camino (or I should say…caminos).
My plan for 2017 is to set off from Spain’s capital city on the Camino de Madrid which leads north west over 12 stages until it meets the Camino Frances at Sahagún. A couple of stages (about 55 km) along the CF will see me in the city of León where I will join the start of the five stage Camino del Salvador over the Picos de Europa to Oviedo. I will then take the Camino Primitivo for eleven stages when I will join once again with the CF at Melide, which will leave two further stages into Santiago, and a possible four more stages on to Finisterre and Muxia.
So, possibly four complete caminos, plus a spell on the Frances.
Camino de Madrid (330)
Camino Frances (Sahagún to Leon) (55 km)
Camino del Salvador (120 km)
Camino Primitivo (260 km)
Camino Frances (Melide to Santiago) (53 km)
Camino Finisterre / Muxia (120)Totalling approximately 940 kms taking around 35 days
my 2017 route marked in green
And it seems that I will have a ready-made ‘family’ on this camino. I heard today from my fellow pilgrim Eli from Australia with whom I walked eighteen days on the Camino Portuguese (2014). Eli is coincidentally planning the exact same route, and I am hoping she may be persuaded to start on the same date.
Then there is English Paul who I walked with from Cáceres to Santiago on my Camino de Mozárabe (VdlP) in 2015.
Carsten from Germany who I met last year on the Norte will join me for the first two parts of this camino.
And Marilyn from South Africa who walked the Mozárabe from Málaga last year will set off with us from Madrid (after much correspondence and an arrangement to meet in Málaga, sadly timings went awry and we missed meeting eachother by a few hours)
If only I could persuade my daughter Ella, or perhaps Dutch Peter, both of whom I walked with on my first camino along the Frances route in 2013, to join me for a few stages, I would have a full house – someone from each of my four caminos. That would be incredible.
We are all experienced caminoists, and will be happy to ‘walk our own walk’, setting off each morning in our own good time and bumping into each other along the way. But it will be good to have company in the evenings, particularly on the Caminos de Madrid and Salvador which don’t get a great deal of pilgrim traffic and could be a bit lonesome for a solo walker.
With a start date during the last week in April I have only ten weeks to study the routes and get myself camino-fit. I still have to buy new boots for this trip and I am planning on making a couple of items of clothing, but I’m glad to say that practically all my existing gear will see me through yet another camino. Ten weeks will pass in a flash.
Trepidatious traveller - camino blog 
Very much looking forward to following your progress Maggie. I’m getting fit just for that purpose. Ultreïa
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It will be good to have you along Richard – I shall be in your part of the world next week – I hope you can arrange some nice weather for me.
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Sorry to say that we’re off on holiday next week so we’re taking all the good weather with us. Have a good trip.
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That’s a bit selfish…you could leave a bit for me! Hope you have a great time.
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Watch this space…
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Wow what a marathon. I am in training now just to follow the written posts ha ha!
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Hi Janice, good to have you on board xx
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Buen camino 😉
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Gracias Camigo!
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Looking forward to your reports already Maggie. Buen Camino xx
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Thanks Mary – hope you are keeping well xx
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Good luck Maggie. Looking forward to following your progress. Will be with you in spirit 🙂
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Spirit is good Keith – always much appreciated.
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Glad you are planning another camino. I love your blog. Good luck and God bless.
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Thank you Conchy. I value your interest.
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I will eagerly follow, Maggie. Wish you a fabulous Camino. ❤ ❤ 🙂
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Hi Tess, many thanks – looking forward to all your lovely comments xx
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Have a fabulous Camino. 😉
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Yes, looking forward to following you on my iPad. Buen Camino
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I shall welcome your company
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Interesting route planning Maggie! I won’t say no to joining you for a while, but can’t confirm either yet. Will be great to walk a few days together again. I might be on the Camino in April and September and I will be there a week in June for sure. Your timing is just “in between” my availability. Let’s see as schedules develop!
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Nice thought Peter, if it can be arranged. Unfortunately Ella can’t make it as she will be off on one of her festivals. Keep in touch x
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Can’t wait to follow your next adventure. I am planning the Italian leg of the Via Francigena in 2018, so I will just have to walk in imagination with you until then. Buen Camino.
Mel
PS. How did you manage to highlight your route on the map above? Is it a special programme? Thanks
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Hi Mel, many thanks for your comment. And I wish you an amazing adventure on the Via Francigena.
I made the highlight on the map using ‘Affinity Photo’ on my macbook. It works pretty much like Photoshop and is just a matter of using the paintbrush and tracing the line.
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Very clever!! 😉
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Sounds great!
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How about you Clare – any camino plans for 2017?
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Yes! Just last night I booked my flights! I will start walking (alone) in Seville around March 18-20, and head for Zamora. I have 31 days to walk, which probably isn’t enough to get to Astorga if I want to enjoy the Semana Santa activities in Salamanca and Zamora. I think I will be satisfied with a month of walking, and things at home are also calling me! I am now excited to be on a countdown of less than 5 weeks before going.
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That’s exciting. I guess it will be good to walk at your own pace this year. Only five weeks – that will fly by. I shall be starting around the time you are finishing.
Buen camino to you!
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Hard to believe another year has nearly gone by. So looking forward to hearing about your 2017. Camino. As always with you every step of the way!!mm
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I appreciate your company, always, whether in person or via the blog xx
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Hi Maggie, Now that is not a trepidatious plan. Hope all your “Camino Friends” will be able to join you. Sounds marvellous. Look forward to reading your trip reports. Buen Camino
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I have my fingers crossed Stewpot – I am fairly certain of two camigos joining me.
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What a wonderful route! I loved the Camino de Madrid two years ago and have been serious thinking of doing it again this year in late April or early May. The things I remember most were the endless warm, intense blue-sky days, the solitude of the walks most of the time and the huge expanses of countryside. Fortunately, I’ve forgotten how painful my feet were day after day! I will have to study your add-ons as they look mighty tempting …..
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Hi Dave, I hope I get my share of blue-sky days and not too many days of sore feet, although from experience I know I will get a few. Its a bit like giving birth – you easily forget how painful it was or you would never do it again!
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Glad to hear that you will put your booths back on and start walking! I was also dreaming and looking at doing the San Salvadore and some of the El Norte, but now I think it will be for next year! Safe travel and looking forward to your blog and beautiful photos!
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Thanks for your comment Danielle. One thing is sure…the camino will still be waiting for you in future years!
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Hey Maggie,
Sounds like a great adventure, how exactly do you train for it? I’ve always wanted to do walking in the North, I’m in Sevilla, but with 2 young kids it’s tricky at the moment, definitely one for the future. I did go to Santiago with my wife and had the best lamb shank I’ve ever eaten (devoured), so if I do walk there, that will be my inspiration…amongest other things.
I’ll look forward to reading about your trip.
Barry O’Leary
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Hi Barry. I live halfway up a mountain so there is no shortage of training walks for me to take with lots of elevation. You can’t really train for walking every day…unless you walk every day! I don’t feel the need to put in so many long distance training walks these days – I know I can do it – it just takes a week or two to feel fully fit.
Happy camino dreaming!
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I’m so excited that you’re going to be walking the del Salvador and Primitivo as i’m hoping to do both of those later in the year (and starting by walking the Frances from Saint Jean). Will be following you on your blog as I have on your previous caminos. Buen camino for 2017!!
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Hi Yvonne. I hope I can provide you with some useful information.
Buen camino for your adventure!
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Hi Maggie,
When you make Camino Torres, I’ll walk with you.
Salamanca – Lamego,
Bus Lamego to Viseu and Viseu, Lamego, Chaves, (and Sanabrês) or
Return to Peso da Régua (bus) and Guimaraes, Braga, Ponte de Lima, …
Aurelio
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I shall look forward to that Aurelio. Perhaps next year I will walk the Mozárabe from Almería and take the Torres option, possibly with forum member Peregrina2000 (Laurie) It would be lovely to meet you again.
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Combined Mag.
Notify me of your plans (expected date of arrival in Salamanca) until March 5, 2018, so that I can book a vacation in my service.
Aurelio
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I am not sure when a start date will be decided, but will let you know as soon as it is. Best regards to you and Rita x
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Buen Camino Maggie. Can’t wait to vicariously walk alongside you on the Camino de Madrid. Wishing you all the best as you train and prepare for this wonderful adventure once again.
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Thank you Genevieve, I will appreciate your company.
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Fabulous news Maggie, I will be with you every day again. Your posts are much more uplifting than the daily news. Happy training in the new boots. I love my Salomon boots!
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Hi Sandy. Great to hear from you. Hope you are keeping well Do you have any camino plans this year? I might well go for Salomons – I tried some recently and they seemed comfortable – what model do you use?
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Maggie, so sometime around all these routes, sure hope to run into you. My plans of walking are not as comprehensive as yours, but I will be out there, June/July/August. Hugs Ingrid
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Oh, I sincerely hope so Ingrid – it’s about time.
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I’ve enjoyed reading your Camino journals. I walked the Frances in 2013. Had a short stop in Pamplona to have my appendix out before continuing on after 10 days of rest. We will be walking the Camino del Norte to the Primitivo to the Ingles starting April 14, 2017. Perhaps our paths will meet on the Primitivo.
NedtheFed
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Wow Ned, that shows determination – to continue with your camino after having your appendix removed. Respect! I should be reaching the Primitivo around 12 May. I imagine you will be some way ahead of me.
Buen Camino!
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Dear Maggi, Nice to see you back! I’m ready to follow you here, would be nice to walk with you one day I don’t have any camino plan yet, a lot of things are happening now around me: my three children weddings one after the other 😃😃😃. Once everyone is settle down I’ll start to get ready for my Caminos again. BUEN CAMINO. Hugs
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Three weddings in one year – that sounds like fun (and expensive!)
You will be dreaming of a quiet and peaceful camino after all that celebration.
I hope you have a great year Jeannette, and maybe see you on the camino in the future.
xx
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Dear Maggie, the weddings are not in one year, that is the point why I’ll be later on the Camino and of course will be very expensive, however I’m happy for them.😃
Another big hug for you.
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This all sounds so wonderful Maggie. Doesn’t that golden Camino cord keep tugging in the most profound way?
Buen Camino and I look forward to being with you in spirit.
Camino hugs –
Jenny
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Hi Jenny. Wonderful to hear from you. Do you have any camino plans this year, or are you needing a bit longer to recover from last year? I look forward to your company on this next one. Spanish hugs back to you xx
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Hi Maggie – it’s lovely to be in touch with you too! I really liked your New Year message too and the news about the potato diet – I’m going to investigate it!
Camino plans? Yes, Yay! I’m hoping to walk across the Meseta in June. I’m intending to leave Australia on 30 May and hope to start walking by 4 June. I’ve got a slightly crook left knee which is a permanent thing so I’m going to be taking it very slowly and will probably do just 10kms a day which means that it’ll take around three weeks to walk from Burgos to Leon. If the knee holds up I might continue.
Ingrid Folkers is going to be in Spain for June, July and August as you know, so I hope to meet up with her at some point during that time. Ingrid and I have been Camino friends for nearly four years now since we both started following Bill Bennett’s blog – PGS – The Way. We’re yet to meet but it will happen this year on the Camino! I’m so looking forward to it.
Buen Camino training, Maggie and best wishes –
Camino hugs –
Jenny
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Isn’t it special when you finally met an internet buddy – especially the camino variety!
Happy training and buen camino.
xx
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Hi Maggie, lovely to see your hybrid-camino plans. I’m also doing something similar. I fly into Madrid on the 23rd May and will either start in Madrid, walk part of the CM, veer west on the Invierno and then the VdlP to Astorga …Invierno. (Phew!!) Or just walk the complete CM, continue on CF to Invierno. My concern is that it’s goibg to be a very solitary month. Of course another option is to travel from Madrid to Salamanca by bus then enjoy some company on the VdlP to Astorga..then Invierno. Regardless, I’ll be very interested in your CM notes. Bring it on. Cheers, Grace
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Decisions, decisions! Buen camino Grace, whichever route you decide upon.
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Hi Mag.
The Camino Primitivo it is wonderful. If you can do the Rota of Hospitals, you have to supply a lot of water because in the mountains there is no possibility of supplying water.
Aurélio and Rita
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I look forward to reading your blog in 2017; three years to go now until I can walk my second Camino. Our old dog has just returned from 18 days at the vet so no holiday for me this year. I am sure that your blog will cheer me up.
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Oh, I do hope your dog has recovered. Animals are such a commitment, but I wouldn’t want to be without them.
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Hola peregrina!
The flight to Madrid is booked….my feet are gettting restless…and my knees are runnning scared… hahaha 🙂
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Well, you’ve got exactly seven weeks to sort your knees out. Time will fly!
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Enjoying following you as you cross Spain. Buen Camino!!
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seriously impressed with what you have done so far. just wow. btw, May I ask; which brand of boot did you eventually go with? I may have missed any post you made about that. It’s the one item of my Camino gear I am yet to decide on. I’ve worn through 2 pairs of shoes already, both of which have proved to be unsuitable despite investigation into the suitability etc. I’m getting a tad edgy about spending £75-£100 a time on shoes that prove to be unsuitable. Thanks if you have the chance to reply to this.
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Boots are Merrells. Very comfortable, but not very hard wearing. Soles are getting very thin, but will last out this camino.
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Hi Maggie,
What an inspiration!!I love reading your blog and I want to attempt to repeat your Camino route that you just did this year…Would you be able to share some resources that you have used for navigation on this Camino? Or direct to where I can find them?
Thank you in advance,
Anastasia
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Hola Anastasia, thanks for your kind comment.
I will post a full list of resources in the coming weeks. Meanwhile there are a couple of links at the end of my latest post.
Stay tuned!
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Hi, I have been dying to do the Camino De Santiago. How did you train for it? And how long did you train?
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Hi Lauren. Well, I had never walked for pleasure before my daughter invited me to join her on camino, so I needed to train pretty hard. I just increased my distances from around 10 km until I was confident that I could manage a 30 km walk. I gradually introduced the use of walking poles and then on the last few practice walks I carried my weighted backpack. I am also fortunate that I live in a mountainous area so got plenty of practice for that first tough day over the Pyrenees. But however hard you train, nothing can really prepare you for walking 20+ km per day, day after day, except doing just that. Be as fit as you can, and then expect to ache like mad at the end of the day for the first 7-10 days, and then, suddenly it all gets a lot easier.
Buen camino!
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Hi Maggie. Although I am just home from the via Francigena in Italy, I am feeling the call of the path again! I would love to follow in your footsteps on the Madrid Combination you did last year. Can you tell me if you used a guide or an app? Or did you simply follow the arrows? Thanks, Mel x
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Hi Mel. I had a copy of the CSJ guide to the Madrid but don’t remember referring to it very much. The arrows are good. For the Salvador there is Ender’s guide that you will be able to find on the forum here (look for the download button). I think I winged it for the Primitivo. I always make a spreadsheet for the journey which I should get around to posting on the blog. I will email you a copy in the meantime. To be honest – it is all pretty straight-forward – just a matter of deciding your stages and choosing which alternatives to take. Please let me know, here or by mail, if you have any other questions.
I am quite envious of you making this camino trio, one of my favourites (as are all the other caminos I’ve walked!)
Enjoy your planning and I would love to hear about the Francigena – particularly the cost of accommodation. Have you blogged about it?
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