Confused ... booking at Orisson but weather is nasty!

[yogaflowjo]

Just wondering if anyone could assist with our dilemna.. we commence our Camino next week (Monday April 1st) and have an overnight reservation at Orisson (paid for 4 people). We intended to walk from Orisson to Roncevalles on 2nd April, but have been watching the forum and it would appear the weather is still quite nasty for the Route Napoleon crossing. Should we cancel our booking at Orisson and take the Valcarlos route instead.. as we are in Australia we are relying on info from this wonderful forum. Perhaps we keep our booking at Orisson as insurance and make the call on the day which could mean losing our money :roll: Any help/advice appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Diegomartine]

That's a good question. I'm not sure.

 

[Icacos]

I haven't met the proprietor at Orisson but, from my dealings with him, he is very accommodating, and he looks after his guests. Here is my understanding: If the weather is such that you cannot get up to Orisson, he will refund your money. If you get up to Orisson and the next morning the Route Napoleon is impassable, you will be transported down to Valcarlos to continue your Camino. In certain weather conditions it might also be possible to have someone accompany his guests to the Col de Lepoeder, just before the descent to Roncesvalles. All this was very reassuring to my friend and me; we are keeping our fingers crossed for good weather. Buen Camino.

 

[gittiharre]

Hi, we crossed via Orisson last July and the weather was awful. Fog and rain and cold, we did not see a thing. The road and path are easy to walk on and we just did it, even though we did not see anything of the scenery. Personally, if one sees nothing of the view it is probably more interesting to walk the Valcarlos Route, more infrastructure etc. I did not like staying over at Orisson at all in foul weather, the place was cold, uncomfortable and there was nothing to do. One of my most miserable afternoons ever on 4500 km of walking.

 

[Pieces]

suppose one could always sit down and have a chat with the other pilgrims...

 

[wayfarer]

Yoga, when you get to the pilgrim office in St Jean they will give you best advice. Listen to them, I met a few in Roncevalles who didn't and had a very bad experience, this was April 2012. Stay safe.

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

I would stick to your plan as that which is decided beforehand usually turns out to be right.

Advance bookings can mean you do lose money, but that is part of the Camino experience.

I think it is better to loose money than to turn up and find there isn't a bed for you.

I have had some awful and disappointing days on the Camino but have been encouraged by the phrase, The Pilgrim Must Always Aceept What Comes Their Way.

That includes fog, being frozen and failing to get to sleep on the floor of a Sports Hall.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

the place was cold, uncomfortable and there was nothing to do. One of my most miserable afternoons ever on 4500 km of walking.

Other than being a place for breaking up the day, that was my impression as well. It is not a destination resort, but a convenient midpoint.

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Falcoln your point about its convenience is well put but I am amazed when people say there is nothing to do.

We have become so overwhelmed by the amount of material clamouring to come into our lives that when we are away from it we cannot cope. Try asking people to pilgrimage without any technology and you can see the fear in their eyes!

One of the principal reasons for going on pilgrimage is to learn how to deal with silence, isolation, boredom and simply being still.

It can be difficult being in an albergue where you are outside of the group but it is a lesson that we all must learn.

Too many people are not comfortable in their own company and find boredom a challenge. The Camino is a great teacher in that respect.

 

[Icacos]

methodist.pilgrim.98 on 23 Mar 2013, 11:00
Falcoln your point about its convenience is well put but I am amazed when people say there is nothing to do.

We have become so overwhelmed by the amount of material clamouring to come into our lives that when we are away from it we cannot cope. Try asking people to pilgrimage without any technology and you can see the fear in their eyes!

One of the principal reasons for going on pilgrimage is to learn how to deal with silence, isolation, boredom and simply being still.

It can be difficult being in an albergue where you are outside of the group but it is a lesson that we all must learn.

Too many people are not comfortable in their own company and find boredom a challenge. The Camino is a great teacher in that respect.

Well said. [This post has gone off topic of the OP; perhaps the moderators can re-direct it.] I would love to go sans technology, but am taking my iPhone (with no data plan, and Wifi dependent) to use mainly as a diary, and so that my family can reach me if necessary - not that I want to be reached. I am concerned that I will not be able to limit my contact with the outside world and will miss what I need to learn and experience with my Camino, specifically the lessons that methodist.pilgrim.98 has set out so perfectly. I don't plan to/want to communicate directly with anyone, and am directing people to my diary/blog if they want to check my progress. If I were to prevent people from contacting me for the duration of my Camino, would I be being selfish? What if there is a real family emergency? Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Charleen

 

[Deleted member 3000]

going on pilgrimage is to learn how to deal with silence, isolation, boredom and simply being still

Amen. That is why I rarely extol the virtues of a place. It is always what you make of it, never what it really is. Pyrenees views? Not when it rains, snows, or is foggy. Winter wonderland? Not in a blizzard. Forested path? I like meseta beelines. Chacun a son gout, even at Orisson.

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Ok Charles its own up time.

I actually do carry a basic mobile with its locator switched on.

I have multiple health issues and my wife would be so anxious if she could not get hold of me that I carry it. It was on my 7th Camino that I started doing so.

Every night I call to say where I am and where I expect to be the next night.

As the use of mobiles in Spain has increased the number of public telephones has gone down. Once I could usually find a public phone at the place where I stopped. Now it is not so easy.

If your family are anxious do them a favour and carry it so that you will not be worrying about whether they are worried.

Falcoln, isn't the joy of the Camino that what satisfies one person is a burden to another. Ditto the place and the landscape. While I am on the Camino I love it when people take a postitive view about a place when I have negative vibes; it makes me reassess my viewpoint and if I still feel negative about the place at least I've thought about it.

 

[Icacos]

OK, I'll take my phone and let people reach me if they want to. But I still need to learn all those lessons, especially turning negatives into positives. Thanks for everyone's input here.

"Go as far as you can see and, when you get there, you will see further."

 

[yogaflowjo]

Once again, thanks everyone for fantastic advice... really I suppose I was seeking reassurance and now have it. We will go with the flow, and make the call on the day. Thanks again !! Jo

 

[robertt]

In late May of 2010 there was very bad weather and advisories against the Nap. Being easily persuaded to take any primrose path, I went via Valcarlos...and was delighted. A bit of road walking, but a splendid hike in its own right. I now refer to myself as a Valcarlos man. "What? You went via the Napoleon Route? Oh well...takes all kinds...I'm a Valcarlos man, myself."

 

[Deleted member 12253]

Confused, why, you booked orisson and you now want to cancel, then cancel and somebody will have bed for night, I walked Napoleon route 5 times in in April, may. Sept, never stopped in orisson, it's only and hour into walk and too early to stop, view, not in fog, mist, rain or snow,love trekking and while my legs stand I will do it.

 

[mspath]

In late May of 2010 there was very bad weather and advisories against the Nap. Being easily persuaded to take any primrose path, I went via Valcarlos...and was delighted. A bit of road walking, but a splendid hike in its own right. I now refer to myself as a Valcarlos man. "What? You went via the Napoleon Route? Oh well...takes all kinds...I'm a Valcarlos man, myself."

Couldn't agree more. I'm a dedicated Valcarlos woman. For me it has been THE only way to go eight times. What a great difference there is between the comfortable new municipal albergue and the old very basic one which was situated between noisy public lavatories. Now there is a good kitchen, electric heat, blankets and hot showers. Can't wait to go back!

Margaret Meredith

 

[Icacos]

Am delighted to hear all the praises of the Valcarlos route; I imagine it is beautiful in the spring. However, this time I may very likely have a late departure from SJPP (having to wait for a friend's arrival that day) and if we can get just to Orisson that night it would be a relief.