Starting from Bordeaux? St-Jean?

[iamsabina]

Hello from Sweden!

Hej! Hola! I’m an adventurous, enthusiastic girl from Korea, currently studying in Uppsala, Sweden.
I’ve decided to devote my 2010 summer for this amazing journey!
I’m reading to plan out but hard to decide, so I need you guys, experts' advices!

Only things fixed are:
1. I have about 6 weeks from around 10th June
2. I will be starting from Uppsala(of course I will NOT walk from here to Santiago! lol) and I MUST be back here no later than 25th July.
3. I WANT to take the camino del norte route, not frances (less people please! And I like sea as well
4. I WANT to reach Cabo Fisterra if the time works out. but its not necessary

I was thinking of flying to Edinburgh and stay there few days, and take another flight to Bordeaux. And start my camino from there.. But I read some posts that there are not many good guidebooks and information about camino in Bordeaux. I wanted to prepare all the things I need as soon as I arrive in Bordeaux. Since Sweden is quite expensive. I need a mat, shoes, some things for outdoor activities, etc.

Should I Just take a train or bus from Bordeaux to SJPP and get prep there and start walking from there? Is it ok to start camino del norte from St Jean?!!

Sorry for this long question,
Hope I can meet you guys on my journey!

Buen camino!

Ps. Im a couchsurfer, are there anyone who has couchsurfed during your camino?!

 

[sillydoll]

You can walk from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Hendaye on the GR10 trail that runs across the Pyrenean mountain chain. This section covers 170kms between St Jean and Hendaye. Have a look at this website for a description of the trail. http://www.sacredearth-travel.com/featu ... /GR101.php

The Camino del Norte is 765 km from Hendaye to Santiago. This website gives you path conditions, places to stay etc. http://www.caminosantiagodecompostela.c ... norte.html
or http://www.caminosnorte.org/

The Fistera route is about 90km from Santiago. You can download a guide here. http://www.csj.org.uk

If you want to walk from St Jean to Fistera over 6 weeks you will have to do about 24.5km per day to cover the 1025km.

Good luck!

 

[jl]

The path is very well marked from Bayonne to Irun. It follows the river out of town and mostly avoids busy roads etc., although as you get closer to the coast you can't avoid crossing them. It is a very picteresque way to Irun - a mixture of sea views, river walks and then inland hill walks. Cheers, janet

 

[Bridget and Peter]

3. I WANT to take the camino del norte route, not frances (less people please! And I like sea as well


Should I Just take a train or bus from Bordeaux to SJPP and get prep there and start walking from there? Is it ok to start camino del norte from St Jean?!!

You don't NEED to go to SJPDP if you are going to walk the Norte. It seems to me that walking from SJPP would take up a lot of your time and be pretty hilly (mountainous).

You COULD
1. start in Bordeaux and walk the Route Littorale to Hendaye and Irun (but you probably don't have enough time)
2. get a train or bus to Bayonne (or anywhere else between Bordeaux and Irun/Hendaye)
or
3 Go straight to Hendaye/Irun and walk from there.

And yes, the Norte is lovely - not all beside the sea but it keeps coming back to it!
Good luck with your planning!