Starting the Camino at Easter - some help please

[Tigerandahalf]

Hello all
Hope you can help me with the following.
We are planning on doing the Camino at Easter. We have booked our flights and are flying into Bordeaux. We are hoping to stay here on the Saturday night and then get the train the following day to St Jean Pied de Port. We believe there is only one train on Sundays from Bordeaux at 11.50. We would then stay in St Jean that night and start our walk on the Monday, all going well. We have a limited time so are hoping to walk to Logrono and hopefully return to do further stages at a later date. We believe we would need 7 days of walking to get there. We would then get a train/bus to Bilbao and fly home from there. We have 2 weeks exactly so I guess we could spend a couple of nights in Bordeaux and Bilbao or stay a night in Pamplona.
In relation to buses and trains when should we book them or do we just book on arrival?
We are hoping to stay in the albergues to get a feel for the experience. It would also be cheaper for us.
We believe we can get an airport bus (Jetbus) from Bordeaux airport into the town centre. Is it worth staying in Bordeaux for a while or should we stay in Bayonne?
Could anyone give us some info re the above or any advice that you might have? It would be much appreciated.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have always been able to get bus and train tickets on my travel day. Trains rarely run full. Buses can fill, but I think it is rare. If you can, reserve any bus you want to take in advance. Easter travel days may be the busiest for buses, so pay attention when the French would be traveling to visit family for Easter.

I have never been to the city of Bordeaux, so I can only suggest that you visit the city tourism website to get a feel for the town. You can see Bayonne in a day, so staying any extra time may not be worthwhile.

Book an albergue in SJPdP and in Roncesvalles (they reserve only 60 beds, about half of those available).

 

[lettinggo]

Hola and welcome to the forum,

It sounds to me you have a good plan.
Fly in to Bordeaux and stay the night, train it to Bayonne and change train, get to Saint Jean and stay the night, start your walking the next day.
While in Bordeaux, buy some food, fruit, biscuit to bring the first day of walking. Plan ahead.
To walk from Saint Jean to Logrono in seven days requires, in my opinion, that you walk from Saint Jean to Roncesvalles in one day.
If you are flying in from afar (jet lagged), maybe allow eight days of walking, and split the first day in two.

Easter is the busy time. Spaniards tend to use vacations to walk the Camino, so you won't be alone.
Focus on your transport to Saint Jean, make reservations.
Once in Saint Jean, everything changes.

Buen Camino
Lettinggo

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Thanks for the posts.
How soon can you book trains/buses before the time? Would they be cheaper to do so? What websites can you book through?
Re the first stage to Roncesvalles it does seem from other posts that it is a bit of a trek for a first day. Given that the weather in mid April could be unpredictable maybe we would be better to split this up into 2 parts.
Given that we are going at Easter time could the albergues be overly busy. Since we are starting at St Jean would we be ok as the stages closer to Santiago would likely be more busy? We would like to stay in the albergues to get a feel for the experience but at the same time we don't want to be worrying or rushing just to get a bed for the night.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can book trains in France 90 days in advance. Trains are better in France than the buses, and from Bordeaux, the train is the best choice.

The trek to Roncesvalles is demanding, but hundreds do it each day without breaking it into two days. It is steady up for about four hours, then you descend into Roncesvalles. Much of it is road walk, so the footing is good.

There will be a crowd at Easter starting in SJPdP on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If you leave on Monday, there probably will be fewer fellow pilgrims.

There always are beds. If you end up being part of a "bubble," stop short of the guidebook towns, or continue past them. Your bed problem will be solved.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Hello again
So the planning is in progress and we are slowly getting our gear in order for the trip. One thing I have to say now is that the trip does require quite a bit of planning but I am enjoying that part of it. It does require quite a bit of money too but am not bothered by that, as we will use our gear after the camino.
Anyway thus far, we have bought a few bits. I have bought a Deuter 36L rucksack with an airflow system at the back. It is very light. I like this because it will mean I have air at my back and not a wet t-shirt stuck to my back. However, it is quite small inside it and it will definitely force me to keep the weight down. My wife has bought a 27L one. We will be practising walking with these over the next while. We have also bought covers for the rucksacks.
We have bought rain jackets, not Gore-Tex but light North Face Sangro jackets. I have worn one of these out in heavy rain and it did the job. We have also bought waterproof trousers. Mine is 2000mm waterproof. I'm not sure yet if this a good or bad buy. I will have to try it out. We have bought some walking trousers, zipoffs at the knee but need to buy another pair each. We have found these the hardest to source as the right size and leg length is hard to find.
We both bought Gore-Tex trails shoes/boots and trail socks. Expensive but necessary. We got lightweight sleeping bags and also some dry bags. We were told it was a good thing to place all our things including sleeping bag in the dry bag and then put this into the rucksack. This should ensure that all our things are kept perfectly dry. When out walking in heavy rain one day I found my backpack got wet even with the cover on it. The rain flowing down your back inevitably soaks into the backpack thus these drybags seem a good idea.
We will be getting in some walks over the next while hoping to get upto 30km in a day.
We still have a few bits we want to get. I looked at some Tilley hats. However, I found that there are air holes in the hat, not much good if you don't have much hair on your head and would be afraid that the sun would come through. I have also looked at Buffs and may buy one to keep the sun off the neck. I'm beginning to think that a shirt with a collar would be more beneficial than t-shirts. We will have to see.

 

[dougfitz]

We still have a few bits we want to get. I looked at some Tilley hats. However, I found that there are air holes in the hat, not much good if you don't have much hair on your head and would be afraid that the sun would come through. I have also looked at Buffs and may buy one to keep the sun off the neck. I'm beginning to think that a shirt with a collar would be more beneficial than t-shirts. We will have to see.

Two points:

1. I can understand your concern about Tilley hats with a mesh band on the crown, but the couple of air holes on the other Tilley hats don't seem to me to present a major problem. I wear one regularly, and it hasn't been a problem in an Australian summer.
2. At the time of year you are planning to walk, it is unlikely that a tee-shirt alone will be sufficient. I walk in a long sleeved shirt in most conditions as a matter of course. It might be a little warmer in hot conditions, but I would rather have the sun protection than not. Good trekking shirts will have a wider collar, or a collar extension, that gives good protection to the back of the neck when raised.

Regards

 

[Tigerandahalf]

I don't really enjoy wearing hats. I am more used to baseball caps. I am light on top and shave my head so if a hat has airholes on the side it may be an issue. I have searched some of the threads on here re hats and there is lots of information. I have seen caps with a flap at the back to protect the neck. These don't protect the ears though and I think the flap flying around in the wind would annoy me and would obstruct my views. The wide-brimmed hat seems to be the best option but the Tilley is expensive. I have seen other cheaper hats but don't know how good they would be. I would agree with what was said on those other threads that a hat is very important even for someone with a full head of hair. You are out in the sun for a long time.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Couple of other questions if people wouldn't mind answering.
What towel would people take? I have seen microfibre towels in outdoor shops but they seem to be small. What would people recommend?
Would people take a small hand towel to wipe away sweat or is a buff or wrist sweatband a better option?

I'm thinking of taking my Garmin GPS watch with me to track my walk. I use it when I go running or go for a hike. It would be nice to look back on the internet afterwards and see the route I took. It also acts as a wristwatch so would be handy to keep track of the time instead of taking out my smartphone. I haven't worn a watch in years as I have an allergy to nickel and wearing a watch gives me a rash after a few days wear. I'm thinking of using the smartphone as my camera. It has a very good camera and would mean less weight. I might put the phone on flight mode as I find doing this saves on the battery and it can last for the full day taking photos.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The GPS is fun as a gadget; it doesn't weigh much. Don't expect much from it. My GPS watch had an antenna that was fairly useless.

I use an Aquis microfiber towel. You do not need more than a two footer, but I take a large because I like it as a waist wrap. I also take a small microfiber for my hands and feet while walking. It is useful but not necessary.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Ya the only negatives for me would be having to charge it each night. Having to charge the phone would be more important. As you say maybe the benefit isn't huge. Maybe better to scribble a few notes down each day or use the notes option on my smartphone, or just write into the Brierley book I bought. I also bought a book by Gerald Kelly - Camino de Santiago Practical Preparation and Background - and I have found it to be a great read, especially for someone who wouldn't have previous walking/hiking experience and the gear you need.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

I was looking at the other section there on Equipment. Didn't realise there was a separate thread. As I said above I bought waterproof (Gore-Tex) trail shoes. Others seems to recommend just using normal trainers. I find my trainers really comfortable and breathable but I think going in April the likelihood of rain means the trainers would likely get wet. If I was going in the summer I definitely would go with the trainers. I have spent a few summers in northern Spain and it can be very hot.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Just to update this. Since I was last on here I have bought a few extra bits. I bought the microfibre towel below on Amazon. It is a fine big size and I have used it at the gym and swimming pool and it dries you fine and it does dry very quickly afterwards.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000XSVZVM/?tag=casaivar-21
I have also bought a Craghoppers zip-off trousers.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C6DARYI/?tag=casaivar-21
I initially had a pair of Colombias but I could only get my size in a women's trousers. Not ideal as they were a bit tight on the thighs. These Craghoppers ones are great. Lots of pockets and they even have a dry bag in one of the pockets. I wore them out walking today and they were comfy. I ordered another pair today.
I have most of my gear bought now. I dread to think of the full cost! I would guess I have spent well over €500 on gear. But it is gear I will use after the camino so not so bad.
Myself and my wife have got in a good few walks and hikes over the last while. Some have been in heavy rain and the gear has been tested. The rucksacks even with covers on have got wet. However, the drybags within the rucksack kept everything nice and dry.
We are looking forward to the Camino now. I'm not going for religious purposes but just to walk and enjoy the nature. If we meet some nice people it will be a bonus.

 

[Tia Valeria]

I don't really enjoy wearing hats. I am more used to baseball caps. I am light on top and shave my head so if a hat has airholes on the side it may be an issue. I have searched some of the threads on here re hats and there is lots of information. I have seen caps with a flap at the back to protect the neck. These don't protect the ears though and I think the flap flying around in the wind would annoy me and would obstruct my views. The wide-brimmed hat seems to be the best option but the Tilley is expensive. I have seen other cheaper hats but don't know how good they would be. I would agree with what was said on those other threads that a hat is very important even for someone with a full head of hair. You are out in the sun for a long time.

Not sure how your hat hunt is going but a word on the Tilleys. Terry's has a couple of side holes as vents. He has little hair and what he has is given a 'camino cut' ie starts off clipped to 1/8th" . He has never had any problem with sunburn through the vents and the brim also shades his eyes. I have the version with the mesh venting and love it. Having curly hair, even cut short, the mesh isn't a problem re the sun. Expensive, yes; but Terry's is going on its 6th Camino this year and is worn in summer here too. Mine is newer so only on its second summer this year, my old cheaper hat was finished after much less wear.

My only suggestion would be that you write your forum name in it as well as any other identifier you choose, then if it strays it might find its way home. Our little recitation is 'pack, stick, camera, hat' as we set off each time, whenever we have been stopped.
Buen Camino

 

[Tigerandahalf]

I haven't purchased a hat yet! I'm not sure if I will pay for an expensive one like a Tilley as I wouldn't be wearing it much afterwards in Ireland. They can cost upto €70. I just don't think I would get much use out of it afterwards. I will see. I must see what is out there in the shops. I would be wary of buying a hat online as very hard to know how it will fit you.

 

[dougfitz]

I haven't purchased a hat yet! I'm not sure if I will pay for an expensive one like a Tilley as I wouldn't be wearing it much afterwards in Ireland. They can cost upto €70. I just don't think I would get much use out of it afterwards. I will see. I must see what is out there in the shops. I would be wary of buying a hat online as very hard to know how it will fit you.

Tilley provide a guide to measuring your head at http://www.tilley.com/shop/worldbesthat/hatfittingguide.aspx. It worked for me.

Regards,

 

[Tigerandahalf]

I have bought a hat! I bought it on Amazon and funnily enough it is made in the Amazon as well. It is supposedly made from used tarpaulins used on lorries that travel from one side of Brazil to the other. Each hat is handmade and has unique features. Reviews were very good and it cost about 50 eur.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

My hat arrived. It fits my head perfectly so relieved with that. It has a good wide brim so it should provide plenty of shade from the sun. It is also extremely light. The hat sort of looks dirty. It is afterall used tarpaulin. A chin strap didn't come with it. It can be bought separately. I might not bother with one as there is an elastic type band on the inside of the hat. It helps to keep the hat firm on the head.
We also bought some buffs which should be handy even after their use on the camino. They might also be handy to dip in water and place around the neck to cool down if it is hot.
Re: accommodation - is there only one albergue in Orisson (costs around €50 per night?). As Orisson is on the 1st stage we may stay there to shorten that long stage. Are there any other options to stay in villages along that stage route before Roncesvalles?
I'd rather not book something in advance if possible as it would allow us to decide on the day if we want to walk the full first stage.

 

[whariwharangi]

My hat arrived. It fits my head perfectly so relieved with that. It has a good wide brim so it should provide plenty of shade from the sun. It is also extremely light. The hat sort of looks dirty. It is afterall used tarpaulin. A chin strap didn't come with it. It can be bought separately. I might not bother with one as there is an elastic type band on the inside of the hat. It helps to keep the hat firm on the head.
We also bought some buffs which should be handy even after their use on the camino. They might also be handy to dip in water and place around the neck to cool down if it is hot.
Re: accommodation - is there only one albergue in Orisson (costs around €50 per night?). As Orisson is on the 1st stage we may stay there to shorten that long stage. Are there any other options to stay in villages along that stage route before Roncesvalles?
I'd rather not book something in advance if possible as it would allow us to decide on the day if we want to walk the full first stage.

Get a string to hold your hat ... or you will lose it when you are crossing a bridge or at the edge of a cliff.

There is an Albergue at Hunto ... before you get to Orisson. There are no services between Orisson and Roncesvalles except a fountain and a former border post turned into an emergency shelter.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Thanks for that. Yes a gust of wind and I could be like Martin Sheen in the film.
I have just looked at Brierleys guide there again and yes there are no facilities.
How many hours does it take to do that first stage to Roncesvalles at a moderate pace?
Looking at Orisson I dont think stopping there would be worthwhile as it is only a small distance from the start.
Is it ok to just turn up at the albergue in Roncesvalles without booking?
Thanks again

 

[whariwharangi]

Thanks for that. Yes a gust of wind and I could be like Martin Sheen in the film.
I have just looked at Brierleys guide there again and yes there are no facilities.
How many hours does it take to do that first stage to Roncesvalles at a moderate pace?
Looking at Orisson I dont think stopping there would be worthwhile as it is only a small distance from the start.
Is it ok to just turn up at the albergue in Roncesvalles without booking?
Thanks again

The only thing the movie and the camino have in common is the scenery and the concept of a pilgrimage.

I think it took me 9 - 10 hours from SJPdP to Roncesvalles. Sideways rain and any shelter fouled by sheep made it difficult to stop.

The main benefit to stopping at Orisson is to break up the long day from SJPdP to Roncesvalles. Too, there are many people who get off the train, essentially getting a late start, and start walking. It was closed when I went late October 2012.

No reservation is required for Roncesvalles. I recently found out that they do now accept reservations for a percentage of the beds.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Wow 10 hours is a long walk on your very first stage. No wonder people get injuries and blisters early.
One drawback of Brierleys book is that he doesnt give times to complete the stages. I know you can calculate it but it would be handy to have.
Surprised that there is only one albergue in Orisson and only 18 beds.
Orisson seems to be only 8km from St Jean so dividing the stage means a very short walk on the first day.

 

[Tincatinker]

I have posted elsewhere but repeat here: unless you are for personal reasons committed to crossing the Pyrenees at high level then take the Valcarlos route. As much, probably more so, a traditional pilgrimage route and with a perfectly pleasant municipal Albergue in a small town with a quite decent bar/restaurant, 11 or 12 k from StJdP. The route is a mixture of very minor roads, footpath and a few brief stretches of busy road and you will still face the stiff climb to Puerto Ibaneta on your second day to stretch your pilgrim legs.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

But are you missing out on some great views?
I agree that a 10 hour walk on the first day is a push.
Roughly are we talking about 3km per hour at a moderate pace?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

New But are you missing out on some great views?

There are no views when it is foggy or rainy. Both routes have great vistas.

 

[Tincatinker]

You will miss out on some spectacular vistas; if the weather had been kind enough to let you see them otherwise you will see cloud and mist. I remember some lovely spots along the Valcarlos though not the wide open views of the mountain route (vid caveat). I walk at 4k an hour on rough ground, 5kph on flattish tarmac. Your own training will let you know what your own overground pace is. Whariwharangi walked in hard weather from his comments. Hard weather will slow you down, as will fog or mist. A missed way-point can add hours. I walked the Valcarlos in sunshine over old snow. It could be said it took me two days to get to Roncevalles, though I then walked on to Espinal rather than stop so early in the day.

Many, many people take the Route Napoleon and many of them stop at Orisson. A quick search of the forum will find you plenty of information on the benefits / costs / pleasures found.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Another question
We are getting a train from Bordeaux to St Jean. According to the timetable on Monday 14th April the first train to St Jean leaves at 9.50am. It arrives in St Jean at 16.15. I am wondering is it possible to just walk straight to Orisson or would time be too tight to get dinner at the refugio there.
This would allow us the flexibility to stay extra nights in Pamplona and Logrono if we choose to.
Does it take long to collect the credencial in St Jean and could we stamp it without staying in St Jean.
I hope that makes sense. Or are we better to just relax and enjoy that first night in St Jean?
Cheers

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The first train arrives in SJPdP about 1:25 later, so I think your arrival time is wrong. Even with a 1615 departure from SJPdP you will have enough sunlight to reach Orisson, but check their dinner time. It takes about five minutes to get a credential if there is no line. SJPdP is worth a walk-around, but that only takes a couple of hours. If you are on the first train from Bayonne, you can reach Orisson that day.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

 

[Tigerandahalf]

I have checked the same website as you except it is in English.
And the time I had is right.
However I changed the departure time to include very early trains and an option comes up leaving Bordeaux at 7.45am and arrives at 12.25pm. This could suit me as it 2 hours less journey time and gives me the option of seeing St Jean but walking straight onto Orisson. It would also allow us to stay an extra day in Pamplona, a place we would love to walk around and enjoy the pinxos at the local tapas bars.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have found the voyages-sncf.com website to be very unreliable; it omits a lot of trains. I have no idea why. The French language sncf.com is accurate.

 

[whariwharangi]

I have checked the same website as you except it is in English.
And the time I had is right.
However I changed the departure time to include very early trains and an option comes up leaving Bordeaux at 7.45am and arrives at 12.25pm. This could suit me as it 2 hours less journey time and gives me the option of seeing St Jean but walking straight onto Orisson. It would also allow us to stay an extra day in Pamplona, a place we would love to walk around and enjoy the pinxos at the local tapas bars.

Its what you wrote .... it gave the impression that you were getting on the train to SJPdP at 0915 ... which to us means you got on the train at Bayonne at that time. It is at least two trains from Bordeaux to SJPdP.

I'd suggest planning your route Bordeaux to Bayonne and then Bayonne to SJPdP. The SNCF site gives the correct answer to any question ... but if you don't know the right questions it gives you skewed information. (It might be working on a window of time for a connection to work)

There is an albergue at Hunto which gets you up the first grunt even as it isn't as far as Orisson.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056218430

The above is a link I am currently reading. It is from an Irish general chat forum. I hope and am fairly sure the op wont mind me linking it here.
He walked from SJPdP to Logrono, the same stage we are planning to do. It is a lovely read. Interesting how he avoided some of the major stops and did the camino his way. I thought he wrote well.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

Getting close to the off day. Just a week away. Was looking at long term forecast and it seems to be promising for St Jean start.

 

[lynnejohn]

Hello again
So the planning is in progress and we are slowly getting our gear in order for the trip. One thing I have to say now is that the trip does require quite a bit of planning but I am enjoying that part of it. It does require quite a bit of money too but am not bothered by that, as we will use our gear after the camino.
Anyway thus far, we have bought a few bits. I have bought a Deuter 36L rucksack with an airflow system at the back. It is very light. I like this because it will mean I have air at my back and not a wet t-shirt stuck to my back. However, it is quite small inside it and it will definitely force me to keep the weight down. My wife has bought a 27L one. We will be practising walking with these over the next while. We have also bought covers for the rucksacks.
We have bought rain jackets, not Gore-Tex but light North Face Sangro jackets. I have worn one of these out in heavy rain and it did the job. We have also bought waterproof trousers. Mine is 2000mm waterproof. I'm not sure yet if this a good or bad buy. I will have to try it out. We have bought some walking trousers, zipoffs at the knee but need to buy another pair each. We have found these the hardest to source as the right size and leg length is hard to find.
We both bought Gore-Tex trails shoes/boots and trail socks. Expensive but necessary. We got lightweight sleeping bags and also some dry bags. We were told it was a good thing to place all our things including sleeping bag in the dry bag and then put this into the rucksack. This should ensure that all our things are kept perfectly dry. When out walking in heavy rain one day I found my backpack got wet even with the cover on it. The rain flowing down your back inevitably soaks into the backpack thus these drybags seem a good idea.
We will be getting in some walks over the next while hoping to get upto 30km in a day.
We still have a few bits we want to get. I looked at some Tilley hats. However, I found that there are air holes in the hat, not much good if you don't have much hair on your head and would be afraid that the sun would come through. I have also looked at Buffs and may buy one to keep the sun off the neck. I'm beginning to think that a shirt with a collar would be more beneficial than t-shirts. We will have to see.

I wouldn't buy two sets of trousers. One would suffice, in my opinion. Even if the legs get muddy, just wash them, and you still have shorts to wear. As another option, we always take silk/lightweight long underwear. Wear it to bed, and also the shirt is your long-sleeved shirt, and you can wear the bottoms under your pants if it's really cold and windy.

 

[Tigerandahalf]

What a great trip that was. The countryside we went through was fabulous plus the weather was on our side - mostly sunny but not too hot. All the gear we bought was used and did its job. We met some fantastic people and hearing their stories was lovely. The Spanish people are such a warm friendly bunch and they really do have a fantastic country and lifestyle.
Despite being young and healthy the walking is tough enough. We normally did about 20km per day.
As for tips do your research and plan ahead. Get the right gear and get plenty of walks in before you go. Dont push yourself and just take it all in. A good few people were suffering from blisters and foot, ankle and knee problems. The uneven ground can cause problems. Nice and easy and you should be fine.
Once in a lifetime opportunity.
Thanks for all the advice and tips on here.
Buen camino!