Guidebook for Camino del norte

[Cynthia Gwynn]

I recently finished the Frances using John Brierley’s guide which I thought was excellent. I’m interested in the Norte and Primitivo but see that Brierley does not have a guide to these. I bought one from Cicerone but do not like it. Any suggestions on a good guide for the Norte and Primitivo?

 

[wisepilgrim]

Check Ivar’s forum store (link above). I can think of at least one good guidebook for the Norte.

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Cynthia, if you are comfortable with reading Spanish the best guidebook I have used twice for Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo, and found to be extremely reliable is Guía práctica del Camino del Norte: Costa y Primitivo (2018) by Carlos Arraiza - he really explains everything clearly. Also Eroski Consumer has this website that is always up to date with albergue information on all of the Caminos: https://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/
Eroski Consumer also has the same online information available on an App that I have used for most of my Caminos.

If Spanish is not your forte here is another great website (they, too have an App) that offers information on all Caminos in different languages:

Rutas Camino de Santiago archivo - Mundicamino

El Camino de Santiago cuenta con varias rutas de peregrinación que parten de diferentes localidades, aunque todas ellas terminan en Santiago de Compostela.

www.mundicamino.com

Here is a quick search online for Camino del Norte guidebooks - some in English:

Amazon.com : camino del norte guidebook

 

[naplesdon]

I would highly recommend The Wise Pilgrim

 

[lt56ny]

I recently finished the Frances using John Brierley’s guide which I thought was excellent. I’m interested in the Norte and Primitivo but see that Brierley does not have a guide to these. I bought one from Cicerone but do not like it. Any suggestions on a good guide for the Norte and Primitivo?

I downloaded the Cicerone app and NEVER used it. For me it was a waste of money. I would highly recommend Wise Pilgrim or Buen Camino apps. I haven't used Camino Ninja app much and it wasn't around when I walked the Norte but I think it is also good. I use Gronze.com too. If you are walking in high season the more apps with the more choices of places to stay the better. I walk much later in the year and I need them because so many albergues are closed when I walk. You also don't need a book you can get all these through your phone. Pick an app or two they are free but it wouldn't hurt to donate to the app makers. I bought a "bundle" from Wise Pilgrim 4 or 5 years ago. It had a boatload of caminos in the app bundle. It was a great investment. Now I think these are all free apps.

 

[backpack45]

The book that I wrote about the Norte and Primitivo, "Healing Miles: GIfts from the Caminos Norte and Primitivo<" is not a trail guide per se, and does not replace a trail guide, but it DOES give our day by day travels (towns and mileage, etc.) and discusses various places to see that one might miss on a more traditional guide. It also has a packing list, how to prepare for a long-distance Camino trip, what to take care of before leaving home for several weeks, months, a bit of vocabulary and cultural info.

 

[Sandra Wolf]

I have just ordered a Camino del Norte Village to Village Map Guide book by Matthew Harms, Anna Dintaman and David Landis. I used their Camino Primitivo guide book and found it excellent. It is a slim, lightweight book, and it gave just the right amount of info, particularly elevations, distances and variations for each stage, as well as a bit of background on each town and accommodation options in each. It was the next best thing to a Brierley's.

 

[trecile]

I have just ordered a Camino del Norte Village to Village Map Guide book by Matthew Harms, Anna Dintaman and David Landis. I used their Camino Primitivo guide book and found it excellent. It is a slim, lightweight book, and it gave just the right amount of info, particularly elevations, distances and variations for each stage, as well as a bit of background on each town and accommodation options in each. It was the next best thing to a Brierley's.

I believe that it is also available as a Kindle ebook, so more weight could be saved downloading it to a phone.

 

[tjz]

Well, because I'm a little on the OCDC side we used both the Cicerone and Wise Pilgrim guides. While I read the paper copies at home before we left, I carried the guides on my phone (eBook and App) instead of lugging the paper copies. They are both excellent guides in my opinion. We did supplement with gronze.com and Dave Whitson's spreadsheet when it came time to plan for lodgings as accommodation on the Norte was still pretty sketchy when we went in March 2022.

 

[jenwearing]

The book that I wrote about the Norte and Primitivo, "Healing Miles: GIfts from the Caminos Norte and Primitivo<" is not a trail guide per se, and does not replace a trail guide, but it DOES give our day by day travels (towns and mileage, etc.) and discusses various places to see that one might miss on a more traditional guide. It also has a packing list, how to prepare for a long-distance Camino trip, what to take care of before leaving home for several weeks, months, a bit of vocabulary and cultural info.

ohhh, this is what I want. I have a wise pilgrim app for the day to day map, trail, and accommodation info (I can't find anything that beats it) but I was wondering what the best book (hopefully with pictures) was for the sights themselves. If anyone has recommendations for other books, blogs and vlogs that show the landscapes, describe the towns, show the sights, must see landmarks...I'm doing the Norte this fall and would love to read/watch.