Flights booked - Camino Baztan in May

[NualaOC]

Two Caminos in one year feels a bit greedy, but we're all set to walk the Camino Baztan and a little bit of the Frances in May . We'll have 8 walking days and should get as far as Los Arcos or Logrono. Any post-Camino blues will be quickly replaced by happy anticipation of the del Salvador and Primitivo in the autumn!

Thanks to everyone who posted information about this route - we're really looking forward to following in your footsteps. I'll make lots of notes and share any useful information on our return.

 

[Aidan21]

Twice in one year, how wonderful!! Enjoy and Buen Camino. Aidan.

 

[NualaOC]

Twice in one year, how wonderful!! Enjoy and Buen Camino. Aidan.

Thank you Aidan. And Buen Camino to you too - I see that you will be back on the CF this year.

 

[peregrina2000]

Lucky, lucky you. The Camino Baztán is high on my list.....

I'll be walking in between your Baztán and your Salvador/Primitivo, so I will have pre-Camino and post-Camino jealousy of you this year!

 

[basquelady]

Two Caminos in one year feels a bit greedy, but we're all set to walk the Camino Baztan and a little bit of the Frances in May . We'll have 8 walking days and should get as far as Los Arcos or Logrono. Any post-Camino blues will be quickly replaced by happy anticipation of the del Salvador and Primitivo in the autumn!

Thanks to everyone who posted information about this route - we're really looking forward to following in your footsteps. I'll make lots of notes and share any useful information on our return.

We'll be eager to hear your reports; we plan on walking the Baztán late Aug and then continuing on CF from Pamplona. We originally planned on doing that for our first Camino in 2013, but our Basque friends advised us to start from Roncesvalles for our first experience.

 

[NualaOC]

Lucky, lucky you. The Camino Baztán is high on my list.....

I'll be walking in between your Baztán and your Salvador/Primitivo, so I will have pre-Camino and post-Camino jealousy of you this year!

Thank you Laurie - and I will be seriously envious of your longer and very interesting route. I was very tempted to try and engineer my Baztan/Frances schedule to try and join you at Santo Domingo de Silos but unfortunately the dates didn't work out. This Camino obsession is a dangerous thing! I'm already making mental notes of potential routes for 2017 and beyond. People like you, @alansykes, @KinkyOne and many others have a lot to answer for!

And BTW - the Baztan Guide that you translated has been very helpful. I bought the Gerald Kelly pocket-sized guide, which I've annotated with some of your material and snippets from Eroski. I think I'm as prepared as I need to be - it all seems pretty straightforward. Although this started off as an idea for a solo ramble, I'm pleased that Damian is coming along as we'll walk shorter distances each day and probably take more time to appreciate the beauty of this route. I tend to get a bit carried away with daily distances when I walk alone.

We're also planning to take the alternative route on the CF from Villatuerta to Los Arcos, following @annakappa's very helpful directions. So all in all, this should be a nice little escape/retreat from our busy work and family schedules.

 

[basquelady]

Thank you Laurie - and I will be seriously envious of your longer and very interesting route. I was very tempted to try and engineer my Baztan/Frances schedule to try and join you at Santo Domingo de Silos but unfortunately the dates didn't work out. This Camino obsession is a dangerous thing! I'm already making mental notes of potential routes for 2017 and beyond. People like you, @alansykes, @KinkyOne and many others have a lot to answer for!

And BTW - the Baztan Guide that you translated has been very helpful. I bought the Gerald Kelly pocket-sized guide, which I've annotated with some of your material and snippets from Eroski. I think I'm as prepared as I need to be - it all seems pretty straightforward. Although this started off as an idea for a solo ramble, I'm pleased that Damian is coming along as we'll walk shorter distances each day and probably take more time to appreciate the beauty of this route. I tend to get a bit carried away with daily distances when I walk alone.

We're also planning to take the alternative route on the CF from Villatuerta to Los Arcos, following @annakappa's very helpful directions. So all in all, this should be a nice little escape/retreat from our busy work and family schedules.

We took the alternative route from Villatuerta, but found we had to fend off locals who assumed we had lost our way! Had to be very persistent. We rejoined the main route around Irache.

 

[NualaOC]

We took the alternative route from Villatuerta, but found we had to fend off locals who assumed we had lost our way! Had to be very persistent. We rejoined the main route around Irache.

Thanks @basquelady, that's good to know!

 

[Kiwi-family]

Enjoy peppers in Espelette....make sure you stay in the monastery at Urdax (we didn't - we pushed on up and over the hill to Amaiur-Maya with its moldy black showers)....don't go past Irurita without buying chocolate at the chocolate shop....I'm not sure you'll want to play soccer with all the kids who come out in the evening but my kids enjoyed that and I loved seeing the whole community (families form even 20km away) hang out in the square right beside the albergue....be assured that if you stop in Olague on a Sunday and the bakery is closed, keep banging on the door and eventually the baker will come down, give you bread and promise you some more for the morning!....pat yourself on the back when you get there - you'll have gained over 1,000km climbing that day (don't get lost in the forest just after crossing the road by the bar - look carefully for the arrow to your right - and actually, if you do that you may not climb quite as mush as we did!).....after you leave Olague, try not to end up on a main road with trucks hurtling towards you (I still don't know where we went wrong there!)
You're going to have a blast - I generally don't like rewalking routes I've done before, but this is one I'd love to do again.

 

[DutchHiker]

Two Caminos in one year feels a bit greedy, but we're all set to walk the Camino Baztan and a little bit of the Frances in May . We'll have 8 walking days and should get as far as Los Arcos or Logrono. Any post-Camino blues will be quickly replaced by happy anticipation of the del Salvador and Primitivo in the autumn!

Thanks to everyone who posted information about this route - we're really looking forward to following in your footsteps. I'll make lots of notes and share any useful information on our return.

I walked the Camino Baztan, Salvadore and Primitivo last year starting March 7th and I enjoyed every day. But the Baztan is still my favorite. The nature, solitude and the very few people I met, do still make me smile.

Enjoy.

BTW. I used the Gaia GPS app on iPhone to keep me save and Wikiloc trails.

 

[NualaOC]

Enjoy peppers in Espelette....make sure you stay in the monastery at Urdax (we didn't - we pushed on up and over the hill to Amaiur-Maya with its moldy black showers)....don't go past Irurita without buying chocolate at the chocolate shop....I'm not sure you'll want to play soccer with all the kids who come out in the evening but my kids enjoyed that and I loved seeing the whole community (families form even 20km away) hang out in the square right beside the albergue....be assured that if you stop in Olague on a Sunday and the bakery is closed, keep banging on the door and eventually the baker will come down, give you bread and promise you some more for the morning!....pat yourself on the back when you get there - you'll have gained over 1,000km climbing that day (don't get lost in the forest just after crossing the road by the bar - look carefully for the arrow to your right - and actually, if you do that you may not climb quite as mush as we did!).....after you leave Olague, try not to end up on a main road with trucks hurtling towards you (I still don't know where we went wrong there!)
You're going to have a blast - I generally don't like rewalking routes I've done before, but this is one I'd love to do again.

Thank you so much Rachael for that great information - and also for your encouragement in my earlier thread. I've noted your all of your advice - especially about the Urdax monastery albergue. And I love your observations about the families at play. That's one of the things I really like about Northern Spain.

As for missing the arrows - this is one of the reasons I'm glad that Damian is walking with me. I tend to get lost quite a lot.

 

[Cailin O Eire]

Buen Camino Nuala, I hope you have a wonderful trip! Go n-eiri an bothar leat.
Rita

 

[NualaOC]

I walked the Camino Baztan, Salvadore and Primitivo last year starting March 7th and I enjoyed every day. But the Baztan is still my favorite. The nature, solitude and the very few people I met, do still make me smile.

Enjoy.

BTW. I used the Gaia GPS app on iPhone to keep me save and Wikiloc trails.

Thank you @DutchHiker, that is really encouraging. I'm getting quite excited about the Baztan. I'm hoping that it's still quiet this year - I don't plan to book any accommodation in advance.

The GPS advice is useful too. That's something that I hope to master this year.

 

[NualaOC]

Buen Camino Nuala, I hope you have a wonderful trip! Go n-eiri an bothar leat.
Rita

Go raibh mile maith agat, Rita! Hope you get to return this year too.

 

[Kiwi-family]

And I love your observations about the families at play. That's one of the things I really like about Northern Spain.

Here are the local kids calling out to our kids to come play....
Getting to know each other-just before someone arrived with a soccer ball
New best friends!

 

[Kiwi-family]

As for missing the arrows - this is one of the reasons I'm glad that Damian is walking with me. I tend to get lost quite a lot.

Some are easier to spot than others! And when you come across the one that's crossed out, if you obey and follow the road you will arrive in the right place (just a less interesting route than the original)

 

[clearskiescamino]

I would like to walk a short Camino next year - 4 to 5 days and this route interests me.
I'm hoping to read up more about it once I finish my Camino Finistere in September

 

[NualaOC]

I would like to walk a short Camino next year - 4 to 5 days and this route interests me.
I'm hoping to read up more about it once I finish my Camino Finistere in September

Hi David, we're just back from the Camino del Baztan. I will be posting a brief report and some photos shortly. It's a gem of a Camino - as long as you are happy with solitary walking

 

[clearskiescamino]

Hi @NualaOC I'm looking forward to your report and photos.
I've noticed that many people start on the Baztan before walking on the Frances or another alternative. I won't be doing that myself so travelling back to Biarritz would be the best way to return to Dublin? Would you think?

David

 

[NualaOC]

Hi @NualaOC I'm looking forward to your report and photos.
I've noticed that many people start on the Baztan before walking on the Frances or another alternative. I won't be doing that myself so travelling back to Biarritz would be the best way to return to Dublin? Would you think?

David

Hi David,
The Baztan ends in Pamplona, where there are direct buses to both Biarritz and Bilbao.
The simplest option is probably a Ryanair flight in and out of Biarritz, if that works for your travel dates.

Nuala

 

[clearskiescamino]

Hi David,
The Baztan ends in Pamplona, where there are direct buses to both Biarritz and Bilbao.
The simplest option is probably a Ryanair flight in and out of Biarritz, if that works for your travel dates.

Nuala

Perfect. A return flight from Biarritz sounds great.