Norte in March 2022

[charlesstones]

Just booked my flight to Bilbao, traveling by train to Irun to start the Norte, arrive in Bilbao on the 15th March and starting from Irun on the 16th of March. This will be my fourth Camino 2 x Frances From SJPdP and 1x Portugues from Lisbon. Hopefully lock down has not destroyed my legs too much still time to warm up and get fit. Look forward to meeting all the perigrenos.

 

[boxbeetle]

Hi Charlesstones,
I am starting the Norte on March 20. I'm stopping for two days about once a week, and planning to be done by end of April. So I imagine I'll be significantly behind you, but still thought I'd say hi.
Lex

 

[jalluisi]

When you go next year. Take some pics for us! We just finished the Camino Frances from Leon to Santiago. It was our first Camino. It was awesome. We are thinking of doing the Portuguese Route from Porto next year. Maybe March/April or October.

 

[nordmark]

Dear Charlesstones, a nice advance notice. You still have plenty of time to look forward to it. It is a beautiful route, I often think back to it. Not always easy but the reward after the effort is great. When you are on the road, you should leave a message on this forum. Buen Camino!

 

[Tandem Graham]

May I ask others who have walked the Norte in early season: how is the accommodation availability in early April? Because I'm tempted, from Bayonne to SdC !
My alternative is Chemin d'Arles/Aragones as far as Puente la Reina.

 

[charlesstones]

Hi Charlesstones,
I am starting the Norte on March 20. I'm stopping for two days about once a week, and planning to be done by end of April. So I imagine I'll be significantly behind you, but still thought I'd say hi.
Lex

Thank you good luck with yours I will be near Bilbao again when you start your walk, I will try and keep you posted of any issues that come up to give you a heads up on things. Charles

 

[charlesstones]

When you go next year. Take some pics for us! We just finished the Camino Frances from Leon to Santiago. It was our first Camino. It was awesome. We are thinking of doing the Portuguese Route from Porto next year. Maybe March/April or October.

Hi always take lots of pictures, I walked from Lisbon and the Porto stretch is the best, I would recomend doing the coast route out of Porto as the walk through the middle is a little grim, you can return to the middle route later and from then its very good. Good luck. Charles

 

[jalluisi]

Hi always take lots of pictures, I walked from Lisbon and the Porto stretch is the best, I would recomend doing the coast route out of Porto as the walk through the middle is a little grim, you can return to the middle route later and from then its very good. Good luck. Charles

Thank you!

 

[Lea Page]

Just booked my flight to Bilbao, traveling by train to Irun to start the Norte, arrive in Bilbao on the 15th March and starting from Irun on the 16th of March. This will be my fourth Camino 2 x Frances From SJPdP and 1x Portugues from Lisbon. Hopefully lock down has not destroyed my legs too much still time to warm up and get fit. Look forward to meeting all the perigrenos.

Am looking at starting in Biarritz beginning of April. That gets me home sometime early May, just in time to plant my garden. So a bit behind you. Did the CF in 2019 and had a somewhat comically disastrous attempt on the VF this fall. Undeterred.

 

[charlesstones]

Am looking at starting in Biarritz beginning of April. That gets me home sometime early May, just in time to plant my garden. So a bit behind you. Did the CF in 2019 and had a somewhat comically disastrous attempt on the VF this fall. Undeterred.

Good luck with your start, I hope all goes well I should be half way by the time you get going. I am starting in Irun so you have a few Kilometre further to walk, but its still Basque country where you are starting from with a gentle walk till you hit the hills from Irun on wards.

 

[nordmark]

There are some pilgrims who walk the Camino from Bilbao (because of the airport there). And that is really a shame. The distance Irun Bilbao can be walked in one week. You should consider walking this section very carefully because it is a beautiful (perhaps the most beautiful) part of the Camino del Norte.

 

[Lea Page]

Good luck with your start, I hope all goes well I should be half way by the time you get going. I am starting in Irun so you have a few Kilometre further to walk, but its still Basque country where you are starting from with a gentle walk till you hit the hills from Irun on wards.

Thank you--and buen camino to you!

 

[PapoJim]

Just booked my flight to Bilbao, traveling by train to Irun to start the Norte, arrive in Bilbao on the 15th March and starting from Irun on the 16th of March. This will be my fourth Camino 2 x Frances From SJPdP and 1x Portugues from Lisbon. Hopefully lock down has not destroyed my legs too much still time to warm up and get fit. Look forward to meeting all the perigrenos.

I am on a very similar schedule as you are.... Have you any information on the ferry service?

 

[charlesstones]

I am on a very similar schedule as you are.... Have you any information on the ferry service?

Hi
I think you mean bag transfers but no I have always carried mine all the way. I do know there is a service on the route though and I would have thought that any Alberge/Hostel would be able to sort it out for you as they are all brilliant and helpful. If you mean the ferry across the estuary's you just wait for it most are regular service. Hope that helps .

 

[Vacajoe]

I walked parts of both of those routes in 2021 and they are equally lovely in their own ways. However, I am going to have to be a bit of a party-pooper here. My apologies in advance…

March is a bit early for walking the Norte and probably impossibly early for the Arles/Aragon route due to seasonably closed albergues and snow. You certainly want to verify the availability of accommodations at that time of year for each of those routes, especially since Covid closed the Basque region’s public albergues in 2020 and 2021. The Somport Pass in Aragon will definitely have snow on it in March - you can bus around the hardest part, but do not be surprised if you have to bus all the way down to Jaca to find trails not adversely impacted by the weather. I’m not saying NOT to walk either of those in early Spring, just that you need to be very flexible and careful regarding weather and finding places to stay.

All that aside, if you walk the Norte, definitely start at the Bayonne airport itself, walking to either Biarritz or Bayonne on the first day after deplaning. It’s easy to do, especially using maps.me or a similar trail map application as the route is not clearly marked. From Bayonne, head to Biarritz via the city streets and then along the shoreline route to St Jean de Luz - the route that skirts the eastern side of the airport isn’t that picturesque.

If you can delay your walk to late March or early April, you’ll find the going a bit easier. May? Perfect!

 

[trecile]

It’s easy to do, especially using maps.me or a similar trail map application as the route is not clearly marked.

I'll throw in a plug for the Windy Maps app - no need to download additional GPS tracks, as most hiking/walking trails are built in to the app.

For Android

Windy Maps - Apps on Google Play

The most detailed hiking maps of the world that work even offline

play.google.com

For iPhone

‎Windy Maps

‎Windy Maps will guide you around the whole world. You can search for a route, plan a trip and arrive to your destination thanks to the voice navigation. Windy Maps works even without an internet connection. Just download a map of your country or a region to your phone. An inseparable part of...

apps.apple.com

 

[Martyduc]

I'll throw in a plug for the Windy Maps app - no need to download additional GPS tracks, as most hiking/walking trails are built in to the app.

For Android

Windy Maps - Apps on Google Play

The most detailed hiking maps of the world that work even offline

play.google.com

For iPhone

‎Windy Maps

‎Windy Maps will guide you around the whole world. You can search for a route, plan a trip and arrive to your destination thanks to the voice navigation. Windy Maps works even without an internet connection. Just download a map of your country or a region to your phone. An inseparable part of...

apps.apple.com

Yes,,, totally agree,,, Windy Maps is fantastic!!

 

[charlesstones]

I walked parts of both of those routes in 2021 and they are equally lovely in their own ways. However, I am going to have to be a bit of a party-pooper here. My apologies in advance…

March is a bit early for walking the Norte and probably impossibly early for the Arles/Aragon route due to seasonably closed albergues and snow. You certainly want to verify the availability of accommodations at that time of year for each of those routes, especially since Covid closed the Basque region’s public albergues in 2020 and 2021. The Somport Pass in Aragon will definitely have snow on it in March - you can bus around the hardest part, but do not be surprised if you have to bus all the way down to Jaca to find trails not adversely impacted by the weather. I’m not saying NOT to walk either of those in early Spring, just that you need to be very flexible and careful regarding weather and finding places to stay.

All that aside, if you walk the Norte, definitely start at the Bayonne airport itself, walking to either Biarritz or Bayonne on the first day after deplaning. It’s easy to do, especially using maps.me or a similar trail map application as the route is not clearly marked. From Bayonne, head to Biarritz via the city streets and then along the shoreline route to St Jean de Luz - the route that skirts the eastern side of the airport isn’t that picturesque.

If you can delay your walk to late March or early April, you’ll find the going a bit easier. May? Perfect!

Hi I think you may have crossed wires on the Norte Route I was recently on a Zoom meeting with Dave Whitson who wrote the Camino Norte Guide book and his only concern was that it may be wet and windy and that under the circumstances a pancho was not a good idea but other than that he did not have any concern about March. My only concern at the moment is the Omicron Covid and if we will be allowed to walk then!

 

[Vacajoe]

Hi I think you may have crossed wires on the Norte Route I was recently on a Zoom meeting with Dave Whitson who wrote the Camino Norte Guide book and his only concern was that it may be wet and windy and that under the circumstances a pancho was not a good idea but other than that he did not have any concern about March. My only concern at the moment is the Omicron Covid and if we will be allowed to walk then!

Rereading what I wrote, I understand the confusion as I lumped two caminoes together in my remarks. I will clarify.

BOTH the CN and the CA are subject to seasonal albergue closures - I ran into that in October and know that many will not reopen until March at the earliest. CN’s Basque Country public albergues (and some private) have been closed due to Covid for two seasons now and 2022 isn’t looking so good now, either. You’ll either have to walk further, plan better, or pay more for your accommodations due to the gaps in housing “coverage”.

Weather-wise, the CA over the Somport Pass is generally not walkable in the winter. It’s actually higher than the Napoleon Route on the CF and hosts several ski resorts, so you get the picture of the snow conditions there. You can bus around the snowed-in areas, but the trails leading to and from those parts will be excessive muddy and possibly flooded. You can walk the highway all the way from Oloron to Jaca, but it would be miserable and dangerous if weather conditions affect visibility and how much shoulder space remains.

 

[tjz]

We are going to start our "first third" of the Norte from Bayonne on March 20, 2020. We might get to Santander, we might not, depending on how quickly we walk and how much Covid forces us to be more flexible. We did the Camino Francés in three parts as well in Springs of 2014, 2016, and 2018. We were 3 days away from starting the Norte in 2020 when the wheels came off due to Covid. Lord willing, we will finish the Norte in 2 trips after this one. Looking forward to how things work out for you folks ahead of us!

Buen Camino!

 

[Frank1963]

Hello, I will start in Laredo on 26 April. Last year, I walked from Irun to Guemes.

 

[Vico Luther]

Ich habe gerade meinen Flug nach Bilbao gebucht, bin mit dem Zug nach Irun gefahren, um den Norte zu starten, komme am 15. März in Bilbao an und starte am 16. März in Irun. Dies wird mein vierter Camino sein, 2 x Frances von SJPdP und 1 x Portugues von Lissabon. Hoffentlich hat Lockdown meine Beine nicht zu sehr zerstört, noch Zeit zum Aufwärmen und fit werden. Freuen Sie sich darauf, alle Perigrenos zu treffen.

Hey, ich werde voraussichtlich den Camino ab dem 07. März beginnen. Das Wäre mein erster Camino und ich bin ein bisschen unsicher, ob ich wirklich so unvorbereitet/ungeplant einen Camino bestreiten sollte. Ich bin erst 20 und es würde perfekt in meine Semesterferien passen. Hat jemand von euch vielleicht ein paar Tipps? Insbesondere wenn es um Unterkünfte geht, bin ich mir nicht sicher, wie genau das abläuft eine Unterkunft zu finden. Für ein paar Tipps wäre ich sehr dankbar.

Alles Liebe. Vico

 

[charlesstones]

Hey, ich werde voraussichtlich den Camino ab dem 07. März beginnen. Das Wäre mein erster Camino und ich bin ein bisschen unsicher, ob ich wirklich so unvorbereitet/ungeplant einen Camino bestreiten sollte. Ich bin erst 20 und es würde perfekt in meine Semesterferien passen. Hat jemand von euch vielleicht ein paar Tipps? Insbesondere wenn es um Unterkünfte geht, bin ich mir nicht sicher, wie genau das abläuft eine Unterkunft zu finden. Für ein paar Tipps wäre ich sehr dankbar.

Alles Liebe. Vico

Hey, ich werde voraussichtlich den Camino ab dem 07. März beginnen. Das Wäre mein erster Camino und ich bin ein bisschen unsicher, ob ich wirklich so unvorbereitet/ungeplant einen Camino bestreiten sollte. Ich bin erst 20 und es würde perfekt in meine Semesterferien passen. Hat jemand von euch vielleicht ein paar Tipps? Insbesondere wenn es um Unterkünfte geht, bin ich mir nicht sicher, wie genau das abläuft eine Unterkunft zu finden. Für ein paar Tipps wäre ich sehr dankbar.
Translated
Hey I am expected to start the Camino from March 7th. This would be my first camino and I'm a bit unsure if I should really do a camino that unprepared/unplanned. I'm only 20 and it would fit perfectly into my semester break. Does anyone of you have a few tips? Especially when it comes to accommodation, I'm not sure how exactly finding accommodation works. I would be very grateful for a few tips.

Practice walking with a loaded back pack before you go. Don't be concerned you will always find help on the Camino. Make sure you have shoe or boot size at least 1 larger than normal to allow the foot size increase due to the back back..

Into German translate back is
Üben Sie das Gehen mit einem beladenen Rucksack, bevor Sie losfahren. Machen Sie sich keine Sorgen, Sie werden auf dem Camino immer Hilfe finden. Stellen Sie sicher, dass Ihre Schuh- oder Stiefelgröße mindestens 1 größer als normal ist, damit die Fußgröße aufgrund des hinteren Rückens zunehmen kann

 

[Former member 99942]

Hi Charlesstones,
I am starting the Norte on March 20. I'm stopping for two days about once a week, and planning to be done by end of April. So I imagine I'll be significantly behind you, but still thought I'd say hi.
Lex

I’d be very interested in how your trip went. Considering that route about the same time next year. Good luck to you!

 

[andarapie]

There are some pilgrims who walk the Camino from Bilbao (because of the airport there). And that is really a shame. The distance Irun Bilbao can be walked in one week. You should consider walking this section very carefully because it is a beautiful (perhaps the most beautiful) part of the Camino del Norte.

I don't know why people don't fly into San Sebastian - the airport is literally just outside of Irun (about a 30 min drive to San Sebastian), just a couple of km from Mt. Jaizkabel.

 

[trecile]

I don't know why people don't fly into San Sebastian - the airport is literally just outside of Irun (about a 30 min drive to San Sebastian), just a couple of km from Mt. Jaizkabel.

Probably because there are few flights/itineraries from the person's origin that arrive in San Sebastian. Or it's more expensive. I have looked into it for my Camino, and Bilbao was the closest that I could get flying on United.

 

[andarapie]

Probably because there are no flights/itineraries from the person's origin that arrive in San Sebastian. Or it's more expensive. I have looked into it for my Camino, and Bilbao was the closest that I could get flying on United.

Huh. I flew from the US to San Sebastian last year on American/Iberia via Madrid - it was only a little bit more than flying to Madrid.

 

[charlesstones]

Hi I have had to delay my start to later in the year now, I have recieived a foot injury which had stopped my prep. Hopefully I will be fully fit and free of injury when I start, its a long walk if you start out with something a miss.

 

[henglish]

Just booked my flight to Bilbao, traveling by train to Irun to start the Norte, arrive in Bilbao on the 15th March and starting from Irun on the 16th of March. This will be my fourth Camino 2 x Frances From SJPdP and 1x Portugues from Lisbon. Hopefully lock down has not destroyed my legs too much still time to warm up and get fit. Look forward to meeting all the perigrenos.

Hi...I am thinking of doing bilbao to santander in march. Are the albergues open in mid-late march? Is it necessary to book accom in advance?
Rgds
Henry.

 

[andarapie]

Hi...I am thinking of doing bilbao to santander in march. Are the albergues open in mid-late march? Is it necessary to book accom in advance?
Rgds
Henry.

I would check gronze.com to see which albergues are open - last summer it was the most up-to-date source. Also, it was advisable to book a day or two in advance last summer, but that was with Covid restrictions in full force and the coastal towns full of student groups booking up private albergues and vacationers booking up pensions and hotels. In March, there will be few, if any, tourists or student groups.