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Recent content by calmeg

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    Best shoes for Irún to Bilbao stretch; trail runners or walking boots?

    Hello all. This is our favourite section of all the caminos we have done! We have worn low Keens and trail runners, so it comes down to personal preference. We did it in mid May, with more rain and mud, but in later spring/summer I would expect it to be drier. Some sections have lots of oads...
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    Difficulty comparison: Camino del Norte vs. Camino Frances from St. Jean Pied de Port

    The section from Irun to Bilbao is our favourite! We have done that section multiple times and then varied our trips afterwards. The Norte and Primitivo was our first camino combination and we loved it. Up and down? Yes. Lots of pauses for the wonderful views, yes. Lots of roads- if you look at...
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    Best way to get to St. Jean Pied de Port from Ontario Canada

    We started on el Norte in Irun, but our flight with Air Canada/Lufthansa went Vancouver-Toronto-Frankfurt-Pamplona. We took the rail to Irun, but you can take the bus Pamplona to SJPP
  4. C

    Best 5 days

    San Sebastian or Irun to Bilbao!
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    How do I get from Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris to the Montparnasse train station ?

    Can you take the train directly from the CDG train station? Tthere seems to be a train that goes to Bordeaux, switch to Bayonne, local train to SJPDP
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    Need some beach life

    After our first camino years ago we took the train to Vigo ( a short ride). There are several great beaches in Vigo, and in Cangas- a short 20 minute ferry ride across the bay. We now go there after each camino!
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    Backpack question: Ospreys Stratos 36L vs 44L?

    We both had the 36 L packs for Norte/primitivo caminos. We also carried a small, lightweight sleeping bag and rain gear which proved essential. 36 L was big enough for everything, plus our lunches each day. The 36 stratos also fit into the airlines box to qualify as a carry on bag. Perfect bag...
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    Waterproof shoes

    We have always worn waterproof/goretex shows. When the ground is damp with dew or light rain, the feet stay dry. When it rains we put on rain pants that cover the tops of the shoes and the water does not go into the shoes, and the feet do not get soaked. If they do- fill them with newspaper...
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    Open to criticism on my pack

    Our thoughts-take the bigger pack, and you will have all the room you need for everything - all 11 lbs- on your list. That way you do not have to play tetris getting everything into a cramped space each day, nor have the items hanging on the outside of the pack banging into you with every step...
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    Camino Norte to Primitivo + General Questions

    Hello. We (in our mid 50s) did our first camino on the norte starting in Irun, and at Villaviciosa took the route to Oviedo and the primitivo. From Oviedo to Santiago took us 12 comfortable days- so do not worry about it being your first camino. There are lots of ups and downs, just like other...
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    How much does ease/cost of arrival affect your choice of camino?

    We decide on the camino we want to do (usually a not so popular one to avoid crowds), and then figure out how to get there. Flying from Vancouver is expensive compared to the cheaper within Spain travel costs.
  12. C

    Train from Charles DeGaulle to St. John Pied de Port

    According to trainline, there is a train that leaves CDG airport to Bayonne at 11:38, and 12:50, and later times that go to Bayonne. You have to make a couple of changes but this has always been my choice- catch the train right in the airport.
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    Tips to Keep your Hiking Shoes Dry in the Rain

    In our opinion it depends on the weather. On EL Norte, El Primitivo, and the San Salvador, we hiked in May-June. They were cool (starts from 4C-14C when we started out each day), muddy, and rainy conditions. Even sunny days had lots of mud underfoot. We used Keen hiking shoes or trail runners...
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    Post-Camino Travel: A Mistake or a Blessing?

    After each camino we took some time off- also because we gave ourselves too much time to finish our caminos. We took the train to Vigo (1 hour?) and the ferry to Cangas and got an Air BnB for 10 days- walking up and down the coast, lots of swimming, hiking the islas cies, etc. Lots of hiking...
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    Camino Del Norte, flight suggestions and albergues

    Or fly to Barcelona, and take the 6 AM commuter plane to San Sebastian airport (which actually is in Irun) and start walking out of the airport right on the camino!
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