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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Took the Plunge and Booked for July 2021!!

sunshinemike

The lonely pilgrim
Time of past OR future Camino
Planning 1st Camino in September 2019 (may have to postpone until May 2020)
After two years of dreaming and planning I can no longer wait ......... so I've 'rolled the dice' and booked the ferry from Plymouth to Santander on 30th June 2021 for my first camino. I plan to start in Pamploma on 1st July heading to Santiago over the following 5 weeks. I think travel to Spain will be possible long before travel to France so will be missing the stages from SJPDP to Pamploma sadly. (I have a friend in Spain who thinks it is likely travel restrictions will be eased sometime during May to allow Spains hospitality industry to reopen - subject to vacinations and new mutations etc!)

One reason for making the booking somewhat prematurely is I have been following the ferry companies websites and almost all crossings are already fully booked for the whole of July. I needed to get a booking made quickly whilst I still could as it would be so frustrating for travel regulations to be relaxed only to find there was no way of getting to Spain (my thinking is I can always rearrange should travel not be permitted). Flying is an option but going through an airport is awful at the best of times - with extra covid related paperwork it will be a nightmare!

I have booked Hotel Pamploma Catedral for the first night but have a small problem. My ferry arrives in Santander at 13.15 and at the moment it is not possible to book trains/coaches anywhere in Spain. Does anyone know if, when Spain 'reopens' it would be possible to get to Pamploma from Santander before nightfall, or shoud I resort to renting a car??

Many thanks to you all for your postings over the past months. They have kept me sane during this difficult time. My planning of my trip being the one thing that has got me through lockdown. I hope to meet up with many of you during my journey. If you walk past a bar and see a middle-aged, balding Brit, looking lost, sat with a bottle of wine - come over say hello. It would be good to share it with you.

Good luck everyone - things will be back to normal very soon (I hope)

Mike
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
According to a pre-pandemic timetable ALSA had a twice daily bus from Santander to Pamplona with departures at 09:30 AM and 5:00 PM. Journey time roughly 3.5 hours. I have no idea if ALSA will run the same timetable on June 30th.

You could also walk the Camino del Norte or walk from Santander to Carrión de los Condes and join the CF there. The route from the coast down to the CF is known as the Camino Calzada de los Blendios. That would be an adventure far from the beaten track. If it interests you, I expect you'll find some people on this forum who have walked it.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
After two years of dreaming and planning I can no longer wait ......... so I've 'rolled the dice' and booked the ferry from Plymouth to Santander on 30th June 2021 for my first camino. I plan to start in Pamploma on 1st July heading to Santiago over the following 5 weeks. I think travel to Spain will be possible long before travel to France so will be missing the stages from SJPDP to Pamploma sadly. (I have a friend in Spain who thinks it is likely travel restrictions will be eased sometime during May to allow Spains hospitality industry to reopen - subject to vacinations and new mutations etc!)

One reason for making the booking somewhat prematurely is I have been following the ferry companies websites and almost all crossings are already fully booked for the whole of July. I needed to get a booking made quickly whilst I still could as it would be so frustrating for travel regulations to be relaxed only to find there was no way of getting to Spain (my thinking is I can always rearrange should travel not be permitted). Flying is an option but going through an airport is awful at the best of times - with extra covid related paperwork it will be a nightmare!

I have booked Hotel Pamploma Catedral for the first night but have a small problem. My ferry arrives in Santander at 13.15 and at the moment it is not possible to book trains/coaches anywhere in Spain. Does anyone know if, when Spain 'reopens' it would be possible to get to Pamploma from Santander before nightfall, or shoud I resort to renting a car??

Many thanks to you all for your postings over the past months. They have kept me sane during this difficult time. My planning of my trip being the one thing that has got me through lockdown. I hope to meet up with many of you during my journey. If you walk past a bar and see a middle-aged, balding Brit, looking lost, sat with a bottle of wine - come over say hello. It would be good to share it with you.

Good luck everyone - things will be back to normal very soon (I hope)

Mike
At this stage - with all the unknowns - I’d book two nights in Pamplona. Your current night and the one after. If it proves that you can’t get straight to Pamplona, you may lose the cost of one hotel night, but be assured of the second.

If you have to spend a night in Santander it’s not the end of the world.

If all goes well and you get to P on the day your ferry lands, then on day 2 take a taxi from P east to Zubiri (leaving your main bag in P) and have an easy first day walk back to P, extending your recorded mileage in the process.

You’re planning to spend 5 weeks on Camino - why put yourself under pressure?

I share your ambition, but not your confidence. I’m next booked for arrival in Spain in October.
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
After two years of dreaming and planning I can no longer wait ......... so I've 'rolled the dice' and booked the ferry from Plymouth to Santander on 30th June 2021 for my first camino. I plan to start in Pamploma on 1st July heading to Santiago over the following 5 weeks. I think travel to Spain will be possible long before travel to France so will be missing the stages from SJPDP to Pamploma sadly. (I have a friend in Spain who thinks it is likely travel restrictions will be eased sometime during May to allow Spains hospitality industry to reopen - subject to vacinations and new mutations etc!)

One reason for making the booking somewhat prematurely is I have been following the ferry companies websites and almost all crossings are already fully booked for the whole of July. I needed to get a booking made quickly whilst I still could as it would be so frustrating for travel regulations to be relaxed only to find there was no way of getting to Spain (my thinking is I can always rearrange should travel not be permitted). Flying is an option but going through an airport is awful at the best of times - with extra covid related paperwork it will be a nightmare!

I have booked Hotel Pamploma Catedral for the first night but have a small problem. My ferry arrives in Santander at 13.15 and at the moment it is not possible to book trains/coaches anywhere in Spain. Does anyone know if, when Spain 'reopens' it would be possible to get to Pamploma from Santander before nightfall, or shoud I resort to renting a car??

Many thanks to you all for your postings over the past months. They have kept me sane during this difficult time. My planning of my trip being the one thing that has got me through lockdown. I hope to meet up with many of you during my journey. If you walk past a bar and see a middle-aged, balding Brit, looking lost, sat with a bottle of wine - come over say hello. It would be good to share it with you.

Good luck everyone - things will be back to normal very soon (I hope)

Mike
Stay first night in Santander in pilgrim albergue if open then. Have good look around Santander as it's a lovely town/city. Then get morning bus to Pamps. Enjoy and fingers crossed all goes well. We still wont be able to leave NZ for europe in july.
 
After two years of dreaming and planning I can no longer wait ......... so I've 'rolled the dice' and booked the ferry from Plymouth to Santander on 30th June 2021 for my first camino. I plan to start in Pamploma on 1st July heading to Santiago over the following 5 weeks. I think travel to Spain will be possible long before travel to France so will be missing the stages from SJPDP to Pamploma sadly. (I have a friend in Spain who thinks it is likely travel restrictions will be eased sometime during May to allow Spains hospitality industry to reopen - subject to vacinations and new mutations etc!)

One reason for making the booking somewhat prematurely is I have been following the ferry companies websites and almost all crossings are already fully booked for the whole of July. I needed to get a booking made quickly whilst I still could as it would be so frustrating for travel regulations to be relaxed only to find there was no way of getting to Spain (my thinking is I can always rearrange should travel not be permitted). Flying is an option but going through an airport is awful at the best of times - with extra covid related paperwork it will be a nightmare!

I have booked Hotel Pamploma Catedral for the first night but have a small problem. My ferry arrives in Santander at 13.15 and at the moment it is not possible to book trains/coaches anywhere in Spain. Does anyone know if, when Spain 'reopens' it would be possible to get to Pamploma from Santander before nightfall, or shoud I resort to renting a car??

Many thanks to you all for your postings over the past months. They have kept me sane during this difficult time. My planning of my trip being the one thing that has got me through lockdown. I hope to meet up with many of you during my journey. If you walk past a bar and see a middle-aged, balding Brit, looking lost, sat with a bottle of wine - come over say hello. It would be good to share it with you.

Good luck everyone - things will be back to normal very soon (I hope)

Mike
Here is an excellent resource for your travel planning:


BTW: SJpdP-Roncesvalles is overrated, IMHO: I prefer to start in Pamplona: Good choice!

Good luck and a very Buen Camino to you! A lifetime experience!
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
I have tickets for May 15 and I am planning to walk from Lourdes. I understand the "state of emergency" in Spain ends on May 9. So I keep my fingers crossed and wish I will not have to cancel like I did last year.
 
Oh Man!
I was looking tonight at tickets for July...Was wondering if I was being overly optimistic...
I have travel credit - I thought I might go for it...no change fees if I end up needing to cancel again!
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I have tickets for May 15 and I am planning to walk from Lourdes. I understand the "state of emergency" in Spain ends on May 9. So I keep my fingers crossed and wish I will not have to cancel like I did last year.
Are you planning to walk from Lourdes to Saint-Jean?
 
I walked from Lourdes to St. Jean to Santiago a few years ago. It was a great experience. I'm thinking of walking from Lourdes to Somport to Santiago next year. Maybe.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Yes! that is my intention, but as I said, if by mid-May restrictions are still in place to cross from region to region, I would have to postpone.
One of the must stay places is with Father Pierre in Arudy. There is no guide book on this route but I have put together a some small notes on this section in the resources section https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...o-from-lourdes-to-sain-jean-pied-de-port.751/ If you do manage to walk it, any additions or updates would be appreciated.
 
After two years of dreaming and planning I can no longer wait ......... so I've 'rolled the dice' and booked the ferry from Plymouth to Santander on 30th June 2021 for my first camino. I plan to start in Pamploma on 1st July heading to Santiago over the following 5 weeks. I think travel to Spain will be possible long before travel to France so will be missing the stages from SJPDP to Pamploma sadly. (I have a friend in Spain who thinks it is likely travel restrictions will be eased sometime during May to allow Spains hospitality industry to reopen - subject to vacinations and new mutations etc!)

One reason for making the booking somewhat prematurely is I have been following the ferry companies websites and almost all crossings are already fully booked for the whole of July. I needed to get a booking made quickly whilst I still could as it would be so frustrating for travel regulations to be relaxed only to find there was no way of getting to Spain (my thinking is I can always rearrange should travel not be permitted). Flying is an option but going through an airport is awful at the best of times - with extra covid related paperwork it will be a nightmare!

I have booked Hotel Pamploma Catedral for the first night but have a small problem. My ferry arrives in Santander at 13.15 and at the moment it is not possible to book trains/coaches anywhere in Spain. Does anyone know if, when Spain 'reopens' it would be possible to get to Pamploma from Santander before nightfall, or shoud I resort to renting a car??

Many thanks to you all for your postings over the past months. They have kept me sane during this difficult time. My planning of my trip being the one thing that has got me through lockdown. I hope to meet up with many of you during my journey. If you walk past a bar and see a middle-aged, balding Brit, looking lost, sat with a bottle of wine - come over say hello. It would be good to share it with you.

Good luck everyone - things will be back to normal very soon (I hope)

Mike
Good luck. I have booked for mid august. !!! Fingers crossed
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I have tickets for May 15 and I am planning to walk from Lourdes. I understand the "state of emergency" in Spain ends on May 9. So I keep my fingers crossed and wish I will not have to cancel like I did last year.
Emmanuel I am planning to walk from Lourdes in the end of June. Please lete know how you get on.
Buen Camino
 

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