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I have decided against the trangia. Packing paperback copy of The Brothers Karamazov instead. And the 'thermoplongeur' water boiler in a cup thingy for cup of tea emergencies. Not the dodgy one which plunged a whole albergue into darknes. That went in a bin.
I am considering whether to take a possibly crazy item when I cycle from Pamplona on the Frances starting next Monday or so.
Let me explain first. We have previously cycled then walked in stages from the UK all the way to SdeC via the Vezelay route and the Camino de Norte. Once we got past...
You can start from anywhere! Bilbao would be as good as anywhere. There is a famous 'transporter bridge' at Portugalete, at the mouth of the inlet that Bilbao lies beside. Crossing on it would be a memorable beginning. There are albergues and cheapie hotels in aplenty on Bilbao.
What a brilliant idea! The Norte takes you past stunning beaches, which should add to the carrots. As for which section would be best, I will look up my diaries and find a few names of places where I recall walking on or beside beaches. But doing the research and making a decision is part of the...
We are well, thank you. We are still in the midst of our Sloe Project, actually building an extension at long last. The grandchildren have both multiplied and grown larger. We have survived a 15 month interregnum and I am editing a regional newsletter for quilters, so occasional escapes seem...
I think my smart phone is not smart enough and my tablet too stuffed! I must upgrade my phone before departure.
However, I have now got as far as this - Feve from Santander to Bilbao. Euskotren from Bilbao to Donostia/San Sebastian. Renfe from San Sebastian to Pamplona. The last is a little...
Thank you. Very helpful. I did wonder about the Euskotren but I wasn't sure whether it went further east than Gernika. We had no problem taking bikes from Gernika to Bilbao in the past. It's going to be an adventure just getting to Pamplona! I shall probably have to resort to the batty old...
Hello, Barbara. We met somewhere is southern France in 2009,I think. You and Daley were staying with a Dutch lady! I use Seat61 a lot. It is a brilliant site and tells me clearly which Spanish trains are not bike friendly. But it's hard to find out whether the trains I am being offered are the...
Help please. I have decided to cycle the Frances from Pamplona this March. (My husband and I have previously cycled and walked in stages from England via the CdeNorte so a) Santander and Bilbao are familiar territory and b) I want to experience the Frances route).
I have booked the ferry from...
I am thinking about taking myself on a solo pilgrimage next year, late winter or early spring. My husband and I have cycled/walked from home (UK) to S de C in stages via the Vezelay and Norte routes, and also walked the Ingles in the first week of March, so not new to pilgimaging, or indeed to...
Thank you, Tia Valeria, for your welcome back.
I recall Ribadesella well, as we walked down that hill and a couple of days later back up it to take the train back to Llanes, about two and a half years ago. It was Holy Week. We also bought new walking shoes there, which will be returning with...
HI Ksam
We are returning to the Norte this September. We fly into Santander on wed 17th, hope to get a train or bus to Ribadesella next day and then a local bus to La Isla where we made our unexpected end in April 2012. So, setting off from La Isla on 19th. I think you will be too far ahead for...
well done Annie. Yes, if we all picked up some rubbish whenever we had a spare plastic bag or two, even if only for a little while, it would make a real difference. Not just to the look of the camino, but also to attitudes - gradually it might become the norm to tidy up after oneself...
Not very challenging. Some long stages between refuges, or refuges shut between Oct - April or May, so if you can manage to afford the odd cheap hotels (hostales etc) there'll be no problem. Beautifuil coastal scenery, fewer pilgrims, interesting places - Gernika, Bilbao, Santander, Santillana...
Thanks Jan, but I left it too late to order one. I'm now tonight at Haastrecht, having cycled from Hotel van Holland via Delft. So tomorrow I am hoping to find the Pad and approximately cycle along it. I was hoping to connect up with american acquaintances who do have your guide, but they have...
I am going to be cycling along the Pelgrimspad in two weeks time. I am struggling to get information about it - even when I translate the Dutch site via Google translate it is still baffling me!
I think I have discovered that there are some pilgrim alberques/refugios/gites in some places, eg...
Thanks, LT.
Do you know how I could get a guidebook with maps in Dutch? I don't mind doing some work with a dictionary!
I have been to lovely Amsterdam previously. This time I am going to concentrate on small towns and the countryside.
thanks for your help
Bridget
The idea is to take my bike and tent across to the Netherlands (ferry, Harwich - Hook of Holland), connect with the Pelgrimspad somewhere south of Amsterdam (by train probably) and cycle as close to the Pelgrimspad as reasonable, for as far as possible in about 10 days, then train back to the...
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