Advice for a couple of 19 year olds (Pamplona to Burgos)

[Chase]

Hello all,

I have some young friends who are planning to walk the Camino Frances the early part of March from Pamplona to Burgos - could folks chime in with advice on what they should be thinking about for that section? I've not done that section and would like to make sure they get support. Here are some questions to get things started..

1. are accommodations open and will it be easy to find a bed for the night in March?
2. what would you suggest is a good daily budget including accommodations
3. of course packing recommendations are very much needed.
4. excess baggage- best suggestion for forwarding to Burgos for pick up at end of walk
5. any other suggestions would be great.

thanks

buen camino

Chase

 

[C clearly]

1. Yes, but be aware of the options for each day. Don't arrive in a tiny village and necessarily expect the only lodging to be open. The Camino grapevine is a good source of information.
2. Same as elsewhere on the camino. Any budget from about 20 Euros and up can be managed.
3. Same as elsewhere on the camino. Layers. Be prepared for any weather.
4. Don't take excess baggage! However, if necessary, they can take their excess to a Correos office and they will provide the options. I did this from Irun to Burgos in October, which was not a common pilgrim route. There might be a 2-week limit at the destination office, but that should be fine for them. I don't remember the cost, but it was reasonable. The cost was per box of a particular size, not on weight, but I got the feeling that different people might interpret the correos rules slightly differently. It might be helpful to have someone with them who speaks Spanish.
5. They will be fine!

 

[Kanga]

I like that section. For accommodation I'd have Gronze on my phone, it always seems up to date with albergue details, and provides phone numbers for any who want to book ahead or check the opening hours.

 

[Chase]

thank you , i actually gave them the gronze website.. will relay info. and the correos will look into.. thank you..

 

[trecile]

My advice? Get them to join this forum and learn all that they can.

 

[Chase]

did that as well...lol.. thanks

 

[mspath]

These earlier responses offer great tips. However do suggest that your friends carry some simple food always. For many season-only shops and bar/restos might still be closed.

Good simple food basics include tea bags, packets which make a cup of soup (even including croutons), firm cheese, small sausage, simple cookies and some chocolate. Nothing heavy but enough to exist for 24 hours if need be.

On past caminos especially during storms when I stopped in small and remote albergues far from any supply source novice pilgrims have often staggered in wet, cold and hungry. They may have had the best gear but carried no food.

Being prepared helps make any adventure easier.
Buen camino to you and your friends.

 

[Chase]

thanks for the suggestions.. will do..

chase

 

[peregrina2000]

Hello all,

I have some young friends who are planning to walk the Camino Frances the early part of March from Pamplona to Burgos - could folks chime in with advice on what they should be thinking about for that section? I've not done that section and would like to make sure they get support. Here are some questions to get things started..

1. are accommodations open and will it be easy to find a bed for the night in March?
2. what would you suggest is a good daily budget including accommodations
3. of course packing recommendations are very much needed.
4. excess baggage- best suggestion for forwarding to Burgos for pick up at end of walk
5. any other suggestions would be great.

thanks

buen camino

Chase

One piece of unsolicited advice would be to tell your 19 year old friends, who are probably in much better cardio-vascular condition than lots of us starting out, that just because they think they have the energy and fitness levels to speed through long distances, they may find that the body’s muscular-skeletal system reacts in disagreement. I can’t tell you how many young immortals I have met on different caminos, who are challenged by tendonitis, severe muscle pain, knee pain. And I think a lot of that comes from the exuberance of youth and the fact that walking 40 kms doesn’t challenge their cardiovascular system so they just keep on going. But 19 is a great age to walk the camino, wish I had started way back then, i would now be on camino number 50 instead of 20!