• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
  • ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.
This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

Backwards on the Camino del Norte?

Skowrola

Lauren
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino del Norte (May 2018)
Hola! My friend and I will be walking from Bilbao to San Sebastian in late May 2018. A short jaunt on the Camino for one week, and yes... backwards. Last year I walked Scotland's West Highland Way and there were several folks walking for the second time, and doing it backwards. So the baggage transfers also went that way. This does not seem to be the case on the CdN. Has anyone done this before and can recommend a company that will transfer bags in reverse down the route? So far we've tried Correos, Le Petit Bag and Peregrine Express with no success. Any suggestions appreciated.
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
When I walked the Norte in in 2013, baggage transfer was not an option, I had never heard of it until we joined the Frances for the last leg of the camino. Since then I have heard of a couple of companies starting up and doing it, but I would be surprised if you could find a company that did it consistently along the route in reverse. While walking I met a wonderful couple who had started walking from France and had made it to Santiago and were now walking back home in reverse along the Norte. He was 82 years old and said he was not allowed to say the age of his wife, but "between us we have 150 years" They had found navigating in reverse quite hard, and so had bought a GPS, to help them , along with some detailed maps. I suggest you keep your packs as light as possible and be prepared to carry them yourselves. Bilbao to San Sebastion is a lovely stretch with fantastic scenery, it should be a great walk for you. Buen camino!
 
MKalcolm, thank you! This is good food for thought. I think we're going to wind up carrying our packs.
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!

Most read last week in this forum