Camino Norte- 5/23

[Deborah53]

Excited to walk the Camino del Norte in about two weeks. Still figuring out where to start from: Irun, or Ciboure perhaps, and alternate routes here and there. Thinking of a first day of Ciboure to Pasajes, but that might be further than I expect. Welcome thoughts on that if anyone knows. I believe also one can walk along the coast from Ciboure without going into Irun, but am unsure.

 

[Jan_D]

You can avoid Irun by catching the ferry from Hendaye to Hondarribia. Operates every 15 mins. Some info here.

The first day on the Norte (usually from Irun) can be brutal, unless you've already got your trail legs. It's not so much the distance, as the fact that you've got to climb up to 300m after Hondarribia, and then there's a lot of up and down after that. See attached screenshot. If you're walking from Saint Jean de Luz this will make it about 26km. Quite a lot for your first day, but only you know what you can handle...

 

[Deborah53]

Thanks! Yes I am worried about that! I am not looking for brutal, but I am concerned about getting into Biarritz at 6 pm on the 23 and no room in the Irun Albergue. Thought it would be nice to start from Ciboure and walk along the coast, but that adds distance, etc. *sigh*