Coastal Route -Camino

[Deleted member 36084]

Hi i have decided to do the coastal route this year in spain ,i did st jean -to sandiago last year and enjoyed it
Can any one tell me what book i can buy for this route also has anyone else done this route ? Where do most people start? Is it well yellow arrowed i miss following those little arrows for 100's of miles Any information at all will be great looking to go end of may start of june
Thanks

 

[jpflavin1]

Scott:

The Northern routes guide book by Cicerone sp?. I just used the Gronze and Eroski sites off my Ipad.

Many Pilgrims start in Irun. I started in San Sebastian just because of the time I arrived and bus schedules. The route is well marked, imo, and intersects quite a bit with the E-9. The ocean views are beautiful and accommodations more than adequate. You will occasionally have to stay in a hotel. The most I ever paid was 30 Euro's and that included a full breakfast.

Hope this helps.

Ultreia,
Joe

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hi i have decided to do the coastal route this year in spain ,i did st jean -to sandiago last year and enjoyed it
Can any one tell me what book i can buy for this route also has anyone else done this route ? Where do most people start? Is it well yellow arrowed i miss following those little arrows for 100's of miles Any information at all will be great looking to go end of may start of june
Thanks

Rother in German is tiny and has excellent maps. Editoril Buen Camino published one in May of 2014, so for the latest in albergues, as well as its maps, that's what I have used. Start in Irun for gorgeous views, or if you don't have that much stamina, then in Donostia (San Sebastian).

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Have a look at these links scotTreker.

http://www.johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot.ie/search/label/Camino Portugués Coastal route

http://www.mydestination.com/galici...ortuguese-coastal-way-from-porto-to-santiago#

http://www.caminador.es/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/RELIEVE-PORTO-REDONDELA-IMPr.jpg

http://www.the-raft-of-corks.com/blog/camino-to-santiago-from-oporto-by-the-coast-maps-and-gps/

I'm confused. Is scotTreker planing on coastal in Spain (Norte I would suspect) or coastal in Portugal? He's getting info both both and he'll certainly be even more confused than me ;0)

 

[wayfarer]

The confusion was on my part, I automatically thought Portuguese Coastal when I read post, I will delete post above.

 

[Deleted member 36084]

Hi thanks for replies Yes the coastal route in spain to sandiago Looking for guide book
Thanks

 

[Deleted member 36084]

Rother in German is tiny and has excellent maps. Editoril Buen Camino published one in May of 2014, so for the latest in albergues, as well as its maps, that's what I have used. Start in Irun for gorgeous views, or if you don't have that much stamina, then in Donostia (San Sebastian).

Hi what is the name of the book you used called Nothern route?
thanks

Edit Thanks i have found a book on a web site

 

[Deleted member 36084]

Just looking at flight If i fly to biarritz is that best if i start in Irun? If so is there a train from Biarritz to Irun

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Just looking at flight If i fly to biarritz is that best if i start in Irun? If so is there a train from Biarritz to Irun

I started in San Sebastian because I flew into Barcelona and took a train to San Sebastian. But I hear that the views from Irun to San Sebastian are stunning, although your legs and feet will be put through their paces.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hi what is the name of the book you used called Nothern route?
thanks - Edit Thanks i have found a book on a web site

www.caminodelnorte.es : lots of info on this route. Highly recommended.

 

[Felipe]

Just looking at flight If i fly to biarritz is that best if i start in Irun? If so is there a train from Biarritz to Irun

OK. Biarritz (actually, it is Anglet) is the nearer airport.
The lovely Biarritz train station or "gare" is just 1,8 km or so from the airport. You can take a taxi or the Chronoplus bus, right outside the airport. Schedules at http://www.chronoplus.eu, search for

• AEROPORT BIARRITS-ANGLET-BAYONN (ANGLET)
  (to)
• Gare SNCF Biarritz (BIARRITZ)
  
  There are some trains to Irun (Spain), and many more to Hendaye (France). Both cities are pretty close, separated by a river.
  Horaires: www.sncf.com No need of a reservation.
  Supposing you choose the train to Hendaye, after half an hour you will be there. You can take then the local Euskotrain (known as "el topo") to Irún; or just walk accross the border. Schedules, here
  
  Buen camino!

(later edit) PD: Coming to think of it, San Sebastian/Donostia airport, if available from your country, is closer.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

[QUOTE=" PD: Coming to think of it, San Sebastian/Donostia airport, if available from your country, is closer.[/QUOTE]

Hola Felipe. Perhaps you can help me sort this out. My mom, who left Spain for France, and then to Mexico years later, due to the Civil War used to tell me the tracks in France and Spain are a different size (were?) and so you would have to change trains. Todavia es verdad?

 

[nathanael]

Hi i have decided to do the coastal route this year in spain ,i did st jean -to sandiago last year and enjoyed it
Can any one tell me what book i can buy for this route also has anyone else done this route ? Where do most people start? Is it well yellow arrowed i miss following those little arrows for 100's of miles Any information at all will be great looking to go end of may start of june
Thanks

Scott, greetings I did the coastal route which I suppose is the Camino del Norte. I did it 2010 and enjoyed it. It is a much tougher way yet the view is spectacular and the food even better. I download my route from one of the site but cannot remember where.I had many companions with better directions so was fine. Oh by the way I started in Irun. Enjoy maybe we will see each other on the way. I am starting in the beginning of July I like rest days so giving myself 2 months.

 

[Felipe]

Hola Felipe. Perhaps you can help me sort this out. My mom, who left Spain for France, and then to Mexico years later, due to the Civil War used to tell me the tracks in France and Spain are a different size (were?) and so you would have to change trains. Todavia es verdad?

Well, I am not an expert on railway systems, but as far as I know, most trains in Spain run over the Iberian track gauge, which is broader than the standard. In Irun/Hendaye and other border stations you either change trains, or (especially in the overnight, Madrid to Paris service) an authomatic changing installation adjust the gauge. Or at least, this is what it used to be like. I remember a long stop at Hendaye, then a noticeable jolt, but this was many years ago.
I understand that new AVE high speed trains have been built with the standard international track gauge.

 

[Tia Valeria]

The CSJ guides Caminos del Norte; Ruta de la Costa (1 Irun to Villaviciosa and 2 Villaviciosa to Santiago) can be bought from their online bookshop. We added in info from both the Cicerone guide and Gronze. Also we would check online for any updates on the CSJ site.
Just to add to the info about trains. Along most of the Norte the trains are FEVE and narrow guage from San Sebastian westwards through Santander to Oviedo/Gijón/Ribadeo/Ferrol.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Well, I am not an expert on railway systems, but as far as I know, most trains in Spain run over the Iberian track gauge, which is broader than the standard.

My mother would have loved to know that things have not changed much. She kept telling me about this change of tracks at the time of the Civil war. (Hate that term - how civil can such a war be?)

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I did it 2010 and enjoyed it. It is a much tougher way yet the view is spectacular and the food even better.

Food being better: hands down! About it being harder. I think it's important to keep things in perspective. The Frances is really not difficult at all, except for a few etapas. So the Norte may seem tougher, but it is in no way what so ever like hicking through mountains. A couple of days with steeper hills, but not so unlike the Frances.

 

[Thornley]

Just looking at flight If i fly to biarritz is that best if i start in Irun? If so is there a train from Biarritz to Irun

We flew into Biarritz and walked to Irun took 2 days very casually along the broadwalk/beach....great
The first 10 days are the hardest in relation to mountains.
This section is harder than the Frances but nowhere as severe as Le Puy [ France ]

We used the German Outdoors Book only for maps , we found the local touristo office had many , many places available that were not mentioned by any book/guide.

www.mundicamino.com ....Camino Norte [ under routas] shows the distances / outlines the mountains and also shows all towns, accommodation/bas etc in the 32 stages before joining Frances for the last 40km.
You will not get lost and whenever possible follow the coastal paths , E9

 

[Deleted member 36084]

Great thanks for info Would you say it would take the same length of time to walk the coastal route? ? thinking of going end of may begining of june is weather ok this part of the year.
I walked st jean to sandiago in 27 days last year may seem fast for some but really enjoyed it, This year i will have few extra days of from work would like to have more time but being self employed bill dont pay themselves

 

[jpflavin1]

Great thanks for info Would you say it would take the same length of time to walk the coastal route? ? thinking of going end of may begining of june is weather ok this part of the year.
I walked st jean to sandiago in 27 days last year may seem fast for some but really enjoyed it, This year i will have few extra days of from work would like to have more time but being self employed bill dont pay themselves

Yes

 

[nathanael]

Food being better: hands down! About it being harder. I think it's important to keep things in perspective. The Frances is really not difficult at all, except for a few etapas. So the Norte may seem tougher, but it is in no way what so ever like hicking through mountains. A couple of days with steeper hills, but not so unlike the Frances.

each to their own Camino friend, Camino Frances is much more explicitly marked and more easily to follow. But that was own perspective and I found that sometimes the markings were absent nevertheless the locals are always helpful to direct you.