Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

[Miradeara]

Hello,

Am planning to hike the northern route starting July 1 for about 18 days.

Trying to figure out a way to download a decent map to my iPad. Have seen a couple apps promising to store google maps, but they've slow and awkward.. Also read google was going to allow users to download, but think that's just for androids

Wondering if anyone has already solved this problem. Saw link to one map in previous post, but couldn't figure out how to download for offline use.

My main concerns are getting lost (I hiked a few days from donostia last year and had a bit of trouble) and also figuring out where hostels are... Don't want to end up quitting early for fear of getting stuck if there's a hostel or pension a couple hours down the road.bio would be good to have map w auberges listed.

Also wondering how hard it will be to get a bed in an auberge in July? I'd really like to avoid carrying a pad to sleep on floor and especially don't want to sleep outside (youngish woman traveling alone)

Thanks
Mira

 

[TerryB]

Re: Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

Hi Mira,
If you do want to save, for example Camino del Norte info from Gronze:-
Open Etapa 1, at the top left of the computer page click on 'file', in drop-down click on 'save page as', decide where you want to save it under 'save in' - click on 'save'.
To open, go back into where you saved it (mine are in 'downloads') and click on the file which ends in 'htm'. NOT on the folder.
You will need to do this with each 'etapa'.

Blessings
Tio Tel

 

[evanlow]

Re: Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

Hi Mira,

I just came back from my Camino del Norte.

Would a guide for Camino del Norte with daily maps of each etape in pdf be adequate for you?

If so you can download them from my Google Drive.

Camino del Norte Guide with maps for each etape. (Original PDF)
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B5saV2 ... b08xRzN3dw

Camino del Norte Accomodation Guide (scanned unfortunately)
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B5saV2 ... VDByRXJDdw

 

[Miradeara]

Re: Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

Thanks much!
Evan -- had already come across your great accommodation guide and the PDF put out by the Basque govt in previous threads. Extremely useful as have been studying it and dreaming about the trip for weeks.
What was your experience in terms of finding auberges and the route in general?
Reason I was going to try to create my own google map was twofold
-- to help me out if i miss a yellow arrow and find myself wandering around on my own.
-- to maximize my time on trail (don't want to stop walking @ 3 if there's another place to sleep a couple hours away)
I'll ask some of my more tech- savvy friends for advice and if I'm able to come up with something with upload it to this site.
Terry -- will check out Gronze and see what I can do with it.

 

[evanlow]

Re: Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

Miradeara,

The lodgings are dearer in Basque, even the youth hostel you are paying 14-18 euros. It gets better after that.

Also, especially in Cantabria, there are many paths, so some decision on the walker's part is required. That means ignoring the arrows and sometimes going over to the bicycle's route at some stretch.

You can see all of that in my blog. I blogged every day while I was on the Camino Norte, thanks to the local SIM card. (the address in on my signature)

Incidentally, a big use of the internet on the Camino Norte was the ability to have Google Maps on my iPhone at any time. Knowing exactly where I am helps get me back on track to the camino in the guide especially a couple to times I decided to stray from the path for a bit.

One thing that Camino del Norte has taught me, is that there are many paths especially when the way is very winding. I will be hopelessly lost if it wouldn't for the Google Maps (which requires the internet to display the map).

 

[Miradeara]

Re: Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

Hi Evan,
Read every post on your blog last night. It was great! Got me even more excited but also even more nervous about finding accomodation... Especially after all the times u ended up in pensiones and even on the floor!
Looks like offline map access may be too much to ask, so will follow your advice and try for new sim card on my blackberry ( tho maps and apps not nearly as good as iPhone or iPad)
Since I have your attention, can I trouble you for more advice? Im flying into Bilbao on june 30 and fly home to Chicago on July 22. SO realistically about 18 days bc of travel times.
My husband is working in donostia, but will be able to join me for part of the camino.
What would you recommend as a route?
Starting in donostia would make it easier for my husband to join me six days in as he can get easy bus or train to Bilbao. And it is quite beautiful (walked there last summer)
But also thinking would be nice to get to Santiago, wich is theoretically possibly if I start further down, like in Santander...
If I go that route, would you recommend sticking to Norte, or taking primitive?
Would like to avoid industrial areas like gijon and Bilbao burbs, like mountain climbs, woodlands. What was your favorite section?

 

[evanlow]

Re: Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

Hi Miradeara,

This is a tough one. I can only say every camino is different. Even on the Camino del Norte, Gijon may be too big for me with the industrial area after that, but I really like Aviles. Some places I really like are immediately followed by either very hard etape, or places there are not. Still, like in any camino, there are beauty in every place.

As for the starting point, I had the same thought as you at first to start from Donostia, until Mike from the forum showed me this video. The decision to start from Irun became obvious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZYpZSkTotk

I had already walked the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo in 2007, so for this camino, I chose the road along the coast instead. Primitivo is very different, very quiet, up in the mountains and remote, cheaper to stay and you spend less. I enjoyed the solitude and the mountainous beauty. Primitivo will still take 13 days to Santiago out of the 18 days that you have. If you decide to go on the Camino Primitivo, I really recommend to spending a day in Oviedo and walk just right outside the city to visit my favourite pre-romanesque church, Sta. Maria de Naranco. Also, I think the cows on the mountain top before Grandas is the highlight of my Camino Primitivo. So for which is better, they are all so different, it really depends on your preference.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1124615883 ... directlink

Back to the Camino del Norte. If you ask me, my favourite spot really is varied. The landscape on the first week (basque country) is the best but the cost is high as the towns/cities are really resorty (if there is such a word). The best place for me has to be in Tapia (12 km before Ribadeo). The working town with an excellent albergue right at the beach. It is not even on the main route on the Norte as I decided to go there only after discovering that I missed the albergue in La Carida and decided to walk further but along the cyclist path to Tapia instead.

I hope that helps in your decisions. For the time you have, you can either walked all the way to Ribadesella, or walk the Basque country and reserved the last 8 days from Tapia to Santiago, or last 13 days from Oviedo. As for me, I don't really like to skipped sections so naturally I will prefer the first option if I don't have the time, and come back to finish the rest next time.

One last advise, the accomodation guide only gives the municipal albergues (usually donativo or 5-7 euros) or hostal/pension (20 euros and up). Not very applicable for the basque area where even a youth hostel charges 14-18 euros. Beyond that, in Cantabria and Asturias, there are many private albergues (you are talking about around 10-12 euros) which is not in the guide. For that, you might want to check with other pilgrims' guide along the way (which is what I did) which will save on accommodation costs. (e.g. Llanes, the albergue at the train station).

 

[Miradeara]

Re: Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

Evan -- this is brilliant advice. So much to think about... think you should flag this to forum organizer to get highlighted on the Camino Norte section -- it's incredibly useful.
best
Mira

 

[Miradeara]

Re: Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

Hi again Evan!

decided to start in Irun. The transport for my husband to meet me before and after his conference in Donostia was too complicated otherwise. And also think it'll be the most scenic route (think i'll 'cheat' and take feve train outside bilbao to skip industrial bits). Will see if I can make it all the way to Oviedo, then come back another year to finish the camino from there.

thanks again for your help -- posted the link to this thread in a couple other posts of people looking for tips on where to start.

best
Mira

 

[evanlow]

Re: Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

Hi Mira,

Glad to help.

If want to want to take the Feve, suggest you stop in Zamudio instead of Bilbao and walk the last few km along the hill (going up slightly). You will see a beautiful panoramic view of Bilbao and descent down directly into the cathedral of Santiago (slightly off the path like 10 meters).

That's the thing about the Camino, you skipped certain stretches and you might just missed some good stuff. On this stretch from Guernika-Lomo, just the last part will do.

The information I have given actually exist in the forum (piecemeal here and there). The thing about the forum is that with all the immense information available, it is scattered all over. It is same thing for every other forum on the internet. No quick fix especially if you want the participation of the members and also the consolidation of the data/info at the same time, not very easy.

 

[Dutch]

Re: Downloadable maps to iPad? & will I get room in auberges in

Hi Mira,

I just came back from my Camino del Norte.

Would a guide for Camino del Norte with daily maps of each etape in pdf be adequate for you?

If so you can download them from my Google Drive.

Camino del Norte Guide with maps for each etape. (Original PDF)
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B5saV2 ... b08xRzN3dw

Camino del Norte Accomodation Guide (scanned unfortunately)
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B5saV2 ... VDByRXJDdw

Hi Evanlow,

Your links to the pdf's dont seem to work anymore. Do you still have them? Is it possible to post them again? Thnx!!!