Final planning stage.....

[Birdbass]

....
......hello peregrinos (?) I've been here following the many journeys over the past 12/18 months before beginning my Camino early Sept. ( 4th)...and would deeply appreciate any answers to two relatively simple questions.1/ Can anyone give me the approximate distance from SJPdP..to the 'infamous' gate that leads off the road and onto the mountaln 'proper? and 2/...is there anything that will prevent me 'stamping up' 2 passports...one as a 'gift to an elder brother ( I'm 73yrs) he's 78 and suffering a debilitating vascular disease and can barely walk, and will be so proud of his younger brother...him having been a super fit individual most of his life ( ex RM Commando)....many thanks!!

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Hi, Birdbass...
I do not know what you mean by 'infamous gate'. Most of the walk up to to Orisson and then up to the Col de Lepoeder -- prior to the descent into Roncesvalles -- is on one form of road or another, be it asphalt or a dirt farm or logging-type of access road, with a few relatively short sections of single track trail leading from one section of road to another section.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

You know how your brain sometimes reads things wrongly? I just read his forum as "Family Planning Stage" ...

 

[Dorpie]

Welcome Birdbass,

Afraid I also can't give you any concrete answers. On the first point the pilgrim office in SJPdP will give you a sheet with illustration pointing out waypoints along the way. There is a lady called @Monasp from the office who posts on the forum fairly regularly, hopefully she will see this and offer some advice.

On the second point @t2andreo volunteers at the Compostella office at the other end in Santiago and is a wonderful source of information. My suspicion is that only one passport can be stamped (for you) and only one Compostella can be issued but that under certain circumstances this can be devoted to someone else.

I hope Monasp and t2andreo don't mind me volunteering their expertise.

Buen Camino,

Rob.

 

[JIMMYN]

1/ I believe you are referring to the Porte d'Espagne and it is right in town, maybe 300 meters from pilgrim office, as you exit the old town on Rue d'Espagne.

2/ I don't think you will have a problem collecting stamps for your brother. Most people don't treat stamps like an act of god. In many places the stamp sits on a counter and you apply it yourself. Perhaps have a stock line like "esto es para mi hermano mayor que esta enfermo." Your book may have a few more stamps than his if you run into some hard noses. I predict you will have no issues 9 out of 10 times. You won't get a compostela for your brother but you will have the stamp book which is way more interesting in my opinion.

 

[Birdbass]

......my heartfelt thanks to all for the above info.!!!!! The purpose of the 1st question was an attempt to determine a cut off point for my first day of walking, probably around the 12km mark....any suggestion for an established 'focal point' at 'approx' that distance. I'll then make my way back to SJPdP....and taxi back again in the morning....having forwarded my 'kit' to Roncesvalles for pick up at the end of my 2nd day, bypassing what appears to be the 'aggro' of booking Orisson, and simultaneously ironing out equally, the first, challenging leg.... for me, at least, given my type 2,and it's implications!!!! So, again folks, any suggestions?.....

 

[Deleted member 67185]

......my heartfelt thanks to all for the above info.!!!!! The purpose of the 1st question was an attempt to determine a cut off point for my first day of walking, probably around the 12km mark....any suggestion for an established 'focal point' at 'approx' that distance. I'll then make my way back to SJPdP....and taxi back again in the morning....having forwarded my 'kit' to Roncesvalles for pick up at the end of my 2nd day, bypassing what appears to be the 'aggro' of booking Orisson, and simultaneously ironing out equally, the first, challenging leg.... for me, at least, given my type 2,and it's implications!!!! So, again folks, any suggestions?.....

At the 12 km mark, you will be halfway to Roncesvalles, at the 'Virgin of Orisson' monument. You can walk there on the first day, which will complete the steepest section of the stage to Roncesvalles. You will have ample time for taking a slow pace, lots of breaks and rest stops, plenty of time to gaze at and take in the scenery, and to enjoy a great day of walking. Then, you can take either the Express Bouricott shuttle back to either Orisson or to St Jean Pied de Port to spend the night.

The next morning, catch the shuttle back to the Virgen. Then walk about 8 km up a much gentler grade to the Col de Lepoeder, and another 3 - 4 km walking downhill from there into Roncesvalles.

You will need to make reservations for the shuttle ahead of time, but that is easy to do:
https://www.expressbourricot.com/contact-and-booking/

if you want to spend the night in Orisson, reservations are also a must. I would also make a reservation if you decide to go shuttle back into St Jean to spend the night.

 

[Birdbass]

At the 12 km mark, you will be halfway to Roncesvalles, at the 'Virgin of Orisson' monument. You can walk there on the first day, which will complete the steepest section of the stage to Roncesvalles. You will have ample time for taking a slow pace, lots of breaks and rest stops, plenty of time to gaze at and take in the scenery, and to enjoy a great day of walking. Then, you can take either the Express Bouricott shuttle back to either Orisson or to St Jean Pied de Port to spend the night.

The next morning, catch the shuttle back to the Virgen. Then walk about 8 km up a much gentler grade to the Col de Lepoeder, and another 3 - 4 km walking downhill from there into Roncesvalles.

You will need to make reservations for the shuttle ahead of time, but that is easy to do:
https://www.expressbourricot.com/contact-and-booking/

if you want to spend the night in Orisson, reservations are also a must. I would also make a reservation if you decide to go shuttle back into St Jean to spend the night.

......huge thanks ,Dave.....that is exactly what I was 'looking for'.....Once at Roncesvalles, it'll much more practical to gauge my daily walking 'rate'....hoping it will average 23/26km daily...getting me to Santiago by day 34/35 with an allowance of 3/4 respite days on the way through...but hey....I'm fully cognizant of the expression...'the best layed plans of mice and men'.....so, as the other expression goes....only time will tell!!!!. Thanks again, Dave. Best!!!

 

[NomadBoomer]

It's not 12km but I recommend that you try booking into Orisson if you can get in. Then you don't need to organise taxis and the walk to roncesvalles the next day is not too difficult. If you think you will be slow walking then book roncesvalles too as it ran out of beds by 3 pm when I was there last September.

 

[Deleted member 12253]

At the 12 km mark, you will be halfway to Roncesvalles, at the 'Virgin of Orisson' monument. You can walk there on the first day, which will complete the steepest section of the stage to Roncesvalles. You will have ample time for taking a slow pace, lots of breaks and rest stops, plenty of time to gaze at and take in the scenery, and to enjoy a great day of walking. Then, you can take either the Express Bouricott shuttle back to either Orisson or to St Jean Pied de Port to spend the night.

The next morning, catch the shuttle back to the Virgen. Then walk about 8 km up a much gentler grade to the Col de Lepoeder, and another 3 - 4 km walking downhill from there into Roncesvalles.

You will need to make reservations for the shuttle ahead of time, but that is easy to do:
https://www.expressbourricot.com/contact-and-booking/

if you want to spend the night in Orisson, reservations are also a must. I would also make a reservation if you decide to go shuttle back into St Jean to spend the night.[/QUO

Lucky you No Fog No Mist No storms or Driving rain or Snow in Pyreenes. On one of my trips from SJPdP fog so bad we used a rope to stay together as visability down a few feet. On a good day its bit of heaven Buen Camino