First time pilgrim heading to the coast!

[YngPhoenix]

Hi Everyone!

I'm planning on starting my camino the first week of May at Bilbao, following the norte route all the way to Santiago De Compostela. I had a few questions about this:

1. How long would this trail take walking?

2. Is the Camino Primitivo something I should look in to?

3. How is the trail during my target time of year? Cold, Warm, Spring Blossoms, etc?

4. I plan on camping several nights (I know, glutton for punishment ), do I need to find a "campsite" or would I be fine finding an appropriate field?

5. What are some sites and towns that I shouldn't miss? Any special hidden gems (museums, etc)?

I'm pretty physically fit and hike quit a bit, so I'm not too concerned with the difficulty in terrain. I'm also planning on taking a few days break to visit with family members whose town is 50 miles from the trail. Other than those details, I'm really excited that I get to finally take this journey after several years of waiting to!

Thank you all for any information you can give to me!

 

[TerryB]

Hi YngPhoenix,

Welcome to the Forum. You rightly say that there is everything on here already - try using the "search" facility at the top right.
1. Others have walked the whole of the Norte, and you will find that daily distances vary tremendously. Depends on how much time you have available. If you use travel insurance you may need to extend it for over 30 days.
2. I walked from Santander to Santiago in May 2009 on the Norte and Primitivo. I took this route because, although traditionally harder, the stages between albegues / hostals are shorter. Taking some 'short' days it took me 27 days walking (one was only 7 kilometers because I met Alexandro in Bodenaya at 10.00 a.m. got talking and stayed over!) 11 days Santander to Oviedo and 16 days Oviedo to Santiago.
3. In May 2009 the trail was wet in places but passable. Last year there were very bad rains on the Norte in June which washed out some bridges. Weather in April / May is totally unpredicatable so go prepared for anything and everything. Spring flowers don't mind the rain!!!
4. There are campsites but some do not open until the end of May. The same applies in some cases to albergues. I personally would not consider lugging a tent around when there are alternatives, but that is me! I toted 8 kilos which included water. Travel light is the best advice around.
5. "S/he who goes to Santiago and not Oviedo, visits the servant and misses the Master!" The Cámara Santa and Cathedral San Salvador at Oviedo were (and are IMHO) an essential part of the original pilgrimage. Lugo was one of the highlights for me - I spent 3 nights there and still did not see everything. Grandas de Salime - again on the Primitivo has two museums worth a visit.
6. NO - just go for it!!!

blessings
Tio Tel

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Yng,

You have chosen a beautiful Camino to walk. I'm sure you are going to enjoy it very much.

You've already gotten some good advice, and I'll give a few more opinions to confuse things a bit.
1. I think the "average" walker would take anywhere from 26-30 days to walk the Norte from Bilbao (staying on the Norte that is) to Santiago.

2. I've walked both the Norte and the Primitivo. You have to make the choice near Villaviciosa, which is where one option turns south to take you to Oviedo and then on to the Primitivo, while the other option stays on the Coast till Ribadeo. Having walked both ways, I would say there are tremendously wonderful things about both, you just have to make a decision (or wait till you're actually on the Camino and see what the people you've become friends with are going to do). I've got pictures posted from both of them, so you could take a look and see what the differences are in terms of scenery at least.
Primitivo: http://picasaweb.google.com/laurie.reyn ... rimitivo1#
Norte: http://picasaweb.google.com/laurie.reyn ... ELNORTE07#

3. Terry's right, unfortunately, there's just no way to predict the rain. I walked Irun to Santiago starting in the beginning of May and had two or three days of real rain, nothing more. That was in 2007. Others walking a few days ahead of or behind me had lots of hard pelting rain, so your luck will depend not only on the year, but where you happen to be when the rain comes in. We often marvelled at our wonderful luck in getting so little rain on the Norte. I walked the Primitivo inSept/Oct and again lucked out with great weather. Cold sometimes, but dry.

6. My biggest surprise on the Norte was the huge amount of walking on pavement. I don't know if it's still the same, but in 2007, there were many days when I didn't get off road. The primitivo is almost all off road.

Good luck and buen camino, Laurie