gmts

[el4000]

I am new to this site and will be hiking Camino first time in May. Has anyone combined the first stage of the French Way with the First stage of the Northern Way?

 

[CaptBuddy]

Welcome, el4000.
You are a welcomed replacement for our outdated el3000.
Not sure that I understand your question about combining routes. But if you elaborate I'm sure one of the good peregrinos here can help.

 

[el4000]

I would like to hike parts of the coast too and thought I could hike the beginning of the French way take a bus from Pamplona to Irun and haven't figured out the rest. Four woman ranging in age from 65 to 90 will be doing this. We are just in the planning stage. I am sure I will have more specific questions as time goes on. This is such a wonderful site. Thank you so much.

 

[DurhamParish]

Welcome. This forum can be a great help in planning.

Buen Camino.

 

[Dennis D]

This sounds like quite the adventure. You might want to walk further than Pamplona before you bus up to the Northern route. It normally takes a few days for the body to adjust to being a peregrino. If you are determined to change routes, you might want to consider getting to Burgos before doing so. Who knows, by then you just might be happy to stay on St. Frances. Buen Camino !

 

[Kanga]

For a first Camino I suggest you pick one route and stick to it. The Camino is different to a tourist trip - and I don't mean you have to suffer or any other prescription. But one of the joys is to follow the flow, whatever each day brings. There is extraordinarily freedom in abandoning all plans and aspirations, other than to walk that road, each day closer towards Santiago. It seems contradictory but having a straight path towards a single, distant, goal actually focuses the mind on the present - so that we really live "in the moment".

 

[CaptBuddy]

I concur with Dennis. You might want to at least go as far as Logroño. From there you should be able to get a train to San Sebastian. I've driven that route and the scenery is spectacular. From Burgos you could get to San Sebastian as well. The Renfe trains are very good and easy to use (wish I could say the same for the Renfe web site).
The coast is beautiful all the way west. I think the north is becoming more popular and you should be able to find lots of useful info.

 

[mralisn]

Hello,

I think you have found an excellent forum to have all your questions answered. Sometimes others have asked the same 10 times over in one week. Sometimes there are questions posed we have never thought to ask. Enjoy the forum and the wealth of information the kind contributors freely provide. With such a long time before departure, no doubt you will be as ready as you need to be.

Trust in the arrows,
Simeon

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome to the forum el4000, happy planning and Buen Camino.

 

[el4000]

This sounds like quite the adventure. You might want to walk further than Pamplona before you bus up to the Northern route. It normally takes a few days for the body to adjust to being a peregrino. If you are determined to change routes, you might want to consider getting to Burgos before doing so. Who knows, by then you just might be happy to stay on St. Frances. Buen Camino !

For a first Camino I suggest you pick one route and stick to it. The Camino is different to a tourist trip - and I don't mean you have to suffer or any other prescription. But one of the joys is to follow the flow, whatever each day brings. There is extraordinarily freedom in abandoning all plans and aspirations, other than to walk that road, each day closer towards Santiago. It seems contradictory but having a straight path towards a single, distant, goal actually focuses the mind on the present - so that we really live "in the moment".

Thank you everyone.

 

[el4000]

I concur with Dennis. You might want to at least go as far as Logroño. From there you should be able to get a train to San Sebastian. I've driven that route and the scenery is spectacular. From Burgos you could get to San Sebastian as well. The Renfe trains are very good and easy to use (wish I could say the same for the Renfe web site).
The coast is beautiful all the way west. I think the north is becoming more popular and you should be able to find lots of useful info.

From the pictures it all looks so beautiful. Plus it appears to be a time of self reflection and evaluation.

 

[DurhamParish]

For a first Camino I suggest you pick one route and stick to it. The Camino is different to a tourist trip - and I don't mean you have to suffer or any other prescription. But one of the joys is to follow the flow, whatever each day brings. There is extraordinarily freedom in abandoning all plans and aspirations, other than to walk that road, each day closer towards Santiago.

And also by the time you reach Pamplona you will have a "Camino Family" that will be difficult to part with.