How difficult in Camino del Norte - San Sebastian to Bilbao?

[kerryabu]

Hello, I am planning to walk the San Sebastian to Bilbao stage of the Camino del Norte in the first week of September 2018. It is hard to gauge from previous posts the level of difficulty for this stage? I am in in my late 50s and have a reasonable level of fitness. From what I have read, the most difficult stage seems to be between Deba and Markina-Xemain. Also a lot of posts refer to the mud on the trails, I would not expect this is in early September? Any advicd would be appreciated!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi kerryabu and welcome to the forum. I think the main reason that it's hard to know exactly how difficult the Camino Del Norte will be for you is because we all have such different fitness levels and tastes. The most objective way to get a sense of how difficult it is is to look at the elevation profiles that some of the online sites have. http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/mobile/los-caminos-de-santiago/del-norte/

Mundicamino.com is another one with elevation descriptions. Difficulty is a combination of steepness and total elevation gain, so by looking at those charts you may be able to compare your abilities to what those charts show.

I just walked the Norte this past summer. I am 67 and in pretty good shape. I was never totally wiped out at the end of any of the stages I walked. No doubt, some of them are challenging. But for me the coastal views made up for it.

The mud can be bad in some spots, but will just depend on whether there's been a lot of rain or not. September is likely to be pretty dry, but there's no way to predict that of course.

 

[ranthr]

I guess the hospitaleros at the albergue in Deba will warn you if the weather makes the path dangerous. In the wet, cold and windy spring of 2013 we were asked to take the train and most pilgrims did.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Perhaps you can tell us how you felt on some of themore hilly stages of the Frances? Did you think you were going to die along the Napoleon route and would never have made it had you not stopped in Orisson? Or did you walk from SJPP to Roncesvalles in 5-6 hours?

What about O'Cebreiro?

How long were your comfortable stages on the Frances?

 

[CaminoMatt73]

I'm starting the Nortes on the 13th or so, so I'm a week behind you. I've walked the Frances, VDLP and Portugal twice in the last year.... even backwards and I can tell you one thing...... tough means more time.

FYI the first day on CF, one would walk 1200 metres up and then down. First day of Nortes, it's 200 metres up and down twice. Approximately of course. Take your time and you'll do well. My thoughts....really getting excited. One month left until walking time

 

[Kanga]

Nothing on the Norte is as tough as the climb from SJPDP to Roncesvalles (either Napoleon or Valcarlos). Which is perhaps meaningless if you have not walked that.

It is pretty hard to assess how you will find it without knowing your usual activity level - it varies so much from place to place, occupation to occupation. If you were a city dwelling indolent office worker - I would say it is quite tough. If you were a construction worker or a country dwelling sheep farmer in the high country - I would say easy peasy!

 

[Deleted member 12253]

No problem. Into Deba fairly steep but escalator on steet. New boardwalk after Deba so no mud go for it. Easy buen camino

 

[kerryabu]

Thanks for all the advice. I suppose there is only one way to find out!

 

[Angelika 76]

I'm starting the Nortes on the 13th or so, so I'm a week behind you. I've walked the Frances, VDLP and Portugal twice in the last year.... even backwards and I can tell you one thing...... tough means more time.

FYI the first day on CF, one would walk 1200 metres up and then down. First day of Nortes, it's 200 metres up and down twice. Approximately of course. Take your time and you'll do well. My thoughts....really getting excited. One month left until walking time

Hi I am leaving on the 12th so maybe we'll meet on the way . Buon Camino