Howdy from Oregon!!

[lorax]

Greetings Everyone.....

This is my first Camino this lifetime.... and I'm curious to see if anything will feel familiar. I am leaving Chicago (a family vacation first to see family and my firstborn) on August 4th going into Dublin. It was the cheapest ticket I could find. Spending a few days there exploring the sacred sites and then on to Biarritz on the 11th. I'd like a day or two to just "be" and then start my Camino on the 14th or 15th of August. SJPP to Finisterre. I'm flying back to Dublin from Madrid on the 28th of October. If I finish faster than I believe I will, I thought I'd start walking towards Madrid.

I have looked forward to this journey since I read my first Camino book when my kids were just little. Now... they are grown and my husband has encouraged this journey. He thought it was a wonderful way to honor all those years of being a wife and mother. What a guy. I AM truly blessed and look forward to whatever experiences my Camino wants me to learn.

Many blessings to you all....

Karla

 

[sillydoll]

Welcome Karla,
I think everyone deserves to walk just one camino in their lifetime!
If you have a few extra days, you could start a bit further back than St Jean. St Palais is a couple of days from St Jean and worth a visit. It has the charming museum 'of pilgrimage' created by a local expert on the pilgrim route through Navarre, Dr Clément Urrutibéhéty. 3km from St Palais is Gibraltar - with a stéle that marks the meeting place of the routes from Paris, Vézelay and Le Puy. A few kms further you climb a hill, the "Chemin de procession" to the Chapelle de Soyaraza with stunning views of the Pyrenees ahead. You will also walk through Ostabat, a small village that was able to accommodate thousands of pilgrims in the Middle Ages.

 

[lorax]

Hi Sillydoll,

Thanks for the welcome. I'd love all and any information... I know I probably have plenty of time. Arriving somewhere around the Camino on Aug 11 and not leaving Spain until the 27th of Oct. Where would I fly into from Dublin to begin further up the path? Are there refugio's along this part as well. I'm really quite clueless about any other walks then those in Spain. I'm struggling to learn some Spanish but there's no way I can learn any french also... would I still be able to communicate. Sorry for showing my "merican" stupidity. But hey....WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENTE' Thank God. Would I encounter many other pilgrims if I started further up in France? Thanks again for any and all information, I truly appreciate it.

Karla

Welcome Karla,
I think everyone deserves to walk just one camino in their lifetime!
If you have a few extra days, you could start a bit further back than St Jean. St Palais is a couple of days from St Jean and worth a visit. It has the charming museum 'of pilgrimage' created by a local expert on the pilgrim route through Navarre, Dr Clément Urrutibéhéty. 3km from St Palais is Gibraltar - with a stéle that marks the meeting place of the routes from Paris, Vézelay and Le Puy. A few kms further you climb a hill, the "Chemin de procession" to the Chapelle de Soyaraza with stunning views of the Pyrenees ahead. You will also walk through Ostabat, a small village that was able to accommodate thousands of pilgrims in the Middle Ages.

 

[sillydoll]

Hi Karla,
Planning is the exciting - yet nerve wracking part of the process!
If you started at St Palais you could get a flight to Biarritz-Bayonne from Dublin as planned.
There are a number of trains from Bayonne to St Palais. Takes 2 hours
You could stay in the Maison Fransicaine in St Palais http://maisonfransicaine.over-blog.com/
You'll have two easy days walking to St Jean and then the uphill trek over the Ibaneta Pass to Roncesvalles.
It is 18km to Ostabat - you could stay in the refuge or in a Gite: http://www.ostabat-compostelle.fr
Gîte d'étape ospitalia at the entrance to the village.(10 euro)
21km to St Jean Pied de Port.
You won't need to learn French for those few extra days.

 

[crackmrmac]

Hi Karla,
Enjoy the anticipation and planning process. I see you're travelling via the emerald isle.....believe me the Camino will be a zillion times better experience.
Perhaps I'll bump into you in Dublin. :wink:

Buen Camino

Brian

 

[jl]

hello karla, Just a thought - I began my last Camino in Le Puy en Velay on August the 4th (2007) and walked in (without any pressure) to Santiago de Compostela on October 4th. I notice that this is roughly your dates - just a bit earlier than you. I found that the more I walked the further I walked - ie as I got fitter, I was able to (and wanted to) walk a lot further. If you PM me I can send the itinerary I followed. Enjoy your planning, it is exciting. regards, Janet

 

[TaraK609]

Hello Karla,
My friend and I are actually making a quite similar pilgrimage this summer. We're flying into Dublin on June 15th from New York and spending a few days there and in Belfast as well. Next, we are traveling through France (Paris, Marseille, Toulouse). From Toulouse, we are not sure as to how we are getting to St. Jean Pied de Port, but are intent on beginning the Camino itself on June 3rd. If you have any tips or interesting info, that would be helpful. Buen camino!

Tara

 

[Deleted member 397]

As JL mentioned you have plenty of time to do a different camino-such as from Le Puy or Seville which I found much more interesting than the Frances route. The other thing to bear in mind is the crowds-you will be travelling at the busiest time.Roughly 130,000 per year do the CF compared ti about 5000 from Seville, also the CF is only 800 kms compared to 1000 from Seville which accentuates the crowds eben more

 

[giorgio]

Hallo Karla , seems that you have plenty of time for your walk.
Would say that Jl suggestion seems a good one to follow. We've walked both the section from Le puy to Saint Jean Pied de Port and then from SJPP to Santiago. These two sections are certainly the greatest walk you can think of doing. A few things to be said
August is VERY busy on the spanish bit, also 1st half of august is somehow busy on Le Puy-SJPP
In france accomodation is not on first-come first serve and no reservation as in Spain. You are supposed to call ahead and reserve (do you know a bit of french?) For this you can get guides telling you what you can find in each town. Trail is signed absolutely well and you'll certainly have people around you so this would be no problem at all.
If you think you can consider the idea i can provide more detailed informations.
Ciao from Italy
Giorgio and Elisa