Leaving St jpdp March 16th 2009

[Olafur]

Hello, I will be leaving St Jean Pied de Port on the morning of March 16th if all goes as planned. I am from Iceland, male 49 years old and starting the journey on my own, that is if I dont meet some fellow travellers the first morning ..... Icelands economy has crashed as well as most economies around tthe world and now is a good time to talk a good long walk and unwind

Please let me know if you are leaving at the same time and we can support each other the first steps

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi welcome to the forum - I am sure you will have an exciting and really rewarding Camino. I'm sure there will be other pilgrims walking the day you set off. You'll meet them on the way. In fact I'll e mail you a bottle of JohnnieWalker if you don't!

Promise

John

 

[Olafur]

Thanks for the reply Johnnie Walker .... I might need the bottle maybe to get through the first 27 km over the pass, weather report is fine at the moment but mountain weather changes fast, but hey, I am Icelandic should be used to snow and mountains

How long is the walk in hours to Roncesvalles in fair weather and as average walker ?
Thinking of when in the morning is best to start.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi - firstly the Pilgrim Office in St Jean will advise on weather conditions - take their advice! They will also provide a detail map. There is also the route by the lower road. And there is also the option of stopping at the albergue at Orisson on the Route Napoleon. The climb on the Rt Nap is sustained - therefore the time it will take depends on a number of factors principally your usual walking speed and the time you may take for breaks.

 

[Olafur]

Thanks Johnnie for the advice, I estimate 8+ hours given the weather is fair and with soem rest. Otherwise I will break the route in two sections if weather is not looking to good.

 

[Arn]

Olafur,

Less than a week to go...how many times have you packed and repacked your things? Well, regardless, you have a few more days to do it again.

While I agree with you that weather may be the deciding factor about the first day, may I echo Johnnie Walker's suggestion that you break your day in two by staying in Orisson the first night. Even if you are in good shape, unless you've been walking with your pack up a steady incline for eight hours at a time, small undetectable strains or injuries may become aggravated without the benefit of some healing rest.

Buen "up the hill" Camino,

Arn

 

[Olafur]

Hi Arn, actually I am just starting today to find my gear and pack, maye because I just decided yesterday to do the camino now, no more thinking about it ... I might need to pack and repack night and day now untill Saturday when I fly to London from Iceland.

Thanks for the advice, I agree with you and I am seriously considering breaking it up into two days walk to Roncesvalles.

Tell me, is there any other place than Orrison to stay ?... how much of the incline has been achived at Orrison ? I am curious as it is only about 6-8 kilometers from SJPDP and still around 20 Kilometers to Roncesvalles from there. Do you know of any pictures and map online that can show us what it looks like and what to expect on the way to Ronesvalles ?

 

[KiwiNomad06]

This is a copy of the altitude chart from SJPP to Roncesvalles that is given out by the Pilgrim Office in SJPP. The five kms or so just before Orisson are mostly quite steep, but the incline is slightly less steep after that. Actually, this chart can scare the daylights out of people as it does look so very steep and long, but the bottom axis is on a very narrow scale so it does exaggerate the climb. The climb is long, but a lot of it is on a quiet road, so it isn't at all rugged underfoot.
On the Route Napoleon, there isn't any other place to stop after Orisson before Roncesvalles, (except that some people reported a tipi last year, but perhaps that was just in July-August, as I never saw any signs of one at the very end of May.)
Margaret

 

[Olafur]

Thank you Kiwi, great graphic info that gives you the sense of incline. Resting in Orrison might be a wise decision, maybe a hard one as one might feel that the day has just begun, however lot of incline left and close to 20 kilometers. Small pain and little injury can have bad effects for the rest of the journey if not cared for.

If one decides against maybe better judgement to trail on after Orrison, are there any chances of getting on a bus or calling a taxi if you feel exhausted ..... ?

 

[KiwiNomad06]

No chances of getting a bus! But I did see someone who called a taxi when they arrived at Orisson thinking they had a reservation and were told they didn't They went back to SJPP as it was too late in the day to walk the whole way to Roncesvalles, ready to try walking again the next morning.
Margaret

 

[Olafur]

Strange enough, I have had problems in Iceland finding a poncho that can cover also the backpack, can I buy one in SJPP and maybe small stuff that I might need, hat bugspary etc... ?

Thanks for the replies and good advices, I really appreciate it.

 

[Arn]

Olafur,

There are several stores in SJPDP where you can buy incidentals. But your statement that you've only recently committed to the Camino leaves me with a concern.

What do you currently have in your pack?

That answer will drive so many more decisions that you'll have to make. So, get hopping!

Take all your gear out and make a list. Copy that list here and then be prepared for an avalanche of helpful tips and sage advice. Margaret and I will be joined by any others with good scoop.
Here’s a link to search:

equipment-questions/

As to a poncho/pack cover: I don't know if you can buy one of these at home, but the Altus Poncho can be ordered from this company and express mailed to you at home or to the pilgrim office in SJPDP:

http://www.barrabes.com/buscador/resultados.asp

Altus Poncho link:

equipment-questions/topic5009.html

Arn

 

[Olafur]

Thank you Arn, here is the current list for my pack:

Warm sleeping bag 1,8 kilo ( for cold weather in Iceland )
3 pair socks
2 pair underwear
1 pair short tight bicyckle underwear ( good for keeping legs from rubbing together )
1 tshirt short sleave
1 t shirt long sleave ( warm)
1 one layer trekking jacket ( breathable )
1 thin flease jacket
1 thin leggings ( base layer )
1 raintrouses
1 thin trekking trouses w/two Zip layers for different length
1thin trouses ( extra trouses, not sure if I need them, decide when weighing ) ?
1 pair thin flees gloves
1 flees hat
1 sunglasses
1 sunscreenhat
1 good Nike walking sandals 800 gr.
1 pair Meindl Island boots
1 pair walking poles
1 earplugs
1 swiss army knife
1 very light thin aluminium thermal coat for emergency
1 moskito net
1 extra shoe lases
1 packet heel blister pads
1. band aid plaster
1 crepe bandage
1 drugs ( antibiotics, painkillers, ibufen and Voltaren gel )
1. whistle
1. camera
1 notebook and pencils
1 sukotu gamer
1 gsm mobile phone
1 wifi phone ( are there any wifi on the way) ?
1 needle and thread
1 poncho ( when I find one )
1 toothbrush and deodorant
1 antifugal cream
1 headlight
1 ipod or mp3 player
1 2litre water container

Think this covers most of my things

 

[Olafur]

One thing I am curious of is how many pilgrims are leaving SJPP or Roncesvalles daily as average at this time og year or mid March ?

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Looks like 300 or so in February last year:

http://www.archicompostela.org/Peregrin ... es2006.htm

So....say around 400 for March

Olafur - you have your rucksack packed, you have flights, you know how to get to Roncesvalles - I promise that once you get there all will be well...there will be other pilgrims. Once you get started the pilgrimage just unfolds. Go with it.

John

 

[Heloise]

John - I´m sure you meant 300 or 400 in whole March, not a day? If I undestood right, Olafur asked about pilgrims starting in one day. Just in case someone gets the illusion there´s 400 sleeping in the albergue of Roncesvalles

Heloise

 

[JohnnieWalker]

oops - YES in the month Weekends are busier then weekdays so ...

 

[Deleted member 3000]

In 2008, the following number of pilgrims arrived in the tourist office in Santiago:

March - 5328
April - 5655
May - 15988
June - 15860
July - 20989
August - 29747

If it takes 30 days, then 200 left daily in February and March, 500 left daily in April and May, 650 left daily in June, and 1000 left daily in July.

A total of 98729 were on the Camino Frances. Of those 15763 left from St. Jean Pied de Port, 9172 left from Roncesvalles, and 4327 left from Pamplona.

Historical data does not tell how many left each day. I hope this helps (it is meaningless to me!).

 

[Olafur]

Interesting iformation, I guess there are other solo pilgrims that speculate if they will be alone on the first day to Roncesvalles, and in my case I am jojoing if to start at SJPP or Roncesvalles, guess it is wise to head to Roncesvalles so early in the season, also not wanting to stay at Orisson from midday waiting to move on.... I am sure I will be much more relaxed further on the road

 

[Olafur]

Hello fellow pilgrims, I left SJpdp on march 16th as planned, walked the Valcarlos route as adviced by the locals as there had been deaths on the higher route, Orisson was closed so not an option to stay there so early.... I walked to Santiago and then to Finisterre, absolutely a great experience that can only be understood by those who do the same .... got all kinds of weather, sun, rain, snow, fog, heat, frost etc... just adds to the flavour ... strange to arrive in Santiago, felt empty as the real experience is the camino and the people as well as the time spent alone.. Finisterre was a better fealing than Santiago, sence of accmplishment. To those who gave me advice, thank you and Jonny Walker, I was never alone when I needed company, to those who are planning the pilgrimage I say Buen Camino

Olafur

 

[sillydoll]

Olafur - congratulations on your walk!! I'm sure it is much harder in the rain, snow, frost and fog! Did you have a blog?