My First Camino starting in Pamplona

[Quicci]

Hello everyone
I am Peter from Slovakia, and I am about to start my first Camino from Pamplona to Santiago de Compostella on September 7th this year, not really caring when it may end: I have all the time I need.
I am skipping the Pyrenees part due to my physique - or, rather lack of it. I do love walking, but I am not an athlete or a seasoned hiker.

I plan to arrive to Pamplona by train on September 6th, and start looking around for a Pilgrim pass. Here my nosy questions start: is it possible to buy a pilgrim pass in places where I can get credentials?

Also, is it possible to take a bed in albergue on the first night before I set foot on the way, or should I book a hostel/airbnb in advance?

In general, what is a "good form" for booking beds in albergues? Is it safe to look for the spot when I get to the city I want to stay for the day, or is it necessary to book in advance? Are advance bookings even considered?

Lastly, how big a hurdle it will be to communicate when I speak little to no Spanish?

It is less than a month to go for me, and I am already over-planning it.
Thanks for help and advice to all my questions! These were surely answered time and again, and I would be grateful for a link where I can find out more.

 

[onwayhome]

Hello everyone
I am Peter from Slovakia, and I am about to start my first Camino from Pamplona to Santiago de Compostella on September 7th this year, not really caring when it may end: I have all the time I need.
I am skipping the Pyrenees part due to my physique - or, rather lack of it. I do love walking, but I am not an athlete or a seasoned hiker.

I plan to arrive to Pamplona by train on September 6th, and start looking around for a Pilgrim pass. Here my nosy questions start: is it possible to buy a pilgrim pass in places where I can get credentials?

Also, is it possible to take a bed in albergue on the first night before I set foot on the way, or should I book a hostel/airbnb in advance?

In general, what is a "good form" for booking beds in albergues? Is it safe to look for the spot when I get to the city I want to stay for the day, or is it necessary to book in advance? Are advance bookings even considered?

Lastly, how big a hurdle it will be to communicate when I speak little to no Spanish?

It is less than a month to go for me, and I am already over-planning it.
Thanks for help and advice to all my questions! These were surely answered time and again, and I would be grateful for a link where I can find out more.

Hi Peter
You can get a credential in advance from this forum, or in Pamplona probably from the municipal Albergue or maybe the Cathedral.

Yes you can spend the first night in an Albergue if you have your credential, you have to start walking from somewhere!

You can't book municipal albergues in advance, so they may not have a bed if you arrive late in the day. private ones often are bookable. Pick the option that suits you best, depending on budget, comfort ,flexibility, desire to meet other Pilgrims etc. You will probably get a sense of what works for you as you go along.

I would say it's worth learning some basic Spanish, to greet people, say thanks, maybe ask some directions, or find out what is on the menu.

Have a great Camino and enjoy all that unnecessary planning, sounds very familiar to me as part of the pre Camino experience.

 

[SYates]

Hi neighbour ;-) I live in the Czech Republic, but I am not Czech ;-) Now to your questions:

To take stress out of your journey, try to get the pilrgims passport beforehand, fe. at ultreia.cz or here at the forum shop. If that is not possible, you can also purchase it, on arrival, at the cathedral of Pamplona and most albergues in Pamplona.

You are perfectly entitled to occupy an albergue bed the night before setting out on your camino ;-)

A lot of albergues are first come, first served, only some private albergues can be reserved beforehand.

The people living alongside the Camino have 1000+ years of experience of pilgrims that don't speak Spanish - it has become a tradition to help those pilgrims, so don't worry ;-)

Šťastné cesty - Buen Camino, SY

 

[MTtoCamino]

Since people arrive from every corner of the world you will meet some who have not communicated easily with anyone. I met people who I used my google translate app to communicate with, both started to cry after being isolated due to lack of interpretation. At a minimum get a translation App if you carry a smart device (phone or tablet)
Buen Camino

 

[Jeff Crawley]

The only time I saw somebody get turned away on their starting night was in Pamplona but the reason the hospitalero turned them away was because they LIVED in Pamplona!

When I sarted from Pamplona I got my credential from Albergue Jesús y Maria, Calle de Compañia 4 (Close to the Cathedral of Pamplona) but they were just about to close - about 9.30 in the morning.

You could try the post office too.

Have a time and try and teach us all some Czech on the way!

 

[Gareth Griffith]

There is a resource on this website listing some of the favourite albergues on the camino. I downloaded this on to my Iphone and also took a printed copy. Many of the albergues listed are private and will take advance bookings. I only phoned ahead to book in the afternoon of the day I intended staying when it was important that I had confirmation of a bed for night, otherwise I would have stayed in the town I was phoning from.

I remember having a communal dinner in an albergue, it was getting dark and raining outside, there were two sets of knocks at the door. The first were two pilgrims who were turned away as there was only one bed spare, the second was one sole pilgrim who was told there was a bed but no food as we had just about finished ours. He decided to walk on.
The point here was it was 4km to the next albergue (which that late in the day is an hours further walking) and there was no guarantee that there would be a bed there either.
Even when there was an albergue that wouldn't take reservations they would comment, "There's 60 beds here and only 16 taken so far, so you've got a very good chance of having a bed tonight!"

Don't worry about your lack of Spanish. English works very well in most places. If you can point your finger at what you want to eat and drink and hold out a handful of money the Spanish will happily help you out.
Have fun and remember "It's your Camino!"

 

[kayagee66]

Credential from this forum, it'll save you looking for one when you arrive. book ahead for cities especially on Saturdays. I unsuccessfully tried 6 albergues in León for a Saturday night, then tried the "Canterbury" albergue 2km before León, a very nice Albergue in an unappealing city outskirts area. Got a bed for the night. When I arrived it was full.
I had 3 nights in Burgos trying to shake off an injury and met people on the Saturday who were walking on as they hadn't found anywhere to stay, the municipal was full, and the rain was torrential.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Lastly, how big a hurdle it will be to communicate when I speak little to no Spanish?

If it is really important and you are talking to a non-English (or Slovakian) speaker you might be able to get to one by pointing to your phone and saying "Amigo?" to get them to call an English speaking friend.

 

[nreyn12]

So exciting to be starting in Pamplona! That is where I started my first Camino in 2005, and it is my home away from home. You can easily get your pilgrim credencial at the municipal albergue, Jesus y Maria, but I would direct you to the English-speaking shop around the corner, Caminoteca. The owners and staff are former pilgrims who understand the needs of pilgrims and can provide any information you may need about the Camino - in English. Caminoteca is open all day, from early to late, not typical Spanish hours, so they will be open even when the albergue is closed during the day. The cost for the credencial is the same at the shop and at the albergue.

If you would like to ensure you have a bed for the night before you start your walk, you can reserve in advance at one of the private albergues. Here is a listing of those, which includes contact information. If you prefer to have a private room instead of a bed in a shared dorm, you can find a number of reasonably priced hotels on www.booking.com.

As for booking beds, you don't need to, but you may want to. You will get a sense of how busy the trail is as soon as you get started. The link above shows all the albergues along the Way, and you can even download an app from the same source.

Many people who serve the pilgrims will speak 'hospitality English', and they already know what you need: food and shelter. If you can learn some basic courtesies in Spanish and pick up 'travel Spanish' as you go, you will do just fine.

Buen Camino!!!

 

[Quicci]

Many thanks for all the useful advice and encouragements!
I am kind of looking forward to waking up super early just to walk for the better part of the day, having feet on my blisters from day 1, drizzle and rain all-the-way, and the rest of the fun

 

[Quicci]

So, here it comes. Tonight I am taking a cab, a bus, a plane and a train to Pamplona, and the stroll to Santiago starts tomorrow (i.e. Wednesday).
I am more nervous/psyched up/excited than I thought I would be.
I guess Ultreia is the word for me now

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Buen camino! And "animo."

 

[onwayhome]

One foot in front of the other. Then again. Keep breathing and enjoy the journey.

 

[Quicci]

It has been almost half a year since I finished my first Camino from Pamplona via Santiago to Finisterre.
The walk changed me, hopefully for good. At least that is what I am being told since I came back.

Walking on my own, and in a great company for almost 800km cleared the mind, and brought me even closer to the beautiful hobby of country walking.
I was lucky and blessed - almost no rain on my way in September/October last year, no serious injuries, just a shin splint and a few blisters.
Meeting amazing people from day 1 til the last day.
Laughs, stories, chocolate and water shared. Hugs and wishes of good fortune from people who were strangers just a few hours ago.

I am in for an another Walk in Spain/& Portugal this year.
Will I walk Camino del Norte? VdlP? Portugues? Either will work fine, I guess, and will in any case end in Muxía - the place I intentionally left out of my first walk.

 

[Paddington Bear]

Thank you for returning to the forum and letting us now how your Camino went. It is lovely to read your experiences.

Best wishes for your next Camino!

 

[Bala]

What a difference from your first post of last year to what you just wrote! Thanks for the update. Your thread should help reassure others who are nervous about starting out. May your next Camino be as enriching. All the best, whatever route you choose!

 

[Leigh Macklin]

I'm echoing others:

Save yourself stress and get the credencial in advance, but if you decide to 'wing' it the Cathedral, Alburgue beside it or Caminoteca are all options.

I learned basic Spanish before I went. However after 30 km of walking I had enough trouble trying to speak English. There was no communication problem. If you are staying at alburgues it goes like this: shoes & sticks here, credential & 6 euro here (stamp), bed here, restroom here, laundry here, laundry line here, questions? Being able to read menus and signage was nice though.

Many private hostels were bookable with bookings.com. I preferred spontaneity, but perhaps booking ahead will allay concerns?