charlesstones
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- France 05/2018 & Portugues 09/2018 , France 05/2019
Planning Via del Plata
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Thank you good luck with yours I will be near Bilbao again when you start your walk, I will try and keep you posted of any issues that come up to give you a heads up on things. CharlesHi Charlesstones,
I am starting the Norte on March 20. I'm stopping for two days about once a week, and planning to be done by end of April. So I imagine I'll be significantly behind you, but still thought I'd say hi.
Lex
Hi always take lots of pictures, I walked from Lisbon and the Porto stretch is the best, I would recomend doing the coast route out of Porto as the walk through the middle is a little grim, you can return to the middle route later and from then its very good. Good luck. CharlesWhen you go next year. Take some pics for us! We just finished the Camino Frances from Leon to Santiago. It was our first Camino. It was awesome. We are thinking of doing the Portuguese Route from Porto next year. Maybe March/April or October.
Thank you!Hi always take lots of pictures, I walked from Lisbon and the Porto stretch is the best, I would recomend doing the coast route out of Porto as the walk through the middle is a little grim, you can return to the middle route later and from then its very good. Good luck. Charles
Am looking at starting in Biarritz beginning of April. That gets me home sometime early May, just in time to plant my garden. So a bit behind you. Did the CF in 2019 and had a somewhat comically disastrous attempt on the VF this fall. Undeterred.Just booked my flight to Bilbao, traveling by train to Irun to start the Norte, arrive in Bilbao on the 15th March and starting from Irun on the 16th of March. This will be my fourth Camino 2 x Frances From SJPdP and 1x Portugues from Lisbon. Hopefully lock down has not destroyed my legs too much still time to warm up and get fit. Look forward to meeting all the perigrenos.
Good luck with your start, I hope all goes well I should be half way by the time you get going. I am starting in Irun so you have a few Kilometre further to walk, but its still Basque country where you are starting from with a gentle walk till you hit the hills from Irun on wards.Am looking at starting in Biarritz beginning of April. That gets me home sometime early May, just in time to plant my garden. So a bit behind you. Did the CF in 2019 and had a somewhat comically disastrous attempt on the VF this fall. Undeterred.
Thank you--and buen camino to you!Good luck with your start, I hope all goes well I should be half way by the time you get going. I am starting in Irun so you have a few Kilometre further to walk, but its still Basque country where you are starting from with a gentle walk till you hit the hills from Irun on wards.
I am on a very similar schedule as you are.... Have you any information on the ferry service?Just booked my flight to Bilbao, traveling by train to Irun to start the Norte, arrive in Bilbao on the 15th March and starting from Irun on the 16th of March. This will be my fourth Camino 2 x Frances From SJPdP and 1x Portugues from Lisbon. Hopefully lock down has not destroyed my legs too much still time to warm up and get fit. Look forward to meeting all the perigrenos.
HiI am on a very similar schedule as you are.... Have you any information on the ferry service?
I'll throw in a plug for the Windy Maps app - no need to download additional GPS tracks, as most hiking/walking trails are built in to the app.It’s easy to do, especially using maps.me or a similar trail map application as the route is not clearly marked.
Yes,,, totally agree,,, Windy Maps is fantastic!!I'll throw in a plug for the Windy Maps app - no need to download additional GPS tracks, as most hiking/walking trails are built in to the app.
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Hi I think you may have crossed wires on the Norte Route I was recently on a Zoom meeting with Dave Whitson who wrote the Camino Norte Guide book and his only concern was that it may be wet and windy and that under the circumstances a pancho was not a good idea but other than that he did not have any concern about March. My only concern at the moment is the Omicron Covid and if we will be allowed to walk then!I walked parts of both of those routes in 2021 and they are equally lovely in their own ways. However, I am going to have to be a bit of a party-pooper here. My apologies in advance…
March is a bit early for walking the Norte and probably impossibly early for the Arles/Aragon route due to seasonably closed albergues and snow. You certainly want to verify the availability of accommodations at that time of year for each of those routes, especially since Covid closed the Basque region’s public albergues in 2020 and 2021. The Somport Pass in Aragon will definitely have snow on it in March - you can bus around the hardest part, but do not be surprised if you have to bus all the way down to Jaca to find trails not adversely impacted by the weather. I’m not saying NOT to walk either of those in early Spring, just that you need to be very flexible and careful regarding weather and finding places to stay.
All that aside, if you walk the Norte, definitely start at the Bayonne airport itself, walking to either Biarritz or Bayonne on the first day after deplaning. It’s easy to do, especially using maps.me or a similar trail map application as the route is not clearly marked. From Bayonne, head to Biarritz via the city streets and then along the shoreline route to St Jean de Luz - the route that skirts the eastern side of the airport isn’t that picturesque.
If you can delay your walk to late March or early April, you’ll find the going a bit easier. May? Perfect!
Rereading what I wrote, I understand the confusion as I lumped two caminoes together in my remarks. I will clarify.Hi I think you may have crossed wires on the Norte Route I was recently on a Zoom meeting with Dave Whitson who wrote the Camino Norte Guide book and his only concern was that it may be wet and windy and that under the circumstances a pancho was not a good idea but other than that he did not have any concern about March. My only concern at the moment is the Omicron Covid and if we will be allowed to walk then!
Ich habe gerade meinen Flug nach Bilbao gebucht, bin mit dem Zug nach Irun gefahren, um den Norte zu starten, komme am 15. März in Bilbao an und starte am 16. März in Irun. Dies wird mein vierter Camino sein, 2 x Frances von SJPdP und 1 x Portugues von Lissabon. Hoffentlich hat Lockdown meine Beine nicht zu sehr zerstört, noch Zeit zum Aufwärmen und fit werden. Freuen Sie sich darauf, alle Perigrenos zu treffen.
Hey, ich werde voraussichtlich den Camino ab dem 07. März beginnen. Das Wäre mein erster Camino und ich bin ein bisschen unsicher, ob ich wirklich so unvorbereitet/ungeplant einen Camino bestreiten sollte. Ich bin erst 20 und es würde perfekt in meine Semesterferien passen. Hat jemand von euch vielleicht ein paar Tipps? Insbesondere wenn es um Unterkünfte geht, bin ich mir nicht sicher, wie genau das abläuft eine Unterkunft zu finden. Für ein paar Tipps wäre ich sehr dankbar.Hey, ich werde voraussichtlich den Camino ab dem 07. März beginnen. Das Wäre mein erster Camino und ich bin ein bisschen unsicher, ob ich wirklich so unvorbereitet/ungeplant einen Camino bestreiten sollte. Ich bin erst 20 und es würde perfekt in meine Semesterferien passen. Hat jemand von euch vielleicht ein paar Tipps? Insbesondere wenn es um Unterkünfte geht, bin ich mir nicht sicher, wie genau das abläuft eine Unterkunft zu finden. Für ein paar Tipps wäre ich sehr dankbar.
Alles Liebe. Vico
I’d be very interested in how your trip went. Considering that route about the same time next year. Good luck to you!Hi Charlesstones,
I am starting the Norte on March 20. I'm stopping for two days about once a week, and planning to be done by end of April. So I imagine I'll be significantly behind you, but still thought I'd say hi.
Lex
I don't know why people don't fly into San Sebastian - the airport is literally just outside of Irun (about a 30 min drive to San Sebastian), just a couple of km from Mt. Jaizkabel.There are some pilgrims who walk the Camino from Bilbao (because of the airport there). And that is really a shame. The distance Irun Bilbao can be walked in one week. You should consider walking this section very carefully because it is a beautiful (perhaps the most beautiful) part of the Camino del Norte.
Probably because there are few flights/itineraries from the person's origin that arrive in San Sebastian. Or it's more expensive. I have looked into it for my Camino, and Bilbao was the closest that I could get flying on United.I don't know why people don't fly into San Sebastian - the airport is literally just outside of Irun (about a 30 min drive to San Sebastian), just a couple of km from Mt. Jaizkabel.
Huh. I flew from the US to San Sebastian last year on American/Iberia via Madrid - it was only a little bit more than flying to Madrid.Probably because there are no flights/itineraries from the person's origin that arrive in San Sebastian. Or it's more expensive. I have looked into it for my Camino, and Bilbao was the closest that I could get flying on United.
Hi...I am thinking of doing bilbao to santander in march. Are the albergues open in mid-late march? Is it necessary to book accom in advance?Just booked my flight to Bilbao, traveling by train to Irun to start the Norte, arrive in Bilbao on the 15th March and starting from Irun on the 16th of March. This will be my fourth Camino 2 x Frances From SJPdP and 1x Portugues from Lisbon. Hopefully lock down has not destroyed my legs too much still time to warm up and get fit. Look forward to meeting all the perigrenos.
I would check gronze.com to see which albergues are open - last summer it was the most up-to-date source. Also, it was advisable to book a day or two in advance last summer, but that was with Covid restrictions in full force and the coastal towns full of student groups booking up private albergues and vacationers booking up pensions and hotels. In March, there will be few, if any, tourists or student groups.Hi...I am thinking of doing bilbao to santander in march. Are the albergues open in mid-late march? Is it necessary to book accom in advance?
Rgds
Henry.
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