Norte/Primitivo Feb/Mar 2020

[dnaleonard]

Hello Peregrinos,

I will set out for a Camino adventure mid to late February this year. I intend to walk the Northern Way as I have a friend to visit in San Sebastian and have just about settled on finishing via the Primitivo in time to be in England on April 2. After research, I understand accommodation can be an issue this time of year. Has anyone traveled this route this early in the season in recent years? Anything you are willing to share would be most welcome!

 

[trecile]

Use Gronze.com to determine which albergues are open. The website is in Spanish, but if you use the Chrome browser it will automatically translate to English.

Camino del Norte | Gronze.com

www.gronze.com

 

[dnaleonard]

Use Gronze.com to determine which albergues are open. The website is in Spanish, but if you use the Chrome browser it will automatically translate to English.

Camino del Norte | Gronze.com

www.gronze.com

Thank you! I have installed Chrome so I can read Gronze. Most helpful!

 

[Jan_D]

I walked in March last year. It was cold, wet, lots of the albergues were closed. And I didn't see another pilgrim for days on end! But I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself

In all seriousness: this is a beautiful region, and you'll get to visit some great towns and cities along the way, but as a first-timer, I hope you aren't expecting a certain type of 'camino experience'. I spent a few days walking with a first-timer in March last year, and she said that, had she known how frustrating it was going to be (with the lack of albergues, lack of pilgrims, the torrential rain), she would definitely have chosen a different path.

"... calling a couple of days ahead to see if anyone is willing to take a pilgrim in the less expensive, but usually closed, auberges?" - not sure what you mean by this? The municipal albergues are run by volunteers, who come in for very specific dates, so if they're closed, there's nobody to call. Most of the municipal albergues open for the season around Easter, maybe earlier in March if you're lucky. (You might have more luck with the private albergues - which are obviously not geared solely for pilgrims).

You will need to be prepared for the weather: it's quite mild along the coast right now, but just last week a massive storm lead to the closure of paths and beaches. When I walked last year, we were diverted a couple of times due to severe flooding. There's also a chance of snow on the Primitivo (fellow forum member Sara Dhooma did the Primitivo last month, if you want to get an idea of winter weather on this path). Of course, you might luck out and have a few days or even weeks of beautiful sunshine... the weather can be very temperamental in this part of the world! It's just about being prepared, and managing expectations.

 

[dnaleonard]

I walked in March last year. It was cold, wet, lots of the albergues were closed. And I didn't see another pilgrim for days on end! But I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself

In all seriousness: this is a beautiful region, and you'll get to visit some great towns and cities along the way, but as a first-timer, I hope you aren't expecting a certain type of 'camino experience'. I spent a few days walking with a first-timer in March last year, and she said that, had she known how frustrating it was going to be (with the lack of albergues, lack of pilgrims, the torrential rain), she would definitely have chosen a different path.

"... calling a couple of days ahead to see if anyone is willing to take a pilgrim in the less expensive, but usually closed, auberges?" - not sure what you mean by this? The municipal albergues are run by volunteers, who come in for very specific dates, so if they're closed, there's nobody to call. Most of the municipal albergues open for the season around Easter, maybe earlier in March if you're lucky. (You might have more luck with the private albergues - which are obviously not geared solely for pilgrims).

You will need to be prepared for the weather: it's quite mild along the coast right now, but just last week a massive storm lead to the closure of paths and beaches. When I walked last year, we were diverted a couple of times due to severe flooding. There's also a chance of snow on the Primitivo (fellow forum member Sara Dhooma did the Primitivo last month, if you want to get an idea of winter weather on this path). Of course, you might luck out and have a few days or even weeks of beautiful sunshine... the weather can be very temperamental in this part of the world! It's just about being prepared, and managing expectations.

Thank you for the response and your super generous list of winter albergues. I have bookmarked it! The call ahead business was based on comments in different forums here, so I am glad to hear ahead of time I might be barking up the wrong tree. I am going back and forth in my mind whether to do the Norte or switch to the more traveled Frances and just pop over to San Sebastian for a visit before I start. Either way, I won't know what I'm missing since it's my first. The snow is not a major deterrent for me as I do a lot of winter hiking in the White Mountains here in the US. There is so much to think about. I research for an hour and switch to Frances and research another hour and switch back to Norte and so on and so on. Maybe I should switch my title to Some Camino or Other 2020!

 

[Jan_D]

I research for an hour and switch to Frances and research another hour and switch back to Norte and so on and so on. Maybe I should switch my title to Some Camino or Other 2020!

Might sound a bit hippy drippy, but I'm a firm believer in walking a path that 'calls' to you. For my first camino, I walked the Aragones: I didn't really know much about the various camino routes; for some reason I just felt drawn to this path (maybe I just thought the name sounded romantic, haha). There were hardly any other pilgrims, it was very hot and barren, but it truly was one of the best experiences of my life.

So don't overthink it. I didn't mean to put you off by describing some of the more negative aspects of a winter walk: it's just that I've met a few neophytes who have built up the idea of "the camino" in their minds, and are then disappointed when things don't meet their expectations. But you don't sound like that! So just pick the path that gives you the greatest sense of excitement and adventure in your heart. Personally, I love the Norte at any time of year - even in winter, there's something invigorating about the strong winds and wild seas. And it's not like you're ever going to be stranded in the middle of nowhere - you'll never be more than a few miles from a warm bed and a hot meal, and the Spanish public transport system is amazing. Whatever you decide, it'll all work out in the end!

 

[dnaleonard]

Might sound a bit hippy drippy, but I'm a firm believer in walking a path that 'calls' to you. For my first camino, I walked the Aragones: I didn't really know much about the various camino routes; for some reason I just felt drawn to this path (maybe I just thought the name sounded romantic, haha). There were hardly any other pilgrims, it was very hot and barren, but it truly was one of the best experiences of my life.

So don't overthink it. I didn't mean to put you off by describing some of the more negative aspects of a winter walk: it's just that I've met a few neophytes who have built up the idea of "the camino" in their minds, and are then disappointed when things don't meet their expectations. But you don't sound like that! So just pick the path that gives you the greatest sense of excitement and adventure in your heart. Personally, I love the Norte at any time of year - even in winter, there's something invigorating about the strong winds and wild seas. And it's not like you're ever going to be stranded in the middle of nowhere - you'll never be more than a few miles from a warm bed and a hot meal, and the Spanish public transport system is amazing. Whatever you decide, it'll all work out in the end!

That's great advice. I'm a "new plan A" type as a general rule, so if all goes wrong I will belly up to a bar somewhere and pull out my knitting until things improve! This will be a much different adventure than my usual backpack trips. The Tour du Mont Blanc had hostels and albergues v. my usual tent camping, but I booked them all ahead since I was there during the busy UTMB. This trip will be my first with a daily bed challenge. Usually, I'm just hunting a flat spot! This will be my first time in Spain and my longest trek alone. Lots of firsts on the Camino!

 

[Jan_D]

as a general rule, so if all goes wrong I will belly up to a bar somewhere and pull out my knitting until things improve!

That's the spirit! Make sure you try the Basque liqueur "patxaran" - aka Nortegrino fuel

A tip for accommodation: if the municipal albergue is closed, and you need to find private accommodation, it's a good idea to look on booking.com... Not necessarily to make a booking, but to check what's available, and to get the address of whichever hotel/hostel appeals. If you just arrive at their doorstep, they'll often charge you the "pilgrim rate" (no guarantee, but it's worth a shot).

 

[dnaleonard]

Will do!

 

[Deleted member 92681]

Very helpful Jan,
I'll use Gronze.com to do my research for Primitivo accommodations in early May.

 

[trecile]

A tip for accommodation: if the municipal albergue is closed, and you need to find private accommodation, it's a good idea to look on booking.com...

Do double check on Gronze.com to make sure that any place that you find on booking.com is on or near the Camino!