Novices in June - St Jean Pied de Port to Roncevalles

[Salamanda]

Two other female novice pilgrims and I want to walk a fortnight of the Camino Frances leaving about 3 June 2015. We are not very young or very fit but are prepared to train - we would love to know the answers to these questions please - we have read Brierley and S. Yates! In every way - romantically, visually and historically - we would love to leave from St Jean Pied de Port. BUT...

1. What training would we need to do for the Pyrenees?
2. What will the weather be like in June?
3. Both routes, the upper and the lower, are called "arduous". If the weather is OK, should we try for the Route de Napoleon?
4. None of us has ever walked up a mountain! How should we practise? Would Snowdon be a good idea?
5. Would we need ankle support - shoes or boots?
6. What is the going like underfoot - is it smooth or rough?
7. Can we buy a really detailled walking guide along the lines of: "Go through the gates, turn left, go past a tall tree, turn right etc" or a really large scale map of the Pyrenees? Or are the signs really enough?
8. Anything else you can think of to help!

Thank you in advance.
Salamanda

 

[SYates]

Blush, blush, blush Me and John Brierley in the same sentence, I feel honored!

Ok, here my answers to your questions:

1. Break it up in two stages, seriously! Orisson requires reservations, so get that one early. I also just wrote a post here https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...esvalles-bail-out-location.30990/#post-267802 for making that bit a bit more easy.

2. Could be everything, sorry, my crystal ball is clouded just now. Generally you will have a greater risk of heat than cold, dry than rain (take plenty of water!) and strong adverse winds are always a possibilty.

3. Ask the pilgrims office in SJPDP on arrival, if they say it is ok, it usually is, as they are very conservative/security conscious in their advice.

4. YES! Snowdon would be a great practise ground!

5. Depends on your ankles, it is hiking, not climbing! I prefer shoes, but that is just me, but generally speaking leave the heavy-leather boots at home, do for something lighter but water proof.

6. Most of the way over the Pyrenees is actually on minor tarmac roads, and only the bit over the top is on rocky / gravel paths.

7. The pilgrims office in SJPDP will issue you with something like this for free and the way is really easy to follow!

8. Just one thing - Wishing you a Buen Camino!

SY

 

[naplesdon]

There are numerous threads written about the first day or two out of SJPdP, you need to research them.
You will need to train for the Pyrenees just like you train for the Camino, giving yourself the confidence to walk at least 20km in 6 hours or so. The walk from SJPdP to Pamplona is as difficult going up as it is in going down. Stay at Refuge Orisson if you can the first night and pace yourself on the day from Roncesvalles to Zubiri, the downhill is a killer.
No one will have any idea about the weather until a few days ahead, it is very changeable in the mountains but generally in June it should be coolish in the morning and warm and sunny in the afternoon.
I am 68 and have walked the Camino several times and I wear boots in the mountains because I need the support for the neuropathy in my right ankle.
The walking surface is varied but not difficult unless it has been raining. The short path down to Roncesvalles is through a woods cover with slippery leaves, the pathway down to Zubiri is over large swathes of loose slate and if it is wet you are liable to slip and slide all the way down the hill for several hours.
You don't need a guide, just follow the yellow arrows and the crowds of pilgrims.
Look into a Jacotrans to deliver your heavy bag and carry a day pack to minimize your load the first few days.

 

[dougfitz]

What training would we need to do for the Pyrenees?

It would be foolish to contemplate crossing the Pyrenees, even in two days, without some preparation, particularly if you are not a regular walker. Good preparation now will make getting through your first day much easier.

Get a reasonable hill walk into your weekly walking pattern. I am lucky to have a good walk I can do from home with about 200m of elevation gain, and another within 30 minutes drive with 700m of elevation gain and a whole lot more between those two. I would did the local (200m gain) walk every weekend, and in the last few weeks substituted walks with a higher elevation gain every other week.

You have plenty of time to get your walking distances up, but don't leave it too long. A good graduated build up program that doesn't assume that you have a high level of fitness at the start can be found here. If you start now, do the program for the shorter walks first, then the preparation program for the longer walks.

 

[Mark Lee]

Two other female novice pilgrims and I want to walk a fortnight of the Camino Frances leaving about 3 June 2015. We are not very young or very fit but are prepared to train - we would love to know the answers to these questions please - we have read Brierley and S. Yates! In every way - romantically, visually and historically - we would love to leave from St Jean Pied de Port. BUT...

1. What training would we need to do for the Pyrenees?
2. What will the weather be like in June?
3. Both routes, the upper and the lower, are called "arduous". If the weather is OK, should we try for the Route de Napoleon?
4. None of us has ever walked up a mountain! How should we practise? Would Snowdon be a good idea?
5. Would we need ankle support - shoes or boots?
6. What is the going like underfoot - is it smooth or rough?
7. Can we buy a really detailled walking guide along the lines of: "Go through the gates, turn left, go past a tall tree, turn right etc" or a really large scale map of the Pyrenees? Or are the signs really enough?
8. Anything else you can think of to help!

Thank you in advance.
Salamanda

1. Did it twice, both routes, in my 50's with no training. SJPDP to Roncesvalles or Burguete, ValCarlos and Napoleon...one day. Not the fastest guy on the Camino, but I never had injuries or blisters and always covered at least 20 km a day (except the day after I got too pissed the night before in Pamplona last year. I was only good for a 15 km that day ).
2. Did it the first week in June of last year. Day one-SJPdP to Burguete (Napoleon route). It was beautiful weather.
3. Both routes are cool. Up to y'all which one you want. If you want to see more fellow pilgrims, for sure the Napoleon is the way to go.
4. I suppose some training would help. Do some day hikes, with elevations while wearing a pack.
5. I wore trail shoes (Merrells) for both my Caminos. I liked them because they were lightweight and dried fast.
6. Terrain varies. Shoes with Vibram type soles help a lot, but mainly take your time and watch your step.
7. If you already have a guidebook, that will suffice. Plenty of signs and plenty of pilgrims to follow.
8. Travel light. Don't pack stuff you think you may need. Did I mention travel light? It's not the wilderness. It's not a death march. It's not a trek up Everest. Just a jaunt through beautiful northern Spain.

 

[Icacos]

1. None of us has ever walked up a mountain! How should we practise?

If hills/mountains are hard to come by, find a convenient set of stairs somewhere and regularly spend some time on them; remember that training in the descents is just as important, if not more, than the ascents. Your muscles will thank you.

 

[Ahhhs]

There are many YouTube videos done by people who have walked the Camino. Search "Camino de Santiago" and watch a few of them. You'll see lots of examples of the various types of terrain and what many of the paths look like. (As well as some of the towns and albergues etc.) Although the weather is unpredictable as it is everywhere, it does help to visualize what you may encounter. And it's fun to hear what people say about their journeys.

Enjoy!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

the weather is unpredictable

It is not so unpredictable; it will be the same this year as last year, but on different days. June is temperate with almost no snow danger.

 

[Salamanda]

S Yates, Biarritz Don, Dougfitz, Mark Lee, Icacos, Ahhhs, Falcon269 and RobertS26 (private conversation) - Thank you all so much for your really helpful and reassuring replies! It was exactly what I wanted, to hear these kinds of details from people that had actually been there. I think the ideas of making it easier on ourselves for those first two days are excellent, especially not having to carry the packs. BTW, I am a needlewoman of sorts but the patch here is a picture of a professional one from a Camino shop website - I have bought the material and embroidery silks and plan to sew a copy myself (anything to avoid the training - no, only joking).

 

[Salamanda]

We three Novices have spent the last three months following most of your advice and walked 10 miles on Saturdays - last weekend was two days on the North Downs Way (see pic of the Devil's Kneading Trough) with a night in a B and B and full packs - a good test! Loads of angsting still going on but only two weeks left to make final decisions and we are trying not to "over-plan" our Caminos. Got Pilgrim Passport and some lovely patches from Ivar's store....Would anyone like to share the cost of a taxi (we have booked Sweetcabs - 120 Euros from 1-8 people) from Biarritz Airport to St Jean Pied de Port on Wednesday 3 June, meeting Ryanair flight FR372 which should get in at 17.05? I will put this request up on whatever other headings there are which seem to be right for this.
Thank you again for all the help and encouragement.