Questions for my first Camino in Oct/Nov 2022. Camino del Norte - here I come! :)

[DitaK]

Hello dear Camino community!

My name is Dita and soon I’m doing my first Camino! It has been my dream since highschool and I finally I have opportunity to do it! It will be Camino del Norte starting from Irun on 3rd of October. I know this might be unusual choice, however, I really love coastal area because I come from a place next to the seaside and somehow this route stuck in my head and heart so I chose it. Also, I want more solitude and I learned from the information I read that this is what I can get in del Norte. Despite the challenging terrain, I somehow believe that I will do it!

Flights are booked to Irun, my gear is ready, I'm doing my training hikes and I’m so excited about this adventure! I have been reading this forum a lot, I have watched many videos as well, but I still have some questions. These might be silly for you that have done Caminos already but as a first-timer I do have maaaaaany questions!

My strategy and mindset on this journey is mostly to let the way and my feelings show the plan, however, I’m planning at least first 5 days now from home. I will have a plan for all days ahead, but it will mainly help me to guide myself and as we know plans are made to be changed. So I’m ready to be flexible and to change my plans as needed and based on my physical/emotional condition and also weather of course!

So for now I have questions mostly about albergues, because I know that I’m doing Camino del Norte at “off-season” and maybe some of you have done Camino del Norte in previous years on October/November and have some useful advice regarding this route and the time of the year. I’m okay to choose also hotels or other options, but I would like to stay in albergues as much as possible.

So finally, my questions:

1. My main source in search for albergues and hostels is gronze.com. I have started to get in touch with them so I really know whether they are open or not. And after doing that and getting responses, I see that the information is not precise on Gronze.com – albergue can be closed at the time when I want to stay there. Maybe you have some advice about searching and reserving albergues in Camino del Norte especially in October/November? Or is it safer to book hotels?
2. I really don’t want to overplan my Camino, so I would really like to try also just to come in the town and see – are the albergues open and if not then stay at the more expensive hotel. Would you recommend to do so or better book ahead, for example, day before?
3. I know that in Villaviciosa I can choose to continue del Norte and go to Gijon or go to Oviedo and change the route to Primitivo. I actually would like to try Primitivo as well, but what would you suggest? Is it a good idea at this time of year regarding trail condition, weather and accommodation availability?

I know, this was a lot to read, but I really would appreciate your opinion and advice. If you have other thoughts that could be good to know for a first-timer, I would love to read them!

P.S. I see that there are pilgrims that are posting live from their Caminos. Would you be interested if I would do so?

 

[C clearly]

Hi Dita! Welcome to the forum. I haven't walked the Norte, so I'll leave it to others to answer most of your questions.

I see that there are pilgrims that are posting live from their Caminos. Would you be interested if I would do so?

This is something that is always welcome. If you can't figure out how to add the "LIVE" prefix, don't worry - a moderator will probably notice and do it once they see you are posting regularly from the Camino. Maybe this is an example of something that doesn't need to be planned. You can choose to post as much or as little as you like. You don't need to commit to anything, and you might find that you don't always feel like it! But we love to read whatever you do post.

 

[lt56ny]

Spanish tourists are for the most part done with their vacations so accommodations should be a little easier to come by. I started in 2018 at the end of September. I never had a problem finding an albergue. It was a little more crowded early on. I use Gronze and I also use Buen Camino and the Wise Pilgrim app. Both are free and it just gives you more choices of towns and albergues. No one source has all the places to stay. It is a beautiful camino. Check here for variants to keep you off the road and on the coast more often. Since I have little savvy with these things I just asked other pilgrims and followed them when I could. Infrastructure is pretty good but always check to see how far one village is to the next. I always have some food with me. I walked the whole Norte and did not do the Primitivo. Friends I met on the Norte told me when I saw them in Arzua that the Primitivo was tougher but also beautiful. My most important advice- Go to Boulevard Gelateria in San Sebastian for the Ice Cream version of heaven.

 

[DitaK]

Spanish tourists are for the most part done with their vacations so accommodations should be a little easier to come by. I started in 2018 at the end of September. I never had a problem finding an albergue. It was a little more crowded early on. I use Gronze and I also use Buen Camino and the Wise Pilgrim app. Both are free and it just gives you more choices of towns and albergues. No one source has all the places to stay. It is a beautiful camino. Check here for variants to keep you off the road and on the coast more often. Since I have little savvy with these things I just asked other pilgrims and followed them when I could. Infrastructure is pretty good but always check to see how far one village is to the next. I always have some food with me. I walked the whole Norte and did not do the Primitivo. Friends I met on the Norte told me when I saw them in Arzua that the Primitivo was tougher but also beautiful. My most important advice- Go to Boulevard Gelateria in San Sebastian for the Ice Cream version of heaven.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I am already checking coastal alternatives given by @peregrina2000 (thank you so much for that document you shared!!) because I really want to walk along the coastline as much as possible!
Did you use alternative route after Deba along the coast or went to Markina-Xemein?
And thanks a lot for the tip to try ice cream in San Sebastian! I hope the weather will be suitable for enjoying ice cream!

 

[lt56ny]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I am already checking coastal alternatives given by @peregrina2000 (thank you so much for that document you shared!!) because I really want to walk along the coastline as much as possible!
Did you use alternative route after Deba along the coast or went to Markina-Xemein?
And thanks a lot for the tip to try ice cream in San Sebastian! I hope the weather will be suitable for enjoying ice cream!

I really can't be of much help when it comes to the variants. When I walked there were lots of fantastic young people who basically referred to me as old man. Someone would let me know about variants for the next day and I would just follow along. Cold or hot you really don't want to miss that ice cream

 

[trecile]

Cold or hot you really don't want to miss that ice cream

I've noticed that ice cream is a recurring theme with you.

 

[JerryStroebele]

Dita, I walked the Primitivo in September when the weather was delightful. So is that Camino, but challenging. I walked the del Norte twice into October, the last time into early November. Very windy and rainy that last time. I would not want to walk the Primitivo that late in the season. The del Norte beyond Aviles is more rural than the central coastal area, scenic and delightful.

If I can walk the del Norte again I would take the Metro from Old Town Bilbao the 10 or 12 km north to Portugalete and I would take the bus from Gijon to Aviles. You won't miss much. Buen Camino

 

[lt56ny]

I've noticed that ice cream is a recurring theme with you.

Eat dessert first!!!!!

 

[lt56ny]

I've noticed that ice cream is a recurring theme with you.

Ice Cream is magical and almost changed someone's life. A great friend and I walked the CP in 2017. In Porto we went to get Ice Cream and started talking to the woman serving us. It turned out she was going to get her PhD in music, volunteered in a school teaching music, worked in the Ice Cream shop and traveled to Lisbon a few days a week to work on her PhD. She was 27, single, obviously creative, intelligent, caring, funny and really cute. My friend asked her if she was single. A little surprised and I think taken back that he asked warily said yes. Jerry jumped up and said have I got a guy for you and reached for his wallet to show her a photo of his son. I said at the same time, Sue, his wife, would think she was in heaven if we brought this young woman home for Chris. Jerry told her he could have his son there in 2 days and he would pay for dinner at any restaurant in Porto. I asked her if she had a brother just like her because I could bring my daughters to meet him. She laughed and said "my God, I have found two more mothers". She politely declined Jerry's offer. We talked some more and left to go to sleep. Oh yea, the ice cream was really, really good.
See the magic that is ice cream!!!!

 

[DitaK]

Dita, I walked the Primitivo in September when the weather was delightful. So is that Camino, but challenging. I walked the del Norte twice into October, the last time into early November. Very windy and rainy that last time. I would not want to walk the Primitivo that late in the season. The del Norte beyond Aviles is more rural than the central coastal area, scenic and delightful.

If I can walk the del Norte again I would take the Metro from Old Town Bilbao the 10 or 12 km north to Portugalete and I would take the bus from Gijon to Aviles. You won't miss much. Buen Camino

Thank you so much for sharing! I will really think about these options!

 

[Beth and Rodney]

Sounds like you are well prepared. Make sure you use a weather app. It can rain a lot on both the Norte and Primitivo.

I'd also consult Booking.com for hotels, pensions, and albergues. it's a good resource.

I ve hiked with and without reservations. Try some both and see which fits you. I like reservations the best at my age.

If I were you, I'd switch to the Primitivo at Oviedo - Just for a different terrain and feel. I liked the first half of the Norte better than the second.

Buen Camino

 

[DitaK]

Sounds like you are well prepared. Make sure you use a weather app. It can rain a lot on both the Norte and Primitivo.

I'd also consult Booking.com for hotels, pensions, and albergues. it's a good resource.

I ve hiked with and without reservations. Try some both and see which fits you. I like reservations the best at my age.

If I were you, I'd switch to the Primitivo at Oviedo - Just for a different terrain and feel. I liked the first half of the Norte better than the second.

Buen Camino

Thank you so much! I’m glad it sounds like I’m well prepared.
I guess I will decide to switch or not to Primitivo on the spot because I can see pros and cons in both options. I guess I will follow my feelings and maybe advice from locals or other pilgrims I’ll meet.

 

[trecile]

I guess I will decide to switch or not to Primitivo on the spot because I can see pros and cons in both options.

Good idea. Wait until you get there to decide.