Start walking the Camino on the 3rd of July, 2012

[pkisbenyi]

Hello There,
I will start walking the Camino on the 3rd of July from St Jean. Is there anyone out there who are planning the same thing.
I am a 56 year old teacher from Mississauga, Onatario. This will be my very first pilgimage. I am very excited about it but I have some concerns as well.
I am looking forward to meeting with other pilgrims on the way.
See you there, Pearl

 

[Skshin]

Hi Pkisbenyi,

I will also be walking the Camino in July, but I will be starting on July 6th. This will also be my first pilgrimage. Maybe I'll catch up to you!


Either way,
Bueno Camino!

 

[AlanB]

Hello There,

I will start walking the Camino on the 3rd of July from St Jean. Is there anyone out there who are planning the same thing.

I am a 56 year old teacher from Mississauga, Onatario. This will be my very first pilgimage. I am very excited about it but I have some concerns as well.
I am looking forward to meeting with other pilgrims on the way.
See you there, Pearl

Yes, I am also starting on 3rd July. Can't wait - very exciting.I walked the Portugese last summer but this is my first time on the Frances. Also a teacher, from Scotland. See you there

 

[rebsumm]

...and I'm beginning a little later the same week--I start out on the 7th. I'll have to pick up the pace to meet you, but I hope it happens along the way.
-Rebecca

 

[pbhennessey]

Hi Pearl
I'm a 50 year old teacher from Charlottetown, PEI and I'll be starting on the 4th. Hopefully I'll meet up with you further along the road.
Patrick

 

[suzie morgs]

We start walking on 6th, staying first night in Orisson so may not catch you! What are you guys doing about accommodation around and in Pamplona- we'll be there during festival of San Fermin? Not long now

 

[skippinstones]

Hi Pearl,
I'm starting from St. Jean on the morning of the 4th of July. I'll probably stopover in Orrison the first night though. That way I'll have time to look around St. Jean before I start walking in the morning (and have a leisurely coffee and break my legs in gently) and it will also allow me to arrive earlier in Roncevalles the following day so that I have time to look around there. I haven't decided for sure, yet. However, spending an extra night in the Pyrenees sounds almost too good to pass up. I'm also a teacher---what's with all the teachers? Summer holidays, eh? Yes, I'm also from Canada---Calgary. Hope to see you on the journey.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

it will also allow me to arrive earlier in Roncevalles the following day so that I have time to look around there

Meaning no offense to Roncesvalles, but there is not much to see! Two bars and a church. The mass is an excellent Camino moment, though. There is a bit more to see if you move on 3 km to Burguette; Hemingway's piano, for example. There is no albergue there; just hotels.

 

[Libbytis]

We start walking on 6th, staying first night in Orisson so may not catch you! What are you guys doing about accommodation around and in Pamplona- we'll be there during festival of San Fermin? Not long now

Hi Suzy -- I'm also hoping to start on July 6, but haven't quite figured out how to get from Pamplano to SJPDP on July 5. You mentioned Pamplona. How are you getting from Pamplano to SJPDP and what day are you going from Pamplona to SJPDP? I think I'm taking a bus from Madrid that arrives in Pamplona at 15:30; the Express Bourricot can pick me up at 14:30 but it's 84Euro if I'm alone.

Any chance you need to share the Express?? It's cheaper if we go in groups.

I'd be intrested in your thoughts.

Libby

 

[pbhennessey]

I was hoping to get through Pamplona before the San Fermin festival, but since it starts on the 6th, it looks like I'll be arriving just as it's beginning. As an old Hemingway fan, it would be something to see the running of the bulls, but wading through those crowds with my backpack on would probably be a nightmare. Am a little worried about finding a bed in or near Pamplona that night. Has anyone been in Pamplona during the festival? Any advice?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Most of the beds in Pamplona have been reserved at five to ten times the normal rate since last year. The albergues are closed during San Fermin. The Camino crosses the bull running route, so is closed during the time bracket in the morning. The city is mobbed almost 24 hours a day, though the mob is passed out between about 4 a.m. and dawn! You cannot get a spot to "see" the running unless you claim it very early. The best place to see it is on the internet.

http://www.sanfermin.com/index.php/en/sf10/6-julio

 

[Caminobd]

My group of four Canadian pilgrims will be walking to Pamplona on July 7. We start out from SJPP on July 4. With the anxiety around San Fermin driving me, I wrote to Maribel at Albergue de Maribel in Cizur Minor, months back. Kindly she replied advising me to try arriving around noonish and yes, every year pilgrims arrive at her door not having found accommodation in Pamplona.

You can look at the mundicamino website and/or UR Camino at the villages before and after Pamplona to be knowledgeable about where they are and the distance from other albergues that you may be staying at the night before. Usually there is an email address for the albergue and you can write to them for advice.

Veteran pilgrims may be able to provide better advise around this problem but this is the best that I could come up and I hope this helps.

Hope to see you on the path

 

[scruffy1]

Falcon is absolutely correct concerning Pamplona during San Fermin - don't even consider stopping during that week beginning 12:00, 6 July, when the opening of the fiesta until midnight 14 July but the parties start well before and continue long afterwards. I was there 30 years ago and enjoyed every minute then, everyone very happy, all very colorful and very spontaneous everyone very loud everyone very very intoxicated. Today I wouldn't dream of participating loaded down with a pack back and boots! Consider stopping at Zubiri a tiny place which has nice hostels or Larrasoanna a more cosmopolitan place - the bar in the square next to the church has wonderful tapas. Walk through Pamplona to Cizur Menor basically a small boring suburb of Pamplona with a small albergue good luck finding a place to lay your head. Having said that you will be missing Pamplona one of the most delightful stops along the CF, beautiful, culture, art, architecture good food and lovely people who do go overboard at party time. Its that Basque blood I believe.

 

[Yosemite Paul]

Hi Pearl,

We (two dads, two sons) may be leaving St Jean on July 2nd or 3rd depending on whether we spend the first night there. Also concerned about a good strategy for Pamplona. I''m a former teacher and lived in Canada (SK) for a few years. Back home now in the other CA (California). Just might get to meet up with you.

Paul

 

[emmjayh03]

Hi Paul... My father and I (also Paul) Will be starting our Camino on the 8th... We are starting from SJPDP and hope to make it to Burgos in the time that we have available..

Hope you have a brilliant Camino.

Best wishes
Em

 

[pbhennessey]

This seems to be turning into the Canadians and/or teachers thread! Great to see that so many compatriots and colleagues will be out there at the same time. As for Pamplona, I figure I'll to try to get a bed as close to the city as possible (Trinadad de Arre?) and just prepare for an extra long walk the next day (Zariquiegui or Uterga) and avoid the whole thing. But I agree, Scruffy, missing out on that city is a major disappointment. Maybe next time....