Starting in Irún Sep 10th

[s00thsayer]

Hello Everyone.
I’m planning to start off on Camino Norte from Irún on Sep 10th and have a few last minute questions

• What did you do with the backpacks when you are heading out for dinner etc.? Are there lockers available? Any advice on common sense practices to secure my belongings would be great.
• My plan was to go slow and enjoy the walking. However I’m starting a little later than I first thought and could still be out in November. When do I start running out of albergues on the Norte
• Any other advice if I’m still out there walking in Nov-early Dec relating to facilities (cafes etc) and weather? I’m anticipating temperatures to drop to mid 40s F by late Nov.
• Who else is starting around or after Sep 10 from Irún

Thanks
shyam

 

[lt56ny]

Hi,
I am starting in Irum on September 17.
I would recommend getting a good money belt. Put all your valuables in it:
Passport, pilgrim passport, credit card, ATM cards, cash and any other is. Either always wear it or put it in a convenient place in your pack. Take it out whenever you are away from your backpack. Restaurants, showers, everything.
Always keep it with you. I would not worry about the rest of your stuff it can be easily replaced. It happens but very rarely do people have things taken. Don’t put your pack on your bed it’s dirty and can spread bedbugs. Try to keep your pack off the floor on a chair or hook. Some Albergues will have lockers.
Almost all Albergues will be open until November 1. Then many will clise. But there are also slot less pilgrims on the Camino. There aren’t a lot anyway on the Norte. Go to GRONZE.COM for maps and a great list of Albergues and hotels with reviews. If you open it in Chrome it will translate it well enough if you can’t speak Spanish. It also tells you prices, opening and closing tome and dates, and services like communal meals and laundry etc.
It covers hotels and pensions,
Everything.
You can also download the Wise Pilgrim app. It has great information too as well as a gos (which I never use because my tech knowledge is that if a newborn.
Finally if you are still walking on December 1 that means you will be walking less than 10k a day. I walked with an 83 year old man in Portugal who walked 33k one day with a full pack. I walked with a 85 year old Japanese man who told me he averaged 15k a day. So unless you are going to do another Camino don’t worry about that.if it is starting to get cold bring some under armor or some other light layering. You are in Spain not crossing the Amazon. If you need to buy something it will not be hard!!
Buen Camino

 

[Patchnomad]

Hi s00thsayer. I'm doing the camino del Norte in September ad well! Maybe we will run into each other. Buen Camino!

 

[s00thsayer]

Thank you for the detailed response. I’ll bring a small bag or belt of some kind so I can keep important things with me at all times.

Are beds that dirty or did you mean the pack has all kinds of dirt? I’m guessing the latter.

Regarding extending till December I’m thinking more about how many multi day stops I might make along the way. Based on availability of sleeping accommodations it sounds like it may be wise to avoid too many stops/delays.

Thank you again

 

[lt56ny]

Thank you for the detailed response. I’ll bring a small bag or belt of some kind so I can keep important things with me at all times.

Are beds that dirty or did you mean the pack has all kinds of dirt? I’m guessing the latter.

Regarding extending till December I’m thinking more about how many multi day stops I might make along the way. Based on availability of sleeping accommodations it sounds like it may be wise to avoid too many stops/delays.

Thank you again

Yes, I am talking about the pack. You rarely drop your pack on a sterile environment
There will be so few pilgrims in November you should have no problem finding a bed especially if you are willing to spend more some nights for more expensive accommodations. Public Albergues usually never allow for multiple nights. Private ones do. Check the site I told you Gronze.com and get Wise Pilgrim app. Get a s card to call ahead to make sure the place is open. Believe me with a little planning you will be fine.

 

[BucketBabe]

I am bringing a simple "gun lock" that came with my revolver/case. It has a long cable and two keys. All of my handguns came with one - so they are plentiful and I imagine inexpensive at the store, etc. Will always keep personal stuff with me including PP, CC's, Credential, Euros...but will cable lock the pack to the bed frame or chair, etc. It won't guarantee but generally thieves go for the "easiest" mark - hoping I won't be that chica....(hoping no one is, for that matter).

 

[KinkyOne]

I am bringing a simple "gun lock" that came with my revolver/case. It has a long cable and two keys. All of my handguns came with one - so they are plentiful and I imagine inexpensive at the store, etc. Will always keep personal stuff with me including PP, CC's, Credential, Euros...but will cable lock the pack to the bed frame or chair, etc. It won't guarantee but generally thieves go for the "easiest" mark - hoping I won't be that chica....(hoping no one is, for that matter).

I must admit that on my 10 different Caminos I haven't seen any kind of locks on backpacks. Maybe just a coincidence but I would say that locking the backpack (to something) would give signal to potential thief that there's something of great value in the backpack. I rather leave the stuff spread all over my bed to be seen but keep valuables on me. I even left my wallet under the pillow when taking the shower and nothing happened. Actually never was anything stolen from me
Knock on head (=wood)!

 

[s00thsayer]

I’ve been carrying around an REI sac (bag, but a guy at a bookstore in Paris just called it a sac and I’m going with it and putting in it the few things of value I don’t want to lose. When I have the pack with me I jus shove this sac at the top of my pack. Turned out to be quite easy.

Just bought a train ticket as well so I’ll be walking over from Hendaye to Irún Sunday evening.

 

[Snigelanna]

I started yesterday

 

[s00thsayer]

I started yesterday

Buen Camino. Maybe we will meet.

 

[s00thsayer]

Sleeping options in Zarautz were very limited. And the pilgrims hostel there is closed for the season. I (and a couple of Frenchmen) got there around noon and the hostels that are open wouldn’t check us in til 3p. So I decided to continue on. If you have the energy to Walk another 2.5 miles to Getaria along the coastal (flat) pedestrian walkway, I would strongly recommend it. The pilgrims hostel here is open and also Hostel Txalupa at €25 is very very clean. The nice man there let me pick a bed and leave my luggage there even though it’s still over an hour to check in.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hello Everyone.
I’m planning to start off on Camino Norte from Irún on Sep 10th and have a few last minute questions

• What did you do with the backpacks when you are heading out for dinner etc.? Are there lockers available? Any advice on common sense practices to secure my belongings would be great.
• My plan was to go slow and enjoy the walking. However I’m starting a little later than I first thought and could still be out in November. When do I start running out of albergues on the Norte
• Any other advice if I’m still out there walking in Nov-early Dec relating to facilities (cafes etc) and weather? I’m anticipating temperatures to drop to mid 40s F by late Nov.
• Who else is starting around or after Sep 10 from Irún

Thanks
shyam

Hi, shyam,
Enjoy the Norte! I don't know what your budget is, but walking out of tourist season opens up a lot of great alternatives. When I walked in May, we found that since tourist season hadn't yet kicked in, we could get all sorts of great deals on places to stay that would otherwise go empty. Tourist apartments, for 40-60 € for four of us and pensión rooms much lower than when the tourists are there. Municipal albergues don´t close for the season, but I assume some of the privates do.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[s00thsayer]

Hi, shyam,
Enjoy the Norte! I don't know what your budget is, ...

Buen camino, Laurie

Hi Laurie,
My budget has some room to indulge. Only problem is if I keep finding places like this (Getaria) I might not make it to Santiago or even back to Seattle