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Starting to plan for my del Norte camino

Deepforest

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2015 Camino Frances 2016 Camino Portuguese 2017 del Norte and Primitivo 2017 Via Francegina 2018.
we are getting to that exciting part of the early year where we are starting to make our plans for our summer Camino.

We plan on walking from July 1st onwards.
I'm hoping to fly into Bilbao at 16.25 afternoon on a Friday.
I think the start of the del Norte is Irun, but I'm sure that's up for discussion. Does anyone have any idea how pilgrims get from Bilbao airport to Irun or the start of the del Norte? Would I be able to get there and get into an albergues for that night?

Will a cottton sleeping bag liner suffice like my last summer Caminos?

Is there a good online guide or a guide I can purchase in English?

We are hoping to cross onto the primitivo after Oviedo and complete that too.

Are there enough albergues along the way in the del Norte? ( and have they managed to avoid the beg bug issues of the cf?)

Any advice is most welcome everybody. Thanks for taking the time to answer if you do.
 
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Let me know how you make out. The Norte' is on our schedule for Sept. 2017 I have read on here from a few people that lodging is available, not always in an alburgue but in a hostel/pension or hotel. I've read and it's a good thing to remember, that unlike the Camino de Frances which caters to trekkers, the Camino Norte' is along tourist areas. So expect to be treated as nothing more than a tourist which is ok by us. Buen Camino !
 


Hi Deepfrost! A good guidebook is 'The Northern Caminos' by Cicerone. It includes both the Norte and the Primitivo. Also check the resource section, there is some good stuff on there too.

Davey
 
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Hi we are also planning our trip this time doing part of the camino Norte with 3 kids 15,12 and 10 in july. Which is the best section to do. We can probably persuade the kids to walk for a week with the carrot of a weeks relaxation at the end. It would need to be west of Bilbao. Any recommendations as to which is the best section to do please? Thanks
 
I walked the Norte/Primitivo combo and used Dave Whitson's guidebook "The Northern Caminos". It took awhile to adjust to his maps after Brierleys, but it worked out fine.

I walked in late April/May and used a lightweight sleeping bag so not sure about the summer months.

Logistically it was easier for me to start in San Sabastian where there are more ease of transportation options. I then spent an extra day sightseeing in that beautiful city. It only shortens the walk by a day or two of steep climbs (although lovely I hear) but I don't regret my decision at all.

There are quite a few albergues along the route, however I did default to occassional reasonably priced pension/hotel options to shorten a few stages. I hope this info helps and have a great pilgrimage!
 
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[QUOTE="Deepforest, post: 483931, member: 43260"

I forgot to mention that I loved the Norte/Primitivo. Also, on the Frances I physically never saw a bedbug, but on the Norte I saw a couple of them in 2 albergues. Ya just never know.
 


In September we arrived at Bilbao airport at 15:25 and at the Irun albergue around 18:30 or 19:00. Caught a bus from the airport to San Sebastian and a local train from there to Irun. The bus and train stations are adjacent. The bus service is run by Pesa (www.pesa.net), note that Bilboa airport is referred to as Aeropuerto Loiu. From memory the service is hourly in winter and half hourly in summer. Trip time is around 90 minutes. You can get local train times from www.renfe.es or www.euskotren.eus

An option is to get a bus from airport to downtown Bilbao and an Alsa bus (www.alsa.es) from there to Irun.
 
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If you walk the Norte in July and August there probably will be many tourists, the Camino feel" will probably be less than on other Camino. I want to walk this route too but then in another time of year
 
What a brilliant idea! The Norte takes you past stunning beaches, which should add to the carrots. As for which section would be best, I will look up my diaries and find a few names of places where I recall walking on or beside beaches. But doing the research and making a decision is part of the adventure! I'll be back!
 
Deepforest said:
I think the start of the del Norte is Irun, but I'm sure that's up for discussion.
Click to expand...
You can start from anywhere! Bilbao would be as good as anywhere. There is a famous 'transporter bridge' at Portugalete, at the mouth of the inlet that Bilbao lies beside. Crossing on it would be a memorable beginning. There are albergues and cheapie hotels in aplenty on Bilbao.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.

Bilbao to San Sabastian by bus. Train to Irun. Train runs very frequently.
 
I think including Santander would work well with kids--some wonderful parks and if there is a festival going on, you'll definitely enjoy it.
 
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