Student gap year Camino, new to the whole idea!

[Maddie Broad]

Hi all,
I'm Maddie, i'm 17 at the moment, from Brighton, and am hoping to take time out from Art studies between June 2013 and September 2014, to do some musical travelling. A friend of mine recently completed the Camino from Pamplona, and told me about it all today. It sounds utterly inspirational.

My friends are all planning their summer holidays to various sunny locations- Barcelona, Greece... but it's going to cost them about £450 each to go because of the decisions they've made about where to stay and flights etc, and this means I can't join them, which kind of sucks. But the pilgrimage sounds so perfect for me. The freedom and the closeness with nature, and the opportunity to meet people along the way appeals so much.

I'm only in the very early stages of considering my potential trip, but I was wondering if anyone had any 'student tips'- i'm not only thinking money-saving wise, though that would be very helpful. I've never travelled before other than a handful of times with my family, so it will be a real adventure! Someone suggested that I fly to Bordeax and take a bus to Pamplona. Are there other starting points that are closer that I can travel to as cheaply?
Any conversation is welcome! So, Hi!

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Maddie!

There are so many ways of doing the Camino that you'll definitely find one to suit your needs. Musical travelling sounds intriguing - tell us more about what you have in mind! Performing music, studying or listening to it etc?

There aren't any major airports directly on the route, so you'll probably have to get a bus or train to your starting point from whichever airport you fly to. Ryanair fly relatively cheaply to Biarritz, Valladolid, and Santiago, for example. These airports would be good for a Camino from the start, middle or towards the end respectively. (I use these terms loosely because there is no real 'start', but many people begin on the French border in St Jean Pied de Port or Roncesvalles.) Bordeaux could work if you got a good deal, but I don't think it should be your first choice.

Buen Camino!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I am a big partisan of starting in Pamplona. You should be able to find an inexpensive flight directly there, and a return flight from Santiago ("multiple" flights on most travel websites). You can start fairly gradually from Pamplona with a very short leg to Cizur Menor (4.8 km), a medium leg to Uterga (16.7 km), or a full stage to Puenta La Reina (23.5 km). Between Cizur Menor and Uterga you cross the Alto del Perdon, which is considered one of the tiring climbs, which is why I have collapsed at the very nice albergue in Uterga (in front of a full bar of pilgrims who have the energy to keep moving). Eunate is another option, but it is about the same distance as Puenta La Reina. No one ever regrets staying at Eunate; it is a great Romanesque church with a communal dinner gathering that is memorable.

You can see your stopping options here:

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances

 

[Sagalouts]

Hi Maddie
the cheapest flight option would be from Stansted to Biarritz and then onto SJPP,but as you live in Brighton maybe Ryanair from there to Bergerac-train or bus to Bordeaux and then train to biarritz and SJPP walk to Logrono and bus back to Biarritz,sounds a bit complIcated I know but it could be done in 2 weeks and cost about £200 all in if you are wanting a taster before the gap year.
A summer trip on the Camino would be very safe and you would meet so many other gap year people from all over the world of a similar age, plus the Europeans would have a lot of info on the festivals.
have fun but be safe
Ian

 

[Maddie Broad]

Thank you so much everyone!
tyrrek- i'm a singer, so i would love to do some busking or maybe even earn myself a meal here and there... and of course there will be other musical folk on their travels and in the various places i stay, so who knows! i'd like to absorb and create as much music as possible on the way
falcon269- cheers! i will look into the options soon, and that's such a helpful website! very excited.. so excited that i'm on this forum when i really ought to be writing my english coursework haha!
sagalouts- thank you, yeah i will certainly think about a 'taster' trip, though my funds are quite limited so i might not manage two trips in 2 years.
x