US-Ireland-Spain Gathering

[JByrne]

Seeking tips on best way to plan trip from US early July 2013 to Madrid then onto the Way pilgrimage in the North of Spain for about 4 days. At the end of this trek we plan to fly to Ireland to gather with family and friends. We will spend two days in Mardid after landing from US. Should we take the train to the start of the Way? Drive? Any ideas on cost etc. I heard there are hostels along the Way. Last night we may spoil ourselves in some local hotel. Where should we fly out from to get to Ireland at the end of our walk on the Way. What about luggage? Can we leave it somewhere for pickup after we've done the Way? Any books/guides you can recommend?
Thanks!

 

[mspath]

JByrne,

Welcome to the Forum!

You will find a great deal of useful information in the various Forum topics to help you plan your camino. Everything from the various camino routes, equipment, places to stay, and traveling to and from the camino(s) has been discussed here by veteran pilgrims. Scan the topic headers to get an idea of the wealth of advice and tips available. Use the Search space on the top right of the Forum page to find answers or write further posts for Forum members to answer.

Most camino routes end in Santiago de Compostela; which route do you plan to follow? The most famous is the Camino Frances which many pilgrims start either in St Jean Pied de Port, France, or across the frontier in Roncevalles or Pamplona, Spain. The camino Frances is the +/- 800 km route depicted in the recent movie, The Way. From Madrid there is RENFE train service to Pamplona. See this English web site for RENFE info >> http://www.renfe.com/EN/. From Pamplona you can take a bus to Roncevalles or St Jean Pied de Port

Anyone may walk the camino. However if you wish to stay in pilgrim albergues you need a Pilgrim Passport or Credential. These can be obtained in SJPdP at the pilgrim office at 39 rue de La Citadelle or in Pamplona at the various albergues, the university and the cathedral. A most useful list of all the Camino Frances albergues is found here on the Forum >> http://www.caminodesantiago.me/camino-frances/.

Good luck with your plans and Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[JByrne]

Where can we store extra baggage for the days we're on the Way? I'd thinking we might need to get creative -- have a courier transport them to the hotel we might stay at when we reach the end of our pilgrimage. We're planning four days and have never done this before though we are seasoned hikers!

 

[tipperary]

Hi
It looks like you have a lot of choices to make. Just a few considerations,
Four days is a very short sampler of the camino, even a few extra days will be worthwhile.
Consider flying to Dublin ,rather than Spain. Ireland has faster connections to key places on the camino than Madrid has.
Ryanair fly to Biarritz a short train ride to the start of the camino Frances.
Aer lingus Fly in/out of Bilboa also convenient for camino Frances.
Aer lingus also fly to Santiago.

Of course Your biggest decision is which section to walk, the first 5 days or the last.
Walking 5 days from Sarria should as a regular walker get you to Santiago. If you make this choice fly into Santiago and get transport back 110 km to Sarria and walk from there. But to make these choices its wise to be informed. In this regard John Brierleys guidebook is popular with pilgrims.
Best of luck with the research.
Enjoy the gathering and the camino
Regards
Justin

 

[JByrne]

Thank you Justin and others out there-
I might have to start from Madrid since I am flying in from US, visiting family early July in Madrid and then we're off to do the Way. I was told we could take the train from Madrid to pick up a starting point in Northern Spain. That's got to be a several hours train journey and not sure about cost for two etc. Afterwards, says 5 days on the Way, we fly to Dublin. Any suggestions on start and finish locations, baggage etc-your earlier post was most helpful.

 

[jbdron]

You can also take the bus. the bus station is accessible from the train station , which you can pick up from the Madrid airport. There are two bus stations in Madrid, one services the North of Spain, which is the one you would depart from. Busses leave regularly for your point of beginning on the Camino.

 

[JByrne]

Hi All-
We have laid our plans -- almost -- to walk part of the Way and are excited. My son was born in American and I grew up in Ireland so there will be something special about this 100K hike we are planning. One day we would like to take on the Camino Frances! At the end of this latest hike we fly to Ireland for a family reunion this summer.

Questions:
1. We're planning on the train from Madrid to Pamplona leaving Madrid late on July 5, or in the wee hours of July 6. We'd hope to start our 100K hike from Roncevalles or St Jean Pied de Port to finish at Santiago de Compostela. Is that 100K and since we are both in fairly decent shape, we could complete it in 5 days?

2. Any suggestions on backpacks and what we should carry with us? Food, water, clothing etc? What is the weather like in July?

3. I am checking out the albergues along the Way. Do they book/fill up up fast? Cost etc.

Thank you so much!