Walking from Pamplona to St Jean

[Chrissybezz]

This would mean we were walking the wrong way right? Well not really, you see we had thought about doing the Camino but this time around we are time poor. But when working it all out we did have 4 days, that's a start right? Next time we will be more organised. So my question is, starting in Pamplona how hard will it be to find way markers to St Jean? I don't really want us to be huddled under a tree for the night! I'm also guessing that there will be a number of pilgrims telling us we are going the wrong way but the original pilgrims had to go back the way they had come too! Many thanks Chris

 

[Robo]

Is there a specific reason you want to walk that section 'the wrong way'?
I think after 50 people had told me in the first hour I was going the wrong way..........it might start to irritate

 

[Chrissybezz]

Is there a specific reason you want to walk that section 'the wrong way'?
I think after 50 people had told me in the first hour I was going the wrong way..........it might start to irritate

 

[Chrissybezz]

We are going from Barcelona to Bayonne and thought this would be a great way to see the countryside of Spain and France and in a small way, experience the Camino, I wouldn't call it the wrong way, it's another way.

 

[Robo]

We are going from Barcelona to Bayonne and thought this would be a great way to see the countryside of Spain and France and in a small way, experience the Camino, I wouldn't call it the wrong way, it's another way.

I only meant the wrong way, as in against the flow of Pilgrims
4 days? That's about 1,000+ pilgrims (depending on time of year) with the opportunity to say 'wrong way'

I would start in St Jean and 'go with the flow'.....

Going against the flow you won't have much chance to interact with others and get a sense of the journey. And the signs will all be facing the wrong way for you to follow the trail. i'e. you won't see most of them.......

Sorry, just seemed a bit 'awkward' to do it in reverse unless there was a specific reason to.

Roncesvalles to St Jean would be interesting. A steep uphill and then mostly downhill all day........my knees would give out.

Have any members done it that way around?
Would be interesting to hear what it was like.

 

[Chrissybezz]

I only meant the wrong way, as in against the flow of Pilgrims
4 days? That's about 1,000+ pilgrims (depending on time of year) with the opportunity to say 'wrong way'

I would start in St Jean and 'go with the flow'.....

Going against the flow you won't have much chance to interact with others and get a sense of the journey. And the signs will all be facing the wrong way for you to follow the trail. i'e. you won't see most of them.......

Sorry, just seemed a bit 'awkward' to do it in reverse unless there was a specific reason to.

Roncesvalles to St Jean would be interesting. A steep uphill and then mostly downhill all day........my knees would give out.

Have any members done it that way around?
Would be interesting to hear what it was like.

 

[Chrissybezz]

Thanks, 1000, that's a lot of explaining!

Perhaps I'll be able to post our 4 days with a yeah or DO NOT WALK IN REVERSE. Look forward to hearing if anyone else has done this. Great site, thanks again

 

[Davey Boyd]

I have walked back to St Jean from Santiago three times now. Pamplona to St Jean is no problem walking back, there will be a constant stream of pilgrims coming towards you! Possible navigation difficulties are actually finding your way out of the city of Pamplona and on the route Napoleon if you cross in the afternoon when there are less pilgrims or in bad weather. The Valcarlos route is much easier to find your way back.

I also use maps.me downloaded on my phone with the map routes added for back up, and need them often.

Other pilgrims will get confused seeing you coming towards them sometimes, but the locals will go out of their way to tell you that you are going the wrong way - and this can happen a few times a day at least. However most albergues are used to returnees so no problem there.

EDIT - in France the route is marked both ways with the white/red GR markers, so thats not a problem, only Spain is marked one way. There are blue arrows on a spiral shape for returning pilgrims but they are rare indeed.

Davey

 

[Chrissybezz]

Thank you so much, feeling more confident!

 

[MyraW]

This would mean we were walking the wrong way right? Well not really, you see we had thought about doing the Camino but this time around we are time poor. But when working it all out we did have 4 days, that's a start right? Next time we will be more organised. So my question is, starting in Pamplona how hard will it be to find way markers to St Jean? I don't really want us to be huddled under a tree for the night! I'm also guessing that there will be a number of pilgrims telling us we are going the wrong way but the original pilgrims had to go back the way they had come too! Many thanks Chris

After more than a year since your post, I`m happy to have discovered that you posed the same question that I have now, and it`s proving difficult to accumulate all the necessary info required to walk from Pamplona to SJPP via Valcarlos without getting too lost. Iv`e tried reversing the written instructions I found online, but the time commitment for this is a big headache, and so not too successful. Do you have any advice or information, or both from your experience that might help me to not get lost.
I`m prepared for the `wrong way` comments as I walked the Madrid Camino and part of the Camino Frances in reverse in September 2018 before heading back down to Madrid.
Thank You
Myra

 

[trecile]

After more than a year since your post, I`m happy to have discovered that you posed the same question that I have now, and it`s proving difficult to accumulate all the necessary info required to walk from Pamplona to SJPP via Valcarlos without getting too lost. Iv`e tried reversing the written instructions I found online, but the time commitment for this is a big headache, and so not too successful. Do you have any advice or information, or both from your experience that might help me to not get lost.
I`m prepared for the `wrong way` comments as I walked the Madrid Camino and part of the Camino Frances in reverse in September 2018 before heading back down to Madrid.
Thank You
Myra

Use one of the apps that uses GPS to show where you are on the trail at all times. It won't be as easy as following the arrows or other pilgrims. I use the Buen Camino app.

APP del Camino de Santiago Buen Camino 2014 - 2024

Aplicación del Camino de Santiago profesional, con mapas, perfiles, alojamientos, planificador de etapas, a pie o en bici (Btt), en idiomas y actualizada.

www.editorialbuencamino.com

 

[Davey Boyd]

Use one of the apps that uses GPS to show where you are on the trail at all times. It won't be as easy as following the arrows or other pilgrims. I use the Buen Camino app.

APP del Camino de Santiago Buen Camino 2014 - 2024

Aplicación del Camino de Santiago profesional, con mapas, perfiles, alojamientos, planificador de etapas, a pie o en bici (Btt), en idiomas y actualizada.

www.editorialbuencamino.com

This is true but... I use mapsme. with downloaded gpx route files. Problem is in forests. I found this many times walking back to St Jean and there is one problem area between Roncesvalles and Valcarlos in the forest. You see those forests are 'worked' so the trails on the ground may differ from maps or gpx files. Old tracks get planted over, new track cut for the workers. However if you realise this it does not take long to find the right route, usualy after walking a Km or so and finding a dead end!

Myra, apart from this one point (about 4 km from Roncesvalles) the route Pamplona to St Jean is quite easy backwards. You wont get 'too' lost, maybe one or two 'hmmm' moments. All good fun don't worry!

Davey

 

[MyraW]

This is true but... I use mapsme. with downloaded gpx route files. Problem is in forests. I found this many times walking back to St Jean and there is one problem area between Roncesvalles and Valcarlos in the forest. You see those forests are 'worked' so the trails on the ground may differ from maps or gpx files. Old tracks get planted over, new track cut for the workers. However if you realise this it does not take long to find the right route, usualy after walking a Km or so and finding a dead end!

Myra, apart from this one point (about 4 km from Roncesvalles) the route Pamplona to St Jean is quite easy backwards. You wont get 'too' lost, maybe one or two 'hmmm' moments. All good fun don't worry!

Davey

Many thanks for a very fair and valid response to my question and the original reply. My spirits are uplifted and I'm raring to tackle this journey with vigour, not dread.

 

[MyraW]

This is true but... I use mapsme. with downloaded gpx route files. Problem is in forests. I found this many times walking back to St Jean and there is one problem area between Roncesvalles and Valcarlos in the forest. You see those forests are 'worked' so the trails on the ground may differ from maps or gpx files. Old tracks get planted over, new track cut for the workers. However if you realise this it does not take long to find the right route, usualy after walking a Km or so and finding a dead end!

Myra, apart from this one point (about 4 km from Roncesvalles) the route Pamplona to St Jean is quite easy backwards. You wont get 'too' lost, maybe one or two 'hmmm' moments. All good fun don't worry!

Davey

Thank you very much for your response. I now have

Use one of the apps that uses GPS to show where you are on the trail at all times. It won't be as easy as following the arrows or other pilgrims. I use the Buen Camino app.

APP del Camino de Santiago Buen Camino 2014 - 2024

Aplicación del Camino de Santiago profesional, con mapas, perfiles, alojamientos, planificador de etapas, a pie o en bici (Btt), en idiomas y actualizada.

www.editorialbuencamino.com

Thank you very much for your reply and advice. It's very much appreciated. Also thanks for the link...I now have mapsme installed on my phone.