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  1. tjz

    Norte Mountain Route - Soto to Cadevedo

    There's no way to predict the future, but in my experience, it almost never rains all day. I personally would not and have not adjusted my plans because of predictions which may or may not be accurate. More often than not the forecast shows some rain every day, and over the 10 or so weeks I've...
  2. tjz

    Norte Mountain Route - Soto to Cadevedo

    We took the endless up and down through the eucalyptus forests in a pretty steady rain this March. There were a few shin deep streams to cross with all the water, and the muddy eucalyptus debris was out to trip you up the whole time. At the junction we stared wistfully at the sign for the...
  3. tjz

    Surprised at our test results poncho vs jacket

    This is my experience too. I've gone back and forth, but am currently a rain jacket / rain pants / pack cover wearer for these reasons: We have had to endure some pretty strong winds on the Norte especially, and I've found a tighter fitting jacket and pants are both much quieter and less likely...
  4. tjz

    Camino del Norte from Muros de Nalon

    I think that's quite doable, but might be a little ambitious if you don't want to rush, and want to spend some time relaxing and enjoying the towns you stay in. I would check out the stages on Gronze for the Norte and the last two days on the Frances: https://www.gronze.com/camino-norte...
  5. tjz

    Food on Sundays

    I don't remember specific towns, but we have been caught more than once unable to buy groceries on a Sunday. We have always just stopped when convenient the next day and stocked up then. As @trecile mentions, there has always been a bar or restaurant open, though. We've learned to always keep at...
  6. tjz

    Madrid to Ponferrada

    We took the train in 2018 and it was very easy and fast to do so. There is Alsa bus service too. I would recommend getting the lay of the land with rome2rio and then jumping from there to either Renfe/Trainline and/or Alsa.
  7. tjz

    Rain Pants?

    Yes, don't forget the convenience of wearing your rain gear on those days you've got a pile of laundry and really want to splurge and wash the whole lot all at once in a machine! We have done this more than once and it has been super nice, even if it feels a little weird. :) Even though I walk...
  8. tjz

    Change train in Ourense from Madrid to Sarria

    Last month we were traveling the opposite direction from Baamonde to Madrid and had to finish the leg into Ourense on a bus too. As @J Willhaus says, it is all very efficient. We were pretty amazed how well Renfe handled it all. Our MD train from Baamonde was 10 minutes late when it picked us...
  9. tjz

    Ground conditions - Camino Del Norte

    Sorry, my trail-addled brain has lost the exact spot, but it was somewhere between Gijón and the big turn inland at Ribadeo. Almost certainly the machines have moved on by this time. But as with all things Camino, it's best to be prepared for the worst any given day as things change all the...
  10. tjz

    Ground conditions - Camino Del Norte

    Yes, we had one particularly bad section a couple of weeks back on the Norte where some of the transport machines were on the path which was an incredible mess of mud and debris. Thankfully, the operators were on the lookout, and they stopped and allowed us to slog around the machines. Despite...
  11. tjz

    Irún to San Sebastián first day

    We did the ridgeline route in 2022 in our 50s/60s and reasonably fit. We were not in a hurry and it was one of the best 8 hours and 51 minutes of my life. 😁
  12. tjz

    What are the most beautiful 7 days on del Norte?

    Any stretch is going to have it's mellow and spectacular parts. My "spectacular" favorites are sprinkled throughout: Hondarribia / Irun to San Sebastian is epic The alternate in the Basque Coast Geopark before Deba, especially if the tide is out and you can do the walk around the headland and...
  13. tjz

    Madrid City Walks

    We just got back from the Camino de Norte, and spent a day in Madrid. We always love Madrid, especially the museums! If you're looking for a great walk, though, it is pretty hard to beat the Gran Via. The architecture is spectacular! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_V%C3%ADa,_Madrid
  14. tjz

    Topo Wearers!

    I just got back from 2 weeks in Spain on the Camino del Norte with a pair of Topo Ultraventure 3s. In five prior 2 week trips, I've tried Merrel Moabs initially and the last two with Hoka Challengers (wide with Superfeet Green insoles). These Topos were the best I've tried. I got one small...
  15. tjz

    How does one travel from the train station Madrid Chamartin to Madrid Barajas airport?

    We always take the Cercanías and it works very well. As others have mentioned, if you are connecting to/from a regular Renfe train, you likely have a combinado and the ride is free. Just be sure to use one of the turnstiles with the optical reader / scanner. They are usually to one end of the...
  16. tjz

    Three Variants Worth Considering Near Avilés and Luarca

    We also took the Ruta de la Congrexa option, and it was truly fabulous! I cannot recommend this one enough! Thank you @Dave!
  17. tjz

    Three Variants Worth Considering Near Avilés and Luarca

    We took the track from Tamon, passing by the reservoir, and finishing in Aviles yesterday. It was very nice and peaceful, and I would recommend it! I personally would not do it if you were not using the gpx tracks - it is easy to miss some of the trickier turns. Thank you @Dave!
  18. tjz

    Camino del Norte...Laredo to Santander

    Note the ferry from Laredo to Santona is not running in the off season. But in April I think you'll be OK and you may want to check here first: https://excursionesmaritimas.com/barca-del-puntal/ For me, the stay in Güemes has been one of the highlights of our Camino del Norte.
  19. tjz

    LIVE from the Camino Starting the Camino del Norte January 30th 2024

    Well done, and thank you for the updates and pictures!
  20. tjz

    Gortex or No -Gortex Shoes

    After years of hiking and running, I am a believer in non-gortex shoes. No matter what, your feet are going to get wet if the rain or puddles gets serious. You'll also get wet once you get warmed up and start sweating. But you'll dry out much faster, especially in something like a trail runner...

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