Complimentary Hiking Poles in Bilbao Airport ?

[Antero]

Hello fellow Pilgrims,

Planning my first Camino mid April 2024 from Pamplona and looking for tips.

I will be flying in Bilbao with only hand luggage (leaving my beloved hiking poles home).
On my arrival, I would need to find new Hiking Poles for the duration of my Camino.
On my departure, I am planning to give them away in Santiago de Compostela (airport or city center).

Any idea if Bilbao airport would have a service offering/selling the "left behind" hiking poles?
Circularity of these aluminum sticks would make sense IMHO.

Cheers,

Antero

 

[davejsy]

I have no idea, but it's not a bad idea if there are restrictions to traveling with them meaning many are discarded in some way.

 

[C clearly]

I doubt that Bilbao airport has so many left-behind poles that it would make sense to do this.

 

[OzAnnie]

Good luck @Antero
I came from Oz without mine also. I had an expensive pair confiscated at Santiago airport a couple of years ago, (as I needed to fly with carryon to Ireland at the time.). I had a good idea it would happen / and they would have allowed me to ‘check them’ for free but my transit was too short for me to recover checked luggage and get to another airline in time . So I will buy a set from decathlon this time. Decathlon here in Madrid have a good selection of everything at great prices in comparison to Australia. Your idea is a good one, to throw out there though … you’ll never know unless you try.

 

[Vacajoe]

Not sure of the legality of seized personal property being given away to others. It’s a fine idea, but would probably go over better if there was a donation box prior to being seized, but that itself raises problems of who maintains it, where it is located, etc. Far better if those leaving for the airport donate their poles at a pilgrim office or municipal albergue since 100% they won’t be allowed on board.

 

[dbier]

After my Camino last Sept, I mailed my poles and an unused guide back to the municipal albergue in my starting city with a brief note for the next pilgrim. Cost me 11 euro amd 10 minutes at Correos. Think it over.

 

[caminosister]

I'm starting from Pamplona as well and I'm going to buy a cheap pair of hiking poles in Decathlon in Pamplona.

 

[lt56ny]

I'm starting from Pamplona as well and I'm going to buy a cheap pair of hiking poles in Decathlon in Pamplona.

Please check out the store called Caminoteca. The owners are really nice and they do everything they can to cater to pilgrims. It is about 100 meters from Albergue Jesus y Maria in old town. A wonderful municipal albergue for pilgrims to sleep. It is always great to support local businesses. Caminoteca can sure benefit from your business alot more than Decathlon!

Albergue Jesús y María | Albergue de Peregrinos en Pamplona/Iruña | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Albergue Jesús y María, en Pamplona/Iruña: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

https://caminoteca.com/

 

[J Willhaus]

I'm starting from Pamplona as well and I'm going to buy a cheap pair of hiking poles in Decathlon in Pamplona.

I agree with @IT56ny. Caminoteca is right in the main pilgrim area. We bought poles for my husband there and they had Altus ponchos in our sizes so we each bought one. We told the owner we were on our way to be hospitaleros on the Aragones and he gifted us a couple of name badge holders on Camino lanyards. Here is the address
C. Curia, 15, 31001 Pamplona, Navarra, Spain

There is a smaller Decathlon City in Pamplona near the bull ring. The larger one is out on the edge of town not close to the Camino.

 

[emmanuel]

This May I will reach Santiago on the Primitivo, rest one day and then take a bus to Porto to meet my daughters (they will fly from Mexico) and start again with them, this time on the Portugese Central. I offered to get them poles; one option is to buy cheap ones at Decathlon in Porto. The other is to pick used ones in Santiago (donation). Has someone here an idea of where to maximize my chances of getting lucky?

 

[Vacajoe]

You can try the Pilgrim’s House (different from the Pilgrims Office) or simply befriend some non-European pilgrim’s with carry-on size packs who plan to fly home from Santiago and won’t be taking their poles with them.

 

[trecile]

You can try the Pilgrim’s House (different from the Pilgrims Office)

I agree. Pilgrim House should have some poles that have been donated.

Pilgrim House Santiago | Welcome Center | Santiago De Compostela

The Pilgrim House Welcome Center is a space for the pilgrims engaged heart and searching soul. Our center is not only a place for pilgrims to find respite from their travels, but more importantly, a place to find the space needed to sit with whatever is stirring in their hearts.

www.pilgrimhousesantiago.com

 

[Badgerbag]

Hello fellow Pilgrims,

Planning my first Camino mid April 2024 from Pamplona and looking for tips.

I will be flying in Bilbao with only hand luggage (leaving my beloved hiking poles home).
On my arrival, I would need to find new Hiking Poles for the duration of my Camino.
On my departure, I am planning to give them away in Santiago de Compostela (airport or city center).

Any idea if Bilbao airport would have a service offering/selling the "left behind" hiking poles?
Circularity of these aluminum sticks would make sense IMHO.

Cheers,

Antero

Hi, Bilbao, like most Spanish regional airports is quite small, there is nothing there other than generic airport shops. There is a shop in the old town “Casco Histórico” that sells camino things. Books, shells souvenirs, if they have poles I imagine they will be the traditional wooden staff type.

Hello fellow Pilgrims,

Planning my first Camino mid April 2024 from Pamplona and looking for tips.

I will be flying in Bilbao with only hand luggage (leaving my beloved hiking poles home).
On my arrival, I would need to find new Hiking Poles for the duration of my Camino.
On my departure, I am planning to give them away in Santiago de Compostela (airport or city center).

Any idea if Bilbao airport would have a service offering/selling the "left behind" hiking poles?
Circularity of these aluminum sticks would make sense IMHO.

Cheers,

Antero

 

[caminosister]

Please check out the store called Caminoteca. The owners are really nice and they do everything they can to cater to pilgrims. It is about 100 meters from Albergue Jesus y Maria in old town. A wonderful municipal albergue for pilgrims to sleep. It is always great to support local businesses. Caminoteca can sure benefit from your business alot more than Decathlon!

Albergue Jesús y María | Albergue de Peregrinos en Pamplona/Iruña | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Albergue Jesús y María, en Pamplona/Iruña: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

https://caminoteca.com/

Thanks for the tip! Of course ist’s better to support small local businesses. I’ll go there.

 

[caminosister]

I agree with @IT56ny. Caminoteca is right in the main pilgrim area. We bought poles for my husband there and they had Altus ponchos in our sizes so we each bought one. We told the owner we were on our way to be hospitaleros on the Aragones and he gifted us a couple of name badge holders on Camino lanyards. Here is the address
C. Curia, 15, 31001 Pamplona, Navarra, Spain

There is a smaller Decathlon City in Pamplona near the bull ring. The larger one is out on the edge of town not close to the Camino.

Thanks for the address!