Starting Vasco in a week, any tips?

[ksoltysiak]

Hi there!

I'm considering starting the vasco in a few days (sometime between the 5th and 10th october, depending on other things and possibly the weather). I will be relying on gronze for accomodations, as often; the albergues mentionned seem to be opened either all year or up to the end of october, so I should be fine.

Gronze is not very editorialized though, and I don't know how fresh the information is. Basically, I'm looking for insider tips: is there anything I should know about / pay specific attention to? Any other source of information for accomodation to know about?

For example, I've seen mentions of a Saiatz alternative (and a nice few pdfs, thanks!), but I don't know how it compares to the regular path (both in difficulty and scenery) nor if it's a path that should be avoided if it's rainy.

I'll be grateful for any piece of information that might make the trip more enjoyable

Thanks for reading, and have a nice one!

 

[roving_rufus]

It's a couple of years since I walked the Vasco. I did use Gronze as main source alongside a gpx track I downloaded on to my phone. Just make sure you know where the split of the Vasco to Sant Domingo and the Bayona to Burgos happens - and then I did the Bayona which just after that split used to have a range of options to reach Miranda, don't know if this is still causing confusion.

I didn't do the Saiatz as it was raining and didn't want to chance it- so stayed on the tar bike path in the valley floor- which as it rained all day made for easy enough walking though not delightful. I even did the old route by the main road to Segura rather than Olaberria due to poor weather which was mainly a bike path by the main rd (this one I would say had little to recommend it except it was shorter- Olberria is the better route though there is one drop down to Idiazabel which in bad weather that can be slippy).

Sorry can't help with Saiatz alternative

 

[chrisje]

Hi there!

I'm considering starting the vasco in a few days (sometime between the 5th and 10th october, depending on other things and possibly the weather). I will be relying on gronze for accomodations, as often; the albergues mentionned seem to be opened either all year or up to the end of october, so I should be fine.

Gronze is not very editorialized though, and I don't know how fresh the information is. Basically, I'm looking for insider tips: is there anything I should know about / pay specific attention to? Any other source of information for accomodation to know about?

For example, I've seen mentions of a Saiatz alternative (and a nice few pdfs, thanks!), but I don't know how it compares to the regular path (both in difficulty and scenery) nor if it's a path that should be avoided if it's rainy.

I'll be grateful for any piece of information that might make the trip more enjoyable

Thanks for reading, and have a nice one!

We will walk the Vasco next year to Burgos. Looking forward to your comments.
Buen camino !

 

[Elena peregrina]

Hey there. We walked the Vasco in May this year. It’s a beautiful route. We found the info in Gronze to be up to date and accurate. In some of the smaller places, it’s a good idea to ring/message the albergue the day before to let them know that you’re coming and to find out how/where you can pick up the key or code. We only met 2 other pilgrims and were pretty much alone in the albergues. Waymarking was excellent in the Basque country, but a bit dodgy in Castilla y Leon - especially immediately after Pobeña.

 

[dick bird]

As @Elena peregrina says, well waymarked but we had Wikiloc to get us out of trouble or when we weren´t quite sure. As you enter the suburbs of Burgos, you come to a river with a park on its right bank and a path. This is a much pleasanter way to enter the city. As for info, Gronze is about as up to date as you are likely to get. Local people were lovely, very kind and welcoming. And don´t get me started on the food and wine.

 

[VNwalking]

Loved the Vasco. The first days were pretty suburban, but I liked it a lot - lovely people, very kind. And the food inland from San Sebastian seems to benefit from being near that culinary hotspot.
The albergue in Beasain was phenomenal.
Lots comes to mind. Best just check out this thread:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/two-peregrinas-on-the-via-de-bayona.62276/post-745385

 

[lt56ny]

Hey there. We walked the Vasco in May this year. It’s a beautiful route. We found the info in Gronze to be up to date and accurate. In some of the smaller places, it’s a good idea to ring/message the albergue the day before to let them know that you’re coming and to find out how/where you can pick up the key or code. We only met 2 other pilgrims and were pretty much alone in the albergues. Waymarking was excellent in the Basque country, but a bit dodgy in Castilla y Leon - especially immediately after Pobeña.

Yes I agree completely. It is a wonderful camino to Burgos. Calling ahead is a good idea or sending a whatsapp message. When I walked it I was alone almost every night and I do not remember meeting another pilgrim during the day.

 

[caminka]

You can also check the accommodation list in the resources that I've recently uploaded and read through this thread about the saiatz alternative: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/saiatz-variant-docs.88683/.

 

[Mendizale]

Hi @ksoltysiak

Check out these threads, where you will find updated information about Saiatz as well as many tips (stages, Wikiloc routes and bus schedules). Saiatz is actually two stages (Hernani - Bidania and Bidania - Zegama) that cross most of the Basque province of Gipuzkoa. You can see my contribution to this forum in the threads, I propose including Beasain as the end of the second stage instead of Zegama. But officially Saiatz doesn't pass Beasain, in fact it's a stop of the Camino del interior by the valleys. Buen Camino!

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-vasco-through-the-hills-and-mountains-called-saiatz-trail.85507/#post-1293797

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/beasain-pilgrims-albergue-hospitalero-opened-from-11-march-2024.85720/#post-1243804