Camino del Norte guide

[Touva]

I live in the US. Can I order a good english guide with maps on any web site? I plan on walking in September/October and would like the security of a guide. Thanks///

 

[sillydoll]

Hello Touva,
The Confraternity of St James UK mentions these guide books:

Guide books.

Los Caminos del Norte (Pilgrim Guides to Spain # 4) Confraternity of Saint James. Detailed route description and accommodation where known. £5.00 each. Available in our Bookshop. In the following parts: Introduction (2004)

A: Ruta de la Costa, 1: Irún to Villaviciosa (2005). 2005 update

A: Ruta de la Costa, 2: Villaviciosa-Gijón-Arzúa (2005). April 2006 Update.

B: The Tunnel Route (2002).Update

F: The Camino Primitivo (2002)

Full details of all these on the author's website.

El Camino de Santiago del Norte, by Paco Nadel and Fundación Caixagalicia. El Pais/Aguilar. ISBN: 84-03-50228-1. €19.90. The guide covers the route as far as Villaviciosa and then turns inland to the Camino primitivo. One of the few guides that crosses provincial boundaries. Can be bought at http://www.cervantes.com

Dos Caminos a Santiago, A lavishly produced reprint in A4 format of the old spiral-bound guide. All the inaccuracies in the maps are still there but excellent for an overview with some good photographs. Can be obtained free by writing to the Bilbao Tourist Office, Paseo del Arena, 1 - 48005 Bilbao, Spain.

Good luck!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Touva,
I walked the Norte last year and had only the two CSJ guides by Eric Walker. They were helpful but, in my opinion, not up to the same standard as the CSJ guide to the Camino Frances. But we made it just fine, and had the good luck to find our way back to the arrows when we got lost (I can think of three times, but nothing serious). My experience was that the marking in Asturias was the sketchiest and least reliable, in fact in the other provinces no guide was needed for walking instructions. As I've told others, if you speak German you should definitely buy the German guide. We walked with some Germans for about a week, and their guide was up to date and had very detailed walking instructions for when the waymarking got spotty.
Laurie

 

[lynnejohn]

Well, you know. I quite agree with you. The guides in German are so superior to those in English it makes one quite frustrated with the whole thing. We are from Canada and it's impossible to find reasonable guides..On the CF and the VDLP we found German companions who had these great guides that they were willing to share, and it was great!. So we loved to walk with Germans (not only.....because they had the very best guides)!!! They were so accommodating and helpful, and we were so happy to have walked with them awhile..

Peace.

lynne

 

[AJ]

What you say about the German guides is interesting, and accords with my experience on the VdlP. I had Alison Raju's guide, or rather I was supposed to but I lost it in Granada. I walked with people who had the Spanish guide, the French guide and the two German guides (red and yellow). All differed regarding the distance of each stage. The routes were not necessarily exactly the same either.

If you stick to the yellow arrows, you will be pretty ok. On the Vdlp, this year, you don't really need a guide, though a map is a comfort.

 

[Javier Martin]

Hi, Laurie,

I can recommend you a very good guia for the Camino del Norte, written by Carlos Mencos (but in spanish). He is journalist and has written a couple of very good guias in the las two or three years.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

 

[Thomas Hugues]

Hi, Laurie,

I can recommend you a very good guia for the Camino del Norte, written by Carlos Mencos (but in spanish). He is journalist and has written a couple of very good guias in the las two or three years.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

I can't read Spanish.

 

[Tia Valeria]

The CSJ guides are excellent. Depending on where you plan to start you would need to look at the various guides available.
This link http://www.csj.org.uk/acatalog/The_CSJ_Bookshop_Pilgrim_Guides_to_Spain_23.html is the Spanish section, but there are also guides for France.
Scroll down and you will find Camino del Norte and the various sections listed.
Buen Camino

 

[MikeJS]

Personally, I found the CSJ guides to be a waste of money. I think they would be OK if you wanted a guide to read every step of the way (and not see any of the scenery) but they are far to detailed for me. I really do not want something that says - in 45 yards turn right then go on for 53 yards………..

I found the guide issues by the Spanish tourist board to be adequate and there is an associated accommodation guide all free. Also found google maps to be indispensable at times!

 

[sillydoll]

Mike - there are no directional instructions in the CSJ guides - only village/town names, lists of albergues (and how many beds they have), alternative accommodation and a little bit of info on detours or what to see on that stage. They are the most basic of all the guides.

Personally, I found the CSJ guides to be a waste of money. I think they would be OK if you wanted a guide to read every step of the way (and not see any of the scenery) but they are far to detailed for me. I really do not want something that says - in 45 yards turn right then go on for 53 yards………..

I found the guide issues by the Spanish tourist board to be adequate and there is an associated accommodation guide all free. Also found google maps to be indispensable at times!

 

[mikevasey]

MikeIan wroteersonally, I found the CSJ guides to be a waste of money. I think they would be OK if you wanted a guide to read every step of the way (and not see any of the scenery) but they are far to detailed for me. I really do not want something that says - in 45 yards turn right then go on for 53 yards………..

I found the guide issues by the Spanish tourist board to be adequate and there is an associated accommodation guide all free. Also found google maps to be indispensable at times!

Mike - there are no directional instructions in the CSJ guides

The CSJ guide for the Norte differs from the Frances, in the latter as you said you have basic details but for the coastal routes Eric Walker has given detailed instructions, they were I imagine 8-10 years ago more needed because of the lack of waymarking.

 

[sillydoll]

Ah - my apology. I'm looking at the 2006 Guide to the Camino Norte and Primitivo and you are quite right, Eric Walker does indeed give step-by-step instructions.

 

[Tia Valeria]

It is the detail that we like .
We can read it before going while making rough plans, and each evening, then it is to hand if the arrow/shell markings are not clear. We certainly do not keep our noses buried in it. Too busy looking at the scenery and for historic buildings etc amongst other things. Alternative accomodation lists are helpful too.
We are waiting for the 2013 update to be published for our time on the Camino next year

 

[ConnachtRambler]

Amazon.co.uk has today announced that a new publication, "The Northern Caminos: Norte, Primitivo and Ingles" (Cicerone Guides) [Paperback] will become available on January 15, 2013.

Authors are Dave Whitson, Laura Perazzoli and Amazon price at this stage is £13.56

More information at http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detai ... minos#tabs

(I am a little concerned that this is a 320-page book - sounds a bit bulky to be carrying for more than 800km.)

 

[Tia Valeria]

Thanks for the info about the new book. It looks interesting but is maybe a book to read before walking. The CSJ guides would be much lighter I think.
If the new book has photos in it I might be tempted....

 

[Dave]

Hi everyone,

I'm one of the book's co-authors. Thanks, CR, for posting the news!

I definitely get the concerns about the page length. Cicerone books are smaller than normal, so while longer than other guides this will be more compact. I've traveled with other Cicerone guides in my pocket, so they have that convenience. I'd also offer that, if you're not fundamentally opposed to the idea, you could certainly cut the book up. We've included info on four routes--the Norte, Primitivo, Ingles, and Finisterre extension--and you probably won't need them all. If you were to trim the stuff that is not directly relevant to your Camino, you could definitely get this down to pocket-size.

Finally, for those who like the option, it will be published as an eBook, for the Kindle and other formats. That makes the length totally irrelevant!

Happy to field any other questions you might have.

Dave

 

[ConnachtRambler]

Hi Dave,

I wish you every success with the book. Bulky or not I plan to buy it to help decide if my wife and I should attempt the Camino Del Norte. The ebook sounds like a good option.

Best regards

 

[Dave]

FYI,

As of today, the Camino del Norte/Primitivo/Inglés guidebook is available for purchase from Cicerone and Amazon.co.uk.
http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detai ... rn-caminos

Hope you like it,
Dave

 

[ConnachtRambler]

Also available from:
http://www.bookshop.kennys.ie/book/UK/9 ... rn_Caminos
for €15.44 - free worldwide delivery.

 

[MBrennan]

Congratulations on the publication, Dave! Any idea when the e-version will be ready?

 

[Sedona2012]

Hi Dave,

Amazon US will not ship until end of April. Will the link u provided shop sooner? Leaving end of March.

Thanks!


Bobbie

FYI,

As of today, the Camino del Norte/Primitivo/Inglés guidebook is available for purchase from Cicerone and Amazon.co.uk.
http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detai ... rn-caminos

Hope you like it,
Dave

 

[unadara]

http://tourism.euskadi.net/contenidos/i ... INGLES.pdf

They also publish a complete guide to accommodation. I bought! mine from the Alberque in Irun, theya re free in the tourist offices, free to download (I did-but fancied the neat little book guide in hard back format) you don't need anything else.
Though I imagine I will buy the new Cicerone guide as I love having a full informative guide as reference, even to read after/before, not necessary to carry with you (but no harm).

 

[Dave]

Hi Bobbie,

Yes, Cicerone ships it right now!

MBrennan, I don't know. I'll try to find out for you.

Dave

 

[AlanB]

Recieved the book yeterday. Well done to the authors for providing such a valuable resource. The size seem fine. Will fit easily in a pocket.Directions are clear and info is extensive. I still need to get my head round the map format but I envisage scribbling distances on that myself so not an issue.
Once again - well done

 

[Tia Valeria]

We are very impressed with the new guide which arrived yesterday. Photos and details including maps. Our own preference will be to add notes into our previous CSJ guide rather than carry this one with us, and we would not want to cut it up. (We only plan a partial camino this year) However it is not too heavy for those who do want to carry it and have all their information in one book rather than two or even three.
One really good point is that it does take these northern Caminos all the way to Santiago rather than cutting off where they join the Camino Francés.
Well done and thanks to the authors

 

[ewilder]

I am also from the US, though I live in Malaysia, and am planning on doing the Norte, starting the first week of Oct. Maybe we can compare notes?

 

[ewilder]

We are very impressed with the new guide which arrived yesterday. Photos and details including maps. Our own preference will be to add notes into our previous CSJ guide rather than carry this one with us, and we would not want to cut it up. (We only plan a partial camino this year) However it is not too heavy for those who do want to carry it and have all their information in one book rather than two or even three.
One really good point is that it does take these northern Caminos all the way to Santiago rather than cutting off where they join the Camino Francés.
Well done and thanks to the authors

Tia,
Can you tell me which guide you bought that you were impressed with and what language it's in?
Thanks

 

[Tia Valeria]

Tia,
Can you tell me which guide you bought that you were impressed with and what language it's in?
Thanks

I was referring to tne new Cicerone guide in English, 'The Northern Caminos - Norte, Primitivo and Inglés routes', which was also in posts just previous to mine. Available from Amazon and will also be available as an e-book according to Dave (one of the authors), who is a forum member here. You could check posts above if you want to PM him about the e-book publication date as he has at leat one post on this thread.
Buen Camino