Camino del norte

[Trishkerry]

Hi fellow pilgrims. I plan on commencing my second camino in june. I shall travel by overnight train from paris and should arrive in Irun at about 9am . Do you think I will have enough time to walk to san sebastion the same day and still arrive at a reasonable hour?

 

[psheehan]

Hi Trishkerry,

I just had a look at my Camino del Norte photos from 2009, I left Irun at about 7am and arrived on the promenade in San Sebastian at 3pm, and that was taking it easy on my first day, and with the long June evenings you'll get there no bother!

Paul.

 

[lettinggo]

Hola

Yes, I agree.
You will have time (28 km). Prepare for some up and downhill the first week.
Alternatively, if you have good time, you could get of the train in Bayonne and walk 2 days to Irun

Buen Camino
Lettinggo

 

[Trishkerry]

Great. Thankyou . I will prob get to SS by about 6-7pm then. Hopefully still be able to get a bed .

 

[mikevasey]

If you are running late or the train gets in later than expected, you have an option 16-17km after Irun. At Pasajes de San Juan you have a local association Albergue de Peregrinos, it is only a small one, holds about 16 but most people bypass it and go on to San Sebastian. It opens at 4pm and overlooks the nearby inlet. About 2-3km before San Sebastian you have an option at the 12 tribes Christian Community, they take in pilgrims and the conrad stein german guidebook lists it as an option. Someone expessed concerns about them on the Vezelay topics, but i have not seen or heard anything that alarmed me while i was there and i know of a couple of members of this forum who posted positive messages about this place.

Mike

 

[Steeltown Pilgrim]

Hi fellow pilgrims. I plan on commencing my second camino in june. I shall travel by overnight train from paris and should arrive in Irun at about 9am . Do you think I will have enough time to walk to san sebastion the same day and still arrive at a reasonable hour?

That's exactly what I did in April this year, same train, same time. I also hadn't slept for 2 nights (not recommended) so you should be fine. Great tapas later that night....!
Peace, love.

 

[Dave]

I don't know how much time you have, but I'd encourage you to consider Mike's suggestion. Why rush through this stage and arrive in San Sebastian too late to properly enjoy it? Instead, you could have a shorter walk to Pasajes and then either have a really short walk into San Sebastian on day two, or you could continue on to Orio after a long break.

Part of this depends on where you plan to sleep in San Sebastian. The albergue de peregrinos will be closed in July, so the most common place for an overnight is the La Sirena hostel on the far, far edge of town. If you arrive in town around 5-5:30, you'll have to walk all the way through town (several kms), check in, shower and laundry, and then maybe make your way back into the center by 8pm. Long day!

 

[mralisn]

In 2010, I arrived in Irun near 15:00. I remember having to wait a bit for the refugio to open. The next day I walked in the light rain of early June. My friend and I (who I met on my first walk in '05) started in early morning and decided to take the more "hilly" path. This was really dumb as there was NOTHING we could see through all the mist. It was still fun though. We are quick walkers with plenty of laughter. I believe we arrived in San Sebastian near 14:00. Not sure if it is the same, but there was not a refugio to stay so we had to sleep in the HI hostel at the other end of town. Maybe we paid 17euro or something like that. Since the 2nd week of June, the refugio nearby had not open yet.

Not sure if much has changed in 4 years. Perhaps so.

For your situation, it would depend on your pace and what you consider a reasonable hour.

Keep a smile,
Simeon

 

[oursonpolaire]

I, too, would recommend the albergue in Pasajes de San Juan for a few reasons: 1) the last stretch into St Sebastian is tiring, 2) locating a room after an 8 hour day can be stressful, 3) Pasajes is a delightful little place and a good place to unwind-- the albergue looks fine. As far as the Twelve Tribes place is concerned, I would avoid it--- a German friend of mine found the atmosphere very unpleasant for her -- in North America, they have a mixed reputation.

 

[AubreyL]

Just a suggestion: I stayed at Roger's House in San Sebastian. It's a hostel in the old part of town near all the pintxo bars. You can book ahead of time and it doesn't matter what time you get in. The albergue is close to Playa de la Concha but a bit removed from the old part of town. If I remember correctly, the hostel was about 12 or 15 Euros per night. It was totally worth it in my opinion. While the website makes it look like they cater only to young surfers and backpackers, I met people of all ages there. Very friendly and clean place. I spent two nights there.
http://www.hostel-rogers-house.com/

 

[peregrino_tom]

I left from Irun station at about 8.30. Be careful about following the yellow arrows from there along the river. Best to head directly for the Albergue in town and pick up the arrows there (IMO).
I arrived at the start of the San Sebastien promenade around 3.30-4 and that included a picnic on the Jaizkibel and a couple more cafe stops. From Pasajes I walked at a conversational pace with a 70-year old guy who'd had a quadruple bypass. We meandered through SS stopping to eat fruit, hook up with other pilgrims and take in the paddleboarders and buskers. Got to the youth hostel at the far end at about 5.30. There are plenty of restaurants at that end and you'll find them and a supermercado open if it's not Sunday - so if you stay there you don't have to retrace your steps to eat. Even on Sunday there was a Turkish place doing kebabs/falafel platos which were excellent.
You can book the youth hostel I believe, which would take the pressure off. Aubrey's option looks good too

 

[Trishkerry]

Thanks Tom. That sounds like a plan to me

Trish

 

[AlanB]

The albergue will be closed in June. Book the youth hostel. Its actually quite a nice facility and its on the camino (more or less) I was there on July 1st last year. I didn't book but should have done as it was jammed. I got the last bed. The woman there told me they always keep a few beds for pelegrinos but for piece of mind book ahead.Donostia is lovely. Just what a resort should be, but it is a resort.
It's a tough first days walk (I thought) and I've walked over route Napoleon. That said, I arrived in Irun and there was a festival on. Did the walk on the back of 30 minutes sleep. Not a good idea

 

[mikevasey]

It is quite a tough day, there is a few tough climbs the one from the nature reserve to the sanctuary, the alpinsta route first part (i ignored it and followed the easier route which is not bad but you probably dont get as glorious views) and the stairs that take you near the lighthouse.

San Sebastian at weekends can fill up, the pilgrims who set out from Irun on the Saturday morning I did had been told that there was no accomodation up ahead all hostels, hotels etc had been fully booked, Bruce Springstein was playing there that weekend and the thousands that had turned up had booked everything,something similar probably wont happen to you, but San Sebastian is the type of place to occassionaly get big events so it might be worth checking.

 

[Camino Samoset Santiago]

Yes possible it's about 30km, but no walk in the park, an alternative is Passaia very nice place with albergue in a little church 20km from Irun.
Buen Camino

 

[Trishkerry]

Does anyone know the name of the youth hostel please and also if it can be booked on line.

 

[mralisn]

I have in my notes from '10, La Sirena. This is where I stayed as the refugio wasn't open at the time, early June. Maybe things have changed since then. On a quick search, I seemed to only find old information. I can look more later today. I will need this information as well soon.

I like using hostel bookers.com. When I looked a few minutes ago, there was listed many options for accommodations.

The only reason my I stayed at La Sirena is I didn't know the refugio was going to be closed. Both are on the way out of town up on a hill if I remember correctly. So instead of walking back into town center, my friend and I decided to stay at La Sirena. We also wanted to get settled and watch the World Cup matches for that day.

 

[Camino Samoset Santiago]

Reservation is better in summer, I have a phone number 0034 943 483 480 maybe early enough to call for reservation from Paris before jump on the night train!

 

[peregrino_tom]

Found this booking page for the Ondarreta youth hostel (Ondarreta being the neighbourhood in SS where the YH is located). I've no idea whether it works or not
http://www.donostia.org/Albergues/ReservasAlbergues.nsf/frmSeleccion?ReadForm&id=B341274&idioma=cas

 

[mikevasey]

Try the Eroski consumer website, they have a section on the camino del norte giving a quite good map for the 1st section and listing all the albergues and contact details. I would give a link but my mobiles not up to it.

Buen Camino

 

[Camino Samoset Santiago]

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-del-norte-self-made-guide.13001/
And http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/del-norte/

 

[shefollowsshells]

If you are running late or the train gets in later than expected, you have an option 16-17km after Irun. At Pasajes de San Juan

From the fews things I have read about this Pasajes de San Juan I would highly consider this if I was getting in a tad earlier....

 

[Trishkerry]

Apparently there is a train that leaves from paris twice a day that takes 6hrs to get to irun. Has anyone used this service and knows roughly what time it arrives in Irun.There is currently no timetable to look at.

 

[Steeltown Pilgrim]

Apparently there is a train that leaves from paris twice a day that takes 6hrs to get to irun. Has anyone used this service and knows roughly what time it arrives in Irun.There is currently no timetable to look at.

In April this year, I took that train but mine was the red-eye, departed about 11 pm. It arrived in Irun at 9 am which was perfect for me as I started my camino as soon as I stepped off the train, walking to San Sebastion the first day.

 

[Trishkerry]

I've earmarked that one but i thought if i could get from UK to Irun in same day i could leave earlier the following day after spending the night in irun . Got a while yet before i can book so got plenty of time to find out. Thanks.
Trish

 

[Trishkerry]

I've decided that i will fly to Biarritz because its less hassle. All i have to do now is figure out how to get from the airport to Irun .So if anyone has any ideas or have done this recently i would welcome any advice . Like is there a bus that runs direct or should i walk from hendaye etc.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

One transportation service:

http://www.pesa.net/pesa/horariosBD/ctrl_horarios.php

 

[peregrino_tom]

Trishkerry - I did this journey twice last year.
The local bus service from Biarritz airport (bus stop just outside the main entrance to the left) is run by www.chronoplus.eu . Depending on when you arrive and whether it's a weekend or not there are generally 2-3 buses an hour (Ligne C) to Biarritz train station (which is only 2km away and a five-minute journey). There's also an occasional bus service direct to Hendaye, which takes a while as it meanders a lot.
From Biarritz station there is a regular train service to Hendaye - again it depends which day of the week or hour you are travelling - check here http://uk.voyages-sncf.com/train-tickets/book-your-train-tickets . It's about a 25 minute journey. When you come out of Hendaye station you keep walking the direction the train would have taken you if it had continued. Keep straight ahead for the bridge over to Spain (about 3 minutes). Just as the road starts to rise, you'll see there's a metro station on your r/h side and if you are short of time you can catch this into central Irun. See this map http://www.enterat.com/al-dia/2012/10/09/web-metro-donostialdea/ . The third stop is Colon which is about 5 minutes from the albergue.
But I recommend walking if you have time. Leave the traffic that detours left and keep going straight ahead over the historic old bridge which now just carries pedestrians. As you come onto the bridge you should see your first yellow arrow....
On the other side there's an old style border town greeting with bars, dodgy hotels and trinket shops (a bit like arriving in Mexico..). You just keep to the road going straight ahead up into the town which takes about 15-20 mins. If you are planning to stay at the albergue, you turn right when you reach the main drag/high street called Colon Ibilbidea and keep walking for 10 mins (past the Colon metro) and over the railway bridge where you turn sharp right and downhill and pick up the signs to the albergue which is about 150m away...
Thanks for asking the question - I really enjoyed retravelling that it in my head!
cheers, tom

 

[Trishkerry]

Thanks Tom. That's incredibly useful and exactly what i was after.
Trish

 

[Trishkerry]

Tom i have looked into the train service and there seem to be 2 options. 1) BIARRITZ to HENDAYE les 2 Jumeaux . 1st leg bus service and
2) BIARRITZ to HENDAYE 1st leg bus service.
Im confused

 

[peregrino_tom]

Well, Trishkerry, you've got me out of my comfort zone now...!
According to Wikipedia Les Deux Jumeaux is the other Hendaye station, that serves the beach. So you may need to widen your search timeframe to bring up the one just called Hendaye.
I put a random date in March into the SNCF booking site and didn't see anything about '1st leg bus service'. This sounds to me like planned engineering works with a replacement bus service....
FWIW they were running a replacement bus from the station for the whole way to Hendaye last March and it worked fine.
Try also putting Biarritz- Irun into the SNCF site as it looks as if there are a few trains that run straight through.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Biarritz to Hendaye train service is a blend of TER, TGV, and Autocar 0615 until 2115. Go to the station and take whatever is next! (The first train is listed as TER, the last train as Autocar on a typical day.)

 

[Trishkerry]

Thanks Tom / Falcon. Don't know why im worrying . I managed to make it from SJPDP to SdC all on my own last year. Half the fun was overcoming obstacles such as this. Nervous excitement i guess.

 

[jpflavin1]

If you are running late or the train gets in later than expected, you have an option 16-17km after Irun. At Pasajes de San Juan you have a local association Albergue de Peregrinos, it is only a small one, holds about 16 but most people bypass it and go on to San Sebastian. It opens at 4pm and overlooks the nearby inlet. About 2-3km before San Sebastian you have an option at the 12 tribes Christian Community, they take in pilgrims and the conrad stein german guidebook lists it as an option. Someone expessed concerns about them on the Vezelay topics, but i have not seen or heard anything that alarmed me while i was there and i know of a couple of members of this forum who posted positive messages about this place.

Mike

Mike:

I arrive in Irun around 2:00 pm on April 1st. Many times I get antsy and want to get started right away. Is the walk to Pasajes de San Juan doable in 4 hours? If so, I am having trouble finding it in the Eroski guide. Can you give me a better idea of location?

Joe

 

[MKalcolm M]

I arrived in Biaritz airport mid afternoon and asked how to get to Irun at the tourist info there. They directed me to the bus stop outside, where I caught the bus, then a very short ride on the local commuter train(three stops) dropped me in the centre of Irun, a few minutes walk from the alberge. It was cheap and easy. The tourist info are very helpful.

 

[mikevasey]

• It is doable in 4 hours if you do not look around Irun and you know the way out, a little map would help you. I found the arrows were not straight forward In Irun, they took me around the historic centre then disappeared, but I think you may have found this out for yourself when you walked the Vasco. Once you get up to the Ermita Guadelope about 6-8 km, you have 2 choices the camino which is along soft unsurfaced track or the Alpinsta way, it is a little tough at the begining but up on the top it is mostly soft surface again, they will both allow you to walk at a fair rate of Knotts until you hit San Juan, the route to the albergue is marked if I remember, the way I took on the camino went right by it. I left the albergue de peregrinos in Irun at 6.15am and hit San Juan at about 10-10.30 ish with a half hour stop at the Ermita. I dont normally get up that early or walk that quick but Bruce Springstein was playing in San Sebastian that weekend and we had been told to get into or through the place very early.

The albergue in San Juan is an ex chapel overlooking the water inlet, I dont think you can really miss it. If you have made it as far as the ferry without seeing it then you have gone too far, but it is no more than 200 metres away from there. Sorry for not giving you specifics but I know that I kinda ended up outside of it without looking for it or wanting to stay there.

 

[jpflavin1]

• It is doable in 4 hours if you do not look around Irun and you know the way out, a little map would help you. I found the arrows were not straight forward In Irun, they took me around the historic centre then disappeared, but I think you may have found this out for yourself when you walked the Vasco. Once you get up to the Ermita Guadelope about 6-8 km, you have 2 choices the camino which is along soft unsurfaced track or the Alpinsta way, it is a little tough at the begining but up on the top it is mostly soft surface again, they will both allow you to walk at a fair rate of Knotts until you hit San Juan, the route to the albergue is marked if I remember, the way I took on the camino went right by it. I left the albergue de peregrinos in Irun at 6.15am and hit San Juan at about 10-10.30 ish with a half hour stop at the Ermita. I dont normally get up that early or walk that quick but Bruce Springstein was playing in San Sebastian that weekend and we had been told to get into or through the place very early.

The albergue in San Juan is an ex chapel overlooking the water inlet, I dont think you can really miss it. If you have made it as far as the ferry without seeing it then you have gone too far, but it is no more than 200 metres away from there. Sorry for not giving you specifics but I know that I kinda ended up outside of it without looking for it or wanting to stay there.

Mike:

Thanks for the feedback. I have decided, since I am arriving in San Sebastian, to just start from here. I will just pick up the trail and start walking.

Joe