If I arrive to SJPdP @ 8.45 will I get to Roncesvalles too late?

[B.E]

Hey!
I arrive at 10pm on a Sunday in Bayonne and from my research I have gathered that there are no trains/buses to SJPdP until monday morning... I am worried by the time that I leave SJPdP - I wont make it to Roncesvalles with enough time to grab a bed or even in daylight hours... I can't afford to stop before as my friend is due to meet me in an exact location in 6 days. Has anyone began walking later than 9.30am on the first section of the walk?(SJPdP-Roncesvalles) I want to enjoy it and go at my own pace but I am walking alone and a little nervous about arriving in the dark or not having a place to sleep...

 

[Yossi Fuchs]

Sounds to me like you are looking for trouble; of the entire Camino, this is the hardest section to walk...
I am no hero; on May 17th I will start from SJPP to Orisson and continue the next day to Roncesvalles.

 

[wcsjms]

Sounds to me like you are looking for trouble; of the entire Camino, this is the hardest section to walk...
I am no hero; on May 17th I will start from SJPP to Orisson and continue the next day to Roncesvalles.

You are a wise one....lol. We split it up last year SJJP to Orisson then next day to Roncevalles and were very glad we did. The trek up to O'Cebreiro was no easy trek either.
Buen Camino !!!

 

[StFina]

I am in the same boat. I am staying in Bayonne the night of May 28th, and arrive in SJPP on the first train on May 29th, roughly 8:35. I will visit the Pilgrim's office, grab some food and start walking. I am staying at Orisson the first night, so I am not pressed for time. Even if I start at 10:00, I should be at Orisson by 1:00 at the latest. - Buen Camino - Steve

 

[Seabird]

You know your own limits, but I hope you understand that you are setting yourself up for a very stressful day. First, you are assuming that you arrive "on time" to SJPdP. Even if you start walking when you expect to, you are committing yourself to a long, hard hike the very first day. The weather is most unpredictable late in the day -- at a time you will be very tired. I don't know whether Roncevalles is filling up or not, but it's another 3+ km to the next village.

Is there any way to adjust your meeting with your friend? You may enjoy your start to the Camino a little more. Whatever you decide, Buen Camino.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

My 2015 Brierley guide gives an equivalent distance of SJPdP to Roncevalles of 32 km. An equivalent distance lengthens the real distance so the time to walk that equivalent distance on a flat road is about the same time as walking the real road with its elevation gains. Brierley also gives as a guide that a fast walker goes at 5 kph, an average pace being 4 kph and a leisurely pace is 3 kph. From that information and a guess at how many rests you will want you can take a stab at whether you can complete the trip.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

It's very difficult to say as we each walk at different speeds. I must have left at 7am, arriving around 4pm, but I'm a slow walker amd struggled in the forest on the way down as I'm not very coordinated and realy need to see where I step. I also only stopped for walker and huffing and puffing.

Others zoomed ahead of me, stopped for a picnic, etc.

 

[whariwharangi]

Hey!
I arrive at 10pm on a Sunday in Bayonne and from my research I have gathered that there are no trains/buses to SJPdP until monday morning... I am worried by the time that I leave SJPdP - I wont make it to Roncesvalles with enough time to grab a bed or even in daylight hours... I can't afford to stop before as my friend is due to meet me in an exact location in 6 days. Has anyone began walking later than 9.30am on the first section of the walk?(SJPdP-Roncesvalles) I want to enjoy it and go at my own pace but I am walking alone and a little nervous about arriving in the dark or not having a place to sleep...

I would allow 10 hours from SJPdP to Roncesvalles. Your only constraint is sunset. The last bit is under trees and not viable in the dark. 0845 departure should get you to Roncesvalles by 1900.

 

[B.E]

Amazing responses thank you everyong for taking the time to help me out! I have made the decission to stay in Orisson and break it up! Bonus, my pal is totally cool about waiting for me in Logrono for a night

 

[whariwharangi]

Amazing responses thank you everyong for taking the time to help me out! I have made the decission to stay in Orisson and break it up! Bonus, my pal is totally cool about waiting for me in Logrono for a night

Logrono in 6 days? If you stay in Orrison its minimum 8 days.

 

[B.E]

Logrono in 6 days? If you stay in Orrison its minimum 8 days.

Yikes, okay, hopefully she can reach me by bus... I thought I would maybe be able to walk beyond the more popular stops...push past zuburi to Larrasoana, push past pamplona to Cizur Menor....Los Arcos to torres del rio.... ect. Does that sound at all doable?

 

[whariwharangi]

Yikes, okay, hopefully she can reach me by bus... I thought I would maybe be able to walk beyond the more popular stops...push past zuburi to Larrasoana, push past pamplona to Cizur Menor....Los Arcos to torres del rio.... ect. Does that sound at all doable?

I can't answer. I would only consider it if I were really fit. If you don't know then my guess is you've never tried walking 165 km in 6 days.

Brierley's suggests 7 days from SJPdP to Logrono and does not include a break at Orrison.

Estellesa provides bus service to villages along the road from Pamplona to Logrono.

 

[Ian Afloat]

Yikes, okay, hopefully she can reach me by bus... I thought I would maybe be able to walk beyond the more popular stops...push past zuburi to Larrasoana, push past pamplona to Cizur Menor....Los Arcos to torres del rio.... ect. Does that sound at all doable?

I managed Viana, which is just short of Logrono, in 6 days...but my feet resembled hamburger as a result. And not that trendy artisan hamburger you hear about but the hamburger made from all the bits you don't want to think about.
My 2011 edition of Brierley has Larrasoana and Cizor Menor as the day 2 and 3 stops, so definitely possible to do that and actually you're only looking at about 22km for each (from memory). After that you'd need to start putting in some serious clicks to get to Logrono in another 3 days

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

My 2011 edition of Brierley has Larrasoana and Cizor Menor as the day 2 and 3 stops, so definitely possible to do that and actually you're only looking at about 22km for each (from memory). After that you'd need to start putting in some serious clicks to get to Logrono in another 3 days

I see 90 km from Cizor Menor to Logrono or 30 km per day (19 miles)

 

[Yossi Fuchs]

Amazing responses thank you everyong for taking the time to help me out! I have made the decission to stay in Orisson and break it up! Bonus, my pal is totally cool about waiting for me in Logrono for a night

make sure you reserve a bed at Orisson; it's a small place. By the way, Logrono is just about the ugliest town along the camino. last year I stayed at Viana, a few km before Logrono; a lovely little town...

 

[trecile]

I am in the same boat. I am staying in Bayonne the night of May 28th, and arrive in SJPP on the first train on May 29th, roughly 8:35. I will visit the Pilgrim's office, grab some food and start walking. I am staying at Orisson the first night, so I am not pressed for time. Even if I start at 10:00, I should be at Orisson by 1:00 at the latest. -

No need to rush out of St Jean if you are stopping in Orisson. I didn't leave until after 11:00, and arrived early afternoon. Spend some time exploring St Jean, have a coffee, etc.

.. I thought I would maybe be able to walk beyond the more popular stops...push past zuburi to Larrasoana, push past pamplona to Cizur Menor.

Those are the early stages I'm planning, including skipping Roncesvalles and continuing on to Espinal, since I'll have a head start at Orisson.

 

[Ian Afloat]

I see 90 km from Cizor Menor to Logrono or 30 km per day (19 miles)

Which is quite a step up from the previous 2 days...

 

[poogeyejr]

My 2015 Brierley guide gives an equivalent distance of SJPdP to Roncevalles of 32 km. An equivalent distance lengthens the real distance so the time to walk that equivalent distance on a flat road is about the same time as walking the real road with its elevation gains. Brierley also gives as a guide that a fast walker goes at 5 kph, an average pace being 4 kph and a leisurely pace is 3 kph. From that information and a guess at how many rests you will want you can take a stab at whether you can complete the trip.

The last 4 km of the hill I did 1 kph! So they are just estimates!

Book a place for the night so you don't have to worry about a bed and it gets dark later at night this month so you should be good. There are taxi's in Roncesvalles you can call to pick you up and take you the last few kms if you get stuck and you are on a strict deadline!

 

[Annie Little]

Amazing responses thank you everyong for taking the time to help me out! I have made the decission to stay in Orisson and break it up! Bonus, my pal is totally cool about waiting for me in Logrono for a night

That's wise because you do not dictate to El Camino .... it dictates to you

 

[B.E]

Okay great, I guess I can only take it as it comes! I leave in three and a half weeks and I am going through a lot of emotions! Mostly excitement though! Thanks again for the advice! <3

 

[Richmond Gardner]

No need to rush out of St Jean if you are stopping in Orisson. I didn't leave until after 11:00, and arrived early afternoon. Spend some time exploring St Jean, have a coffee, etc.


Those are the early stages I'm planning, including skipping Roncesvalles and continuing on to Espinal, since I'll have a head start at Orisson.

I agree with Trecile. If you have made the decision to stop at Orisson, why not explore St. Jean . I rushed out at 9:45 to make sure of arriving at Roncevalles before dark. It Was a big effort, both up and down, but I arrived at 5:15. I wish there had been some time to explore St. Jean, which seemed charming. In any case, take some energy bars with you, as Orrisson is the only stop along the way.