North Camino booked :) a few questions , help and advise please :)

[Larky1888]

Hi fellow pilgrim's, finally I drummed up the courage and just booked my flights for a week on the Camino on my own starting to walk on Good Friday. Starting in Irun I will make my way to Bilbo. Aiming to arrive here the following Thursday . Few questions , do I plan my accommodation in advance? I want to savour the beautiful scenery etc and I wondering about using my smart phone for pictures etc, why I'm not sure about both questions is I want to savour being a pilgrim and in doing so I'm thinking of making my way with no plans in place and hoping whatever the camino has for me then shall it be. Any advise people ???? #buzzing

 

[Aidan21]

Hi Larky,
When I plan , I just plan a destination for the day. Sometimes I do not make it, sometime a very comfortable bar intervenes along the way and if you add in good company..... well I just have to figure out plan B. I have always found accommodation, good food and good company along the way (even if was just my own company). I think over planning can take away from the experience of the Camino. I say, just let it happen in its own way, in its own time. Just take what comes and be sure that everything will work out perfectly OK. Buen Camino and just surrender to the experience.
Aidan

 

[Larky1888]

Hi Larky,
When I plan , I just plan a destination for the day. Sometimes I do not make it, sometime a very comfortable bar intervenes along the way and if you add in good company..... well I just have to figure out plan B. I have always found accommodation, good food and good company along the way (even if was just my own company). I think over planning can take away from the experience of the Camino. I say, just let it happen in its own way, in its own time. Just take what comes and be sure that everything will work out perfectly OK. Buen Camino and just surrender to the experience.
Aidan

Aidan so true mate , think if I find a bar itll take me a month to get to Bilbao mate lol . Thanks

 

[lindam]

Hi fellow pilgrim's, finally I drummed up the courage and just booked my flights for a week on the Camino on my own starting to walk on Good Friday. Starting in Irun I will make my way to Bilbo. Aiming to arrive here the following Thursday . Few questions , do I plan my accommodation in advance? I want to savour the beautiful scenery etc and I wondering about using my smart phone for pictures etc, why I'm not sure about both questions is I want to savour being a pilgrim and in doing so I'm thinking of making my way with no plans in place and hoping whatever the camino has for me then shall it be. Any advise people ???? #buzzing

Hello Larky,
As you plan on walking during Setmana Santa (Holy Week) in Spain, I would strongly advise you to make advance reservations for all of your accommodations. It is a time of year when many Spaniards travel and accommodations are often fully booked. I experienced this for the first time earlier this year when arriving in Logroño only to find that everything was full. While I generally make very few advance bookings, I will most certainly be making reservations ahead of time when walking at that time of year.

 

[Larky1888]

Hello Larky,
As you plan on walking during Setmana Santa (Holy Week) in Spain, I would strongly advise you to make advance reservations for all of your accommodations. It is a time of year when many Spaniards travel and accommodations are often fully booked. I experienced this for the first time earlier this year when arriving in Logroño only to find that everything was full. While I generally make very few advance bookings, I will most certainly be making reservations ahead of time when walking at that time of year.

Thanks for the advise , yeah its holy week so things are slightly diff,

 

[Larky1888]

Aidan so true mate , think if I find a bar itll take me a month to get to Bilbao mate lol . Thanks

Aidan would you just go online and book the day before you arrive at hostel etc ?? Its Easter week when I'm doing it .wonder will that mean its busier.

 

[trecile]

Aidan would you just go online and book the day before you arrive at hostel etc ?? Its Easter week when I'm doing it .wonder will that mean its busier.

The municipal albergues generally don't take reservations. It's first come, first served. You can use booking.com to make reservations a day or two ahead. I would definitely reserve in San Sebastián. I believe that the municipal albergue there closed. You can use Gronze.com to find albergues that are on/close to the Camino.
I also use the Buen Camino app to find/book places to stay.

APP del Camino de Santiago Buen Camino 2014 - 2024

Aplicación del Camino de Santiago profesional, con mapas, perfiles, alojamientos, planificador de etapas, a pie o en bici (Btt), en idiomas y actualizada.

www.editorialbuencamino.com

 

[Larky1888]

Thanks again mate

 

[Togabogie]

Alrite mucker ( you get the craic) youle be grand!! Good for you doing it on youre own #livingthedream if its any consolation the pints are sweet and dirt cheap and the grubs ok youle get used to it, i missed the local tucker myself coming from antrim but glad to see a fellow bro taking the leap especially from good ol norn irn youle meet loads on youre trip and never be alone and remember theres melters everywhere mate!!

 

[Larky1888]

Loo

Alrite mucker ( you get the craic) youle be grand!! Good for you doing it on youre own #livingthedream if its any consolation the pints are sweet and dirt cheap and the grubs ok youle get used to it, i missed the local tucker myself coming from antrim but glad to see a fellow bro taking the leap especially from good ol norn irn youle meet loads on youre trip and never be alone and remember theres melters everywhere mate!!

you're a neighbour then mate . Portglenone myself.. looking forward to it mate. Hope athletic Bilbao are playing the weekend I land there. Cheers boss.

 

[Togabogie]

Aye check out the fixtures for youre dates mate you might catch a good game !! I cant help you out on youre trip as i only done the frances route but youle be sweet!! Few bits of tottie knocking about too ime sure if you play youre cards right!! Youle enjoy getting away and getting the head sorted! Ime lisburn so not that far, total respect for doing it on the jack jones

 

[Larky1888]

Aye check out the fixtures for youre dates mate you might catch a good game !! I cant help you out on youre trip as i only done the frances route but youle be sweet!! Few bits of tottie knocking about too ime sure if you play youre cards right!! Youle enjoy getting away and getting the head sorted! Ime lisburn so not that far, total respect for doing it on the jack jones

Might get to share a bunk lol

 

[Togabogie]

Go for the sceptic tanks they love it

 

[Mairi]

Hi fellow pilgrim's, finally I drummed up the courage and just booked my flights for a week on the Camino on my own starting to walk on Good Friday. Starting in Irun I will make my way to Bilbo. Aiming to arrive here the following Thursday . Few questions , do I plan my accommodation in advance? I want to savour the beautiful scenery etc and I wondering about using my smart phone for pictures etc, why I'm not sure about both questions is I want to savour being a pilgrim and in doing so I'm thinking of making my way with no plans in place and hoping whatever the camino has for me then shall it be. Any advise people ???? #buzzing

Hi there - we walked the Norte in the first two weeks of September this year - have done other Camino and never had any problem getting a bed (always staying in albergues) this time it was a real struggle for accommodation, having to get to albergues early and queue, also not as many as you would think there would be. Having said that, the walking and scenery were amazing but you will need to take plenty of snacks and water with you as not that many places to stop between bigger villages and towns.

 

[David with new Kit!]

SAN Sebastian is not too far from your starting point at Irun and it might be tempting not to stop at SAN Sebastian. But, you will kick yourself if you don’t stop there as the old town has some fantastic tapas bars and the view from the old fortress on top of the hill is amazing

 

[Taswegian Traveller]

Hi Mairi, just wondering which part of the Norte did you walk?
We are walking in mid Aug - mid Sept 2020, feeling a little concerned now it may not be easy to find beds without reserving them every step of the way......not quite what I had in mind.

Hi there - we walked the Norte in the first two weeks of September this year - have done other Camino and never had any problem getting a bed (always staying in albergues) this time it was a real struggle for accommodation, having to get to albergues early and queue, also not as many as you would think there would be. Having said that, the walking and scenery were amazing but you will need to take plenty of snacks and water with you as not that many places to stop between bigger villages and towns.

 

[Dan T]

Loo
you're a neighbour then mate . Portglenone myself.. looking forward to it mate. Hope athletic Bilbao are playing the weekend I land there. Cheers boss.

I'm starting 1-2 weeks after you, ended up booking my flights to get me to San Sebastian on a weekend where Real Sociedad have a home game. Now I just hope I can get a ticket!

 

[Larky1888]

I'm starting 1-2 weeks after you, ended up booking my flights to get me to San Sebastian on a weekend where Real Sociedad have a home game. Now I just hope I can get a ticket!

You should have joined me mate . Be an amazing adventure.

 

[trecile]

You should have joined me mate . Be an amazing adventure.

You are both still going
to have an amazing adventure.
Check out these videos of what's to come

 

[Dan T]

You are both still going
to have an amazing adventure.
Check out these videos of what's to come

I have watched these many times, can't wait!