Planning Camino Norte mid March 2023

[Elvis]

Planning on hiking Camino Norte in mid March 2023. Please advise on places to stay and general info. on hiking at that time of year. Hiked The Frances in early April 2022.

 

[Dennis Pack]

I started my camino in late May 2018 and experienced a significant amount of rain, fog, and cool, cloudy days ... and a number of albergues were just opening for the season.

 

[Robi Diaz De Vivar]

Walked San Sebastian to Bilbao in mid-March and it was grim. As a less travelled Camino the route maintenance seems to be non-existent and it was a sea of mud. On a number of downhill sections I was reduced to scrambling down on all-fours. Accommodation was straightforward. Hostel in San Sebastian (pricey) Zarautz hostal, cheap and handy for cheap meals, Municipal hostal in Debo- in an old station building, great but no obvious clothes and boot drying areas. In Markina we stayed in one of the best run places that I have found - Hostal Intxauspe. Very comfortable and very well priced communal evening meal - no stinting on the wine there. Guernika saw us in the Youth Hostal. An experience never to be repeated. I do not know if it has improved but it was badly run - rude staff - and completely filthy. It is difficult to find other budget accommodation there but YH absolutely the last resort. Buen Camino.

 

[LTfit]

I've walked the Norte in June, July and October and had cloudy and rain in June, little in July and October.

Personally I would not walk this route in March. I live close to the coast in The Netherlands and our weather is often the same as the Northern coast of Spain. March could be quite rainy and cold, not my idea of fun.

I don't know when Easter falls next year, but many albergues don't open till after that or sometime in April.

 

[Sanman]

Hi Elvis - i posted a similar question earlier this year. We were wondering late April or May 2023, as expected answers were diverse, general consensus was later is better. We are walking to Muxia so we plan to start late April, we are not good in the heat and so we feel this will be a good date for us! Buen Chemin!

 

[Elvis]

Hi Elvis - i posted a similar question earlier this year. We were wondering late April or May 2023, as expected answers were diverse, general consensus was later is better. We are walking to Muxia so we plan to start late April, we are not good in the heat and so we feel this will be a good date for us! Buen Chemin!

Hello,Sanman, I am also not good in the heat. LFfit, you are correct about Albergues opening after Easter and it can be rainy in June as well. Robi I have read your mid March experience. Dennis, yes, a rainy May. Coming from Vancouver I am used to rain. Thus far, after reading the input from The Forum I have moved to starting some time in April after Easter. Thanks to all of you for your input. All future input appreciated as well. BUEN CAMINO

 

[Sanman]

Hi Elvis …well we may see you on the trail!! Buen Camino

 

[Rick M]

I left irun in mid April 2019, and conditions were excellent. A few rainy days, but nothing to be concerned about. I think that's an ideal time to go as the tourist season has not started yet, but the weather was perfect for walking with 15 to 18 degrees most days.

 

[Elvis]

I left irun in mid April 2019, and conditions were excellent. A few rainy days, but nothing to be concerned about. I think that's an ideal time to go as the tourist season has not started yet, but the weather was perfect for walking with 15 to 18 degrees most days.

Rick M, Mid April is what I have been moving towards during the course of the day.

 

[tjz]

We started in Bayonne on March 21 this year and made it as far as Laredo on March 31. It was lovely cool and scenic. Not too many pilgrims (or tourists) that time of year. We will return same time next year and pickup where we left off. We have done all our Camino segments in mid-March to early-April as that is when my wife gets 2 weeks off from school. The weather can be anything, but we have enjoyed it all. This time we really only had 2 days with significant rain. We are from Colorado so we prefer snow (not likely on the Norte) and rain to baking heat. Buen Camino!

 

[Elvis]

Rick M, Mid April is what I have been moving towards during the course of the day.

We started in Bayonne on March 21 this year and made it as far as Laredo on March 31. It was lovely cool and scenic. Not too many pilgrims (or tourists) that time of year. We will return same time next year and pickup where we left off. We have done all our Camino segments in mid-March to early-April as that is when my wife gets 2 weeks off from school. The weather can be anything, but we have enjoyed it all. This time we really only had 2 days with significant rain. We are from Colorado so we prefer snow (not likely on the Norte) and rain to baking heat. Buen Camino!

tjz thanks for sharing. I'm happy to hear you had a great Camino. Buen Camino.

 

[Bergsvein]

Hello,Sanman, I am also not good in the heat. LFfit, you are correct about Albergues opening after Easter and it can be rainy in June as well. Robi I have read your mid March experience. Dennis, yes, a rainy May. Coming from Vancouver I am used to rain. Thus far, after reading the input from The Forum I have moved to starting some time in April after Easter. Thanks to all of you for your input. All future input appreciated as well. BUEN CAMINO

One can't plan the weather. Walked off from Irun 15th March this year. Ok, there was some rain, some mud, some wind and some closed albergues. All in all no problems en route to Santiago and onwards to Muxia and Finisterre, though I thought there was too much tarmack, hard surface to walk on. I am closer to 100 than most pilgrims, and still strongly recommend del Norte, though it's no walk in the park.

 

[Elvis]

One can't plan the weather. Walked off from Irun 15th March this year. Ok, there was some rain, some mud, some wind and some closed albergues. All in all no problems en route to Santiago and onwards to Muxia and Finisterre, though I thought there was too much tarmack, hard surface to walk on. I am closer to 100 than most pilgrims, and still strongly recommend del Norte, though it's no walk in the park.

Bergsvein you are right. Just wondering if you saw many pilgrims en route?

 

[Bergsvein]

Bergsvein you are right. Just wondering if you saw many pilgrims en route?

Enough. From day one. We ganged up in small groups all the way along. In order to stick with my group I sometimes made longer daily stages than I would have liked to do, but enjoyed great evening meals together, and got to know many interesting people. Appreciated the uncrowded albergues.

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi Elvis, my experience about 8 years ago starting from Irun the last week of March. A couple of days of glorious t-shirt weather..like summer in San Sebastian - living the dream. Then colder and wetter and serious mud on a few stretches in those Basque forests - we got wet and muddy, but we laughed and took pics of impossible paths. Two weeks' later and there was light snow, with bigger drifts settling on the mountains and it was freezing in a couple of albergues. I had to return for work when I reached Ribadasella. A friend who went on to Santiago experienced a glorious Spring along the way. I returned to Ribadasella in August and equally enjoyed doing the rest at the height of summer - especially the swimming and refreshing vibe of the young'uns we met.

 

[Elvis]

Hi Elvis, my experience about 8 years ago starting from Irun the last week of March. A couple of days of glorious t-shirt weather..like summer in San Sebastian - living the dream. Then colder and wetter and serious mud on a few stretches in those Basque forests - we got wet and muddy, but we laughed and took pics of impossible paths. Two weeks' later and there was light snow, with bigger drifts settling on the mountains and it was freezing in a couple of albergues. I had to return for work when I reached Ribadasella. A friend who went on to Santiago experienced a glorious Spring along the way. I returned to Ribadasella in August and equally enjoyed doing the rest at the height of summer - especially the swimming and refreshing vibe of the young'uns we met.

Peregrino Tom thanks for your input much appreciated.

 

[Elvis]

Enough. From day one. We ganged up in small groups all the way along. In order to stick with my group I sometimes made longer daily stages than I would have liked to do, but enjoyed great evening meals together, and got to know many interesting people. Appreciated the uncrowded albergues.

Bergsvein, appreciate you sharing your experience. Thanks to all for sharing as I choose my dates for spring 2023. All future advice welcome from everyone.

 

[Arrie]

We started in Bayonne on March 21 this year and made it as far as Laredo on March 31. It was lovely cool and scenic. Not too many pilgrims (or tourists) that time of year. We will return same time next year and pickup where we left off. We have done all our Camino segments in mid-March to early-April as that is when my wife gets 2 weeks off from school. The weather can be anything, but we have enjoyed it all. This time we really only had 2 days with significant rain. We are from Colorado so we prefer snow (not likely on the Norte) and rain to baking heat. Buen Camino!

hi! I'm thinking to start walking mid-March of this year. Are there enough Albergues open to stay in? thank you in advance for your reply!!

 

[tjz]

hi! I'm thinking to start walking mid-March of this year. Are there enough Albergues open to stay in? thank you in advance for your reply!!

I imagine a few more albergues will be open this year than last year. I make heavy use of Gronze and Wise Pilgrim for ideas:

• https://www.gronze.com/camino-norte
• https://www.wisepilgrim.com/camino-del-norte-basque-country

Our only real pinch last year was in Deba - we stayed a few kilometers short in an agrotourismo with a few other pilgrims. The next day there was nothing to be had in Markina-Xemein - the albergue as not open and the only private accommodation was booked out. The long walk through the detour in Deba, through Markina-Xemein and ending in Albergue Usandi in Bolibar was a really tough stretch for us (36km). But we did make it and were mighty grateful when we did.

If you're worried take a look at those sites and see what they say for 2023. You can email, WhatsApp, or call some of the places in the more remote stretches as you go along. I'd check a few days ahead and reserve if needed. Be aware that some of them will be just opening in the March and the lead up to Semana Sante so you may not get a reply until you are on the Way.

Buen Camino!