Starting in Irun, then what?

[Luka]

Could my Camino friends help me with a luxury problem?

Starting date and place are fixed, I bought a (very nice) trainticket to Hendaye on the 4th of July. Crossing the bridge and I'll be in Irun, ready for a new Camino adventure on the 5th of July. With a little over 5 weeks to walk.

Now the 'issue'. My plan was to walk the Norte (and maybe change to the Primitivo). I love the northern coast and am even thinking about living there, so the Norte would be an excellent way to explore it a bit more. But... there is already an increase of pilgrims on the Norte of 36% compared to 2016 (which was a busy year). July will be peak season. So I am having second thoughts. However I would love to walk that Camino, I don't like bed races.

So, I am considering other options. Mostly two right now:

1. Irun - Burgos (Bayona), Burgos - Leon (Frances), Leon - Oviedo (Salvador), Oviedo - wherever I'll get in 5 weeks (Primitivo)
2. Irun - Bilbao (Norte), Bilbao - La Robla (Olvidado), La Robla - Oviedo (Salvador), Oviedo - wherever I'll get in 5 weeks (Primitivo)

But the combinations are (almost) endless, of course ;-)

To help solve this 'problem':
- Arriving in Santiago is not a must (I would prefer to avoid Sarria-Santiago)
- I am expected in Asturias somewhere between the 10th and the 12th of August (so ending my Camino in the vicinity would save traveltime/travelcosts)
- I can handle solitude and manage quite well in Spanish, but I would prefer some company in the evening and have a fear for loose dogs (still hoping to get over that)
- I shouldn't spend too much money (I am thinking of a budget of roughly 35 euros a day)

So what would you advice me to do?

 

[Mike Savage]

Luka,

I wish you well in your decision and your camino. I think you should go with your original plan and walk the Norte. I think it will help that you are leaving Irun mid-week plus you have so many reasons that you want to be there. If it is true that it is getting busier then next year and the following years you will be even less likely to walk it for the same reason.

Mike

 

[Marc S.]

Same advice here : I would stick to the plan, start walking in Irun, and then see what happens. If you find it too crowded you can always switch to plan B in Bilbao.

By the way. I know the Norte statistics, but I am not sure what they exactly mean. Does the increase refer to the number of arrivals in Santiago, or to the whole route ? When I walked the Norte in Summer 2014, the number of pilgrims increased significantly in the last week (from Ribadeo onwards). So if the increase of this year mainly takes place in the later part of the Norte, it may not affect you too much during the first weeks.

To make things more complicated. I can see a third option. Start in Irun, follow the Norte untill Gyon / Aviles, then walk to Oviedo, and then continue the Primitivo as far as you like. (or walk the Salvador backwards to Leon)

 

[MKalcolm M]

I agree with the two suggestions above, start walking in Irun, breathe deep, and let the camino open up in front of you. I walked the Norte in 2013 and loved it, I fell in love with a fellow pilgrim, and ended up adapting to follow her time scale, which was totally different from my original schedule. Don't over plan it, just be open to what comes along. There is a junction on the Norte which leads to the Primitivo, or you can keep going along the sea coast. You don't need to make a decision until you reach this spot, and then if you still don't know, just do what feels right at that moment. Either way you are in for a great time. For me, part of the magic of the camino is the spontaneity, you don't know what is coming around the next bend, so how can you plan for it? When I first started traveling as a young man, (almost four decades ago) I saw a notice in a hostel which said "If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else". This has proved to be the story of my travels ever since. Start walking and let the adventure carry you along.
Buen camino!

 

[KinkyOne]

Luka, if it gets too crowded you can switch to Via de Bayona/Vasco del Interior in Irun or to Olvidado in Bilbao or Ruta del Besaya in Santander or Primitivo to Oviedo and further on or classic Norte or just continue from Norte on Ruta Costa da Morte/Dos Faros... Plenty of options

I think you have very "sweet" problem here

 

[Luka]

Thanks all!

By the way. I know the Norte statistics, but I am not sure what they exactly mean. Does the increase refer to the number of arrivals in Santiago, or to the whole route ? When I walked the Norte in Summer 2014, the number of pilgrims increased significantly in the last week (from Ribadeo onwards). So if the increase of this year mainly takes place in the later part of the Norte, it may not affect you too much during the first weeks.

@peregrina2000 wrote in her live report about the Norte that the hospitaleros told her that the albergue in Irun was always full. That is at the very start, while lots of pilgrims join in later.

To make things more complicated. I can see a third option. Start in Irun, follow the Norte untill Gyon / Aviles, then walk to Oviedo, and then continue the Primitivo as far as you like. (or walk the Salvador backwards to Leon)

That option has always been there! I think I would prefer walking to Oviedo and changing to the Primitivo, but we'll see. It is something I can decide much later on. A decision about the Bayona/Vasco del Interior is one I should make before walking out of Irun...

 

[Luka]

I think you have very "sweet" problem here

I do!

I read a bit about the Olvidado and guess that it will get too expensive, because you'll have to stay in hostales. Surprisingly, there seem to be quite a lot of albergues on the Bayona/Vasco del Interior though.

 

[lettinggo]

Could my Camino friends help me with a luxury problem?

Starting date and place are fixed, I bought a (very nice) trainticket to Hendaye on the 4th of July. Crossing the bridge and I'll be in Irun, ready for a new Camino adventure on the 5th of July. With a little over 5 weeks to walk.

Now the 'issue'. My plan was to walk the Norte (and maybe change to the Primitivo). I love the northern coast and am even thinking about living there, so the Norte would be an excellent way to explore it a bit more. But... there is already an increase of pilgrims on the Norte of 36% compared to 2016 (which was a busy year). July will be peak season. So I am having second thoughts. However I would love to walk that Camino, I don't like bed races.

So, I am considering other options. Mostly two right now:

1. Irun - Burgos (Bayona), Burgos - Leon (Frances), Leon - Oviedo (Salvador), Oviedo - wherever I'll get in 5 weeks (Primitivo)
2. Irun - Bilbao (Norte), Bilbao - La Robla (Olvidado), La Robla - Oviedo (Salvador), Oviedo - wherever I'll get in 5 weeks (Primitivo)

But the combinations are (almost) endless, of course ;-)

To help solve this 'problem':
- Arriving in Santiago is not a must (I would prefer to avoid Sarria-Santiago)
- I am expected in Asturias somewhere between the 10th and the 12th of August (so ending my Camino in the vicinity would save traveltime/travelcosts)
- I can handle solitude and manage quite well in Spanish, but I would prefer some company in the evening and have a fear for loose dogs (still hoping to get over that)
- I shouldn't spend too much money (I am thinking of a budget of roughly 35 euros a day)

So what would you advice me to do?

Hola Luka

I am getting in line with the others recommendation to stay with your plan and walk the Norte.
Or change your plan if it feels like the right thing to do.
You may consider to read up on Picos de Europa, which you can access on your way.
It is uphill from Unquera on Norte.
When I walked Norte some years ago the albergues on the way up were closed as it was out of season, so I took a bus from Unquera to Potes (3 Euro).
The albergue in Potes hold around 75 beds.
It is in the mountains, so it is very hard on the body, but maybe it is an option for you.
Either to go up for some days, or cross the mountains and meet up with Frances...
If you are going to consider this, you need more information about this route than I have.

I hope this helps.
Buen camino
Lettinggo

 

[peregrino_tom]

Further to Lettingo's ideas above, here's a possible itinerary:
Start on the Norte and do the first half, past Santander to San Vicente de la Barquera. Then if you want something a bit quieter and more adventurous, turn inland onto the Lebaniego up to Potes to visit Santo Toribio - but don't expect too much! It's anniversary year, so there should be a few more pilgs than last year when it was v quiet in June. From Potes head up to the Picos on the Vadiniense and then take the long slow downhill all the way to Leon. Experience 8km and one crazy-busy night on the CF before heading north on the gorgeous San Salvador to Oviedo and then seeing how far you get on the Primitivo.
Have a look at the Forum's Vadiniense section and you'll see that I managed to stay in pilgrim or hostel accommodation on the Vad for every night except one. I used Gronze which worked well. There is quite a lot of road walking on the Vad, but it's manageable and I never felt that the roads were dangerous. I don't remember having any difficult encounters with dogs. But I would say that there are are a couple of days on the Vad and a couple on the San Salvador with some narrow steep paths that would be very testing in hot weather.
Cheers, tom
PS I also loved the Tunnel route (which I took to Santo Domingo 2 years ago), which is very relaxed with more easy-length stages. You can now stay in pilgrim/hostel accommodation for the whole way, if you can get into Santiagomendi the first night. For the second night a pensione in old-town Tolosa is more fun if you can afford it (as the albergue is about 1-2km before the town). I think you can also walk an alterative route for the first day that goes with the Norte to Donostia (so you don't miss the Jaizkibel ridge walk) and then go due south to Astigarraga/Hernani to join the Vasco..

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

I agree with the two suggestions above, start walking in Irun, breathe deep, and let the camino open up in front of you. I walked the Norte in 2013 and loved it, I fell in love with a fellow pilgrim, and ended up adapting to follow her time scale, which was totally different from my original schedule. Don't over plan it, just be open to what comes along. There is a junction on the Norte which leads to the Primitivo, or you can keep going along the sea coast. You don't need to make a decision until you reach this spot, and then if you still don't know, just do what feels right at that moment. Either way you are in for a great time. For me, part of the magic of the camino is the spontaneity, you don't know what is coming around the next bend, so how can you plan for it? When I first started traveling as a young man, (almost four decades ago) I saw a notice in a hostel which said "If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else". This has proved to be the story of my travels ever since. Start walking and let the adventure carry you along.
Buen camino!

I love to hear about love stories on the Camino I think you can build up lasting friendships even if they don't go anywhere romantically. The Norte is great, less travelled and perhaps a little more taxing than the Frances, well for the first week anyway. I love the mix of sea views and rolling hills pure bliss go for it

 

[Luka]

@lettinggo and @peregrino_tom another tempting option... the Picos! I have been a few times in Asturias now, but haven't seen much of the Picos yet. A bit of a shame, isn't it?

I am going to check the Vadiniense now...

 

[LTfit]

@lettinggo and @peregrino_tom another tempting option... the Picos! I have been a few times in Asturias now, but haven't seen much of the Picos yet. A bit of a shame, isn't it?

I am going to check the Vadiniense now...

Hi Luka,

One thing nice about following the Norte through (if I recall) the later part of Cantabria and Asturias is that you have the sea to the right and the Picos in the distance to the left. What a lovely combo!

I was on the Norte last year from Portugalete to Ribadesella towards the end of June and I never had a problem finding a bed in an albergue but as you know, from one year to the next things can change.

Too bad that we don't cross paths. I leave in 2 weeks for Gijón to finish up the Norte then might just have enough time to get myself to Oviedo to do the Primitivo. Or wherever else the Camino leads me

Buen Camino!

 

[Luka]

@LTfit too bad indeed... Buen Camino to you too!

 

[Luka]

After two days of walking in the Dutch dunes I have made up my mind.

I would really like to be so close to the sea for so many walking days! End my stages with a swim. Discover more of Asturias, the region I am seriously considering to move to. And I don't mind to pass by the cities and the touristy villages if I'll have to do that to find a bed. So the Norte it will be!

 

[Mike Savage]

That sounds wonderful Luka. I bet it is a relief to have the decision made.

Buen Camino!

 

[mspath]

Could my Camino friends help me with a luxury problem?

Starting date and place are fixed, I bought a (very nice) trainticket to Hendaye on the 4th of July. Crossing the bridge and I'll be in Irun, ready for a new Camino adventure on the 5th of July. With a little over 5 weeks to walk.

Now the 'issue'. My plan was to walk the Norte (and maybe change to the Primitivo). I love the northern coast and am even thinking about living there, so the Norte would be an excellent way to explore it a bit more. But... there is already an increase of pilgrims on the Norte of 36% compared to 2016 (which was a busy year). July will be peak season. So I am having second thoughts. However I would love to walk that Camino, I don't like bed races.

So, I am considering other options. Mostly two right now:

1. Irun - Burgos (Bayona), Burgos - Leon (Frances), Leon - Oviedo (Salvador), Oviedo - wherever I'll get in 5 weeks (Primitivo)
2. Irun - Bilbao (Norte), Bilbao - La Robla (Olvidado), La Robla - Oviedo (Salvador), Oviedo - wherever I'll get in 5 weeks (Primitivo)

But the combinations are (almost) endless, of course ;-)

To help solve this 'problem':
- Arriving in Santiago is not a must (I would prefer to avoid Sarria-Santiago)
- I am expected in Asturias somewhere between the 10th and the 12th of August (so ending my Camino in the vicinity would save traveltime/travelcosts)
- I can handle solitude and manage quite well in Spanish, but I would prefer some company in the evening and have a fear for loose dogs (still hoping to get over that)
- I shouldn't spend too much money (I am thinking of a budget of roughly 35 euros a day)

So what would you advice me to do?

Luka,

As you easily cross on foot the international bridge between Hendaye, France and Irun, Spain do pause for a moment to ponder the chances of history and remember the multitudes who crossed that bridge in great danger during WW2. Read more about the importance of this bridge towards freedom and the assistance provided refugees in this current reportage dated 02 July 2017 in The Washington Post.

....Now as you continue your new journey Buen camino, and, as always Ultreia!

 

[Luka]

So I am on the Norte now. Had no problem finding a bed in Irún, San Sebastián and Zarautz. So far so good. I love the northern coast! I am here to stay!