Suggestions for Detailed Camino del Norte Maps?

Kurt5280 · Dec 18, 2015

Hello - I made the decision to do the Camino del Norte in the Summer of 2017...I have already purchased Cicerone The Northern Caminos and Rother Jakobsweg Camino del Norte (in German)...also tonight I purchased Editorial Buen Camino Camino del Norte 2015 (in Spanish)...so are there ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR DETAILED CAMINO DEL NORTE MAPS (in books or ortherwise) in any language that are similar to the quality maps in the John Brierley books? - Kurt

TerryB · Dec 18, 2015

Kurt Huffman said:
Hello - I made the decision to do the Camino del Norte in the Summer of 2017...I have already purchased Cicerone The Northern Caminos and Rother Jakobsweg Camino del Norte (in German)...also tonight I purchased Editorial Buen Camino Camino del Norte 2015 (in Spanish)...so are there ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR DETAILED CAMINO DEL NORTE MAPS (in books or ortherwise) in any language that are similar to the quality maps in the John Brierley books? - Kurt

I have used the 1:50.000 "mapas militar" which are available online from;- http://themapshop.co.uk/europe/Spain/Spain50k.htm
If you have difficulty working out which ones you need, the folk in The Map Shop are most helpful if you send them an e-mail (or phone them).
I then cut off a strip covering the Camino route and highlighted the way in from the Guide to the Northern Caminos.
I like maps and would never go without one - but that is just me!

Blessings
Tio Tel

spursfan · Dec 18, 2015

The Cicerone maps are better since they are a slightly larger scale than the Rother - though the Rother altitude profiles and suggested times are worth bringing
All that you then need is some print-outs of town centres from Google maps with anotations of locations for supermercados and albergues/hostals

backpack45scb · Dec 18, 2015

The Wise Pilgrim app has good profiles, and shows the route on an online map that is zoomable and detailed.

Kurt5280 · Dec 19, 2015

Thank you...I will check into all of these...except I don't smart phone either in the USA or the world...maybe I need to change my ways but at 51 years old I just don't understand why I need to be contacted by any means 24/7 anywhere in the world...I just feel that I can't live in the moment if someone can interrupt me anytime.

SYates · Dec 19, 2015

Kurt Huffman said:
... I just don't understand why I need to be contacted by any means 24/7 anywhere in the world...I just feel that I can't live in the moment if someone can interrupt me anytime.

Easy solution: Just turn it off when you don't need it, also saves battery ;-) Buen Camino! SY

Theo · Dec 19, 2015

Hi,

On your computer, the best maps by Peter Robins :

http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes/details/costa.html

Théo

backpack45scb · Dec 19, 2015

I've had a smartphone about nine months now, and have come to depend on it, not for the phone so much as the other apps. The phone part can be turned totally off if you want. If you have a smart phone or tablet, you can use the peter robins site above, and use his geolocate feature. That will zoom you in to a topo map at an extremely detailed level, if that is what you want. I elaborate a little more in the trip report I did on our trip this year: http://timecheck00.blogspot.com/2015/10/camino-norte-trip-report-spring-and.html

Dan · Mar 30, 2016

backpack45scb said:
I've had a smartphone about nine months now, and have come to depend on it, not for the phone so much as the other apps. The phone part can be turned totally off if you want. If you have a smart phone or tablet, you can use the peter robins site above, and use his geolocate feature. That will zoom you in to a topo map at an extremely detailed level, if that is what you want. I elaborate a little more in the trip report I did on our trip this year: http://timecheck00.blogspot.com/2015/10/camino-norte-trip-report-spring-and.html

Thanks so much for all the tips in your blog. I have been checking out the links. We start the del Norte from Irun in late April '16. Can you help me with this?
Looked at the Wise Pilgrim Apps for iPhone and iPad (we carry both). The App for Camino del Norte - judging by the website - seems to be divided into the sections on the way, and goes deep into Galicia. Seems to be a terrific help. My search for maps may be over!
But once in iTunes the Camino del Norte app is only 0.99cents (?) and the developer seems to be indicating that it is incomplete.
What was your experience with the extent of the areas covered? And any other advice you have on the use of the Wise Pilgrim app on the del Norte would be much appreciated.
many thanks
Dan
P.S. best wishes for Susan's complete recovery

backpack45scb · Mar 30, 2016

I never noticed anything missing in the Wise Pilgrim app for the Norte, though it said incomplete when I downloaded it. I tried to look at multiple sources for accommodations and maps - Northern Caminos guide book, Gronze, and Wise Pilgrim.

Susan is still having problems, but we will be back on the Primitivo this year, maybe with shorter and more stages.

Dan · Mar 31, 2016

Many thanks. We have the app. - exploring it. All the best for the Primitivo.

Kanga · Mar 31, 2016

We used MapsMe with the GPS trail downloaded. That was fine.

Dan · Mar 31, 2016

Kanga - sounds great. Browsed the MapsMe website.
In the help section it's said that GPS data can be imported in KML or KMZ format (used that on the Pennine Way).
Is it possible to download a set of GPS waypoints for the del Norte from the web and then import them to the MapsMe app?
I wondered if that was what you were referring to when you said "with the GPS trail downloaded"?
many thanks

Kanga · Mar 31, 2016

Yes @Dan - although I can't remember where I got them from now - probably in our "resources" section - see the top of the forum.

Dan · Apr 1, 2016

Kanga - looked for a data link in (what I think are) the resources, but couldn't find anything.

In case it helps anyone I did find this while browsing the net:
http://www.caminodelnorte.com/gpscaminodelnorte.htm

I downloaded the data for the complete trip from Iurn to Arzua. Unzipped the file and each stage was there in KMZ. Haven't gone any further than that.

Kanga · Apr 1, 2016

Dan, I suspect I downloaded the Peter Robins maps, mentioned by Theo above.

ramble-on · Apr 1, 2016

Dan, here's a link to all camino tracks which can be downloaded and overlaid on maps.me. It's what I'll be using this June/July when walking the Norte/Primitivo/Finisterre. Hope it helps.

GPS (kmz) tracks of all Spanish camino's in one file

Dan · Apr 3, 2016

ramble-on said:
Dan, here's a link to all camino tracks which can be downloaded and overlaid on maps.me. It's what I'll be using this June/July when walking the Norte/Primitivo/Finisterre. Hope it helps.

GPS (kmz) tracks of all Spanish camino's in one file

Hey ramble-on! thanks so much - I'll give it a go and report back.

ramble-on · Apr 5, 2016

Dan,
It would be great to hear back based on your actual experience. I understand that the Norte/Primitivo are pretty well marked, but it would be nice to know if the gps map overlaid on maps.me work reasonably well, especially in and out of the cities - where I admit I get a bit dazzled by the crowds, traffic, noise, sights, etc. etc. and usually end up walking the "great circle route" LOL.
Dick

ParistoCapeCod · Apr 6, 2016

Follow the arrows! Ask the locals. On the Norte, don't take the arrows marked "biki"or "bici" for the bike route. It takes you away from the hiking path and onto the roads. Maybe that's why people think the Norte has so many road sections?! You may want to start in Hendaye, France, and walk across St. James bridge into Irun. A day at a gorgeous beach isn't a bad way to start. I like the Gronze website and app because it gives you the elevations, monuments and historic sites, and lodgings with reviews. If you don't carry a phone, you can make your own guidebook by copying and pasting the elevation maps. Don't forget to check the updates and corrections on the Cicerone website! Guidebooks are out of date before they are printed. Buen camino @backpack45scb see you on the primitivo??

ParistoCapeCod · Apr 6, 2016

A nice resource for the Norte and the Primitivo in Lugo Province gives natural, cultural, and gastronomical highlights http://www.lugoenelcamino.com/disfruta-del-camino

Dan · Apr 16, 2016

ramble-on said:
Dan,
It would be great to hear back based on your actual experience. I understand that the Norte/Primitivo are pretty well marked, but it would be nice to know if the gps map overlaid on maps.me work reasonably well, especially in and out of the cities - where I admit I get a bit dazzled by the crowds, traffic, noise, sights, etc. etc. and usually end up walking the "great circle route" LOL.
Dick

Thanks Dick - will do!

Dan · Apr 16, 2016

ParistoCapeCod said:
Follow the arrows! Ask the locals. On the Norte, don't take the arrows marked "biki"or "bici" for the bike route. It takes you away from the hiking path and onto the roads. Maybe that's why people think the Norte has so many road sections?! You may want to start in Hendaye, France, and walk across St. James bridge into Irun. A day at a gorgeous beach isn't a bad way to start. I like the Gronze website and app because it gives you the elevations, monuments and historic sites, and lodgings with reviews. If you don't carry a phone, you can make your own guidebook by copying and pasting the elevation maps. Don't forget to check the updates and corrections on the Cicerone website! Guidebooks are out of date before they are printed. Buen camino @backpack45scb see you on the primitivo??

Hey, thank you for the confidence booster. We would much rather just amble along using the arrows. And we have no hesitation asking locals for a pointer. My queries about GPs are the result of being spooked by some statements from friends and online to the effect that the marking on the del Norte is woeful compared to the Camino Frances.
We sort of expected that it couldn't be toooo bad. The Chemin le Puy was poorly marked and caused us angst on a regular basis. The Pennine Way is not marked at all for great stretches and without a compass and map you are in trouble. So we had started to assume that the del Norte was like those.
However our usual experience is that any information we study before the long walks is invariably useless once our boots hit the ground. Appreciate your practical tips.
We're getting a bit restless - lift off for Paris is next Tuesday!

Dan · Apr 16, 2016

[QUOTEBuen camino @backpack45scb see you on the primitivo??[/QUOTE]
and buen camino to you too! at the moment we are undecided about the primitivo - we are leaning towards continuing along the coast - but everything changes ....

ParistoCapeCod · Apr 16, 2016

Dan said:
[QUOTEBuen camino @backpack45scb see you on the primitivo??

and buen camino to you too! at the moment we are undecided about the primitivo - we are leaning towards continuing along the coast - but everything changes ....[/QUOTE]
Eventually you have to give up the coast to get to Santiago...I wish it was on a beach!

Clay7011 · Tuesday at 4:30 PM

Planning on walking Norte-Primitivo starting about June 10, 2025. Are the albergues very busy at that time and also what will the weather be? I did this the end of August and September of 2017 and...

Suggestions for Detailed Camino del Norte Maps?

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