Walking alone?

[Janeblack]

Hi
I'm from New Zealand and I am planning on walkng the Camino del Norte in June 2011. I walked the Camino Frances in 2009 with a friend and loved it although it was very busy. I'm looking forward to this one, particularly as it is coastal. It is likely that I will be walking for some of the time on my own. Can anyone tell me if it is safe on one's own, that there are enough people walking to feel safe? At the other end of the scale, is it now busier and therefore difficult to get into accomodation? The Camino Frances was so busy that people were getting up very early just to rush to the next albergue.

Thanks
Jane

 

[jl]

I can't speak for June, Jane, but when I walked the del Norte and the Primitivo in September last year I felt that it was positivley crowded with about 20 people on the path at the same time as me. That was because I had walked from Vezelay (actually Troyes) only meeting about half a dozen people till I got to St Palais, and only for about 6 - 7 nights in total. Hence my feeling "crowded" when I got to Irun!. I walked the entire 2,000kms from Troyes on my own and always felt safe and secure. People on the way were friendly and helpful, and there was only one night when I slept on the floor (only because I don't "do" top bunks!). I managed to get a bed each night. Cheers, Janet

I am happy to chat by phone with you if you send me a PM (we can time it for cheap phone calls trans Tasman)

 

[JoyAnderson]

Hi Jane, I am walking the Del Norte in June 2011 then branching off at Oviedo, at the moment my plan is to leave home, South Africa on the 10th or 12th June, work as a hospitalero for 10 days then embark on my journey.
We must find out from Ivar how to get emails to one another to perhaps meet up.

 

[Janeblack]

Hi
Thanks Janet that's really helpful and hopeful. Yes it would be good if I could call you. Not sure what you mean by send a PM?

Joy, I'll be walking by end May through June so probably not going to be able to meet. But thanks.
Jane

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hi
Thanks Janet that's really helpful and hopeful. Yes it would be good if I could call you. Not sure what you mean by send a PM? .............

Hi Jane
To send a PM click on the little icon at the right of the post written by the person you want to send a message to. You will get a message box. Type your message in the box. You can preview it and then submit it. Instead of being published as a post it will go into your outbox.It will stay there until the recipient is online again and reads their Private Messages.
When you receive a message there will be a notice in the blue band at the top of the page 'User Control panel (xNew Messages) View your Posts'. Just click and read, reply from there etc.
You must be logged in to use all this.
Hope that helps.
Valerie

 

[jl]

Hi Jane - have just sent you a PM. Follow Valeries directions to retrieve it. Cheers, Janet

 

[ria]

Hi Jane,
I walked the norte till oviedo and then primitivo on my own in july this year, and felt very safe all the time, although i walked most of it alone all the time. Maybe I'm just naive, but I liked being on my own during the day (in the evenings i like to meet people). There quite some people walking then, so I think in June there must be quite some too.
ria

 

[JoyAnderson]

Greetings Ria,
I was so pleased to hear that you walked June, I hope you do not mind answering some questions I have. I will be arriving in Irun on the 11th or 12th June working as a Volunteer Hospitalero for 10 days, somewhere in Irun, this will be up to Jose as to where, then I start the walking part of my Pilgrimage, this would be between 23 to 25 June.
1. Am I being realistic that Del Norte and Primitivo can be completed by 27/28 July
2.What is the weather pattern you experienced, weather is unpredictable so no one can forecast, not even the weatherman.
3. I am hoping that my walk is not during any holiday season, what did you experience.
4. Have you walked Frances? I walked it in July 2009 (only 500km) of it and it was a breeze. All I have read about Del Norte has indicated that there is a lot of walking on asphalt, (I plan to hug the coast though) and the other aspect I have picked up is that it is pretty tough in some places? How true is that?
5. Last question, did you have any problems finding place to sleep, if yes where?
Looking forward to hearing from you. Joy :?:

 

[jl]

Hi Joy, I left Irun on the 25th August and got to Santiago de Compostela on the 28th September. I walked the del norte until the Primitivo junction and then followed the Primitivo, taking the Hospitales route through the mountains. I had a rest day in Bilboa, Oviedo and Lugo. I had planned one in Ribadasella, but due to a combination of circumstances didn't actually take one. I also walked from Melide to Monte de Goza in one day (because I had a bee in my bonnet!) - not a distance to be reccomended, but I had just walked nearly 2,000kms and felt like doing it and so I did. If you are planning to walk in that time you will have some fairly long days - I had a number of days from 35 - 40 kms.

In August I had no problems with accomodation - although I always stay in a hotel / pension on my rest days because I can have a good nights sleep, and catch up on all my washing.

Yes the path is often on roads, but it is generally well signed and I never got lost - although I heard of others that did. I will let others answer the weather in the months you are planning to walk.

Cheers, Janet

 

[ria]

Hi Jane,

Answers to your questions:

1. Am I being realistic that Del Norte and Primitivo can be completed by 27/28 July
I started in Lezama (just before Bilbao) on July 9 (it was not June, sorry: mistake) & that was 7 or 8 days walking from Irun, so I don't exactly, but from Lezama it took me 25 days walking, but there quite some lazy days, because I wanted to stay at the beach or for another lazy reason... So I think it is possible, but I personally wouldn't like it to be hiking and have the feeling that I have to hurry to be in Santiago in time. Also: I really liked to spend some time in Santiago (and maybe you want to walk to Finisterre afterwards, or did you go there already?).

2.What is the weather pattern you experienced, weather is unpredictable so no one can forecast, not even the weatherman.
Yes, they told me it is pretty unpredictable, but I had kind of wonderful hiking weather all the time till Santiago (like 25 degrees, nice little breeze & sunny) and only two mornings with a little rain. But the Galicians told me it was a rare summer, and normally they had more rain. So it is wise to bring good rainstuff.

3. I am hoping that my walk is not during any holiday season, what did you experience.
Mine was all the time during holiday season (in July I did the norte and primitivo, in August the portugues, the ingles and finisterre/muxia and I even walked from muxia to A Coruna, which is not a camino, but I took a flight from there to Seville, because in September I did the first half of the Plata (yes, I got a bit carried away ).
But what i wanted to say: It didn't bother me that it was holiday season: it was not crowded (only the last 60 km on the frances), and there were nice young spanish guys walking who had holidays, but who were really pleasant & funny company (although i'm 45 myself), and I learned quite some spanish. In the coastal towns on the norte it was a bit holiday-ish, but I kind of liked that, because it is not at all like the costa del sol or any other big coast in the east/south. And I also liked the strange fiestas that are going on in summer everywhere: a strange soupcooking contest, horse riding things, little concerts; quite pleasant evening entertainment after a day of walking. August is by the way the 'real' holiday month in spain.

4. Have you walked Frances? I walked it in July 2009 (only 500km) of it and it was a breeze. All I have read about Del Norte has indicated that there is a lot of walking on asphalt, (I plan to hug the coast though) and the other aspect I have picked up is that it is pretty tough in some places? How true is that?
Yes, there was quite some asphalt walking on the norte, but not all of it was unpleasant (i don't mind asphalt if there is not a lot of traffic). And I liked the sea very much in the north, it often looks quite irish. The primitivo is more quiet, incredibly beautiful, less asphalt and also not as many people walking.
I did not walk the frances, because the idea of so many people walking the same route didn't appeal to me. Maybe I'm going to do in winter some day ;-)
I didn't think it was really tough, but i can't compare it to the frances. They say primitivo is the hardest, but it is not like real mountain climbing (there is however one alternative (medieval) route you have to do, although it is heavier than the normal one: is called 'hospitales' and is 25 km in the mountains with no civilisation around, where you will see wild horses, was really amazing). So for me it was not that hard. And by the time you arrive on the primitivo you are already really strong and experienced

5. Last question, did you have any problems finding place to sleep, if yes where?
One day there was no place for me in the albergue in a coastal town, but i forgot which place it was, and the young hospitalera girl also didn't care, so I was forced to take a rather expensive hotel, because i didn't like the other solution ('take a bus to the next albergue 15 km further'). But in many places they just create extra places (mattresses in the kitchen, put up a tent in the garden or whatever). i also didn't bring a sleeping mat, and did not have a problem with that either (but i can sleep on the floor if necessary: if there were loads of snoarers or the smell in the room was just unbearable...)

And: I liked the norte/primitivo best! Closely followed by the Plata, which was terribly hot when I started in september, & not as beautiful, because the north of Spain is so diverse in terms of nature, and the nice people, the good food... in fact everything is great up there.

Anything else you would like to know? Sorry for my crappy english (i wrote this really fast).

Have fun with preparing!
ria

 

[ria]

was just a bit mixed up with names...

 

[JoyAnderson]

Greetings Ria,

Thank you for answering all my questions, (by the way it is Joy not Jane.) I am now convinced, my choice to walk Del Norte and Primitivo was 'guided'. Sillydoll who has not done the Del Norte has given me so much info, she has been a mine of information, but then again she is one of 'Earth's Angels' so assisting with encouragement and info is as easy as breathing for her. I now know and trust that my journey will be yet another blessing in my life, and is mapped out.

But any other info will still be appreciated. Joy :wink:

 

[TerryB]

Hi Joy (and Jane),
I walked the Norte (from Santander) and the Primitivo in April / May 2009. My blog, (written by my wife using text and e-mails) is here :-
http://walktocompostela.blogspot.com/20 ... chive.html

There are more photos and reflections here:-
http://walktocompostela.blogspot.com/se ... -results=3

The weather was cold, but I only had 2 really wet days. This year in May was a different story with rain, snow and mud!! June / July should be drying up somewhat but be prepared for any eventuality!

Blessings
Tio Tel

 

[ecosse]

Re: Walking alone? My diary

On 15th Sept 2010 after two nights on 'Pride of Bilbao' I was among the last of the few who could start my pilgrim walk by stepping off the P&O ferry into the heat of the port of Santurtzi. Nobody seems to know if a new company will take on the route. An hour later as I finished my first ice cream in Portuglette I met my first pilgrims looking for the route out of town, two Germans and a French Canadian all about my age. My Spanish is not good but I understood a Spanish mum in the street to reassure her children that these excentric looking dishevelled old people were pilgrims on their way to Santiago. The guys gave me many helpful tips like 'look out for yellow arrows', 'drink before you get thirsty' then walked into the distance on a very nice footpath beside a cycleway. After that were cement farm tracks and lastly sand where I had another ice cream to lower body temperature as locals told me 'Albergue 5 minutes' and gestured along the dunes. Normal wrapped ice lolly style ice creams are available at the roadside so no need to take the rucksac off. The first Albergue was a new one at Pobena where I was welcomed on the beach by a fast young Spanish pilgrim (3rd day from Irun) and the three other pilgrims who had passed me. The local cafe organised a 3 course multi choice 10 Euro pilgrim meal with seemingly limitless alcohol which was great fun. There were 30 of us in Pobena including US, South African and Italian, 24 in bunks and the other 6 on the dining room/ kitchen floor with the cyclists' bikes. Despite the strangeness of the bunks being so close together that they are effectively double beds and the young Spaniard and I nearly rolling into each other in the night it was a fantastic start to the pilgrimage as breakfast was provided in the morning.

Walked to Castro Urdiales in light rain along a delightful coastal path with interpretation boards about seaweed harvesting and other topics. Then I was helped along by an English speaking 68 year old ex sailor who showed me and five Spanish pilgrims a goat track of a short cut along the cliffs from his home. He also recommended we could get to Islares next morning by walking on the beach at low tide which is what he does. I stayed in a 15 Euro La Marina Pension out of a Merchant Ivory film with a view of the harbour because the Youth Hostel / Alberques were closed. Here the Tourist Office gave me the fantastically helpful Cantabria leaflet for Pilgrims and told me I could use the free internet in libraries (Biblioteca) but I went to a Cyber Cafe that was also a sweet shop. Next day I bought a walking stick for protection against dogs 'tho I never needed it for that and to help me get up hills.

Islares the next day after an ancient cart track and a goat pasture cliff walk was another new refuge open just after noon when I reached it as the now heavy rain soaked into my underpants. The Cameroonian Albergue volunteer and I had a happy time speaking a mix of my school French and his rapidly expanding English. At Islares there is a campsite with a mini supermarket in the bar restraunt which sells individual portions of things like jam which I found handy for breakfast with last night's bread from dinner. Persuaded by an email posting that 'breakfast was difficult to find' I carried all the camping sachets of coffee from home and a selection of breakfast bars from Tesco and Lidl which lasted me till the boat home but Supermarkets sell loads of other breakfast stuff so I'm not sure what sort of breakfast that person wanted.

Then I aimed for Liendro beside the sea, along the river, over the beautiful eucalyptus and heather Mount La Magdelena then on to Laredo after I could not face waiting to find the key for the refuge I ate lunch in its shade and walked up the next hill along the by-pass. There is a particularly steep trip down to a church and up into Laredo at the bottom of which a lovely lady with an exquisitly carved door gave me very welcome supplies of cool water. I stayed with the nuns of Trinity St Francis in a double bed ensuite with no external window from the bedroom but an internal one to watch goings on on the stairs. One of the most historic places I've ever stayed in. Here I went to the service partly to seeing the cathedral and a lady presumably with hot flushes used her fan with a clack and clatter in front of me.

The walk along the prom to the ferry next day for Santona was made long by my first indulgence in churros which are delicious but not the best thing for walking on. Santona was full of the multi regional cycle trials so I had difficulty finding the Youth Hostel which is set in wetlands. The only place I stayed that had grafitti on the bunkboards above our heads but it does seem to be used by schoolkids. I went for a swim then looked for migrating spoonbills but don't think I saw them.

Off to Noja up a track so apalling that it was funny. Hardly any room in the gorse for the rucksac but a fantastic view of the sea. Three German ladies going the other way were swearing profusely. Then a paddle along the beach with a Spanish pilgrim before meeting the Cake Nuns of St Mary of Mercy. Do drop in and see them, they love to stamp pilgrims and make lovely cake. This day got longer and hot being the only one when I got lost due to lamposts and pavements being renewed so the arrows had gone. I found an oasis, well actually a cold drink machine in a laybye outside a furniture store and had two cartons of a milk and juice mix which reads as disgusting but hit the spot. Two vultures or eagles wheeled above me and eventually reached a cool glass of water from the helpers of Ernesto in Guemes refuge El Cagigal. Listened to his lecture about the walk of today and tomorrow with a Us family, Spanish cyclist, Colombian architect, ate a fantastic supper and slept in a lovely wooden cabin until breakfast time.

Took the coastal cliff walk as recommended by Ernesto once I found it, a swim and a paddle along a long beach to the Somo ferry ride for Santander. This time I had company with wine, an Austrian and the Spaniard from the day before who sat scarily on the edge of the cliffs while I got sunburn due to not covering up in the sea breeze sun. Last night's American Mum age 82 and her two kids had organised a 9 euro meal at the alberge cafe down the road (soon to close as it 's not making money). The Santander Amigos alberge was crowded and had mosquitos but heigh ho at least I had damp washing to cool down my sunburn. The two computers there could do with new keyboards- well one has keys you can't read and the other keys that don't produce letters.

On by train to Torrelevego with my two chums from yesterday, the Austrian insisting that nobody should ever make the mistake he once did of staying at the 6 bed converted petrol station at Palenque. Bus to Santilliana del Mar and a 2 or 3 k walk to the amazing prehistoric cave replica museum at Altamira. The great thing about Museos is they confiscate your pack and give out a little token you carry instead. Back down to town and the Museum Jesus Otero Alberge where there were only two of us so an 8 bed room each and I had a quiet night. I don't actually mind mass snoring its isolated snoring that wakes me up. A bit sad that I was refused entrance, by the police, to the church service in this lovely completely touristic antique town. There was a rumour in the Santander albergue that this albergue had no cooking / hot water facilities but it had the usual microwave plus hot water on tap, showers and a nice covered outdoor 'sitootery' as we say in Scotland where I probably got more mosquito bites. For 6 Euros you stay in an area surrounded by deluxe multi starred hotels.

At Cobreces the next day after some road travel and some rural walking it looked like rain and I could not find the Albergue, partly through looking at the wrong building and partly through it being in a car park at the bottom of the hill so went to the Posada las Maranitas that had been advertising itself as pilgrim friendly. At 30 Euros for dinner bed and breakfast I'm not so sure but the breakfast was very much local produce and seemed pretty limitless. Two Nederlands pilgrims ate dinner with me and next morning a lonely German girl commented on not seeing any pilgrims but the German walkers at the next table said they had seen 'loads' on their way here from the Picos. I thought to myself 'If you won't stay in refuges you might not see pilgrims' but I'd been thinking that maybe some of the people I met at Pobena were on their way back from Santiago not towards there.

A part rainy walk and the day looked as if it would get worse, which it did several times so moved onto the busy road to be close to bus shelters. Comillas Tourist Office put me straight on to the Gaudi Folly as well as the refuge and the library. A trip to the pharmacia for some bite stuff. I have nearly no Spanish so greatful thanks to that pharmacy and Tourist Office staff in Cantabria and Asturias for learning English. This refuge has character - hardly any double bunks, mainly single beds in a loft plus a 50c in the slot coffee machine and a tumble dryer. Here I met a Pole who recommended the supermarket double packs of rice pudding (which are nice) and my first other Brit a repeat pilgrimage offender from Lincolnshire. Luckily I had sat down for the Menu del Dia under an awning in the square before the heavens opened yet again. That is how this area is made Green Spain. But the beds here were too soft - some pilgrims leaving to find a harder mattress elsewhere after they'd paid the albergista who left before they discovered the extreme softness. A real case of you can't satisfy everybody.

Another rainy walk - pilgrims meet each other sheltering in bus shelters on the way out of town and a downpour at St Vincente de Barquera where we hid in the bus station for a bit but the toilets were locked to the surprise of Spaniards getting off buses. I didn't want to wait outside a probably closed refuge on top of a hill again with maybe no shelter I walked on to Serdio and was hosted to a free coffee in a drinking club. The Albergue key was not being kept at the pub but hidden in the bench closest to the door on a 'Miss Kitty' key ring. The local ladies played Bingo downstairs while I read most of an Irish story I found there. Unfortunately Menu del Dia was off in the village due to staff shortages and we had to have bocadilla instead while tropical rain fell outside and reassuringly familiar football players were on TV. The English guy and I had the Alberque to ourselves. He slept in a special seperate section 'for snorers' after tipping me off about the fantastic vista to be found a few 100 yards up the track from the hostel.

Next morning met the train tracks at Peseus and succumed to the 10:40am Feve toy train ride to Llanes where there is a tremendous cake shop and harbour reconstruction then walked on through Playa del Poo (pronounced Po) by the cliff paths to Soleriu where the hostel was closed for the season so back to Poo by road after the worst meal I had in Spain. The Albergue Llanes gives a 2 Euro discount for pilgrims and seemed to be manned by a drunk Irishman but he was a relaxing pilgrim with blisters who ambled off to the local bar. Then a tired Swiss woman returning from Compostella thought that I was running the place so it was a bit Fawlty Towersish until the owner appeared later. Lovely place with a fantastic back garden for lounging in.

I got the early morning train as a tourist to Arriondas and a bus up to the Picos de Europa at Cavadonga, a holy site and on up to the Lagos where there are toilets, museo, restraunt and a walker's refuge I found out about later. The Arriondas 'Hostel' behind the bus station suspected me of being about to smuggle other people into my room perhaps for prostitution? This showed me how accepted and protected one is by being a Pilgrim when you stay on the pilgrim routes since they are used to anything and everything.

Last day a lovely swim in Santander, a look round the town and Palace / Zoo before Pension a-Madrid for a night then onto the conveniently located Brittany Ferries boat for a choppy crossing to Plymouth and the train back to Edinburgh on 1st October.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Ecosse wrote

....after two nights on 'Pride of Bilbao' I was among the last of the few who could start my pilgrim walk by stepping off the P&O ferry into the heat of the port of Santurtzi. Nobody seems to know if a new company will take on the route....

Good news. Brittany ferries have taken on the route from Portsmouth to Bilbao, sailing there once a week. You can check this out on Brittany ferries website. They also go to Santander from both Portsmouth and Plymouth. We find this easier than flying because of where we live. (Just booked our tickets for 2011 )
TerryB and Tia Valeria