roving_rufus
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances (2013-2015) Portugues (2017-2019) Via Francigena (2018-??) Camino from Ireland (2020-??)
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Not as clear as I wish!The view looking back the way we'd come between the ermita and the crest of the hill before La Brujula? Jaw drooping. I hope you got to see it through all the clouds - exposed faces of folded rock layers. Really amazing.
Buen camino tomorrow - a very nice stage!
Better than my view! But I did see it just photo really couldn't get it with greyness
Thanks so much for this. I am strongly considering doing this camino this year and starting in Bayonne. I have enjoyed reading about your journey. Are you going to continue on the Frances? I walked the Aragones late last year and continued on the CF after to Santiago. I was strongly thinking of doing it again and then going to Madrid to walk from there to Santiago. Now I am torn and leaning more towards the Vasco and then on to Santiago.Sunday 15th January
A few hours in Burgos this morning- it is snowing! But its not sticking around in the city. So a visit to the cathedral, chocolate con churros (it is Sunday morning after all!), and in the Arco de Santa Maria a display on Dante's Divine Comedy with art work it has inspired particularly Dali. Now a little bar visit before I depart.
All in all the later part of the Via Bayona from Vitoria was a great little winter camino. The availability of accomodation meant the days ranged from 17km up to a maximum of 28k, but I didn't do more than 24km. A few places in warmer months I might have doubled up stages to 36-38km but in winter that is pressure with the amount of sunlight. Most of the albergues are open year round, and (except for Pancorbo which I skipped) all were passable but the albergue in Miranda de Ebro is amazing (it was obviously designed by pilgrims and for an unmanned albergue was so welcoming, and is highly recommended!). Not a pilgrim menu in sight! But ate plenty as the short days meant I arrived in time for lunch and menu del dia. A lot of bars in smaller villages are opening fewer days per week or opening later in the day, so can be difficult to rely on them. But in this section lots of new water taps have been added - often in the playgrounds and I don't think water even in summer months would be an issue. Yes there is a little more road walking than I might like but this is to do with the route through the valley. Given the photos of the route down the hill to Villanueva de la Oca and reports of steep and stoney, the alternative route is an easy walk - and I will post details separately of this.
This route gets a trickle of pilgrims but deserves more! Given it starts in Bayona, in fact it passes the train station at Biarritz and a short 2km walk to join it means you could actually walk from Biarritz airport. You get to enjoy coast, mountains, Basque culture and food, roman roads, history, castles, before finishing in the wonderful city of Burgos. Definitely a cheerleader for this route!
Not right now, I had a week's holiday. But this is part of my route from home in Ireland to SdeC - just doing it in sections which sometimes are out of order. In 2021 i walked from home to Dublin, in summer 2022 i took ferry from Dublin to Cherbourg, walked to Mont St Michel, picked up a Chemin de St Jacques called Voie de Capitales, and got as far as Nantes. Summer 2023 will hopefully see me pick up in Nantes and head down Voie Littoral to Bayonne. Then later on it will be CF to Ponferrada and then Invierno.Thanks so much for this. I am strongly considering doing this camino this year and starting in Bayonne. I have enjoyed reading about your journey. Are you going to continue on the Frances? I walked the Aragones late last year and continued on the CF after to Santiago. I was strongly thinking of doing it again and then going to Madrid to walk from there to Santiago. Now I am torn and leaning more towards the Vasco and then on to Santiago.
I as well. It's really nice. The albergue in Beasain is one of the nicest - and now with the new one in Zegama, the pilgrim accommodation situation is looking super for many nights.This route gets a trickle of pilgrims but deserves more! Given it starts in Bayona, in fact it passes the train station at Biarritz and a short 2km walk to join it means you could actually walk from Biarritz airport. You get to enjoy coast, mountains, Basque culture and food, roman roads, history, castles, before finishing in the wonderful city of Burgos. Definitely a cheerleader for this route!
Lockdowns were dangerous in letting me plan a crazy route from home! To be honest once you get to Brittany the association there is amazing and very active in marking routes and providing accommodation lists including lots of pilgrim hosts. The only tricky part was trying to find a route in Ireland that didn't involve too many busy roads! More than happy to pass on all my info if you do decide to try it!Thanks Rufus for sharing your journey and for all this information. It will be very helpful for those following in your footsteps. I was hoping to walk the Vasco in May, but will probably have to wait until later in the year.
Your very practical 'walking from home' plan is also giving me ideas
So there are albergues or pilgrim accommodation in Bayonne, Guethery, St Jean de Luz, Irun, Andoian, Beasain, Zegama, Zalduondo, Algeria, La Puebla de Arganzon, Miranda de Ebro, Pancorbo, Briviesca, Monasterio de Rodilla and Burgos. Plus hostels which have special access/rates for pilgrims at Santiagomundi and Vitoria. That's not too bad! And hopefully Agurain/ Salvatierra albergue gets reopened too - though at least pension there is a rreasonable price. One or two other spots that are weak links- the closure of the hostel at Tolosa leaves an issue there. It's probably possible to do it without staying in hotel, hostal, or pension and just staying in albergues if you can do some jigging around with shorter or longer days.I as well. It's really nice. The albergue in Beasain is one of the nicest - and now with the new one in Zegama, the pilgrim accommodation situation is looking super for many nights.
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