Half Camino del Norte and half Camino Frances - how could it be done?

[jane sinclair]

I would like to do half the Northern Route and then finish the Camino on the Camino France. It's complicated but I am traveling all the way from British Columbia and my husband does not want to do the pilgrimage but wants to come with and holiday along side my walk with his parents (preferably on the coast and where there are golf courses) for the first two weeks and then leave me on my own to finish the walk. I am trying to find a compromise .... any ideas?

[HuskyNerd]

I'm certainly not an expert on the Camino del Norte, but I do know that there are good train connections between Burgos (Camino Frances) and Bilbao (Camino del Norte). A quick Google search also turned up a fair number of golf courses in San Sebastian and Bilbao, as well as Santander. So one possibility for you would be to do the Camino del Norte from San Sebastian to Bilbao while your golfer husband and in-laws party/golf alongside you, then once you get to Bilbao you could take the train down to Burgos and pick up the Camino Frances there. I've taken that train and it's a pretty ride. Starting at Burgos you will enjoy the great cathedral and wonderful city there, then be ready for the dry/hot/beautiful Meseta. This would leave you 500 or so kms of walking or about 20 days at 25 kms/day to get to Santiago.

[jane sinclair]

Wow - thank you for your quick reply. What are the implications regarding your passport and proving that you walked the distance?

[HuskyNerd]

As far as pilgrim passport (credentiale) implication I'd think you would just request from your Canadian confraternity of St. James that they issue you a Camino Frances credentiale since that's the route you'll mostly be taking. Then you have it stamped at each overnight both on the Camino del Norte and the Camino Frances. Once you get to Santiago the cathedral office will be looking only to see that you've walked the minimum 100 kms prior to Santiago (though they'll likely be curious about where you began, where your trip took you, and your train trip between Bilbao and Burgos should you take that option). You'll have easily completed the minimum 100 kms and much more, if you do your camino as planned. Be sure to get a daily stamp at your hotel, albergue or bar/cafe, the a 2ce daily stamp after Sarria to show you've fulfilled the walkers' minimum.

Hope this helps. Buen camino!
Sandy Brown
Seattle USA

[jane sinclair]

Wonderful help. Thank you. By the way, I see you are in Seattle. How would you recommend traveling to Irun. Our nearest airport is Spokane.

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Jane ~
You have two choices for airports close to Irun: either San Sebastian (25kms) or Biarritz (35kms across the border in France). Given that you're starting from Spokane you will have at least one transfer to get to Europe -- likely through Seattle, St Lake City, Minneapolis, etc. -- then another transfer to get to San Sebastian or Biarritz. Connections are easy from Madrid to San Sebastian or from Paris or Amsterdam to Biarritz. London to Biarritz is also possible, but from the US it usually involves an airport transfer from Heathrow to Stansted. I notice another possibility, which is Seattle to Marseille on Condor, followed by Marseille to Biarritz on Ryanair. FYI I always look at the options through Cheap flights | Compare cheap flights at Skyscanner.net which uses a variety of discount services to find the lowest prices. FYI Biarritz is BIQ and San Sebastian is EAS.

Hope this helps ~
Buen camino!

[jane sinclair]

Brilliant. I will now start trying to work it all out. I am trying to do it all in the minimum amount of days possible (hard to take 5 weeks or more off work) and losing a few days a the start to get there has always bothered me. So your tips are appreciated. I was thinking of Madrid first (with connections) and then a train. But flying all the way seems preferable.
Thanks again.

[jayfallon]

My experience last year was starting in Irun by taking the fast train up from Madrid (half day journey), continuing on to Gijon and then taking the local train to Oviedo and continuing on to the Camino Primitivo from there, picking up the Camino Frances in Melide.

If you're short on time, my advice for the Camino del Norte is to fly into San Sebastian, as the airport is located in Hondarribia, right on the trail itself and you only miss a fifteen minute walk through Irun (nothing to see). From there I'd start out walking to San Sebastian the very same day and overnighting it there. The old city is worth the visit. After that, I'd continue along the Camino del Norte until Ribadesella at the most, but you must to get to Llanes; that's all I'll say about that. After that, there's nothing much to see in coastal western Asturias that you haven't seen already and the Camino turns into a long, unenjoyable road-march.

Once you've gone far enough along the coast, you can take the bus to Oviedo and transfer to Leon via train and pick up the Camino Frances there or if you're feeling a little adventurous, just start the Primitivo right from Oviedo. It took me nine walking days from Oviedo, 325km but I averaged high because I walked 100km in the last two days, just dying to finish. Every town has a bus station and many also have local train stations as well, so ditching the Camino is feasible at any point.

At first I was locked in to completing the Camino del Norte, but due to rain and detours I was spending way too much time dodging traffic and being limited by having to make extensive use of bridges, so the switch to the Primitivo came at just the right time.

I wouldn't get too focused on the passport story. Most of the "official" places where I could get a stamp were closed as I passed through but since every business in Spain is required to have a stamp, just ask wherever you stay/eat and take care of it that way. You're required to do 100km by foot, but since in theory every pilgrimage starts at your front door, there no need to worry about physical continuation of the route traveled. Just don't show up to the alberge in a bus. That'll get you some curious looks and maybe a refusal.

[jane sinclair]

Thanks Jay, this is exactly the sort of information I need. It seems like a once in a lifetime opportunity and I will take as much advice as possible to minimise mistakes made!