Guide book for Camino Norte

[Clodagh]

Hi, I'm planning on walking the Camino por el Norte in late September but I'm having difficulty in locating a guide book for this route. There seem to be fabulously detailed books for el Camino Frances but nothing detailed on the Camino Norte. Does anybody know of a book that details the route from Irun??

I'd be extremely grateful for any feedback.

Thanks a million,
Clodagh

[geraldkelly]

Hi Clodagh

I don't know of a guide in English but I have an excellent (if a little heavy) one in Spanish, it's called Camino del Norte, Ruta Jacobea de la Costa, by Juanjo Alonso. It's packed with information and good maps so even if you don't speak Spanish it could be useful to you.

Gerald

[Clodagh]

Gerald, thanks a million for that. The ol' Espanol isn't the best but I think I'll give it a shot.

Thanks again,
Clodagh

[Beatrix]

I would like to encourage all who is planning the north way, not to wait for a guide book. Unless you already know where to get a good one.
It is good if you have one, but you can just as well walk without it.

When I wanted to go on the north way, I was already in Pamplona walking the french way. I was looking for a guidebook there and they had none. Then they told me not to worry, I can get plenty of guide books in the north! In San Sebastian Donastia for example. Then after a bus ride I got there, and again looked for a guide book. NO luck. Couldn't find anything, and then I just stopped looking for it, as the hospitaleros gave me very nice and precise brochures. About the altitude, the albergues, distances.
It was only for the next 3 or 4 days then I had to get a new one, for the next 'section'.
So in the end I walked all the way with just the brochures which I got from the local tourist information and from the albergues. They were very light, and nice. With only the necessary information. They are quite battered now, but if anyone is interested, I can try and scan them. And I had no compass neither, but luckily I could follow the shore most of the time. Just like following the Sun on the french way!

I hope there will be soon a kind of paper for the north way too, just like they have for the french way. With the list of all the albergues, distances, altitudes for the whole way. That would be really useful.

[Sabinebehr]

go to Confraternity of Saint James Pilgrim Guides to Spain

and you will find 2 guide books by Eric Walker on the camino del norte (route is divided into 2 sections)

Excellent information