Walking in April CAmino Frances

[Kathy Crandall]

Hi Glori,
I could go in late April - say the 20, 21 - as well. If you keep me posted we might still be able to start off together.
Thanks,
Kathy

Hi Kathy...

I still haven't made up my mind, but I think I am going to try to go in mid-late April. There is a chance I might meet up with a friend from Cyprus and go at the end of May, after I attend a wedding near Barcelona. I really like the thought of leaving sooner than later, though...but I will let you know if I decide to leave in May and then perhaps we can all begin together,

Take care

Glori

[annie]

Hi... I walked the Camino Frances in April last year. Be prepared for everything from snow to heat. A pilgrim had died coming over the Pyrenees in a blizzard by himself a couple of weeks before I left, so I decided (because I was walking by myself and its not so very busy in early April & the weather was iffy) that I would start in Pamplona instead... and I actually backtracked to Pamplona when I'd arrived in Finisterre... after Santiago... & walked back over the pyrenees into St Jean to 'fill the gap' ...

At one point (1st May 07) the weather was desparate, & it snowed and was miserable... and I thought for a couple of weeks I'd never be warm ever again! Yet it was very warm in mid April (except at night) but it was also very wet at one point, and can be very slippery just after Pamplona, and sticks are an absolute necessity really... specially if your backpack is heavy (which do try to avoid at all costs... so many folk struggle with a heavy backpack and its possible these days to travel so light)

I also carried a good pair of sandals which I often used. Like many others who have a pronation I tend to get very deep side blisters (where I roll) if I'm not careful... and the good walking sandals I have I've always found a godsend as they are 'heel-less' and I can walk in comfort when the blisters start up... which... because of my pronation they always do for the first couple of weeks.

Enjoy! Its a wonderful experience. I hope you have a wonderful time... God Bless.

[Glori]

Hi Kathy,

Because of time constraints and because of the possible increase in pilgrims come May, I bought my ticket so that I should arrive in St-Jean around the 10th or so. I figure if the weather in the pyrenees is that bad I could just get some transportation to Roncesvalles, and begin from there. If you wanted to leave around this time too, I would be more than happy to do that first part with you. Let me know what you end up doing....

Take care,

glori

Hi Glori,
I could go in late April - say the 20, 21 - as well. If you keep me posted we might still be able to start off together.
Thanks,
Kathy

[Glori]

Thank you Annie,

That was really helpful. Because of time I will be arriving around April 10th, and if it seems the weather is too bad for crossing the Pyrenees, I will just skip ahead to Roncesvalles. I have heard now from a couple people that live in that part of Spain that it is really impossible to predict the weather, so I realize I am taking my chances and hopefully I don't have to miss that beautiful part.

Did you have any difficultly finding places to stay or eat? How much food would you recommend carrying for the start of the journey? And, if you remember, what was the lowest temperature you experienced. I will be traveling alone, is there anything else you would recommend?

Thank you so much,

Glori

Hi... I walked the Camino Frances in April last year. Be prepared for everything from snow to heat. A pilgrim had died coming over the Pyrenees in a blizzard by himself a couple of weeks before I left, so I decided (because I was walking by myself and its not so very busy in early April & the weather was iffy) that I would start in Pamplona instead... and I actually backtracked to Pamplona when I'd arrived in Finisterre... after Santiago... & walked back over the pyrenees into St Jean to 'fill the gap' ...

At one point (1st May 07) the weather was desparate, & it snowed and was miserable... and I thought for a couple of weeks I'd never be warm ever again! Yet it was very warm in mid April (except at night) but it was also very wet at one point, and can be very slippery just after Pamplona, and sticks are an absolute necessity really... specially if your backpack is heavy (which do try to avoid at all costs... so many folk struggle with a heavy backpack and its possible these days to travel so light)

I also carried a good pair of sandals which I often used. Like many others who have a pronation I tend to get very deep side blisters (where I roll) if I'm not careful... and the good walking sandals I have I've always found a godsend as they are 'heel-less' and I can walk in comfort when the blisters start up... which... because of my pronation they always do for the first couple of weeks.

Enjoy! Its a wonderful experience. I hope you have a wonderful time... God Bless.

[annie]

Hi Glori... I think you are sounding sensible... for those of us walking on our own you got to calculate the risks with thought... and St Jean is a pretty enough little place to 'hole up' for a day or two if necessary to wait for a better 'weather window' ... & no matter how beautiful the views you're not going to see them/see them at their best in low cloud / rain/ snow anyway. So your plan to get transport to Roncesvalles 'if necessary' is sound.

I actually walked from Roncesvalles to St Jean in a most terrible rainstorm and so used the road. I have to say, it was pretty scary because the corners are very tight & bends 'blind'and the traffic comes up very close & I needed all my wits about me, and I never want to repeat that section on the road again! I think in April it pays to be cautious.

To tell the truth I'm not sure what the lowest temperature was... when walking it certainly felt bitter some days with the wind chill factor. Enough to make your nose red and your hands gently purple! I always carried a big bar of chocolate for emergencies and some nuts. You'll need food for that long trek upto Roncesvalles from St Jean , but in Roncesvalles there are 2 restaurants where you can get a decent meal which aren't too expensive. I never carried huge amounts of food... just enough 'calories' to 'keep me going' if needs be. Just be careful on Sundays... I used to take a decent lunch in the middle of the day on Sundays in case I didn't find places open on Sunday evenings in the smaller places. From memory I think shops closed by late morning on Sundays too... but its never as much of a problem as France can be where there are sometimes no shops on Sundays or Mondays either!

Take some 'under gear' to help keep warm. Decent gloves and warm hat. (And having told you all this you'll probably meet up with great weather and never see a snowflake!) One woman was so convinced the 3rd week of April that summer had arrived last year she posted back home her cold weather clothes and a week later couldn't continue without them. You jsut don't know... and the Pyrenees aren't your last mountain range either.

Don't worry about travelling alone... someone is never too far behind you! The ways are well marked. Accommodation in Spain is no problem as long as you're flexible about arrangements... some places are far from luxurious. Little bars are frequent. Like you I wondered how it was going to be before I started... the minute i Got started it was absolutely no problem and everything sort of fell into place!

Sometimes I think its easier walking by yourself anyway... no one to slow down for... no one to have to try and keep up with... you can walk your own pace and keep your own agenda. Some days you'll find you walk alongside the same folk for a few days which is lovely. People who are friendly are never far away.

Have a simply great time!! Wish I was starting out all over again but my daughter's getting married in June so I must keep on baking wedding cakes!! Hope the sun smiles upon you. Gently. Annie.

[Roland]

Hi, I just arrived at Roncesvalles, the weather is perfect, sunny nice temperature, not to hot not to cold, a little wind.
There are only some traces of snow. On the way from SJPDP to Roncesvalles there was no snow at all. Only the Route Napoleon is closed, it might be to dangerous for non experienced people. So everything is fine, I encourage everyone to start in April.

[Glori]

Annie,

It really helps to hear of your experiences...esp since I will be traveling during the same time you had. I will bring as little as possible and hope that if I need anything I can get it out there. I am still going to head SJPP, and am hoping that the pilgrims office will be able to advise me on the safety of weather conditions. Again, Thank you for sharing with us....

peace

Glori

Hi... I walked the Camino Frances in April last year. Be prepared for everything from snow to heat. A pilgrim had died coming over the Pyrenees in a blizzard by himself a couple of weeks before I left, so I decided (because I was walking by myself and its not so very busy in early April & the weather was iffy) that I would start in Pamplona instead... and I actually backtracked to Pamplona when I'd arrived in Finisterre... after Santiago... & walked back over the pyrenees into St Jean to 'fill the gap' ...

At one point (1st May 07) the weather was desparate, & it snowed and was miserable... and I thought for a couple of weeks I'd never be warm ever again! Yet it was very warm in mid April (except at night) but it was also very wet at one point, and can be very slippery just after Pamplona, and sticks are an absolute necessity really... specially if your backpack is heavy (which do try to avoid at all costs... so many folk struggle with a heavy backpack and its possible these days to travel so light)

I also carried a good pair of sandals which I often used. Like many others who have a pronation I tend to get very deep side blisters (where I roll) if I'm not careful... and the good walking sandals I have I've always found a godsend as they are 'heel-less' and I can walk in comfort when the blisters start up... which... because of my pronation they always do for the first couple of weeks.

Enjoy! Its a wonderful experience. I hope you have a wonderful time... God Bless.

[Glori]

Roland that is wonderful news!!!! May I ask you how long it took you from SJPP to Roncessvalles?

Many Thanks...and what a wonderfully appropriate name you have for having made that crossing

Glori

[Roland]

Hi Glori,

I vent by train from Bayonne to SJPDP, arrived at around 9:30, vent to the pilgrim reception, got the credencial, had a second breakfast , visited the church, got gods blessing and startet at 11 from the bridge in SJPDP. At 1:00 I had lunch, break for at least 1 hour, did some shopping, got bread, water and some fruit and went up to the pass where I arrived at 17:30.
Unfortionatly it was a little windy so I didnt look for the Roland monument. Anyway, to see the place where Roland died , I was not to keen.
At the Refugo, which is run by very nice people from Holland I arrived at 18:00. Got to church, at the end of the mis, the priest asked the Pilgrims to come foreward and gave them the blessings for the camino.
I would recomend to stay over night in SJPDP and get up early, so you have more time for resting. It gets dark around 20:00.
Good luck or "mucha suerte"

Roland

[Kathy Crandall]

Hi Glori,
Thanks for letting me know that you are going on april 10. I will probably go the first of May. I wish you good luck and a great walk.
Kathy

Hi Kathy,

Because of time constraints and because of the possible increase in pilgrims come May, I bought my ticket so that I should arrive in St-Jean around the 10th or so. I figure if the weather in the pyrenees is that bad I could just get some transportation to Roncesvalles, and begin from there. If you wanted to leave around this time too, I would be more than happy to do that first part with you. Let me know what you end up doing....

Take care,

glori