View Full Version : Camino de Santiago...
Hammock Hanger
07-14-2008, 22:11
I've read a few of the journals over at TJ, with regards to this trail. Any WBlazers have any experience with this trail??
We are planning on hiking mid-Sept thru to the end of October. I've looked on line but haven't gotten a lot of info on the average temps for that time of year.
Any and all info would be appreciated.
Thanks
fiddlehead
07-14-2008, 23:15
Weather should be good that time of year.
The trail coincides a bit at it's western end with the HRP (Pyrenees hike) that we did in '99.
The only person i know who hiked it was Cindy Ross and she commented to me that it was not something she would do again. I don't remember her reasons why.
I would hike the Pyrenees HRP again however. That trail is beautiful and up there on the tops of the mtns similar to the trails we are more familiar with in America. (very tough climbs)
Have fun. I love hiking in other countries and meeting people who are into the same thing. I do think that this hike that you want to do is more of a religious pilgrimage than a walk up in the tops of the mtns.
Whiteblaze member "highway" is familiar with that trail.
I just received a great guide book from Amazon. John Brierly's "Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago."
Newly revised (2008) and full of info on hostels, alternate routes, info on towns, elev profiles, etc etc. It's aimed at British pilgrims in the how to get there section, but the info on the trail applies to any one.
ISBN 978-1-84409-069-3
There is a campanion book of maps, but don't get it. The exact same maps are in the guidebook (wish I'd known that before buying them)
If you are continuing to Finisterra, he also has a guidebook (again with maps) for that section, also.
Are you going to keep a trail journal? If all goes well, I'll be starting at St Jean Pied de Port mid April 2009.
What city are you flying in to? I'm undecided between Madrid and Paris.
The Solemates
07-15-2008, 00:40
http://jim-wandering.blogspot.com/
Hammock Hanger
07-15-2008, 08:06
I just received a great guide book from Amazon. John Brierly's "Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago."
Newly revised (2008) and full of info on hostels, alternate routes, info on towns, elev profiles, etc etc. It's aimed at British pilgrims in the how to get there section, but the info on the trail applies to any one.
ISBN 978-1-84409-069-3
There is a campanion book of maps, but don't get it. The exact same maps are in the guidebook (wish I'd known that before buying them)
If you are continuing to Finisterra, he also has a guidebook (again with maps) for that section, also.
Are you going to keep a trail journal? If all goes well, I'll be starting at St Jean Pied de Port mid April 2009.
What city are you flying in to? I'm undecided between Madrid and Paris.
That is the same guidebook we are going to use, I like the way it is put together.
So far I am still holding on the ticket. I have been looking at a multi-destination ticket. Fly into Bizzrate, France and flying home from Santiago. The ticket dropped $200, then jumped $300. The curent price is over $1500. Last year when I first planned this trip the fee was @ $800. Wish I had bought my ticket then,
I will be keeping a journal and probably a Gcast.
fiddlehead
07-15-2008, 08:21
We used airhitch and flew home from Lisbon when we did the Pyrenees in 99. I don't know if they're still around. I think it was around $150. (we flew into Paris also on Airhitch, and hitchiked up to Amsterdam where we bought a car and drove it down to the start hitting the running of the bulls on the way) Was a great trip.
fiddlehead
07-15-2008, 08:25
Just checked, they are still around. (Airhitch)
East coast US to Europe is $250 one way.
Cabin Fever
07-15-2008, 08:50
I hope this doesn't derail this thread, but when I first saw the title, I thought it said Carmen San Diego. Oh, the childhood.
Jax to Madrid Oct 1-Nov18 round trip is still about a grand. From Madrid airport, take metro (subway, underground) to train station to Pamplona (Renfe) then bus to Roncesvalles or taxi (shared, hopefully) to St Jean Pied de Port over the Pyrenees in France. That is what I once did.
I just checked the same airline parameters above and now, just a few hours later, the flights on Expedia start at $765 round trip for one adult and $1200 if you are 65 or older from JAX to MADrid :-?
http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=fexp&flag=q&city1=Jacksonville%2C+FL+%28JAX%2DJacksonville+Int l%2E%29&citd1=Madrid%2C+Spain+%28MAD%2DBarajas%29&date1=10/1/2008&time1=362&date2=11/18/2008&time2=362&cAdu=1&cSen=&cChi=&cInf=&infs=2&tktt=&trpt=2&ecrc=&eccn=&qryt=8&load=1&airp1=JAX&dair1=MAD&rdct=1&rfrr=-429
I will be keeping a journal and probably a Gcast.I'll look forward to reading it.
If you can, when you talk about hostels in your journal, please tell what hostel you stayed it.
I've read the Camino journals on TJ, and uniformly they talk staying in a great hostel or a not-so-great hostel, but rarely mention which hostel they are talking about.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=696876&postcount=8