Author Topic: The way of St James (France & Spain)  (Read 5281 times)

peterjohn42

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The way of St James (France & Spain)
« on: 01:27:48, 11/01/17 »
Hi guys,
I am looking at walking the Way of St James starting April 2018 and was wondering if there are other walkers out there who also would be interested in doing this walk, it is a 490 mile (790km) walk starting in France, a town called St. Jean de Port, walk over the Pyrenees into Spain then follow the pilgrim trail north of Spain to Santiago de Comostela with a option of a 56 mile extension to Finisterre, I plan to do the walk in around 40 days to Santiago, average 20km (13miles) per day, accommodation is plentiful as we stay in Albergue's, basic accommodation for walkers only.
I have done this walk last year in stages and now looking to do it again in one visit, I found it a great walk, well worth doing.
I am looking for company on the walk, any age or sex, all I ask I to have the desire to complete the walk.
If interested please get back to me on here, if you need to know anything else please ask.
Peter.

jimbob

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #1 on: 10:07:01, 11/01/17 »
Hi PeterJohn42.
 I am fulfilling a long time wish and starting the Camino Frances in early April.
As you have walked before then you will know that you will rarely be on your own.

No matter what the weather  is I want to walk the traditional route which is now classed as the low route via Valcarlos to get over the Pyrenees.  Thereafter I was hoping to gradually build up to doing 35 km per day.

My plans include a few offshoots to see some interesting places.

Too little, too late, too bad......

gunwharfman

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #2 on: 11:43:18, 11/01/17 »
I hiked The Way of St James (GR65) from Le Puy en Velay (beautiful and a very easy place to enjoy yourself) and then onward to Figeac last July. For me an excellent hike, miles of open country,  towns and villages, all very interesting, the hospitality of the locals was first class, also loads of English speakers just waiting to practice on you, lots of good food and wine and the route is easy to camp, which is what I did. Great memories! At Figeac I then turned off on the GR6 into the Dordogne and on to Bergerac. Most people were hiking in my direction were going to St. John-pied-de-port and then onto the Spanish part of the trail.

I've been to St. John-pied-de-port before, when I hiked the GR10 in 2015. Again, a very attractive little place and the camp site is right in the middle of the old town.

Personally I've never felt the urge to hike the Camino, having heard more negatives about it than positives. I'm not into religion so from that point of view there is nothing other than a hike in it for me. From what I have been told (negatives) by some hikers, the best advice to get a good experience, is to blaze your own trail across Spain to avoid having to walk alongside a lot of busy roads, being wind and noise blasted by lorries, coaches and the overwhelming drone of other vehicles on the tarmac.

At this moment I am considering a hike to St. Jean-pied-de-port on the GR6 starting from the South of France starting in April or May. I just haven't made my mind up yet. Enjoy your hike and when you are in the Basque region lay into loads of the local Basque Tart, wonderful with a large coffee!

Rather be walking

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #3 on: 12:34:31, 11/01/17 »
Planning to walk the Santiago de Compostela this April. We are starting at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and staying at albergues.
we're not religious in anyway just doing a long walk for fun  O0
I have walked 'The Way' many years ago 1985-6 I think.
The first day is the hardest, all up hill . 

 
““The hardest part was coming to terms with the constant dispiriting discovery that there is always more hill.”
― Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods

ninthace

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #4 on: 15:04:01, 11/01/17 »
I have never met the guy who did it with a donkey but I have met the donkey.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Travels-My-Donkey-Pilgrimage-Santiago/dp/0312320833


It lived in the next village to us and as of 2011 it was still alive and well and still taking folk for walks.
Solvitur Ambulando

peterjohn42

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #5 on: 15:21:00, 11/01/17 »
I am not taking a donkey with me, I will never get it to sit still on the plane, lol

bricam2096

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #6 on: 15:23:25, 11/01/17 »
I am not taking a donkey with me, I will never get it to sit still on the plane, lol

I would be hard to get through customs anyway with it, they might think it's a drug mule  :D
LDWs done - 32 in total including 16 National Trails and 3 C2C

Wainwrights 176
www.brians-walks.co.uk

gunwharfman

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #7 on: 15:26:53, 11/01/17 »
I've seen a fair few donkeys on my trips, even more when I hiked the Stevenson Way. I think R.L. Stevenson started a trend!

peterjohn42

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #8 on: 15:37:03, 11/01/17 »

I would be hard to get through customs anyway with it, they might think it's a drug mule  :D

Ha ha ha, good one.

Rather be walking

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #9 on: 12:14:58, 12/01/17 »
I would be hard to get through customs anyway with it, they might think it's a drug mule  :D

Ha ha ha, good one.

You could try shetland pony, they're small  ;)

John, == Buen Camino 
““The hardest part was coming to terms with the constant dispiriting discovery that there is always more hill.”
― Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods

glovepuppet

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #10 on: 16:50:03, 12/01/17 »
We walked the route from St Jean to Santiago, and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I'd completely accept it is not for everyone - it's not always scenic (not often, some say) and there is a LOT of road walking.


Whether you are religious or not is almost immaterial - the main appeal is that the walk operates as a community all progressing west at roughly the same pace, so plenty of time for making new friends and chatting with familiar faces.


Our favourite section was between Burgos and Leon - across the Meseta - where we met with a great bunch of people, about 20 in all, and enjoyed some memorable times including a birthday I will never forget.  O0


Loved it!

peterjohn42

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #11 on: 17:15:25, 12/01/17 »
I found the Meseta the most boring, flat and straight, my favorite was going into the mountains after Leon.
I want to return to go the walk in one attempt, doing the loop after Santiago.
Walking the Way of St James is a wonderful experience, fond memories and I made new friends from all around the world.

sparnel

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #12 on: 20:23:36, 12/01/17 »
Walked from Le Puy to Conques................fantastic countryside and met many really  nice people.

toadoftoadhall

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #13 on: 23:01:49, 23/02/17 »
I did a part of it in 2015, Leon to Santiago. Met up with a nice German guy on day 2 and walked the whole way together. Had a great time.
We met again in 2016 to walk the Malerweg in Germany, ending in Dresden just in time for Dresden day, fantasic fireworks display to end the walk.
Its not so much the walk, as the people you meet.

jimbob

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Re: The way of St James (France & Spain)
« Reply #14 on: 09:19:32, 03/03/17 »
Those of you who have walked before may be able to help me out. I have a morbid hatred if ticks. I have read a lot about their cousins infesting a lot if the hostels across the Camino Frances,  bed bugs! I have got my wife to sew up a bed bug double sheet into a bag so that I can put my sleeping bag inside  to deter the criteria.  I intend to spray that bag just before I go to enhance its bug killing properties and carry some anti allergy pills for bites.  I will also put my rucksack in a binbag on arrival at the hostel  to ensure I don't  carry from one place to the next.

Do I need to do anything else.
Too little, too late, too bad......

 

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