The Camino

May - July 2023

The most amazing experience ever Read more

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Traveler The Camino
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- May 23, 2023, 1:45pm
- ⛅ 21 °C
- Altitude: 43 m
- France Nouvelle-Aquitaine Saint-Genis-d'Hiersac Basse 45.774212, 0.0865445°46’27” N 0°5’12” E
Day 1
On our Way!!
May 23, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Left home at 5am this morning to catch the Eurostar at St Pancras. Richard was brilliant and drove us there so arrived by 6am.
The first people we met as we got out of the car were also Camino walkers this doing the French part from Le Puy - Anne and Sue from Durham.
Eurostar left on time and crossing Paris was very easy leaving us time for a coffee at Montparnasse before getting on the TGV bound for Bayonne - which is where I am now More to follow!Read more
Traveler Have a wonderful walk...
5/23/23Reply
Traveler Os deseo buen camino! 🥾😘
5/23/23ReplyTranslate
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Traveler The Camino
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- May 23, 2023, 1:49pm
- Altitude: 103 m
- France Nouvelle-Aquitaine Poullignac 45.410799, -0.01183245°24’39” N 0°0’43” W
Day 1
Photos from the first morning
May 23, 2023 in France
Good luck! Let me know how to sponsor you on your journey! [Philippa]
5/23/23Reply
Traveler Good luck and sending all our love xx
5/23/23Reply
Traveler Can't wait to see your adventures! X
5/23/23Reply
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Traveler The Camino
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- May 23, 2023, 5:08pm
- ☁️ 20 °C
- Altitude: 20 m
- France Nouvelle-Aquitaine Bayonne Saint-Esprit Nive 43.496579, -1.46977943°29’48” N 1°28’11” W
Day 1
Bumped from the train at Bayonne!
May 23, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
For some reason despite having tickets for the train to St Jean Pied de Port we have been put on a bus as they say the train is full! Have had an hour at Bayonne - very warm and sunny and a lovely town with a wide river and a smell of the sea - which is very close. Bus will be fine!!Read more
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Traveler The Camino
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- May 23, 2023, 5:13pm
- ☁️ 20 °C
- Altitude: 24 m
- France Nouvelle-Aquitaine Bayonne Saint-Esprit Nive 43.49589, -1.46970743°29’45” N 1°28’11” W
Day 1
Photos from Bayonne
May 23, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Traveler Sleep well and good luck tomorrow x
5/23/23Reply
Traveler Good luck with your first day of walking xx
5/24/23Reply
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Traveler The Camino
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- May 23, 2023
- Altitude: 183 m
- France Nouvelle-Aquitaine Saint-Jean-le-Vieux 43.166478, -1.21265743°9’59” N 1°12’46” W
Day 1
St Jean Pied de Port - Auberge Beilari
May 23, 2023 in France
So we have arrived at the start of the Camino Frances - St Jean Pied de Port. The bus actually worked fine and we arrived at the Alberge around 6.30. No one told me how beautiful St Jean is! Fabulous medieval town with winding cobbled streets and a river crossed by graceful bridges.
We were greeted at Alberge Beilari by Joseph - had to dump our packs in a sheltered area outside and change our shoes. Then checked in and were shown out dorm which was a mix of beds and bunks.
We had the most magical evening with our Camino family hosted by Joseph. Other pilgrims from Ireland, Australia, USA, Taiwan and France. All lovely and great fun. Delicious vegetarian meal (squash and fennel soup, then salad, then pasta with a soy and tomato sauce, then tiramisu). Red wine with the meal also delicious. This was a very special evening - everyone had their own reasons for being on the Camino and the theory that ‘the Camino will provide’ fully borne out in every way. My next door bed mate - Kay from Seattle turned out to be able to speak Chinese (or possibly Vietnamese) and could translate for Cho An who really spoke nearly no English (or French or Spanish) at all - not sure how she would have managed without her - but she didn’t need to! Bed very comfortable, silk sleeping bag liner worked well but unfortunately didn’t really sleep as I think I was a bit overtired and excited for the next day! Feel very lucky to be here and able to do this.Read more
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- May 24, 2023, 1:14pm
- 🌧 15 °C
- Altitude: 864 m
- France Nouvelle-Aquitaine Arnéguy Bois d’Orisson 43.101415, -1.23895843°6’5” N 1°14’20” W
Day 2
Photos from 23rd May
May 24, 2023 in France ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
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Traveler The Camino
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- May 24, 2023, 5:20pm
- ☁️ 15 °C
- Altitude: 864 m
- France Nouvelle-Aquitaine Arnéguy Bois d’Orisson 43.101415, -1.23895843°6’5” N 1°14’20” W
Day 2
More photos from 24/05/2023
May 24, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
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Traveler The Camino
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- May 24, 2023
- 🌧 15 °C
- Altitude: 864 m
- France Nouvelle-Aquitaine Arnéguy Bois d’Orisson 43.101275, -1.23884243°6’5” N 1°14’20” W
Day 2
St Jean Pied de Port to Orisson
May 24, 2023 in France ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
Set off from St Jean around 8.30. Short but steep day today 9km up into the Pyrenees. Weather has been misty with a bit of rain and a very little bit of sun. We were at the main Orisson Auberge by 10.30 so had coffee and then some soup as despite breakfast I was hungry.
All a bit uncomfortable tho after that as was very sweaty after the steep climb but the weather had turned quite cold so just got chilled. Our Auberge (Auberge Borda) was a kilometre further on so we were there super early and it turned out that it didn’t open until 2.30. While the sun shone this was fine but got vv cold waiting.
Laurent - owner - finally turned up but we are missing Joseph from last night as although the place is beautiful the welcome wasn’t and we don’t actually feel very welcome but instead a bit of a nuisance! Anyway the other pilgrims are lovely - some people from Beilari too and am sure dinner will be fun.Read more
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Traveler The Camino
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- May 24, 2023
- ☁️ 14 °C
- Altitude: 954 m
- France Nouvelle-Aquitaine Arnéguy Bois d’Orisson 43.096506, -1.24151643°5’47” N 1°14’29” W
Day 2
Evening at Auberge Borda
May 24, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
The day improved when Laurent lit the wood burner and we had a glass of red wine accompanied by crisps! Finally warm after getting thoroughly chilled - also helped by Brujo (witch in English) the cat who dat on my knee for some time. Facilities were wonderful - lots of hot water (shower was meant to be limited to 4mins with a token but luckily token didn’t function as Laurent would have liked so C and I were both able to shower on one token perfectly adequately).
Dinner was good - soup followed by dauphinois potatoes and a bean thing for us vegetarians. Other pilgrims from France, South Korea, Austria (a couple who were actually 8 weeks into their walk having started in Austria in March) USA, Canada, Brazil, Israel and Italy.Read more
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Traveler The Camino
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- May 25, 2023, 7:14am
- ☁️ 10 °C
- Altitude: 868 m
- France Nouvelle-Aquitaine Arnéguy Bois d’Orisson 43.101381, -1.23874543°6’5” N 1°14’19” W
Day 3
Thursday 25th May Orisson to Roncesvalle
May 25, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
Slept well finally! No snoring as all female dormitory last night.
Rudimentary breakfast but coffee was good. Set off to cross into Spain river the Pyrenees at about 8.15. Weather started bright and not too cold so we were soon in t shirts but not for long as it became quite cold very quickly. Unbelievably beautiful scenery when we could see it but lots of very misty patches where we could see very little.
Met up with Nomi from Houston Texas but originally from Israel. She had started out with a friend but had come to the decision today that it wasn’t working out so was working out how to dump him - quite tricky I should imagine as we keep meeting up with the same people so he might be quite hard to avoid!
Also met up again with Mark from Beilari on first night - he left at 6.30 am without breakfast and with no food and managed to get very lost. Saved from a very tricky situation by a lovely Irish couple with energy bars and who were on the right route. Walked quite a way with them. They are Camino addicts who have walked the Frances before as well as the Norte, the Primitivo and the Portuguese. Interesting discussions about Brexit - like most Europeans they remain completely baffled by the vote to leave and were very interested to know about what we perceived the benefits to be! We struggled…
Arrived in Roncesvalles at about 1. Very cold as we’re still high up. Couldn’t check into our accommodation so went to the bar and had tortilla and two beers each- felt very good after quite hard cold walk.
Now checked in and dinner in the hotel arranged. Hoping to go to the pilgrims service in the church attached to the monastery at 8pm if we can stay awake long enough. The church is beautiful with the most stunning stained glass. More to follow potentially…Read more
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