Well the decision is made and I intend to walk the Camino Norte starting 15 Sept. I will be walking with another friend called Mike Smith who I think really wanted to go on my last trip but did not say!!  We plan to stay at the Albergue Martindozenea in Irun for the first night and then take the stroll from there.  Not certain how we will get from Biarritz to Irun yet but we can always walk as we have most of the day free!  I do not intend to make any detailed plans beyond this other than to walk every day………….

Thinking of doing another Camino!

Well winter is over and the sun is out so my thoughts turn towards another little walk............. I am thinking of walking Camino de Norte this year. If I go it will be in Sept again as long as my sore hip is better by then! I am very content to walk it by myself as I know that there will be plenty of opportunities to meet others on the way, but I have just asked a friend if they want to do it as well. I expect this will be very different this time especially as I cannot imagine I that I will get 5 weeks with out rain again..............

My Camino from St Jean Pied-De-Port to Finisterre took 32 days, it was about 800 kms (548 miles) and I had no rain and no blisters! The way is mostly well marked and in fact contrary to most published info the way from Santiago de Compostela to Finisterre is marked better than most parts. Overall, the route is pleasant although the 3 days either side of Leon are less attractive owing to the flatness of the terrain and the industrial areas. The 3 days to Finisterre were probably the best for scenery and I would recommend the hike from Santiago to Finisterre to anyone. It can be done in 3 longish days but 4 is better and it can also be extended to include Muxia and its coast and if for this stretch you want better accommodation than the albergues de perigrinos (AdP) you had best book first. (For Santiago De Compostela try Maria on 981 582 362 who speaks English and has apartments with kitchens, showers and washing machines - all for 20 euros). For the camino I used the John Brierley map book which lived up to its task. It is just the maps and a small commentary. There are others available by this author that give more info but the maps works for me. In general the AdPs are fine and we only found 1 with bed bugs. However, there are plenty of very good alternatives including better standard private AdPs as well as Pensions, Rural Casa, Hostels and Hotels. Info about the AdPs themselves is sparse and sometimes you can arrive to find that they have been closed for a year. During the camino I found a site in Spanish that had more info and that was at - http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/albergues/ -. My pack weighed about 10 to 11 kilos inc water which proved fine for me. That said I still had more than I needed. What I actually used was - 2 tee shirts, 2 pairs shorts, 2 pairs of socks and underpants, 1 jacket, my Meindl walking shoes and my flip flops for the showers and the evening (I did take trainers as well but in future would replace both my trainers and flip flops with a pair of 'walking' sandals. I also had a water sac with a drinking tube (which is a must). Beyond that I just used my washing stuff (with 1 bar of fairy soap for everything) and a small medical kit. On the medical side the Compeed stick and some soft tubes designed to protect toes was all I needed. However, many people needed the Compeed plasters as well and they all felt they were very good. On the memory side of the camino the best memory is definitely the different people I met on the way. Other than that I would have to list the prime memories as Smell - Cow poo! Noise - Either the crunch of shoes on gravel or dogs barking! Accom - at between 5 and 10 euros a night no real complaints. Food - Mostly OK some great and a little poor, but for about 10 euros each night for a 3 course meal inc wine it would be churlish to complain. Shop - The amount of fresh fish in every town. Would I do it again? Not the same hike but I would definitely consider another long hike. However, we were spoilt on this one both because of the facilities but also because we had no rain at all. People on the way often asked if I got what I expected out of the camino. My answer was yes - a long walk. BUON CAMINO.

Last phots inc Cape Finisterre can be found at - https://picasaweb.google.com/103003301116145034549/PhotsTo13OctAndCapeFinisterre or click here

Thurs 13 Oct - Now back in SdC ready to go to the airport tomorrow. As the airport is only 15kms away we thought we would walk there as it would be like a `normal' camino day before breakfast. However, we would have to leave at 0500 so we have decided to go by bus to the airport! Good 3.5 km walk up to Cape Finisterre yesterday evening and we took a small picnic and a bottle of wine. Did not have much as all of the shops were closed owing to the public holiday, but the bakers was open and we bought the wine from one of the bars (it only cost 4 euros!). Now Cape Finisterre is a very popular place with the pilgims, tourists and the locals. Also as it was a holiday there were probably more people up there than usual. Beside the expected tourist stores there is 1 bar - and as it was a holiday it was closed!!!!!! They really do miss every opportunity to make a good living. It was a fantastic sunset at about 2000 (pictures will be posted shortly) and one of the best I have seen. It was a crystal clear sky and you could still see the reflection of the sun on the sea after it had dropped below the horizon. To make it even more impressive there was a full moon last night so as the sun set in the west we could see the moon rise in the east - a magical moment. Walking back I was thinking about the past 32 days and that it is probably the most number of days in a row that I have walked in the moon light of a morning and the most sunrises I have seen in a row. More worringly, I have now probably had more moonlit walks with Ian than with Christa!! Caught the 0820 bus from Finistere this morning and it took 2 hours to get to SdC all for 12.50 euros. However, getting onto the bus ws the normal european scramble and chaos, I wish they would learn to queque. Have bought my 'local' cheese and a few other bits so all ready for the trip home. This is about the last post for this hike (more hikes to come may be?). I will post the phots shortly and I will probably post a short summary after I get home. Buon Camino!

Wed 12 Oct - In Finisterre. Arrived at the AdP at 1345 and plan to walk the last 3.5 kms to the lighthouse on Cape Finisterre this evening so we can toast the sunset! The walk to Olveiroa yesterday was the longest `book day´ of the camino at 33.1 (35.8km adjusted for the uphills) and today we walked 30 kms to Finisterre. In fact the 3 days to here were marked as well as anywhere on the camino and the walk is prettier than most. It would make a very attractive 3-5 day hike for tourists and the Finisterre cape is very pretty (photos to come tomorrow inc all of the beaches). The last 2 days were COP and we had the full moon back so it was a delightful statrt to each day. Been for a quick bite of lunch which was a lovely long roll with chicken, herbs and peppers with a plan to buy some supplies from the local shops this evening. However, there seems to be one small problem in as much as evidently today is the anniversary of Christopher Columbus landing in America so it is a public holiday and the shops are shut! Will post again tomorrow when we get back to SdC assuming we can sort out the transport.

Posted by Christa. Mike has no internet but is now in Olveiroa about 35 kms and 1 day from cape Finisterre. Will post again asap.