Thank you so much for your wonderful videos. I'm planning on my first Camino and will be walking the Frances in June 2025. I love that you do it in a slow pace as I will be also.
Indeed. I haven't tried that route. I was too drawn to the Napoleon route. But of course the Valcarlos route is the only option if the higher route is closed.
Thanks, Rob, your advice and videos contributed to a successful Camino for my wife and myself. The definition of a successful marriage, spending 6 weeks together and walking the Camino without killing each other.
and re breakfast - easy as to get 8kms done and stop at a bar for breakfast along the way. El Dia is such a great cheap supermarket chain in medium to large towns for snacks, cheese, bread.. sometimes ALDI!
We use a company for our caminos. We go over the itinerary very carefully to make sure we are happy with the distances and we also put in a few rest days. The company we use are very helpful when we ask to adjust their standard itinerary. If the company you are dealing with won’t change it to suit you. Seek another company. Yes I also agree with getting a SIM card but the SIM card at Barcelona airport is very expensive, be warned. Cheers
Good to hear that you found a company that is flexible. Feel free to name them. I have met so many Pilgrims over the years who got locked into a set schedule and it made their Camino miserable.......
@@robscamino hi Rob we’ve always used Raw travel based in Victoria. They’ve never had a problem with us dividing long days up and adding extra rest stops. We get to stay in a mix of hotels / casa rurales and albergues in the private rooms.
Thank you, Rob. For all your advice. I have followed, you know, for quite a while . Love watching all your videos .I am starting off on my first camino from SJDPP next May . Solo .. It's getting very real .✨️✨️
Thanks Rob. Even though I’ve done the Frances , this made me all nostalgic and I want to do it again now. The primitivo this year was a quite different experience. If we could have a compromise between the two as far as people numbers it would be good. One hostel on the primitivo I was completely by myself and two others there were just two of us. I think it would have to be the depths of winter for that to happen on the Frances. Once again a wonderfully informative video. Thanks for all you do. You gave ex me the courage to do it the first time. Totally addicted now tho. 😊
Hi Rob, Thank you for another great video. I have done the camino from Porto to Santiago last September by bike (lack of holidays availability). This year in October I will walk from SJPDP to Burgos and then another two weeks in 2026 and in 2027. My questions is how did you got the camino route into google maps? Is there any specific link I have to click? I have used the Buen Camino app the last time, but having the option to have it in google maps (maybe been offline) would be great. Keep up the great videos. Always a treat.
I was using google earth to show the camino route. uploaded a GPS track. Not sure if you can do that with google maps. But for a route like the Frances you don't need GPS. Just follow the signs and the other Pilgrims. 🙂
Got home Saturday 15 June from Spain, beware the guide book distances. One very long day the book said 23.8km, actual distance with my GPS watch 33 km. A very challenging terrain and took a total of 13 hours. We had a few accommodation issues and problems (my wife is fluent in Spanish, and I am competent) we spend one night in an Albergue, then gave that up as a bad idea, woken several times during the night by a woman with night terrors, screaming at full volume. We finished the Camino a little early (we had 6 weeks) and caught the train from Santiago de Compostella to Porto in Portugal, and then caught a plane to Marrakesh Morocco (EasyJet) and returned from Marrakesh to Zaragoza (Ryanair) then train to Barcelona. Taking Singapore Airlines from Brisbane to Singapore, 4 days in Singapore, Singapore to Barcelona, train to Pamplona, bus to Saint Jean Pied de Port. Highly recommend Singapore Airlines.
Wow! What was that 33 km section? Sorry to hear of your Albergue experience. Mine have all been very good.... I've had many private rooms that were far noisier! (thin walls) We're thinking of Morocco too after our next Camino. I was last there 50 years ago! Might have changed a bit........🙄
@@Motorallyrider Interesting. I've walked that section a couple of times. Did you detour anywhere? Like Eunate? Centre of Pamplona to centre of Puente La Reina? The distances are usually measured between the Municipal Albergues. But that is a huge variation. Gronze also shows it as 23.9 kms and I find they are usually with 1 km or so. www.gronze.com/etapa/pamplona-iruna/puente-reina-gares Just wondering how your watch showed 33kms? 13 hours would be 2.5 kph. That would be a fairly slow walk with lots of breaks. I walk at 3.5 kph with breaks and I'm very slow. (Usually one of the slowest) I wonder how you ended up with 33 kms?
@@robscamino Yes slow walk, my wife has had a hip replacement and I am nearing 70, and have a heart condition. Detoured to a few coffee shops (with bathrooms for the wife) and a lot of zigs and zagging up and down hills. Overall, we averaged a little over 20 k per day.
on the Frances I mean there is so much accomodation you can really book as you go - its too inflexible otherwise (what if it pelts down rain for 3 days??)
In a word, No. 🙂 Descents are a problem in a number of ways. Just my experience. (1) They put a lot of strain on knees and other joints, due to the breaking effect you have to attempt. So downhills are far harder than uphills! Way harder! It requires care, poles help, and zig zagging can help too. Even so I slipped on my rear end coming down from El Acebo last year. Foolishly I was walking on some fine gravel down a steep incline. But the problem is not really one of 'traction' or lack of. (2) The tricky descents - there are not that many on the Frances - are more about muscle strain than traction. That breaking action. And they also tend to be on a wide variety of surfaces. From concrete, to large stones, to rock. So given the variation in terrain, spikes would be of little (No) use in my view. It's not something to worry about really. Just take care and go a bit slower on those tricky descents. On the Frances though I have not really walked it in full since 2018, the ones that stand out are........ A. Down to Roncesvalles. Use the right fork which is easy. B. Down to Zubiri. It's just the last 2-300 metres that need care. C. Down from Alto del Perdon. A short section, maybe 3-400 metres on pebbles / river stones. Take care in wet (same for all) D. Down from Alto de Mostelares (after Castrojeriz) 3-400 metres on concrete. E. Down from Cruz de Ferro to Molinaseca. The hardest section of the Frances in my view. 2 parts to take care. Coming down into El Acebo, and from there down to Molinaseca. Just go slow and take care, particularly if wet. My knees take a pounding on that section so I break it up by staying in El Acebo. There is nothing on that route that is particularly 'hard'. Just take your time, take care and don't push yourself. They are section of 10-30 minutes generally.
Thank you so much for your wonderful videos. I'm planning on my first Camino and will be walking the Frances in June 2025. I love that you do it in a slow pace as I will be also.
I might do a video on Slow Caminos LOL Buen Camino 🙂
Thanks Rob for all the information & advice. Brilliant video. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Glad it's useful. 🙂
You can too take the Valcarlos rute from SJPdP to Roncesvalles.
Indeed. I haven't tried that route. I was too drawn to the Napoleon route. But of course the Valcarlos route is the only option if the higher route is closed.
Thanks, Rob, your advice and videos contributed to a successful Camino for my wife and myself. The definition of a successful marriage, spending 6 weeks together and walking the Camino without killing each other.
Well done to you both! Pat and I also survived 6 weeks together, just........ 🙂
😂😂😂😂😂😂
and re breakfast - easy as to get 8kms done and stop at a bar for breakfast along the way. El Dia is such a great cheap supermarket chain in medium to large towns for snacks, cheese, bread.. sometimes ALDI!
Very true Shaun. Breakfast after a fews kms always tastes better 🙂
We use a company for our caminos. We go over the itinerary very carefully to make sure we are happy with the distances and we also put in a few rest days. The company we use are very helpful when we ask to adjust their standard itinerary. If the company you are dealing with won’t change it to suit you. Seek another company.
Yes I also agree with getting a SIM card but the SIM card at Barcelona airport is very expensive, be warned.
Cheers
Good to hear that you found a company that is flexible. Feel free to name them. I have met so many Pilgrims over the years who got locked into a set schedule and it made their Camino miserable.......
@@robscamino hi Rob we’ve always used Raw travel based in Victoria. They’ve never had a problem with us dividing long days up and adding extra rest stops. We get to stay in a mix of hotels / casa rurales and albergues in the private rooms.
Great question and great (illustrated) answers. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you, Rob. For all your advice. I have followed, you know, for quite a while . Love watching all your videos .I am starting off on my first camino from SJDPP next May . Solo .. It's getting very real .✨️✨️
Oh very jealous! No idea when my next one will be. Buen Camino 🙂
Will be thinking g of all the advice and what I have learnt. buen camino ✨️✨️
@@susanneal3781 Don't think too much...... once you start. Walk, eat, sleep, repeat and let the Camino unfold 🙂
That wasn't sharing a tax for 21-30 euro on your rome2rio page, that was the fuel cost for driving your own car for 74 km..
Well spotted. I did remark that a taxi would be 100+ euros. For a 74km petrol cost that seems expensive though!
Thanks Rob. Even though I’ve done the Frances , this made me all nostalgic and I want to do it again now. The primitivo this year was a quite different experience. If we could have a compromise between the two as far as people numbers it would be good. One hostel on the primitivo I was completely by myself and two others there were just two of us. I think it would have to be the depths of winter for that to happen on the Frances. Once again a wonderfully informative video. Thanks for all you do. You gave ex me the courage to do it the first time. Totally addicted now tho. 😊
A nice addiction I hope........ 🙂
@@robscaminodefinitely
Hi Rob, Thank you for another great video. I have done the camino from Porto to Santiago last September by bike (lack of holidays availability). This year in October I will walk from SJPDP to Burgos and then another two weeks in 2026 and in 2027.
My questions is how did you got the camino route into google maps? Is there any specific link I have to click? I have used the Buen Camino app the last time, but having the option to have it in google maps (maybe been offline) would be great.
Keep up the great videos. Always a treat.
I was using google earth to show the camino route. uploaded a GPS track. Not sure if you can do that with google maps. But for a route like the Frances you don't need GPS. Just follow the signs and the other Pilgrims. 🙂
Got home Saturday 15 June from Spain, beware the guide book distances. One very long day the book said 23.8km, actual distance with my GPS watch 33 km. A very challenging terrain and took a total of 13 hours. We had a few accommodation issues and problems (my wife is fluent in Spanish, and I am competent) we spend one night in an Albergue, then gave that up as a bad idea, woken several times during the night by a woman with night terrors, screaming at full volume. We finished the Camino a little early (we had 6 weeks) and caught the train from Santiago de Compostella to Porto in Portugal, and then caught a plane to Marrakesh Morocco (EasyJet) and returned from Marrakesh to Zaragoza (Ryanair) then train to Barcelona. Taking Singapore Airlines from Brisbane to Singapore, 4 days in Singapore, Singapore to Barcelona, train to Pamplona, bus to Saint Jean Pied de Port. Highly recommend Singapore Airlines.
Wow! What was that 33 km section? Sorry to hear of your Albergue experience. Mine have all been very good.... I've had many private rooms that were far noisier! (thin walls) We're thinking of Morocco too after our next Camino. I was last there 50 years ago! Might have changed a bit........🙄
@@robscamino 33 km Pamplona to Puente La Reina, a tough climb and a worse rocky descent. Might be 23.8 on a flat map, but not in reality.
@@Motorallyrider Interesting. I've walked that section a couple of times. Did you detour anywhere? Like Eunate? Centre of Pamplona to centre of Puente La Reina? The distances are usually measured between the Municipal Albergues. But that is a huge variation. Gronze also shows it as 23.9 kms and I find they are usually with 1 km or so. www.gronze.com/etapa/pamplona-iruna/puente-reina-gares Just wondering how your watch showed 33kms? 13 hours would be 2.5 kph. That would be a fairly slow walk with lots of breaks. I walk at 3.5 kph with breaks and I'm very slow. (Usually one of the slowest) I wonder how you ended up with 33 kms?
@@robscamino Yes slow walk, my wife has had a hip replacement and I am nearing 70, and have a heart condition. Detoured to a few coffee shops (with bathrooms for the wife) and a lot of zigs and zagging up and down hills. Overall, we averaged a little over 20 k per day.
@@Motorallyrider Well done! My kind of distance 🙂
on the Frances I mean there is so much accomodation you can really book as you go - its too inflexible otherwise (what if it pelts down rain for 3 days??)
Certainly lots of options on the Frances..........
Hi Rob. Would spikes that can be fixed onto your shoes, help with the desents?
In a word, No. 🙂 Descents are a problem in a number of ways. Just my experience.
(1) They put a lot of strain on knees and other joints, due to the breaking effect you have to attempt. So downhills are far harder than uphills! Way harder! It requires care, poles help, and zig zagging can help too. Even so I slipped on my rear end coming down from El Acebo last year. Foolishly I was walking on some fine gravel down a steep incline. But the problem is not really one of 'traction' or lack of.
(2) The tricky descents - there are not that many on the Frances - are more about muscle strain than traction. That breaking action. And they also tend to be on a wide variety of surfaces. From concrete, to large stones, to rock. So given the variation in terrain, spikes would be of little (No) use in my view.
It's not something to worry about really. Just take care and go a bit slower on those tricky descents.
On the Frances though I have not really walked it in full since 2018, the ones that stand out are........
A. Down to Roncesvalles. Use the right fork which is easy.
B. Down to Zubiri. It's just the last 2-300 metres that need care.
C. Down from Alto del Perdon. A short section, maybe 3-400 metres on pebbles / river stones. Take care in wet (same for all)
D. Down from Alto de Mostelares (after Castrojeriz) 3-400 metres on concrete.
E. Down from Cruz de Ferro to Molinaseca. The hardest section of the Frances in my view. 2 parts to take care. Coming down into El Acebo, and from there down to Molinaseca. Just go slow and take care, particularly if wet.
My knees take a pounding on that section so I break it up by staying in El Acebo.
There is nothing on that route that is particularly 'hard'. Just take your time, take care and don't push yourself.
They are section of 10-30 minutes generally.