Trip/Event Location: Bayonne, France, to Pamplona, Spain, MAUS
Trip Leader(s): BordRXR
Max # People: 5
Trip Guiding / Event Fee: Yes, but only to cover shared expenses, and I too am paying
Difficulty Level: Moderate to Strenuous
The Camino de Santiago, the Way of St James, is a network of ancient walking routes from the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The main path has become heavily traveled
Trip begins at Bayonne, France on the evening of October 5, meeting point TBA. The local airport is Biarritz (BIQ); Bilbao airport (BIO) is 2.5 hrs away by bus; Bordeaux Airport (BOD) is 2.5 hrs by train; San Sebastian airport (EAS) is about 2hrs away. Return flights can be booked from Pamplona, Bilbao or San Sebastian. High speed trains (renfe.com) connect all these Spanish cities with Madrid and Barcelona for transatlantic flights.
We met up in beautiful Bayonne, France, and walked the Camino Baztán for 6 days, averaging around 14 miles a day through an isolated and very traditional part of the Basque Country straddling the Pyrenees that form the westernmost part of the border between France and Spain. The weather was much drier and warmer than normal for October in the area, reaching the mid 80s every day. The walk was mostly quiet and very beautiful through farmlands, pastures and beech forests and over several steep passes, following the courses of the Baztán and Ulzama rivers through some ancient villages to reach the regional capital of Pamplona where we enjoyed great food and city sights.
Outdoor Fitness Level: Moderate to Strenuous
Outdoor Fitness Level: Strenuous
