train from Bilbao to Pamplona

[Edie Bennett]

Re: train from Bilbao to PamplonaDelphia,

Donald and Maria are correct about the routes from St. Jean.  I took the Napoleon's route, left St. Jean at 8:00 AM and arrived in Roncesvalles at 3:30PM.  There were no stops, as the weather was so bad with rain and sleet that it wasn't possible to picnic or otherwise take a leisurely break.  Even so, I would think it would only take a day, whichever route you choose.

As far as "over-walking", most of the routes I consulted suggest, on average, 22-25 kilometers a day.   There were a few people who were doing 40K a day, although I agree, that is a personal matter.  You will probably know within the first few days what your pace is.

Good luck to Donald and Maria at their reading tomorrow.

Edie from California.

 ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Donald Schell 
  To: GOCAMINOapete.uri.edu 
  Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2001 6:45 PM
  Subject: Re: train from Bilbao to Pamplona


  Dear Delphia,


    Valcarlos is only a couple of hours out from St. Jean on the Roman route over the mountain, now the highway.  Maria (my daughter, sitting next to me as I write this) reminds me that we ate a late lunch there (we'd left St. Jean around noon - the train got us there about 11:30).  If we were going that we again, we'd stay the night in St. Jean to get an early start, and with an early start we'd go Napolean's route.  Woops, Maria says that's not 'we' speaking.  She'd take the highway route again.  With our noon departure we didn't get into Roncesvalles until 8 p.m.  Maria adds that we ended up walking on the highway coming out of St. Jean and taking the longer route down from the summit because we weren't checking our map when we had questions.  We learned in the first couple of days that checking the map when we had a question was important, particularly when questions arise and there's no camino marker visible or where the camino separates into alternate routes.

    And a reminder to anyone in the Washington D.C. area - Maria and I are in from the West Coast for a 4 p.m. father's day reading from our book -
    My Father, My Daughter, Pilgrims on the Road to Santiago,
    that's tomorrow at the College of Preachers on Woodley Road on the grounds of the National Cathedral (Wisconsin and Woodley Road).

    love to all,
    donald    



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