Tag: spainish countryside

Walking the full Camino de Santiago - arriving in Santiago de Compostela — We couldn't resist a photo at this colourful sign

Why you will enjoy walking the full Camino de Santiago

27/07/2025 / Smita / 0 Comments

After 36 days of walking the full Camino de Santiago route (780km) from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port in southern France, we stood in front of the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela. We had done it!

Why we chose to walk the full Camino de Santiago

Ten years earlier, we had stood in the same spot watching bedraggled but euphoric pilgrims arrive after completing their Camino walk. This scene inspired us to set ourselves the challenge of some day completing our own Camino walk.

Walking the full Camino de Santiago - Cathedral de Santiago — Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela

Once we’d decided to walk the Camino, we agreed that we wanted to commit to walking the entire Camino Frances route.

World events and other travel plans meant our Camino had to be put on hold for several years, but in 2023, we decided that this was the perfect time to do it. We reconnected with our travel arrangers, UTracks, to make the arrangements.

Were we ready to do this – Camino jitters

Did we get Camino jitters? Of course we did! We had never walked long distances on hiking trails, almost every day for 36 days.

Getting closer and closer to our start date, we often asked ourselves questions, “Were we ready to do this?”, “Were we prepared, had we trained enough?”, “Had we packed the right gear?”. All are questions that first-time Camino pilgrims ask themselves.

Suddenly, we were in St-Jean-de-Pied-de-Port, and the only way to go was forward. We started by putting one foot in front of the other and completed one of the hardest days on the Camino de Santiago, hiking over the Pyrenees mountains into Spain.

Did we enjoy walking the full Camino de Santiago?

Yes. It is indeed an experience of a lifetime. Little did we know when we started that it would leave an indelible mark on our lives. In one way or another, we find ourselves recalling or talking about a particular scene, episode, or day on our walk.

Then, there are the people we met over the 36 days of walking the full Camino de Santiago. People walk the Camino de Santiago for various reasons; some prefer to walk solo with minimal interaction, while others enjoy meeting and engaging with fellow walkers from around the world. We met some wonderful people during our time on the Camino.

How did we feel when we got to our destination?

Watching pilgrims arrive at the Cathedral on our first visit, we saw a mix of both tears of joy, elation, and in some cases, pure exhaustion.

How did we feel? There was a small shine in the eye but even more were the wide smiles on our faces. We had achieved the challenge we had set for ourselves. We had reached our destination safely and without injury.

Walking the full Camino de Santiago - Arriving at Ground Zero — Ground Zero – Plaza de Obra

The important stuff for walking the full Camino de Santiago

We’re glad we …

Made sure we were fit and ready. Important lesson is get in shape before you arrive to commence the Camino. Don’t be afraid of the idea of having to walk every day or the distances. You”ll find your walking legs affer a few days.
Invested in good footwear and breathable socks. We bought sturdy new hiking shoes and broke them in before we arrived in St Jean Pied de Port. Most importantly, to prevent the common Camino feet ailments of blisters and sore muscles, we stopped regularly throughout the day to take off our shoes and socks, air our feet and rest.
Used hiking poles. We invested in a pair retractable hiking poles which we carried in our daypacks ever ready to come out whenever we needed support going up and down hills. We found they came in extremely useful to steady and assist on the steep descents. They prevented us, as is the tendency, from moving downhill too fast. We came across a few pilgrims suffering knee injuries or just sore knees from going too fast without the support of hiking poles.
Chose to walk the full Camino de Santiago during the summer months. This prevented us having to walk in rainwear as well as slippery and muddy tracks. Yes, the summer can be hot and dry. We started our daily walks immediately after breakfast, when the temperatures were moderate, to arrive at our destination by ealy afternoon before the extreme heat arrived. By the late afternoon we were sitting refreshed and relaxed in a cool spot having pre-dinner drinks. Some of our walking companions chose to commence in the very early hours to avoid the heat in the day. To escape any injury, we preferred not to walk in thr dark.
Took our time and paid attention when on the trail. It’s easy to lose focus when you’re tired. That’s how injuries happen! Or waymarkers get missed!
Took advantage of luggaage transfers. Many pilgrims prefer to carry their own backpack and belongings. We enjoyed the freedom to enjoy our daily walks without the extra weight on our backs. Our transfers were efficiently undertaken by Jacobtrans. More often than not, our bags had arrived and were safely installed in our rooms before we arrived.
Booked private accommodation instead of choosing to stay in albergues. Knowing we had somewhere pre-arranged to stay overnight meant we could enjoy our walking days. We noticed many pilgrims depart in the ealy hours trying to reach their next destination before others arrived to ensure they had secured a bed for the night. If they arrived too late and missed out they would have to continue to the next albergue which could a distance away or even worse, have to backtrack. We also took the option to upgrade our accommodation at several stops so that we could experience staying in a monastery.
Factored in rest days. Northern Spain has some beautiful cities which international tourists don’t visit. Pilgrims can really experience the authenticity of a Spanish city. We took rest days in Logrono and Leon. It allowed us to spend the day looking more closely at the city and visit their attractions. We also recommend staying an extra night in Burgos.
Took our travel yoga mats with us. Having our yoga mats on hand meant we were disciplined and did yoga and stretches at the end of each day. It made a big difference. We had no aches or pains and suffered no injuries during our walk.

Be prepared

Some of our thoughts on enjoying and making the most of your Camino. Be prepared:

To put away your device while walking. Use it only for taking photos to record memories of your journey. Instead, enjoy the natural environment, greet and interact with fellow pilgrims and locals. You’ll find that language is not a barrier when walking the full Camino de Santiago.
To turn and look back. Some of the best scenery could be behind you. Unless you are planning to walk a return journey, you may not see the same scenery again.
To walk at your own pace. As long as you have done the preparatory work before commencing the Camino, your body will get used to the environment and walking long distance.
To find you”ll miss walking the full Camino de Santiago. Many pilgrims experience a sense of loss once they have finished their route. The daily act of walking becomes meditative an addictive and as you get closer to the end, you almost don’t want it to end.

Our recommendation

Time permitting, we recommend walking the full Camino de Santiago from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela as a wonderful active holiday experience. While the final 100km can become busy, for most of the journey it’s the best way to see northern Spain’s stunning natural environment without crowds of tourists.

The Camino provides an opportunity to escape the everyday noise of the world provides time for peaceful reflection.

The Camino allows us to challenge and find that our bodies are capable of the physical and mental challenges of traversing ever changing terrain and the large distance.

Would we walk the full Camino de Santiago again?

For some pilgrims/walkers, walking the Camino de Santiago fulfils a once in a lifetime dream. Others return to walk the same path over and over again. We enjoyed our personal Camino and the challenge.

There is always the possibility that we will return to walk the same route again. As travel enthusiasts, however, there are so many other travel adventures we would like to undertake before we returned again to recomplete the full Camino Frances. There are numerous other Camino routes we would consider completing first.

Want to know more about walking the full Camino de Santiago?

Are you interested in or contemplating walking the full or part of the Camino de Santiago and want to know more? Take a look at our blog which tells you everything you need to know about walking the Camino de Santiago through the link below.

Everything you need to know about walking the Camino

Views of St Jean Pied de Port and the Pyrenees before we commenced walking the full Camino de Santiago — Views over St Jean Pied de Port and the beautiful country surrounds

Walking the full Camino de Santiago – Days 1 and 2

20/09/2023 / Smita / 15 Comments

We made our way from the railway station to Rue de France, the starting point for the ‘Camino’ after arriving in St Jean Pied de Port by train from Paris via Bordeaux and Bayonne to commence walking the full Camino de Santiago, the Way of St James (Camino Frances).

Our small hotel, Hotel Restaurante Ramuntcho was on the street corner and our room, like most accommodations in St. Jean, was small but cosy. The hotels and hostels here mainly cater for Camino walkers like us who are in town for just an overnight stay.

During the day, many campers and daytrippers visit St. Jean and the surrounding countryside to enjoy the lush greenery and escape the heat of the cities. The town’s streets and cafes are bustling with activity.

Before long the daytrippers move on to leave the town for the pilgrims to explore, buy any last-minute items, visit the Pilgrim’s Office to collect their pilgrim passport or like us, walk up to the Citadel for its scenic views of the countryside around St Jean Pied de Port or walk over the picturesque old Roman Bridge over the River Nive called Pilgrim’s Bridge.

Pilgrim's Bridge, which all pilgrims cross to commence the Camino de Santiago from St Jean Pied de Port — Pilgrim’s Bridge, which all pilgrims cross to commence the Camino de Santiago from St. Jean Pied de Port

Day 1 – St Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles

Filled with excitement and a hint of nervousness, we were prepared to leave by 8 a.m. the next morning when it started raining heavily. Fifteen minutes later, as the dark clouds loomed overhead and concerned about the possibility of more wet weather we donned our rain jackets and set off. Eager pilgrims had left earlier, leaving only a couple of other stragglers like us departing over St. Jean’s Pilgrim’s Bridge.

Orisson

The first eight kilometres to Orisson are challenging, the trek uphill starting almost as soon as we leave St. Jean on terrain that varies between dirt tracks and tarmac roads. Hiking poles helped to take the pressure off our legs and provided stability as we maintained a slow and steady pace. The surrounding farmland and the scenery provided a good distraction, even with cloud cover.

Orisson is a small hamlet in the Pyrenees and consists of a single building, Orisson Refuge. The Refuge offers overnight accommodations for pilgrims who want to break up the long and arduous day of walking over the Pyrenees, making it an excellent way to embark on the trek. A café caters to hikers who choose to complete the crossing in one day. The large deck provides sweeping views of the surrounding countryside.

We planned to stop at Orisson for lunch since there are no facilities between Orisson and Roncesvalles. We arrived there within two hours. Some hikers who had started earlier in the morning had already arrived, and we recognized many faces from the day before. Even though it was still mid-morning we opted for an early lunch and a comfort break before continuing our journey.

Refuge Orisson is the only established stop on the first day of the Camino from St Jeand Pied de Port to Roncesvalles — Refuge Orisson is the only established stop on the first day of the Camino from St Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles

We quickly find ourselves enveloped in a thick mist, we ascend higher after leaving Orisson. Our visibility was sometimes reduced to a mere 10-20 meters, making single walkers ahead appear like ghostly figures approaching us instead of moving forward. We could hear cowbells ringing in the distance, but the herds were nowhere in sight.

Onward to Roncesvalles

After a few hours, a pile of stones emerged from the mist with a sign indicating the way to Roncevalles (Roncevaux in French). Other pilgrims arrived and pondered whether this was the right path. The route passed through pastures while a tarmac road was only a few metres away. We consulted our trip notes and they confirmed that we should take the farm track, so we set off. As we continued, we looked back but saw no one else following us. Despite this, we marched on with confidence.

As we walked along, the track became increasingly misty and muddy. We came across a flock of sheep lazily sitting on the path. We followed a couple of stray sheep for a while, we soon lost sight of them and continued. It seemed like we were the only ones around until we stumbled upon two people taking a break on a stone bench in a damp rest area. Feeling reassured, we trudged through a long stretch of muddy track that led us downhill. Once again, we saw no one until a pair of young pilgrims caught up with us and passed us.

The trail suddenly opened to a dirt and gravel path, and the mist lifted, revealing the way ahead. Although there was still a lot of uphill and downhill walking, we could now see where we were heading.

After reaching the highest point for the day, Col de Leopoeder (1450m), we took a break and observed other hikers starting their challenging descent down a rocky path. The descent was more difficult than the ascent, but we appreciated trekking through a stunning beech forest before arriving at our lodging in Roncesvalles. And the sun was finally out.

Roncesvalles

Roncesvalles is a tiny hamlet with a few buildings comprising a monastery including a church, Iglesia de la Colegiata de Santa Maria, an Albergue (hostel) and a monastery museum. Our overnight stay is in Casa de los Beneficiados, a modern apartment hotel located in the old pilgrim’s hospital within the complex.

After freshening up we took a stroll around the complex but it was not long before we were driven inside with more rain. There was no choice but to go and journal over a glass of wine in the bar where we met a couple we had seen hiking the trail earlier in the day and then again on the final stretch to Roncesvalles. We had such a good time exchanging our day’s experience that we continued over dinner.

The first day of the Camino Frances is deemed to be the toughest because of the steep ascent and equally steep descent into the Spanish town of Roncesvalles. The views and scenery on a good day are meant to be spectacular. Being shrouded in mist nearly all the way meant we missed what was supposed to be a picturesque crossing over the Pyrenees from France into Spain. We were grateful however not to have to complete it in the rain.

Walking statistics

24.6km
7 hours including stops

Day 2 – Roncesvalles to Akaretta

After enjoying a satisfying breakfast, we were ready for another day of walking. The sun was shining and the trail was visible. We crossed the street and saw a road sign for drivers that read “Santiago de Compostela – 790km.” Our journey began on level ground, with the trail running parallel to the road.

Before long we entered a beautiful forest filled with beech and oak trees, we learned that it was known as The Witches Forest. White witches used to gather there before they were persecuted in the 16th century. We found the La Cruz Blanca outside the forest – a cross for travellers’ divine protection.

Walking along trails through meadows, surrounded by green hills and wooded areas, we pass through several small towns in quick succession:

Burguete – a township of whitewashed houses known as Hemingway’s village because the writer loved to visit the town for trout fishing
Espinal – a resident greets walkers and directs them to his café tucked away off the main street.
Biskarreta or Guerendiain, in Basque – A charming town where we stroll, reading engraved plaques that reveal the date and history of each house.

The church in Burguette — The church – a pretty scene in Burguete

Zubiri

After trekking for 22 kilometres, many hikers opt to spend the night in Zubiri, also known as the “town of the bridge.” As we crossed the Puente de la Rabia bridge, we saw groups of hikers enjoying the riverbank or taking a refreshing dip in the water. Zubiri has been around since 1040 and relies on the pilgrims passing through and the magnesite factory which we pass on our way out of town.

The town is modern and ideal for a rest, lunch of Spanish tortillas and coffee before continuing 6km to Akerreta for our overnight stop.

We cross back over the bridge to get back on the track and after a walk uphill, we’re back on level ground for a time walking through woods alongside the river and pretty meadows lined with wildflowers and spotted with hay bales. There’s one more small town to pass through, Larrasoana, an old monastery town where only the 13th-century church remains. We stopped to stamp our pilgrims’ passports to find the church closed but the stamp and stamp pad set up on a ledge at the entrance.

Pretty wildflower lined paths alongside meadows accompanied us from Zubiri to Akarreta — Pretty wildflower-lined paths alongside meadows accompanied us from Zubiri to Akarreta

Akerreta

One final steep walk uphill on a tarmac road finds us in the tiny settlement of Akerreta (pop 10), and our accommodation, Hotel Akerreta, is right in the centre.

Hotel Akaretta on the Camino de Santiago — Hotel Akarreta – lovely accommodation and facilities, and gracious hosts

There is not much else to amuse us in the town but the hotel, an 18th-century Basque farmhouse rates a special mention. A family-run hotel is well set up with cosy seating areas and rooms overlooking the countryside. There’s a charming lounge area downstairs with a fireplace where guests can enjoy the picturesque views and relax.

It’s been a long day and once we’re settled in, that’s precisely what we do over pre-dinner cocktails while journalling. Our pre-departure research on the hotel revealed that in 2009, the hotel had been the setting for filming of the movie, The Way starring Martin Sheen. The owner’s daughter, who is on duty regales stories about the making of the movie in the hotel and the star and crew staying in the hotel.

We seem to be the only guests at the hotel until dinnertime when another couple appear to join us in the rustic restaurant. They are not pilgrims but a Dutch couple who are exploring the countryside around Akeretta.

A delicious three-course dinner featuring vegetables and fruit picked from the hotel’s organic garden and products from local producers is a highlight.

With a comfortable bed to sleep in, it was a very satisfying end to a long day.

The highlight of the day

We’ve been seeing a cyclist struggling up the rocky, steep Camino tracks to Akarreta. We encounter him again as we walk up the final hill of the day. He’s loaded with panniers but remains positive and friendly. He leaves us with the wise words, “When you’re in nature, everything is fine.”.