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Cicerone

Cicerone: The Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo (W/FREE Passport)

Cicerone: The Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo (W/FREE Passport)

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This book include 1 free Camino Passport per book ordered.

This is the 2019 edition. 

Guidebook to walking the Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. The 820km Camino del Norte from Irún via Bilbao and Santander takes around 5 weeks to complete. The 355km Camino Primitivo takes about 2 weeks. Includes the Camino Finisterre from Santiago to the coast.

ISBN 9781786310149
Published 15 May 2019
Pages
312
Size 17.2 x 11.6 x 1.8cm
Weight 340g


Seasons

Summer/late spring/early autumn are best, because of the weather and because much of the accommodation closes in winter

Centres

Irún, San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander, Gijón, Oviedo, Lugo, Santiago de Compostela

Difficulty

While certain stages of the Caminos may be quite physically demanding, the Caminos are largely approachable to any walker, since it is often possible to split difficult stages into shorter sections. Luggage transport services are available for walkers who need support.
Must See
The rocky coastline of the Basque Country, sandy beaches, the mountains of Astoria, rolling hills of Galicia; some of Spain's most dynamic cities, including San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander, Oviedo, Lugo, Santiago; variety of architecture from Lugo's Roman walls, Romanesque and Gothic churches, to Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum

 

Overview

This guidebook describes the Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo pilgrim routes to Santiago do Compostela in northwest Spain. The 820km Camino del Norte follows the coast from Irún, on the French border, and takes about 5 weeks to complete. The 355km Camino Primitivo splits off from the Camino del Norte near Villaviciosa and passes through Oviedo and Lugo en route to Compostela. It takes roughly 2 weeks to walk. This book also includes an overview of a continuation route from Santiago to Finisterre. Physically demanding, but not difficult, the caminos are best walked from in late spring to autumn.

The guidebook is broken into stages of between 15 and 35km, most of which end in a town or village with a pilgrim albergue. There is indispensable information on facilities, food and lodging, 1:1000 scale maps of the route and town maps for key locations. With notes on preparation and planning, travel and equipment, a list of useful sources of information, and a glossary, the book provides all you need to know to walk the camino.

Santiago de Compostela, whose cathedral houses the relics of St James, was one of three major centres of Catholic pilgrimage in the Middle Ages. In modern times the Caminos de Santiago have seen a resurgence in popularity, drawing walkers for all sorts of reasons. Passing through the Spanish regions of the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, and Galicia, the northern caminos are popular enough to offer sufficient facilities, clear routes, and a community of pilgrims, without suffering the overcrowding of the Camino Frances.

Contents

INTRODUCTION
The story of Saint James
The Northern Caminos: yesterday and today
Along the routes: different cultures
Choosing your camino
When to go
Preparation and planning
Being a pilgrim
Getting there and back
Equipment
Accommodation
Food
Postal services
Telephones and internet
Other local facilities
Waymarking, route-planning, and maps
Using this guide


THE CAMINO DEL NORTE
Prologue: The Voie Littorale Bayonne to Irún/Hondarribia
Stage 1 Irún to San Sebastián
Stage 2 San Sebastián to Zarautz
Stage 3 Zarautz to Deba
Stage 4 Deba to Markina-Xemein
Stage 5 Markina-Xemein to Gernika-Lumo
Stage 6 Gernika-Lumo to Bilbao
Stage 7 Bilbao to Pobeña
Stage 8 Pobeña to Castro-Urdiales
Stage 9 Castro-Urdiales to Laredo
Stage 10 Laredo to Güemes
Stage 11 Güemes to Santander
Stage 12 Santander to Santillana del Mar
Stage 13 Santillana del Mar to Comillas
Stage 14 Comillas to Colombres
Detour: The Camino Lebaniego Muñorrodero to Santo Toribio de Liébana
Stage 15 Colombres to Llanes
Stage 16 Llanes to Piñeres de Pría
Stage 17 Piñeres de Pría to La Isla
Stage 18 La Isla to Villaviciosa
Detour: The Camino Covadonga Amandi (Villaviciosa) to Covadonga
Stage 19 Villaviciosa to Gijón
Stage 20 Gijón to Avilés
Stage 21 Avilés to Muros de Nalón
Stage 22 Muros de Nalón to Cadavedo
Stage 23 Cadavedo to Luarca
Stage 24 Luarca to La Caridad
Stage 25 La Caridad to Ribadeo
Stage 26 Ribadeo to Lourenzá
Stage 27 Lourenzá to Gontán/Abadín
Stage 28 Gontán/Abadín to Vilalba
Stage 29 Vilalba to Miraz
Stage 30 Miraz to Sobrado dos Monxes
Stage 31 Sobrado dos Monxes to Arzúa
Stage 32 Arzúa to Santiago de Compostela
THE CAMINO PRIMITIVO
Stage 1 Villaviciosa to Pola de Siero
Stage 2 Pola de Siero to Oviedo
Stage 3 Oviedo to Grado
Stage 4 Grado to Salas
Stage 5 Salas to Campiello
Stage 6 Campiello to Berducedo
Stage 7 Berducedo to Grandas de Salime
Stage 8 Grandas de Salime to A Fonsagrada
Stage 9 A Fonsagrada to Castroverde
Stage 10 Castroverde to Lugo
Stage 11 Lugo to As Seixas
Stage 12 As Seixas to Arzúa
Primitivo–Norte Link via Oviedo Oviedo to Avilés
Primitivo–Norte Link via Friol Lugo to Sobrado dos Monxes


THE CAMINO FINISTERRE
Stage 1 Santiago de Compostela to Negreira
Stage 2 Negreira to Olveiroa
Stage 3 Olveiroa to Finisterre

Appendix A Useful sources of information
Appendix B English–Spanish–Euskera glossary
Appendix C Suggestions for further reading

 

Customer Reviews

Based on 10 reviews
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A
Anonymous
Worth the purchase

The book is well organized and full of all that is needed to have a successful Camino.

I
Ingrid P.
Very Good

Wait a little White.

J
James W.
It took a long time to arrive, but in the end it was worth the wait

I bought these for my Caminos in September 2021. The books seem full of content and details. The true test will be in using them to complete my Camino. I email Ivar when I did not receive the material in a couple weeks. He promptly responded and a few days later the books arrived. Shipping is slow as a result of the pandemic. Glad I purchased through Ivar!

L
Lisa V.P.
Great Guide

I love my guide books! The trails and history will not change.
The ease of purchase and delivery was fantastic.
Thank you!

D
David D.
Comprehensive and very easy-to-use

I loved this guide. And, as luck would have it, I ran into the author while on el Norte. The guide I started with fell apart in my hands on day 2. This guide is much more durable...something that didn't cross my mind as a purchase criterion. And, it is full of very well researched information. Having now met the author on the Camino, I can see why this is chock full of good info; Dave Whitson has done el Norte loads of times. He knows the terrain intimately.

I'm fussy about good maps. The elevation pages and the colour-coded topo maps were clear and intuitive. I like the historical notes that I missed by using a maps-only version of a Francés guide..it's worth a few extra pages to get a richer experience. And honestly, I was fine with the 334g weight. But that's all 3 sections: Norte, Primitive and Finisterre. You can always mail yourself sections of the book for later if your absolutely determined to shave grams! I've done that too, but honestly, I wouldn't bother in this case...there is always something less worthwhile than damn good directions!

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