I love this video! I did this route in 2013 at the age of 61. It was so tough, and it took me longer than it took the younger pilgrims. But after seeing it from this viewpoint, I am truly amazed at myself!
Mostly paved and improved. Gradual, but steep climb. Many places to stop and take a break. Walk it relaxed, hydrate and bring some energy food. It is very nice when you reach Roncesvalles.
Hi Allyn, thanks so much for your kind words. It is a little imposing, but in retrospect one of the best days of walking I have had. Especially if you are going all the way to Santiago, you will sit in a little bar at the end and remember this day fondly.
My god... this brings back memories. I walked this in June 2018. I can remember every inch of this day and watching this video brings back all the feelings, memories and emotions. All of them great... ✌
Same here. I walked it around 5 years ago and putting together this video reminded me of so many little details that I had forgotten. Definitely a day of mixed emotions, but 99% positive ones.
Great video! - I have taken that route in the end of November 2014. It is maybe good to know that the high route (Route Napoléon) shown here is closed during winter time (1 November to 31 March each winter) since 2015 according to the government of Navarra. Pilgrims who choose to take that route in winter are often fined, and any rescue operations will be at the expense of the pilgrims.
@@Waldlaeufer70 Thanks so much for adding this comment. Having walked this route just as the route opened after winter, I wouldn't recommend it anyway, it makes a tough route much tougher. If you are walking in winter you can always take the Valcarlos Route - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-C93CluASYr4.html
@@Waldlaeufer70 How funny, we had the wind too. Sometimes it felt like we had to lean forward to walk into it to stay on our feet. However, despite all this, I still remember the day with nothing but fondness. :) The start of an amazing journey.
@@MacsAdventureTV After my Camino I have walked in the Pyrenees two times in summer (GR10, HRP). There was no wind and it usually was very hot, especially down in the valleys. But even up on 2'400m it was close to 30°C at times. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port was a three-day stop on my Camino from my home in Switzerland down to Spain (Santiago, Fisterra, Muxía) back in 2014. A great experience and certainly one of the best things I have done in life so far. The Pyrenees were mystical and a fantastic experience for mee, too!
thank you for sharing. It is very helpful for my camino next September. I would love to do the whole thing in one day but time will tell..................Thanks again!
Hi Pam. Glad this video was useful. As soon as you have walked one stage you will definitely want to keep going! If you need any more help or info on the Camino, don't hesitate to ask. Buen Camino!
Amazing video about the , details and the graph of the first day walk on the Camino.want to do it, and would live to do it, specially after reading Two Steps forward .. cheers to all the Walkers on the Camino ! 🇨🇦
Hi Derek, It is fairly gradual, but there are a couple of steeper sections that do take a bit of energy out of the legs. I hope you enjoy every second, I wish it was me all over again. 🙂
OMG!! Well done!! this video is amazing and shows how beautiful (and how long distance) it is all the way. But walking there with a huge wind and heavy rain. It would be a nightmare totally!!! 😅😓😭That’s what I have been through in the end of May 2019! Celebrating for survivor!!!😂
Thanks Jean, I walked it in 60mph wind with a couple of feet of snow at the top, so I know where you are coming from! Worth it now though. I can only remember the good bits :)
Last time I walked this it was in August and 90+ F. I was 69 and carrying my own pack. Took my time and made it to Roncevalles. Have walked both routes into Roncevalles and I think going down the steep hill is easier.
Hi Suzi, That is great to hear. It is tiring, but definitely worth it, just take your time, soak it all in and know that every other step towards Santiago will be much easier :) Oh, and look forward to that glass of wine in Roncesvalles, it is the best! Buen Camino.
@@MacsAdventureTV .. Oh my God ! What a amazing video , graphics and details of the trail. I will die with one regret in life if never try to do the Camino, exactly from where this video starts, St Jean Pied de Port Fr. to Santiago.I’m in Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦 senior and widower, would have give it a shot this Fall (2021)if not for the pandemic, will try spring of 2022, wish I have walking partner to do the Camino from Canada. Any guide and info. is greatly appreciated. Happy walk the Camino. Cheers to all. 🙏🏻
Thanks Nada. Glad to be of use. If you have any other questions, you can email any of our specialists at info at macsadventure.com and they will be happy to help.
I am going to do my first Macs Adventures journey to Scotland in about 7 weeks, and am training now. hope to do a couple with you next year as well. I will be doing two camio trips together with you in fall of 2021. I will do the Le Puy and then go right into the Camino Frances after a couple of days break. Probably on through Finesterra via Moxia. So looking forward to it. This video is great!! I think that would be getting pretty close to the full 90 days limitation of the visa , or I would do some other side trips as I go, but will have to save those for another trip.
Hi Jackie, I am so excited for your first trip with us. The Great Glen Way is a lovely introduction to Scotland and I hope this good weather stays around for you. The Le Puy is an amazing trip, one that is often overlooked by Pilgrims, but such a beautiful part of the world. If there is any help you need with it, just let us know. Over the next 10 weeks there will be a weekly Camino information video on this channel, so stay tuned and thanks so much for getting in touch.
am considering another walk in Scotland next spring, will need to see if I can get the time off work first. Hope so. Looking forward to more of them. Macs Adventures has been very nice so far, very happy.
You are so kind. Our team are a lovely bunch though. There are some outstanding trips in Scotland. The West Highland Way is the classic, but Glen Affric is jaw-dropping, and the islands are simply beautiful. Hopefully, we will get some video content about them in the near future.
The next video we are releasing in a couple of weeks is an overview of all the different major Camino routes, so hopefully that will help. If you want to ask anything about them, we have a team of specialists who know the answer to every Camino based question, so don't hesitate to ask.
Hi Brian, We are hopefully just about to get our hands on the GPS tracks for this, so hope to have a video about it up in the next month or so. Hate to do the hard youtube sell, but if you subscribe to the channel, you will see it as soon as it is up. :)
Hi Chris, the first day is 24km or around 15 miles. It took us around 9 hours to complete at a comfortable pace with plenty of stopping. I am sure the wine would have been lovely anyway (locally produced tempranillo) but yes, the tough day made it taste heavenly.
Hi,I'm 71do you think I can d this climb,I climbed the highest mountain in the north of Ireland slive donard when I was 70 and after climbed the highest mountain in the Republic carrauntoohil .loved your video. I'm planed to go on the 23rd of August.
Hi there! Great to hear you are planning to do the Camino - it's an amazing walk and experience, and sure you won't regret it! The first day of the Camino is definitely one of the toughest, with over 1,300m of ascent and around 500m of descent. It is a steep but fairly gradual climb but you are going up and up unfortunately! However, by the sounds of it you have some great hiking experience and we usually find that it is within most people's abilities as long as they put in some good training beforehand. Please remember that there is a lower level route available should you decide it isn't for you!
Useful information but the background music is louder than the soft spoken narrator and is frustrating and difficult to hear the voice for an American esp. with European accept. Tone the music down and let the background music stay in the background.
Thank you so much for taking the time to watch our video and sharing your feedback. We genuinely appreciate your input as it helps us improve our content, and we're committed to making our videos the best experience for everyone. I apologize for any inconvenience caused by the background music being too loud. I hope our latest videos have improved audio levels, and we will work to ensure that the narrator's voice remains clear and audible, especially for our American audience. Till we have a new version of this video, I will add subtitles to help and make the video more accessible to all. If you have any more suggestions or questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to make your experience with Macs Adventure as enjoyable as possible. Happy adventures, Emma, Macs Marketing Team The People Behind the Scenery
Hi great video ... By the way I just want to ask, Is there somebody you could ask to bring your backpack from St Pied de Port to Roncesvalles? other than that I think i’ll be okey carrying my back pack ... my worry is crossing the pyrenees with backpack (i think it’s strenous for me)
Hi Lielani, If you are booked up with Macs Adventure, we will carry your bags for you no problem. However, if you are just going under your own steam, Caminofacil can take your bag over to Roncesvalles for around $10. Buen Camino.😀
that's fantastic, a beginner really has no idea of what its really like...now I do. Wonderfully.made. I don't have time to do the French, how is the Siarra to the church? Is it tough. How much training do I need? Never done this before, I have about a year thank you
Thanks Dave. The final section from Sarria to Santiago is nowhere near as tough as this bit! Next year is a holy year, so an amazing time to walk the Camino, but it will be busier than normal, so it is advised to get booked up sooner rather than later. You can read more about the final section and download the free guide, which might help, by going here - www.macsadventure.com/us/camino-tours/camino-frances/ and we have a couple of videos of people who have walked the route and loads of information about the Camino in general here - ru-vid.com/group/PLshlGdBAHCMcgwiev-vjqXKlcKG-D0d3j Also, I am always happy to answer any questions about the Camino, it is something I love dearly.
Hi Anthony. The Camino del Norte is indeed quieter and the scenery, towns and cities are absolutely amazing. It is a very different experience. While the Camino Frances is all about meeting people and sharing the journey, the Camino del Norte is a much more placid route, but beautiful in every way. If you need any help getting it booked up, give us a shout on info@macsadventure.com and if not, enjoy it when you go. Buen Camino.
Hi Krome, We set off late, after a leisurely breakfast and a visit to the pilgrims office. So by the time we started walking it was around 1030 and we arrived around 7pm. However, we did stop a couple of times and took it all in. It is extremely beautiful. So all together around 8 and a half hours, but probably about 7 hours walking.
What is the distance that is covered in this video for the prescribed first day? I wonder if someone know the name of the starting point and the name of the town at the end point. Is this the French route? Portugal route?
The distance is roughly 25km. He starts in St Jean Pied de Port (France) and ends in Roncesvalles (Spain). It is the French route. I have found this website to be helpful to plan my Camino. godesalco.com/plan/frances
Here you can check the weather on the high route (Route Napoléon): www.viewweather.com/w1781825-weather-forecast-for-col_de_bentarte-spain_general_.html
Thank you very much for the video I am visually impaired and I want to hike the Camino Santiago however I am very scared of heights when I have to walk a long ridges, is there any ridges that you have to walk a crossed or is it pretty wide open to walk?
Hi - Not ridges as such, but certainly some steep sections with drops on that first section. However you can do the lower valley route to miss that section out. I work with Macs Adventure, the team would be happy to offer advice (contact hello@macsadventure.com to arrange a phonecall). Here is a blog post from describing the first section too www.macsadventure.com/walking-holidays/walking-the-camino-first-day-from-st-jean-to-roncesvalles/. Hope that helps!
well, if Napoleon was crazy enough to march his troops over this route in and out of Spain, so will i traverse this route into Spain. and, my history may be a little hazy, didn't Hannibal march his troops and elephants across the Pyrenees and then over the Swiss Alps and onto Rome to almost sack it? caught Rome by surprise. history's dramatic moments. Rome was so captivated by their enigmatic foe they minted roman coins with his image. i love history.
@@fitguy6288 Ha. Sorry, I didnt get that at all :) Too busy worrying about how the video is perceived and eager to make them better the next time. Message received loud and clear now. Thanks so much and sorry for being so slow.