When to go? When to go? what to do?

Once I made the decision to actually walk the Camino, the next hardest thing was, and still is, deciding when to go.

My parents walked it starting at the beginning of May through to end of June and said the weather was variable, even then it could be cold and very wet.

I met a couple recently who had biked it in February, and said the weather was lovely!  however, they are superfit, "lets jog the whole way" kind of people who can probably brush the weather off.

The first day of The French Way is from St Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles.  Up to the top, then down to Roncesvalles, a walk of between 7 and 9 hrs according to the web.  If you are not walking through snow!  My Mother and Dad said they must have taken a wrong turn because it took them 13hrs, with my Mother declaring she didn't think she would ever walk another step!

There are two routes, one up and over on a walking track which apparently can be treacherous if the weather is bad, and the other road walking, which is easier (although there is a 7km steep section at the end!), but cars can be a hazard.


Today the weather in Roncesvalles is max 8C and min 4C and it's raining, I'm more inclined to believe my parents re the weather looking at this!

Our original plan was to leave end of April and walk through to June, but Matt and I would like to pull that back a bit.  Me because it helps Nan if all the school holidays are included in the period while I'm away, and Matt because then he doesnt have to wait too long from London to meet me for the start of the walk.

Maybe start beginning of April?

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