Is This The Way?

Francesca & Gaven

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We quit our jobs, left our home and walked 933 kilometres across Spain. Join Francesca & Gaven in this escapist travel diary as we hike the famous Camino de Santiago (‘the Way’) and learn more about what it’s like to undertake this epic journey. It’s a story of highs, lows, blisters and gaining new perspectives on life.

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What is the Camino? Why are we doing it? Why you should do it too!

We think the Camino de Santiago is one of the world's best travel experiences, you may not of heard of it, it's only been popular for a thousand years or so. In this first episode of Is This The Way we talk a little about the history of the Camino, the present day Camino, who we are and why we quit our jobs, left our home and walked 933km across Spain and why you should do it too! This is our first podcast and the daily entries were recorded wherever we stopped as we walked the Camino so the audio may be a little variable at times as may the quality of our presentation but stick with us as we do get better as we get into the swing of it! If you're up for the ride, come along and enjoy the walk with us Buen Camino! Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Order Your Pilgrim Passport / Credential You can pick up a passport at the pilgrim office at St Jean Pied de Port, if you'd like to be prepared in advance you can also order one online here like we did.
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Day 1 St Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles

It’s 6.30am in St Jean Pied de Port near the Pilgrim’s Office, the sun is up and we are ready to kick off our 900+ km journey. We follow the road through the village to find the path which leads up the Napoleon Way and across the Pyrenees. The first day of this route was clearly meant to be a test, it's a relentless up hill climb for the first half of the day, the Refuge de Orisson appearing like a beautiful mirage at around the 8km mark with the promise of coffee and breakfast with an astounding view out over the mountains. After climbing for most of the day, the path drops steeply for the last few kilometers into Roncesvalles. We had some good advice from the Pilgrims Office on which rich route to take for this last section...and we completely failed to follow it! Join us to hear how it went. Buen Camino! Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Village to Village Camino de Santiago Guidebook (amazon.com) This is the guidebook that we used, it's small and easy to carry and has great information for every stage of the Camino Frances and for the Finisterre option at the end. Includes good pointers on diversions and alternative routes that can be taken in places. Hotel Itzalpea (booking.com) Where we stayed in St Jean Pied de Port. Nice room with private bathroom and airconditioning, was clean and comfortable, staff were super friendly. This is just outside the wall of the old town and a brief stroll to the Pilgrims Office. Hotel Roncesvalles (booking.com) This is where we stayed in Roncesvalles, they have an excellent restaurant in the building, we had a great meal and tried some local wine. Highly recommend it as a way to reward yourself for finishing day 1. Our room was a small 1 bedroom apartment with kitchen and bathroom, very comfortable. Unfortunately there is no store in town so we couldn't pick up food to cook for ourselves. The Way (2010) We mention this movie a few times in this episode and during the walk, if you want to get a (slightly dramatised) idea of Camino it's a good watch. We watched it the night before we set off for our first day to get into the spirit of things.
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Day 2 Roncesvalles to Zubiri

We're sitting in this really quaint courtyard in Roncesvalles opposite the church, enjoying a quieter morning. It's 7:30am already before we start our walk today. It's a little bit of a slower start after the aches and pains of yesterday and it's about 22 kilometers to Zubiri today for our next stop. Supposed to be a little bit flatter, which is nice. Today we're slightly more prepared and actually have coffee and breakfast before we set out. There are several small towns that we pass through today with plenty of opportunities for rest stops and snacks, it feels completely different to the first day, almost like we passed the test so now we get to enjoy it! In this episode we will reveal the ultimate solution to chafing underwear and solve the mystery of the missing glasses as well as discovering the marvel that is the Tinto de Verano, so don't miss out! Buen Camino! Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Hotel Txantxorena (booking.com) Where we stayed in Zubiri, amazing old house with massive thick stone walls, hardwood floors. We had a room with private bathroom and a small balcony. No airconditioning or fan but if you keep the window shutters closed it stayed cool inside. Has a shared kitchen and lounge area with drinks available for guests in the fridge. We made sandwiches and sat out in the garden in the afternoon. Tinto de Verano (thespruceeats.com) Possibly the most important link for any episode, how to make a Tinto de Verano! We first saw some people drinking these in Zubiri on Day 2 of our walk and had them at the end of almost every day after that! To get in the mood we also have one each time we edit our recordings for the podcast, so why not get in the spirit and have one while you listen?
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Day 3 Zubiri to Pamplona

Pamplona is the first larger city that you will hit on the Camino and many guides that we read said that this is a good place to take a first rest day, but we said NO, NO rest days! We're hardcore and don't need a rest after only 3 days. This actually worked out pretty well as we arrived right on the last day of the running of the bulls in Pamplona, the last bull run had finished that morning and the town was absolutely manic with people celebrating, parades and discount booze throughout the streets. Unfortunately everything other than those festivities was basically closed, all the albergues were shut, the cathedral and any where you would get a stamp for your passport. It also meant that accommodation was limited and prices were through the roof. In this episode we find the only quiet(ish) place in Pamplona to record a podcast outside during the San Fermin festival and give you a hint about where you might find a better deal on accommodation should you happen to arrive in Pamplona at the same time. Buen Camino! Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Antique Pamplona Tres Reyes Apartments (booking.com) Where we stayed in Pamplona, the apartments were nice and modern and had airconditioning. This was a serviced apartment and had a small kitchen where we could make our own food as well as a small balcony onto an internal courtyard which doesn't give much of a view but is great for drying clothes! This was one of the more expensive places we stayed for the entire Camino due to the timing when we arrived in Pamplona.
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Day 4 Pamplona to Puente La Reina

Leaving Pamplona in the morning there were still groups of revelers in the streets who had been out all night and we had to maneuver around large water trucks with high pressure hoses that were starting to clean down the streets. We had our first emergency blister stop in the morning (which was gross) but we also got coffee which made it better. We met the Korean group of Pilgrim's who we had seen the first few days and continued to see most days until the end of our walk. This was a long walking day with the extra detour that we took but it had a lot of variety as we moved out of the Pamplona basin. Tune in to find out the mysterious secret of Obanos, whether templars really liked eight sided churches and the joy of dry socks. Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Hotel Jakue (booking.com) Where we stayed in Puente la Reina. When you go to book you want "double room in tree". It isn't a strange translation error, it is actually a room in a tree. The room is super comfortable and has airconditioning. It has a little balcony outside the bedroom which is nice and quiet to sit and great for drying your clothes. This place also has dorms and regular rooms and has a nice bar in the courtyard under the trees. Village to Village Camino de Santiago Guidebook (amazon.com) This is the guidebook that we used, it's small and easy to carry and has great information for every stage of the Camino Frances and for the Finisterre option at the end. Includes good pointers on diversions and alternative routes that can be taken in places. Linking it again as it really is THAT GOOD!
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Day 5 Puente La Reina to Estella

It was hard to leave the amazing treehouse accommodation in the morning but after climbing down we were soon on our way again. The walk today wasn't hard, it was reasonably flat and not too long but the heat wave finally caught up to us with peak temperatures of 41 celcius. Walking in those temperatures is tough, but it didn't really cool down at night and sleeping when it's till 39 celcius and you don't even have a fan is just about impossible. We ended up wandering around Estella in the afternoon trying to find anywhere cool to sit and pass the time as our apartment was like an oven. We found a fantastic cafe called Namaste which made an excellent coffee, fantastic gluten and dairy free peanut butter cookies and had amazingly friendly staff who made as feel really welcome. If I had to write a brief summary for today it would be HOT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES. Tune in to hear how it went. Buen Camino Usually we have a link to accomodation where stayed but the apartment we rented is no longer listed. Our top tip, if walking in summer, try to find somewhere with airconditioning! Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Precision Hydration Capsules (amazon.com) We took these electrolyte capsules with us and they were fantastic. We never once felt too dehydrated or suffered from cramps or headaches from dehydration. These are super easy to carry and to take as they are just little capsules, they don't need to be mixed with anything, just pop one and have a big gulp of water.
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Day 6 Estella to Sansol

We left Estella less than well rested after an extremely hot & noisy night, but once we hit the road again and started walking all that tiredness really fell away pretty quickly and we were looking forward to free-flowing wine at the Irache Monastery wine fountain, spolier... it was less than free flowing... In this episode we wait for free wine only to be disappointed, run into the law (Civil Guard) and get away with just a passport stamp as well as defying the guidebook and powering past the recommended stop in Los Arcos, adding an extra 8km onto the end of the day to reach Sansol for the night. We had our doubts about this plan when everyone else was taking off their boots and starting to relax in Los Arcos but it worked out well in the end with Sansol being one of our favourite stops on the entire Camino. There are so many beautiful towns and places along the way and Sansol is just a very small town, but it had a nice restaurant for a snack and a cold drink in the afternoon and the Palacio de Sansol where we stayed was just an amazing stop. The building has been in the owner's family for a long time and in recent years has undergone a massive refurbishment and setup as an Albergue. The owner welcomed all the pilgrims and personally cooked us dinner and talked a bit about his family and the history of the building. I still remember the meal and even though it wasn't flashy or expensive it is one of the stops that sticks in my mind to this day. Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Palacio de Sansol (booking.com) Where we stayed in Sansol. This was one of our favourite stops on the whole Camino! The restored Palacio is amazing and the owner is super friendly. You can book private rooms on booking, you can also just arrive on a first-come first-served basis for bunk rooms as with any other Albergue The Civil Guard (let chrome translate if needed) We ran into the Civil guard patrolling the long 12km stretch of the walk with no water to make sure everyone was ok. They provide support for pilgrims and you can call 062 when in Spain to reach them by phone or check out the website. It's in Spanish but chrome translation does a good job to English.
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Day 7 Sansol to Logrono

The heat wave continues but now there's wine, air conditioning & ice cream so we'll call that a win. Today we walk from Sansol to Logrono and we enter the La Rioja region, many of you will have heard the name as they make some fantastic wines in this region. Logrono is a lovely town and one of the places that we would have gladly spent an extra day in just hanging out and enjoying the food and wine and wandering around town. Unfortunately, we were on a schedule and our first rest day was a bit further down the road so we only had one afternoon to enjoy. In this episode we discuss the mystery of the Hill of the Chicken, revel in the joy of airconditioning and try potentially the best ice cream ever. Tune in to see how it went! Buen Camino! Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Eurostars Fuerte Ruavieja (booking.com) Where we stayed in Logrono. This is a bigger hotel, the front is built into an old restored building and even has glass floors in places so you that you see the original footings and some excavation. The actual rooms were in an adjoining block to the rear and were very modern and clean and had airconditioning! PerretxiCo Logroño This is the restuarant where we ate both lunch AND dinner in Logrono, the food was excellent and the service was super attentive and friendly. Highly recommend it for somewhere shady to sit and have some really tasty snacks while you sample some wine. DellaSera Heladeria Natural Ice Cream According to our hotel reception this is the BEST ice cream in the known universe. They were seriously enthusiastic about it. I've got to say it was extremely tasty! Definitely recommended for a delicious treat to cool you down.
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Day 8 Logrono to Najera

Continuing through the La Rioja region today we walked from Logrono to Najera. As we're still in a wine production region the wine was still delicious, plentiful and affordable. The heat continued today, already baking hot when we woke up in the morning. Setting out the guidebook says that you walk through wetlands, which seemed weird when all we had seen was wheat and vineyards on the way in but about 5km out of town we came up over a rise and there was a giant lake! Today we also encountered animals who were more annoyed by the coffee shop being closed than I was, discuss the best kind of candy to carry through hot weather for desperate times and brutalize the pronunciation of Najera (sorry!!). Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Hostal Hispano (booking.com) Where we stayed in Najera. This hotel is located across the river from the old town, but it's only a few minutes walk across the bridge to be sitting in the square or at a restaurant. Good value compared to those located in the old town. Friendly staff and clean rooms. Ask for something on the 2nd floor or above as a few rooms (like ours) on the first floor have street lights right outside the window that make it hard to sleep. Otherwise it was a great little place!
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Day 9 Najera to Santo Domingo

What did we learn since the last episode? Bring an eye cover and earplugs to help you sleep at night! After another less than restful night we carried on from Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada. One of the great things we found about walking the Camino is that even after a bad nights sleep or when you're feeling tired or a little bit off you soon shrug all that off once you start walking and live in the moment, enjoying the journey. Today we answer the age old question, why did the chicken live in the church? We sample all of the delicious baked treats Santo Domingo has to offer and revel in the luxury of staying in our first Parador. We also answer our first listener question in this episode, do you need to have cash when walking the Camino or can you pay with cards? And a shout out to Lucinda who took our advice and walked the last 100km of the Portuguese Camino! Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Parador de Santo Domingo de la Calzada (booking.com) Where we stayed in Santo Domingo. It's a Parador! The epitome of luxury on the Camino. Lovely old building on a central square in town. Airconditioned rooms, nice bathrooms and good service. Has some nice seating on the square just outside the main doors for a pleasant afternoon with a drink.
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Day 10 Santo Domingo to Bellorado

One of the quieter days on the Camino today, especially after the drama of the chickens in the church the day before. The path to Bellorado meanders through wheat fields and seas of sunflowers but also spends quite a bit of time running along side busy roads. There is an excellent morning coffee stop at Granon which we have put a link to below along with a link to where we stayed, it's actually just outside Bellorado but has a lovely outdoor seating area in the shade and...a pool!! Today we revisit our decision to not take a rest day until day 12 and whether that was as smart as we thought and we answer another listener question, possibly one of the most important questions that we have been asked by many people now. What's the bathroom situation on the Camino? It's definitely more a case of be prepared! Useful Links from this episode are below, if your podcast app does not let you access them directly head on over to https://isthistheway.net . Hotel A Santiago (booking.com) Where we stayed in Bellorado. This place is actually just outside of Bellorado on the road into town so you finish the day about 1km or so short of the main town but I'd absolutely recommend it! Lovely shady seating outside under the trees, tasty food from the cafe and even a pool to cool down. Rooms we simple and clean, no airconditioning but our room did have a fan and was comfortable. Barbackana Grañón (google maps) Great coffee stop on the edge of Granon, had a really nice coffee and sat under the trees in the shade, absolutely recommend this one.

11 Folgen

We quit our jobs, left our home and walked 933 kilometres across Spain. Join Francesca & Gaven in this escapist travel diary as we hike the famous Camino de Santiago (‘the Way’) and learn more about what it’s like to undertake this epic journey. It’s a story of highs, lows, blisters and gaining new perspectives on life.

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