St. Iago de Compostella pilgrimage
 

Travelling from Dublin, intending to join the pilgrimage route at Pamplona on Tuesday 16 May, departing Spain via Bilbao on Saturday 27....( and with not enough research done for this trip at short notice ) ... any advice on how to proceed from Pamplona onwards would be much appreciated.

there are hundreds of detailed reports that are out there to help you.

google st jame's way, camino de santiago routes, etc.

here is just one i found in english

http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/

it is a unique experience. my husband has also done parts of it and loved it.

I went to a presentation by the authors of this book. It is a small light book and seemed very comprehensive, and the authors were very knowledgeable.

http://www.pilipalapress.com/

Some standard advice I recall from the presentation:
Pack light!!!!
Have some sort of bedding (like a sleeping bag), if you are staying in the albergues.
Have good shoes.
Take a pair of light sandals or slippers for evenings when you aren't walking.

Here's another site which might be useful.

http://www.caminolinks.co.uk/4595.html

or

http://www.santiago-compostela.net/lepuy_en.html

Look through these sites and see if they mention about what weight should be carried. This is crucial for this pilgrimage.

Have a good walk.

Blackduff

I don't know if 10-days is enough for walking the way of St. James all the way from Pamplona to Santiago. Even in my best days, I don't think I could have done that. I've visited Santiago 6-or-8 times over the past 15 years but never earned the 'la Compostela.'

You should be able to get a bus back to Bilbao (via Santander?) after you have completed your Pilgrimage; but that could take the better part of a day/night.

I looked at some of the links people like lincasanova posted: some show a rolling, flat terrain. Most of northern Spain is anything but that. It may be cold up in the mountains: wear a Poncho (or Cloak) and buy a good, stout walking staff.

The pilapila book is a great start. You REALLY need a Camino guide so you can prepare your daily walking. 25 kms with no significant elevation change is not the same as 12kms with a few hundred meters incline.

Are you planning to walk continiously all the way from Pamplona? I will assume that you have experience walking long stretches and how to care for your feet.

I was very happy with my light and low hiking boots (as opposed to heavy duty boots)and retractable walking poles. I think that the only significant uphill walking from Pamplona to Stgo is going to O'Cebreiro...

Pack light, get your pilgrim passport as soon as you arrive or you will not be able to stay in albergues.

buen camino!