Camino Santiago I - The North Way

Tobias Heller
22. Aug. 2017
14 Min. Lesezeit

The Camino del Norte is one of the Camino Santiagos and yes there is not only one, there are three main established ones of them plus several others and variations. The most common are the Camino Frances, which about 75 % of the people walk, followed by the Camino Portuguese and the Camino del Norte, which only about 5 % walk. The smaller percentage is not due to a lack of beauty, but many yet refrain from going this way as the net of albergues and structure is not as wide spread as on the other ways. It covers the whole distance along the spanish north coastline, starting at the french border at the feet of the pyrenees and leading towards Santiago via cliffs, beaches, forests, villages and cities such as Bilbao and Santander. It reveals all the still in parts untouched beauty of the basque country as well as galicias astonishing north, and though there developped quite a hype for the Camino Santiago, the Camino del Norte is considered to be still one of the less touristic ones, anyways beautiful and full of treasures.

Day 1 / 28 km

Irun - San Sebastian

Exhausted, hangover and not well rested are no the best conditions to start the Camino del Norte and my mood is somehow reflected by the surrounding scenery. Heavy white mist is swirling all around the mountains, droplets of water splashing against the front window, and not only my physical condition seems to be inadequate today. As I have lost my wallet and my phone due to robbery during San Fermines, this journey is going to be far more interesting. I get dropped off somewhere close to Irun, though spend quite a lot of time in order to find the place to get the 'Credencial', an official document where stamps along the way can be collected, which enable participants of the Camino Santiago to sleep in various of the official albergues along the way and to get the certificate in Santiago.

Once I got one of my own and also tied the typical shell onto my backpack, I get some supplies and set off for my first day or hiking. It is not raining, but heavy fog is omnipresently wrapping it's white arms around mountains and trees. On the first steep slope upwards I slip on the muddy ground and unvoluntarily get a facemask. I keep walking towards the highest point of the mountain Jaizkibel, amidst dense fog passing several horses and cows. After all these festivities and especially after San Fermines, my own thoughts seem to echo loudly in my brain, reverberate from the skulls inner walls, seeming to shout out into my own beeing. It is hard for me to bear my own thoughts, my own thinking, now that it is so quiet here. I have to get used to listen to myself again - terrible thing for sure. Sullenly I walk past cows, meadows and horses until I reach a beautiful sight, a little bay with steep cliff sides falling down below, dashing into the sea, vanishing out of sight.

From here the walk is not too long and soon I reach San Sebastian, and the smaller of the two parts of the beach is right in front and can be spotted from above. I descend downwards after soaking in the great view. As it is already quite late, San Sebastians inner center is bustling with people, heading out for a Cerveza and Tapas, or for a nice evening walk. Indeed the city is much to my liking and I take my time to stroll through some of the lively adorable alleys until I reach the second beach, where I wash myself at one of the public showers. Having achieved my first day of hiking, I get the stamp for the document from the albergue and keep hiking outwards in order to find a place to sleep. Unfortunately I can't encounter any trees that fit for my hammock, and after more hours of walking - the sky already dark - I spread out my mat next to a farm, hoping to get some rest there.

Day 2 / 42 km

San Sebastian - Zarautz - Deba

As expected I did not get the best rest here, the ground was hard despite my mat and in the night little droplets of rain started to fall onto my face. Groggily I begin a long day of hiking. The first part takes me along the coastline, with the blue endless sea always to my right, accompanying me constantly along the ups and downs of green hills until I reach the small village Orio. From there it is not far to Zarautz, a small city with green cliffs to the sides and a beautiful beach. From above a nice view opens up while I walk down into the city, from where I immediately pass over to the idyllic beach. A small peninsula is visible at the west side and is the direction I will have to head afterwards. The beach's main characteristic features are the small cabin like beach seats, which look like small colourful tents, and when I get a stamp for this city, they display these tents as a small version in their Camino stamp.

Another walk leads to Getaria, the small city with the peninsula attached next to it. Along the busy way several other people greet me and wish me a 'Buen Camino'. I also spot other Camino walkers, most of them just because I overtake them.

After hours of further walking along the beautiful coastline another great view onto Zumaia opens up, showing the length of the coast to the west and the city below, everything in high saturated green, with all tones of blue washing around - the sky, the ocean. When I arrive Deba, after over 42 kms of walking today my feet are sore and I lifelessly limp through the streets, fetch a beer and some supplies and sit down next to the river here, observing a large group of local kids jumping down from the bridge into the clear water. I pull myself together starting the walk upwards and I walk for further two hours, the sun already about to set, until I finally drop my bag in a deserted meadow to place my mat for sleeping.

Day 3 / 48 km

Deba - Markina-Xemein - Gernika

A stampeed of people wakes me. What is going on? One after another camino santiago hikers pass me at an unearthly hour and I wonder where they all suddenly came from as I haven't seen too many since I started. I soon though begin to understand how this all is working: They come from one of the albergues, start their hike early in order to be early in the next albergue to get one of the often limited available places. Most of them stop walking already at midday. I do not see the point in spending half of the day in an albergue while I could also stroll more, taking my time, having a rest here and there along the way maybe, enjoying the act of walking.

Therefore in Markina-Xemein for most the walk is already ended and I spot a bunch of hikers lurking in front of the albergue to save a place once it opens. I instead get some supplies in a Supermarket, sit down at a bench with table in a park and have my lunch while my spread clothes dry in the heat of the sun. After that I continue.

As the next stage is only a short one of 17 kms therefore I simply add it that day and also cover the distance from Zenarruza to Gernika. Briefly before the city I stop at a large church in the middle of nowhere, and I reckon this might be a well hidden, dry and safe place to sleep for tonight and I place myself in the walkway that leads around the church. At night the lights flicker into life automatically, and therby attract loads of mosquitoes who find their prey just right at the perfect place.

Day 4 / 33 km

Gernika - Bilbao

The first really large city already lies ahead, and after finishing the rest of the way to Gernika in the morning I follow the yellow arrows that lead through the center and several nice spots in Gernika. The way outwards of the smaller city is quite unspectacular and climbs with the advancing day through the forest and several small villages. The kilometers before Monte Avril, a small mountain to the north east of Bilbao, the way leads only straight on along the with traffic frequented road through several smaller villages and seems to take forever as the landscape offers no nice varieties.

My feet are already quite hurtful and once more it is getting late and the sun will soon be about to set. Once on the mountain I finally get a nice view down onto Bilbao and the large outstreches of the industrial area, which - unfortunately - I will have to cross tomorrow in a longlasting and maybe unpleasant walk. I decide to walk down further a bit and encounter large green spaces with wooden benches and tables, apparently some kind of recreational area. People are still around, so I take a nap until it nearly gets dark and only a few runners are passing by rarely, then I spot adequate trees hidden in the corner of the area and hang my hammock there.

Day 5 / 30 km

Bilbao - Pobena

Though I had a quite good sleep the first night in my hammock, I was slightly freezing as temperatures dropped down quite low during the night. I proceed to finish yesterday's hike by arriving in the center of Bilbao. The old center, the casco viejo, is quite nice and I reckon that Bilbao at night is even more beautiful, filled with music, activity and the scent of fresh tapas, beer and wine. I follow the Camino del Norte, which leads outwards to the west, doing sightseeing while keeping on track. It passes the new center and swerves to the north, where I encounter the glimmering reflection of the reknown Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank O. Gehry. The surfaces of the weird, dynamic architectural creation bend and bow in various directions, built of metal sheets. While circling the building, I encounter a mass of tourists as well as the oversized flower puppy and an evenly overdimensioned spider, all acompanied by musicians. When one of the musicians finally starts to play 'Time to say goodbye' I feel this is the sign to move on.

The rest of the day I keep following the long street outwards, passing cranes and industrial buildings with high raking chimneys. I keep walking with a french and another german guy for two hours, though they only cover a little distance and soon I find myself walking solo once more. Time passes fast anyways and the relatively new appearing biking and walking path leads the rest of the last 10 kilometers to the beach Pobeña. When I arrive at the quite nice and quiet beach I am happy to have gotten out of the chaotic industrial streets. This indeed was not the nicest part of the walk, though anyways it is also part of the country and part of the Camino. Back to the coast I feel much more vivid, with the pure yellowish white sand beneath me, the sea, blue with strips of white moving foam, in the front and the evenly blue sky above. As I have only slept outdoors and I am frequently accompanied by the smell of a wet dog - recognizing at a certain point it is me - I slip into my swimming pants and take a shower at one of the public showers along the beach.

I proceed a bit further on, once more it is getting quite late, though the way leads along the wonderful natural cliffs away from Bilbao and it's industries back into nature. My knee is suddenly getting worse by the minute and once I have to swerve inlands, under the bridge of the highway I find a small house with a transformator inside, it is not the nicest place but dry and protected from wind and any possible rain that might occur.

Day 6 / 33 km

Pobena - Castro Urdiales - Laredo

I plan to combine two days into one again, thereby covering a distance of about 47 kms if my knee is not getting in the way. Continuing the way along the coast for about 3 hours would lead me already to Castro Urdiales, where I arrive far before lunch time. Castro Urdiales gives the perfect panoramic postcard picture from afar, and is a nice small town to linger and have a break. I relax at the busy harbor and then climb up the stairs to the weird, relatively small church which sits enthroned on the top. It is hot today and the sun is burning my skin, though applying suncreme frequently I feel I will be rather burned in the evening.

Halfway before Laredo some nice beaches are visible from my upper walking position and compensate for what is to follow: a walk along the broad street for several kilometers. And even though it is easy to follow the yellow arrows which mark the Camino de Santiago, I lose my way briefly before switching over to the walk along the street. In the end, after continuing through dense forests for an hour or more, I end up once more at the beach where I actually came from. I swear and curse the wrong placed arrow where I took a turn to the right and proceed sullenly. Sometimes I feel weird, walking past people obviously on vacation, swimming and sunbathing on the beach, while I am stomping past vigorously, fully equipped.

In Liendo, the village briefly before Laredo, I sit down at the bus stop, drying my socks in order to prevent further blisters and for a snack. A yound middle-aged woman offers me her help, if I needed anything her house would be just around the corner. Gratefully I appreciate the kindness which I encouter frequently while doing this pilgrimage. Though I really have enormous problems with my right knee I continue the remaining distance to Laredo, and after another climb I spot a great view over the long beach, the beautiful old town below and a green hill with ruins in the back. Walking down sends a hard pressing pain through my knee and I limp downwards, cursing the stairway at the end that leads into the old town of Laredo. I get my Credencial stamped and walk up the green hill with another great view. I am not able to spot a well hidden and suitable place for sleeping. In the end I end up in a meadow, uncertain if it is the garden of someone or an open space, though I am so tired I don't care.

Day 7 / 28 km

Laredo - Guemes

At night I wake up with a jump as a large enormous dog suddenly stands next to me, and strangely it only takes one second until my muscles stop to release the tension and I pat the dogs head as he whimpers. It is quite hard to get rid of him and because he frequently scratches himself I wouldn't like him too close to me at night. He though then accepts he has no chance, sits down two meters away and once I am asleep he gives it a new try, coming over to wake me up. In the night I already feel the wetness on my sleeping bag and start to feel very uncomfortable, though there is nothing I can do than try to sleep till next day. The morning leads me for 2 hours along the whole beach of Laredo, where the ferry waits to go over to Santoña.

Today indeed is some kind of beach day, after Laredo's long beach Santoña's smaller beach awaits, and I walk along the sand. While in Laredo I took the promenade to walk along the 6 kms of beach, here though I stomp through a pathway consisting of small dunes and high grasses, which make the walk quite difficult. It leads up a small mountain on similarly sandy paths and once up there it offers a wonderful view over to immense outstrech of the beach of Noja.

While I am astonished at first that there are only a few people on this large beach, I soon change my opinion. As I continue, while initially only several people are crossing my path, it gets more and more by the minute. Large crowds of half naked bodies in bikinis and swimming shorts are going the opposite way, strolling the beach, a few greeting and wishing a 'buen camino'. How weird it is to walk fully dressed, heavy boots on the feet and loaded with a backpack while the whole crowd of the others is quite light dressed. Close to the popular vacation domicile Noja, the whole beach now is filled with people and the beauty of the previous beaches has subsided. Well, it is still beautiful, though less enjoyable.

The rest of the way leads out of the town, away from the crowds over fields and meadows as well as small villages. I encounter a spanish girl called Oukmaiden and walk a while alongside her. As there is a very popular and famous donative albergo on the way with many available beds, my knee is hurting a lot the later it gets and I would appreciate a proper shower once this week I decide to join her for the night in the accomodation.

Day 8 / 46 km

Guemes - Santander - Santanilla al Mar

It indeed turned out to be a wonderful place to sleep and experience. The albergo was pretty nice, lead by helpful and funny people, organizing some kind of presentation about the camino, a large dinner with soup, pasta and wine as well as breakfast in the morning. When I entered there I first felt like a wildling, stepping inbetween those civilized people, who tend to shower on a daily basis and sleep indoors, though once I enjoyed a shower myself I am relaxed and fully integrated. I meet a german girl who offers to accompany me for todays stage along the coastline to the port, from where the ferry sets over to Santander. It is nice to walk with her, immersing in good and funny conversations, while the coast shows all it's nice and positive sides under the rising sun today, before once more entering into a larger city.

When the ferry arrives in Santander we reunite with a mexican guy and another german girl, who both had to take the bus due to injuries and pain on their feet. We visit the cathedral of Santander, where we get our stamps for the credencial and have lunch together in a low cost restaurant. As they are going to stay in the city I wish them fairwell and depart to walk further, regretting to have drunk the Tinto de Verano in the midday heat, as I feel slightly tipsy and not up for walking. The rest of the day indeed is quite boring, and offers nothing special to see, just a walk above the hard asphalt, continuously following the street outwards through industrial areas. It all finds it's peak when I arrive after about 30 kms more in a place with a large industrial builing, large clouds of smoke evaporating from the chimney. I sleep briefly before Santanilla al Mar in a little forest with small trees that offer a good place for putting my hammock.

Day 9 / 38 km

Santanilla al Mar - San Vicente de la Barquera

City of the three lies is the place called which I enter right in the morning. Firstly Santanilla a Mar is in no way holy (santa), neither is it flat (nilla) and last but not least it is not at all situated at the seaside (al mar). Humid, thick fog is clinging on to the city's empty morning streets, and it is overly quiet and deserted. The cobble stone pavement leads throughout the city and I head through, enjoying the lone walk despite this being a quite touristic spot. Deepest fog is what accompanies me for most of the day, past wetlands and further beaches along cliffs, those beauty is not diminished by the grey clouds at all.

Briefly before San Vicente my knee worsens with every step and once I crossed over the stone bridge, humid wetland to the side with several small boats spread allover the place appearing to have not been touched for ages, I can barely walk and I limp through the center. I take a rest, refill my stomach and cool my knee with ice for which I ask at a bar. Indeed it improves enough so I can proceed to leave the city behind and search for a sleeping place, which happens to be a place with roof next to a soccer ground. Well, once more I overexerted my body. Not the first time.

Day 10 / 41 km

San Vicente de la Barquera - Llanes

Since crossing over the bridge of San Vicente I stepped right into the green heart of Asturias, which would proof it´s beauty today. Wheras the first part leads through unspectacular little villages and forests it changes over to lead along the asphalt of a broad but tranquilized street close to the seaside. I curse this part silently as I hoped for spectacular cliffs and natural walkways, though indeed after some unpleasant kilometers in the hot and piercing sun, trotting on the hard asphalt, it switches into a pathway that directly leads past beautiful cliffs and beaches, rewarding the sore feet with earthy ground that softens the impact on the bones.

In Llanes I sit down on a bench in order to regain some energy before continuing outwards of the city for a sleeping place, when it suddenly starts to pour down heavy rain, causing me to search for cover. Luckily the rain subsides qyickly and I am able to move on, once more finding myself on impressive cliffs, overgrown with bushes and plants. The pathway is barely visible and I get entangled frequently in the long thin branches that crawl allover the cliff, grabbing it, holding on to it. Again it is on the verge of getting dark and I am amidst open space, no place to hide, exposed, greyish clouds threaten to pour down further on during night. I encounter a wonderful beach, uncertain of the weather condition for tonight I climb down in order to sleep between the rocks and stones, silently hoping for a dry night despite the clouds.