El Camino del Norte : Villaviciosa to Soto de Luiña

Kilometres this section : 95

Kilometres completed : 561

El Monumento a la Madre del Emigrante, in Gijón.

After the first few days, the way has been pretty flat, but now there's a bit of a hill to climb out of Villaviciosa, up to 450m.  It's not so hard, but certainly a contrast to the Camino Francés.  A bigger contrast is the weather, I get at least some rain most days, today it is more like a constant drizzle, well I can cope.  I walk down from the hills, into a pleasant green valley, although it is a bit damp, feeling more like England than Spain.  Up another hill, with a view of the sea from the top, then down to my stop today, Gijón, a popular place with surfers it seems, there are many at my hostel, a little way out of town - well, only a mile walk to find a bar, beer and tortilla.

Gijón also has trains!

I take a day off in Gijón, or Xixon in the local Asturian, it is really rather awesome, so much to see.  There are many palacios, churches, and statues of course, also a turn of the 20th century coastal fort, and so many museums, wow!   I look at art, local glassware, visit the home of local luminary and, among other things, travel writer, Gaspar Jovellanos, and more.  The highlight is probably the extensive Roman bath complex of which much survives, interesting to see 2,000 year old roof tiles that look identical to the ones still common here.  And still there is more, I make my way west along the route to a pension, and just before I arrive is a train museum, it is very cool.

La Iglesia de Santo Tomás de Canterbury, in Avilés.

Gijón is a big place, it takes a while to walk out of, then things take a turn for the not terribly scenic, a long section past a massive industrial area, mostly steelworks I think.  It is interesting enough, but I could do without the long section along a fairly major, busy road.  Then there's a nice walk along the river Avilés into the town of the same name.  It's another big place, much to see I am sure, but I have no time, on to Salinas by the sea, and another surf hostel.  After the usual wash of myself and today's clothes I walk along a pleasant promenade to a really busy bar with a sea view.  After subsisting on pinxos yesterday evening I feel I should get proper food again, so even though many more pinxos turn up I also find room for a burger.

Another wet day, I seem to have left the mountains behind, now the way is through green, damp hills, it really does feel like England.  The sun does appear for a while, but then the rain really comes down, a shame, I'm on a nice path through woods, but it's currently unpleasantly muddy.  Time passes in something of a blur, it keeps raining, then finally stops as I pass an abandoned hotel.  Into Soto de Luiña, not a big place, the albergue is open but no sign of staff, so I buy a bottle of wine and sit down to wait, and they do eventually turn up.  Tonight I find a pilgrim menu, yay, well, OK, not too impressed by the noodle soup, but the main course is awesome, fried potatoes and slices of sausage that appears to be made of bacon!  There is cake too, and of course more wine...

Bacon sausage!

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

El Camino del Norte : Comillas to Villaviciosa

Kilometres this section : 121

Kilometres completed : 466

Albergue in Colombres.

A new day brings dry weather, and nice walking, I am in the foothills of the Picos de Europa, this means a series of ridges sloping down to the sea, separated by inlets, it seems more like Norway than Spain.  The way crosses one estuary on a long causeway, into San Vicente, it's most scenic. Then more motorway crossing, and more rain, this is not so great.  Still, an easy day today, I reach Colombres for 3pm, to find an albergue full of kids, but it's a big place, there is room for me.  It's cold though, this is not what I expected in Spain.  Well, to a bar, which is also cold, and it is still raining, I do wish they would shut the door.  Never mind, beer and a burger warm me up.

Sea to my right, mountains to my left.

Up to this point, this route really has involved a lot of road walking, I don't really mind but it would be nice to see more actual footpaths.  Well here we are, a lovely path in fact, the sea to my right, mountains to the left, so pretty.  I am taken by the 'bufones' - waterspouts driven by waves forcing water into gaps eroded into the rock.  There are goats hanging around too, cool, I must say I am liking Asturias, another new part of Spain.  I am still close to that motorway, and another easy day, to Llanes, a nice place with a medieval centre, and a beach, where I paddle in very cold water.  Better yet, there's a pilgrim menu!  A stew of big white beans to start, so much, and chorizo too.  Then cod with potatoes, all washed down with a whole bottle of wine.

Poo art.

I start the next day feeling a bit broken, too many beans and too much wine I fear.  Nice walking though, and it seems like a proper Camino now, I am walking on a path, and there are many other pilgrims.  There seem to be plenty of albergues now too, sure the one Colombres was full of children, but it had plenty of spare beds.  So, I'm taking a chance, nothing booked tonight or tomorrow, I'm sure it will be fine.  There are steep slopes to my left but the way stays flat, often alongside a railway line, also I am passing lots of holiday homes, and yes, decaying houses but also renovation and new construction.  And, what is that small square building - it's an hórreo!  Seems they have a square floorplan here, like the ones on the last few km last year.  Interesting design, the things are supported by stone pillars, then large flat stones below a wooden frame, and a separate set of stone steps provide access.   On to my planned stop at Ribadasella, a big place, but it only has one albergue which is sadly full.  I keep walking, OK, there's a municipal albergue on top of a hill, it's in the middle of nowhere, but I find a bar a couple of km away, worth the walk for a plate of chorizo and fried potatoes.

Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.

It's good to be a few km further than planned, the distance today is now only 33km, easy then.  And it's a nice morning again, I am seeing a pattern, morning sun, then rain later on.  Back to the sea, the beaches are empty, though I see a a few surfers in the water.  What I don't see are many hikers, though I do spot some on the road rather than the trail - actually I have seen a lot going the wrong way, I think many people unwisely rely on the signs...  The route turns inland, this is farm country, more hórreos, some of them huge - apparently the larger ones, resting on more than four pillars, are actually 'paneras'.  A big estuary is coming up, hence the need to get away from the sea, to cross the bridge at Villaviciosa, where I finish the day.  It's another big place, there are multiple albergues and many restaurants, I pick a place with impressive burgers - the 'Fundido' Is indeed impressive, with many crunchy bits.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

El Camino del Norte : Escalante to Comillas

Kilometres this section : 95

Kilometres completed : 345

On the cliff path approaching Santander.

I climb out of Escalante on minor roads, with a pall of smoke hanging above me, from field burning it seems.  I still see very few hikers on the inland route, there must be some at times though, a little hermita I pass has a nice exhibition with many photos of pilgrims.  After lunch I rejoin the other route, it leads me onto a rather awesome cliff path.  This is a bit scary, I am at times only a metre from the edge, but there is a great view over the bay.  Then I walk a beach for a few km, this makes a nice change, and takes me to Somo, where I need to take a ferry to Santander.  Thirty minutes on the boat, and a short walk to my hostel to check in, then I walk across town to meet my parents!  They have driven eight hundred miles to join me here, a shame then that the various menus del día they were interested in are of course not available in the evening.  Never mind, we get enormous enormous amounts of food anyway, from an a la carte menu.  I still somehow have room for black pudding, provided by a bar on the way back to my hostel...

Many things in the maritime museum.

OK, sightseeing with my parents, it is perhaps slightly slower than my usual mad dash around, still we manage to see many things.  There is of course a cathedral, though most of it is shut so we only visit the crypt.  My dad enjoys an extremely thick hot chocolate, on our way to the rather excellent maritime museum, where there is an aquarium with many fish.  Our timing is good, it is fish feeding time, we watch as a diver mostly puts down food for the rays and other flatfish, while small sharks swim around and a moray eel hangs out in its purpose built home.  Out past the jellyfish nursery to the history section, which has many ship models and dioramas, from Roman times, to a recreated galleon gun deck, to more recent years.  Come the afternoon, my parents go for a lie down, so I head off to the Magdalena peninsula, location of a very impressive royal summer palace, and many other things.  I particularly like the collection of boats built by local sailing legend Vital Alzar, but there's also a little zoo with seals and even African  Penguins!  I then eat too much food again, so much cheese, an escalope, cheesecake that is just so good, then I stop off on my way back again, for beer, and also olives and fried egg sandwiches!

Dinner in Santander.

It's a long walk to get out of Santander, on a grey day, it drizzles as I plod on.  At least the way is pretty flat, mostly on roads, sticking close to a motorway.  There's a nice, if brief footpath section alongside the Rio Pas.  I'm still seeing few hikers, I guess this route is not as popular as the Camino Francés.  It is  Sunday again, most places are shut, but I manage to buy a bread and cheese lunch from a petrol station's mini Carrefour.  The afternoon walk isn't very exciting, the most notable thing being a massive industrial site, maybe a chemical plant?  I reach my original planned stop, Viveda, for 4pm, but looking at accommodation there a day or so ago I couldn't find much, so 6km off trail to a hotel in Suances it is.  Not a big place, but it has a bar, tonight I eschew burgers in favour of a bacon and cheese bocadillo, it is most tasty.

Santillana del Mar.

A sunny Monday morning, and a nice walk back to the trail, where I pop into a bar for a welcome coffee.  Today the route is through pleasant rolling hills, and I can see mountains ahead.  There are maybe a few more pilgrims today, perhaps drawn by the day's highlight, Santillana del Mar, a really well preserved medieval town.  I see many sights, mostly buildings but also museum with works by local sculptor Jesus Otero.  I see signs for the Altamira caves, arguably the location of the world's best examples of prehistoric art, it is two km off the route but surely worth it.  But of course I arrive to find the place shut, why of course, it's Monday.  Spain, never change.  I still have 20km to walk, and there's more up and down, and it even starts raining as I make my way back to the sea.  Destination today is Comillas, I find an albergue up a hill, it is very medieval here too.  Back down the hill to a bar / restaurant, wow there's pricey food here, I wander a bit further, enduring much rain, to find another place where I get many plates of nibbles and a ham sandwich.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

El Camino del Norte : Bilbao to Escalante

Kilometres this section : 99

Kilometres completed : 250

At the Guggenheim.

Sightseeing in Bilbao then, and I do in fact get decent weather for it.  Interesting place, surrounded by mountains, I can see why the place has a stubbornly independent attitude.  There sure is a lot to see here, churches and monuments of course, and while the Guggenheim is shut because it is Monday, it's still impressive, and the giant spider outside is cool.  There is a giant floral puppy nearby too, and an open art museum which has both bizarre modern art and masterpieces from centuries ago.  And wow, I have spent all day wandering, barring an hour or so checking into a hostel slightly further along the route.  This one has pods - almost a room!  Well, time to head back there, via the Athletico Bilbao stadium, then some proper food, well pizza at least.

Pedestrian bridge at Pobeña.

Walking out of Bilbao, unsurprisingly, involves a hill, not a huge problem to be honest, there is a nice view of the city for one.  I pass an opportunity to walk south to join the Camino Francés, eschewing that means descending, seems like there is extended urban, commercial or industrial terrain running north from Bilbao, and of course a river, railway and various motorways.  Before long I am out of the Basque country and into Cantabria, doesn't seem much different but at least I can read the signs now.  For whatever reason my plan takes an alternative Camino route, an impressively engineered cycle trail including lengthy viaducts, but much of it is alongside those motorways so not exactly scenic.  No matter, I finish the day with a pleasant valley leading back to the sea, then walk a bit of beach to Pobeña and my first pilgrim menu of the trip!  Lentils with chorizo and pescado a la plancha, worth the wait.  Pleasant company too, I find a fellow hiker who was on the PCT only a year after me, small world...

Castro Urdiales.

I make an early start from Pobeña, lovely walking on a cliff path, but a small problem after a few km, a locked gate blocking the trail.  Obviously, I and the two Polish guys who are striding ahead of me don't climb over and walk a hundred metres of closed, but entirely safe trail, oh no.  Well, the walking continues to be pretty flat, including some former railway, taking me to Santullán for 11am, way too early to stop.  Then back to the sea, Castro Urdiales is a substantial town, and yes there's an impressive castle.  I need to keep on though, the albergue here won't open for another couple of hours, and surely there'll be another within the next 15km or so...  I keep going, the Albergue in El Pontarrón is shut, on to Rio Seco, nothing here, then it is getting on for 5pm and I have a choice, up into the hills or a km south to El Puente where there are bars at least.  Not really a difficult decision, and indeed I am able to get beer plus a burger, but there's no albergue.  Nothing for it but to find a quiet entry to a building where I sleep undisturbed, it is warm enough and I manage without a bedroll, not something I want to do often though.

Rather nice walking along the coast.

I don't waste any time leaving El Puente, not like it is tempting to lie in on a cold, hard floor.  I climb, cross the motorway a couple of times, and stop for a much needed coffee, and also to brush my teeth!  The way returns to the sea at Laredo, very pretty it is too, also the route splits here, I am taking the inland route, for one thing this avoids taking a boat.  I think most pilgrims must stick to the coast as I don't see many, perhaps understandable as this route involves a long stretch alongside a busy road.  Well, the last few kilometres are nice at least, a minor road alongside scenic wetland, a good place to watch birds it seems.  Destination today is Escalante, my cheap hotel turns out to be rather nice, so good to lie on a proper bed.  Yet another burger for dinner, this one has Serrano ham on it, and even comes with chips.  But hopefully something different tomorrow...

Photos to go with this post can be found here and here.

El Camino del Norte : San Sebastián to Bilbao

Kilometres this section : 123

Kilometres completed : 151

Early morning in San Sebastián.

I walk a km or so out of San Sebastián, then make a detour of some three hours(!) or so to visit Decathlon and buy a sleeping bag, having forgotten that even though this thing doesn't involve sleeping in a tent, I still need a bag.  Hmm, it really is very Basque here, the staff at Decathlon try speaking to me the language, and plenty of people on the trail say, I think, 'Egun on' rather than 'Hola'.  There are many signs in Basque, not sure this is ideal for a sign whose meaning is, for instance, 'not drinking water'.  Well anyway, back to the route, of course the only way out of San Sebastián is up a big hill, well at least the weather has improved, and this is lovely walking with a view down to the sea on my right.  I pass through Orio, where I spent my first night in Spain on the long cycle eight years ago, no time to stop though.  More up and down, another substantial settlement, Zarautz, then a little further along the coast to my destination, Getaria, a nice little place squeezed between a hilly near island and more hills on the mainland.  Seems a bit touristy, I get a beer or two, but then go for the cheap option of pasta and a bottle of wine at my hostel.

Rather pretty around here.

Day three, and wow, a long one, some 42km.  If this was the Camino Francés it wouldn't be too hard, but it's becoming clear that this is not the Camino Francés.  I repeatedly climb steep slopes, only to descend again, it is tough work.  Well, I still seem to have some muscles, and my small pack helps - as last year, people ask if I have sent another bag on...  And again, I overtake many people, mostly European I think, though again there are some Koreans.  Halfway through the day, the route turns inland, a mix of logging tracks, minor roads, and pleasant footpaths through the woods.  For a few hours I see no other hikers - I suspect I am doing two days in one, well, I want to get to Santiago within a month, and 20km days won't do.  In the event I get to Markina-Xemein before 6pm, not late, but I am relying on an albergue with no advance booking, and of course they are full.  'Let's see' says the guy behind the desk, and in fact by 6:30 I have a mattress in a corridor, I have slept on worse.  And there's still plenty of time to shower, wash clothes, and find a bar, although food options are limited, I get tortilla and some sort of chicken sandwich.  A proper pilgrim menu will turn up at some point I'm sure.

Simon Bolivar monument.

I make an early start out of Markina, there is a light drizzle but still nice walking through pleasant green country.  Seems like easier going today and I make decent time, through various little villages including Bolibar, birthplace of South American revolutionary Simon Bolivar.  I reach the highlight of the day, Gernika, in time for a late lunch.  This place is of course famous for the devastating German bombing in 1937, and the Picasso painting that inspired.  It's bigger than I expected, a substantial town, and I take time to wander around and photograph various monuments.  Then more walking, a little slowly due to the massive sandwich I had for lunch, but not far to tonight's albergue.  This one's in the middle of nowhere, but provides beer and indeed wine, plus home cooked food - there are even vegetables!

I eat a fairly standard coffee and toast breakfast at the albergue, and stepping outside I notice it is one of the massive, square plan buildings that seem standard in these parts - combining farmhouse, cowshed and barn in a single structure I guess.  From here, some nice walking through woods, then a long, easy flat section beside a road.  Not much to do after that, Zamudio is mostly industrial estates, then a climb through more woods before descending into Bilbao, I've been looking forward to this.  Sightseeing can wait though, it is raining and I could use a lie down anyway.  Although obviously I do emerge from the albergue in the evening to find a bar, and once again it's tortilla and a sandwich rather than proper food...

Gernika.  Or Guernica, in Castilian Spanish.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.

El Camino del Norte : Irún to San Sebastián

Kilometres this section : 28

Kilometres completed : 28

Starting from the French border.

Is it time for another walk?  Yes, I think so.  Well, I really enjoyed the Camino de Santiago last year, and of course there are many different routes, so why not do another one?  This time the plan is to do the Camino del Norte, starting from the French border, near San Sebastián.  No attempt to ride French trains this year, San Sebastián has an airport, although no direct flights from the UK so I spend a few hours in Barcelona - not exactly a bad thing.  Indeed I have enough time to walk out of the airport and buy a cheap lunch from Lidl...

San Sebastián airport is to the east of the city, so close to the border and my start point, most convenient.  A good view from the plane as I approach too, we fly along the French coast, which I recall cycling along, wow, eight years ago.  Easy to leave the airport after a domestic flight, and a short walk to my hotel in Irún, a nice place I must say.  It does prove a bit tricky to find some dinner, plenty of bars but most just have dubious tapas, and while one is also a restaurant the service is so bad that I walk out.  Fortunately there is perfectly adequate bocadillo not far away.

Glorious mud!

Time to walk then, although first I want to get a pilgrim passport, apparently a local church does them, so I go there, but they are not going to open until 10:30, OK, might as well walk some of the route then.  I wanted to start from the French border anyway, reaching it I am not surprised to find the bridge I crossed back on that long cycle.  There are familiar blue and yellow signs, the route leads me back to the church which is still shut, OK, I will go and buy some food for lunch, this takes a while as it is labour day, so most places are shut.  But finally the church opens, I get my credencial, and walk out of Irún, retracing my route from the airport for a while before heading out of town.

Not long out of Irún, I hit a footpath, and wow, this is not the flat, well built type of path I spent so much time on last time.  No, this is a steep slope of mud and rocks, with a stream running down it, because it is raining.  I could be in the UK!  Well, this is fun for me, I climb up and walk a high ridge, there are views down to the sea, all good.  It rains much of the day, but I can cope, and it is pretty cool to descend to an inlet where I need to take a short ferry journey to continue.  My hostel today is a fair way from the route, so plenty of walking through the cheaper bits of San Sebastián, seems nice enough, as is the hostel, for all that it is located on the ground floor of an apartment building.

Ferry crossing at Pasaia.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.