Often overshadowed by the more popular and transited French and Portuguese Way, The Camino del Norte is an absolute gem of a route. The Camino de Santiago originated in ancient times as a pilgrimage taking Christians to visit the tomb of Saint James (Santiago). All routes take you to the Galician city of Santiago de Compostela, and more specifically Santiago Cathedral. Whichever route you take you know which direction you´re heading and where you´re eventually finishing. Unless of course you choose to continue your journey on to Finisterre (Land´s End).
By far the most popular route is the French Way with the Portuguese Way catching up fast. Especially the last 100km which is the minimum you need to walk to get your Pilgrim´s Certificate. Here at The Way Experiences, we are keen to encourage anyone interested in doing the Camino to also consider opting for the less trodden path. Not just because we love putting routes together for people but also because there are so many other stunning routes and amazing experiences out there. Equally rewarding and definitely more exclusive, these routes are also steeped in history and beauty.
The Camino del Norte starts at the border town of Irun and after 34 stages and 824km you will find yourself in Santiago de Compostela. All sections are wonderful but a particularly lovely section of The Camino del Norte starts in Bilbao and finishes in Santander. Your 5 days walking would look something like this –
Day 1 – Bilbao to Portugalete (14km) starts in the old part of Bilbao, crosses the suspension bridge and travels along a quiet route along the banks of the River Cadagua, over the famous Devil´s Bridge, uphill to the small town of Baracaldo before arriving at Portugalete.
Day 2 – Portugalete to Castro Urdiales (27km) follows the beautiful rocky coastline and passes through the village of La Arena with its´ fine red sandy beach. Castro Urdiales has a great mix of modern and medieval architecture and great views of the beach and harbour with its’ brightly coloured boats.
Day 3 Castro Urdiales to Laredo (24km) will take you along stunning coastal cliffs of the Cantabrian Sea, past a medieval castle, green valleys and several ancient churches before arriving at the popular surfing beach town of Laredo.
Day 4 Laredo to Escalante (16km) a flatter but equally scenic route where you will reach a point where you can cross over to Santona by boat. Today you will get the chance to walk through the Santona Marshes and see both mountains and the coast.
Day 5 Escalante to Santander (17km) – today you will walk along the stunning beaches of Berria, and Helgeras and take the traditional boat called a Pedrenera across the bay from the town and surf beach of Somo to Santander itself. Santander is an elegant city which has it all – great architecture, beaches, museums and food.
So why not take the less trodden path?
The Camino del Norte is an absolutely stunning route steeped in beauty, culture and history. The Northern Way starts in Irún and there are 35 sections and 820 kilometres before you arrive in Santiago de Compostela. This route crosses the whole of the north of Spain. It´s an absolute gem, following the Cantabrian coastline from France to Galicia.
Often overshadowed by the more popular and transited French and Portuguese Way, The Camino del Norte is an absolute gem of a route. The Camino de Santiago originated in ancient times as a pilgrimage taking Christians to visit the tomb of Saint James (Santiago). All routes take you to the Galician city of Santiago de Compostela, and more specifically Santiago Cathedral.
The Jubilee or Jacobean year (Xacobeo) is the year when the day of St James the Apostle (25th of July) falls on a Sunday. This happens about 14 times each century. Every 6, 5, 6 and 11 years apparently. This was decreed by Pope Calixtus II in 1126 and coincided with the laying of the last stone at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral.
The Credencial del Peregrino or Pilgrim´s Passport is a small booklet that you carry with you and get stamped along The Way. Its origins date back to the Middle Ages when the booklet was used quite literally as a passport to provide safe passage to pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela.
Sustainable travel and tourism is at the forefront of everyone´s minds so I wanted to share with you here some observations about the Camino de Santiago and sustainable tourism in rural Galicia. Operating in the most environmentally responsible manner possible is really important to us here at The Way Experiences. We are not a mass market tour operator.
As you make your way along The Camino you will be struck by the variety of the gastronomy on offer. Not just as you travel through the different regions of Spain but even down to the towns and villages you pass through. Here is a taster of a few things to expect and look out for if you are doing the final stretch of The Camino.
