Getting back on the road by walking 832 kms across Spain… again

Camino del Norte

What better way to resume international travel than to walk 832 km through the mountains of the northern coast of Spain carrying 10 kg backpacks?

Our trek began in early August at Patisserie Philippe Roy (hiking is hungry business!) in Hendaye, France, on the French/Spanish border. We finished 38 days and 832 km later in Santiago de Compostela. Our route crossed four Spanish regions: Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia, each with distinct geography, cuisine and language.

One reason we chose the Camino del Norte is because it is less popular than the Frances route that we completed in 2019. The coastal route also offers better scenery and a cooler climate.

Climbing, climbing and more climbing

After the first day we understood why it is less popular… the incessant climbing.  We climbed over 18,000 metres on the trek. On average we climbed, and descended, 518 metres per day. It took a few days for our legs, lungs and minds to strengthen and get accustomed to the non-stop climbing and descending.

But the views made up for it

The scenery varied from scented eucalyptus forests to mountain pastures with the constant ringing of cow and sheep bells, to sheer limestone cliffs, to long stretches of sandy beaches, to expansive views across the Bay of Biscay. Most days we saw no more than half-a-dozen other pilgrims; we usually had the trails to ourselves. We spent more time interacting with donkeys, cows, dogs, horses and sheep than we did with humans.  

Due to the small number of pilgrims, especially this year, there were limited pilgrim services such as Albergues (hostels), food and water. To be cautious we only stayed in accommodations with private rooms. Places were sometimes hard to find and expensive. Distances between villages could be long and no guarantee restaurants would be open when you got to a village. We often trudged 15 or 20 km or more with nowhere to stop for food or fresh water – or coffee!

Except for a few days at the beginning and again at the end, we enjoyed beautiful blue skies and sunshine. For the first few weeks daily highs were in the mid to high-20s (in contrast to the 40 degree temperatures most of Spain was enduring).

The food in Northern Spain is amazing!

Unless you’re hiking the Camino del Norte, then it’s hit-and-miss. Spaniards eat dinner late – 9 or 10 p.m., and are not early risers. Restaurants typically don’t serve food between about 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. The opening hours did not sync with our hiking schedule.

Dinners were an adventure. Options were often limited and the food varied wildly. A “stew” of a tin of canned chickpeas in a watery broth, and a still-frozen pizza served by a drunk cook/waiter were two memorable meals. Other times we got terrific meals in the most unexpected places. An Asturian bean stew brimming with shellfish at a small town cafe; fresh, plump, briny mussels at a dingy sidreria (cider bar); a Michelin-quality grilled entrecote prepared by the owner of a small farmhouse B&B were standouts.

Santiago de Compostela

For those of you familiar with Santiago, renovations on the Cathedral are still not finished, scaffolding can still be seen on one small section. We chose not to go into the Cathedral as there were big line-ups and we are still not ready to mix with large groups indoors.

If you enjoy a challenge and are comfortable being on your own, the Camino del Norte would be a great route.

Next Stop: Our new favourite European city

To view more photos click here to go to the go to the Camino del Norte Photo Album.