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Camino Del Norte

Walking the camino del norte – a cautionary tale of coffee, blisters and thwarted ambition.


Over the past few years we have “got into” walking in quite a big way. This was something neither of us had anticipated but we got the bug (and inspiration) from working a season for a walking/cycling holiday company in Cataluna, Spain.


We have successfully completed several Portuguese camino routes, starting cautiously by choosing shorter distances and having our bags transported for us. We moved onto the more challenging terrain of the tuscan section of the Via Francigena last year. That Summer we also walked the Santiago de Compostela to Muxia extension, this time carrying our packs over 3 long days.


This summer we embarked on a section of the Camino del Norte in northern Spain; a route which we knew would be more challenging than previous ones. An 8 day challenge for which we believed ourselves to be prepared for. We also decided to carry our packs.


You can read below how it turned out for us…..


Diary of a walk


Day 1 Mogro to Santillana del Mar (c 25kms) Sunday 14 th July. Weather conditions; overcast with some sun.


Our day started early c.6.30am. Heading out from our central “Eurocity” hotel, the short walk to Santander train station.


We waited 20 or so minutes for the station bar to open (coffee being a priority of ours). Here, we fuelled up on mega strength coffee at the station bar, and marvelled at the tortilla making skills on display. A large screen displayed the day’s headline; an assassination attempt on Donald Trump….a very surreal start to the day, for sure….




On attempting to cross through the barrier to the train, we were unable to swipe the tickets successfully. The ticket clerk left their station bemused at our plight and held the tickets (with some disdain) to the correct scanner….oops, very simple after all….


After a short and uneventful train journey, we alighted at the small village of Mogro, where we spied our first fellow walkers (some of whom refer to themselves as Pilgrims). Eager to drink more coffee and get some breakfast, we happened upon a bar by the station only to discover it wouldn’t be opening for another 3 hours (this was to become a recurring theme throughout this walk….).


Undeterred we set off, heading west, with the sea on our right hand side as we ascended our first hill of the day. Friendly cows were lazing languidly all around. The air was fresh and sweet smelling and we were full of optimism for the day ahead.




As it turned out, it would be around 13kms until we found a bar that was open and we were seriously in need of breakfast by this stage. The bar was in the somewhat unpromising town of Requejada, site of a large factory with belching chimneys and not a great deal else (bars, hotels and restaurants all seemed to be defunct).


Somewhat dejectedly heading out of town, we glanced down a side street to the left to discover the oasis that was Bar Andros, home to great coffee and fresh tortilla pinchos (small rolls). It may be worth mentioning at this point for other non meat eaters, there was no meat free pincho available (another recurrent theme) so a chorizo tortilla it had to be. Oh well, when in Rome….This was a most welcome comfort break and a re stock of water at

the neighbouring supermarket was the order of the day.


The rest of the day passed pleasantly and unremarkably. There was little in the way of signage with info about distances, place names, water fountains, etc. Camino waymarkers were sometimes curiously positioned when present at all. However, we were able to stay on track without major issues.


We enjoyed the abundant array of farm animals along the way; goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys, a pair of black swans and cows of just about every hue. Eventually we made it to the beautiful medieval town of Santillana del Mar. Piped music beckoned us into this most pristine (somewhat manicured) of medieval villages. Santillana was definitely alive with tourists who come in droves from the coast to admire the stunning architecture. It felt a bit otherworldly after the tranquility of our walk…



It is no exaggeration to say we threw down our packs and leapt on the first available bar/restaurant table we could find. We ordered a beer and the waitress suggested that we might want the larger size – I guess she could sense our thirst. Here, we dined heartily on a delicious grilled fish and seafood platter (parillada).


Feeling more human we set off though the town to find our delightful hotel; “Hotel Siglo VIII”. I had booked this as a first night reward which it was; a quietly regal house, all dark wood and drapes, with a swimming pool.


After a restorative dip, a rest and shower, we headed back into the town. Now more attuned to appreciate it’s delights. Being the Euros final, we found a spot in the town square where a big screen and a barbecue was being set up. It’s fair to say that I’m not the biggest football fan and was possibly England’s only “fan” present, but we soaked up the atmosphere for the first half before returning to the hotel to watch the second half (and to get an early night).


Unfortunately Spain won. I say this only because of the fact that a massive all night party ensued, which included fireworks and I’m fairly certain there was cannonfire (or gunshots, at the very least)! Under normal circumstances an all night fiesta wouldn’t be a terrible thing, but we had a 6.30am alarm call…..


Day 2 Santillana del Mar to Comillas (c 22.5kms) Weather; rainy start, turning

humid


Bleary eyed, we packed up our rucksacks and headed downstairs to seek coffee. Unfortunately the hotel was locked up and in darkness. Eventually a sole member of staff appeared (in a bit of a flap), explaining that she had missed her alarm due to the previous night’s revelry…. She kindly made us a coffee and filled our water bottles, whilst singlehandedly setting up for the breakfast service.


Ominous black clouds greeted us as we made our way out of town, the first of many ascents. We were passed by a couple of young Spanish walkers who were chatting so intently they missed the waymarker arrow, so we called out to them and they gave us a friendly wave of thanks. This duo would go on to become a fixture on our route.


The rain started to fall heavily and we sought refuge in a churchyard. The church was closed up so we leant against the walls and snacked on a chocolate muesli bar, musing about what we had experienced so far. We met a couple from Albacete who were also sheltering whilst waiting for friends. We enjoyed a brief chat about the football and the weather. This quartet would also become our on/off companions for the following days.


When the rain abated, the sound of birdsong and the jangling of cowbells accompanied us on our walk. We were glad of the company throughout this tough day of ascents followed by descents.



Eventually we came across an open bar and shared a mega cheese bocadillo in the company of the 2 young men and the Albacete crew. Other than this stop there wasn’t much in the way of refreshment en route. However, on a positive note signage (helpfully including distances) was much better on this day, as were the availability of water fountains.


At the planning stage back in Bedford, 22kms had not sounded challenging, but this day was long and hard. It became obvious that we were not prepared for the impact of the descents (under the weight of packs) would have on our feet….


A few kms short of our destination for the night we began lose belief in our ability (and the will) to continue. As good luck would have it, we happened a some industrious small local kids running a lemonade stall from their garden.


Their homemade treats and words of encouragement were just the boost we needed to make the final few (humid) kms into the charming coastal town of Comillas.



Of arrival, we headed straight to the seafront in search of a restaurant. “Restobar Si Querida” fitted the bill perfectly and we dined handsomely on a fish/steak “menu del dia”, before heading for a swim and a beach siesta. A just reward, indeed.



Some time later, we headed up through the town in search of our pension. Somewhat addled by wine, humidity and exhaustion, it took us longer than should have to find our way through the streets. Yet we made it to Pasaje San Jorge, a simple yet friendly guest house.


Several hours (and cooling showers) later we headed back into the handsome town. Here we sat in the square, enjoying the sounds of a local youth band over a beer before retiring to the pension for a much needed early night. Comillas, however had other plans for us. At 11pm a rock music festival (with fireworks) kicked off and could be heard plainly until precisely 04.22. At this point revellers traversed noisily through the streets, to be followed by street cleaners….


Day 3 Comillas to Unquera (c 27kms) Weather; very wet then overcast.


Suffice it to say, we were not feeling full of joie de vivre when the alarm sounded at 6.30am….


However, on the plus side, the pension had a coffee vending machine, so we did get to have a “launch” coffee. Pretty vital as we were certainly not feeling fortified by a good night’s sleep….


We picked our way through the detritus of the party (ankle deep in empty spirit bottles and plastic cups) and headed out of the now sleeping town. For the first few kms we trailed behind a group of young revellers holding aloft a surfboard containing a speaker. They seemed bemused by who we were and what we were doing (ie walking for fun). I admit to feeling somewhat confused myself such was the effect of sleep deprivation….


We joined up with the coast, admiring panoramic views of the sea before seeking coffee at a curious looking beachside bar/restaurant swathed in darkness. The elderly owner begrudingly agreed to make us a coffee which was served with a heavy dose of suspicion. This was a CASH only venue where you got buzzed in and out of the outside toilet. One can only wonder what crimes or misdemeanours previous customers had been guilty of….(or perhaps this lady was just partied out after the night before).




Fortified once more, we made our way up quite a steep incline (with another great sea view). The weather took a turn for the worse, rain coming heavily and steadily. In the absence of shelter we had no option other than to plod on, passing more closed bars and restaurants. We encountered a French and Canadian chap who were doing the entire Norte route and shared a brief “Sacre bleu!” with them about the lack of open bars.


This day’s route had been described in my trusty guidebook as mainly along the coast, but this turned out to be inaccurate, I would estimate at least half wound away from the coast.


Despite some spectacular sea and beach views early on and some great verdant inland scenery, the day felt particularly long and tough (and hungry).



We had only light rations of nuts and bananas on board, over estimating the availability of refreshment en route. Eventually we came across a restaurant at Munorrodero (which we were fortunate to notice by looking behind ourselves, at a junction). Blimmin lucky as we were in real need of sustenance by this point; our usual good humour and bonhomie, now in short supply.


A fine “menu” sustained us for the final few kms into the quietly unremarkable town of Unquera. Here we easily located the “Hotel Canal”, famous for it’s necktie shaped pastries called “Corbatas”.



We bumped into our Albacete friends at the local launderette and it turned out they were staying at the same hotel. So after laundry, a shower, a beer and a shared pizza we headed for an early night.


Unquera however, was heading out to party….at 11pm an exuberantly loud compere announced the start of a bagpipe and drum festival. Unbelievable. Another night of interrupted sleep. Thankfully this party finished relatively early c. 2.30am……


Day 4 Unquera to Llanes (c. 27.5kms) All day sun


After a few hours sleep, the obliging guy on reception agreed to make us a coffee (perhaps his first time attempting such a feat). We were soon joined by the Albacete four, also in need of an early morning caffeine fix. The kindly receptionist insisted we take pintxos (small sarnies) for the road.


The morning was cool and slightly misty when we crossed the short meccano bridge from Cantabria into Asturias. Immediately we began a steep 2km ascent to the village of Colombres. We were soon rewarded with our first stunning early morning views of the picos de Europa mountain range, which were swathed in mist.



We crossed a grassy section. The mist had made the grass wet and it was atthis point we both discovered for certain that our shoes were not in fact waterproof. (Looking back, remedial action should have been taken immediately - a fact that we would later come to regret…)


Nevertheless this was a beautiful day’s walking through colourful meadows; mountains rising on one side and the iridescent sea to the other.


At one mountainous juncture, we met a local chap in his mid 70s who walked this route every day. We walked along companionably chatting about the state of the world, until it came time to part ways.



Temperatures had started to rise and we found the sea just out of reach for a refreshing dip.



Fortunately, other than 2 steep inclines this day did not involve too much in the way of steep descents. There were also several good stops along the way (Buelna and Andrin) to refuel and attend (somewhat belatedly) to shoe and sock issues.


It was on this leg of the route that B started to experience issues with his feet, most likely caused by failing to dry them out adequately.


On arriving in the beautiful harbour town of Llanes, one of the first priorities was for B to buy some decent merino wool socks in an attempt to stave off more damage….




Shortly after this mission was accomplished we made our way to the albergue (La Casona del Pelegrino) where we had booked a basic private room in this slightly faded but still grand building surrounded by lush hydrangeas. We wasted no time in obtaining a lunch recommendation and were happily directed to the restaurant directly next door…..


Then came a rest followed by an evening foray to rediscover lovely Llanes where we had stayed some years previously. We were happy to see that nothing much had changed and after walking round the harbour, we settled in at our old favourite, Bar La Matute on the harbourside. Here we enjoyed a wedge of local cave aged Cabrales cheese and cider poured in the traditional asturian way.



And so to bed.


Day 5 Llanes to Ribadesella (c 31kms) Hot


A beautiful, misty start after a decent night’s sleep (no fiestas last night!). Slightly fortified by a cup of decaff instant coffee (the best we could muster), we headed off in the brief company of the French and Canadian guys from the previous day. They had also stayed at the albergue, albeit in the dorms (these guys were pros!)


The coastal walking was just beautiful; beach after deserted beach. However, the going was tough, not aided by the fact it was 3 1/2 hours before we happened upon a bar for a (proper) coffee.



The rest of Spain was in the midst of a heatwave (the map showing 95% of the country as either red or purple). We were lucky to avoid this in more temperate Asturias, but it was clear that the temperatures were rising several degrees above the normal expected average.


Water was in short supply on this stretch and at one stage, I think we made a mistake following the road rather than the coast (our rationale was to cut down the kms in the rising heat). However, in doing so we may have missed a vital water opportunity….




We were staggered/annoyed/incensed (!) to find that the advertised Pilgrim’s fountain at Cuerres that we were banking on, offered only non potable water….


The promise of a hotel mentioned in the guidebook also failed to deliver; the hotel now defunct.


Therefore we were left with no option other than to ask the one person we saw to fill our bottles for us. He kindly did this and advised us there would be nowhere to stop for the next 10kms to our destination. Hmmm, we were finding this tough and a wee bit demoralising by this stage….


A short while later, with the heat starting to become a real issue, we saw the 2 young spanish men we had been distant walking pals with. They confirmed this day was “muy dura”, or very hard. (We later found out this athletic looking pair were actually 22 year old personal trainers, which at least made us feel somewhat better about our own capacities)….


B later described those final 10kms into Ribadesella as “brutal”. Indeed, when I try to recall them I struggle to do so. (In my experience this means I have blocked them out…)


Suffice to say, we fell into the first restaurant we found on the harbour and drank the coldest, most refreshing beer ever. I don’t remember too much else, other than eating fried fish and chocolate cake, but mainly delighting in the fact that our hotel happened to be pretty much around the corner….




We really liked the low key vibe at Hotel Arguelles and the fabulous location, just off the picturesque harbour. There is nothing like a shower when you really need one and cool, white linen feels like heaven….


After a well needed rest we managed to “hit” the town for a couple of hours. And a truly lovely town it is too. After purchasing some Compeed for B’s now increasingly problematic feet, ibuprofen and more socks, we headed for Sidreria O Rompeolas where we hunkered up to the bar (in our usual style) for a wedge of Gamoneu cheese which I can confirm is the “Ferrari” of Asturian cheese (as recommended by the jovial barman) and a little cider as is the local custom….




Day 6 Ribadesella to Colunga (c 22kms) Still rising temperatures.


Again, a misty departure and a spot of laundry before leaving the town proper. After a glimpse at the beachfront and a few abortive attempts at locating a coffee, we headed out of town.


Fortunately, after a few kms we followed our noses and happened upon a bakery “unit” in an unusually remote location (slightly off our route). We were ushered in by a kindly lady who sold us the best pain au chocolate “hot off the press”.


This was a very fortunate turn of events for it would be over 3 hours before we encountered our first bar of the day.


Such was the lure of the sea (and the rise in temperature), we stopped at several points for both a paddle and then a full on dip, We also hoped that the salt water might have a healing effect on B’s blisters….



There was some beautiful scenery on this day, the early morning light casting a mystical light across both land and water. However, although today’s route was considerably shorter, it became apparent that despite our best efforts (too little, too late), B’s blister situation had become intolerable. We could have struggled on the final 1.5km to our destination but was not advisable. Good fortune was on our side when a bus came sweeping by. We hopped on, relieved to be carried into the centre of charming Colunga with its gorgeous mountain views.



We were lateish (in terms of lunch), but quickly checked into our immaculate hotel “Villa de Colunga” . Here we had to cut pleasantries short (as lunch time was running out) and we were recommended Hotel Las Vegas just up the road. This turned out to be an excellent recommendation. The kind of place where you order the fish soup and they bring you the tureen….we watched in admiration as the lady of the house conducted the service so seamlessly and B declared his fabada the best so far.


Our priorities in order (ie stomachs full), we headed back for showers and a rest. B figured out how to get Correos (Post office) to transport some of our gear to our next hotel – this was a surprisingly easy and reasonable online system (begging the question why hadn’t we done this earlier when we had first started to struggle???)


That evening we spent a leisurely hour or two admiring mountain views and sitting outside a great bar, El Roble (with an excellent cheeseboard!), pondering on what to do next.


I think if we were honest we both knew at this stage, that there would be no walking done for the next day (at the very least). I think perhaps neither of us wanted to admit what we viewed as “defeat”.


We turned in for a peaceful night at the hotel (keeping everything crossed that the fiesta season was indeed over).


Day 7 Colunga to Villaviciosa 17kms


Over a delicious and leisurely breakfast of tortilla back at Bar El Roble, we finally admitted what we both knew to be true; as there had been no discernable improvement in the blisters situation, we would not be able to complete the final 2 sections of this camino. Hearts were heavy, but common sense (finally) prevailed.



We opted to take the local bus to the lauded cider town of Villaviciosa. Whilst at the bus stop we came across the 2 young Spanish guys who had also decided to finish their camino, so we bid each other a fond farewell.



Already feeling somewhat vindicated in our decision, on stepping off the bus in Villaviciosa we were greeted by the Albacete foursome who had called off their walk the previous day due to the rising heat.


So we accepted our fate and we set about enjoying ourselves! Villaviciosa turned out to be a compact and quietly dignified town. We couldn’t walk around too much due to said feet issues but we did discover a fabulous traditional eaterie Casa Milagros (House of Miracles), where we discovered that 4 courses is customary in this part of the world…. A delightful

cider fuelled lunch ensued in this lively, family centric spot. Highly recommended!



Our hotel, Carlos 1 was proper, old school Spain at it’s best; all dark wood, luxury carpets, hidden corners and curios. We loved it’s stately charm and spacious rooms. The added bonus was its location in a central square.


Day 8 Villaviciosa to Gijon (c. 30kms) Hot.


This leg would have been a challenge even without the feet issues; a long section with a serious incline in the middle coupled with hot temperatures to boot.


Of course, this would not be the case for us and again we took the bus option to what would have been our final destination; the coastal city of Gijon, home to a beautiful beach, charming old town and sidrerias aplenty! (A Taste of a Place blog will no doubt follow soon).



I had booked us into the rather swish (by our standards) Hotel Begona Park for a few days R&R which I fully thought we would need/deserve after our 8 day walking extravaganza….



So plenty of time to reflect on what had gone right and learning points (ie what went wrong). Here are some thoughts…..


What went well


1. We completed 75% of our walk (learning the true meaning of resilience

along the way..)

2. We didn’t get lost

3. We didn’t quite run out of water (asking a stranger for help when absolutely

necessary)

4. We carried only minimal snacks (nuts, biscuits, bananas, the odd muesli

bar) but they kept us going through long periods without services

5. Our language skills (tho far from fluent) led to some interesting and

enjoyable encounters which really enriched our experience and also made life

much easier in a region that is not touristy

6. Glorious mountain views and impeccable beaches were a fairly constant

feature. This section of the Norte route has so many treasures along the way

to be discovered. One of which is it’s super friendly folk.

5. We ate excellent hearty food and stayed in a wide variety of hotels,

albergues and pensions – all of which we enjoyed.




Learning points


There were definitely a few key issues in the planning stages.


Firstly we should have considered whether mid July is an ideal time to walk

–Asturias did manage to avoid the inferno temperatures of the rest of Spain,

but it was a few degrees hotter than previous summers. So clearly, the

weather is becoming more of a factor.


In terms of timing, perhaps more hazardous than the weather was the fact

that it was clearly Fiesta season in both Cantabria and Asturias. This led to a

few nights of sleep deprivation, which we believe had a massive knock on

effect with our decision making (more on this later).


When working out daily kms it is also necessary to factor in that you will likely

walk a few more kms than those stated to and from your accommodation, etc.

Next time we will plan shorter sections (max 20kms) this will allow for a later

start (ie get coffee and breakfast before starting).

Also we will build in a rest day or two.


We didn’t adequately take into consideration the topography of the region and

train accordingly (Bedford, the flattest county in the UK is not adequate for the

inclines/declines of this area…). Also training should include wearing full

packs.


We should have found a more realistic role model than “The Veteran Walker”

who I had discovered on YouTube 2 weeks before departure. Although he

was just days ahead of us, this was all we had in common as he seemed to

be capable of 50kms days on little or no food….(In retrospect, the Veteran

part of his moniker probably means he is ex special forces, or similar…)


I can see now that we were not making rational choices or decisions, basically

whiteknuckling it for the main part. I fully believe that the confusion and lack

of clarity that lack of sleep (extreme fatigue) can bring led us to;


1 Not take good enough care of “our” feet. Keeping them dry, moisturised and

regularly aired. (One team member also failed to wear decent merino wool

socks, which to my mind are essential…)



2. The relentless pursuit of coffee plus the lack of bars/cafes en route meant

that we failed to take enough rest breaks. (I think probably a 10/20 minute

break and airing of feet every 2 hours or so is to be recommended)

3 We should have offloaded some of our gear at an earlier stage (lighter

packs would have made a great deal of difference)

4. We could have skipped a day’s walk by letting the bus take the strain.

Taking some rest may have repaired weary bodies and given us some

thinking time (I think we had adopted some kind of seige mentality…)

There are probably other things that would have improved our walk (such as

not taking unnecessary crap like a guidebook, electric toothbrushes, adapters)

and I’m sure over time these will become clearer to me.

Overall I would say we were guilty of being naïve about this route - it is

undoubtedly far more challenging than the others we have done. The age and

fitness profile of the participants was also markedly different and reflects the

challenging nature of this route.


To sum it up in a few words; our “beginners luck” had clearly run out and our

somewhat gung ho approach to planning (& life) did not serve us well this

time!


(We did enjoy it though, I swear!)

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