Camino de Santiago 2023: Camino del Norte

Initially, I had planned to hike the GR11 trail that crosses over the Pyrenees between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean this year, having previously done the GR10. The GR11 goes on the Spanish side of the mountain range, whereas the GR10 goes on the French side. Work on the other hand, had other plans for me. It is a long trail and I saw that I would have got limited time to tackling it, if I were to complete it before it would be too late in the season. I do not mind challenging myself, but I have no interest in turning my long distance trails into a race.

Bilbao, the Maman sculpture outside the Guggenheim Museum.

Instead, I set sight on the world of pilgrim routes in Spain, as I usually do. This time focusing on another known mountain range, namely the Picos de Europa and the pilgrim routes that crosses through them.

Evening rain in Santander.

Catedral de Santander, the starting point of this Camino for me.

When most people focus on Spain and walking to Santiago de Compostela, there is usually a given route they choose to follow. They travel to St. Jean Pied de Port, Irun, Porto, or Oviedo for instance. And from there following whatever waymarks or guides telling them where to go.

The approach to Arce, on the first day of my Camino.

Puente de Arce.

The idea, however, was founded on the fact that if one looks at a map of Spain with all the various routes towards Santiago de Compostela drawn on it, it has more and more started to resemble a network of routes. The routes are not separated, they are linked together by shorter and lesser known pilgrim routes. And among them there are many jewels. What about combining some of them, moving between different Caminos instead of following a single one?

Claustro de Colegiata de Santillana del Mar.

I had also another incentive. A friend of mine from Taiwan on the other side of the world had planned to walk the Camino Primitivo this year. A perfect time to meet her again, and walk the Camino again, which I had wanted to do for a long time.

Colegiata de Santillana del Mar.

Camino del Norte
Santander - San Vicente de la Barquera, 13. september - 14. september 2023 (2 days), distance: 71.6km (71.6km).

I started my walk from Santander, after flying into Bilbao in what resembled one of those Hollywood movies where the protagonists are flying or sailing into those huge storms whose dramatic layered interior are comprised of every weather element and colour imaginable. A herald of what to come maybe.

Santillana del Mar in the morning on the second day.

A reminiscent way, the meandering route up towards Iglesia de San Pedro.

Camino del Norte serve only as a prologue, fuelled by an urge to extend my walk, and to get a glimpse of what the northern or coastal Camino has to offer. In that way, Santander is probably not the best starting point, with the walk to Santillana del Mar going most of the way on hard surface. The weather is however nice and warm, and as usual the fact of having started on another adventure is easily outdoing the negatives of the walk. Santillana del Mar is a wonderful town at the end of the walk, but one must be prepared for the touristic aspects of it.

Interior decor from the Iglesia de San Martin de Tours.

The pilgrim monument outside Iglesia Parroquial San Pedro Advíncula in Cóbreces.

The second day is better, which I share most of the way with Petra from Holland. We walk together to the town of Comillas, from where I continue further to reach my destination of San Vicente de la Barquera. Still a lot of paved roads to walk on, but the scenery is nicer, and at times with better views of the coast.

Comillas.

View of San Vicente de la Barquera.

San Vicente de la Barquera is also a charming town. Visits to the Castillo del Rey and the Iglesia Santa Maria de Los Ángeles are recommended, both interesting and offering great views. The latter is the place to see the sunset, providing some nice colours to the estuary to the west of the town.

Sunset from the Mirador Iglesia Santa María de Los Ángeles.