The Camino del Norte

Day 1: Irun to Pasajes San Pedro
Polished brass scallop in the pavement in Irun, showing us the way to go	Heading for the hills
Day 2: Pasajes San Pedro to San Sebastian
Camino running along the coast	Street scene in San Sebastian
Day 3: San Sebastian to Orio
	Most of the day was off road (left) but with some very steep cobbled paths
Day 4: Orio to Zarauz
Approaching Zarautz	Church of Nuestra Senora la Real at Zarautz
Day 5: Zarauz to Icair
Amisty start for the day	Sheltered campsite with excellent bar and restaurant, just outside Iciar (Itziar)
Day 6: Icair to Ondarroa
The detail on the highly decorated entrance to the Church of Nuestra Senora de La Asuncion	Main Church in Marquina-Jemein
Day 7: Ondarroa to Zenaruzza
This part of the Camino is a roman road	the monastery of Zenaruzza
Day 8: Zenaruzza to Guernica
Church with a welcome portico providing some shade for a rest	The Church of Santa Maria, Guernica
Day 9: Guernica to Lezama
Waymark sign to supplment the yellow arrows	Portico of the church of Santa Maria de Lezama
Day 10: Lezama to Bilbao
The entrance to the Bilbao municipal cemetry	View over the Rio Nervion from our room in the Youth Hostel
Day 11: Rest day in Bilbao
The entrance to the Cathedral	The interior of San Anton Church, Bilbao
Day 12: Bilbao to Portugalete
Leaving Bilbao along the river. This is a very busy road but has a footpath	The transporter bridge at Portugalete
Day 13: Portugalete to Onton
	Church at Onton
Day 14: Onton to Castro Urdiales
Another wet day on the Camino	Castro Urdiales is a very picturesque fishing town with many attractive buildings
Day 15: Castro Urdiales to Rioseco
Most of this part of the camino was off the road	A glimpse of the sea again
Day 16: Rioseco to Santona
Steep ascents and fantasticviews	Arrival at the beach (at the end of the promontory, 4 kms from Laredo centre) for the ferry to Santona
Day 17: Santona to near Galizano
Small Shrine built into garden wall	the 12th century Church of Santa Maria de Bareyo
Day 18: Near Galizano to Santander
	Approaching Somo where a ferry can be taken to Santander
Day 19: Rest day in Santander
The highly decorated interior of the Jesuit Church	Bunks in the very welcoming refugio
Day 20: Santander to Polanco
	The arrow leads the way from Polanco
Day 21: Polanco to Cobreces
The long and winding road! Another valley, another ascent	The colourful exterior of the Church at Cobreces
Day 22: Cobreces to St Vincente de la Barquera
The main square of Comillas	Old street in St Vincente de la Barquera
Day 23 - St Vincente de la Barquera to La Franca
A 'torre' at Estrada	Country lane with waymark
Day 24: La Franca to Llanes
There's the next hill ahead! It was a steep but pleasant walk through the woods	The sea came into view on the other side of the hill
Day 25: Llanes to Pineres de Pria
Pleasant off-road part of camino	A stunning location for the neo-classical Church of Nuestra Senora de los Dolores of Barro
Day 26: Pineres de Pria to Leces
Pilgrims used to cross the Ria Sella by ferry but now there is a modern bridge ...	The coloured exterior of the refugio at Leces
Day 27: Leces to Sebrayo
Good views of the mountains	... and of the sea
Day 28: Sebrayo to Valdedios
Entering the district of Villaviciosa	The double waymark at the junction where one branch of the camino goes to Oviedo (Camino Primitivo) and the other stays on the Camino del Norte, continuing to Gijon
Day 29: Valdedios to Gijon
This was a very long and very steep climb on a very hot day!	But the resulting views were staggering and this was probably the highest I had been on the camino
Day 30: Rest day in Gijon
	Gijon beach (right) Statue of St james in the Church (left)
Day 31 Gijon to Aviles
Leaving Gijon with plenty of waymarks
Day 32: Aviles to Soto del Barco

Day 33: Soto del Barco to Soto de Luna
The very narrow walkway on the long bridge over the Ria
Day 34: Soto de Luna to Luarca
	The Camino returns to the sea
Day 35: Luarca to Pinera
The view down the valley from one side of theSan Timoteo viaduct .....	..... and the other side.
Day 36: Pinera to La Caridad
The traditional red cross as a huge waymark	The refugio at La Caridad
Day 37: La Caridad to Ribadeo
Good weather and fantastic sea views	A good view of Ribadeo town and its harbour
Day 38: Ribadeo to Gondan
A typical Galego storage building similar to those I found in Asturias but with a slightly different design	Refugio at Gondan, the first refugio in Galicia and only 175 km. to go!
Day 39: Gondan to Mondonedo
Today's walk was a very pleasant one through the woods, albeit steep in places	Good walking country
Day 40: Rest day in Mondonedo
18th century Sanctuary of Nuestra Senora de Los remedios at Mondonedo.	Statue of St James in the Cathedral of Santa Maria
Day 41: Mondonedo to Abadin
Traditional Galician stone roof
Day 42: Abadin to Vilalba
After yesterday it was a releif to walk on this pleasant track	There are many roadside crosses in this area
Day 43: Vilalba to Baamonde
More good off-road walking	A typical Galician "multi-storey" graveyard
Day 44: Baamonde to Sobrado
Camino waymark built into a wall, with an added yellow arrow just to make sure.	Broad tracks and very wide views
Day 45: Sobrado to Arzua
	Comfortable bed in the privately run hostal at Arzua. (top) Interior of the monastery Church at Sobrado (left)
Day 46: Arzua to Labacolla
	The route is still hilly! (top) but at least it is now mostly off-road (left)
Day 47: Labacolla to Santiago de Compostela
The Camino is still off-road even though santiago is now very close. We have now been joined by all the pilgrims on the Camino Francés	A very quiet, old fountain that had a real atmosphere of peace
Day 48 - Journey's End - the city of Santiago de Compostela
The cathedral at last!	... and plenty of people from all over the world to share it with

Camino del Norte
from Irún to
Santiago de Compostela

Overview

Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago de Compostela

Overview

Camino del Norte
from Irún to
Santiago de Compostela