Best place to rest for a week?

[Mathu]

Hi,

I started the Camino Frances a week ago, had an amazing first stage but I'm having a few problems with my achilles so I've been restinh up in Logroño for a few days. Everything has improved but it feels like it needs another week before I can get back to regular 25k walks so thinking head to an albergue on the coast where I can rest before continuing, maybe even on the northern route.

Can anyone recommend a nice town on the northern route (near santander, bilbao etc but not a big place), ideally near a beach, that I can stay in for 5-6 days?

Any help appreciated! Buen Camino x

 

[SabsP]

Hi,

I started the Camino Frances a week ago, had an amazing first stage but I'm having a few problems with my achilles so I've been restinh up in Logroño for a few days. Everything has improved but it feels like it needs another week before I can get back to regular 25k walks so thinking head to an albergue on the coast where I can rest before continuing, maybe even on the northern route.

Can anyone recommend a nice town on the northern route (near santander, bilbao etc but not a big place), ideally near a beach, that I can stay in for 5-6 days?

Any help appreciated! Buen Camino x

Sorry about the Achilles.
Take into consideration that the holidays are starting in Spain and that lots of Spaniards take their time off on one of the beach towns in the North. Prices will go up the next two months.

You say that you want to get back to your regular 25 k. a day. Are you able to walk maybe 10 or 15 a day? That way you can keep in the flow of your current Camino?
Whatever you decide : quick healing!

 

[MinaKamina]

Hi,

I started the Camino Frances a week ago, had an amazing first stage but I'm having a few problems with my achilles so I've been restinh up in Logroño for a few days. Everything has improved but it feels like it needs another week before I can get back to regular 25k walks so thinking head to an albergue on the coast where I can rest before continuing, maybe even on the northern route.

Can anyone recommend a nice town on the northern route (near santander, bilbao etc but not a big place), ideally near a beach, that I can stay in for 5-6 days?

Any help appreciated! Buen Camino x

Hi Mathu,

Here is an earlier thread with info that might come in handy:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/injury-time-out.50416/#post-550604

 

[Jan_D]

I'd recommend a bigger town, as you'd quickly get bored lying in a bunk for 5-6 days, with little else to do. The municipal albergues wouldn't let you stay for more than a couple of nights, but there are some really lovely private hostels in San Sebastian, Bilbao, or Santander, charging €12-20 per night (all listed on booking.com). San Sebastian is a wonderful town with great food and a surfy vibe; Bilbao has cultural treats like the Guggenheim museum, and Santander is a nice laid back city with generally good weather (less rainy than the Basque country) and a nice beach to the east (but be careful if booking a place here, the beach is 2km from the city centre).

Anyway I'd definitely recommend being somewhere with a bit of "life", where you can sit at a cafe and people watch, or explore the local sights when you're ready to slowly but surely get into walking again.

 

[lt56ny]

I'd recommend a bigger town, as you'd quickly get bored lying in a bunk for 5-6 days, with little else to do. The municipal albergues wouldn't let you stay for more than a couple of nights, but there are some really lovely private hostels in San Sebastian, Bilbao, or Santander, charging €12-20 per night (all listed on booking.com). San Sebastian is a wonderful town with great food and a surfy vibe; Bilbao has cultural treats like the Guggenheim museum, and Santander is a nice laid back city with generally good weather (less rainy than the Basque country) and a nice beach to the east (but be careful if booking a place here, the beach is 2km from the city centre).

Anyway I'd definitely recommend being somewhere with a bit of "life", where you can sit at a cafe and people watch, or explore the local sights when you're ready to slowly but surely get into walking again.

Last year on the Norte I took my first rest day in Bilbao. When I arrived I walked right past the Guggenheim and saw there was a temporary exhibit of Impressionist painters. I think there was also a Picasso retrospective but I could be wrong. I thought, great get a good rest tonight after that tough (at least for me) first week on the Norte and spend the morning at the Guggenheim. Well next morning guess wha? It was closed. It was Monday. You lose track of days very quickly on the Camino. In fact just about everything was closed for a pilgrim tourist to see. Uggggggg, but did some serious resting at least. San Sebastian is also a great choice. It may be a little more expensive than Bilbao but it does have Gelato Boulevard. The best ice cream on the planet. It also may be tough to get a hotel or even a hostel as I am sure there are lots of Spaniards looking to beat the heat too.

 

[Mathu]

Sorry about the Achilles.
Take into consideration that the holidays are starting in Spain and that lots of Spaniards take their time off on one of the beach towns in the North. Prices will go up the next two months.

You say that you want to get back to your regular 25 k. a day. Are you able to walk maybe 10 or 15 a day? That way you can keep in the flow of your current Camino?
Whatever you decide : quick healing!

Hey, thanks everyone, I had a look around, spoke to a few people and decided to take Sabine advice and took a bus to Najera which has a few shorter stages so I can try my legs out without risk of getting stuck in the heat. Fingers crossed the heat will ease off and my patience will pay off!

Next stop Santa Domingo!

 

[Jan_D]

Sounds like a good plan! Thanks for keeping us posted. Wishing you a Very Buen Camino!