A week from Santander-What to do??

[caminowalker]

Hi there, I have some time off from work and have booked a lfight to Santander.
With only a week I am unsure whether to take a bus to Oviedo and start there to Santiago or maybe just sun tan for a while in San Sebastian..
Okay, well I would appreciate any advice on what would be the best plan to experience the Camino Del Norte, Spain, and enjoy the five-seven days I will have.

All opinions valid.

Regards,

Stuart

 

[sillydoll]

Stuart, you have a number of options.
If you are flying out of Santander it might be best to walk westward for a week from there and then get a bus back.

Or, you could do a Feve Rail tour of the camino norte all the way to Ferrol and then go back and walk it another time.

The FEVE system is an amazing metre gauge system that runs along the north coast of Spain from Ferrol in the west to Bilbao in the east (and then inland to the city of Leòn, over 1000 kms of lines.) http://www.feve.es/
Click on Cantabria - then on Santander - then on any destination you fancy!

If you take the train directly to Ferrol (change in Oviedo) you could then walk the Camino Ingles to Santiago in 5 days. and get back to Santander for your flight home.

You could walk some of the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo but the distance to Santiago is over 300kms - a bit much to do in 5 days.

So many options, so little time! Let us know what you decide.

 

[Paulus]

Stuart,

I don't remember all the places but you could get out of Santander by train(FEVE) and step out the train after 10-15 km to pick up the route to Santillana del Mar on day 1.
Day 2: to Commilas, etc.
Day 3 : to Unquera
Day 4: to Llanes
Day 5 : to Ribadessela and there you can get the train back to Santander!

I guess the distances are between 20-25 km each day so that can be done.

Hope this helps!

paul

 

[sillydoll]

Here is a good article on the 'slow train' along the Norte:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/trave ... ref=slogin

 

[Canuck]

Hi!
This info may be a little late for this time around, but for further use here is something interesting for someone with only a week to spare, starting in Santander:

Walk the Camino de Santo Toribio. You will find a guide book in any good library in Santander.
It can be done in 6 days of easy walking, enjoying the Picos de Europa and pilgrims' albergues along the way.

Cheers!