We started in San Sebastian and skipped over the larger cities in September 2017. I read a few books and blogs while planning our route, and it seemed that the transition from walking through nature to the arrival in Bilbao or Santander would be “jarring” based on what I read. I wanted our first Camino experience to be tranquil. Plus, I have family near Markina-Xemein, so we made a 2-night stop there to visit 44 Basque cousins. That wasn’t tranquil, but boy was it fun! In any case, we followed the following route before we jumped ahead to Oviedo to do the Primitivo:
- San Sebastian – Getaria
- Getaria – Deba
- Deba – Markina-Xemein
- Markina – Gernika (Jumped ahead to Portugalete)
- Portugalete – Castro Urdiales
- Castro Urdiales – Laredo (Jumped ahead to Santillana del Mar)
- Santillana del Mar – Comillas
- Comillas – Unquera
- Unquera – Llanes
- Llanes – Ribadesella
- Ribadesella - Colunga
We were planning to do the entire Camino del Norte (starting in Irun and staying on the Norte) this September, but we made a major move this year, so we’re delaying that Camino until September 2020, when we won’t jump ahead. Our training in Park City UT will be a lot different from our 2017 training in SoCal.
Have fun, enjoy the sounds of nature along “the Way”: leaves rustling, creeks babbling, cows mooing, cowbells ringing, birds singing…. Buen Camino!