Introductions and Camino Plan (Norte)

backwardscamino · Apr 3, 2023

Hello everyone!
I cycled the camino frances roughly thirty years ago, with my dad, and I am hoping to now do some of the camino portugues, from Porto, with my wife on our tandem bicycle this June

This seems relatively straight forward, and we are looking forward to it, however the next part of the plan is trickier. From Santiago we are planning to do most of the Norte route backwards on our way home via Donostia/San Sebastian.

As the signs will generally, i imagine, be unhelpful, my plan is to find a good route map, like the Michelin one, or a gps route and edit it if need be for simplicity's sake, avoiding the trickyest off road sections, and do this backwards.

To that end, if any veterans of the Norte know any pleasant shortcuts, any parts to avoid on a bike (I hear there are already dedicated bike sections but these won't be obvious going backwards), or any ugly sections where a train might be an option please let me know. I know this in some people's view might not be in the spirit of a pilgrimage but in my defence we will be returning from a pilgrimage, and return legs were, traditionally, part of the journey.
Thank you for your help and comments!

peregrino_tom · Apr 3, 2023

backwardscamino said:
my plan is to find a good route map, like the Michelin one, or a gps route and edit it if need be for simplicity's sake, avoiding the trickyest off road sections, and do this backwards.

Hi backwardscamino - and welcome to posting on the forum!
First off I'd say that I don't think your planned backwards route will be particularly difficult, partiularly once you get close to the sea. A lot of the Norte is on roads. One of the most popular threads is about alternatives that can take the walker off those roads and closer to or onto the actual coastal paths, which is a bit of a clue as to the amount of asphalt there is on the official route. I reckon the trickiest section by far will be Gernika-San Seb, also the one part where you will experience hilly country.
If you (or your perhaps more practical wife...) have a smartphone then I recommend the Mapy.cz app, configured to the 'outdoor' map. This will show you the camino route as well as other named paths, and you can use GPS to geolocate yourself, should you be uncertain where you are..

backwardscamino · Apr 3, 2023

Oh thank you! That is really helpful and encouraging. Yes, my wife navigates and I steer! Contrary to what many passing idiots shout at us, we both pedal.

backwardscamino · Apr 4, 2023

Thinking we might not make it all the way back to our port of call in Donostia. So, a follow up question; on this map linked below which bits along the Norte would miss/take the train? Again, we will are returning from our camino, so won't be 'cheating' and won't be putting anyone out.

https://www.renfe.com/content/dam/renfe/es/Viajeros/Secciones/Cercanias/Mapas/feve/map_feve_general.png

peregrino_tom · Apr 4, 2023

backwardscamino said:
which bits along the Norte would miss/take the train?

hmmm. This is a bit more subjective.
I would recommend starting in Santiago and heading back up the Norte from there. That way you get to stay at Sobrado. I think all the way to Ribadeo (via Mondonedo) and then on to somewhere around Soto de Luina or Aviles would be nice on a bicycle. After that, maybe just have look at how much time you have left. Ribadesella to Santander has lots of interesting coastline and Santander to Bilbao is very pleasant as well - perhaps a few more hills and big roads to navigate at the Bilbao end..