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Why you should not walk the Camino del Norte (or at least not until you have read this post!)

I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
Hi there. I am planning to walk the Norte in May/June. If your budget (like mine) allowed you to stay in hotels along the way, would you think differently about this route?
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Just in April 2015 y walked the whole Camino del Norte from Hendaya to Santiago. I wondered reading your document because precisely I perceived the opposite in most of your complaints. I'm 67 and for me it's an authentic Camino sleep sometimes into the atrium of an hermitage, walk among the silence, the solitude of the forests, sweating and enjoying the physical fatigue on the shore of a beach, far away of turist services and being ignored. Lost trails along the cliffs....... Fantastic 850 Kms with 700 € in 29 days. Each one of us looks for different things on the Way and this will depend on perception. Respect this principle.
 
@Wyvernsridge, thank you for your insights!

Thanks to all the excellent replies.

I'd like to find out how the albergue situation may have improved (or not) since 2015. If anyone knows of specific threads regarding this, please link me to them. Thank you!
 
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Thanks, fraluchi, and I forgot the Levante. :)

And you're right, I have often thought about why I spend so much time and energy to promote the camino and encourage people to walk when in the end I look at the Camino Francés and ask, what has this become? But I'm also not full of myself enough to think that it is my advice and my encouragement that are producing huge waves of increase on the camino. So I guess I'm left with the thought that it's not the numbers themselves that are the "problem" on the Francés to the extent there is one, it's the heightened, almost self-indulgent expectations that come with huge numbers of people who somewhat contradictorily want both an "authentic" or "quaint" experience and at the same time all the creature comforts they get when they travel away from home. If more and more pilgrims are inevitably going to walk, say, the Invierno, maybe our efforts here on the forum will contribute a bit to preserving the "Camino feel" of that glorious route and perhaps staving off the brash commercialism that seems to come hand in hand with increased numbers.
I think the one word that defines our experiences on any Camino is “expectations”. On my first (CF 2008)I had no idea what to expect and my joy was limitless. My second 2009 CF I expected something like my first. I was disappointed. The experience was completely different so for my third (CdN 2011) I decided to change it up a bit. The Norte was physically challenging and unique. Again I didn’t know what to expect and I enjoyed it!
So in 2014 I went back to the CF and the experience was again different with some expectations met but many others unique to that Camino.
In 2015 I changed it up again (Portuguese, Inglés and Fisterre. All unique with no preconceived expectations. Immensely enjoyable. 2017 was the Portuguese again but this time I had a partner. My daughter joined me. We got really close and bonded throughout the Camino. I was thrilled to walk with her and I wasn’t expecting the range of emotion and the simple pleasure of being on an adventure together.
So I guess my point is try to avoid forming expectations that result in a disappointing experience when you fail to meet them. If a frequent Pilgrim change it up a bit. Some prefer to know exactly the route, the accommodations and travel details in advance. I found my enjoyment level increased when I didn’t have high expectations.
Hope you all get as much joy and adventure as I experienced. Especially when you don’t expect it

Cheers! ,
 
I am 2+ months back from my first Camino Frances (SJPDP to Muxia) and I now have enough energy to start thinking about my next
Camino...deciding on Camino Portuguese or Camino Norte...biggest problem with deciding is lack of information on Camino Norte.
Question: Has anyone done both the Camino Portuguese and Camino Norte that can compare the both routes?
Question: Any recommended reading or maps on the Camino Norte?
If you pm me I can provide some insight to both routes. I have done the Portuguese 2x the Norte 1 time and the CF 3 times.
 
“ The Camino will find you”
2013 was a year that changed my life completely. Crisis point in business and my personal life, I was at a crossroad. Somehow I stumbled onto this site and within one month I had decided to walk the Camino from SJDP.
35 days later I reached my destination, no it wasn’t just Santiago, it was my inner journey.
The Camino found me and I found a new beginning. Admittedly I stayed in cheap hotels along the way preferring to be alone. The thought of sharing a night in a room of strangers was not at all appealing.
Following years I trekked the Camino in Le Puy and Portugese and was becoming comfortable staying in shared accommodation. With two Kumino Kodo Buddhist treks in Japan, Norwegian Mountains and The Jesus Trail in Israel , I now couldn’t imagine not staying in a hostel with other Pilgrims.
I dream of the Northern Camino which I shall trek next year on my 70 th birthday. Each trek is a new experience, a new beginning, a new life. One keeps developing as when the Camino finds you, your life will never be the same again.
 
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I am 2+ months back from my first Camino Frances (SJPDP to Muxia) and I now have enough energy to start thinking about my next
Camino...deciding on Camino Portuguese or Camino Norte...biggest problem with deciding is lack of information on Camino Norte.
Question: Has anyone done both the Camino Portuguese and Camino Norte that can compare the both routes?
Question: Any recommended reading or maps on the Camino Norte?

I’ve done both. I would suggest the Camino Portuguese first only because the Norte has too much walking on highways which i found aggravating at times... but both have equally as amazing scenery.
 
I’ve done both. I would suggest the Camino Portuguese first only because the Norte has too much walking on highways which i found aggravating at times... but both have equally as amazing scenery.

Anytime someone rues the amount of pavement on the Norte, I cannot resist urging them to take a look at this thread. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/coastal-alternatives-to-the-nortes-asphalt.49578/

It is not that hard to avoid huge amounts of road walking and to susbsitute it with gorgeous coastal paths. I had a GPS, but mainly in order to find the link from the Camino to the coastal path. Once you’re on the coastal path, it becomes pretty obvious. :). And the difference is truly amazing.
 
Anytime someone rues the amount of pavement on the Norte, I cannot resist urging them to take a look at this thread. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/coastal-alternatives-to-the-nortes-asphalt.49578/

It is not that hard to avoid huge amounts of road walking and to susbsitute it with gorgeous coastal paths. I had a GPS, but mainly in order to find the link from the Camino to the coastal path. Once you’re on the coastal path, it becomes pretty obvious. :). And the difference is truly amazing.

Oh i did most of the alternative paths on the Norte and the full coastal route on the Portuguese. Still way more highways on the Norte than the Portuguese.

I loved both, don’t get me wrong if someone tells me they can only do one and which is better as a whole, i still suggest they Portuguese.
 
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Oh i did most of the alternative paths on the Norte and the full coastal route on the Portuguese. Still way more highways on the Norte than the Portuguese.

I loved both, don’t get me wrong if someone tells me they can only do one and which is better as a whole, i still suggest they Portuguese.

still the del norte is beautiful.. probably more so than the Frances... will do the Portuguese maybe next year
 
Anytime someone rues the amount of pavement on the Norte, I cannot resist urging them to take a look at this thread. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/coastal-alternatives-to-the-nortes-asphalt.49578/

It is not that hard to avoid huge amounts of road walking and to susbsitute it with gorgeous coastal paths. I had a GPS, but mainly in order to find the link from the Camino to the coastal path. Once you’re on the coastal path, it becomes pretty obvious. :). And the difference is truly amazing.

Hello Peregrina2000,

I really appreciate your posts. I have downloaded your PDF of the alternative paths to avoid hiking on asphalt. I hiked the entire CF last year and loved it. I also hiked the CP from Porto and I didn't enjoy the first few days only because of the traffic/asphalt. If there really is more asphalt on the CN as compared with the CF and CP, then I am very interested in avoiding the asphalt. I have extra time. I begin my hike in early July so I need to start planning my route. What percent of the entire CN would you estimate is hiking on asphalt next to traffic? And I wonder if the alternative paths to avoid asphalt will be too isolated for my comfort level. I don't want to hike alone on remote paths. Also, I don't have a GPS unit, per se, and I didn't plan on having a cellular phone plan, but I have an iPhone and I have always used the app "Maps.me" and never been lost (yet!). Again, my biggest concern is being isolated and alone while hiking.

Thank you for your time spent posting on this forum. I really appreciate your efforts!
 
I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
really enjoyed this article. Have just returned from walking Camino del Norte from Irun to the Privativo turnoff at Villaviciosa. There IS a culture of being completely uncritical of the Camino which is a bit mindless. I remember saying to a fellow pilgrim, after numerous dangerous road episodes that someday someone will be killed. He said, Well, that’s the Camino!
I was also struck by the lack of any religious signs, references, open churches etc that would normally mark a pilgrim route. Where are they? It made be doubt whether I was on a genuinely historic route.
Nothing wrong with asking some questions! Tom, Cornwall.
 
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Greg, I think if you liked the Le Puy you will love the Norte. It has more in common with the Le Puy than with the Francės. I can't comment on the Portuguese because I have not walked it.
Le Puy you don’t walk on roads! really different from del Norte!
 
I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
Thank you for your post. My wife and I are walking the Camino Portugues in 4 weeks (our second camino) and I will return to walk in the spring / summer of 202 on my own. I am considering the norte route and your comments are helpful. I prefer to avoid as much road travel as possible as this really takes away from the experience.
 
Hello Peregrina2000,

I really appreciate your posts. I have downloaded your PDF of the alternative paths to avoid hiking on asphalt. I hiked the entire CF last year and loved it. I also hiked the CP from Porto and I didn't enjoy the first few days only because of the traffic/asphalt. If there really is more asphalt on the CN as compared with the CF and CP, then I am very interested in avoiding the asphalt. I have extra time. I begin my hike in early July so I need to start planning my route. What percent of the entire CN would you estimate is hiking on asphalt next to traffic? And I wonder if the alternative paths to avoid asphalt will be too isolated for my comfort level. I don't want to hike alone on remote paths. Also, I don't have a GPS unit, per se, and I didn't plan on having a cellular phone plan, but I have an iPhone and I have always used the app "Maps.me" and never been lost (yet!). Again, my biggest concern is being isolated and alone while hiking.

Thank you for your time spent posting on this forum. I really appreciate your efforts!

Hi, Orlando,
I was walking when you posted this question and didn’t see it till now. I assume you are on the Norte, but maybe this response will help you make the decision for later parts.

I would say that the coastal alternatives are sometimes isolated. They tend to be local hiking trails, though, so frequently I did see people out walking and occasionally had some company for a few kms. I would not have been able to find the trails without my GPS, though, since they are typically a km or two away from the camino, but not marked from the camino. So, no GPS and not wanting to be alone is likely to mean most of the alternatives are not for you. The one that is really easy to find, and that is spectacular, is the Ruta del Flysch from Zumaia to Deba. It is a very popular walking trail, everyone in town can get you to the start, and it is likely to have a lot of other walkers, at least during summer months.

Buen camino, hope you are enjoying the norte.
 
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I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.

Thanks for the info...perfect! I’m looking for a more solitary experience. This will be my first Camino and so the Norte sounds like just the ticket for me. I plan to depart Irun on or about the 28th of April 2019.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
really enjoyed this article. Have just returned from walking Camino del Norte from Irun to the Privativo turnoff at Villaviciosa. There IS a culture of being completely uncritical of the Camino which is a bit mindless. I remember saying to a fellow pilgrim, after numerous dangerous road episodes that someday someone will be killed. He said, Well, that’s the Camino!
I was also struck by the lack of any religious signs, references, open churches etc that would normally mark a pilgrim route. Where are they? It made be doubt whether I was on a genuinely historic route.
Nothing wrong with asking some questions! Tom, Cornwall.

First, churches are rarely open in most of Spain, except for services. There are insurance considerations here, owing to a few decades of intense church furnishings theft in the 70s and 80s. However, the key is usually available from a neighbour-- if a telephone is not posted, then just ask at the nearest bar. There are certainly plenty of them and lists of the interesting ones can be found on Spanish wikipedia for each pueblo, or from the provincial turismo. There are several remarkable monasteries along the way, particularly at Cobreces, Sobrado dos Monxes, and Zenarruza (all with pilgrims' albergues). A secondary factor is that, while the Spanish bishops have focussed their pilgrim-focussed efforts on the Camino Francese, they have not (yet) done so on the del Norte. For this reason, most of the smaller pueblos do not have daily masses, and it will be hit-and-miss for the churchgoing pilgrim. And, as was the case on the Francese until recently, times of services in Spain are apparently secret! one has to make an effort to find out when they will be. Ask at the bar, as with most other questions you will have.
 
I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
Don't think, just walk.
 
I enjoyed Albergues and other Accommodations in Orio, Markina, Liendo, Guemes, Santa Cruz de Bezana, Pendueles, Casa Belen, Baamonde, and Miraz to name a few.

Ultreya,
Joe
Which one in Santa Cruz please did you like and are the others names of accommodations or of villages....excuse my ignorance...just starting research!
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
Way too negative...
 
Which one in Santa Cruz please did you like and are the others names of accommodations or of villages....excuse my ignorance...just starting research!

Jennifleur,

They are the towns where I found the Albergues.

The stop in Santa Cruz is the Albergue de Peregrino's run by a lovely women Nieves. She will also give you directions on the next day. You have an option of walking acroos a rail bridge. Some folks think it is dangerous. It, imo, is not. A short walk of less than 100 meters. I posted pictures in one of my responses.

Orio is a short walk from San Sebastian, 18km's. Albergue San Martin is where I stayed. It is right on the Camino

Liendo, I took the official route and stopped in Liendo. Nice clean Albergue de Peregrino Saturnino Candina. They had a washing machine, upscale restaurant nearby and a wonderful Hospitalera.

Guemes, Nice Albergue, about a kilometer off the Camino. Very clean, washing machine, communal meal. Some people do not like because the priest/Hospitalero tells a history story at meal time. I enjoyed the stop.

Penduelas, Albergue Aves de Paso, Nice clean place, I believe they will wash clothes, Communal meal.

Cuerres, Casa Belen, a private home right on the Camino. It never used to be advertised. Run by a beautiful German couple Brigitte and Manfred.

Baamonde, Large Albergue de Peregrino's. Very clean, nice town with bar options.

Miraz, Nice clean Albergue, bring food to cook, short day. Place has a nice vibe.

Please remember these are my memories from 2014. Some things may have changed. I am pretty sure I posted several times on this Camino, so you might want to search my posts. If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to PM me. I am not on a lot these days,

Ultreya,
Joe
 
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The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Way too negative...
Hey Johann, I think I met you on C. Frances last year! I was reading this thread because I am going back next year with a mid- to late-May start, and trying to decide between another CF or CN. Would likely start in Bilbao and carry on to Muxia. Some of the posts make CN sound daunting but I think I’m up to it.
 
Hey Johann, I think I met you on C. Frances last year! I was reading this thread because I am going back next year with a mid- to late-May start, and trying to decide between another CF or CN. Would likely start in Bilbao and carry on to Muxia. Some of the posts make CN sound daunting but I think I’m up to it.
The stretch between Irun and Bilbao is the most difficult, so by starting at Bilbao you should have no problems.
 
I walked Camino del Norte during Sept-Oct, 2016, It was my first, and remains my only, Camino. I had no expectations except I had planned to walk Camino Frances and had bought guidebooks and made all my planning accordingly until I arrived at Barajas International, saw a bus leaving for San Sebastian, and decided to walk along the sea instead. I don't regret it. It was the most wonderful 35 days of my life. From your lengthy article I surmise things, and prices, and availability have changed significantly. Seemingly to discourage "low value" tourism.
I am planning a second Camino for next April - June. I am somewhat uneasy because, even though the Camino del Norte was significantly less crowded than Frances (the main reason for my last-minute change of plans), I am looking for an even quieter route. So, I am planning on walking along the Pyrenees. Along the GR-11 from Cap de Creus to Irun. About 46 days of mountain hiking and breathtaking views. Very few people there. Perfect for me.
I chose this route because it is still Northern Spain where both my grandparents are from. And because I discovered its beauty by chance, when I had a last-minute change of heart and walked the Camino del Norte without the least preparation or idea of what I would find. It turns out I found a lot of myself that I had been looking for all my life. I expect to be in the required physical condition come next Spring. I have already been training for months. I'm not planning to, but won't mind if I die walking the Pyrenees. I'll be 72. I'm ready.
 
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Interesting read. I do not disagree with it except you missed saying the landscape is very beautiful. The coastal views are spectacular. So are the lush green mountains. In spring the flowers were amazing. That in itself is a good reason to walk the Norte. It is also the reason I would not have wanted to miss walking from Irun to San Sebastien or the other "difficult" bits.

In some ways the path and albergues and coffee "stops" are similar to the Camino Frances as it was when I first walked 14 years ago. Since then the infrastructure on the Frances has improved out of sight - to me the current infrastructure is amazing. I suspect that in time the same is likely to happen on the Norte, especially as local entrepreneurs find ways of supplementing their income. There also used to be more road walking on the Camino Frances but over time safety of pilgrims has become a priority and that of necessity involves less road walking. Although that is less likely, unless paths are re-route
 
I agree. Everything about Camino del Norte took my breadth away. Even the asphalt stretches with the speeding traffic and the danger. There was a spot entering Asturias where I had to walk a stretch of railroad track to cross a bridge and avoid a lengthy walk around. It was a most unexpected and wonder filled journey.
 
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I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
Did this camino in 2003. I was aware of all the "supposing problems" nothing new there. It was like any other camino, even then. (I was 73 my wife 74 then) We have done many. BUT NEVER COMPARE ANY CAMINO WITH THE FRANCES (touristy over the top to the limit)
 
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I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
We walked the Norte in 2017, as our first Camino, and cherish the experience. So different from the experiences of our friends who have walked the other more popular Caminos. The more rustic and less developed countryside is its charm. It has an authenticity to it that wrapped us in its arms. We were in in our mid sixties when we did it, found it challenging physically in the Basque country, but soon walked ourselves fit and had no body issues except minor blisters.

It was only when the Norte joined the vandalized and dirty Francais section near Santiago that we realized how truly fortunate we were that we had chosen the Norte as our first Camino
 
I’ve walked the Norte from Irun until the Primativo turnoff at Villaviciosa. I had also walked the Camino from Geneva all the way through France so had a lot of experiences to compare and contrast.
Some negatives first. The Norte is overwhelmingly on asphalt road, some of them very busy and genuinely dangerous. I also criss crossed main motorways innumerable times and this added to an urban, hemmed in feeling. This did improve to some degree after Santander.
What the Norte lacks compared with France is the use of scenic public
paths. So often the route took you next to busy roads as these are the only public paths available.
Finding churches almost always closed was also very dissapointing. Again in contrast with France where it was very common to stop for a rest in churches. This is after all a pilgrim route but I found very little religious base to the Norte at all. The churches were closed “because of thieves” I was told. This was unthinkable in France.
To be honest, I also found the lack of concern for these issues amongst fellow walkers a bit much, as though any criticism was bad mannered. Spain has a violent and antagonistic recent secular history and many pilgrims lack of awareness of this is pretty undermining, I think.
On the plus side I met some great people who were, like me, avoiding a more conventional and crowded route. Local people were invariably friendly and if you have the cash you can stay in some lovely places, though I may be wary of travelling the Norte on a really tight budget but there again I’m in my early sixties and like my comforts! It is a hard walk too but one that I’m glad I’ve done.
 
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First, churches are rarely open in most of Spain, except for services. There are insurance considerations here, owing to a few decades of intense church furnishings theft in the 70s and 80s. However, the key is usually available from a neighbour-- if a telephone is not posted, then just ask at the nearest bar. There are certainly plenty of them and lists of the interesting ones can be found on Spanish wikipedia for each pueblo, or from the provincial turismo. There are several remarkable monasteries along the way, particularly at Cobreces, Sobrado dos Monxes, and Zenarruza (all with pilgrims' albergues). A secondary factor is that, while the Spanish bishops have focussed their pilgrim-focussed efforts on the Camino Francese, they have not (yet) done so on the del Norte. For this reason, most of the smaller pueblos do not have daily masses, and it will be hit-and-miss for the churchgoing pilgrim. And, as was the case on the Francese until recently, times of services in Spain are apparently secret! one has to make an effort to find out when they will be. Ask at the bar, as with most other questions you will have.
Churches are also closed in Spain because of its violent history, especially during and after the Civil War.
 
The Norte is overwhelmingly on asphalt road, some of them very busy and genuinely dangerous.
I will probably sound like a broken record, but there are many beautiful off-road coastal alternatives. You will need a GPS, not because the paths on the coast are hard to follow, but because it’s not always obvious how to get from the official camino to the coastal alternative.

And some of those coastal alternatives are absolutely spectacular. Sorry to keep repeating myself, but it would be a shame if people chose not to walk this route because of the asphalt.

 
The churches were closed “because of thieves” I was told.

Churches are also closed in Spain because of it’s violent history
The Churches in England are closed because of thieves; because of our violent history (you should see what Cromwell's army did to a couple of my local churches); because of pure neglect leading to buildings being declared unsafe and, because no-one locally is prepared to accept the responsibility of admitting visitors and supervising their visit. There is only so much personal abuse you can take while you explain that no, there isn't a toilet and, yes, that is what a medieval wall-painting looks like when its been chipped at with hammers, whitewashed, plastered over, re-discovered in 1955 and subjected to passionate heavy breathing and some obscene graffiti since.

St Andrew's at Edburton has been closed since someone nicked the Plate sometime in the 1980's. Why bother locking the door after the Plate has been melted is a topic for another forum.

Coombes has its beautiful 1100C paintings described, recently, as "dull & faded". Oh well
 
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Churches are also closed in Spain because of it’s violent history, especially during and after the Civil War.
After the Civil War most churches were open in Spain but in the 60's and 70's thousands of churches were robbed. The most famous robber was Erik "the Belgian".
Of course, there was (and there is) a black market inside and outside Spain for the stolen pieces.
So, now churches are closed.
 
The Churches in England are closed because of thieves; because of our violent history (you should see what Cromwell's army did to a couple of my local churches); because of pure neglect leading to buildings being declared unsafe and, because no-one locally is prepared to accept the responsibility of admitting visitors and supervising their visit. There is only so much personal abuse you can take while you explain that no, there isn't a toilet and, yes, that is what a medieval wall-painting looks like when its been chipped at with hammers, whitewashed, plastered over, re-discovered in 1955 and subjected to passionate heavy breathing and some obscene graffiti since.

St Andrew's at Edburton has been closed since someone nicked the Plate sometime in the 1980's. Why bother locking the door after the Plate has been melted is a topic for another forum.

Coombes has its beautiful 1100C paintings described, recently, as "dull & faded". Oh well
And yet French churches are almost always open to the public. It adds to a feeling of relaxation!
 
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My view of the Norte (to Santander from Irun) is coloured by the fact that I’ve never done the “main” route. Many people offer opinions in comparison to the Frances but as I’ve said I can’t do that.
So….. I liked the Norte. Some parts were hard ….OK…. some parts were near the highway….OK…sometimes I stayed in Albergues that were nice, sometimes they were not. Pretty much like Le Puy or the various Porto routes.
Would I return? I can’t wait! But first this fall the main event, the Frances.
Maybe then my opinion will evolve.
 
And yet French churches are almost always open to the public. It adds to a feeling of relaxation!
Not always. Churches built before 1906 belong to the state and are administered IIRC by the prefecture. Many of them are staffed with a concierge, often a well-educated history graduate, desperately pleased to have a pensioned job in their field. I have had some extraordinary conversations with these learned young people. However, some prefectures have decided to have the concierge serve several churches, so they bicycle furiously to be there for the opening hours for the church.

Attendance varies greatly by region. In the Vendée churches are populated at mass, if not bulging at the seams. In one country place in Gascony, pews were entirely occupied by English-speakers (including Irish Anglicans and a Presbyterian) and only one French couple. Talking with my fellow anglophones afterward, they said if they didn't turn up regularly, they would close the parish. The priest was from Gabon with an excellent voice but could not join us for lunch as he had two more churches to serve that day.
 
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I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
I think your overthinking it and making a lot of assumptions. I walked the Camino Norte and found it a great experience, socially and culturally. To each his/her own.
 
I think your overthinking it and making a lot of assumptions. I walked the Camino Norte and found it a great experience, socially and culturally. To each his/her own.
I´m starting to fear Irun to Santiago but will go anyway.
 
I walked the Camino del Norte from Irún to Santiago during September, October 2015. This was my second Camino, having walked the Camino Frances from SJPdP to Santiago in 2013. Like many others, my choice to walk a different Camino was made on the basis of seeing a different side of Spain on a Camino that was not as crowded as the Camino Frances. I have since learnt that this is a very common reason for walking the coastal route.

As I walked, I discovered many things that might have influenced my decision to walk the Camino del Norte and which I had not seen on the Forum discussions (or if they were there, they were diffused across many conversation threads). This is my attempt to bring some of these issues together so that others may be better informed before making a decision to “head North”.

I know that we are all are enthusiasts of the Camino, and it feels somehow wrong to write stuff that is not necessarily complementary, but I am trying to be both balanced and thorough here. Finally, let me add a caveat. These are my views, which exist within a spectrum of views from people that have walked the Camino del Norte. Others may disagree with specific comments or judgements, and I look forward to a good discussion in the comments.

Because of the 10,000 character limit on posts, I have attached a .pdf file containing the full document.
Im not sure what to do now... I hate tourist things and crowds so wanted the North but if its roadside it defeats the object of going coastal and will be dangerous for my dog
 
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@DearKat and @Bunclody1

We leave this thread open because it contains a lot of useful information about the Norte, but a warning - it was started in 2015.

Look at the date at the top of each post before assuming the post is current.
 
@DearKat and @Bunclody1

We leave this thread open because it contains a lot of useful information about the Norte, but a warning - it was started in 2015.

Look at the date at the top of each post before assuming the post is current.
I saw it was old because of all the mountains of comments, I´d assume the condition and infastructure has worsened in time not get better right? Or was there a renovation or as the PDF says a new norte route made along the river?
 

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