Camino del Norte, 28 April-4 June

[Walking Viking]

I started my camino on April 28, 2015. All toll, I was on camino for 41 days, taking one rest day a week off and spending the two nights at a hotel. I had one day of on and off showers, no rain the rest of my camino.

After finishing the del Norte, I spent 4 days in Santiago resting and healing my body, eating well and taking in some of the sights. My wife arrived the night before to view my finish. I walked into Obradoiro Plaza at the strike of noon, June 4. I made my way to the pilgrim's office, presented my credential, received my compostela and made my way to my hotel room. I had made reservations 6 months in advance.

In pilgrim city, I especially liked the cathedral tour and local eateries. After 4 nights in Santiago, we took an ALSA Bus to Ribadeo to visit the Hotel Santa Cruz owner and hotel manager, Henri. We became fast friends on my way through Ribadeo the first time on camino. He himself has hiked the camino's and spent his youth growing up in Santiago. He runs a very clean and neat little hotel and restaurant right on the Camino del Norte (the bronze shells in the sidewalk concrete goes right by the front door), and he caters to Pilgrims. Private room with bath was about Euro 25 (Try Booking.com). My wife and I spent 3 nights there and did a lot of local sightseeing/eating. Later into the week, we went on to Oviedo and then on to Madrid for the flight home. VERY IMPORTANT: The Oviedo Airport is NOT in Oviedo, it is just outside Aviles and Soto del Barco, some 40+ kms from Oviedo

Some things I learned about the Camino del Norte (and myself):

1). After an unscientific poll of pilgrims I had met on the Way, everybody agreed; There is no way for a first time pilgrim/walker to properly prepare your feet and legs for the first several stages from Irun to San Sebastian (to Zarautz, to Deba, to Markina, to Gernika, to Lesama). You will have blisters, blood blisters and open sores, probably foot, ankle and knee issues. You will make many visits to La Farmacia and become very well acquainted with Compeed and 600 mg Ibuprofen tablets (a 40 economy pack for Euro 1.97). Also, my world on the Camino completely changed for the better after I learned how to properly use trekking polls. All of my damage and injuries went away after three days.

2). The trail markers, posted signs, yellow arrowheads and shells (on markers and in concrete) can and will disappear or vaporize (Getting into Portugalete was impossible). Getting into towns, cities and villages is relatively easy, getting out and on trail is at times, impossible (leaving La Caridad comes to mind).

3). Being on the Way at sunrise was a great time to take photos. Amazing things happen at sunrise!

4). From Ribadeo to Santiago, it is almost impossible to get lost!!!! The way markers are well located and easy to follow.

5). I would do a camino again in a heartbeat, not changing much, but going solo allows way more flexibility.

For whatever reasons, we found ourselves on our own caminos. Me, to experience some of what my three ancestors experienced three hundred years ago, and to see if I could do it. Finish it. I did. And along the way, I became more enlightened and my life much more enriched.

 

[angulero]

VERY IMPORTANT: The Oviedo Airport is NOT in Oviedo, it is just outside Aviles and Soto del Barco, some 40+ kms from Oviedo

No existe el Aeropuerto de Oviedo. Se llama Aeropuerto de Asturias.

Oviedo Airport not exist. It's called Asturias Airport.

 

[Walking Viking]

It is easy to think you are going to Oviedo Airport if you look up airports at Iberia.com. On their website OVD is recognized as the Asturias-Oviedo Airport, OVD being the IATA code.

 

[angulero]

Pero se llama Aeropuerto de Asturias. Precisamente se llama así para que la gente no piense que está ubicado en Oviedo, Gijón o Avilés.
Antes también se llamaba Aeropuerto de Ranón porque es el pueblo más cercano al aeropuerto, pero nunca se llamó Aeropuerto de Oviedo oficialmente. El aeropuerto se hizo para sustituir otro que había muy cerca de Oviedo, así que posiblemente el código sea de esa época.

La aclaración solo la hago para que la gente sepa que no viaja directamente a Oviedo. El aeropuerto da servicio a toda la Comunidad Autónoma del Principado de Asturias y está alejado de las tres ciudades más importantes de la provincia.

But it is called Asturias Airport. It is named precisely so that people do not think that is located in Oviedo, Gijon and Aviles.
Before it is also called Airport Ranón because it is the closest town to the airport, but Oviedo Airport never officially called. The airport was to replace one that was very close to Oviedo and possibly the code of the time.

The only clarification do to let people know that you do not travel directly to Oviedo. The airport serves the entire Autonomous Community of Principado de Asturias and away from the three major cities of the province.

 

[Antonis265]

Hi Mr. Viking,

Please expand more the point 2.

Did you get lost many times? Should we worry?

Gracias
Antonis

 

[nathanael]

I started my camino on April 28, 2015. All toll, I was on camino for 41 days, taking one rest day a week off and spending the two nights at a hotel. I had one day of on and off showers, no rain the rest of my camino.

After finishing the del Norte, I spent 4 days in Santiago resting and healing my body, eating well and taking in some of the sights. My wife arrived the night before to view my finish. I walked into Obradoiro Plaza at the strike of noon, June 4. I made my way to the pilgrim's office, presented my credential, received my compostela and made my way to my hotel room. I had made reservations 6 months in advance.

In pilgrim city, I especially liked the cathedral tour and local eateries. After 4 nights in Santiago, we took an ALSA Bus to Ribadeo to visit the Hotel Santa Cruz owner and hotel manager, Henri. We became fast friends on my way through Ribadeo the first time on camino. He himself has hiked the camino's and spent his youth growing up in Santiago. He runs a very clean and neat little hotel and restaurant right on the Camino del Norte (the bronze shells in the sidewalk concrete goes right by the front door), and he caters to Pilgrims. Private room with bath was about Euro 25 (Try Booking.com). My wife and I spent 3 nights there and did a lot of local sightseeing/eating. Later into the week, we went on to Oviedo and then on to Madrid for the flight home. VERY IMPORTANT: The Oviedo Airport is NOT in Oviedo, it is just outside Aviles and Soto del Barco, some 40+ kms from Oviedo

Some things I learned about the Camino del Norte (and myself):

1). After an unscientific poll of pilgrims I had met on the Way, everybody agreed; There is no way for a first time pilgrim/walker to properly prepare your feet and legs for the first several stages from Irun to San Sebastian (to Zarautz, to Deba, to Markina, to Gernika, to Lesama). You will have blisters, blood blisters and open sores, probably foot, ankle and knee issues. You will make many visits to La Farmacia and become very well acquainted with Compeed and 600 mg Ibuprofen tablets (a 40 economy pack for Euro 1.97). Also, my world on the Camino completely changed for the better after I learned how to properly use trekking polls. All of my damage and injuries went away after three days.

2). The trail markers, posted signs, yellow arrowheads and shells (on markers and in concrete) can and will disappear or vaporize (Getting into Portugalete was impossible). Getting into towns, cities and villages is relatively easy, getting out and on trail is at times, impossible (leaving La Caridad comes to mind).
Well done man I did this Camino in 2010 Holy year and thoroughly enjoyed it there was about 10 of us having met while walking. we saw each other off and on throughout the journey and enjoyed each others companionship at nite. Blisters never got any. Though terrain can be a challenge and yes indeed some tough walking. My last ten days walked with an American red head Kent . End of of July doing it again with two Camino friends from last year.

3). Being on the Way at sunrise was a great time to take photos. Amazing things happen at sunrise!

4). From Ribadeo to Santiago, it is almost impossible to get lost!!!! The way markers are well located and easy to follow.

5). I would do a camino again in a heartbeat, not changing much, but going solo allows way more flexibility.

For whatever reasons, we found ourselves on our own caminos. Me, to experience some of what my three ancestors experienced three hundred years ago, and to see if I could do it. Finish it. I did. And along the way, I became more enlightened and my life much more enriched.

 

[Walking Viking]

Hi Mr. Viking,

Please expand more the point 2.

Did you get lost many times? Should we worry?

Gracias
Antonis

Hi Mr. Viking,

Please expand more the point 2.

Did you get lost many times? Should we worry?

Gracias
Antonis

Antonis,

There does not appear to be, at least to me, a common set of standards for the signage and posting of direction markers on the caminos. Early on, at the start of my camino (Irun to Santiago), it took some effort to get used to the location, type and size of the various markers. Some appear to be located and created by the local property owners. At other times, formal markers (appox meter high concrete posts with the blue and yellow scallop shell at the top) appear to be under control of the local/county/state municipalities. The best markers and signage was after entering Ribadeo and Lugo Province all the way to Santiago. The worst was at La Caridad, leaving town. The beautiful bronze scallop shells in the sidewalk leaving town just disappear. From Ribadeo to Santiago, there was always an indicator at every intersection (turn left, turn right, continue going straight), and shortly after each, confirming you were on the Way.

After a while, I became pretty good at locating and spotting a marker, yellow arrowhead or formal sign. I developed a rule I followed all the way to Santiago: don't lose sight of the current markers, trail or other pilgrims until you actually see the next marker (painted yellow arrowhead, sticker, signpost or concrete marker. If you do get lost, ask somebody. Show them your map, ask them where on the map you are located and tell them where you want to go. A lot of the camino (del Norte) is on paved surfaces. The A634N comes to mind. This highway crosses, is part of and can usually bring you back to the Way. In one groupe I walked with, I offhandedly referred to the Highway A634N sections of the del Norte as The Camino de Santiasphalto del 634N. Many hours of walking on hot pavement will destroy your feet if you do not stop periodically to rest them. About every 2-4 hours, I would stop, take my boots and socks off, cool off my feet (cold water where available) and then cover the bottom of my feet with Selvacam 5mg/g Gel, and the toes and balls of my feet with vaseline. Before I left for the day's hike, I would rub in a foot cream that has Urea in it (10-25%) and vaseline.

As I stated earlier in this thread, I don't think you can prepare your feet for the stages from Irun to Markina. The uphills, and especially the downhills, will test your body and mind. Getting a good pare of adjustable trekking poles and learning how to use them will go a long way to adding to a great camino.

WV

 

[oursonpolaire]

I'm just back from the del Norte. The real trauma about signing is that Asturias and Galicia have the shells pointing different ways. I got lost a few times, most notably in the forest on the way to Miraz, which added about 5 km to my day. I suppose that it was good for me. Signing can be tricky for the exit from a town so one of my first visits is to the turismo who are always happy to provide me with a map with the exit route marked. When that was not possible, I would stop in cafes and get directions-- people were always very helpful to wandering and confused pilgrims and I got lots of Buen Viajes and handshakes; and cheerful help from posses of goths, gangs of teenagers, and thuggish layabouts. Viking is right about the Irun-Markina stretch, which needs preparation.

The airport's location and nomenclature is confusing. A friend was thinking of coming over from England to join me and spent much time trying to figure out how to get from Oviedo to Avilés until she understood that just because the code was OVD and that two airlines' websites called it Oviedo that this was not the best guide to its location. If everyone called it Asturias aiport, that would be lovely. Angulero's explanation is helpful.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

If being quite overweight I can make it from San Sebastian onwards, anyone can. This being said, I have heard that the route fro Irun to San Sebastian is difficult. But the again, the Primitivo is supposed to be difficult, and SJPP to Roncesvalles as well, and yet I have done them all, SJPP to Roncesvalles in 1 day.

It's a step at a time, with as much rest as you need as you go up. 80 steps? Do it. 40 steps? Why not. Can't do more tha 15? Who cares. Just remember to turn back every so often to see what you have just accomplished. I waste so much time looking at a hill telling myself I will not be able to do it, and after minutes I decide to do 30 steps. And then 30 more. Then I stare again thinking I won't make it. Waste time again. And that is when I turn to look behind me and cannot believe I have come so far! Yeah me!

 

[Antonis265]

Ok i see your point there... So about the signage n markers a person has to be constantly careful otherwise is easy to get lost in norte ....I will keep that in mind ...

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Ok i see your point there... So about the signage n markers a person has to be constantly careful otherwise is easy to get lost in norte ....I will keep that in mind ...

No, it's fine. Just pay attention, and if you feel you haven't seen a sign in a while check your guide book to see if you are where you are supposed to be. Usually when in doubt you are just not looking very closely, these arrows have a way to hide from you. I only had to wonder once where I was, and after looking closely there was the arrow! Painted on a rock super low to the ground.

 

[Antonis265]

Ok this sounds more reassuringly! Anw if you got a map & gps u r safer

Would you say that in July - August the Norte is a bed race? Im walking end of July thats why im asking...

Camino Frances was a great experience overall but one thing i dont want to remember is that we was worry always if we gonna find a bed in our next stop....
And was very stressful, if u know what i mean ...

 

[angulero]

Algo que ya escribí alguna que otra vez pero que vuelvo a repetir. El Camino del Norte pasa a apenas un kilómetro del Aeropuerto de Asturias, por lo que sería factible empezar a caminar desde el aeropuerto. El primer albergue se encuentra a unos 10-12 kilómetros, en Era (Muros de Nalón), o en San Esteban de Pravia.


Something I wrote occasionally but I repeat. The Northern Way passes just a kilometer from Asturias Airport, so it would be feasible to start walking from the airport. The first hostel is located about 10-12 kilometers Era (Muros de Nalon), or in San Esteban de Pravia.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Ok this sounds more reassuringly! Anw if you got a map & gps u r safer

Would you say that in July - August the Norte is a bed race? Im walking end of July thats why im asking...

Camino Frances was a great experience overall but one thing i dont want to remember is that we was worry always if we gonna find a bed in our next stop....
And was very stressful, if u know what i mean ...

Antonis, I walked at the end os September of last year so all I can tell you from experience is that it most certainly was not, although I did book ahead for my first night in case something happend on my way there. I can also say that I have read that on thos route, as albergues can be also open to regular tourists, and vacation time is July and August, that it can be a challenge. You may want to book ahead in more touristy spots or those that only have 1 albergue?

As for a GPS, no idea how they work or how they would help, after all I doubt the Camino route is programmes in them?

Good luck!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Algo que ya escribí alguna que otra vez pero que vuelvo a repetir. El Camino del Norte pasa a apenas un kilómetro del Aeropuerto de Asturias, por lo que sería factible empezar a caminar desde el aeropuerto. El primer albergue se encuentra a unos 10-12 kilómetros, en Era (Muros de Nalón), o en San Esteban de Pravia.


Something I wrote occasionally but I repeat. The Northern Way passes just a kilometer from Asturias Airport, so it would be feasible to start walking from the airport. The first hostel is located about 10-12 kilometers Era (Muros de Nalon), or in San Esteban de Pravia.

Angulero, no te cres qur toda la gente que escribe aqui se ha leido los postings de los meses o anos pasados, o si? Asi que a repetir

 

[angulero]

Angulero, no te cres qur toda la gente que escribe aqui se ha leido los postings de los meses o anos pasados, o si? Asi que a repetir

No problem.

 

[Antonis265]

Antonis, I walked at the end os September of last year so all I can tell you from experience is that it most certainly was not, although I did book ahead for my first night in case something happend on my way there. I can also say that I have read that on thos route, as albergues can be also open to regular tourists, and vacation time is July and August, that it can be a challenge. You may want to book ahead in more touristy spots or those that only have 1 albergue?

As for a GPS, no idea how they work or how they would help, after all I doubt the Camino route is programmes in them?

Good luck!

I booked at a hostel for my first night , because im arriving late at night and the albergue its gonna be closed. ..
Used by regular tourists? This doesnt seems nice and fare for those walking... Hope not...

Never booked ahead while was in camino... U mean at a private hostel ?

Thanks u Anemone!!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I booked at a hostel for my first night , because im arriving late at night and the albergue its gonna be closed. ..
Used by regular tourists? This doesnt seems nice and fare for those walking... Hope not...

Never booked ahead while was in camino... U mean at a private hostel ?

Thanks u Anemone!!

Yes, many of the places available or youth hostels or similar. Ths being said there are still munis or volunteer run albergues, such as in Pobena, but the reality is that the few pilgrims on the road have lodging because they have access to facilities that do not depend on them. Hence why so many are closed outside of july and august. Not a question of fairness I'm afraid. I remember booking in Ondareta, Guernika, Llanes. Walk ins included Guemes, Pobena.

 

[Antonis265]

Ok everything its gonna be alright!

 

[Walking Viking]

No, it's fine. Just pay attention, and if you feel you haven't seen a sign in a while check your guide book to see if you are where you are supposed to be. Usually when in doubt you are just not looking very closely, these arrows have a way to hide from you. I only had to wonder once where I was, and after looking closely there was the arrow! Painted on a rock super low to the ground.

I agree with Anemone on knowing where you are, at least generally. The night before a stage, or in the morning just before heading out, I would go over the planned route, noting which way generally (North, South, East, West) my stage would go, where there were places to eat, where the Way was going with respect to any highway I may cross or walk on, how many kilometers on the stage of the day, where there might be alternate accommodations in the event I didn't have a reservation or I was planning on a albergue. I carried a small compass that was easily accessable and at times during an overcast day, came in handy in making descisions on which direction to go if the trail was unpassable, usually caused by a deep mud bog (recent rains) or major construction on the Way.

One day, after leaving Bilbao for Portugalete, I was walking on the north side of the river (recommended by the local Oficina de Tourista Informacion) to avoid construction on the Way that went through the industrial area between the two cities. About 2-3 kilometers down the river, a woman stopped me to ask where I was going. She recognized I was a pilgrim (clothes, backpack, trekking poles) and had been chasing me down for those 2-3 kilometers. She spoke no english, so in my humble Spanish language ability, I told her what I was doing. She told me that the road ahead was cut off, about a kilometer from where e were. Finally, I understood what she was trying to say: Due to heavy construction, the actual road on the north/east side of the river was actually cut off. Heavy earth moving equipment had removed the road and sidewalk. There was no way through. She walked with me back to Bilboa to the first bridge we could cross, gave me instructions on how to procede to Portugalete and off I went.

Getting through the industrial area and staying on the Way was very difficult due to construction and haphazard Way markers painted on fences, curbs, back of signs and on the road itself. Three different people had to help me find my way back on to the Way. They all said the same thing: the markers are very bad and many are missing! Going through Sestao, about 1 kilometer from Portugalete, all of the markers vaporized. At the town plaza in Sestao, right on the way (based on the last marker on the street leading into town), nobody knew which way to go, where the Way was and where the markers were. I finally got to a taxi and asked the driver if he knew where the way was. He said he wasn't sure. I gave him the address of a pension where I had a reservation. About 10 min later, I was at the pension, less than a half kilometer from where I had stopped in Sestao. I never saw a marker again untill after I left the pension, about a kilometer later, on the road the pension attendant told me to take to leave town. Every time I entered an overnight town, the first place I went after checking in at the hotel/pension/albergue was the tourist information office.

My take away from my experiences with the attendants at the tourist information offices is this: three or four of the attendants gave me totally wrong information. In all of those cases, the people helping me were very young and recently hired (I asked). Several times, older, more experienced people would interupt an attendant giving me info and correct them. After about two weeks of good and bad info, I sought out the older more experienced people. After leaving the information offices, I would walk the info that people gave me to confirm how to find the Way and where it was from where I was staying. Sometimes it was very obvious, other times, not so much.

On my first stage, Irun to San Sebastian, I picked up a local map at the surf shop on the beach and got info on how to find my pension. I was lost for about half an hour. Could not find it anywhere. The reason: the map is in Spanish, the street signs are in Basque. I finally asked a person in the plaza where The Urban House was located. I was about 25-30 meters from the front door. My learning curve had started, and at a very steep angle.

WV

 

[Walking Viking]

Pero se llama Aeropuerto de Asturias. Precisamente se llama así para que la gente no piense que está ubicado en Oviedo, Gijón o Avilés.
Antes también se llamaba Aeropuerto de Ranón porque es el pueblo más cercano al aeropuerto, pero nunca se llamó Aeropuerto de Oviedo oficialmente. El aeropuerto se hizo para sustituir otro que había muy cerca de Oviedo, así que posiblemente el código sea de esa época.

La aclaración solo la hago para que la gente sepa que no viaja directamente a Oviedo. El aeropuerto da servicio a toda la Comunidad Autónoma del Principado de Asturias y está alejado de las tres ciudades más importantes de la provincia.

But it is called Asturias Airport. It is named precisely so that people do not think that is located in Oviedo, Gijon and Aviles.
Before it is also called Airport Ranón because it is the closest town to the airport, but Oviedo Airport never officially called. The airport was to replace one that was very close to Oviedo and possibly the code of the time.

The only clarification do to let people know that you do not travel directly to Oviedo. The airport serves the entire Autonomous Community of Principado de Asturias and away from the three major cities of the province.

Oviedo, being the capital city of Asturias, wherein lies the airport, lends to the confusion of the location and name of the airport.


Oviedo (Spanish pronunciation: [oˈβjeðo]; Asturian: Uviéu) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. The city lends its name to the sudarium of Oviedo a religious relic[1] revered there since the 9th century. Oviedo is located approximately 20 km (12 mi) south of neighbouring cities Gijón and Avilés, in the shoreline of the Bay of Biscay. Its proximity to the ocean renders Oviedo to have a maritime climate, in spite of it not being located on the shoreline itself.

 

[angulero]

Para que quede claro, si es que ya no lo está. El Estado Español se divide en Comunidades Autónomas, y estas Comunidades en Provincias. Asturias es una Comunidad Autónoma de una sola provincia.

Comunidad Autónoma: Principado de Asturias
Provincia: Asturias (hasta hace unos 30 años, la provincia se llamaba Oviedo).
Capital de Provincia: Oviedo.

El aeropuerto que da servicio a esta Comunidad se llama Aeropuerto de Asturias, aunque en algún sitio lo puedan llamar Aeropuerto de Oviedo (seguramente porque antes la provincia se llamaba Oviedo).
Puede que de aquí venga el código OVD, o puede que venga por ser este aeropuerto sustituto de otro que había al lado de Oviedo. De hecho, sigue existiendo un aeródromo allí, llamado Aeródromo de La Morgal. Es donde acaba de inaugurar Fernando Alonso su museo y circuito de kars.

Si te fijas, en mi firma se ve el pueblo donde vivo y se intuye también el aeropuerto. Debe haber unos cuatro o cinco kilómetros en línea recta.

To be clear, if it is not already. The Spanish state is divided into autonomous communities, and these communities in provinces. Asturias is an autonomous community of a single province.

Comunidad Autónoma: Principado de Asturias
Province: Asturias (until about 30 years ago, the province was called Oviedo).
Province Capital: Oviedo.

The airport serving this community is called Asturias Airport, but somewhere you can call Oviedo Airport (probably because before the province was called Oviedo).
It may here may come to be this airport substitute another who had come close to Oviedo OVD code, or. Indeed, there remains an airfield called La Morgal aerodrome. It is where Fernando Alonso has just opened its museum and Kars circuit.

If you notice, in signing the town where I live and the airport is also sensed. There should be about four or five kilometers in a straight line.