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Suggestions for " memorable" sections of the Norte?

Doug Bowne

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Time of past OR future Camino
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With limited time and before embarking on the Primitivo I would like to savor a 3 to 5 day section of the Norte. While guide books and maps offer a lot they don't capture the spectacular. For those who have walked the route - if you could repeat a section of beaches and ocean vistas what might it be?
 
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Start in Irun and see how far you get. Guernika with its history would be a nice objective and you'll visit San Sebastian, have diner at karlos Arguinano's in Zarautz, take the elevator down to Deba, then up through the hills to Markina and stay at Inxaiuspe, go by Bolivar, the monks' monastery and head in to Guernika for a lesson on peace and war.
 
I probably get off the Feve train at Pendules walk the coastal section through Llanes, on to Ribadsella then through to Colunga, this would be OK for 3 days, guite a few coastal views and options to go on the beach, good albergues, and interesting towns. If I was feeling a little crazy and had 5 days then maybe walk on from Colonga the next day to the Monastery/ albergue 9 km past Vilavicioasa, its on the lead up to the primitivo, but also Norte pilgrims can walk an extra 2kms and stay here as well and then next day walk to Oviedo ( 35/6 km).
 
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I agree with Mike. Pendueles onwards and then catch the FEVE or bus to Oviedo. How far you get will depend on the number of days and distance walked per day. Hoping to walk around La Isla/La Vega next year for a couple of days.
 
Your suggestions serve as personal additions to the guidebook and consistent with my dreams. Will be interesting to see what transpires.
 
Si tienes tres o cinco días antes del Primitivo y quieres dormir en los albergues, deberías empezar tres o cinco etapas antes del primitivo, sin tener en cuenta si son esas etapas más o menos bonitas.
Si las etapas o sección que vas hacer es a gusto tuyo, creo que no deberías usar los albergues ya que para vacaciones o conocer sitios bonitos están los hoteles y casas rurales.
Supongo que ya habrías pensado hacerlo así.


If you have three or five days before the Primitivo and want to sleep in shelters, you should begin three to five before the primitive stages, regardless of whether they are those more or less beautiful stages.
If the steps or section of road that you do is like yours, I think you should not use the shelters. That's what the hotels and "casas rurales", for people going on vacation and want to know beautiful places.
I guess you'd already thought of doing so.

Regards.
 
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I think tha auto translation will leave people confused as it translated " a gusto tuyo"' to your liking, by "the sections that you do is like yours". What this post says is that albergues are only for pilgims, and that when you pick and choose where to go based on how beautiful the stages are you are on a holiday and not a pilgrimage and should therefor stay in hotels, not albergues. I see the who,e albergue industry going down the drain as I type this
 
Lo que quise decir es que si eliges hacer ciertas etapas por ser bonitas, no deberías de dormir en los albergues, ya que estos deberían de ser sólo para peregrinos.

What I meant is that if you choose to do certain steps to be nicer, you should not sleep in the shelters, as these should be just for pilgrims.
 
There are a number of private albergues and pensiones etc on the sections suggested so it should not be a problem if this is the start of your pilgrimage. If you are walking then you can give your start as Pendueles. Different if just using transport, but I think the OP was wanting to start by walking part of the Norte before moving onto the Primitivo. (That was how I read it anyway)

For anyone walking the Norte through and with time to spare a side trip to Santianes (Pravia) is well worth while. You need to call the tourist office in Pravia and arrange a time for both church and museum at Santianes to be opened for you. Thanks to @angulero for suggesting we visit here on our way home.
 
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I'm not quite sure why people are starting to favour the Primitivo over the Norte. Perhaps because I have not walked the Primitivo. But I can say that the Norte is stunning, and we thought it beautiful right to the end, where it meets the Frances in Arzua.
 
For us it was partly the mountains and for me to walk where Terry had done previously. The longer stages around Baamonde/Arzua also influenced the decision, but not as much as the wish to walk over Puerto de Palo.......
Also attracted by the Primitivo being historically the 'original' camino and it going through Lugo as well as Oviedo - maybe that draws others too.
 
I'm not quite sure why people are starting to favour the Primitivo over the Norte. Perhaps because I have not walked the Primitivo. But I can say that the Norte is stunning, and we thought it beautiful right to the end, where it meets the Frances in Arzua.
Kanga, the picture of the Hospitales Route is the great marketing for the Primitivo. The views of the sea and the food sell the Camino del Norte in my opinion. I frankly would put those two on par, each with its own offering. Now, the Primitivo has those hills, again and again and again - for some it's a deterrent, for others a reason to feel like a "tough pilgrim". ;0)
 
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Next year we hope to have the best of both worlds, travelling with a car to visit places we missed while on camino, and seeing both the sea and the mountains. If we park near the top of Puerto de Palo we can backtrack the Hospitales route maybe, then go round and walk up from the road to Puerto de Palo and finally park near Borres to walk the first section to Hospitales before backtracking it. :)

Then to return to the OP's post. We plan to walk the section between La Vega and La Isla and maybe a little further. A section which I have not yet walked but Terry has and where we stopped for lunch when fetching him home. This before heading for Galicia - coast and inland. :)

Walking boots still on, hotels/pensiones being investigated....
 
With limited time and before embarking on the Primitivo I would like to savor a 3 to 5 day section of the Norte. While guide books and maps offer a lot they don't capture the spectacular. For those who have walked the route - if you could repeat a section of beaches and ocean vistas what might it be?

Doug:

This question has many answers and depends on your personal interest. The Norte has several beautiful seaside towns it also has some beautiful rural seascape. It all depends on what you personally enjoy. San Sebastián and Bilbao are beautiful city's. The area after Pendueles (sp?) has some wonderful seascapes to explore.

Since you have an additional three to five days, why not walk the San Salvador. It is a beautiful walk with a separate passport and Compostela.

Whatever you choose will be enjoyable.

Ultreya,
Joe
 
Since you have an additional three to five days, why not walk the San Salvador. It is a beautiful walk with a separate passport and Compostela.
Oh, that is a great idea! And talk about a "warm up" ;0)
 
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Next year we hope to have the best of both worlds, travelling with a car to visit places we missed while on camino, and seeing both the sea and the mountains. If we park near the top of Puerto de Palo we can backtrack the Hospitales route maybe, then go round and walk up from the road to Puerto de Palo and finally park near Borres to walk the first section to Hospitales before backtracking it. :)

Then to return to the OP's post. We plan to walk the section between La Vega and La Isla and maybe a little further. A section which I have not yet walked but Terry has and where we stopped for lunch when fetching him home. This before heading for Galicia - coast and inland. :)

Walking boots still on, hotels/pensiones being investigated....

Last year I left my in car Borres and I walked Hospitales speaking with some pilgrims When I got to Puerto del Palo I did the other variant in reverse and finally in Pola I had pote in La Nueva Allandesa and after that I took a taxi to recover my car in Borres. (27 beautiful kms).

Another interesting route is parking the car in Montefurado and follow a track that brings you to Xan Rata cave that is the entrance to a gallery under the Roman gold mine A Freita that you can see from the bottom following the track 1 Km more( 3 hours in total for the round trip). In Hospitales you see the Roman gold mine from the top.
 
@Pelegrin - thank you for this. We are looking for other interesting places near the Camino, but happy to stay 'off Camino' to see places too. Our list is growing. Looking at the area around Cangas de Narcea and then also Cangas de Onis (Covadonga lakes). A mix of walking, places of interest and maybe even fishing for Terry. A way to keep in touch with the Camino and also see more of rural Spain. :)
 
I'm not quite sure why people are starting to favour the Primitivo over the Norte. Perhaps because I have not walked the Primitivo. But I can say that the Norte is stunning, and we thought it beautiful right to the end, where it meets the Frances in Arzua.
. The asphalt puts a lot of people of, so they either start at or turn on to the Primitivo. If you are walking smaller etapes or more leisurely then the pounding out of miles on hard surfaces is less of a problem. I nearly turned on to the Norte in 2012 and 2014 from Oviedo, I really like the west of Asturias and walking into the interior of Galicia. I would walk it again in a flash if I could but the Primitivo is excellent as well, so you are in for a treat!
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
@Pelegrin - thank you for this. We are looking for other interesting places near the Camino, but happy to stay 'off Camino' to see places too. Our list is growing. Looking at the area around Cangas de Narcea and then also Cangas de Onis (Covadonga lakes). A mix of walking, places of interest and maybe even fishing for Terry. A way to keep in touch with the Camino and also see more of rural Spain. :)

Somiedo.
 
Again your suggestions are appreciated. As expected the entire route has much to offer. We find it all of interest even the industrialized urban areas with factories and warehouse yards. It seems that taking advantage of the E-9 there will be lovely coast and beach opportunities. The current plan is to begin September 15, in Irun and be open to what the pilgrimage offers.
 

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