2 weeks on Camino del Norte

[EllieH]

Hi there,

My friend and I are trying to fit part of the Norte into our summers. We have 2 weeks at the very most, including travel between Paris and our starting/finishing point.

We definitely want to make it to Santiago, but we're not sure where we should start. We're thinking about starting in Oviedo/Gijón, but we're not sure if we can make it from there to Santiago in time. We are both athletic 20-year-old females and would be walking in June.

Any info/tips would be great!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Take a look at this site and its suggested etapas. You can work backwards to see where to start depending on how doable you feel their etapas are. http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/del-norte/

 

[Damien Reynolds]

Here's the bummer... in my opinion the best part of the Norte, the part with most (but not all) of the amazing coastal views in my recollection falls on the first half rather than the second half of the route. In fact, if I were doing the northern type routes again, having done both the Norte and the Primitivo in their complete length, I would cross over from the Norte and finish on the Primitivo. That being said there are some fantastic coastal views on the back half of the Norte if you are hell bent on beaches. The Primitivo is more like mountain walking.

I also am an advocate, though sometimes controversial on this board, of finishing in Santiago like you say you definitely want to do, even with limited time, especially if it is your first time. The one time I did it and quit halfway without reaching Santiago because I had to return home to work I was very bummed out.

Anyway, last year as a well trained but not in my 20's gentleman I made it from your starting point in Gijon to Santiago in about 10 days averaging about 35km/day which is a little hard core but doable if you are into it. If you were to do the same pace that would give you 4 days for travelling.

The prior year, I made it from Oviedo to Santiago via the Primitivo route in about the same amount of time. A little hard core.

Note: My memory says that Gijon is on the Norte while Oviedo is on the Primitivo, so maybe you haven't really yet picked your route?

Either way you'll have a blast I'm sure, but depending on the travel time req'd I'd consider those starting points as doable though I think some may consider it a little intense.

 

[AJ]

Note: My memory says that Gijon is on the Norte while Oviedo is on the Primitivo, so maybe you haven't really yet picked your route?

Oviedo can be on the Norte if you make the diversion or you can start in Oviedo with your first stop Aviles, missing Gijon. I plan to do the Norte with this variation this year. My preliminary itinerary has 13 stages from Oviedo to SdC.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

Oviedo can be on the Norte if you make the diversion or you can start in Oviedo with your first stop Aviles, missing Gijon. I plan to do the Norte with this variation this year. My preliminary itinerary has 13 stages from Oviedo to SdC.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[Rajy62]

Hi there,

My friend and I are trying to fit part of the Norte into our summers. We have 2 weeks at the very most, including travel between Paris and our starting/finishing point.

We definitely want to make it to Santiago, but we're not sure where we should start. We're thinking about starting in Oviedo/Gijón, but we're not sure if we can make it from there to Santiago in time. We are both athletic 20-year-old females and would be walking in June.

Any info/tips would be great!

May i suggest:
Bibao (pobena) to Ribadasella (8 days since you are fit/young)
Last 100 km from norte or frances (3 days) to get your pilgrimage.
That should leave you with 3 days for travel , getting in/out.

Here are my stages in 10 days:
0. [22k] Pobena, mostly boring road walk, take train/bus from Bilbao to pobena
1. [17.5k] Castro Urdales (Alb Municipal, 5eu, 3km from town, avoid it if you want town action)
2. [30.1k] Laredo, walked to Liendo 24k and then bus to Laredo(casa trinidad, 10eu, private, run by the nuns)
3 .[30.6k]Guemes (bus to Santona & walk 25.xk to Guemes (motel style alb Guemes, donativo)
4. [17.1k]Santander (hostel b&b&b, 15eu, Dinner at La Barboletta)
5 .[33k]Santilla del mar, bus out of Santander and then walked 25k (pension Posada Revolgo, 20eu)
6 .[27.5k]San vicente, walked to camillas 23k, bus to san vicente(Alb basic, 10eu)
7 .[26.5k]Perubeles (Alb aves de paso, Donativo, private, communal meals)
8 .[19k]Playa de poo (Private alberque, food not the best)
9 .[20k]Cuerres, 6km before Ribadesella (Private alb run by a German couple, excellent)
10.[6k]Ribadasella, my break day (hostel Juvenile,on the beach, 15eu)

 

[EllieH]

Anyway, last year as a well trained but not in my 20's gentleman I made it from your starting point in Gijon to Santiago in about 10 days averaging about 35km/day which is a little hard core but doable if you are into it. If you were to do the same pace that would give you 4 days for travelling.

The prior year, I made it from Oviedo to Santiago via the Primitivo route in about the same amount of time. A little hard core.

Thanks so much for the info. This will be both of our first Caminos, so there's a lot of uncertainty about our potential pace but we're both very determined. Your comments about the Primitivo are making me think that that may be a better option. Will look into it!

 

[EllieH]

May i suggest:
Bibao (pobena) to Ribadasella (8 days since you are fit/young)
Last 100 km from norte or frances (3 days) to get your pilgrimage.
That should leave you with 3 days for travel , getting in/out.

Thank you so much for the details! We hadn't really considered breaking it up like that or using buses, so that could make for another good option. I really appreciate you taking the time to break down all that info! We'll take these stages into consideration as well.

 

[Rajy62]

Thank you so much for the details! We hadn't really considered breaking it up like that or using buses, so that could make for another good option. I really appreciate you taking the time to break down all that info! We'll take these stages into consideration as well.

Depends what you prefer. If you like more mountain walks then primitivo (Oviedo - sdc). If you like ocean/beach then the best part is between Bilbao - Ribadasella.

 

[Richmond Gardner]

Here's the bummer... in my opinion the best part of the Norte, the part with most (but not all) of the amazing coastal views in my recollection falls on the first half rather than the second half of the route. In fact, if I were doing the northern type routes again, having done both the Norte and the Primitivo in their complete length, I would cross over from the Norte and finish on the Primitivo. That being said there are some fantastic coastal views on the back half of the Norte if you are hell bent on beaches. The Primitivo is more like mountain walking.

I also am an advocate, though sometimes controversial on this board, of finishing in Santiago like you say you definitely want to do, even with limited time, especially if it is your first time. The one time I did it and quit halfway without reaching Santiago because I had to return home to work I was very bummed out.

Anyway, last year as a well trained but not in my 20's gentleman I made it from your starting point in Gijon to Santiago in about 10 days averaging about 35km/day which is a little hard core but doable if you are into it. If you were to do the same pace that would give you 4 days for travelling.

The prior year, I made it from Oviedo to Santiago via the Primitivo route in about the same amount of time. A little hard core.

Note: My memory says that Gijon is on the Norte while Oviedo is on the Primitivo, so maybe you haven't really yet picked your route?

Either way you'll have a blast I'm sure, but depending on the travel time req'd I'd consider those starting points as doable though I think some may consider it a little intense.

Where do you fly to when starting in Oviedo?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Where do you fly to when starting in Oviedo?

You can fly into the Asturias airport, some 45 minutes from Oviedo. Airpoet code OVD. There are buses there to take you to Oviedo'sbus depot.