Comments on El Norte

[jimsheppard]

1. New albergue in Deba is excellent. Book at the tourist information office. The bar opposite does excellent early breakfasts

2. Stage from Markina- Xemein to Guernica is very well waymarked and had a lot of improvements.

3. Can highly recommend restaurante Pitis in Markina- Xemein. Good local food and plenty of it. They also have reasonably priced rooms in a flat round the corner.

4. To shorten the long stage from Guernica to Bilbao the prudent pilgrim may well decide to press on to albergue Eskerika. Be advised that washing and toilet facilties are less than adequate for the number of pilgrims that the albergue contains. There is however a good dryer. The albergue and Hospitalero definitely exhibit "character".

5. Portugalete is a disaster for accommodation. We couldn't find the albergue which was probably closed. All pensions and hostels full. Can recommend the hotel San Jorge in Santurtzi. It's up the top of the town at the end of the metro line.

 

[jsalt]

Many thanks for the updates; I've made notes in my guidebook. Leaving for the Norte in 2 days time!
Jill

 

[Anemone del Camino]

1. New albergue in Deba is excellent. Book at the tourist information office. The bar opposite does excellent early breakfasts

5. Portugalete is a disaster for accommodation. We couldn't find the albergue which was probably closed. All pensions and hostels full. Can recommend the hotel San Jorge in Santurtzi. It's up the top of the town at the end of the metro line.

Where is the new albergue in Deba? For what it's worth, the one above the train station was very good as well when I was there 2 years ago.

As for Portugalete, I can also recommend Pension La Guia, at the top of calle Virgen de la Guia. They did the washing for me, as well as a bit of sewing.

 

[peregrina2000]

Many thanks for the updates; I've made notes in my guidebook. Leaving for the Norte in 2 days time!
Jill

Hi, Jill, Buen Camino to you! I am probably going to walk the Norte next May and look forward to hearing about your experience. Are you as averse to asphalt as my feet are or are you one of those lucky people who just dance over it?

 

[jsalt]

Hi Laurie, thanks! I prefer asphalt to cobbles! The Norte will be a nice change for me from the Portuguese. Looking forward to it. I am actually starting in Le Verdon-sur-Mer, near Bordeaux. Jill

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Laurie, thanks! I prefer asphalt to cobbles! The Norte will be a nice change for me from the Portuguese. Looking forward to it. I am actually starting in Le Verdon-sur-Mer, near Bordeaux. Jill

Hi, Jill, don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm wondering what your range of walking days is. I will probably have about 40 and could start a bit further back from Irun.

 

[jsalt]

Starting in Le Verdon-sur-Mer 22 Sep and my flight leaves Santiago 20 Nov. That’s about 20kms per day, on average, to walk the +/- 1,200kms . Jill

 

[norelle]

Thank you Jim

I start from Irun next week so have made notes!

buen camino

 

[jimsheppard]

Where is the new albergue in Deba? For what it's worth, the one above the train station was very good as well when I was there 2 years ago.

As for Portugalete, I can also recommend Pension La Guia, at the top of calle Virgen de la Guia. They did the washing for me, as well as a bit of sewing.

I'm should have said "newish " albergue - Ice meant the one in the Old station building.

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm should have said "newish " albergue - Ice meant the one in the Old station building.

Those of us who remember the cramped albergue with two triple bunks and a heavy unpleasant odor are quite happy to hear about that! Is it in the upper or lower town?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Those of us who remember the cramped albergue with two triple bunks and a heavy unpleasant odor are quite happy to hear about that! Is it in the upper or lower town?

Laurie, it's part of the train station, in the lower town.

 

[KatWanderlust]

Thanks for all the information everyone - Dad and I start from Hendaye tomorrow and this thread has been really helpful!

 

[Simon Shum]

I am walking Norte now and staying in a 10 days old new albergue, 20 rooms 12euros and 9.5 euros for supper. 8km before Germika, right on the camino!

The albergue at Deba on top of the train station is very nice for 5 euros, but you must register at the tourist office (not open between 2 to 4 pm).

Buen Camino!

 

[Halkida]

1. New albergue in Deba is excellent. Book at the tourist information office. The bar opposite does excellent early breakfasts

2. Stage from Markina- Xemein to Guernica is very well waymarked and had a lot of improvements.

3. Can highly recommend restaurante Pitis in Markina- Xemein. Good local food and plenty of it. They also have reasonably priced rooms in a flat round the corner.

4. To shorten the long stage from Guernica to Bilbao the prudent pilgrim may well decide to press on to albergue Eskerika. Be advised that washing and toilet facilties are less than adequate for the number of pilgrims that the albergue contains. There is however a good dryer. The albergue and Hospitalero definitely exhibit "character".

5. Portugalete is a disaster for accommodation. We couldn't find the albergue which was probably closed. All pensions and hostels full. Can recommend the hotel San Jorge in Santurtzi. It's up the top of the town at the end of the metro line.

 

[Halkida]

I stayed in the pension buena vista in portugalete last week and it appeared to be a hostel for homeless people who were up all night talking loudly and watching TV. . Also,rooms smelled of smoke and were not clean. Not ideal for a woman on her own

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Sorry you stayed in such a place. I stayed here and it was more than fine:

http://www.pensionlaguia.es/

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

I stayed in the pension buena vista in portugalete last week and it appeared to be a hostel for homeless people who were up all night talking loudly and watching TV. . Also,rooms smelled of smoke and were not clean. Not ideal for a woman on her own

I'm so sorry that happened, and I hope you find much nicer lodging as your Camino progresses. I found a no smoking room pretty much meant no one was smoking in it once you were handed the key, no promises about before
the third time it happened on the Norte, I'd had enough--small bar/hotel set up...the room smelled of smoke, ash tray on the table, butts in the toilet. I stomped back down to the desk and in broken Spanish protested that I'd been given a smoking room, pushing the key back across the bar to the lady . She insisted it was nonsmoking, and pushed the key toward me. I insisted it wasn't, pushing both the key and the ash tray I pulled from my pocket at her. She kept the ash tray, and pushing the key one last time said something too fast for me to comprehend, but context told me it was 'look, little pilgrim pain in the rear, take it or leave it." I said "gracias" and took the key.

 

[SYates]

Lol, now I feel really guilty, being a smoker, but then, perhaps not - as I have never walked the Norte Buen Camino, SY

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

Lol, now I feel really guilty, being a smoker, but then, perhaps not - as I have never walked the Norte Buen Camino, SY

It was a lesson in expectations. once I recognized no fumar really was like traffic signals in Saudi Arabia, my life was easier. That afternoon on the Norte was an important moment.

 

[Dchell]

Thank you for this information. Can you explain why many folks don't go through the town of Larruskain? I understand their is a steep cliff later on but it seems much shorter. Thank you in advance

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thank you for this information. Can you explain why many folks don't go through the town of Larruskain? I understand their is a steep cliff later on but it seems much shorter. Thank you in advance

I don't have my Camino guidebooks on hand, so can you confirm that this is on the Camino out of Deba going through Olatz to Markina?

If so. It appears didferent guidebooks have different views on what the Camino is. My Editorial Buen Camino does take people that way. But Cicerone for example sends people around by Mutriku. I expect inclination, as you suspect, is the reason for the detour via Mutriku.