Gernika-Bilbao... Help!

[Maeve1983]

Hi guys,
Am on Day 4 of my Camino. I'm currently in the fairly grim Pension Gernika after a very difficult days walk from Markina. My legs and feet are really suffering after the gruelling Deba-Markina stage.
I know it's about 30km to Bilbao tomorrow, where I plan to take a day's rest and then travel to Sarria to do the last 100km (that was my plan all along). My question is, compared to the last 2 days how difficult honestly is the stage tomorrow to Bilbao? If it gets too much are there buses in the villages along the way? Thank you. Forgive me if my tone is a little negative. Today is my first day of feeling lonely and I snapped at a peregrino today who took my photo as I huffed and puffed up a hill in spite of my signalling to him that I didn't want him to. It felt like an imvasion of privacy at a vulnerable moment and it put me in bad humour for the rest of the day.

 

[Marc S.]

Hello Maeve. Not wanting to discourage you, but there is quite some climbing and descending tomorrow, especially the first part when leaving Guernika. I think it is 35 km to Bilbao from Gernika. You may consider walking to Lezama only (app 21 km) to save your feet and legs, and then do a shorter stage to Bilbao the day after, while still having enough time in Bilbao to have a rest day. I do not know too much about busses, but I know there are busses from Lezama to Bilbao (I saw many others taking a bus from there to Bilbao). Good luck !

 

[Maeve1983]

Thank you!!!!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Going all the way to Bilbao is a long way away. If you are staying at the Juvenil, you can catch the bus into Bilbao at the corner of the street, just ask at the front desk. It's the regular urban bus, not one you have to take at a station. Yes, the day from Deba to Markina can be brutal, one of the most difficult on any Camino. Sorry it took such a toll on you.

 

[Kanga]

@Maeve1983 I think it was our most difficult day. A long stretch over the mountain (probably only hills, but felt like mountains) in pouring rain on steep slippery muddy paths that had been churned up by logging trucks. With nowhere to take a break. If there were any villages we could not find or see them!

 

[oursonpolaire]

You have survived one of the toughest Camino stretches. I occasionally had people photographing me, but I assumed because that, as a pilgrim and therefore a tourist attraction, I was part of the landscape. Really, I should have charged a euro a shot.

 

[Thornley]

Hi guys,
Am on Day 4 of my Camino. I'm currently in the fairly grim Pension Gernika after a very difficult days walk from Markina. My legs and feet are really suffering after the gruelling Deba-Markina stage.
I know it's about 30km to Bilbao tomorrow, where I plan to take a day's rest and then travel to Sarria to do the last 100km (that was my plan all along). My question is, compared to the last 2 days how difficult honestly is the stage tomorrow to Bilbao? If it gets too much are there buses in the villages along the way? Thank you. Forgive me if my tone is a little negative. Today is my first day of feeling lonely and I snapped at a peregrino today who took my photo as I huffed and puffed up a hill in spite of my signalling to him that I didn't want him to. It felt like an imvasion of privacy at a vulnerable moment and it put me in bad humour for the rest of the day.

The humour was already gone the moment you refused his photo request.
Its no big deal in the scheme of things.
If your hair etc looked terrible then so did every other pilgrim on that section over all the years. There will be nothing from Sarria that causes you stress like this section.

Just recently we stayed at Hotel Leku Eder , beside the car park after walking from the forest as you leave SS.
It was raining , the second day only since we left Moissac in France....7 weeks prior.
We had finished and decided to add a smile to the drenched peregrinos.
We took photos , game them fruit and sweets from the hotel [ the owner has walked many various caminos] and had great discussions....they had a rest.
We departed for home the next day and our minds were on these great kids/grandparents from all countries on the walk.
Keep your humour Maeve , its a very important asset.

 

[AJ]

Split the stage in 2 and stay in Lezama.

 

[Arminius]

Spend time doing things you enjoy with people who make you happy.
The more positive memories you make, the less significant the negative ones will seem in the long run.

 

[Maeve1983]

It had nothing to do with my hair being a mess, would you have said that if I were a man?!
It was because I didn't want to end up on a random blog.

 

[nalod]

Rest and make your decision in the morning.

I photograph Camino routes and have a website dedicated to the Camino. I don't as a rule photograph pilgrims (unless they are part of the bigger picture, the overall landscape) It think it is evading their privacy and I also believe it against the law in France and Spain and most European countries (except Ireland and England) unless permission is given. If you want a shot you ask permission (unfortunately the spontaneity of the shot is then lost).

 

[Maeve1983]

Still learning how to use this forum on my iPhone. Thank you for everyone's advice!!
I ended up walking to Lezama (what a treat today in the sunshine) and bumped into some Camino friends on the way. I was up against it time-wise as I had to be in Bilbao at 6 because the man who owns the pension said so! I hopped on the bus in Lezama and here I am, fed and watered in Bilbao, what a gorgeous city. Only snag is, Guggenheim closed tomorrow!! Oh well, more time to eat x

 

[Maggie Y]

Hello Maeve. Not wanting to discourage you, but there is quite some climbing and descending tomorrow, especially the first part when leaving Guernika. I think it is 35 km to Bilbao from Gernika. You may consider walking to Lezama only (app 21 km) to save your feet and legs, and then do a shorter stage to Bilbao the day after, while still having enough time in Bilbao to have a rest day. I do not know too much about busses, but I know there are busses from Lezama to Bilbao (I saw many others taking a bus from there to Bilbao). Good luck !

Afrer Gernika there is a hostel Alto de Morga in the hills. Its only 5 km climbing after Gernika and so breaks up the trip to Lezama. Good Luck