parts to be skipped on the camino del norte?

[vancouverite26]

Hi everyone,
I have ca. 30 days from the end of august till the end of september 2013 to walk the camino del norte. I have heard that the part from Irun to San Sebastian is beautiful, so I thought I shouldn't skip this part. However, it'd be a little tight to arrive in Santiago within 30 days, wouldn't it? I would also like to make sure to have enough leeway for a day off etc.
Thus, I have heard parts after Santander and Bilbao aren't that worthwhile and could be skipped (i.e., from Santander with the metro to Portugalete), but I don't have any info up to where after Bilbao to skip and which other parts that aren't that beautiful or lengthy strips of asphalt walking that I could avoid. Any thoughts?
Many thanks for your replies!
Juliane

 

[anniethenurse]

Generally speaking I don´t think any parts on any camino should be skipped!
Start where you want to start and walk on. Come back later and continue your camino to Santiago!

 

[MikeJS]

I think you are correct in that 30 days would be a push. I took about 33 days and that included a few 40km day walks! (see http://mikesroaming.blogspot.co.uk/sear ... results=40). There are parts that you can choose to skip and although personally I thoroughly enjoyed Bilbao and the stretch to Portuglete. However, if I had to miss some of the camino I would choose to avoid Santander and get to Santillana de Mer.

 

[Tia Valeria]

If you get the FEVE from Santander to Barreda, just outside Torrelavega. This misses an industrial section and also the bad bridge near Mogro.
It saves at least 1 day (maybe 2) You could get from Santander to Cobreces in one day - 20kms.

The same is possible at other places along the FEVE line if you need to do so anywhere between Bilbao and Ribadasella. We only know the stretch west of Santander and down to Oviedo then the Primitivo, not the far strech of the Norte.