Two weeks to walk

[PeterBarry]

Hi,
I have 2 weeks to walk on the Norte route. I would like to start in Lrun and would hope to walk approx 25 to 30 KM per day.
Can anyone suggest an appropriate route for me to complete within a 2 week period.
I have walked the France route before and as such am an experienced camino walker.
However I am not too familiar with the Norte route.

Any help appreciated

Best Regards

Peter

 

[jl]

I walked - distances only approx!:-

Irun to San Sebastien - 22kms
SS - Orio - 20.1 kms
Orio - Deba - 27kms
Deba - Markina Xemain - 19.2 kms
Markina Xermein - Gernika - 24.5kms
Gernika - Bilbao - 35.1
rest day in Bilbao to see the Guggenheim
Bilbao - Portugalette
Portugalette - Castro urdiales - 27.2kms
Castro urdiales - Laredo - 24.8kms
Laredo - Guemes (a must stay albergue!) - 26.2kms
Guemes - Santander - Santa Cruz de Bezama (distances depend which path you take! - they will tell you at the Guemes albergue)

This seems (Santander) a logical place to stop however if you want a few more days I went:-

Santa Cruz de Bezama - Santillana del Mar - 39kms (take a detour to look at the caves at Altamira - need about a half a day - free on Sunday - or it was when I was there!)
Santillana del Mar - Cobreces - 12.3kms
Cobreces - San Vincente de Barquera - 21.7 kms
San Vincente de Barquera - Colombres
Colombres - Llanes

Hope this fives you some ideas. Cheers, Janet

 

[Valdis Pauzers]

Agree with Janet.
Santander practical for experienced walker & pilgrim, as yourself.
I got Irun to Leces in 14 days walking. With pretty good weather (But some leg problems.)
Fair amount of asphalt road in places, stunningly beautiful in others.

A good start is to Orio, 42 kms but great Albergue (private) & Deba is only around 28 km the next day.
Monastery stay at Zernazza then highly recommended. Your host, Monk Gregory charming gentleman.

After that is a difficult call, we ended up at Morga Pass youth hostel, 2 km off route down the main road. OK, but not memorable and little alternative, as I recall.
Leaves you a relatively easy walk to Bilbao, which I found difficult to get out of & wasted considerable time & effort. (Make sure you know where you are going !
Next stop easier 25km to Castro Urdiles.
Laredo 38km (or Santona 43km)
with following day Guemes (a must) around 26 from Santona, or 31 from Laredo
This way 10 days to Santander, and a shortish 25kms to get here.

Continuation readily possible and enjoyable. Could even make Villaviciosa, if good weather and if you're in fine form but I wouldn't count on it. Best to be pretty relaxed about exactly where you finish. (Bus to Santander returns thro most these places.)
Day 11 to Santillana at 34 km & very nice, somewhat touristy
Day 12 to \serdio/Estrada is around 38 kms new Albergue, food in nearby bar.
Day 13 to Llanes (or Poo where good private Albergue). Llanes seems an albergue beds hotspot. But 37 km to Poo albergue, is near to sea/beach not obvious.

Maybe that's where to stop and sort out return.

Enjoy, Buen Camino,
Valdis.

 

[jl]

Many pilgrims catch the metro out of Bilboa to Portugalette. Bilboa is an awful place to try and get out of - walking along very busy roads, when I was there and also lots of road works (jumped a few drains etc in negotiating it - hopefully though that has all finished) steps to get out of the place just like getting into it.

I would say that this stretch equates well to the entrance into Burgos for those who have done it along the road (as opposed to walking along the river! - lovely!) Cheers, Janet

 

[PeterBarry]

Hi Again,

Many thanks for the Detailed info.
Having looked at your replies and also having done some research,
I agree that Santander is a good choice and target.

I have booked my flights now and am off on July 17th returning August 1st.

I remember my first camino and how hard I tried to walk fast and furiously, missing both people and
places along the way. My intention this time is to take it easier.

I am flying to Biarritz on Fri Aug 17th.
Can anyone explaine how to get to Lrun from Biarritz?
Also is it possible to get a credential in the Albergue in Lrun?
Does anyone have a contact for the Albergue in Lrun?

Again thanks for your kindness and help.
What was a dream is fast becoming a reality.

Kindest Regards

Peter

Any help appreciated

 

[jl]

Why not make your way to Bayonne Cathedral and begin from there? Or allternatively walk out the airport at Biaritz and pick up the path - it actually skirts around the ariport. It is a lovely walk out of Bayonne along the river, to somehwere like St Jean de Luz or across the river at Ciboure. It is a seaside town so you might have to book somewhere.

Bayonne to St Jean de Luz - 26.1 kms (fairly easy walking from memory)
St jean de luz - Irun - 16.5 kms

I assume there are local trains that you could catch as I have caught a TGV from Hendaye. Cheers, Janet

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There are many trains from Biarritz to Hendaye, which is on the border of Irun:

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/

French and Spanish trains run different gauge tracks, so you have to change trains for further train travel into Spain. The Spanish have always been very protective of their border!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi - have alook here for the other information:

el-camino-del-norte/topic8237.html