Dangerous road walking on the Norte?

[NadineMc]

Hello everybody. I was wondering if there are a lot of stretches along the Norte where I would be walking on the shoulder along side speeding cars. I remember that happening a couple times along the Portuguese Camino and that terrifies me. I’ll be starting in Bilbao and branching off to join the primitivo. Thank you for all advice!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hello everybody. I was wondering if there are a lot of stretches along the Norte where I would be walking on the shoulder along side speeding cars. I remember that happening a couple times along the Portuguese Camino and that terrifies me. I’ll be starting in Bilbao and branching off to join the primitivo. Thank you for all advice!

Hi, Nadine,
There are long stretches walking alongside the national highway, but luckily that road is not heavily traveled because of the newer and faster super-highway that generally parallels it. I don't remember many terror-inducing stretches, but there are times of day when you are likely to find a fair number of garbage trucks and other local delivery vehicles.

I probably sound like a broken record, but many of those road stretches can be avoided by taking some of the coastal alternatives described in a pinned thread in the Norte sub-forum.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[NadineMc]

Hi, Nadine,
There are long stretches walking alongside the national highway, but luckily that road is not heavily traveled because of the newer and faster super-highway that generally parallels it. I don't remember many terror-inducing stretches, but there are times of day when you are likely to find a fair number of garbage trucks and other local delivery vehicles.

I probably sound like a broken record, but many of those road stretches can be avoided by taking some of the coastal alternatives described in a pinned thread in the Norte sub-forum.

Buen camino, Laurie

Thank you Laurie. I will read about the coastal alternatives.

 

[jameywr]

Thank you Laurie. I will read about the coastal alternatives.

Hi! Can I ask you how it went? We're looking at this route (Bilbao --> Santander) and I'm a bit leery of cars (I've been hit). Are there maybe bike lanes we can use or is there at least a bit of dirt off to the side? Thanks so much!

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi! Can I ask you how it went? We're looking at this route (Bilbao --> Santander) and I'm a bit leery of cars (I've been hit). Are there maybe bike lanes we can use or is there at least a bit of dirt off to the side? Thanks so much!

Hi Jamey, I'm just jumping in as the thread is more than 4 years old and Nadine's profile says she's not been seen on the forum for over a year...
IMO all of the Norte was pretty safe for road walking. There are a lot of small quiet or empty roads. And generally the bigger national roads have a constant line on the side and there's usually an area you can walk on a few feet wide the other side of the line. At bends you may get low metal barriers and have to decide which side of them you want to, or can, walk. But I found it all OK, able to make decisions on the spot as to whether I wanted to walk slowly in the undergrowth or faster on the tarmac where it felt safe. It wasn't scary at all
I was scared to fear and anger on the week out of Lisbon on the Portugues because so many of the locals drove without due care for pedestrians. I wouldn't say the two experiences are closely related at all.
Cheers, tom

 

[Corned Beef]

@jameywr

On the Norte at the moment and it’s very busy with pilgrims. Yes there’s a lot of stretches on roads but they are quiet.

Passed groups of Spanish who didn’t seem concerned but they were walking on the left to face oncoming traffic. Ironically the National routes are better as they are wider with less bends.

Edit: Took this today to show how casual pilgrims can be on quiet roads.

 

[David with new Kit!]

@jameywr

On the Norte at the moment and it’s very busy with pilgrims. Yes there’s a lot of stretches on roads but they are quiet.

Passed groups of Spanish who didn’t seem concerned but they were walking on the left to face oncoming traffic. Ironically the National routes are better as they are wider with less bends.

I agree, I'm out here too. Yes main roads but it's normally the quieter roads between towns.

We also walk facing traffic. Early mornings we wear torches, reflective armbands and reflective raincovers when it's raining.

Can't be too careful as there a lot of bends on these roads