Broken ankle, alternative way to travel

What a bummer! There are buses, trains, and taxis, though the buses and trains may not go to your desired stopping spot each night. There are hostals and hotels along the way; albergues are usually for pilgrims on foot, bicycle, or horseback. If you had trudged thirty kilometers in the heat to discover that the last albergue bed was taken by someone who had arrived in a taxi, albeit with an ankle they broke before they left home, what would be your reaction? Would your tragedy become their tragedy? You have my best hopes for finding a way to accomplish your objectives.

Sorry to hear about your ankle.
We only have one thought and that is that you may be able to use the FEVE (narrow guage railway that crosses N. Spain). There is a RENFE rail link from San Sebastain to Bilbao, then the FEVE runs to Santander (3 trains daily). Change trains in Santander and it then goes through to Ribadesella before turning south to Oviedo. Change again and then it goes north and mostly along the coast, to Ferrol.
These little trains stop about every 5 minutes at every little station. Certainly between San Vicente (after Santander) and Ribadesella it is possible to hop on and off the train on a daily basis as it crosses the villages on the Camino. You would need to be able to walk short distances as sometimes the train stops a km outside of a village.The same might be true between Bilbao and Santander.

Try the http://www.feve.es/es/ website and check the 'paradas' against the Camino guide.

Accomodation - there should be some 'private' albergues/hostals etc that you can call ahead. (Phone numbers would be in the guide.) More expensive than 'official' albergues (ie provided by town councils), but we don't think you would be able to book ahead for them if you are not walking. West of Santander many are 'private' and may be able to help.

Además de FEVE, también Alsa recorre la costa, al menos la asturiana.

http://www.alsa.es/portal/site/Alsa/men ... 01005eRCRD

My advice:
2012.

I know it is a disappointment for now, but it'll give you a better experience next year. :?

Ultreya,
Carli Di Bortolo.