Camino del Norte: Good or bad?

[garyw1950]

Hi all,

Planning to walk late August and September on Camino del Norte.

This will be my second camino, having done Camino Frances last year. I've been reading comments from those who have done Camino del Norte, both forum members and elsewhere on the net. Some comments suggest that Norte is pretty ugly and not a great overall experience.

(see this blog page, for example:

http://christine-on-big-trip.blogspot.c ... -tips.html )

I'd appreciate hearing from forum members on their experiences on Norte and rating it, especially if you've done the camino frances and can compare the two.

Please vote in the attached poll.

Tranquilo.

Thanks,
Gary

 

[george.g]

Having just completed the "Norte" in the last few days, I find it very difficult to quantify it in terms of good and bad, for sure there were days when I prayed for a helicopter ride home,and other day's when it was the only place to be, I've walked the French way and the plata and it's not like either.
The vistas can be stunning and so can the hills but a major plus was the relative quiet of the route,
You may be able to get a bit of an idea by looking at caminowalkaboutnorte.blogspot.com
Regards
George.h

 

[garyw1950]

Thanks George.h for the reply and suggested link. It does provide a good sense of that pilgrim's experience on el Norte. Also provides GPS tracks. Thanks also for your personal input on your Norte experience. I know Norte will be different from the Frances and that the camino, whichever route, is an inner journey. Yet, having heard that so much of el Norte is highway and paved roads, I am concerned that its physical characteristics might overwhelm the experience. I don't mind the difficult topography - well, I guess I will while walking it, but that I understand IS part of the experience.

Tranquilo,
Gary

 

[MikeJS]

I walked the Francis in Sept 2011 and the Norte in Sept 2012. (Blog at http://mikesroaming.blogspot.co.uk/2012 ... e-off.html). The two are definitely different but I would certainly not agree that the Norte is ugly. Had another really great camino experience on the Norte and would walk it again. It is a little tougher and not as well supported as the Norte but that is the joy. Not thousands of hikers and you do need to pay attention occasionally where you walk!

 

[NicoZ]

there were days when I prayed for a helicopter ride home

Can I ask why?

I've been reading "The Northern Caminos" and they mention many seasonal places only open July/August.

Thanks

 

[george.g]

Hi 'NicoZ.
Re helicopter ride home, just a poor joke on my part, but you know the weather patterns have been a little strange, we had more or less three weeks of rain. It got a little tedious at times, but I still would not have missed any of it, the vistas are out of this world, between the mountains and the sea.
As to accommodations, use the download from this forum,the cicerone guide and guides from various tourist offices and you should be OK. Very often there will be flyers in the albergue or on the Camino itself.
Have a good time I did!
Regards
George.g

 

[NicoZ]

The weather has been horrible here also. I think this is the first dry week all year :shock: I was hoping to start next month but with the weather I think I've been pushed until next summer.

 

[Tia Valeria]

The weather wasn't too bad when we were there, then deteriorated again. If you are not walking this year but next then you would be able to get the CSJ guides Los Caminos del Norte A: Ruta de la Costa, 1 & 2 (scroll down page - 2 slim booklets) which give more detail than others and suggestions for accomodation. They, with the Cicerone guide, should be all you need to make your plans, then decide which to carry with you.
Buen Camino

 

[gaulsdog]

http://christine-on-big-trip.blogspot.c ... -tips.html

After looking over the above bog all I can say is that I have either walked the wrong Camino Norte or this blogger is on something else, in my Camino Norte everything was brilliant a complete mix of everything, maybe the blogger found the going a bit to tough, I would hate to see other walkers put of in this way. The scenery is fantastic and its certainly not all asphalt and it is possible to walk all day without every seeing anyone. I found the walk through Bilbao wonderful except for probaly the last kilometer and it only takes about an hour to walk through beautiful San Sebastian , so what if Santander and Gijon drags out a bit its just more chances to relax with a few extra cafe con leche

 

[NicoZ]

maybe the blogger found the going a bit to tough

Look at the rest of her blog

1) She seems to be a real hiker with many long hikes

2) She wanted to camp and avoid the hostels etc

3) I get the impression she followed the main route. Isn't there an alternative more interesting route with red and white markings?

I don't want to pick on the blogger but I get the impression she wanted a wilderness hike . Being a serious hiker she should have known or at least been able to figure out it's not a wilderness hike.

 

[Tia Valeria]

A sad view of many beautiful places, both on the Norte and the Primitivo. I found this blog very dismissive of much that is appreciated by so many on this forum. Reading other blogs about the Norte etc would be a good idea and put things in perspective.

You could try reading the 2009 posts on http://walktocompostela.blogspot.co.uk/ which covers the Norte from Santander to Oviedo and then the Primitivo.

 

[Dave]

I had a similar reaction to gaulsdog to the blog. One of the striking things to me about the Norte is how pleasant arrival is in most of the major cities. San Sebastian suddenly appears below you in all its glory. Ditto Bilbao, as you stand atop Monte Avril. You reach Santander via ferry, after a great walk along the cliff's edge. Sure, leaving Bilbao and Santander isn't as pleasant, but leave early and do it in the dark! It makes for an easy morning stroll under the lights and you can't see any of the nastiness. As for Gijon... well, we don't need to talk about Gijon!

As to the notion that all of the beaches are spoiled, tourist traps... I mean, what was she looking at? Certainly, some have been resort-ified, but for every Laredo (which still has its charms, for sure), there's a Playa de la Espasa. Those who continue along the Norte past the Primitivo split can also find all kinds of hidden gems.

Finally, this notion that the Norte is asphalt-bound, unlike the pristine Frances... I think we need to be a little more descriptive when talking about walking conditions. Sure, a lot of the Frances is off road. BUT, how much of it follows gravel roads running directly parallel to major highways? When I returned to the Frances in 2011, I was struck by just how often you are right next to a road--even on the ascent to Foncebadon, you're often quite close. So, while you aren't *on* the road, you still have the proximity to cars and road noise. Even the majority of the ascent from St Jean to Roncesvalles is on asphalt, not trail.

Meanwhile, my memories of the Norte focus on many of the long, glorious off-road stretches--the first couple of days from Irun, the walk to Markina, the trek past the Bufones, and of course the stretch between Playa de Berria and Noja. Admittedly, even in those stretches there is some asphalt--on the climb to Markina, for example. But, how often is that a single-lane, country road with only the rarest of mechanical interruptions?

That's not to suggest that all of the Frances is road-bound, or that the Norte is a pristine wilderness trail. But, simply that the former has probably gotten off a little light, while the latter is over-criticized. If your Norte experience is 75% on roads, you didn't try hard enough.

Dave

 

[chillgrim]

I just returned from Santiago yesterday.

My boyfriend and I walked the del Norte from Irun to Villaviciosa and then decided to deviate onto the Primitivo.
We loved the way between Irun and Bilbao. After Bilbao it felt like we've been walking on roads more than before and the towns we wakled through felt more touristy than we wanted. (But that is just our personal feeling!) Once we were on the Primitivo things started to get a lot quieter, less people, more nature.

The north of Spain has been very wet indeed this spring. According to some Spaniards it's been the rainiest May in history. We had A LOT of rain on the coast! But there have been some rainy days on the Primitivo too.

I can recommend the del Norte/Primitivo combination. It was a good mix of coastal walks and mountain beauty.

 

[garyw1950]

Dave,

can you expand on : "As for Gijon... well, we don't need to talk about Gijon!"

Thanks

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Just returned to the U.S.A. yesterday after being in Spain for 7 weeks. The main reason I decided to walk the CDN was the challenge of a much more difficult trail, -exactly what I needed after a hip replacement, and the solitude found here!
Believe it or not, but I would not hesitate to do it again at all! I loved the section I did on CDN and the Camino Primitivo. Once we joined the CF in Melide the mood changed entirely; I felt I had joined a tour following a crowd, and that feeling never changed until reaching Santiago de Compostela.
So, if you are looking for solitude and a challenging experience, then CDN might be for you!

Ultreia!

Mary

 

[Tia Valeria]

Good to see you made it Mary and sorry that we missed seeing you on route .

 

[mikevasey]

Walking through the suburbs of Gijon to the central area is not too bad, but once you get to the central area the camino goes along and crosses mamy busy roads, you can avoid it by once you get in view of Sporting Gijon's football stadium follow the water drainage canal to the sea. Once there you can follow the sea frount and beaches to the west cutting across the headland which seperates the long beach from the harbour, if you follow this you will eventually join up with the scallop shells in the pavement which point the way. Gijons main church, bus and train station are couple of hundred meters away from where you join up with the camino again.

It is the walk out of Gijon on the edge of its residential area which was very dangerous in 2010, it might have changed, i hope it has, there was a section on a very tight hard shoulder with your back to fast flowing traffic, i avoided it by walking up an unused slip road then climbing over a couple of barriers, some pilgrims avoided it by taking the train from the center of Gijon and getting off at Mogro(?) which was just passed this section and the steel works just after it.You have 8-10 km of glorious country walking next. Its the next section into Aviles which i wont talk about .

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Hi Valerie! I, too, am so sorry it did not work out! It would have been such a wonderful time visiting with you, perhaps another year! Thank you for all the valuable information you shared!

Let me reiterate what an incredible Camino I had as I walked the Northern Coast of Spain! It certainly had asphalt, but the scenery and the villages certainly made up for any discomfort felt during those hiking sections. Most stages have so much historical meaning and the towns, the people, the local culture and the gastronomy are definitely to be enjoyed. The CDN was not as busy as others have mentioned, I had time for solitude, reflection, contemplation and spirituality and can confirm that this is much easier to attain than being on the CF.

The weather patterns have been most unusual according to the locals; sure, I had a lot of rain, mud and slippery conditions at times, but why complain? It's all part of the experience, and my journey was marvelous! True, there are some city sections that are most unpleasant, like Bilbao to Portugalete, just to mention one, so this is where you do some introspection and accept that this too, is part of the route, and simply move on Attitude, mostly, is what can make or break the satisfaction and enjoyment of the Camino, I never felt discouraged or questioned my decision to do the CDN and the Primitivo. It would be a choice I would gladly make again ! But, there are so many other roads to walk and it is important to make time to see and do as much as possible!!

Ultreia,

Mary

 

[viajero]

I was surprised to see the Camino del Norte described as "ugly". I thought it had more natural beauty than the Frances. The first week, between Irun and Bilbao was stunning as were later stages. The industrial bit around Bilbao, is, admittedly, not so nice. I did not walk the entire route (just from Irun-Oviedo) but I thought it was beautiful. I also had very good weather (I walked in June/July 2009). It is quite hilly and I didn't cover as many km/day as on the Frances but I really enjoyed it.

 

[mikevasey]

The 2nd time i walked the E9 section from pendules to llanes i was amased by the beauty of the trail, not sure what i was doing 1st time but this time around it took my breath away a little. Probably more into my walking zone and could pay attention to what was around me.

 

[carasoncamino]

hi there,
I'm coming all the way from Down Unda to walk the Camino del Norte in July! I'd love to hear from others going at this time. Maybe we could meet along the road and walk a few miles together

 

[peregrina2000]

Some of this discussion reminds me of the reaction to the "Camino Sucks" blog, which you can see in two longish threads: http://www.caminodesantiago.me/comm...mething-completely-different.7611/#post-45411

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/comm...ments-about-camino-frances.23270/#post-179109

I don't know why we camino-lovers are always surprised or even piqued when someone else doesn't share our opinions. These blogs are not presented as fact, they are presented as the experiences of the writer. What one person remembers as a lot of asphalt, another remembers as an an occasional stretch in between long off-road jaunts. Weather, time of day, company, how our body is doing, what's going on at home, and a million other things all intersect in strange ways to produce our reactions and shape our experiences.

My memory from my 2006 Norte is not one of unrelenting asphalt, but my 2012 (?) Vadiniense, which included four days on the Norte gave me a clear different impression. From Santander to San Vicente de la Barquera is almost exclusively asphalt, aside from one short stretch before Comillas and one short stretch before San Vicente. If you had told me that after my 2006 Norte, I would have said you were crazy, because it just wasn't what I remembered.

I think that as as Camino forum, we tend to attract members who, like me, love the Camino. Why would you spend your time on this forum talking about an experience that you didn't like? We should be happy when we hear "the other side", I think, because it helps broaden our perspective. Buen camino, Laurie

my edit: sorry, this sounds preachy, I really didn't mean it that way.

 

[Tia Valeria]

I think perception varies with walking the whole or walking sections. As Laurie says the section between Santander to San Vicente has quite a lot of asphalt compared to track. Beyond Pendueles through to Ribadasella is mostly track so I guess that over the whole Camino it will vary and average out. Personally I like it when the Camino goes through a village as it often means a cafe con leche in the bar, where the tracks might bypass the village.

 

[NicoZ]

Perception varies with life experience.

Think of the travel review sites. If a college age guy claims a hotel is clean to me that means the pizza he left on the floor didn't move over night.

With out knowing the background of the person it's always hard to understand exactly what they meant.

 

[MKalcolm M]

I walked the Norte in May and June 2013 and had a fantatastic time. It was wet and muddy on some stretches, dry and sunny on others. The scenery, beaches and panaramas were superb. I was not aware of spending too much time on asphalt, but because of how muddy the camino was at that time, I deliberately walked on roads to avoid the mud somedays. Two fellow walkers whom I met on the camino and myself liked the route so much that we are in the process of buying a house there to turn into an alberge. What more can I add to this to demonstrate what a wonderful time we had and how good a route we think it is?

 

[shefollowsshells]

Just returned to the U.S.A. yesterday after being in Spain for 7 weeks. The main reason I decided to walk the CDN was the challenge of a much more difficult trail, -exactly what I needed after a hip replacement, and the solitude found here!
Believe it or not, but I would not hesitate to do it again at all! I loved the section I did on CDN and the Camino Primitivo. Once we joined the CF in Melide the mood changed entirely; I felt I had joined a tour following a crowd, and that feeling never changed until reaching Santiago de Compostela.
So, if you are looking for solitude and a challenging experience, then CDN might be for you!

Ultreia!

Mary

Mary I use to work with a surgeon who was considered by many in the world to be the top authority on the surgery and developed the cement less hip...you do realize that whatever brand hip you are sporting there could be an AMAZING advertisement for that company....Doing the Norte with such images sporting that hip could have you in ad campaigns
VERY well done!!!