LIVE from the Camino Currently having paella in Zarautz

[MichaelSG]

I reckon there are about 20 pilgrims in Zarautz, not exactly taking over the town but we are managing to be a crowd. All is good so far. I do have my blog up, if anyone is interested (https://memismscaminodelnorte.blogspot.com.es/2017/04/day-1-irun-to-san-sebastian-253km-85hrs.html). It's mostly for family and friends but I try to add in some tips for those following us soon.

 

[nycwalking]

Enjoy. Thanks for blog.
Buen camino.

 

[peregrina2000]

I reckon there are about 20 pilgrims in Zarautz, not exactly taking over the town but we are managing to be a crowd. All is good so far. I do have my blog up, if anyone is interested (https://memismscaminodelnorte.blogspot.com.es/2017/04/day-1-irun-to-san-sebastian-253km-85hrs.html). It's mostly for family and friends but I try to add in some tips for those following us soon.

Perfect timing, since @C clearly and @Anemone del Camino have just finished up, I need something to tide me over for the next month till I head out. Looking forward to reading your blog, Michael, and hope to be walking the Norte soon, too. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[poogeyejr]

Thank you for sharing! I would love to read your blog!

Thank you for taking the time to do that!

Kathy

 

[Mike Savage]

Buen Camino Michael!

 

[norelle]

We stayed in Zarautz an extra day while walking the Norte last September.
The sunrise while we were leaving the next morning was beautiful! We took the coastal variant later on in the day into Deba - spectacular!!! But no bars once you make the turn, so pack food and water if you decide to walk that way!
buen camino

 

[NualaOC]

Hi Michael, I'll be following in your footsteps soon. Your blog comments are really helpful - and well-written too! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

In Zarautz, one should eat at Karlos Aguinano's restaurant on the beach. Well known chef but who offers meals at a terrific price as he believes good food should be enjoyed by all.

 

[MichaelSG]

We stayed in Zarautz an extra day while walking the Norte last September.
The sunrise while we were leaving the next morning was beautiful! We took the coastal variant later on in the day into Deba - spectacular!!! But no bars once you make the turn, so pack food and water if you decide to walk that way!
buen camino
View attachment 33340

We took the coastal variant without knowing we were. I guess the sea constantly on our right should have been a clue but I kept expecting a left turn up the hills at any minute. It just didn't happen but it was a good section anyway.

 

[MichaelSG]

It's not often that I say this but today's blog post is worth reading. The weather, the route, the one pilgrim we met, the pensión where we are staying make up for the few bad photos. With many people who we were walking with yesterday planning on different destinations and lengths of stay in Bilbao, we have lost a lot of the family but I'm hopeful we will meet up again.

https://memismscaminodelnorte.blogspot.com.es/2017/04/day-7-zamudio-to-portulagete-272km.html

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Pensio La Guia in Portugalete is where I stayed. It was fine. Perhaps a better option than where you stayed for those walking behind you and reading your blog.

 

[peregrina2000]

Just read your blog post on the Castro Urdiales to Laredo stretch and am seeing that there is a lot of confusion with arrows and routes.

Loving these posts, MSG, and hope to follow in your footsteps in a few weeks!

http://memismscaminodelnorte.blogspot.sg/2017/04/day-9-castro-urdiales-to-laredo-310km.html

 

[MichaelSG]

Just read your blog post on the Castro Urdiales to Laredo stretch and am seeing that there is a lot of confusion with arrows and routes.

Loving these posts, MSG, and hope to follow in your footsteps in a few weeks!

http://memismscaminodelnorte.blogspot.sg/2017/04/day-9-castro-urdiales-to-laredo-310km.html

I just found out that tomorrow's 11km to Santander mentioned in Gronze is another "just follow the highway" unmarked route. They did it again! BTW, have you stayed in the albergue in Güemes before? It's the best albergue / hostal experience I've had on a Camino yet. It's a place that everyone walking the Norte should stop at.

 

[peregrina2000]

I just found out that tomorrow's 11km to Santander mentioned in Gronze is another "just follow the highway" unmarked route. They did it again! BTW, have you stayed in the albergue in Güemes before? It's the best albergue / hostal experience I've had on a Camino yet. It's a place that everyone walking the Norte should stop at.

There is an off-road route into Santander, which I learned about at the albergue in Güemes, so I'm sure they will tell you all about it. I stayed there before what I understand has been a huge expansion and renovation, so I'm glad to hear it is still the sweet place it was!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Just read your blog post on the Castro Urdiales to Laredo stretch and am seeing that there is a lot of confusion with arrows and routes.

Loving these posts, MSG, and hope to follow in your footsteps in a few weeks!

http://memismscaminodelnorte.blogspot.sg/2017/04/day-9-castro-urdiales-to-laredo-310km.html

From Castro Urdiales, go through Liendo/Hazas, enjoy the menu del dia there and leave through the hill, climbing towards theErmota de San Julian and the most beautiful tiny beach on your right, at thebottom of a cliff, and then enjoy stunning views of Laredo from up above.

 

[peregrina2000]

From Castro Urdiales, go through Liendo/Hazas, enjoy the menu del dia there and leave through the hill, climbing towards theErmota de San Julian and the most beautiful tiny beach on your right, at thebottom of a cliff, and then enjoy stunning views of Laredo from up above.

Thanks, Anemone,
So it looks like there are three ways to get to Liendo, at least according to Gronze. MSG's blog suggests the shortest way is on the highway. No can do. Since my feet do not do well on asphalt, I think one of the two alternatives (either through La Magdalena or Lugarejos) shown in Gronze is my best bet. Did you do one of them?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thanks, Anemone,
So it looks like there are three ways to get to Liendo, at least according to Gronze. MSG's blog suggests the shortest way is on the highway. No can do. Since my feet do not do well on asphalt, I think one of the two alternatives (either through La Magdalena or Lugarejos) shown in Gronze is my best bet. Did you do one of them?

No, i took the road. I like short .

 

[norelle]

@peregrina2000
Hi Laurie,

Last October I walked from Castro Urdiales to Liendo via La Magdalena. It was a scenic, quiet stretch.

The albergue in Liendo was very nice - great kitchen! I was glad I stayed there and the next morning I had a nice walk into Laredo for my second breakfast before walking along the beach to catch the ferry.

buen camino

 

[NualaOC]

Once again Michael, thanks for sharing your blog. I'm enjoying it and making lots of notes! Thanks also to @norelle and @Anemone del Camino for adding their comments here - very helpful for those of us walking the Norte this year.

 

[peregrina2000]

@peregrina2000
Hi Laurie,

Last October I walked from Castro Urdiales to Liendo via La Magdalena. It was a scenic, quiet stretch.

The albergue in Liendo was very nice - great kitchen! I was glad I stayed there and the next morning I had a nice walk into Laredo for my second breakfast before walking along the beach to catch the ferry.

buen camino

So, I think that leaves us with three alternatives (actually four, because the first route listed below apparently has a shortcut through Lugarejos)

For those who want to avoid asphalt, here are some wikiloc tracks showing the new official route through Magdalena.
https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=7202352
Totals: 31.5 km, 450 m elevation gain (about 1300 feet, not in the strenuous range)

For those looking for short and direct, here is the route on the highway:
https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=14587490
Totals: 26.3 km, 535 m elevation gain


For those looking for the coastal alternative, here is one possibility
https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=15040876
Totals: 25 km, 735 m elevation gain

If it's nice weather, I will do the coastal alternative, but if it's rainy I'll go for the new official route. If I can find my way, that is, which is never a given for me on the Camino.

 

[MichaelSG]

Gronze suggested a stage for today of Santander to Santillana del Mar at about 37km. I thought "hey, that's a good target for (a much younger version of) me. Good Lord! I try hard to stop before itting 30km. If you actually follow the "official" arrows, I work it out as closer to 43km. If you like those days, great but I don't. There are obviously many ways to shorten this. One friend we just had dinner with, figures he walked it in about 25km, only using the train from Boo to Mogro. That sounds a bit low though. I'm trying to forget about Gronze now.

 

[MichaelSG]

Bummer. I passed by the breakoff to the Camino Lebaniego today. I only heard of it a few days ago. If anyone is walking the Norte later this year, likes climbing and still has the flexibility to add / change 3 or 5 days, this could be a fantastic walk.

https://memismscaminodelnorte.blogspot.com.es/2017/05/day-14-comillas-to-unquera-280km-725hrs.html

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Still enjoying your blog.

FYI, pants= pantalones, not pantaleon.
Pantaleon was a middle eastern martyr, born in an area n in Turkey.

Spaniards may have their quirks, but they have not named a saint after a garnment.

 

[norelle]

Michael,

I learned of the Camino Lebaniego when I met a Spanish couple at the albergue in Serdio who were walking that way.
They showed me their maps and guide. It did look beautiful. They said the stages were very short because of the steepness but there were albergues at every stop.
If I'm ever on the Norte again, I would make time to walk this!

buen camino

 

[peregrina2000]

Bummer. I passed by the breakoff to the Camino Lebaniego today. I only heard of it a few days ago. If anyone is walking the Norte later this year, likes climbing and still has the flexibility to add / change 3 or 5 days, this could be a fantastic walk.

https://memismscaminodelnorte.blogspot.com.es/2017/05/day-14-comillas-to-unquera-280km-725hrs.html

It is a nice two or three day walk to Potes and then on to the monastery at Santo Toribio. If you do decide to go back, Michael, you can just continue from Potes on the Camino Vadiniense, which will take you to Mansilla de las Mulas. It's another one of those solitary but very nice walks. The days after Potes are especially beautiful, the days before Potes a little less so, but still very nice.

This is a special year for the Lebaniego, they have some really spiffy websites with lots of information. https://www.caminolebaniego.com/inicio
It looks like they have re-opened the albergue at the monastery. It was closed when I was there, but pilgrims were allowed to spend two nights in Potes. The albergue is quite nice, in an old building that used to be a jail, I believe, but it is on the river. The extra night in Potes was nice because it gives you a day to head out to the monastery (about 2 1/2 km each way) and then have the day in Potes. The next day, if you are starting the Vadiniense, no need to go back to the monastery, the route just takes you alongside the road for a while.

 

[MichaelSG]

At dinner last night in the mini-palace in Villavicoisa, we met a French Pilgrim who told us that he was staying in the Hotel Carlos I for 20€ which seemed like a pretty good bargain. We were paying 44€ through booking.com. He told us that he stopped at the tourist office and that they had a program that any pilgrim could get a bed in any hotel in town for 20€. I was not able to verify this but if you're coming through there, keep that in mind. It didn't mean much to me but if i was alone and had a choice between staying in a former palace or an albergue...

 

[MichaelSG]

Some moderator just gave me a great laugh. I just got an alert that this thread was moved to a new forum called "Food on the Camino". It took me a minute to make the connection. I guess I really did use the word Paella in the title so I have no one to blame but myself. I just wonder what other threads are in the gastronomy section.

Milking the Camino for all its worth.
This demanding pilgrim got his just desserts.
It was a fruitful walk into Oviedo.
Combining the Norte with the Primitivo: Having your cake and eating it too.
In Santillana del Mar, I saw an angry pilgrim having a beef with the hospitalero.
Don't walk on crops. That's the farmers' bread and butter.

The mind wonders.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thank you for taking us along on your walk through your blog. So many stirred up memories, so many laughs.

Oh, the fruit thingy you were served in San Roman to go with a tostado was probably membrollo, or quince jelly. Often served together with cheese.