E9 coastal path

[AlanSykes]

I'm thinking of doing the Norte from a bit after Santander this autumn, and see, from people I respect like @peregrina2000, that the coastal path has less tarmac and gets you there just as well as the "official" path. I wondered whether it was well marked? Often the GR marking is excellent, but I can't find a website for the E9, which surprised me, and sometimes walking on sand is worse than tarmac. There's lots on wikiloc, but we all know that wikiloc is as good as the person making it, which in my case is often not very. Any views?

 

[Tia Valeria]

Much of the official path is now on the E9, due to roadworks which have cut the original path. If you invest in the CSJ guide to the 'Norte A Bk I Irun to Villaviciosa', I think it gives the directions (maybe as an alternative) on the E9.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Alan,
My comments date back to my 2006 walk on the Norte, and Tia's update sounds like you won't have as many choices as we did. What I remember was that we would always come to a well-marked bifurcation, one way Camino, one way E-9, and we always took the E-9 and it always took us back to the Camino.

Sounds like a delightful autumn walk. I think the walk into Llanes and out of Tapia were two of the most beautiful of a lot of beautiful coastal parts! But the days before Santander, especially before Bilbao, are beautiful as well. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[danielefumagalli60]

Hi Alan
we were on the caminodelnorte till last week. We often met and walked on E9 route, which is also walked by local people. You can follow them, if needed you can ask them, and you will see very beautifull landscapes. Be aware that in order to avoid that cows go wherever they like, you could find
some gate closed by farmers. Don't worry, passthrough y buen camino!

 

[Kanga]

We often walked on the E9, sometimes criss-crossed it, sometimes were given a choice of walking on it or the Camino path - and often chose the E9. In some places it would be very hard to bike but usually you would have an alternative.

 

[angulero]

Sendas costeras en Asturias. El problema es que alguna rodea mucho, al ir bordeando la costa, y por eso no se utilizan como alternativa.

Sobre las portillas que cierran las fincas, si las abres para pasar y las vuelves a cerrar, no tienen por qué decirte nada. Lo malo es que hay gente que no las cierra y se escapa el ganado. Por eso, a veces, te puedes encontrar carteles como este.

In this link are the coastal paths in Asturias. The problem is that a lot around, to go along the coast, and therefore are not used as an alternative.

Closing hatches on the farm, if you open the back to pass and closing do not have to say anything. The trouble is that some people do not escape the closed and livestock. So sometimes you can find posters like this.

http://www.turismoasturias.es/descubre/naturaleza/rutas/sendas-costeras

 

[Tia Valeria]

.....and for those who don't speak Spanish Angulero's notice reads.
Warning:
If it seems to you that you are able to cross the field in 8 minutes, my bull 'Bringo' can do it in 4.



ie keep to the path.......

 

[AlanSykes]

Thanks for the help, sounds as if it's a bit pick and mix between E9 and camino. My mouth is watering at the prospect of 350km along the coast in Asturias, especially as I've never previously set foot there. But I will steer (sorry) clear of Bringo the Toro.