Norte elevations

[Kiwi-family]

I have read that the Norte is much more hilly than the Frances. How does this route compare to the day going up to O'Cebreiro on the CF and the next day too (which personally, I think was more demanding than the O'Cebreiro day)? Are the climbs similar in "intensity"? Are they more frequent? Is there ever any flattish walking on the Norte or is it all either up or down?

 

[lovingkindness]

Hello Kiwi, if you would like to check the profiles for suggested daily stages on el Norte, the http://www.mundicamino.com site provides profiles with an English translation.

Here's the profile for Hendaye to San Sebastien:http://www.mundicamino.com/ingles/r...uees=Trazado / Perfil&ingquees=Line / Outline

There are definitely some strenuous moments from Irun until Bilbao. But very beautiful. If one starts a few days earlier in, say Biarritz and hikes the coastal path it becomes an awesome experience [Sentier du Littorale, notes elsewhere on the Forum].

Cheers,

 

[MikeJS]

Its not so much the individual climbs that makes the Norte more strenuous its more the fairly repetitive ups and downs. Few on the Norte are high they just keep coming.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We liked the Gronze site for the elevations etc on the Camino Primitivo.
Here is their link for the Norte
http://www.gronze.com/camino-de-santiago/camino-del-norte.htm
Also, as said elswhere, the CSJ guides are good for distances and general information. New guides for this route are due out early next year. We are waiting for the updated version.
Buen Camino

 

[MikeJS]

Personally, I would not waste my money on the CSJ guides unless you want to spend the whole Camino with your head in the book reading every step! I found the Spanish tourist book of the Norte to be good enough to get on the right tracks - although like most there are a few errors!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Guides may not be everyones choice, but it isn't really fair to call them a waste of money.
We never had our heads in the book, but read it before we left home, took the relevent sections with us, read it each evening to plan the next day and where needed to book accomodation for next night. If in doubt about the route we could look at the guide, we kept it in a map case for ease of use. No way was it a waste of money for us and we will be buying the updated (2013) version when it comes out; ours is 2007 so in need of an update now.
We are trying to find information for the GR section between Llanes and Covadonga and it is not easy with just the tourist type of info, not even the GR online guide to this section is really enough.

 

[mikevasey]

The early sections of the Norte are quite tough, like mikeian said the climbs just keep coming. The beauty of it compensates for this, there isnt too much road walking until you get too bilbao then it builds up for the way to santander and after it. I have never used the CSJ guide, i dont have any particular reason for not using it, and have heard mixed reviews about it , like you have seen in the replies to your post. There is new guide in english coming out in the new year for this route, you may have seen the post from the author in the Norte topics, ive got a feeling its going to a good one. The early sections of the Norte are very busy people have heard of its beauty and it makes for a natural 1 week walk from irun to bilbao.The walk from deba to markina was about the most beautiful i have encountered on any of the routes, a higher walk along natural path in forests. However the trudge out of santander in pouring rain on busy roads next to industrial complexes balances out the beauty. It is a challenging route, not just because of the toughness of the early stages for a starter.

 

[TerryB]

However the trudge out of santander in pouring rain on busy roads next to industrial complexes balances out the beauty.

Having walked out of Santander once, I would not want to do it again! Far better to hop onto the FEVE (meter gauge railway) and ride out to Barreda. Trains every half hour or so. The station is right on the Camino, just walk out of the gate and turn right. Cuts off about 20 k of walking on pavimiento!
From Barreda it is only 6.5k to Santillana del Mar and the cave museum at Altamira. An early start from Santander would leave plenty of time to visit the museum in the afternoon.
Once you are past Santander the hills are somewhat like the last part of the Francés! You are crossing the river valleys at sea level, then climbing up again (and down again . . .)

Blessings on your planning
Tio Tel

 

[Kiwi-family]

Thanks so much for all that help. I've got something to play with now.
I have a little plan which requires walking 1000km. Googlemaps roughly estimates Bordeaux to Fisterre via Gijon and Santiago (of course!) to be 1,021km. That means I could take the FEVE out of Santander and still cover 1000km!

Off to look at those elevations and compare the different sites. A preliminary squiz at them makes me think there is nothing *too* strenuous (remembering I live in a city of 30 volcanoes and have to do at least a 200m ascent/descent to get anywhere from my house every time I walk out the front door!)

 

[jprogers]

Hi kiwi -from another kiwi- I can see you are already planning another trip. As everyone has pointed out the Camino Norte it is quite strenuous at the beginning but it is a beautiful walk. I found the first day from Irun very hard but it is amazing what a good nights sleep does..so it was onwards and upwards. By the time you get to Galicia you can almost run up the hills because by then...you are quite fit. We walked in June 2009 and had great weather. We also took the train out of Santander plus we took the metro in Bilbao to Portulaguete. Actually we got lost just before Bilbao -because I was chief navigator at the time- but luckily we stumbled across a train track ..so we caught the train into Bilbao Regards Jill

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I live in a city of 30 volcanoes and have to do at least a 200m ascent/descent to get anywhere from my house every time I walk out the front door!)

Yes, I have just spent 24 hours in that fair city. It only took one of those little climbs in the city to quickly show me how much of my Camino fitness I have already lost!!
Margaret

 

[Tia Valeria]

Thanks so much for all that help. I've got something to play with now.
I have a little plan which requires walking 1000km. Googlemaps roughly estimates Bordeaux to Fisterre via Gijon and Santiago (of course!) to be 1,021km. That means I could take the FEVE out of Santander and still cover 1000km!

Off to look at those elevations and compare the different sites. A preliminary squiz at them makes me think there is nothing *too* strenuous (remembering I live in a city of 30 volcanoes and have to do at least a 200m ascent/descent to get anywhere from my house every time I walk out the front door!)

If it is distance you are aiming for and you are not afraid of hills you could try the Norte route, round to Oviedo and then onto the Primitivo. Also on Gronze and in CSJ guides. (This might make the distance too short)
Another alternative would be the Norte until it turns south past Ribadeo; continue along the coast and then turn south to where it now joins the Camino Inglés. However I would not be happy personally taking children on this route (Inglés).

[Edit] I have found my link to the Camino del Mar
http://www.lugocamino.com/camino-del-mar
from Ribadeo westwards

 

[TerryB]

Is there ever any flattish walking on the Norte or is it all either up or down?

Fret not! There is some flat walking although not all that much. If you like the sea then in places you can walk on the beach (it can lead to the skin on your feet softening and blisters next day so take care)
Two places among others that come to mind:-

These are before and after Ribadesella
Blessings on your planning
Tio Tel

(edit)- I should have said the second photo is of course looking back down the Camino!
When walking keep the sea on your right!!!!

 

[mikevasey]

I have a little plan which requires walking 1000km

On my last camino I started at place called Parentis on the Voie Littoral, on my 2nd day I passed through a place called Mimizan it has a large model scallop shell with a plaque underneath reading 1000km to Santiago de Compestella it is next to an old church of St James and in the area used to be a Bendictine monastery providing shelter for pilgrims http://www.fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/voie_de_soulac. There is accommodation along the route at 10 euros per person per night if you ring in advance usually more than 1 day. The CSJ provide an excellent guide which for detailed information is about the best I have used, a big thanks to that author.

If you want to catch the train out of Santander you will still be able to do around 1000km of walking, in fact you can avoid santander, you can walk from Guemes to the coastal cliff path, then get the ferry from Somo which will drop you off first further along the same side of the coast before crossing to Santander, from there you can walk to Astillero which has an albergue which is on the alternative route to going through the large city. I have not walked from there but there is marked arrows leading you back to the main route about 26 km out of Santander, I read LK'S blog and I know that she ended back up going into Santander, and that is the difficulty of this route, finding out information about the alternative arrows, I think the oirganisation Jubilar Cantabria may be able to do it.

Buen Camino

Mike

 

[Kiwi-family]

However I would not be happy personally taking children on this route (Inglés).

THanks for that advice. My wee scheme does not involve any children! (so either it will be in the distant future or I'll be leaving them to fend for themselves for two months!)
Actually, it *could* include kids, but they would have to have proved themselves capable of walking 30km a day for a week before leaving home. My guess (from what I observed on our little camino) is that means they will need to be at least 12 years old and put in a few hours at home first.
Our just-ten-year-old did the climb to O'Cebreiro, then 21km to Triacastela the next day, then 25km (due to losing the way!) to Sarria the following day and that night his legs died as we sat at dinner! He was right in the morning, but we took a rest day - I dont think he'd have managed another 25km! Our youngest is six, so if she's to come, this plan would be at least six years away. No trouble dreaming though (and you never know, I might be able to sneak away and do it on my own)

KiwiNomad - if you see someone walking round town on Saturday with Pacerpoles, that will be me. I'm planning on walking my first "marathon" and will go from my place out west, into the city, along the waterfront and home again. Sans children.