Options for 6 more days after Irun to Bilbao

[E0in]

Hi all,

I'm walking Irun to Bilbao in April and really looking forward to it.

I might have an extra six days to play with after arriving in Bilbao, I plan on going with the flow at the time but I was wondering: What options would people throw in to the mix? Do a few days of another Camino? Continue the Norte? Go to Sarria and finish the CF? Lie on the beach?

Open to ideas!

 

[Marc S.]

My idea is not very original, but I would just suggest to keep it simple and just keep on walking the Norte. You will probably get to around Santander, which makes for a pleasant walk, including the opportunity to stay in the albergue at Guemes, cross the rather special bridge at Portulagete, lie on beaches, eat more seafood, etc etc. Happy planning!

 

[trecile]

Hi all,

I'm walking Irun to Bilbao in April and really looking forward to it.

I might have an extra six days to play with after arriving in Bilbao, I plan on going with the flow at the time but I was wondering: What options would people throw in to the mix? Do a few days of another Camino? Continue the Norte? Go to Sarria and finish the CF? Lie on the beach?

Open to ideas!

Those all sound like great ideas!
If you continue on the Norte, in 6 days you can easily reach Santander.

 

[tjz]

@Marc S. is that special bridge the Puente Colgante? We will be there in March and don't want to miss any highlights. Thanks!

 

[Marc S.]

@Marc S. is that special bridge the Puente Colgante?

Yes, it is indeed. Some people do not like to walk from Bilbao to Portulagete, as it is a bit industrial, but I found the bridge crossing a nice reward.

 

[AJGuillaume]

I would continue on the Norte... There's plenty to see after Bilbao, as suggested by others.

 

[Shinobi42]

After one additional stage you may reach Pobeña (round about 22 km from Bilbao) with a nice beach. Tomorrow at 9:00 CET I will publish an article about that in my blog. With Güemes (a legendary albuerge) and Santillana del Mar (beautiful town, a tourist magnet, I would recommend to stay in the convention) on your last day you would reach two highlights of the Camino de la Costa.

 

[oursonpolaire]

Santillana del Mar, perhaps too much of a Disneyland for my taste, has the admirable Santander Diocesan Museum, which contains wonderful treasures of the Romanesque and mediaeval periods. In the 1970s and 1980s, as vans drove up to parish churches to take their artwork off to dealers, it was decided to move them to central places where they could be restored and protected from this thievery. The diocesan museum is worth a stop and gives us an insight into the vigour of life and religion in northern Spain of the past. If you don't get that far, another time.

 

[E0in]

Great insights, thank you all!

I'm definitely coming round to the idea of continuing the Norte - I had expected it to perhaps be an anti-climax after the Irun-Bilbao stretch but that clearly isn't a given.

As I said, I'll go with the flow at the time but it's great to have these options.

 

[lt56ny]

Hi all,

I'm walking Irun to Bilbao in April and really looking forward to it.

I might have an extra six days to play with after arriving in Bilbao, I plan on going with the flow at the time but I was wondering: What options would people throw in to the mix? Do a few days of another Camino? Continue the Norte? Go to Sarria and finish the CF? Lie on the beach?

Open to ideas!

Definitely stay on the Norte. You have already walked the toughest part and are acclimated to all the ups and downs. It is still a beautiful camino with spectacular views and you can definitely make it to Santander in 6 days. You even have time if you want to take a rest day in a really beautiful city with that fantastic Guggenheim Museum. I took a rest day to see it but alas I arrived Sunday night. When I woke up and went to the Museum I found that Mondays the museum as well as just about everything else is closed. I still had a really relaxing day.

 

[pelerine]

Yes, it is indeed. Some people do not like to walk from Bilbao to Portulagete, as it is a bit industrial, but I found the bridge crossing a nice reward.

You can avoid the industrial areas between Bilbao and Portugalete by crossing to the other (right) side of the river and just walk along the river all the way....

 

[easygoing]

Here's another opinion. I'm walking the same 7 days and spending an extra day in Bilbao. My first idea was to take transportation to the start of the Primativo and walk to Santiago.
But I miss the Francis and the familiar places so I was going to take transportation to Burgos, it's a short bus ride, and walk towards Santiago. Don't laugh but my final plan is to fly to Santiago and walk the route backwards.
I am doing this because I have a spanish friend in Pamplona that I I'm going to meet and we are going to walk most of the Camino Baztan together at the end of my trip.
My whole plan saves me a 8 hour
bus or train trip back to Pamplona.
Not sure if any of this has anything to do with your situation but just letting you know there are lots of options to consider. But mostly I answered because I love talking about, planning and dreaming about the Camino.
Have a good trip.

 

[trecile]

You can avoid the industrial areas between Bilbao and Portugalete by crossing to the other (right) side of the river and just walk along the river all the way....

That's the way that I went, and it's 4 km shorter.

 

[jprogers]

Yes continue on from Bilbao. My favourite part was from Bilbao to Santander. Castro urdiales a favourite town...and then amazing views before Laredo.