After walking the camino Primitivo, it was hard to choose which one to walk this time. The Primitivo the most beautiful and challenging hike I’ve done so far. (Yes, you may call me a beginner). Though parts crossing the Picos, with stunning views were my favorites. I walked the Camino Portuguese along the coast, and that was great too.
So combining those two things I loved most brings me to the Camino del Norte. It’s a mix of lovely coastal routes and hills with lovely fews. But I might not see those views, as I won’t be able to start in Irun. For more information about del Norte I watched some videos on Youtube. Doing this gave me an impression about the things I would see. And I use this guide: The Northern Caminos (The Norte, Primitivo and Inlgés routes) from Cicerone. Written bij Laura Perazzoli and Dave Whitson. I bought this planning my Primitivo, and it gave me a lot of information on paper.
Although you can always find information online, I just love to hold books and flip through the pages. I will surely bring it with me on this camino. You can also get a lot of information on the camino forum . And another site I love to use is Mundicamino. Here you can find everything about the albergues, where you can find your groceries, pilgrim meals, maps, and much more.
The Norte starts in Irun and follows the northern Spanish coast to the west all the way to Ribadeo, where it goes inland to Arzua and joins the camino Francais to Santiago. The total distance is about 820 km. I wont’t be able to walk the whole distance due to lack of time. So I have to decide where to start or where to end. Ending in Santiago I will be able to start Santander and Gijon. If this trip will take us to the end of the world, Finisterre, I will start in Gijon.
Well, as you see, I love to get a lot of information and love to plan this whole trip out. But you have to know, that nothing can be planned on a camino. You never know what wetter it will be, or how your feet will hold on. There might be a day you won’t be able to walk the distance you’ve planned, or you decide to walk a bit further than you’ve planned, because you just can’t stop walking. These thing you just don’t know on forehand. And that’s the best part of it. Just go where your feet take you and don’t forget to enjoy everything you see.
Is it April already?
duduwalks 