Overview: The Coastal Route - Ruta de la Costa or Los Caminos del Norte
The route used by Christian pilgrims when Moslem domination had extended northwards and was making travel along the Camino francés difficult and dangerous. Sections of it were also used by those who arrived by sea at one of the northern Spanish ports. Much of the route follows the line of the old Roman road, the Via Agrippa.
This coastal route is becoming increasingly popular. In recent years pilgrims have been encouraged to walk this route as an alternative to the Camino Frances. This strategy has been successful and in the height of the summer the coastal route can now be very busy.
Castro Urdiales: the harbour with the church and the lighthouse (in a former Templar castle) in the background
The Route. After crossing the border from France, at Irún, the coastal plain is followed, usually as far as Galicia before turning inland towards Santiago. The main towns on the route are San Sebastián/Donastia, Bilbao, Castro Urdiales, Santander, Ribadesella, Gijón, Avilés, Luarca, Ribadeo, Mondoñedo, and Sobrado dos Monxes, joining the Camino francés at Arzua. Total distance from Irún to Santiago de Compostela 825 km (depending on route chosen).
Some pilgrims leave the coastal route at Villaviciosa to visit the largest Asturian monastery, and church of San Salvador (El Conventín), at Valdediós. They then continue to Oviedo where they join the Camino primitivo to Lugo.
Terrain. Essentially the route runs parallel to the sea, which means that there are numerous rivers to be crossed with the attendant descents and ascents that this implies. The cumulative height gained on some days is considerable. It is not easy. There are tremendous views in places but you may not have sight of the sea for many kilometres. There is a similar amount of road walking to the CF. The good walking sections make the journey worthwhile. There are some parts that enjoy a lot of mountain tracks, such as much of the walking from Irún to Bilbao.
Waymarking. Is good in most places, normally it is the usual yellow arrows and this is shared with the red and white stripes of a GR route (Sendero de Gran Recorrido) for some of the way.
In some areas way marking is excellent, such as Galicia and the Basque country, although in some areas of Cantabria directions are scarce.
Weather/When to go. The weather can be very changeable, ranging from a very good English summer to a very damp and cold English autumn. Along the coast it is very unusual to find the very hot dry conditions that are encountered on the meseta.
From the point of view of the weather, the best time to go is likely to be between May and late October. The route can be wet, at any time of year.
Accommodation. Coverage of the route with dedicated pilgrim accommodation has improved considerably over recent years, although, on some stretches of the route, there are still considerable distances between accommodation, with the inherent demands that this can make.
In general terms the further west along the coast you go, the better is the provision for pilgrims.
The north coast is very popular with Spanish holidaymakers. In the height of the summer season accommodation can be at a premium near some of the more popular tourist locations and so you must be prepared to be adaptable. A mat and sleeping bag are essential. There are some campsites in Asturias that will hire tents to pilgrims.
The growing popularity of the route means that (in the summer) aulbergues can be full. This is usually anticipated and hospitaliaros will advise you on alternative provision. Although, if need be, it is often possible to take a bus or train to accommodation (e.g. a city or town) and the same transport used to resume the route on the following day.
What to see. Some superb ecclesiastical architecture at numerous places; also some beautiful old bridges and other buildings. Many exciting old town centres, often in some of the most unlikely places e.g. Bilbao, Hondarribia, Avilés. A diversion into Oviedo is worth making, (good bus and train services from both Gijón and Avilés). Some superb coastal and mountain range views.
Guide books.
- Los Caminos del Norte (Pilgrim Guides to Spain # 4) Confraternity of Saint James. Detailed route description and accommodation where known. £5.00 each. Available in our Bookshop by following links from individual titles below. In the following parts:
Introduction (2004)
A: Ruta de la Costa, 1: Irún to Villaviciosa (2010). Update.
A: Ruta de la Costa, 2: Villaviciosa-Gijón-Arzúa (2010). Update.
B: The Tunnel Route (2010).Now available on-line. Update.
F: The Camino Primitivo (2010). Update. - El Camino de Santiago del Norte, by Paco Nadel and Fundación Caixagalicia. El Pais/Aguilar. ISBN: 84-03-50228-1. €19.90. The guide covers the route as far as Villaviciosa and then turns inland to the Camino primitivo. One of the few guides that crosses provincial boundaries. Can be bought at www.cervantes.com
- Dos Caminos a Santiago, A lavishly produced reprint in A4 format of the old spiral-bound guide. All the inaccuracies in the maps are still there but excellent for an overview with some good photographs. Can be obtained free by writing to the Bilbao Tourist Office, Paseo del Arena, 1 - 48005 Bilbao, Spain.
Pictures. For pictures of the Camino del Norte, visit our digital image gallery and the Pictures Pages of the Camino.
Discussion Forum. Visit the Camino de Santiago Forum to join in the current conversation.
Cyclists. Can be very good for touring cyclists and it is improving. New motorway building means that there are some almost deserted parallel roads with extremely good surfaces. There are a number of interesting off-road possibilities for all-terrain bicycle riders as well.
What’s it like ? It is different to the Camino francés.. It is a demanding and varied route, providing a rich variety of architecture, landscapes, culture, food etc. In the summer (especially mid/late July and August) it can be very busy with other pilgrims, holidaymakers and tourists.
Spanish. Without a fair grasp of the language you would be missing a lot but some people with little Spanish have thoroughly enjoyed the coastal route. Be prepared for the increasing use of the Basque form of place names in road and public signs in Guipuzcoa and Viscaya. We recommend the BBC's Get By In Spanish - a small slim book in 5 chapters, with a single cassette, or Talk Spanish, an expanded version of the above, with 2 cassettes or 2 CDs.
Websites. With maps and additional material
http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/los-caminos-de-santiago/del-norte/
http://www.jacobeo.net/
Updated by Chris Lennie. September 2011
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