Pilgrim walks in Comillas

The Camino del Norte (also called the Coastal Route) takes us from the French/Spanish border at the Bay of Biscay along the northern coast of Spain westwards, and then shortly before Santiago it merges into the Camino Francés.

16th of 30 stages on the Coastal Way, the Camino from Irún along the coast to Ribadeo Part 181 of my Camino from Saint Petersburg to Santiago de Compostela My adjacent routes: previous: Western Pyrenees / GR10 next: Camino del Norte

15th of 30 stages on the Coastal Route, the Way of St. James from Irún along the coast to Ribadeo Part 180 of my Way of St. James from Saint Petersburg to Santiago de Compostela My adjoining routes: previous: Western Pyrenees / GR10 next: Camino del Norte

The route of this stage runs through small villages full of interesting landmarks, such as Cigüenza or Cóbreces. You will continue through other small villages until you reach Comillas. There, you should not miss visiting its Pontifical University and Gaudí’s Capricho. We also recommend a guided visit to the palace, chapel-pantheon and park of Sobrellano, in neo-Gothic style and inspired by English buildings from the 14th century.

A new stage of this Northern Way to Santiago, longer than the previous ones, to reach Colombres in 29 km, or to split it into two, spending the night in San Vicente de la Barquera. Whether you continue or stop here, extending your trip by a day, the route will run through predominantly rural landscapes, with slopes that become steeper as we approach Asturias. After crossing the small Tina Menor estuary and the area of Unquera, you will quickly reach Colombres, where the architecture of the “Indiano” houses awaits you.

The route began with a stretch along low-traffic paved roads to Gerra; then, after descending to the coast, we walked a section of the “Pajaro amarillo” trail. We went down to the beach and walked along the shoreline (3.3 km) to the mouth of the San Vicente River. San Vicente de la Barquera, a small seaside resort town with a beautiful church and the starting point (Kilometer 0) of the Lebaniego/Vadiniense Way. We stayed at Hostel Nomada, which was nice, clean, and had everything we needed. The hostess was very kind and helpful.

Northern Way 2022 - Santa Cruz de Bezana - Muros de Nalón

Irun-Bilbao-Santander-Gijon-SDC-Muxia-Fisterra My Way of St. James 2016 via SDC to Fisterra Walked in 37 days A few very small sections are missing in the GPX. This happened when I forgot to record. I followed the route according to the Outdoor hiking guide. I chose many alternatives that were well described in the guide.

The first part of the route is on asphalt, followed by sections on dirt roads and trails. The stretch from the Bolao mill to Cobreces Beach is particularly beautiful and thrilling, with a narrow trail that overlooks the sea. Comillas is a charming medieval town with cobblestone streets and the beautiful Church of Santa Juliana. I stayed at the “La Magia del Camino” hostel, which was clean and well-maintained.

A morning of heavy rain from Comillas to San Vicente de la Barquera, the starting point of the Camino Lebabiego, and then a a short bus trip to Unquera, famous for its pies.  For more photos, see Angus & Sue's website