The Camino Del Norte

THE CAMINO DEL NORTE

This has been on our agenda since we walked some of the Camino Portuges last year.  We used the     The Cicerone Guide book to The Northern Caminos by Laura Perazzoli and Davie Whitson, but we could have done without it as the route was clearly way marked.  The plan was to start from San Sebastian, leaving the car, and walk a week of the Camino Del Norte, through the Basque country. 

Day 1 (the official day 1 route starts in Irun and goes to San Sebastian, but as we were already in San Sebastian we jumped ahead to the route for day 2)

San Sebastian to Getaria

(approx. 22 kms)

As luck would have it our hotel (Leku Edr) was located right on the path so it made for an easy start and saved us the climb out of San Sebastian.  Unfortunately we were both feeling very unfit.   The official day 2 route goes to Zarautz, but we were walking 2kms further to Getaria.  The route took us through rolling hills with views of the sea.  It was a very hot day.  There was a short stretch of main road before the town of Orio, which was unpleasant.  We arrived in the town of Orio in time for lunch – a baguette eaten with a chunk of cheese on a bench in the covered market area.  The climb out of Orio was hard in the afternoon heat, but the scenery was stunning.  Zarautz was a huge beach resort type town.  We stopped for a well-deserved beer and then pressed on via the coastal road to Getaria.  Getaria was lovely and lively.  We stayed in the hotel  Itxas Gain.  We had tapas, or Pintxos as it’s known in this region, washed down with the local Txakoli Wine. 

Day 2

Getaria to Deba

(Approx 22 kms)

Today’s walk was very pretty – views of sea and hills with a nice cooling breeze.  We saw some familiar faces from yesterday.  We stopped for a drink in the town of Zumaia, which was a nice town.  The path led through a wooded area with goats.  After a while we came out onto a road where there was a conveniently located bar.  Next there followed an ascent up to the small village of Itziar and then a long descent into the town of Deba.  We stayed at the Zumardi pension, which was very good value for money and we had a lovely room in the attic.

Day 3

Today we caught the bus because:-

• Storms were forecast
• Our hotel for the night was 17kms from the end of today's trail in the town of Lekeitio!
• I was suffering with sinusitis

Well that was our excuse and we’re sticking to it!  After waiting for an hour at the bus station we saw our bus go thundering by - it didn’t even slow down!  We realised we were waiting at the wrong bus stop!  In the end we decided to get on a bus to the town of Ondarroa and change there. The old town of Ondarroa felt a little sad and neglected.  To while away the time before the bus was due we took the coastal path, which ended in a forlorn memorial garden to those lost in the Spanish Civil war. Eventually the bus came and we arrived in the pretty coastal town of Lekeitio.  Unfortunately it was their fete weekend so we didn’t see the town at its best.     We stayed in the elegant Hotel Zubieta, which was just outside the walled town.  Nearby was a great Tibetan/Basque restaurant, Meson Arropain, where we ate fish soup followed by a fabulous monk fish dish.

Day 4

A rainy day so instead of taking a bus to the trail we took a bus to the town of Gernika!  We arrived in Gernika at midday, which gave us plenty of time to explore and to visit the famous Peace Museum.  I picked up an informative booklet from the helpful tourist office on the history of Gernika.  Gernika was destroyed in the Spanish Civil war by the Condor Legion of Nazi Germany’s Luftwaffe who were supporting Franco in his efforts to overthrow the Basque Government and the Spanish Republican Government.   On 26^th April 1937 Gernika was celebrating its market day like every other Monday of the year.  The bombing began at 16.30.  The bell of Santa Maria Church rang three times warning the population of the attack.  After flying over the village several times, the first plane dropped three explosive bombs.  It was to be the beginning of an uninterrupted bombing which ended around 19.30. 

A visit to the Peace Museum was very thought provoking, but left us feeling stunned and a bit flat. 

A visit to the Assembly House, the stained glass ceiling was incredible (my photo isn't great), and the Basque Museum provided some more insight into Basque culture.  We stayed at the Gernika Hotel.

Day 5

Gernika to Lezama

22kms approx.

For once we were on the trail at 9.15 and so didn’t see any other walkers all day.  After leaving Gernika the path zigzagged up through a forest.  The going was muddy after yesterday’s rain.   There was no refreshment stops along the way so we were glad we had saved our roll from breakfast.  The weather was misty and drizzly and I had to wear my poncho – not an attractive look!  It was a lovely walk mostly on twisting pathways through Eucalyptus and pine forests.  After 15.5 kms we arrived in Goikolexea, but the bar was closed!  From here the walk was along minor roads.  Another 1.4kms later we arrived in Larrabetzu where every other building seemed to be a bar and they were all open!  We arrived in Lezama at 4 where we stayed at a Tourismo Rural.  The town was en fete so after a quick shower we went to investigate.  There were trestle tables and a live Basque band.  We made our way to the make-shift bar to ask if we could buy a drink and some food.  There were lots of mutterings and smiles and then a huge cauldron was produced and reheated.  It was the most delicious tuna and potato stew I have ever eaten.  We were invited to take a place at one of the tables and made to feel very welcome.  Traditional rice pudding was produced along with sangria!  Any attempts to pay for the food were dismissed.  We learnt some more about the Basque culture.  The Basque language is very different from any other European Language and may have its routes in Asia.  It was an evening to remember.

Day 6

Lezama to Bilbao

Today’s walk was mostly along roads so we took a train and arrived in the vibrant city of Bilbao in time for a late breakfast of tortilla and a coffee. 

The Camino del Norte carries on from Bilbao for another twenty five days before reaching Santiago de Compostela, but that was it for us; at least for the time being.  We’re hoping to do some more of the route next year and maybe this time we will do more walking and less bussing!  Instead we spent the day exploring Bilbao and visiting the wonderful Guggenheim museum.  I was particularly taken with the “Bilbao puppy.”  Bilbao is a city I could return to.

Next stop was San Sebastian and then the Rioja region, which deserves a blog post of its own!