Day 5: Saint-Gaudens to Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges I am my own worst enemy. I was supposed to walk 22km, but ended up doing almost 30km, as I chose a different route that added 5km, and then walked a 3km diversion for lunch (which is the positive way of saying that I missed a turn and didn’t realise before I was close to…
Day 2: Muret to Carbonne Today it was hot. 11C when I left at 8.00, 33C when I arrived at the hotel at 16.30 after 34km and over 1.000m elevation – before even reaching the Pyrenees. I left Muret without seeing a statue for Clement Ader, despite seeing several other statues of (very) historic people (men). Walking back towards the…
Day 1: Toulouse Airport to Muret A long first day, with a 7am flight from Copenhagen, leaving Toulouse airport by 10.30. The first five days follow the Garonne river from Toulouse towards its source in the Spanish Pyrenees. In total the river runs 529km with its mouth at the Gironde estuary, north of Bordeaux, I will be walking ca. 150km along…
Ribadeo to A Coruna – Conclusion/Hotel list My overall conclusion is that this is a fabulous walk. This is the ultimate alternative route on the Camino del Norte, staying on the coast after Ribadeo and joining the Camino Ingles in Ferrol for those wishing to walk to Santiago. The views are spectacular, the signage excellent, at least whilst still on the Ruta…
Day 23: Pontedeume to A Coruna My last day before flying home and the day I missed a turn and walked almost 2 kilometers before realising and having to walk back. Typical on my last day and typical on the hottest day so far. I slept well, and went to one of the four bars in the town square to eat…
Day 22: Valdovino to Pontedeume My legs were tired as I walked to the bar for breakfast, not a great sign with ca. 35km to walk, for the most part along roads passing through Ferrol, before joining the Camino Ingles and meeting other walkers. I left at around 9am, after the customary, coffee, toast and juice breakfast. It was pretty…
Day 21: San Andres de Teixdo to Valdovino For the very last time on this trip, I’m writing this waiting for my clothes to be washed and dried. It’s ca. 6pm, and I haven’t even reached this evenings hotel. Last night at the excellent Casa Rural in San Andres, I slept badly. No idea why, it was an excellent bed and it was…
Day 20: Ortigueira to San Andres de Teixdo Legend has it, that if you don’t visit the church at San Andres de Teixdo whilst alive, you will eventually do so after your death, as a tormented soul or as a reptile or insect. I didn’t want to take any chances so here I am, after passing the highest point of my walk to…
Day 18: Celeiro to O Vicedo I’m running out of superlatives for this part of my walk along the coastline of the Cantabrian Sea. Anybody walking the Camino del Norte and wishing that they’d seen more of the coastline, should just continue straight on at Ribadeo instead of going inland. Another great day with view after view after view. Todays walk…
Day 17: San Cibrao to Celeiro Although the elements were against it being a great walk, today was fabulous. Today’s challenges started as soon as I was up – no breakfast, no bars along the way until 2km before my destination, 28km, 1.000m in ascent – it was constantly up and down – and finally at least 30 rain showers, non…
Day 16: Foz to San Cibrao Back at the laundry to wash my walking clothes. If you’ve read more than a couple of my posts, you know that it isn’t something I love doing, but it needs to be done. It helps that it is pouring down outside, so there would be little else to do anyway. I slept well, apart…
Day 15: Rinlo to Foz A song from my youth, “So Close Yet So Far Away” by the Strawbs came to mind today. I was less than 200m from today’s destination, Foz, but still had to walk 12kms to get there. After a very nice breakfast, served with a stunning 270 degree view of the coast and surrounding countryside, I…
Day 14: Tapia de Casariego to Rinlo Today was my last half a day on the Camino del Norte. Whilst pilgrims on their way to Santiago walk inland, I will continue along the coast following the Ruta Natural del Cantabrico to Ortigueira and the Costa Gallega/Camino Ingles to A Coruna. The rain had stopped and I woke up to a mostly cloudy…
Day 13: Villapedre to Tapia de Casariego Not a great day for walking. Not only was it a below average stage, 30kms, next to no coast, lots of farmland and lots of road, if you add, that it rained for most of the last 20kms, and I couldn’t find my headphones, it was far from a great day. It was also the…
Day 12: Cadaveau to Villapedre I think that this morning’s walk was probably the best so far with great views along the coast on an alternative route to the Camino route, the Ruta de la Cangrexa. This afternoon was so-so. I walked all day in glorious sunshine, which of course always helps. Breakfast was typical Spanish, well at least all…
Day 11: Cudillero to Cadaveau The weather was back to its beautiful best, sunny, some clouds and temperatures around 15 degrees, perfect for one of the most strenuous days with 34km and over 1000m in elevation. I left Cudillero in the peace and quiet of a Sunday morning, next to nobody around. Very different than when I’d gone to bed…
Day 10: Aviles to Cudillero There are days to remember, and days to forget. Often the days to forget are the ones you remember. I have never before been so wet when walking. Until today, given I am on the Spanish northern coast, notorious for changing weather and rain, I’ve been lucky. On previous days it has rained but nothing…
Day 9: Gijon to Aviles I was stopped five times today by strangers, including the police, during a stage that didn’t have a lot to offer, but Aviles had a surprise. I am writing this in my hotel room watching the rain fall and a lot more is expected to fall. According to an average of my weather apps, 50mm…
Day 8: Villaviciosa to Gijon With breakfast at 7.30, and after a good chat with a German walker staying at the hotel, I was on my way by 8.10. It was interesting to hear his reasons for walking, to put a stressful daily routine behind him, recharge his batteries and as a time for reflection. He preferred to walk alone.…
Day 7: Colunga to Villaviciosa Not a lot to tell about today, met a number of fellow walkers and a Spanish guy spoke Swedish to me. Today was the shortest day of walking on this trip, 18km. Last night I read that there was a dinosaur museum close to Colunga, that would have added 5-6 km to my walk to…
