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Published: June 30th 2011
I had decided to come to Spain earlier than planned at the beginning of May 2011. More than partly of course to be reunited with Carolina who I had said goodbye to at the end of February after our southern India motor bike odyssey, but also because the thought of walking the Northern Camino across the top of Spain in late Spring before the heat and the crowds was an attractive proposition when laid against riding across India in the pre-monsoon heat.
There are many ‘Caminos’ in Spain, camino meaning ´the way´ or ´the road´. They are medieval spiritual (Catholic) pilgrimage routes ending in Santiago in the west top part of Spain (Galicia).
I had some misgivings due to the fact that I had just spent 15 months wearing Crocs in India, so that my feet were far from walk fit. I knew what I should have done during April, but it was just too dam hot and uncomfortable to both wear serious walking shoes and go walking to get used to them back in India. So I took my chances.
The entire Camino (and, as said, there are several routes) is about 900 klms starting from near
Donastia
Carolina. Taken from the fort on the left headland overlooking San Sebastian Donastiathe Spanish French border and would take a good solid month or more of daily trekking to complete in order to arrive at the holy destination of the Cathedral in Santiago. We quickly accepted that we were not going to do that! We hoped to spend up to three weeks and walk perhaps some 350 klms at least.
We took the train from Barcelona to San Sebastian Donastia, a pretty seaside resort city at the eastern side of Basque Country.
Basque Country is very nationalistic in terms of Basque separatism. The Euskadi Ta Askatasama (ETA Basque Homeland and Freedom movement) is infamous for its armed resistance and action against Franco’s repression since it’s formation in 1959, and then since the fall of Franco’s regime in 1975 against the Spanish State. Many Basque people believe that Spain is robbing Basque Country blind in taxes against disproportionate returns. Basque Country is demonstrably prosperous and is a beautiful countryside to behold. There is now less support for ETA, but it is still palpably obvious in some of the bars/cafes and evidenced in signage and nationalist flags. In Basque Country they have their own language (Euskera) and have resisted the push to adopt
Setting off
Outside the Pension at Donastia starting off our trek Spanish.
We walked about 25 klms on day one after two days staying in Donastia just taking in the views and atmosphere. I had to change from my Indian shoes to my Crocs for the last 10 klms just to allow some alternative stress and strain on my poor feet. We choose the comfort of Pensions (guest houses/ hotels) rather than the Albergues (Youth Hostels) for all but two of the nights on our Camino. Hm…., another point against our pure Camino experience where one stays in the cheaper hostels and mixes it with other Camino pilgrims.
Day two was a ridiculous 37 klms walk. Far too far and my feet were in a seriously poor state by the time we reached Makina. There was simply no option along the way to stay. We set out at about 7am and only got to Makina around 8.30 pm. Meeting Mexican Miguel on the way was a godsend (as you’d expect on a holy pilgrimage!) as his energy and vive helped us to keep going.
Still, we managed to walk the relatively short next day of 18 klms, although we cheated on the last 2 klms into Guernika by hitch-hiking
Basque coastline
Between Donastia and Getaria into town (shhhh!!).
Guernika is the village where Franco casually allowed the Germans and Italians to practice the new art of total warfare during the Spanish Civil War by bombing the place almost to oblivion (1937). Thankfully some of the old infrastructure survived, but the experience is indelibly engraved in the collective mindset of the locals and in the world via Picasso’s famous painting (called “Guernica”) depicting the event.
From Guernika we did a huge cheat and caught the train to Bilbao. A very good move I have to say (yes, my feet were very happy this day). We then took rest that afternoon and the next morning in Bilbao, taking in the amazing Guggenheim Museum building (I only needed to see the building, not the contents).
From Bilbao, we walked perhaps another 20 klms to the lovely port of Portugalete with its amazing hanging bridge (which is a World Heritage listed structure dating back to the 19th Century).
A shorter day (or was it also around 18 klms?) got us to Pobeña Beach. Here our only affordable (well , by personal criteria of course) was the Albergue, a small one room dorm where you could choose to
Countryside superb
On the LONG day to Makina leave a donation or not for the stay. The alarming fact about this Youth Hostel was that there were virtually no youth at all staying there! Full of old foggies like me (apologies to Carolina who is not at all an old foggie). We did find a Geriatric Retreat and I thought maybe we had all gone to the wrong place?
A highlight for me was Castro Urdiales which was an amazingly picturesque sea side city with a fabulous old church and fort set on the headland.
After another small cheat involving a bus we finally got ourselves out of Basque Country to Santander in Cantabria. Nice place but a pretty big city. We stayed a couple of nights and took ourselves on a picnic in one of the expansive parks.
One of the very visible things happening in all the cities we visited (and across the whole of Spain) was the ‘Indignatos’ movement (be indignant!) of mostly young people camping in the town squares, discussing all manner of issues they are not happy about in regards to the governance of Spain and Europe. It was impressive to see this energy and action. Certainly it is a
reflection of the fact that right now there is an economic crisis in Spain not seen for many years. Thousands have lost their jobs and the opportunities for students completing their studies have contracted significantly.
We had walked a whole 150 klms of the Northern Camino which I was happy about given my feet. So let’s just call it the Basque Country Camino OK? No pretense. Oh…. and with a little train trip, a small hitch hike and a bus included!
We did of course use the official Camino track signs (most significantly the hand painted yellow arrows) to guide us. These became referred to as ‘Camino Stuff’ along with the more formal shell shaped signage. Now whenever we see anything slightly resembling a yellow marking anywhere it is automatically ‘Camino Stuff’. We also prided ourselves on getting at least 8 official Camino stamps in our official Camino Passbook! The Bilbao one was a bit illegitimate perhaps, given that we had not walked at all to Bilbao from Guernika. But you do what ya gotta do sometimes! All good.
Some photographs here and you need to scroll through at the end to see them all.
For
full portfolio of pictures go to: https://picasaweb.google.com/pidgi81/CaminoDeSantiagoRutaDelNord
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Linda Mondy
non-member comment
Australia
Paul, I loved this blog. Steve and I have experienced the end point...the cathedral, the pilgrim mass with the swinging massive thing on ropes pulled by the Priests (can't remember its name). We had a beautiful 3 days in Santiago...loved the atmosphere, tapas, buskers in the cobbled square xx