Pobeña to Castro Urdiales: 15 km Castro Urdiales to Liendo: 25 km “I’d forgotten this part of Camino life,” I wrote in my journal on the 9th day of walking. “When the magic becomes normal, the feeling that walking is the way that I live now. The steady pattern of walk-eat-sleep-repeat. Take care of your feet. … More Camino del Norte, Days 9-10: Cantabria
Larrebetzu to Pobena: 46 km Did we really walk 46 kilometers in a day? Of course not. This was the Day of The Shortcut. When Eric and I walked our first Camino, we were purists. The familiar mantra “Walk your own Camino” meant that it was meant to be walked, and I confess I felt … More Camino del Norte, Day 8: The Shortcut
Packing for a Camino always feels like a mix of research and guessing. Will I need this, or will it just add extra weight to my pack? Will I miss it? Can I wait and get it in France/Spain if I need it? When I walked the Camino del Norte this spring, my packing list … More 3 Camino del Norte Packing Essentials
Writing and publishing a book, I’m learning, does weird things to time. On one hand, it seems like I’ve been working toward the release of Walking to the End of the World forever (well, okay, three years). On the other hand, the days left before release are flying by. October 1 is just around the corner, and … More 2 Months to Release: An Update
Zenarruza to Guernica: 18 km; Guernica to Larrabetzu: 17 km If I’m ever going to finish the stories of Camino del Norte, I need to start combining days. And actually, when I think about the end of our first week, these two shorter-distance Camino walks had a lot in common. For thirty-five total kilometers, we … More Camino del Norte, Days 6-7: Basque Country
My summer is in its full “manic mode,” with work and pre-release book stuff and social engagements filling up every corner of the weeks, and travel every weekend, and my poor Camino del Norte story sitting neglected here on the blog. I’ll get back to it, I really will. But before that, I need to … More Beyond Even the Stars: A Visit With Kevin A. Codd
Bario Ibiri to Monasterio de Zenarruza: 27 km The final stretch of trail to Zenarruza was steep and paved in what’s called the “original road,” which may look pretty, but any Camino pilgrim will tell you is the absolute worst thing to walk on. Cobblestones are uneven, sinking over time into an ankle-breaking, knee-destroying obstacle … More Camino del Norte, Day 5: The Monastery
Zumaia to Bario Ibiri: 18km “I seem to be on a road, walking, greeting the hedgerows, the rose hips, the apples and thorn. I seem to be on a road walking, familiar with the neighbors, high-handed with cattle, smelling the sea, and alone.” Annie Dillard We woke to dry skies on Day 4, but the … More Camino del Norte Day 4: The Mud
San Martín to Zumaia: 16 km We woke up in a cow barn, walked on a beach, and fell asleep in a convent. Which, when I think about it, sums up a lot of the Camino del Norte in a single sentence. There are a lot of ways that pilgrims decide how far they will … More Camino del Norte, Day 3: The First Beach and Convent
Albergue Ulia to San Martín: 18 km After the delightful surprise of a sunny first day on the Camino del Norte, we woke on Day 2 to the sound of rain. This wasn’t much of a surprise; the Norte is notoriously wet – the price they pay for all of the dense green colors and … More Camino del Norte, Day 2: The Rain
