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, weContinue reading “Camino del Norte, Days 6-7: Basque Country”
Tag Archives: Basque hiking
Camino del Norte Day 4: The Mud
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 theContinue reading “Camino del Norte Day 4: The Mud”
Camino del Norte, Day 3: The First Beach and Convent
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 willContinue reading “Camino del Norte, Day 3: The First Beach and Convent”
Camino del Norte, Day 2: The Rain
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 andContinue reading “Camino del Norte, Day 2: The Rain”
Camino del Norte, Day 1: Irun to San Sebastian
There are some days on the Camino de Santiago that, when you look back, seem to fill a week’s worth of experiences and stories. First days are often like this – the trail is new and every yellow arrow or red-and-white marking is exciting, every hilltop view or medieval town is a surprise. The firstContinue reading “Camino del Norte, Day 1: Irun to San Sebastian”