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Camino del Norte
  • Michael Sheehy
  • Michael Sheehy

Camino del Norte

Bike trip across the north of Spain Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 20, 2021
    Michael SheehyCamino del NorteTraveler

    Irún

    June 20, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Pre-camino day! Vuelinged into Irún airport from Barcelona, got some funny looks as I strolled out with a big box and proceeded to mount my bike beside some rubbish containers.

    The heavens opened up, and I set off for an leisurely ride around Irún and Hondarribia following the Camino from the French border. No wine coming out of the fountains yet!

    All around me reminds me of home, even if it's 10 degrees warmer!

    But damn, the pinxos are perfect energy for the soul! Did you know Txantxangorri in Basque is Robin Redbreast?    Read more

  • Michael SheehyCamino del NorteTraveler

    Camino 1: Irún - Itziar

    June 21, 2021 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Well, I will feel that one in the morning! Leaving Irún was incredible this morn climbing up into the ridged hill outside of town to take me all the way to Pasaia just outside San Sebastián.
    Pasaia is a beautiful cobbled village adjacent to the sea and has a nice 2min boat to ferry you to the other side for quick access to Donostia.

    Then a quick passing by Donostia/San Sebastián/Surfers paradise, whatever you call it, before heading up into the hills again.

    Beautiful farmhouses and country lanes following the Camino. Some difficult and interesting terrain, a bit challenging for the gravel but still great fun and really remote.

    Next stop Orio, but disappointed as it's nothing to do with small round chocolate American biscuits.

    Then into Zarautz and onwards to the Zumaia/Deba region with a national park dedicated to unique flysch rock formations by the coast. Best seen at low tide.

    Aiming for Deba, but heavens opened up, plus lightening and hail, so checked into Itziar for the eve.

    Soundtrack: Horslips    Read more

  • Michael SheehyCamino del NorteTraveler

    Camino 2: Itziar - Gerekiz

    June 22, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Oh, the weather outside is frightful!

    An hour of intermittent sun 🌞⛅ to start the day, and then several shades of grey 🌧️ all day. Last view of the Flysch rock formations leaving Deba, and opted for the coastal route on the bike to Markina as the oficial Camino would have been impossible by bike today.
    Had to visit St. Michael's in Markina to see the rocks the ermita was built around. Then on to Guernica, the town which gave the name to Pablo Picassos famous painting 🎨 currently in the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid. The painting depicted the devastating bombing of the city in 1937. Saw a nice mural of the painting and then the Tree of Guernica and people's park, both very nice.
    But I was soaking wet so had to keep moving, had hot lentejas for lunch with some Dorado 😋, and then off to an Albergue about 10km outside town on the way to Bilbao.

    Morning Soundtrack:
    Song of the Sea by Lisa Hannigan

    Some electropop to get me through the rain 🌧️ without windscreen wipers!:
    Blue Monday by New Order
    I feel love by Donna Summers
    Running up that hill by Kate Bush
    and some Kitsune Maison to keep the tempo up!    Read more

  • Michael SheehyCamino del NorteTraveler

    Camino 3: Gerekiz - Castro Urdiales

    June 23, 2021 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    Well, the heavy rain woke me three times last night, or else it was the lentil stew I had for lunch😋, only the guy I shared the dorm with will know🤷🏼.
    Anyway, on the road at 6.30am today, it was beautiful up in the mountain mist and fog at that hour. Stayed off most of the Camino with the rain. Morning coffee in Larabetzu, tough climbing up through some rural woods, but stayed "dry-ish" until descent into Zamudio.

    Morning traffic wasn't very nice, and just after starting the climb over to Bilbao, I had to turn back off the Camino as there was a river coming down against me. Found another way up, but Google maps was nudging me onto a motorway. I said screw this, and found some beautifully steep hills before down into Bilbao Baggins.

    Stamp in tourist office, whistlestop tour of Guggenheim, over the cable bridge near Portugalete and back to the beautiful coastline all the way up to Castro Urdiales.

    Soundtrack: the Stone Roses, Joy Division, Pixies, and lots of Interpol!    Read more

  • Michael SheehyCamino del NorteTraveler

    Camino 4: Castro Urdiales - Santander

    June 24, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Lovely day in Cantabria, stayed on the Camino for some more challenging terrain, but rewarded with some beautiful coastline and mountain routes.

    Took two boat crossings today in Laredo at the end of the beach strip and later on in the day to arrive in to Santander.

    My heel was getting quite sore, so I chilled out in Santander cycling around the coastline and staying up near the beaches.    Read more

  • Michael SheehyCamino del NorteTraveler

    Camino 5: Santander - Llanes

    June 25, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Another beautiful northern city is Santander! Had a nice evening up by the beach's at the tip...washing my bike in a public park and trying to get km's of grit out of the chain😅

    Learned what Achilles tendonitis is! So got some Kinesio-tape, watched a few YouTube videos and viola, like Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder, I was an expert. Leg taped up and I decided to give it some shock therapy by exposing to 110km of Camino!

    It was a beautiful day so just kept on pedalling, and the towns and scenery from Cantabria to Asturias did not disappoint!

    To top it off, I got into Llanes and walked into a Sidrería, and had me some fine Asturian cider and pulpo, the real reason I'm up here. The owner Antonio was in Ireland five times, but the time I left we were practically neighbours!

    Put my feet in the Atlantic today for the first time in a long time.    Read more

  • Michael SheehyCamino del NorteTraveler

    Camino 7: Oviedo - Luarca

    June 27, 2021 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    Came back to the north coast today from Oviedo, long day again, but a vast variety of terrain. Mainly asphalt, but some interesting fire roads, cobblestone, single tracks and hiking trails - all great fun.
    Really cool way to finish up today coming in to Luarca, a really nice fishing village - and some Fabada to build up energy reserves! Galicia tomorrow!    Read more

  • Michael SheehyCamino del NorteTraveler

    Camino 8: Luarca - Ribadeo

    June 28, 2021 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Was not a day for photos...good thing my phone is still waterproof.

    Head down, pull hard on the ball. Not sure if the Asturians were pissed off I was leaving, or the Galicians were letting me know what was coming, but either way they did the kind job of letting me know my pannier bags were not completely waterproof. Thanks!Read more

  • Michael SheehyCamino del NorteTraveler

    Camino 9: Ribadeo - Sobrado

    June 29, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Incredible, thought I was getting sick of it, but it was just the cold, driving, blistering, miserable rain from yesterday.
    Today was so good, I couldn't get off the bike, so many great things with the good weather: got a stamp from the cathedral in Mondoñedo and the monastery in Dos Monxes.
    So then in Mondoñedo this man Carlos who was bored with his bus tour walks up to ask me about the biking, and wait for it: he turned out to be the husband of Rosi, who is the aunt of Victor. So I know Victor as he is the wife of Estelia, who is the daughter of the previous mayor of Alcazar de San Juan, who is good friends with my Ana (also from Alcazar), and we met them in Chile in 2015. It all made sense in the moment, and we are pretty much best buds!

    After that a horrible climb that never ended until a wind farm, and then when I parked up this eve I met two guys who have done the same route the last week on the same bikes. Albeit a bit quicker than me, but typical that I meet them a day before Santiago! All in all a great day!    Read more

  • Michael SheehyCamino del NorteTraveler

    Camino 10: Sobrado - Santiago

    June 30, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    After 10 beautiful days, I reached Santiago. Didn't regret a minute, in fact, coming into Santiago today was the saddest part, as it felt it was ending all of a sudden.
    Really appreciated the hospitality of all the people I met that are lucky enough to live in Pais Vasco, Cantabria, Asturias, and Galicia.
    Today was a very quick day, I had lots of excitement to burn off on the way in
    to Santiago!

    10 days, 858km, 14.6km climbing and has given me a hunger for more!    Read more

    Trip end
    June 30, 2021