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The ground behind you: what the walk into Deba crosses, and where it could have been broken.
Tomorrow from Deba
Nothing says you have to stop here, or there. These are simply the towns within a comfortable day's walk, so you can decide tonight.
| Town | km from here | Shared | Private | The walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ibiri Auzoa | 4.9 | ✓ Yes | — No | |
| Markina-Xemein | 23.9 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from Deba to Markina-Xemein |
| Bolibar | 30.1 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from Deba to Bolibar |
| Monasterio de Zenarruza | 31.4 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | The walk from Deba to Monasterio de Zenarruza |
Deba marks the end of the coastal walking. Wave goodbye to the sea — it won't return for 80 km, until the approach to Bilbao. Worth knowing as you take one last look at the beach.
The town is built on steep terrain, steep enough that public elevators have been installed to connect the upper and lower levels. The Ermita de San Roque, on the hillside above town, is the first thing you see on the descent in — historically, it marked Deba as a boarding point for pilgrims arriving by sea to begin the overland walk to Santiago.
The Iglesia de Santa María la Real, down in town, has a remarkable Gothic portal with detailed stone carvings that have survived the centuries better than you'd expect in a coastal climate. The cloister is worth a look. Several municipal buildings and even the bridge out of town show unexpectedly fine stonework for a place this size.
Bars and restaurants line the compact center. The beach is broad and popular in summer. The train station provides connections along the Basque coast.
Wave goodbye to the sea. It will be exactly 80km before it returns into view in Bilbao. Between here and there are several mountainous stretches.
San Roque is celebrated from the 14th to the 18th of August.
Deba was once a significant port, busy enough to receive pilgrims arriving by sea who began their overland journey to Santiago from the Ermita de San Roque. The town's medieval wealth shows in its architecture — particularly the elaborate portal of Santa María, which speaks to a community with means and ambitions beyond its modest size.
The camino and the GR-121 alternate route meet in Deba near the ermita. The camino crosses the river along a footbridge near the train station and on the opposite bank turns right. A short distance later it crosses the road and just beyond that it turns left, going upwards once again along a combination of well marked roads and paths.Keep to the marked camino at this point, ignoring all other trails until you reach the Galbario Ermita.
Esta entidad ha sido beneficiaria de una ayuda del Programa de incentivos a la movilidad eficiente y sostenible (MOVES III), gestionado por la Xunta de Galicia a través del Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA) en el marco del Real Decreto 266/2021, y cofinanciada por la Unión Europea — NextGenerationEU, dentro del Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia.
