Camino del Norte
29.3 km, 458 m up and 449 m down, through 7 places, 4 of which have somewhere to sleep. Where you stop is up to you.
Every place on the path in order, with the distance from Pobeña. Most are too small to sleep in — a fountain, a chapel, a bar that may or may not be open — but they are what the day is actually made of.
To keep on the camino, do not cross the parking lot. Instead look to your right; just past the Residencia Pobeña is a narrow path that takes you uphill for a beautiful walk along the headlands.The camino turns inland and passes under the A-8 just before arriving into Ontón, and along the way you cross into Cantabria.
In Ontón the camino climbs a set of stairs to bring you back up to the level of the N-634, at a point where the road curves sharply and arrows point in two distinct directions.Option 1: Along N-634 through Mioño & tunnel- 7.1To follow the new route, simply follow the bend in the road and keep on it as it twists and turns. It will cross under and over the A-8 several times before arriving in Mioño.Option 2: The Old Camino - 14.8The old camino route crossed over the N-634 at this bend, and followed the CA-523 in the direction of Baltezana. The way is still well marked but has been largely abandoned in favor of a newly marked route along the N-634.
In Mioño the camino leaves the N-634 by turning left just before the church, following the signs to the Asador El Tunel. Just past the Asador (a bar and restaurant) is the Tunel, an 800m path cut through the mountainside. At the other end are the southern suburbs of Castro Urdiales, which you will enter along the N-634 (which went around the mountain as you went through it).
There is a variant here which directs you to leave the N-634 before arriving into Mioño. It takes you to Castro Urdiales via the coast.
The camino through Castro Urdiales follows the N-634 but it is possible to walk the coastline, a route which is a great deal more scenic. It can be followed as far as the beach at which point you will need to turn back towards the main road. A short distance later the camino turns left towards the Plaza de Toros; the municipal albergue is located at this end of town behind the bull ring.
After passing the Plaza de Toros (on your right) the camino arrives at a tunnel under the A-8; large signs for CAMPING let you know that you are on the right track. Eventually, you will pass the camping, and a short distance afterward, Allendelagua.
From Allendelagua the camino turns left, and follows a road that is parallel to the A-8. It turns right to cross under it at the first opportunity. After the underpass it leaves the paved road for a path that cuts up through the forest and into Cerdigo, passing the Iglesia de San Juan Evanjelista along the way.
At the far end of Cerdigo the camino crosses the N-634 where it picks up a coastal path. You will pass the Cerdigo cemetery along the way, eventually rejoining a smaller road that parallels the N-634 and into the town of Islares. The first building you come to in Islares is the church, and to your right is the albergue (which may or may not be open). The hotels in town are located along the N-634, which you will eventually rejoin as the camino reaches the end of the town.
Islares is stretched along the coast between the road and the mountain. The Iglesia de San Martín is one of the first buildings you encounter. The village has a bar and basic services. An albergue has operated here inter…
When leaving Islares exercise caution along the N-634. There is no dedicated place for pedestrians along this stretch.
The camino splits in El Pontarrón. The official route continues due south along a pedestrian path adjacent to the main road (which becomes the CA-151) and a coastal option follows the N-634 across the river.
After Rioseco, the camino continues to the first roundabout and turns right to cross the river and enter the small hamlet of La Magdalena.
The path splits here and rejoins before Rioseco. Both ways are below, because the question is which to take, and that is not a question two separate pages can answer.
In Mioño the camino leaves the N-634 by turning left just before the church, following the signs to the Asador El Tunel. Just past the Asador (a bar and restaurant) is the Tunel, an 800m path cut through the mountainside. At the other end are the southern suburbs of Castro Urdiales, which you will enter along the N-634 (which went around the mountain as you went through it).
Distance, climb and descent are measured along the GPS track for this camino — 581 recorded points across this span, the same track the app carries. The town-to-town figures in my data put it at 29.3 km.
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.