Camino del Norte
31.2 km, 514 m up and 498 m down, through 6 places, 2 of which have somewhere to sleep. Where you stop is up to you.
Every place on the path in order, with the distance from Portugalete. 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.
The route from Portugalete to La Arena is almost entirely on paved surfaces, and getting out of the expanses of the city require twisting and turning your way around and under the complex network of highways that crowd out green space. Much of the trail is along a dedicated bike path, separated from the highway by a tall glass divider and decorated with the silhouettes of birds. This bike path is part of a larger network of paths that connect many of the suburbs, so pay close attention at every junction. See notice below for possible confusion near La Arena.
The camino follows the boardwalk in La Arena, where it eventually joins a new foot bridge over the small estuary and into Pobeña. After crossing the bridge you have the option of going across the parking lot to the town, where you will find the albergue and several restaurants.
Just prior to arriving in La Arena, you may notice old arrows directing you to your left. They occur shortly before passing under a bridge and should be ignored. Continue straight into La Arena.
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.
The path splits here and rejoins before Cerdigo. 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 — 660 recorded points across this span, the same track the app carries. The town-to-town figures in my data put it at 32 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.