El camino de Santiago

Navia to Ribadeo

June 19, 2026Posted in El camino de Santiago, El Camino del Norte, HikeTagged Buencamino, Camino del Norte, El camino de Santiago, Saint James wayLeave a comment

Today’s walk from Navia to Ribadeo covered 21.16 miles (34 kilometers), making it our longest stage so far on the Camino del Norte. It was also our final day hiking along the ocean before crossing from Asturias into Galicia.

When we arrived in Ribadeo, we saw a group of pilgrims near the estuary cooling off in the water. After so many miles in the heat, it felt like one of those small Camino rewards that appears at just the right time.

Entering Galicia, the final region of the Camino del Norte, made the day feel even more memorable.

By the time we reached town, we were tired but proud. The stage challenged us, yet it gave us a moment we will remember: leaving the ocean behind and realizing just how far we had walked.

Santa Marina to Luarca

June 17, 2026Posted in El camino de Santiago, El Camino del Norte, HikeTagged Buen Camino, Camino del NorteLeave a comment

Day 27: Santa Marina to Luarca – 16.79 miles (27.02 km)

On the route from Santa Marina to Luarca, we shared part of the day with a young Hungarian pilgrim who was traveling simply, camping when he could and staying in hostels when needed. Later, we stepped into the parroquia católica de San Sebastián, one of those quiet moments on the Camino that invites you to pause, look around, and take in the spiritual and cultural depth of the journey.

Gijón to Avilés

June 12, 2026Posted in El camino de Santiago, El Camino del Norte, HikeTagged adventure, Buencamino, camino de santiago, Camino del NorteLeave a comment

Day 24: Gijón to Avilés 18. 47 miles (29.47 km)

We had a rest day in Gijón. Leaving the city was interesting: Gijón is modern, with a well‑preserved old town, but it is also an industrial city. Its main industries are steel production and metalworking. As we left the city, we had to pass through the industrial area. It is not pretty at all, but it is part of el Camino, and we decided to walk this section between Gijón and Avilés. Many pilgrims prefer to take the bus or train to avoid this stretch, and I don’t blame them—it is noisy and unattractive.

Villaviciosa to Gijon

June 11, 2026June 12, 2026Posted in El camino de Santiago, El Camino del Norte, HikeLeave a comment

Villaviciosa to Gijón – 18.6 miles (30 km)

Today we reached the village of La Casquita, where the Camino Primitivo diverges. In this area, besides the Indianos houses, we also saw the remains of a medieval castle.

After reaching La Casquita, we had the highest climb of this trip 1398 feet. It was a long and challenging day, but we were happy to keep moving forward.

Bayonne to Saint Jean de Luz.

June 9, 2025July 13, 2025Posted in El camino de Santiago, El Camino del Norte, HikeTagged El camino de Santiago, El Camino del Norte, The north wayLeave a comment

Stage 1: Bayonne to Saint Jean De Luz, 15.86 miles (25.5 km).

We began our hike at the Cathedral of Sainte Marie in Bayonne.

The trail from Bayonne to Saint Jean de Luz was 90% concrete, with some unsafe sections next to the highway. In France, El Camino markings are quite discreet, typically using only small decals. As a result, we found it safer to rely on an electronic map for navigation.

The route changed significantly when we reached Lac Mouriscot, where the terrain improved. From this point onward, we continued to the beach.

We enjoyed walking along the shore at the beach, where many restaurants lined the coast and people happily celebrated the holiday. Overall, the hike was challenging, as much of it occurred on city streets and highways, and there were few clear trail markings.

A Ponte Ferreira to Melide

July 7, 2024March 1, 2025Posted in El camino de Santiago, El camino Primitivo, Hike, primitive wayTagged Camino Primitivo, El camino de Santiago, Hiking, Saint James way, SantiagodecompostelaLeave a comment

Today, we hiked about 20 km to Melide from Ponte Ferreira. We crossed a historic Roman bridge outside Ponte Ferreira, and at this point, I lost track of how many Roman or archeological zones we passed en route to Santiago.

The hike was easy. We walked through rural towns and villages, and a sense of tranquility was around us. We are approaching Melide, where the French Way and El Camino Primitivo cross. The trail will be busy in the coming days with people doing the last 100 km and those doing the French Way. Today is the last day to enjoy a quiet hike.

We arrived in Melide around lunchtime. It was busy; it was market day, and hundreds of pilgrims were walking on the streets. Some would spend the night here, and others were walking through. I have a feeling about how our hike will be tomorrow.

Grandas de Salime to A Fonsagrada

July 2, 2024September 13, 2024Posted in El camino de Santiago, El camino PrimitivoTagged El camino de Santiago, Hike, Saint James wayLeave a comment

We had a good evening in Grandas de Salime. We had dinner at Cafe Restrepo. This cafe/bar is a good place to spend the afternoon. It was different from the other cafes we had visited in other towns. It had good music and eclectic decoration, and the owners were very friendly. There were a good number of pilgrims here, and we had the opportunity to chat and meet new people.

After a good night’s rest, we found that one hiker in our group could not walk today due to severe knee pain and tendonitis. We arranged for her to take a taxi to the next city and rest for the day. We were aware that today’s journey would be another 28 kilometers (17.5 miles)of descending and ascending hills.

We left Grandas de Salime, which is in the Asturias region and started our journey toward A Fonsagrada, a town in the Galicia region. Most of the hike was good, but the last part leading into A Fonsagrada presented a challenging uphill climb, where we ascended 120 meters (400 feet). After hiking for six hours, it was cruel to finally see the town at the top of a hill. As we were ascending the last hill, we heard someone shouting behind us. Of course, I wasn’t the only one who used the F word and cursed at the sight of that daunting hill.

Tineo to Pola de Allande

June 29, 2024September 13, 2024Posted in El camino de Santiago, El camino Primitivo, Hike, primitive wayTagged Camino Primitivo, El camino de Santiago, primitive wayLeave a comment

Today’s journey from Tineo to Pola de Allande, was a walk of 31 kilometers. As we set out in the morning, gentle rain accompanied our walk through the serene Asturias Forest. The misty atmosphere created by the fog transformed the surroundings into a mystical and introspective setting, inspiring deep reflection.

In the afternoon, we met Castine, better known as the German lady. As we walked through the forest, we saw a woman standing in front of the Jedi bench (see picture) at the foot of a hill, debating if she should go up to the mountain to see the ruins of a hospital today or tomorrow. We told her we would not do it, so she walked with us. It is nice to meet people in El Camino; even briefly, talking with them can impact us or at least make our hike more bearable.

As we strolled alongside her, she imparted her knowledge about the flora around us. She pointed out which flowers could be used for tea and even plucked some leaves that are high water contain. Suddenly, she darted ahead, reaching into a cluster of bushes and emerging with a handful of four wild strawberries. With a smile, she declared -this is gold- and shared these strawberries with us. After accompanying us for a few more miles, she stopped because she had reached her Albergue. The last time we saw the German lady was as she sat amidst the forest, surrounded by blooms and enjoying fresh fruit. Meeting her along El Camino was indeed a captivating experience.

Padrón to Santiago de Compostela.

June 27, 2022April 28, 2024Posted in Camino Portugues, El camino de Santiago, HikeTagged Camino Portugues, El camino de SantiagoLeave a comment

Our second time walking into Santiago but this time with our daughters. We walked 175 miles over 13 days and started in Porto, Portugal. We are tired and sore but very gratified to have finished this adventure as a family. Santiago de Compostela is a city steeped in a rich and intriguing history. Happy to have had the opportunity a second time to arrive here on foot.