Camino del Norte Stage 4&5 - Gijón to Santiago

Camino del Norte Stage 4 & 5 - Gijón to Santiago

18 Days & 17 Nights 4.6 Read 41 reviews

Sampling the Galician speciality, octopus and washing it down with some Albariño
The contrast of quiet fishing villages and modern cities
Meeting your fellow pilgrims and sharing stories
Sampling the peace of the Galician mountains
Completing a unique and rewarding journey and gaining your Compostela in Santiago

This trip combines the wild cost of Asturias with the tranquil, but tough hills of Galicia. We have added in a rest day in Ribadeo to this schedule due to the intensity of the walking days. This section takes you along the coast of Asturias through an area that is rife with history. From prehistoric remains to Roman ruins and a plethora of old churches and cathedrals, there is history round every corner of this section. The port of Avilés was important in the establishment of the USA and the gardens at Selgas, with their medieval towers are said to rival those of Versailles. This is a wild, lesser-visited part of the route, but one full of wonder. On the final section of the Camino del Norte you head inland, away from the coast as you make your way through the mountains of Galicia. You will see many gothic graveyards and impressive old cathedrals as you pass through this forgotten corner of Spain and then once you reach Arzúa you connect with the Camino Frances for the final days into Santiago.

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What To Expect

Travel restrictions and resources, to and from any destination

The Camino del Norte offers a more authentic pilgrim experience than the Camino Frances. Though the walking is considerably tougher the rewards are arguably much greater.

Tour Type:

Pilgrimages | For those looking to follow a path of self-discovery. Our Pilgrimage and Camino routes take you on a journey through diverse landscapes and local flavours, while meeting like-minded adventurers along the way.

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Long-Distance Trails

Activity Level & Terrain

This walk is graded moderate to strenuous and includes daily walks of between 17-33km per day.

You can expect to walk for between five and eight hours each day and much of it is rather arduous walking with some steep inclines/declines.

The Camino Del Norte follows a mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths.

Navigation

The route is marked with yellow painted arrows but please take care at intersections. There are sections on the route where you will divert to follow the red and white stripes of the GR routes. There will always be other walkers around in case you are looking for help. You will be supplied with turn by turn route notes and detailed maps so you will have no problem following the route each day.

In addition to the printed route notes, you will receive in your travel pack, you will also have access to our Macs Adventure App, allowing you to follow the route on richly detailed mapping on your smartphone.

Accommodations

The accommodation in San Sebastian, Bilbao and all larger towns, will be in 3-star hotels, the rest will be a mixture of rural hotels and hostels all with private rooms and en-suite. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We do recommend that you book this trip early as the area is always popular and the hotels and inns do fill up early, especially in high season.

Solo Walkers & Single Rooms

The Camino is available to solo walkers at a single supplement.

Meals

A local continental breakfast is included each morning, which can sometimes just be coffee, bread and orange juice. Lunch and dinner are not included as standard so you are free to choose from the available options. Every place you stop will have evening meals available, you can get a pilgrims menu for about 10 euros which includes 3 courses, wine and water!

Additional Nights

There is so much to see and do along the route that many of our clients choose to add extra nights along the walk either as a rest day or simply to do some extra sightseeing. If you are walking the route solo try not to add too many extra nights along the way as you will lose touch with those you have met.

Fewer Nights

It is possible to walk the Camino del Norte in less time but we would not recommend this.

Included

Accommodation in small rural hotels and hostels with en-suite W/C.
17 Breakfasts
Baggage Transfers
A detailed information pack for the group leader including route notes, maps, and local information.
Camino del Norte guide book.
Emergency telephone support from our local and UK offices in the event of a problem.

Excluded

Return travel to Spain.
Lunches, dinners (optional), snacks or drinks.
Travel Insurance.
Personal Equipment.
Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage.

Extras

Additional nights accommodation along the way.

When To Go

This trip is available to start on any day from the beginning of March to the end of October.

Time of Year

The weather in Northern Spain is very varied. In general you can expect pleasant temperatures for walking of between 19 degrees and up to about 26 degrees in the summer months. As you will be walking near the coast for much of this walk, you can expect some rainy days, particularly in spring and autumn.

Getting to the Start

You can fly into Oviedo (Asturias) direct from London Stansted with Easyjet and then from there, you can take an ALSA bus which only takes around 3 hours to Gijon.

If you are traveling from outwith Europe, Madrid and Paris are good hubs to fly into. Gijon can be reached by train RENFE in 5.5 hours or you can choose to catch an internal flight to Oviedo with Iberia.

Getting from the End

You can fly directly from Santiago back to the UK with Ryanair who fly direct to Stansted and Easyjet who fly direct to Gatwick.

If you are traveling internationally, Madrid and Paris are good hubs to fly out of. You can fly from Santiago to Paris with Vueling or from Madrid with Ryanair.

Luggage Transfer

Baggage transfers are included (max 20kg per person). Your main bag will be transferred each day between your overnight accommodation so that you only need to walk with a day pack. There is a supplement applicable for solo walkers on baggage transfers due to the fact that the transfer costs are usually shared.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes.

Compostela/Pilgrims Passport

The pilgrim’s passport is issued by the church of St James, you can obtain one at the start of your walk in the pilgrim’s office or the local church in town. You need to get the passport stamped in churches, restaurants and hotels along the way. At the end of the walk, in Santiago, you can obtain your Compostela Certificate (only if you have walked the last 100km). For the other sections of the trail, the passport is used as a souvenir with all the colourful stamps you will receive.

Equipment

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/cycling gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

How fit do I need to be?

What type of trails does the Camino follow?

How far in advance do I need to book?

Can I walk with my bags?

When is the best time of year?

What happens if I can’t walk a stage?

Can I change my itinerary once I start walking?