Updates to the Caminos del Norte & Primitivo
I’ve just completed a very substantial round of updates for the upcoming reprint of the Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo guidebook for Cicerone. Before jumping into the weeds, a quick semantic note. Cicerone distinguishes between reprints and new editions as follows: a reprint is a new printing of the established book, complete with updated […]
Donativo-Based Albergues on the Norte & Primitivo
Building on my previous post, related to the formation of the Acogida Tradicional Jacobea, I wanted to compile a current list of all donativo-based accommodations on the Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo. It’s pretty good! Camino del Norte Donativos Irún – Albergue de Peregrinos Jakobi (bed and breakfast) Pasajes de San Juan – Albergue […]
News: The Creation of the Acogida Tradicional Jacobea
In the wake of COVID and ongoing political and economic challenges, along with a cultural shift unfolding among many contemporary pilgrims, some of the donativo-based, traditionally-oriented albergues and other pilgrim-hosting spaces on the Caminos del Norte and Primitivo are banding together for support and promotion. The new organization is called Acogida Tradicional Jacobea (ATJ), or […]
Linking the Camino Aragonés and Pamplona
One of my big priorities this past summer was to walk the Camino Aragonés. I’d done this once before, but it was a rushed trip, crammed into a very small window, and it coincided with a very rainy few days in northern Spain. Any pilgrimage is better than no pilgrimage, but those conditions were far […]
Following the GR123 on the Coast Between Gernika and Portugalete
The Camino del Norte leaves the coast in Deba and doesn’t return until Playa de la Arena, some 104km later. This includes a lengthy urban jaunt through Bilbao, and some other significant stretches of pavement. To be clear, there’s some great walking in that stretch! It would be a shame, in particular, to miss the […]
Via Podiensis Guidebook Updates – Late 2023
The Via Podiensis guidebook is heading out for a second printing! Thanks very much to everyone who has bought a copy and made this possible so soon. For those who have the first printing, not to fear: you can find the complete list of updates that I’ve just submitted in this linked doc, with the […]
The “Old” Camino Inglés Options
A few years back, a series of changes were made to the Camino Inglés, for better and worse. While some faded waymarks still survive, navigation of the older routes is increasingly reliant upon gps tracks and advanced notice of the alternatives. But which are worth taking? Here’s a quick overview: Stage 1: Short-cuts over the […]
Sorting Through the Options Between Santander and Santillana del Mar
While the Camino del Norte’s routing has stabilized over the past decade, one of the stages that seems to remain in constant flux is the walk between Santander and Santillana del Mar. In the time I’ve been walking the Norte, this stage has moved through three very different permutations, along with smaller tweaks. The choices […]
Three Variants Worth Considering on the Camino del Norte Near Avilés and Luarca
Every time I return to the Camino del Norte, I’m caught trying to maintain a balancing act. On one hand, the top priority is to re-walk the official route and established alternatives, in service to updating the guidebook. (You can find that Camino del Norte and Primitivo guidebook here, and at most online bookstores.) On […]
Quick Mock-Ups of Updated Camino del Mar Route Maps
If you followed along with my “live updates” from the Mar, you’re aware that I encountered some route changes to the Mar. (Or, perhaps, discovered where the route was actually supposed to be going in the first place.) I’ve finished updating the gpx tracks for the Mar; within a short time, they’ll be uploaded to the […]