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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
News and Notes from the Norte
This is my first time back on the first half of the Norte since COVID. It’s good to be back! The walk remains as stunning as ever. Some assorted observations on developments, changes, and other stuff on the stages I’ve walked (Irún-Ribadeo). I’ll revisit some of this down the road, once I’m home and can […]
New Book on Pilgrimage Coming January 6
Pilgrimage: A Medieval Cure for Modern Ills, available for pre-order on Kindle now, available for free through Kindle Unlimited, available in paperback on January 6! On May 1, 2002, I staggered into Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France under the cover of darkness, around 10:30pm, following a small pack of newbie pilgrims into the old town and up to […]
Exploring the Camino del Norte’s Variants, After the Coast
For years, the coastal chunk of the Camino del Norte had the market cornered on alternative routes. Just see that long-running thread initiated and continually cultivated by Laurie above! The majority of this was driven by people branching off from the “official” route to get off-road or closer to the sea, particularly making use of […]
Connecting the GR-65 and the Camino del Norte
I still remember the first time I walked the GR-10. I had just finished walking the GR-65 from Le Puy-en-Velay, so I turned right in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port brimming with confidence that I’d make short work of these ~100km. How hard could it be? Three days, max. Well, I got my butt well and truly kicked. Just […]