Hola from the Camino del Norte! We just completed the hike through the Basque region of Spain and crossed the border into Cantabria.

We are enjoying ourselves on this sometimes challenging but very scenic Camino. We booked accommodations way ahead as the popularity of the Camino continues to make it harder to find rooms. We have stayed in apartments, hotels, a casa rural, and one albergue so far.

We are seeing other pilgrims and making friends along the way. The locals have been wonderful! The Basque people are friendly and proud of their culture. It definitely felt like walking through a different country at times. The language is completely different from any other European language. I learned to say “thank you” in Basque as “eskerrik asko” and the locals appreciated the attempt.

We are using the Wise Pilgrim guidebook and app which have been useful, and we have the Cicerone guidebook for an alternative viewpoint and more commentary.

The Wise Pilgrim App divides the Norte into four sections based on the autonomous communities of Northern Spain: País Vasco (Basque Country), Cantabria, Asturias, and Galicia.

This year, I am able to walk for about a month so will hike through Basque and Cantabria sections. My Camino friends, Jane, Katie & Scott, are retired (lucky them!) so will continue all the way to Santiago. I hope to return next year to hike more of the Asturias and Galicia sections.

I tracked each day’s hike with Map My Hike and made Relive videos which I have shared below.

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