At 7 o'clock, I had two caricollas (Swiss pastries) in the kitchen with my delicious instant coffee, and then I left at 7:25 AM. It had been a quiet night, although around 11 PM, I couldn’t get into the bathroom. I called the owner, who was of course sleeping in another room, and she had to come and unlock the door. After that, the night went on normally.
I had to follow the N-634 for most of the day, and the first 25 to 30 km were quite tough. Some sections are challenging for the cycling pilgrim, and even tougher for the walking pilgrim carrying a backpack. However, your efforts over a few hills are rewarded with stunning views of bays and inlets along the Atlantic Ocean. The Camino del Norte is sometimes called the Camino of Landscapes, and that is certainly true, although there are also several stretches that are quite industrially polluted, especially around Bilbao. Sometimes, the pilgrim has a separate path between the hills, but other times, a narrow strip runs right alongside the N-634, albeit with a metal barrier in between.
View of Laredo bay. Yves on his bike. Rob
Along the way, I met Rob, 67 years old, from Swallen in the Netherlands. It’s his first time on the Camino; he started from Bilbao and hopes to reach Santiago by the end of September. He’s a clog maker by trade, but he’s not wearing clogs to walk to Santiago, he says with a laugh; that would be too heavy. We wished each other well and went our separate ways. After a bend, I saw Laredo lying below me, with a beautiful bay and beach. I stopped at the viewpoint marked Mirador (panorama) and took some nice photos, then rode down into the town. I parked my bike in front of the Ayuntamiento (for safety, as there are Guardia Civil there) and walked into the old town, heading to the Santa Maria church, which was unfortunately closed. An old lady told me that there’s a lot of theft, especially in the summer and during festivals. That's why the priests or the municipality limit the opening hours, which is a shame because I also wanted to see the inside.
Laredo: Santa María church and the town hall
After Laredo, the landscape changed completely; after the bare hills and many high rocks, there was once again a hilly landscape with forests, meadows, and cows in the background. Near Laredo, there is a fishing village with many active fishermen, and there begins the Parque Nacional de Marismas, comparable to the Petite Camargue around Arles in France or the Zwin in our country: a breeding ground for many migratory birds.
A little further along, goats were grazing on the roadsides under the supervision of Romualdus, the shepherd, and his two beautiful herding dogs, border collies, as helpers. He’s been a shepherd all his life, with a flock of about 30 sheep, working all week, all year round. The sheep are fattened up to be sold as meat. The region also pays him because they clear the roadsides of all greenery and branches. He finds it a wonderful job. In the summer, he goes out with his animals in the region, and in the winter, they stay around the farm until they are sold.
A church, bales of straw and a little castle along the way
Along the way, I also saw a few nice little castles, but I wanted to keep cycling to arrive in Santander at a decent hour. It’s only 80 km, but things went wrong in Solares. The signposts for Santander disappeared, and suddenly Oviedo was indicated on the N-634. The other exit only had blue signs, which means autopista. So, I went the wrong way—not for long, but still longer than I liked. A garage owner explained that I had to follow the blue signs anyway and that a small road would then take me directly to Santander. That was correct, but I arrived there at 2 PM instead of 1 PM.
Santander: some beautiful houses and a fountain
I had trouble finding my accommodation, a simple little hotel called Elyseum, with two rooms in an alley off Calle Floranes, which I found after a long search. Felipe runs this tiny hotel with his partner. The rooms are on the 3rd floor without an elevator, and he just carried my heavy bike upstairs and put it in the living room. It really is the Elyseum or paradise of the Romans here; I’m treated like a king: a pint of beer right away. I asked if I could get breakfast, but everything was offered: bread, coffee, milk, eggs, jam, etc. The kitchen has everything, and everything can be used. Wow, and that for 50 euros. Spotlessly clean and cozy too.
Santander: Museum Botin and the Borines where they serve delicious pinchos
I freshened up quickly and left for the old town, the casco historico, a 12-minute walk away. As always, I went to the Oficina de Turismo first to get a map, and then started exploring. First, the modern new building, the BOTÍN, which serves as a museum, among other things, but also much more. Tourists can go up by elevator or stairs and get a great view of the harbor where cruise ships dock. Then I went to the Borines, which used to be a spa against certain diseases, but has now been transformed into a place where you can enjoy delicious pinchos with wine, beer, or other tasty drinks. The pinchos in the Basque Country are equivalent to the tapas in the rest of Spain, but of course, tastier, according to the locals.
Santander: the town hall; the Mendez Pelayo House Museum and the vegetable market
After that, I went to the town hall, a beautiful 19th-century building, and also to the Mendez Pelayo House Museum. Nearby is also the vegetable market or Mercado, which had just ended and where they were busy cleaning up. I also photographed a few churches, such as the Santa Lucia, to have some images. All my movements were through the narrow streets with beautiful old-fashioned houses and new apartments, something for everyone. By now it was 4 PM, and it became a bit quieter in the city after the lunch rush; lunch is late for all Spaniards. So is dinner, as around 6 PM they come back out to have an aperitif, and from 9 to 10 PM, they have dinner... what a life.
Santander: Some beautiful houses and the statue of the cheese lady
For me, the main event was still on the agenda: visiting the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary, or la Asunción, which opens at 4:30 PM. It’s a Gothic building on a slope, so it has a double structure, above and below. Not refined Gothic, but beautiful in its simplicity. Not as large and majestic as the French cathedrals or those of Burgos and León, but simple and beautiful. In the choir, there’s a beautiful Baroque altarpiece depicting the Assumption of Mary into heaven, with many angels, which our dear Rientje now resembles. Not heavily carved capitals, but here and there playful figures that perhaps poke fun at the patrons. On the south side of the cathedral, there’s a beautiful Gothic cloister, also very simple, with no decorated capitals: sober and beautiful.
Santander: the cathedral of the Assumption of Mary
After this last visit, I did my shopping at a LUPA supermarket and bought a bottle of Verdejo wine, a dry white wine from the region that tastes good. Once again, I made an omelet with tomato, onion, cheese, and ham for myself, and it tasted good because I hadn’t had time for lunch. Now I’m getting ready to go to bed. Magda is making sure that my next rides are a bit less challenging because after nearly a month of a hellish pace, the fatigue (sometimes) is starting to show. Tomorrow, I’m cycling to San Vicente de la Barquera on the Camino. The Camino passes right by my little hotel, and that gives me a good feeling. Tomorrow, we’ll continue… Ultreia.
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