Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles.
I had A.I. software remake me into a proper pilgrim. 😀
I cycled 300+km of the French Way in 2022. That was terrific. It’s the most popular of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes.
By comparison, the Camino del Norte (Northern Way) totals 817 kilometres (508 mi) across northern Spain from the border with France to Santiago de Compostela. It’s only the 6th most popular of the many Caminos. Over 21,000 pilgrims / year.
SO … in 2026 I did 6 days from French border town Irun to tourist mecca Bilbao.
The red section on the map below.
Click PLAY or get a glimpse of what it’s like on YouTube.
Camino pilgrimage routes attract many different kinds of people. Much different than on other thru hikes, I find. Some are spiritual seekers & reflective travellers. The highlights for others are the food, history, and culture.
Since the Camino del Norte attracts less than 5% of the Camino Francés numbers, accommodations are not all booked. It’s not nearly as crowded.
Many feel Irun to Bilbao is the best and most scenic section of the Camino del Norte.
Steep climbs, rugged coastal cliffs, and longer stretches between services make the START of the Northern Way the most challenging.
I stayed in combination of albergues (pilgrim hostels), hostels, and emergency tent one night. Accommodation is quite inexpensive.
Flying into Bilbao
It’s easy and comparatively inexpensive to fly into Bilbao.
I arrived late night on an inexpensive flight.
I picked up my Camino de Santiago pilgrim passport (credencial del peregrino) at the Cathedral. This gains you entrance into some of the pilgrim accommodation en route.
Bus to Irún
It’s easy to find a direct bus to Irún close to the the French border.
I stayed at the Jakobi Pilgrim Hostel (Albergue de Peregrinos Jakobi) in Irun, the official starting point for the Camino del Norte. Payment is by donation.
Next morning, off and running.
The rain in Spain falls mainly in the NORTH. Over the coming week I had all kinds of weather, including lightning storm.
The Camino is well signed. I mostly used AllTrails to confirm turns. But it seemed there were many other apps in use.
There’s one ferry crossing – the Pasaia River.
First night I stayed just outside San Sebastián, a tourist city very competitive with Bilbao.
San Sebastián
Some stay 2 nights here as there’s a lot to see. I toured the town one evening and again the next morning.
This is the kind of place in Europe some feel is over-touristed.
San Sebastián is a beach town, popular with surfers.
Onward.
One problem with ALL the Caminos … you end up doing a lot of walking on concrete and cobblestone.
By day 6 I felt one of my feet was bruised.
Zarautz Beach
I did enjoy the coastal sections.
Getaria
I happened upon a hostel in Getaria that was just serving up dinner. I stayed.
Early next morning I wandered the town before many more people were awake.
Got an early start on the hiking day.
It’s a very rural area. Plenty of farm animals to keep you company.
Some vineyards.
And eventually back to the coast.
Sections are very remote.
No bus. You might ride a horse out. 😀
Markina-Xemein
Monasterio de Zenarruza
Everyone wants to stay at the Monastery. Paid by donation.
Meals and room are quite basic.
But the place is beautiful.
Guernica
The town of Guernica is infamous for the 1937 painting by Pablo Picasso.
One of the best known anti-war paintings. Nazis had bombed the people here relentlessly.
Many stay over in this historic city.
Bilbao
Early enough in the day, I walked on.
Skies darkened. I decided to wild camp before the rain. This is not legal — except in emergency situations like this one.
Surprisingly, I didn’t hear much about the Basque separatist movement.
With an even more torrential rain storm looming, I caught the first bus I saw on arrival to civilization to the centre of Bilbao. Happily, I made it to my very cool Pod Hostel before the worst of a deluge.
31 litres of rain / square meter in just a matter of minutes. It does rain in Spain.
Here I am at the Bilbao Cathedral. The rest of my clothes in the laundry. 😀
I’m considering a return to the Camino del Norte in future. Perhaps Vilalba to Santiago de Compostela, the final 100km. It merges with the bustling Camino Francés for the final 2 days of walking.
