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  4. Stage 8

Stage 8 · Camino del Norte

Portugalete → Castro Urdiales

656km km to Santiago
26,5 km Distance +560 m Ascent −560 m Descent 32,1 km Effort 10 h Time needed · On foot

The greenway, Pobeña and Cantabria

You leave the Basque Country by the sea. It is 26.5 kilometres with 560 metres of ascent and the same of descent, moderate difficulty. You leave Portugalete on the long cycle path that follows the line of the old mining railway, comfortable, without hills and shaded in places, through Ortuella and Trapagaran to La Arena beach in Muskiz. It is a tarmac stretch on which the kilometres go by without your noticing.

At Pobeña, beside the beach and almost halfway, the best part begins: the Itsaslur path along the cliff tops, on the old mine railway, with the Cantabrian Sea below and no cars. You pass Kobaron, cross into Cantabria at Ontón and the route goes back to the main road, with traffic and stretches without a verge, through Baltezana and Mioño. That is the least comfortable part of the day.

You enter Castro Urdiales along the coast, with the harbour, the Gothic church of Santa María on the height and the castle-lighthouse. Castro is a large town with everything, good for eating fish and resting on the promenade.

Tips

Get your departure stamp in Portugalete and stamps along the way in Pobeña and Ontón, which is where the parchment changes region.

Have breakfast in Portugalete: there is little to stop for before Muskiz and Pobeña, at the midpoint.

Carry water for the Itsaslur path: there are no fountains before Ontón.

In Castro Urdiales get a stamp at the hostel or at the parish church of Santa María; they close early out of season.

Between Ontón and Mioño you walk on the main road, with traffic and no verge in places: single file, on the left and in visible clothing.

Walk with me

It crosses where you are with the time, the daylight left, the water, the beds and the notice board. Three things at most: the ones that actually change your afternoon.

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Profile and services

Elevation profile of the stage from Portugalete to Castro Urdiales, 26.5 kilometres, with services placed at their kilometre point.

The elevation for this stage has not been loaded yet.

Portugalete 26.5 km Castro Urdiales

The weather

19°C

Clear

Feels like
19 °C
Wind
6 km/h
Daylight
08:23 – 19:32
  1. Today ⛅ 23° 17°
  2. Wed ⛅ 28° 17°
  3. Thu ⛅ 27° 19° 2 %
  4. Fri 🌦️ 20° 16° 15 %
  5. Sat 🌦️ 17° 14° 67 %
  6. Sun 🌦️ 14° 9° 40 %
  7. Mon 🌦️ 14° 6° 27 %

Data from Open-Meteo, refreshed every half hour.

What's there today

Nobody has reported anything on this stage.

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Tips from people who walked it

The things that do not expire: where the fountain actually is, which bar opens at six, where not to go in the rain.

None here yet. If you have just walked this stage, you know something tomorrow’s pilgrim does not.

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Emergencies

Call 112

112 is the same number in Spain, in Portugal and across the European Union. It works with no credit, with no SIM, and over any operator's network, not just yours.

Say where you are I am walking the Camino del Norte, on the stage from Portugalete to Castro Urdiales.

The map

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What to see on this stage 19

  1. Siervas de María Church km 0,0
  2. Andra Maria basilika / Basílica de Santa María Church km 0,0
  3. Andra Mariren Mirabeen Konbentua Church km 0,0
  4. San Roke baseliza Church km 0,1
  5. Iglesia Church km 0,3
  6. Parroquia Nuestra Señora De Nazaret Church km 0,3
  7. Iglesia Church km 0,5
  8. San Bernabe Apostolua eliza Church km 2,2
  9. Matxalen eliza Church km 4,2
  10. Santa Luzia Church km 5,3
  11. San Ignacio de Loiola Church km 11,8
  12. Sorospeneko Andra Maria baseliza Church km 12,7
  13. Bariko San Nikolas Church km 12,7
  14. Iglesia Church km 15,4
  15. Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción Church km 18,8
  16. Ermita de la Virgen de Mioño Church km 23,6
  17. Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón Church km 27,0
  18. Iglesia Evangélica Church km 27,2
  19. Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción Church km 27,5

What you will find 685