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  4. Stage 12

Stage 12 · Camino del Norte

Santander → Santillana del Mar

558km km to Santiago
37,0 km Distance +420 m Ascent −390 m Descent 41,2 km Effort 12 h 54 Time needed · On foot

The longest stage, on to Santillana

This is 37 kilometres with 420 metres of ascent and 390 of descent, difficult, and what tires you is not the climbing but the distance and the tarmac. Leaving Santander is long and not pretty: suburbs, industrial estates and road as far as Peñacastillo and Santa Cruz de Bezana, with pavements and traffic. Many pilgrims take the local train to Boo de Piélagos to skip that part, and there is nothing to be ashamed of in that.

At Boo you have to cross the Pas estuary. The railway bridge cannot be crossed on foot, it is forbidden and dangerous: you either go round by road to the bridge at Mogro or take the train one stop. The route then runs through Mogro, Cudón and Requejada, on tracks and minor roads, and passes the industry of Torrelavega at Barreda, the greyest part of the day.

The last kilometres, through Viveda and Queveda, go between meadows and climb gently to Santillana del Mar, the medieval town of the collegiate church of Santa Juliana and cobbled streets, with Altamira alongside. It is a tourist town, with services to spare and high-season prices.

Tips

Set off at first light or cut the exit short by train: 37 kilometres with that much tarmac are more than they look.

Carry water and something to eat; between Mogro and Requejada little is open in the middle of the morning.

Change your shoes in Requejada if you can, or at least rest your feet; this is the point in the tarmac where blisters appear.

Santillana fills up in summer and on long weekends; book before you leave.

If you fall short, the stage can be broken at Boo, Mogro or Requejada, where there is accommodation.

The railway bridge over the Pas estuary is forbidden and dangerous: go round by the road bridge at Mogro or take the train one stop.

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 Santander to Santillana del Mar, 37 kilometres, with services placed at their kilometre point.

The elevation for this stage has not been loaded yet.

Santander 37.0 km Santillana del Mar

The weather

19°C

Cloudy

Feels like
19 °C
Wind
9 km/h
Daylight
08:26 – 19:35
  1. Today ⛅ 22° 18° 5 %
  2. Wed ⛅ 26° 19° 3 %
  3. Thu ⛅ 21° 17°
  4. Fri 🌦️ 19° 17° 17 %
  5. Sat 🌧️ 17° 14° 43 %
  6. Sun 🌦️ 16° 12° 33 %
  7. Mon 🌦️ 14° 9° 25 %

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

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Say where you are I am walking the Camino del Norte, on the stage from Santander to Santillana del Mar.

The map

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What to see on this stage 26

  1. Parroquia del Santísimo Cristo Church km 0,0
  2. Iglesia de la Anunciación Church km 0,0
  3. Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís Church km 0,1
  4. Iglesia Evangélica Pentecostal Ministerio Ebenezer Church km 0,1
  5. Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Consolación Church km 0,2
  6. Parroquia Santa María Reparadora Church km 0,3
  7. Iglesia Church km 1,0
  8. Parroquia de Santa María de los Ángeles Church km 1,1
  9. Iglesia de la Bien Aparecida Church km 1,3
  10. Capilla Church km 2,0
  11. Nuestra Señora de los Dolores Church km 2,3
  12. Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Church km 4,8
  13. Parroquia Santa Cruz de Bezana Church km 8,8
  14. Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Rosario Church km 10,2
  15. Iglesia de San José Church km 13,2
  16. Iglesia de Santa María Church km 16,8
  17. Iglesia de Santa Eulalia Church km 18,8
  18. Ermita de San Miguel Church km 25,1
  19. Iglesia de San José Church km 27,9
  20. Ermita de San José Obrero Church km 29,1
  21. Iglesia de Santa María de Barreda Church km 29,9
  22. Ermita Church km 32,5
  23. Ermita de San Cipriano y San Cornelio Church km 35,8
  24. Colegiata de Santillana del Mar Church km 37,1
  25. Iglesia Church km 37,4
  26. Ermita de San Roque Church km 37,4

What you will find 662