Camino Escalators

 Hiking Day 9    Portugalete to Castro Udiales

Miles today        16.8

Total miles        121.4

Ascent            1420’

Descent          1354’

Out the door by 9 and into cool temperatures and a dark overcast. The forecast for today is no rain, but the start is foggy and the light drizzle has just ceased. A hundred yards from the hotel we hop on the “Camino Escalators” A series of 9 sections of escalators, each longer than the previous one, that whisk us up the steep hill and away from the river. An easy start to the day!

Following a bike and pedestrian path for almost 7 miles, the walk is easy and fast. Plus it is well off the nearby major highway and takes us thru farms and small villages. The hillsides are green and the flowering trees are in full bloom. The small houses and gardens remind me of the days in Hawaii when I rode my bike most days along a bike path that bordered Pearl Harbor on my way to the Navy Dental Clinic.

The weather slowly improves as the day progresses. We are soon at a beachside coffee shop in the very small resort area of Zierbena.

The beach at Zierbena

The hiking is very pleasant today other than it is almost all on paved paths, so a bit harder on the feet and legs. The hike now follows the ocean on cliffs high above the water. The path is full of local families today as this is holiday week for Easter and we see several other pilgrims. Yesterday we saw only one group of pilgrims all day, three ladies that we assumed to be Spanish. 

Eventually we begin to hike along a paved road with little or no shoulder which we find a bit unnerving. Lots of motorcycles zooming past and a fair number of cars. Finally we hike a path along a small creek back to the ocean and then uphill on a dirt trail until we reach the seaside town of Castro Urdiales. A long but beautiful day of about 17 miles…and no rain again. We are so fortunate so far. We know it will eventually be payback time. It is coming!

                                                        Where is the shoulder??

                                                            Castro Urdiales