This was written yesterday, October 13th, but not posted until today due to lack of a good internet connection.
It rained during the night, and was still drizzling slightly when I got up this morning. The pension did not serve breakfast, so I got a good breakfast at a local café before going to the bus station. As I mentioned yesterday, the ferry between Laredo and Santoña has stopped for the winter, and the only options were to take the bus, or add about ten kilometers onto the walk. I decided on the bus.
The rain stopped by the times I was on the bus. The service runs hourly, and because of that, other pelegrinos had decided on the same bus. Altogether, there were seven of us. As the bus went on its way, more or less taking the route I would have walked if that had been my decision, I felt I had made the right choice. The route is almost entirely urban, and walking streets that I didn’t need to, for no good reason, did not seem like what the Camino is about.
We all got off the bus just a little short of Santoña and started making our way along the trail. It goes up and around a headland before descending to the sea again. While going up, there were good views back to Santoña, while once around the headland, the beach and the way to Noja came into view.
In Noja, surprisingly, the church was open. I also got some refreshments in a café there. My fellow pelegrinos did not stop, but went on. I did not see them again until Güemes.
The trail follows rural small roads out of Noja. The roadside church, the Ermita de San Pantaleón was closed. The road goes on, winding between farms, fields and suburban style houses, until it eventually comes to Castillo, where the church was also closed.
The church was also closed in San Miguel de Meruelo. But by now I was out in the country, and the route gave good views of the surrounding landscape. By now I was about ready for something to eat. The map showed numerous tavernas and bars along the way, but as I came to each one, I found them all shut. I had no choice but to keep going.
This piece of the route again is once again small country lanes, with all the character that such places posess. I made my way across the river and up the hill to Bareyo. And from there it was not so far to Güemes.
The Albergue de Abuelo Peuto is one of the better known ones along the route. It owes its reputation to its founder, Ernesto, a man now 83 years old, but still keeping an eye on how things are run. I arrived in time to get the last of the mid-day meal and was immediately made welcome. I am staying here tonight and will go on in the morning.
And finally, the step count for today is 34,961.
Walkingman 