At this point, I was seeing yellow arrows in my sleep!

This week I crossed from Asturias into Cantabria. Along the way, I met new pilgrims who would become friends. Life slowed; I wandered not only through landscapes but also through my own thoughts, sometimes even losing the trail itself.
It struck me then: we can lose ourselves in life, and yet it is through those very losses that we discover our true selves. The Camino reminds us that we are never fully in control—we are simply along for the ride. And in surrendering to that truth, life shows us who we really are.

This section of the Camino gave me new friends, cold cider, and beautiful changing landscapes.

Casa Montenesa, Santillana del Mar

The beautiful stone Casa Montanesas built in the 17th and 18th Centuries, are path markers on the trail through Santillana Del Mar. Many (such as this one) have been restored as guesthouses.

Day 15: Puente Arce to Santillana del Mar – 20 km

April 29, 2024

A gentle day, 20 kilometers of riverside paths and rolling hills, where small farms stitched the landscape together like a well-loved quilt.

I set out from my historic lodgings and followed a path down to the river. I wandered along its shore. The walking felt easy, the air fresh with the scents of grass and wood smoke.

By noon, the spires and cobblestones of medieval Santillana del Mar welcomed me. There, I reconnected with Maria. , my previous walking companion who lives in Mexico City. We explored the ancient streets, learned about the regional cider, and ate more olives and cheese than I thought possible. It was a warm sunny day, and my mood was just as bright.

Northern Spain (Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country) is lush, green, and rainy. Grapevines don’t thrive well here - too much moisture. Apple trees, however, love this cool, damp Atlantic climate. The cider in this region can be traced back to pre-Roman empire days. Sidra is the drink of the commoner, plentiful, local, cheap, and tied to harvest cycles. Sidra (cider) is part of the cultural heritage of this region, representing resistance to the Moorish rule that swept through Spain. The ritual of pouring (escanciar) the cider makes drinking it an event, not just a sip. It’s communal, performative, and tied to Asturian pride. It’s also very dramatic and very Spanish!

Walking into Santillana Del Mar - a Medieval Village with a teasing name, it is not seaside.

Before, at the aisle,
now, along the pilgrim’s way
The lilies endure.
The lilies return,
not as burden, but blessing
pilgrim’s quiet gift.

In Asturias and Cantabria, Sidra is a local specialty. An uncarbonated cider made with wild yeast and local apples. These Escandiador Automaticos replace the Escandiador (cider pourer) and allow for a long, pouring into the glass by the tourist lacking experience in the pour. This aerates the cider, creates bubbles, and releases aromas. You are meant to drink it right away, just a small amount (a culin), before the next sip is pumped into the glass. We did not realize this was how it is done and proceeded to pump most of the bottle into the 2 glasses at our table. I didn’t need this to call attention to myself as NOT a local, and this did not help!

Santillana del Mar

In medieval Spain, many streets were named with practicality. Hornos literally means ovens, and such names were landmarks pointing to where communal ovens once stood, feeding towns and pilgrims.

Day 16: Santillana del Mar to Comillas – 23 km

April 30, 2024

I walked alone out of the medieval village at daybreak. Along rolling hillsides and down to the beaches and waterfront. I met a new member of my camino family, a man named Doug from Vancouver! We had a lot in common and walked and talked sharing our life stories and reliving the decades past. Comillas is home to Gaudi’s Caprice, the palace of Sbrellan and a massive desrted building, the Universidad Pontificia, spooky! I ended the day having dinner with a charming and hilarious man, Conor, from Ireland. He was a hoot! Driving his Mercedes across Europe, looking for a place to call home. He had just come from Malaga and was looking to buy a place in Southern Spain. We were told to be quiet when the only other party in the dining room was giving a speech, and this set off Conor — ‘she sushed me!’ he exclaimed loudly and indignantly. He was very put off by the sushing and started swearing loudly in the small dining room. Fuck you, you can’t shush me! It was an entertaining end to another interesting day on my Camino.

Looking at the Picos de Europa, part of the Cantabrian Mountain range. A stunning scene on a beautiful morning.

Gaudí’s El Capricho in Comillas

This was built as a summer villa for Maximo Diaz de Quijano, a wealthy client with a passion for music and botany. It was built in 1883 - 1885, declared a cultural monument in 1969 and restored in the late 1980’s. Now it operates as a museum.

Day 17: Comillas to Serdio – 20 km

May 1, 2024

An easy walking day with beautiful beaches and rolling hillsides. For much of the day, cows were grazing on my left and surfers were riding waves on the sea to my right - it was awesome! I dropped down and walked along the beach and marveled at the beauty on the bay as I rounded the corner into Val de San Vicente. I had lunch with Roberto, an Italian man who didn’t speak any English and very little Spanish, and somehow we never ran out of conversation. It was a day of sunshine and beauty.

Fields and cows to my left.

Sea and surfers on my right.
Calves and children play.
This day is rich with contrast and adventure.

**Los Locos (Suances)** — A reliable west-facing swell magnet, known for powerful, beautifully shaped waves that beckon advanced surfers.

Day 18: Serdio to Llanes – 35 km

May 2, 2024

A very, very LONG day! As I go through my photos, it feels like 2 days. And this day I was alone and got lost. I was avoiding walking along the road — there were signs everywhere warning drivers to watch for Peligrinos. I must have died in a car crash in a previous life, because I am very cautious about any moving vehicles, even when I’m the one driving! In my quest for an alternate, more scenic route, I found myself on a horse trail that was more of a very muddy ditch in the middle of a vast field along the cliffs that gave way to a tremendous view (and scary edge). I could not walk in the river of mud; my feet kept sliding and getting stuck. It’s a wonder I didn’t lose a shoe. To get out of there, I had to army crawl under the thorny bushes lining each side of the muddy slash of land I was in, back to the seaside, where I scrambled over black rocks that looked like lava. The views were amazing, and the terrain was tricky. I was ultra careful with every step. I entered Asturias today. New local food specialties to try and more dramatic coastline. I’m almost halfway!

Make it stand out

Not long after entering this gate and following the clear yellow arrow, I found myself on a horse trail that was also a river of mud.

I chose the seaside trail variant. The views were worth the extra kilometers. and the muddy path

Hungry?

This is a local specialty, Cachopo, and it is not what I thought I ordered. We ate the whole thing! Incidentally, they insisted this was a meal for one person!

Day 19: Llanes to Ribadesella – 39 km

May 3, 2024

Not to sound like I was wandering around lost the entire time BUT, Doug and I set out at 7 am after a good breakfast. We knew the road ahead was going to be long, but we didn’t plan on walking almost 40 KM that day! We were on track until late afternoon. We were following one of our variant maps, adding 5+ KM but taking us through a beautiful, lush forest. Here we are, surrounded by water and trees, natural bridges from fallen trees; it was stunning. And we’re going in circles. We were following the map exactly, and the map was wrong. We had to rely on our sense of direction and back track a little to figure out exactly where we were. We made it. we were both exhausted. By the time we rolled into Ribadesella, we wanted food and sleep. But we arrived during siesta time. The town was virtually shut down until 8 PM. We found one place open, and they would only serve us beer, no food. We each ordered a pint, and halfway through the beer, we both got the giggles — bad. We were crying from laughing so hard, I can’t even remember what was so funny. I think it had something to do with the really grumpy bartender. A lot of walking, a tiny bit of beer, and no food makes for a goofy pair of pilgrims. I’ll never forget how hard we laughed and how it felt to be sharing this experience with someone I had only known for a few days, a bit of Camino magic. It kept showing up and it is incomparable.

We wandered in this beautiful ravine while our map sent us in circles. Eventually, we found our way out and back to the proper trail. It was a lovely place to be lost.

Day 20: rhibadesella to Colunga – 15 km

May 4, 2024

Feeling a little dehydrated from 2 long days, twice lost and wandering, and a fit of laughter and tears!. Today I take it easy. Colunga was small and beautiful. My hotel is small and very cool. Local cider, fresh fish, and great conversation made the day extra special. It was a laundry and rest day, and we ended it in the secret garden outside my hotel, drinking G&Ts and enjoying the leisure. I have crossed the halfway point - 389 km to go!

My favourite trail days, no pavement, no cars, no other pilgrims. Stormy skies, stony paths, green hillsides and lots of water views.

Day 21: Colunga to Villaviociosa – 18 km

May 5, 2024

Another easy day. A little rain. Lots of rolling hills and farmland. The local specialties are Cidra this time the server was attentive and poured mine over the grates that are in all the restaurants to catch the spills — Video below but now paired with Fabada, a rich stew with chorizo, blood sausage, and white beans, delicious, comfort food, perfect for the cool, wet day. Heading to Gijon tomorrow, a long day with some good elevation gains and sunshine in the forecast.

Parting ways

Doug is taking the Primitivo route and will be going through the Cantabrian mountains to Oviedo . I am committed to my original plan and will be walking to Oviedo. We will meet again in Santiago.

Reflection

This week carried me from the salt air of Puente Arce into the green fields of Asturias, where mountains rise and the sea begins to fade into memory. The rhythm of the Norte slowed my steps, inviting me deeper into silence, deeper into myself.

New faces became companions, valleys opened into stories, and the trail reminded me how easily we can lose our way and how gently we are found again. By the time I reached Villaviciosa, I felt both the weight of the mountains ahead and the lightness that comes from surrendering to the path.

Week 3 brought new connections, lost paths, and deep belly laughter that starts with giggles and leaves tears flowing down your cheeks. It is proving to be a walk I will never forget with people I will always remember.

🎥 Bonus Moment

Watch how the Cidra is served in Colunga. See the short video below…

This OCTOBER, I’m Guiding Others

Join me in October 2025. I’m walking a different path, shorter and a little easier. This time, I’ll be guiding a small group on an 8 day journey through Tuscany, Italy on a section of the Via Francigena.

It won’t be exactly the same trail, but the essence? Presence, purpose, connection. The wild heart way.

👉 Learn more about the 2025 Via Francigena

The longest pour in the North! And this is how your Cider is supposed to be served to you, one sip at a time. Very labour intensive and filled with classic Spanish drama!