Camino del Norte Day 5

Posted on by James Altham

I had another rest day in Noja, which is why I didn’t post. I am still recovering from a bug I must have caught on the flight over, but thankfully, I’m feeling much better today and was able to walk twenty kilometres to our medieval town for the night, Santillana del Mar.

Boats moored in shallow water with a sandy beach in the background and a cityscape visible in the distance under a cloudy sky.
Santander in the distance

Once in Santander, we checked into the hotel for the evening, which was the best one we’ve been to so far; Ron and I set out for a stroll along the promenade that hugged the city on the left and followed the bay to the sea on the right. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and great for a stroll. I wanted to eventually find ourselves at the beach facing the ocean and see how it compared to Sydney beaches. Santander has many beaches, some on the bay which aren’t surf beaches and one that faces the sea for surfing.

A person standing by the water's edge, looking at their phone, with a cloudy and misty backdrop of mountains and a bridge in the distance.
A view of a historic port crane against a cloudy sky, with a waterfront and city buildings in the background.
A large Spanish flag waving in a roundabout surrounded by colorful buildings and lush green bushes under a cloudy sky.
A man walking along a waterfront promenade with buildings on the left and a marina with numerous boats on the right under a partly cloudy sky.
View of modern buildings along the waterfront in Santander, Spain, with a cloudy sky overhead.

Above are some images of walking along the promenade up to the beach. From what I saw of the city, I was impressed. It was clean and well kept, and plenty of friendly people about.

A scenic view of a beach in Santander, Spain, featuring gentle waves, sandy shoreline, and buildings in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Santander Beach

After the walk, we returned to the hotel to do some work and prepare ourselves for dinner at 8:30 pm. Dinner at the hotel was delicious though as they had a special for 25 Euros each, the ‘Menu of the Day’. It included the entree, main, dessert, a bottle of wine and a bottle of mineral water. I couldn’t get that value at Oatley RSL, that’s for sure. Well worth it. The food was simple but delicious, and we felt well-nourished afterwards.

I had been looking at getting a courier service for our backpacks throughout the day as mine is pretty heavy with all the tech I have to carry around for work and feeling weaker due to the bug I’ve had. Ron and I decided we’d pay for a Camino bag courier service to take our packs from hotel to hotel, so all we’d need to bring is a small day pack with water and snacks. I was a little hesitant, I must say to have my luggage in someone else’s hands, but we tried it today from Santander, and our bags were already at the hotel when we arrived this evening. I might also add a much better walk today, not having all that weight.

Today’s walk out of Santander was to be officially 40kms by the guidebook, but we both weren’t up to that, so we took a taxi halfway out to a town called Arce. From there, we’d walk about twenty kilometres to our home for the evening. I was resisting thoughts all day that my backpack won’t show up and would still be in Santander, etc., but with the sun out and the lightweight of my daypack, I was happy to trust that all that would be looked after. It was out of my control.

It wasn’t exactly a scenic day today. Much of the track was next to roads walking along the footpath or country lanes on the tarmac. No groundbreaking images today I’m afraid.

A scenic view of a winding country road surrounded by lush green fields and trees, leading toward a distant house on a hill.
Country lanes
A man walking along a rural road surrounded by greenery and low hills, with houses in the background under a cloudy sky.
Passing through farms
A scenic view along a rural road with two walkers beside manicured hedges and green fields under a blue sky.
Walking along the road shoulder
Signpost indicating a distance of 4.3 kilometers to Requejada with a scenic rural background.
Plenty of signs pointing the way
A group of white cows grazing and resting in a lush green field under a blue sky.
A lot of cattle along the walk
View of a railway station platform with tracks, surrounded by buildings and greenery under a cloudy sky.
Crossed a railway line
A white caravan parked beside a green wall, featuring abstract designs, with residential buildings in the background.
A random scene I came across today

That’s all there is to report on. A bit of a boring walk, but good to be out in the sunshine and with a lighter weight on the back. We arrived at our town for this evening, and there were plenty of people. Today is a public holiday in Spain today. Another reason that I’m happy is that my bag showed up at the hotel! The town was alive with restaurants and bars open and patrons spilling out onto the streets. Some images of the town below.

Tomorrow our walk will be about 26km.

That’s it from me today. See you tomorrow.

Buen Camino!

A map of today’s walk is also below.

A cobblestone street in a medieval town with people gathered at outdoor tables and historic buildings lining the sides.
Our home for tonight Santillana del Mar
A cobblestone street in a medieval town with stone buildings and shop signs, surrounded by greenery and people walking.
Walking down the main street

Published by James Altham

I'm a Sydney-based writer, photographer, traveller, and business owner. My writing explores faith, creativity, travel, photography, and the quiet wisdom found in ordinary life.