Hi all,
Next June I will be taking 12 days off and planning to walk part of the Camino de Santiago, starting on the Camino del Norte.
I’m 25F, generally fit (work out regularly + recently ran a half marathon in <2h), but I’m from the Netherlands, so I have basically zero experience with mountains 😅 Also, I’ve never done a 10-day trek before (longest was ~3 days hut hiking) or solo traveling (beyond some weekends)
Trip setup:
- Fly into Bilbao → travel to San Sebastián
- 11 full days total (mix of hiking + 1 rest day)
- Carrying my own backpack
- Planning a mix of dorms + private rooms (I’m a very light sleeper)
What I’m looking for:
- Mentally disconnect after a busy work period
- Walk at a steady pace, but not feel rushed
- Leave room for good food, coffee stops, and enjoying the scenery
- Challenge myself to walk some stretches without music/podcasts
Current itinerary
Day 1: San Sebastián → Zarautz (20 km / 520 hm)
Day 2: Zarautz → Deba (21.8 km / 600 hm)
Day 3: Deba → Markina-Xemein (24 km / 800 hm)
Day 4: Markina-Xemein → Gernika (25 km / 660 hm)
Day 5: Gernika → Bilbao (31 km / 820 hm)
Day 6: Rest day in Bilbao
Day 7: Bilbao → Pobeña (25 km / 170 hm)
Day 8: Pobeña → Castro Urdiales (25 km / 380 hm)
Day 9: Castro Urdiales → Laredo (30 km / 600 hm)
Day 10: Laredo → Güemes (29 km / 330 hm)
Day 11: Güemes → Santander (15 km / 110 hm)
My doubts
- Spanish colleagues told me this is quite ambitious
- I’m especially unsure about the first 4–5 days (Baskenland) and the long days (30+ km)
- I don’t want to feel like I’m rushing or “chasing kilometers”
Questions
- Does this look realistic for a first longer solo trek?
- Is it too tight?
- If I had to shorten/adjust something, which section would you cut or modify?
- Any general advice for first-time solo walkers on the Norte? :)