Camino del Norte Day 4: Mutriku to Markina-Xemein

I played fetch with an adorable cocker spaniel puppy today.

Today was a good day on the Camino del Norte. It was one of those where nothing extraordinary happened and yet, a collection of good moments and people turned it into something truly enjoyable all the way from Mutriku to Markina-Xemein.

A slow start

I started much later than I would have liked. The Casa Rural or country home I spent the night in was lovely, but not being in the business of catering primarily to pilgrims they did not serve breakfast till 8:30am. By pilgrim standards this is insanely late. Our schedules being very much the opposite of Spaniards in general who end their days late into the night and hence, start on the later end as well. 

In any case, I figured I needed the extra rest as I was completely shattered from the day before and since I was starting a couple of miles further along than most, my day would not be either as long or as hard. 

As it turns out my timing was perfect. Without it, the things and people that made my day what it was would not have been there. 

Starting my day on a climb, of course, I was drenched in sweat within minutes. That seems to be a theme of my days on the Camino del Norte. I blame it on an always saturated ground which evaporates in those first hours of sunlight. 

In any case, the first hour and a half was a somewhat solitary affair mostly through the forest. Today, like the previous days, has been one of those where you’re mostly walking through the countryside with no towns along the way to refuel. It has added an extra layer of complexity to walking the Camino del Norte in terms of logistics planning, that doesn’t exist on the Frances with its continual stream of towns and restaurants catering to pilgrims. 

That changed a few kilometers in after arriving at the first and only “town” we’d run across until the finish. There I met up with several other pilgrims who had clearly started ahead of me but stopped there for a break. 

Someone to talk to

A few minutes past, as several of us struggled up a steep incline, I came across an American man who I’d guesstimate is in his early 60’s. Robbie. He’s from Kansas but lives in South Carolina and his business is training horses. He’s walking with his 24-year-old son who he had already ditched somewhere lower down on the mountain. LOL. In any case, we spent the next couple of hours walking together chatting.

The distraction from the continual up and down terrain was invaluable. Today was described in advance as a particularly difficult, lonely affair. I found it neither one nor the other. But I’m sure the company made all the difference in the world. Towards the end of our time together Robbie decided to stop and wait for his son to catch up. As I was applying sunblock and putting on my sun sleeves an adorable cocker spaniel came out of nowhere with a huge pine cone in his mouth and promptly delivered it at my feet. I took this as the universal signal for “you must play fetch with me.” So we did. For several minutes until his owner, and much older doggie brother came along. 

Camino Angels come in threes

Continuing along my way I was pleasantly surprised to realize just how close I was to my destination, with only 3 miles, most of which was a descent left to go. This is where I met my third Camino Angel so far. 

He is a local man and he was carrying two walking sticks. He may or may not have been blind. I couldn’t tell. Anyway, he stopped me. He was coming from the opposite direction and had clearly just been instructing the pilgrim couple walking ahead of me. He asked where I was going. When I told him I would be staying a little further past the traditional finishing town of Markina, he at once took it upon himself to give me very detailed instructions on how to get there.

The red road….

I thought he was very kind, but I couldn’t understand why he was repeating himself over and over when all I had to do was follow the yellow arrows. I looked at my watch worried I wouldn’t make the hotel before the restaurant’s kitchen closed. After pulling myself away and continuing along I rushed to get down the hill. Once past the town, It dawned on me there were no more yellow arrows. Of course.  These would take me in and out of the town in a different direction than where I was going. As I continued along the road the man had described I realized that if I stayed on this path I would be going alongside a busy and very dangerous road. 

And that’s when I saw it. The zebra crossing my Camino Angel had told me to look for. That crossing led the way into a red bike trail. The red bike trail let me through a park. And wouldn’t you know it, it delivered me safely to the front door of my hotel. No yellow arrows needed. 

Once again, the Camino provided. 

---

TODAY’S STATS

Distance: 14.36 miles (23.1)

Elevation Gain: 2,334ft (711m)

Duration: 6:02hrs

---

FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION

Hotel Antsotegi. Hands down one of my favorite places on the Camino del Norte. The owners are fantastic. On a route where the Camino spirit is often lacking, this is one of those places that is set up to cater to pilgrims. The hotel itself is gorgeous. The food is very good. But it’s the attention that seals the deal. Just follow the red bike path out of town!

Lunch/Breakfast: Hotel Antsotegi. As in yesterday’s accommodation, if you stay here you pretty much commit to eating here as well. It’s not so far that you couldn’t go back into town, but let’s face it after a long day walking, adding mileage isn’t what anyone wants to do. Plus the Menu del Día is great!