Camino del Norte: Stage 12

Firstly you will walk through the CA-444 towards Gargollo where you will have to get to the CA-443 up to Linderrio. A little bit after, you will return to the road to get to Galizano, a place where you will find all kind of services and where you can visit the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción church from the 16 century. If you want to get to Santander as soon as possible this is the best option; going through the coastline towards Loredo. Here, in this village, is where you have to choose the way that you are going to follow:

• If you want to get to Santander as soon as possible this is the best option; going through the coastline towards Loredo. You will have to go to the right towards the beach and once you get there you will walk parallel to the sea until getting to San Miguel. Then you will have to cross a stream and continue. You will get to a viewpoint from where you will see two beaches: Arnillas and Langre, both of them are amazing. A little bit after you will have to continue through a neighborhood; once you get to the end of the street you will have to turn right and continue through the left, from here you will see two beaches: Tranquilos and Boo. You are now close to Somo. Then you will have to get into a boat to get to La Pereda where you will continue through the seafront and then through the Calle Calvo Sotelo street. The hostel is located in Rúa Mayor, close to the city hall.
• The second option is the shortest. It goes from Güemes through Galizano, Somo and finally gets to Santander. There are approximately 20 kilometers. From the Iglesia de la Asunción church you will return to the road CA-141, going through it until getting tot Loredo for one kilometer and a half. Once you get there you will see the Santuario de Santa María de las Lastas sanctuary that was built over a monastery from the 8 century. Inside it has many wonderful sculptures and altarpieces. Then you will have to get to Somo’s jetty, you will have to cross some neighborhoods to get there and then, you will have to cross a bridge to get to Pedreña. Once you get here you can take a boat to get to Santander.
• The last options is get to Loredo and then walk to the South, to Castanedo. Once you get here you will get to Horna before getting to Villaverde de Pontones and then to Fuente del Francés, near the Aguanaz river. After three kilometers you will get to Solares, where you will find the Miera river, here you will have to cross the industrial area called Bosque. This optional way gets to Heras, near a street called Cubón. You will also cross a natural park called Macizo de Peña Cabarga, where you will find lots of different trees. Moreover, it is also believed that it used to be mined here in the 18 century and also in the 19 century. Cavada’s blast furnaces were active for more than two centuries, generating weapons and ammunition for the Spanish Empire, even attracting many specialists and workers from Europe, specially Flanders. Once you get to Socabarga you just have to walk 2 kilometers more and cross the Solía river to get to Astillero, where lots of pilgrims decide to stay the night, dividing this stage into two. After spending the night, the best option is to go on towards Santander, but you can also avoid this city by connecting with the main route in Arce bridge. Then you will get to Santander a city that has lots of things to see and to visit.

Bear in mind

The best option and the one that we recommend you is to cross the estuary from Somo or also from La Pedreña, but if you are traveling in winter or you don’t want to travel by boat you can go through the other way. There is a boat service available all year called pedreñera and it costs approximately two euros and a half.