Northern Route (Cantabria)

The Northern Way, also called the Coastal Way, is one of the routes of the Camino de Santiago. It is an 817 kilometres, five-week coastal route from Irún, near the border with France, following the northern coastline of Spain into Galicia where it heads inland towards Santiago de Compostela joining the French Way at Arzúa. This route follows the old Roman road, the Via Agrippa, for some of its way. This route was used in the Middle Ages by Christian pilgrims when Muslim domination had extended northwards and was making travel along the French Way dangerous. It coincides with the E9 European long distance path for most of its route.

The route passes through San Sebastián, Guernica, Bilbao, Santander and Gijón. It is less populated, lesser known and generally more difficult hiking, because of its changes in elevation, than the French Way.