Day 12 – A long walk to Santillana del Mar

Santa Cruz de Bezana to Santillana del Mar, 29Km

I slept 1000 years last night, in the Hotel Camargo. What a relief after two restless nights in albergues. The nights in albergues are always the most enjoyable and memorable for meeting fellow pilgrims but they rarely make for a good night’s sleep.

Today was a wet day. We had a steady, soaking drizzle turning torrential at times. My new shoes are performing well. And the trousers.

I saw two police cars parked on the roundabout outside the bar La Isla this morning, as I dashed inside to get my cafe con leche and croissant. The bar was full with police and Repsol workers starting their shifts. I sat for ages watching the rain fall and then put all the gear on and set off towards Santillana del Mar which was anywhere between 26 and 36 kilometres away, according to the guidebooks.

I passed a young Spanish pilgrim walking under a generous poncho. After a long time I had walked four kilometres and it felt like it was going to be the longest day. At Oruña, 10Km, I stopped at a bar for a cafe con leche and a little doughnut.

The rain was lashing down when I left and I soon passed the Spanish pilgrim again. Later, I walked past a little sign in Spanish, under some weeds. I didn’t notice it but I later discovered it indicated a diversion because the bridge over the motorway was closed. The path continued into a muddy building site and a more prominent sign told me to backtrack for a kilometre and then to walk along the road. That’s when I saw the original sign.

I passed the Spanish pilgrim one more time before coming to Requejada, 20Km. The time was about 1:30pm and I was in the narrow window when it was possible to eat in Spain. The Cafe Andros 3 was the only place on the path and they provided my standard salade mixta and an omelette sandwich. I was eating it when Michael of Vancouver burst in, dripping wet. He ordered a Spanish burger with fries. We walked the final 9 km together, which, with lunch and good company, passed more quickly.

If all that sounds dull, it was. However, Santillana del Mar is a beautiful old town and I expect to have a beer this evening with whoever is here.