Camino del Norte: Ep 1 San Sebastián to Bilbao | First Day, Wrong Turn

Episode 1 of our walk across Spain - the Camino del Norte from San Sebastián to Bilbao. We set out to walk the Camino de Santiago thinking we were hikers taking on a long walk across Spain. Within the first few days, the Camino had already started asking a different question. Our journey begins in San Sebastián, on the Northern Way through the Basque Country towards Bilbao. We walk through rain, coastal cliffs, pintxos bars, steep green hills, fishing towns, flysch cliffs, Gernika's history, and the small disasters that seem to arrive precisely when your legs are tired. There are wrong turns, drowned electronics, kind strangers, wild waves, a memorable lunch in a tiny Basque bar, and the first signs that this might be more than just a walk. People say the Camino changes you. That somewhere along the way, hikers become pilgrims. We're about to find out if that's true. About the series If you're planning a Camino, dreaming of one, or just curious about what it's actually like to walk across Spain — walk with us. We'll share the route, the gear, the hard parts, the beautiful parts, and what happens when a long walk starts becoming something more. Subscribe to follow the full Camino de Santiago journey from San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela. Walking a Camino or dreaming of one? Which route are you choosing: Norte, Francés, Primitivo, Portugués? Tell us in the comments and we'll reply to every one. 📍 CHAPTERS 00:00 Dawn, rain and a wrong turn 01:00 Why people walk the Camino 02:00 Camino testing relationships 03:30 Which Camino? 04:35 Camino questions 05:00 San Sebastián, pintxos and the pilgrim passport 06:38 Camino begins: Leaving San Sebastián before dawn 07:50 Trail magic and Basque villages 09:09 Wild waves into Getaria 09:30 Elcano and Getaria 10:40 Basque beauty 11:00 Do we need walking poles? 11:50 The Flysch Cliffs of Zumaia 13:12 Day 3 — Itziar to Markina 13:28 The hard Camino 14:08 Hydration tips 15:40 Day 4 — Markina to Gernika 16:20 Gernika and the weight of history 17:40 The day we bonked 18:30 Mama is cooking 19:30 Walking into Bilbao 20:00 Need to know Bilbao 21:15 What the first week taught us ROUTE: THIS EPISODE (ep 1) Camino del Norte: San Sebastián → Orio → Zarautz → Getaria → Zumaia → Itziar → Markina-Xemein → Gernika → Lezama → Bilbao ~130km through the Basque Country Filmed October 2025 WATCH NEXT Episode 2 — Bilbao to Santander (and why we got on a train): Coming next week! Full Camino playlist:    • Camino de Santiago   Camino Secrets:    • Camino Secret Free Lunch   Packing & gear notes:    • Pack with me for  9 weeks hiking in Europe...   FOLLOW THE JOURNEY AND MORE HIKING CONTENT Instagram:   / trailcodex   Facebook:   / trailcodex   Substack: https://trailcodex.substack.com ABOUT THIS SERIES We're walking a combined Camino de Santiago route: starting on the Camino del Norte through the Basque Country and Spain's wild northern coast, then joining the Camino Francés for the classic final stages into Santiago de Compostela. Somewhere along the way, we're trying to find out what happens if a long walk turns into something more than a hike. This is our personal Camino experience, not a definitive guide. Routes, accommodation, weather, opening hours and pilgrim services can change, so always check current information before you walk. #CaminodelNorte #SanSebastianToBilbao #CaminodeSantiago #NorthernWay #BasqueCountry #WalkingSpain #Pilgrimage #SlowTravel #HikingSpain #SpainTravel #Caminotips