Camino del Norte: Stage 8

This stage starts next to the Catedral de Santiago cathedral, then you will have to go through the Calle de la Tendería street that is considered one of the first streets in the city. You will get to Calle de la Ribera Street where you will walk next to the river. Then you will have to turn left to see the Iglesia de San Antón church, where you will cross the Nervión River through one of the oldest bridges in town. After crossing it you will have to turn right through the Calle Bilbao la Vieja Street and also San Francisco Street to get to the Plaza de Zabalbúr square. After crossing a street called Autonomía you will get to a neighborhood called Basurto. Once you get here you will have many different alternatives to continue your way:

• A little bit after you will get again to the national road 634 and you will have to ascend a little bit. You will walk through a path called Kobetas to get to a mountain with the same name where you will say goodbye to Bilbao once you start to descend. You will have to be careful and pay attention to see all the indications because while you are descending you will see many of them. The first one that you will see will indicate you to go to the left and will lead you to a curve and also to the national road a little bit after. You will have to cross a tunnel under the dual carriageway to get to a road that links Basurto and Castrexana. You will have to turn left again to get to a crossing where you can go through Las Delicias or through the Puente del Diablo bridge. You will leave the asphalted road to cross the train rails and then you will get to the Ermita de Santa Águeda hermitage. This hermitage is from the 16 century. You will continue your way through a forest called Larrazabal to get to a neighborhood called Cruces where you can stop to rest for a while and also buy some things. Once you get to a roundabout you will have through the Calle La Paz Street. Once you get to a tunnel you will have to cross it and then turn left to go through a street called Amerzaga and then cross the national road through an underpass. Now you are in Barakaldo, in a place called Sagrado Corazón. Then you will get to a street called Euskadi and in the next roundabout, you will have to turn left to get to the Avenida de la Ribera avenue. Then you will have to go through a staircase in getting to the Galindo river; you will have to cross it. Then you will walk through Gran Vía and get to a neighborhood called Kueto, you will have to cross Sesao’s city hall. Then you will have to turn right through Aizpuru street and get again to the Nervión river, you will cross it through a bridge from the 19th century built by a disciple of Gustave Eiffel. After crossing this wonderful bridge you will walk through the Calle de Sotera de la Mier street to get to the Iglesia de Santa María de Portugalete church that was built in the 14 century. Inside it has some chapels and a museum.
• Once you get to Basurto you can go through the left side of the estuary. You will cross some neighborhoods before getting to Portugalete. This alternative has good indications.
• You can also walk through the right side of the estuary from the Puente de Euskalduna bridge that will lead you to the hoste

Bear in mind

After crossing the Devil’s bridge, we will go on with a even more evil climb on our way. During this climb to Kobetas mount to Santa Águeda’s shrine we will pass through a slope of more that 180 m. This is an easy stage for everyone.