CaminantesThe Camino del Norte from Bilbao, Santander, Gijón or Ribadeo: every start measured
By August Frederik Kramer, who has walked the Camino twice · Last updated 24 September 2026
The Camino del Norte is 831.6 km and 39 stages from Irún, with 14,663 m of climbing: more than any other route we measure. Most people do not start at Irún. This page is the same track from the six places they do start, with the distance, the days, the climbing and the highest point still ahead for each.
The figure worth knowing before you choose is the climbing per kilometre. The whole route averages 17.6 m per km, but the first 148.9 km to Bilbao carry 3,938 m at 26.4 m per km: 27% of the route’s climbing on 18% of its distance, 1.5 times its share. Start after that and the Norte is a flatter walk than its reputation.
The six starts, measured
Every one of these towns is a stage end on our plan, so no row is an estimate between two places. The climbing and the highest point are read off the app’s own track for the kilometres you have left, not for the whole route.
| Start | To Santiago | Stages | Climbing | Per km | Highest ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irún | 831.6 km | 39 | 14,663 m | 17.6 m | 708 m |
| Donostia / San Sebastián | 807.1 km | 38 | 14,066 m | 17.4 m | 708 m |
| Bilbao | 682.7 km | 33 | 10,724 m | 15.7 m | 708 m |
| Santander | 551.3 km | 27 | 8,905 m | 16.2 m | 708 m |
| Gijón / Xixón | 342.5 km | 17 | 5,749 m | 16.8 m | 708 m |
| Ribadeo | 191.7 km | 9 | 3,184 m | 16.6 m | 708 m |
Every start on that table is longer than the 100 km the Compostela asks for, including Ribadeo at 191.7 km. If you want to know where that line actually falls, our guide to the last 100 km has it for every route.
From Bilbao: 682.7 km, and flatter than the route
From Bilbao there are 682.7 km and 33 stages left, with 10,724 m of climbing, which is 15.7 m per kilometre against the route’s 17.6. That is the whole argument for starting there: you skip the steepest part of the Norte, not the flattest.
What you also skip is the Basque coast, which is the part people remember. The trade is six stages and 3,938 m of climbing for a walk that still has 10,724 m in it. The route page has the profile, and our Norte guide walks it stage by stage.
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From Santander, Gijón and Ribadeo
Santander leaves 551.3 km and 27 stages at 16.2 m per km; Gijón 342.5 km and 17 stages at 16.8; Ribadeo 191.7 km and 9 stages at 16.6. Ribadeo is not an arbitrary place to begin: it is where the route leaves the coast, so from there the Norte is an inland walk through Galicia rather than a walk by the sea.
The high point is ahead of you wherever you start
The Norte’s highest point is 708 m, and it is inland, past Ribadeo. That is why the last column of the table reads the same from every start: whichever of the six you choose, the ceiling is still in front of you. For a route with 14,663 m of climbing that is the surprise - the Basque coast is relentless rather than high, with 30 of the 39 stages touching sea level, and the summit is in Galicia.
What this page does not tell you
Distance, stages and climbing, measured. Not beds, not weather, not whether the albergues are open when you go: on the Norte in particular the accommodation is thinner than on the Francés and that is a booking question, not a measurement. If the month matters more than the start, our guide to the Camino in July.
Common questions
How long is the Camino del Norte from Bilbao?
682.7 km, which is 33 stages on our plan, with 10,724 m of climbing. That is 15.7 m per kilometre, flatter than the route’s average of 17.6.
How long is the Camino del Norte from Santander?
551.3 km and 27 stages, with 8,905 m of climbing, 16.2 m per kilometre.
Is the Camino del Norte from Gijón or Ribadeo long enough for the Compostela?
Yes. Gijón leaves 342.5 km and Ribadeo 191.7 km, both well beyond the 100 km the certificate asks for.
Which part of the Camino del Norte climbs the most?
The opening. Irún to Bilbao is 148.9 km, 6 stages, 3,938 m of climbing at 26.4 m per kilometre: 27% of the route’s total climbing on 18% of its distance.
Keep reading
The Camino in July: 67,013 pilgrims, and the year’s only dip
Fewer than June and fewer than August, which no other month the office counts separately manages, and with the second-longest days of the year: 15h 04m, measured.
The Camino in June: 74,043 pilgrims and 15h 19m of daylight, the most of any month
The brightest month of the year and only the fourth busiest. Every other page here measures its light against June, so this is the one that explains the yardstick.
The Camino in March: 14,068 pilgrims, and the fastest-growing month of the year
The season restarts, and this March ran 27% ahead of last year, more than any other month the office publishes. April then nearly quadruples it.
Take it with you
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