The days have been gorgeous but the mountains all around us are daunting. Every day I have to mentally gear up for the hills.
The contrast of the mountains and the sea
A German pilgrim said it best, “I love to climb mountains. But when I go up, I want to go down. I don’t want to go up and down multiple times in a day.” The climbs are no joke. And I agree with her. I’m fine to climb one mountain (or huge hill), but we climb 2, 3, 4, and even more in a day, every day.
The beautiful flowers that surrounded the doorway to a home
The funny part is I knew this is what it was going to be like. I don’t know why I’m surprised. I just keep going back to the fact that we’re from the flat lands of Ohio. However, we’re not the only ones feeling this pain.
The views are amazing! I knew they would be great. My legs are sore but they will look fabulous by Santiago (as fabulous as they will ever look for a girl with cellulite issues). If we meet in person, please ask me to flex my calf muscles, it will make me smile.
Can you spot the Camino marker?
The villages are great. There is something very special about Spanish villages. I love days like yesterday and today where we wandered through several of them in a day.
The bigger cities that we stay in make it harder to meet pilgrims. We’ve only stayed in one albergue with a communal dinner. Part of that is us, we’ve been leaning more toward private rooms. But part of that is the Camino and the limitations of who will accept our reservation and luggage service.
A rocky path connecting two villages
We have not seen one pilgrim menu. A pilgrim menu is something we would have daily on the Camino Frances. Even finding stamps for our credential is difficult. This is quite surprising to us. We were in a church yesterday and they didn’t even have a stamp. That was shocking. It’s a different Camino but we knew it would be so it’s ok. But these are my observations for today.
As we chatted with so many pilgrims today while walking 20 kilometers and climbing over 500 meters (1600 feet), I’m amazed at how my legs are starting to feel. I don’t want to jinx it but I may be getting stronger.
The mud was unforgiving
The climbs, the mud, the rocks, the ascents, and the descents were all treacherous today. The climbs were steep and the mud was deep. Brian’s feet were covered in mud and tennis shoes lost their cute factor today.
The pilgrim adventure
These two, desperately needed, rest days came just in time. Brian needs a haircut, our clothes need a washing machine, we both need massages, and our legs need a break from the climbs!
Our first glimpse into Bilbao
We arrived in Bilbao today, a bustling city with a ton of character. I’m glad we have two days to explore because we need to go at a very slow pace. We didn’t see much today as we didn’t even wander beyond our hotel for dinner.
The sign that told us where we were having dinner
As luck would have it outside of our hotel there was this sign and we knew we had to eat dinner there. Last year on our Camino Frances, our pilgrim friend Sean raved about these “Kevin Bacon” burgers that we had to try. So our “pilgrim family” joined Sean (and his amazing dad, David) for a Kevin Bacon.
The Kevin Bacon is the burger in the back, I had the BB Queen on the gluten free bun
Seriously, it’s the best burger! If you ever find yourself at a Goiko burger joint, stop in! We need a Goiko in the United States! They even have outstanding mojitos and gluten free buns. The only thing missing tonight was our pilgrim family.
Finding our Way
I hope another pilgrim family develops but for now we all have different end stops. We’ve enjoyed the company of ladies from Germany, two different couples from the United Kingdom, a couple from the Netherlands, and so many more but their adventure is ending now or they are pressing on because their journey ends in a few days.
The horses are great company
Whether our relationships are long or short, we have enjoyed everyone we’ve met so far! I can’t believe we’ve only been walking for 5 days. Today a lovely conversation with a Statistics Professor from Germany got me through a big climb; it even made me feel like my legs are getting stronger.
The village of Lezama where we chatted with a great couple from the Netherlands as we all waited for a bus into Bilbao
As my English friend said today, “this is not a holiday, it’s an adventure!” What an adventure it’s been so far! I can’t imagine what will happen over the next 30 days of walking until we arrive in Santiago. Yes – we still have 30 more walking days!!
What an adventure so far!
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What started out as a good day, took a rough turn, but ended up being our best evening thus far!! Oh, this Camino del Norte, she remains a painstaking, action packed adventure.
The view from our lodging
It started with a late breakfast which always stresses me out because that means we finish our walk later. We stayed at this Casa Rural that I thought would be pilgrim friendly but the prices were high and they didn’t start serving breakfast until 8:30 a.m. Most pilgrims like to be walking by 7-8 a.m., depending on the weather, sometimes earlier if it’s going to be really hot.
We left the ocean views today
The climb wasn’t too bad before our first stop for a snack but then we made the mistake of looking at Google maps. Our map did save us time, meters of climbing, and mileage but there was a cost. We had to walk through a closed fence that, fortunately, wasn’t locked and then we had to climb through some barbed wire. It felt like we walked through a private compound. There were at least 6 vicious-sounding dogs, thankfully they were chained up. Then there were, we will call them, deer blinds but some could call them guard towers. Fortunately nobody was around but we were thrilled to get the heck out of there!! But no, we weren’t about to turn back and climb down the hill only to climb up a different, bigger hill! Plus, if you know me at all, I have been told I can be intense. So, we were fine. 😆🫣
The route we went on was a bit easier according to the pilgrims we talked to in the evening but – yikes – it was intense!! No, there are no photos of the “compound” as we didn’t need evidence we were there.
We listened to the stream water most of the day
We walked about 15 kilometers on the blacktop which is brutal on the back, hips, and knees. But we only gained about 400 meters (1312 feet) of elevation, as opposed to the main route which gained almost 700 meters of elevation. It was a killer of a day! Brian hit rock bottom, I’m just thankful we both didn’t because I’m not sure we would have made it to our accommodation. We could still be on the side of the road.
An area for pilgrims to visit, meditate, and just relax the afternoon away
But it was the most perfect evening! I can’t believe a day could have so many highs and lows but that’s the Camino. We stayed at this most wonderful Casa Rural (rural house that provides lodging). They did more than provide lodging! We had cocktails, a washing machine, perfect weather for clothes to be dried outside on the clothesline, and best of all, we had our first communal dinner!
Plenty of places to dry your clothes
We spent the evening with our toes in the lush green grass, sipping cocktails, and talking to people from Germany, France, England, Switzerland, Scotland, Ireland, and the United States. We enjoyed the best meal with produce from the garden. It’s truly the biggest blessing of the Camino. Nights like that remind us why we love the spirit of the Camino!
The sunrise from our lodging
We slept like babies in the most comfortable bed! We woke up to a delicious breakfast including gluten free bread and homemade jam. Seriously, I pray we have so many more nights like this one.
The first climb of the day
Today’s walk was uneventful, no barbed wire. 😆 We followed the route. Though it was quite hilly we had lots of little villages to enjoy.
Unfortunately we had to climb down 7 flights of stairs today
We made the decision to bus ahead so we only walked 13 kilometers and took a bus for 12 kilometers. We needed the rest after yesterday. Tomorrow is going to be another big day of climbing so it’s time to nap. Bilbao will be here soon with 2 rest days. We’ve never needed them as much as we need them now.
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The views continue to improve. I don’t know how long it will last so I’m trying to take it all in. Though this terrain has my knees and thighs screaming!
An easy climb
Every kilometer takes a long time and every view takes my breath away or is that the climbing? I don’t know but I’m constantly exhausted. We decided to walk the Norte route because it was hard and had epic views. We’re not getting any younger so we need to check things like this off our bucket list while we still can do them.
The way our walk started today
I can’t believe this morning started with an easy 5 kilometer walk along the ocean, it was amazing!! This was an optional route and I’m thrilled we took it! The sounds of the waves splashing on the rocks made the walk fly by!
This makes the climb worth it
Then we left the seaside to climb, and oh did we climb! We are just training because tomorrow’s climb is even more intense. I keep telling myself it will get easier but we’re from the flat lands of Ohio where a hill doesn’t even compare to this terrain. And honestly, I don’t mind the climb, my problem is how long it takes me. We’re getting into our accommodations much later than I like to arrive. Some nights our clothes don’t have enough time to dry (in part because we’re having to dry them inside because of the rain).
The village of Zumaia
We did have to bus ahead a bit today because it was time to get the staples removed from my head and I had to get to a clinic before they closed. Click on this blog post if you don’t know what happened. My head is healing well. I still have headaches quite a bit. We’re taking 2 full rest days in Bilbao which I pray helps. I’m resting a lot when I can, daily naps are a blessing.
Even the forest is lush
After I got my staples removed, we had about 3.5 kilometers left to walk and a massive climb at about 350 meters (or 1,148 feet). A tough climb especially at the end of the day. We’re staying past the village of Deba at a Casa Rural in the middle of nowhere but with an amazing view of the ocean while perched on a mountainside.
From our bedroom window
The views are worth it. Tomorrow we’ll have a bit less of a climb, though it’s still going to be another tough day with about 450 more meters of climbing and about 600 meters of descent. 3 days until Bilbao, then 2 full days of rest. 🙌🏼 Maybe we’ll find a boat tour, unless Mother Nature keeps this rain around us.
Time will tell. I would not change a thing! ❤️
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I am a water girl with a fire sign (Leo). I’m feisty like fire but love to be cooled off by the water. I love being by the water, despite how bored I get after one day of doing nothing at the beach.
I’ll take water in any form. On this pilgrimage every shower consists of me standing under the shower head imagining myself diving into a pool. That’s probably because I am just so dang hot every single day. Regardless, that’s my shower day dream and it gets me through the hot days. Haha!
I can’t talk much about our time walking from Cella to Aulla. It was hard, it was hot, and it was an incredible amount of climbing. I wasn’t as mentally prepared for it as I was the Grand St. Bernard Pass. I have a lot of respect for the mountains and if I lived by them they would be much more manageable. But I am from the flat lands of the Midwest. Here’s a video just to illustrate how tough it was for us.
The balance of water and mountains at its best
I definitely could live by the water with mountains behind me. I respect the balance of the two. I need to climb the mountains and feel like I am looking down on everything (the Leo sign again). I also need to sit by the water and listen to the sounds as I go about my day. I think that’s why, despite how tough the mountains have been, I love this area. The Apennine Mountains are around us and the Ligurian Sea is in front of us as we leave Sarzana and spend a rest day in Marina di Massa.
Marina di Massa looking up at the marble quarry where Michelangelo got marble for his statues
If I lived here, I would hike the mountains but not relentlessly every day for 20-30+ km, in the heat, with a 20 pound pack on my back. Sometimes you need a bit of dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing) to appreciate the hard work of the climb.
Marina di Massa is off of the Via Francigena path but it’s an easy detour. Make sure you are following our YouTube channel so you can see how easy this detour is for walkers.
It can be a pricey detour because Marina di Massa is a tourist town. However, we booked our room in February and secured a moderately ok little apartment for just under €100 a night. For this area, that is super reasonable. It’s also only 4 blocks from the sea.
To make this rest day complete, we will allow ourselves to get completely bored for a day. Haha! We rented an umbrella and beach chairs for only €36. I will be there as soon as they open in the morning. Let the dolce far niente commence.
This pilgrimage has been incredibly rewarding thus far. I can’t believe we have complete 30 of our 50 planned walking days. I have overcome some mental hurdles from past pilgrimages. My body has risen to the challenge of the daily grind – walk, hand wash clothes, find food, rehydrate, reflect on the day, go to bed early, get up early to beat the heat, and repeat. Every day is gets a bit easier.
However, our days of rest are critical to sustaining these final 20 days of walking. The heat of the summer is extremely challenging for everyone. I’m not trying to push myself beyond what I can do, I am just trying to get better with time. I am only in competition with myself. Thankfully, I do not have to prove anything to anyone. The reward: I am pleasantly surprised with how much our walking pace and walking stamina have improved. I can’t wait to see how we improve over the next 20 days.
My inner mermaid is calling to get out of this apartment and go walk the beach. Please continue to pray for our safe passage over the next 20 days. We have a lot to learn still. We have the challenging Tuscan hills in front of us with relentless ups and downs all day long.
We will continue to work on what our balanced life will look like when we get home. Balance is our greatest challenge. Let me know what your struggle is and I will add you to those I pray for on my walk.
Walking stats from Fronovo di Taro to Berseto- 18.24 km, took a taxi for 13.3 km
Lodging at La casa di Marty B&B – €66
Walking stats from Berseto to Pontremoli – 14.46 km, took a taxi for 13.8 km
Lodging at Ospitale San Lorenzo Martire – €40
Walking stats from Pontremoli to Aulla – sadly just 2.5 km to the train station. I had to work and we needed a place with good wi-fi so it was 29.6 km on the train.
Lodging at Demi Hotel – €100
Walking stats from Aulla to Sarzana – 18.76
Lodging at Casa Giangarè – €98
Walking stats from Sarzana to Massa di Marina – 19.55 km
Lodging at Rosa Tea Residence for two nights – €198
*Listing our accommodation is not an endorsement. This is just a point of information for fellow pilgrims. See our reviews on Booking.com, the guidebooks, and fellow pilgrims for more details to make the decision best for you.
I’m always excited for new scenery, entering the Apennine Mountains was no exception after the long, flat days of the Po Valley. I’m like a kid who is excited but forgets every time how much work the mountains can be to hike.
I can’t talk more about a balanced life yet (see last blog post). Right now, I feel like an amateur hiker again. I’m tired and I need a nap after the constant up and down of the day. The views have been good but the mileage between villages is long and the mileage of the stages is even longer. I’m trying to embrace the longer days and the climbs, it’s what I wanted, but it doesn’t mean I enjoy every moment of every day.
Yesterday we hiked on loose gravel with inclines both up and down at over a 50% grade at times. It was steep, wait until you see the YouTube video about it (it will be linked at the bottom when it’s out). We were having fun with it, laughing and joking a lot, until the third big hill and then the trail got silent. We were both exhausted, the elevation map didn’t look nearly as tough as the actual trail, and we were each having our own silent pissy fits.
Can see how steep this was?!
Then came the bees. They would not leave me alone, I was swinging my polls around like a mad woman. Next came the flies, crap, they were intense. I hated the entire world. And of course, because they haven’t left me alone in over in a week, there were the relentless knats. Gnats that looked like tornado tunnels passing by and through me. Why, oh why, did it have to be all three?
I couldn’t stop walking for fear they would land on me. It wasn’t enjoyable to stop and look around. I kept walking. I kept trying to outpace these treacherous beasts. I would have paid a lot of money for my hiking pole to turn into a fly swatter!
Deconstruction is the ultimate test of a true warrior!
Despite all of that, it was those stupid, relentless, swarms of insects that got me through a tough day. I’m not going to thank them, let’s not go that far. Brian didn’t have to pull out the bee sting kit so there’s that good news.
We accomplished another mountain pass, another goal, and for that I am thankful. We also surpassed our halfway mark of walking 50 total days on this trip. Tomorrow: We hike again, we climb again. That’s just the pilgrimage we’re on. Maybe in the end I will feel like the warrior I know I am deep inside.
Lodging – Fraternità Francescana di Betania – donation based, included lunch, dinner, and breakfast the next morning
Walking stats from Cella to Fronovo di Taro – 18.8 km
Lodging – La Vecchia Quercia Bed and Breakfast – €80
*Listing our accommodation is not an endorsement. This is just a point of information for fellow pilgrims. See our reviews on Booking.com, the guidebooks, and fellow pilgrims for more details to make the decision best for you.
★ 25 years guiding★ 48 U.S. states★ 10 countries★ 3,000+ Camino miles
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Know before you go
Activity Level.
Every Cruisin' with the Colemans trip comes with an activity level so you know, before you lace up, roughly how hard the walking will be. Think of it as the overall rhythm of the trip — a few days might push a little past it and a few will feel gentler, but it's an honest read on what your legs are signing up for.
Nobody knows your body better than you do. We're all for a good challenge, but pick a level that matches your current fitness and trail experience and the whole walk gets more fun. Not sure where you land? Reach out — we've walked every one of these ourselves and we're always happy to talk it through.
Grades
EasyEasy0–8 km (0–5 miles)
Gentle, mostly flat days on well-kept, easy-to-follow paths. Ideal if you're new to multi-day walking or simply want a relaxed pace with plenty of time to soak it all in.
Easy – ModerateEasy–Moderate8–16 km (5–10 miles)
A little more distance over mixed ground — mostly maintained trails, quiet lanes, and the occasional gentle climb. A good fit if you're reasonably active and ready for a few longer stretches.
ModerateModerate16–20 km (10–12 miles)
Fuller days on varied, sometimes rugged terrain with regular ups and downs. Great for steady hikers in good shape, or determined first-timers chasing a real sense of accomplishment.
Moderate – StrenuousModerate–Strenuous20–24 km (12–15 miles)
Long days with sustained, often steep climbs and descents on rough trail. You'll want solid fitness; a few exposed spots call for a head for heights, and navigation can get trickier when the weather turns.
StrenuousStrenuous24–28 km (15–17 miles)
Big days on demanding, often remote mountain terrain — serious distance and elevation for experienced, fit hikers. Expect rough footing, the odd exposed or aided section, and higher altitude on some routes.
ExtremeExtreme+28 km (+17 miles)
Our toughest walking, built for very fit, very experienced hikers. Rugged, sometimes remote mountain terrain with scrambling, exposure, and aided sections — plus altitude, weather, and navigation that all add to the challenge.
Where you rest
Accommodations Levels.
Where you sleep is part of the story, so we hand-pick locally run places that welcome you like an old friend. The level shifts a little from trip to trip depending on the route, but the goal never does: a clean, comfortable, genuinely local stay at the end of every walking day.
Most nights you'll land in friendly, independent or family-run hotels, guest houses, and B&Bs chosen for their charm and the little touches that feel like home. Some trips lean a touch more luxurious; others, especially in the remote stretches, mean simpler refuges or huts. Either way, we've picked each one to help you rest up and wake ready for the trail.
Basic – A Place to Rest Your HeadBasic
Mountain huts, refuges, and simple B&Bs. Ensuite rooms aren't a given, and you may share a dorm with fellow walkers — but what you trade in polish you more than gain back in camaraderie and a big, rustic welcome.
Classic – Charming Without the FrillsClassic
Locally owned B&Bs, guest houses, and small inns that feel like a home away from home — usually family-run, cozy or freshly kept, and well placed for the next day's walk. A warm welcome comes as standard.
Comfort – A Little More...ComfortableComfort
Characterful, locally owned hotels and B&Bs with the little extras that make a stay feel special — décor rooted in the region, the occasional spot to unwind, and sometimes a kitchen worth lingering over.
In Style – For Those who Want to Treat ThemselvesIn Style
First-class stays in boutique hotels, vineyards, and country manors — often in the best seats in the house, from hilltop towns to the water's edge, with standout service and, now and then, a truly memorable table.
Mixed – Boutique Hotels to Mountain Huts, all in One TripMixed
One trip, a bit of everything. You might bed down in Classic or Comfort rooms through the towns and villages, then a refuge or other Basic spot up in the mountains where that's all there is — an honest, memorable mix that matches the journey.
