Day 12 — The Last Miles (17 Miles) 20 April

Back to Noja with my driver, Iñago. We bade farewell across from the church. Five trips together. This many taxi trips to and from end and starting points have never happened before; probably never will happen again.

My walk started at 9:20. The weather was overcast, no rain. Although sunshine is preferred, I’ll take any day with lower temperatures to walk distances over 12 miles.

This walk was unusual because it offered several decision points. My strategy was to take the shortest route — still 17 miles with about a thousand feet of elevation gain. At the first fork, I went left. Thank goodness for the Buen Camino app map. I would have missed the others because they were not marked like this one.

To keep pace but also to maintain energy, my fellow Camino walkers and I take breaks at critical intervals. This one was for a Coke and necessities in San Miguel de Meruelo. The bar was filled at 11:00 AM, Monday. These bars are the community centers of Spanish communities at any time of the day or night.

Guemes was the 12th mile. My wish for a cool and cloudy day evaporated. I stayed with the game plan of the shortest route and headed alongside the highway to Somo. I arrived at the ferry landing at 3:22. The ferry arrived at 3:25. I was in Santander by 4:00.

I later met my Irish lads for a celebratory happy hour and dinner. They had taken the coastal route at Guemes rather than the straight paved road that I took. They reported that the beaches were stunning. However, that route would have added several hours and more miles to my journey. The surprise was that they had seen me walking to the ferry while they were on a bus from Somo to Santander.

We found an excellent restaurant in the centro. We started with a round of cerveza because we had to wait until 8:00 when dinner was scheduled to start. Precisely at 8:00, the waiter came over to take our order. We chose plates to share — rabas, fried squid found everywhere in Santander; selection of local cheeses and meats. More cerveza, of course.

We engaged other tourists who were seated at adjoining tables — a mother/son from Milan and woman from Toronto whose husband is playing in a touring band. I was fading out by 10:30.

I bade farewell to Paul, John, and Alan. They will be taking a bus back to Bilbao, spending the day touring Bilbao and the Guggenheim, and then flying back to Ireland the next day. We made a final toast to completing this Camino not only for walking this segment but also for sharing the experience. This moment is what epitomizes the spirit of the Camino.

Perhaps we’ll meet again next year in Santander. I am planning to complete the Camino del Norte in April, 2027. Buen Camino lads and all who have walked with me in spirit.