Your $55 USD registration fee supports the Camino for Good grants.
- Camino del Norte or Northern Way is one of the oldest ways pilgrims walked to Santiago de Compostela.
- Virtually brave the hills along the northern coast of Spain for 518 miles/833 kilometers, passing through the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, and Galicia.
- See stunning photos from real pilgrims of the coastal “port” towns and the trail in the mountains and cliffs above the towns.
- Hear stories from real pilgrims who have taken the Norte challenge
Hike the northern Coast of Spain virtually by walking at home
Are you ready to Brave the hills of the Camino del Norte?
Using the powerful Camino for Good Virtual Camino App, challenge yourself to brave the rocky coastline and hilly path as you virtually walk the ancient Norte pilgrimage.
What is the Brave the Hills Challenge along the Camino del Norte?
- Physical motivation: Average 3.5 miles per day to reach Santiago in 150 days
- Visual beauty: Access to thousands of original photos of the Camino del Norte
- Google street view: Explore the landscapes and streetscapes of northern coastal Spain
- Get inspired: Listen to audio stories from real pilgrims that have completed their own Spanish Camino
- Connection to community: Create private groups with your friends
- Giving Back: Camino for Good works with groups providing funds to complete their Camino mission
- Free Neck Gaiter and Patch: On signup – wear the gaiter, iron on the patch to show support
- Achievement certificate: On completion – frame it and hang it with pride
How does my purchase of the
Camino del Norte virtual hiking app help others?
Camino for Good’s has begun a need-based grant program for any expenses related to the Camino de Santiago. If you’re a pilgrim who needs help purchasing gear, if you’re an albergue owner who needs help paying for renovations for damages or starting a new albergue, this is a resource for you. This grant program will be funded by sales of routes on our Camino for Good Virtual Walking App. As always, we promise to be transparent and honest.
Initially, the good that we could do through our For Good Mission was obvious to us. Facing a halt in travel amidst the pandemic, the selfless albergue owners who provide homes to pilgrims asking for little in return, suddenly found themselves in dire situations. For the first year of our business operations, we committed to giving 75% of our net income to albergue owners to help cover basic expenses, like rent and electricity, just long enough to stay afloat until the Camino reopened. We are proud and so thankful to say that we were able to give away a total of over $74,000 USD to 24 albergues to achieve just that.
We’ve been overwhelmed with the impact Camino for Good has had on our virtual walkers, and we want to ensure the sustainability of the company to welcome as many people into the Camino for Good community as possible for years to come.
You can help out by signing up today!
New to the Camino del Norte?
What brought you to this mostly isolated, ruggedly beautiful stretch of Camino along Spain’s northern coast?
For most people embarking on The Norte, this is not their first Camino. That is usually the Frances. But eventually, somewhere along your first Camino you will start to hear stories of the Norte route, or as the Spanish call it “Ruta de la Costa”. You will hear of its beauty, its solitude, how difficult it is both physically and emotionally. For some, this unique pathway will speak to you and a spark will light within you, now determined to venture to the Norte as soon as you can. Maybe that’s how you found your way here.
What is it about this Camino that is so different from the others?
- The Camino del Norte or Northern Way is one of the oldest ways pilgrims walked to Santiago de Compostela. It winds it way along the northern coast of Spain for almost 500 kilometers, passing through the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, and Galicia.
- During the Middle Ages, the French Way (Camino Frances) became increasingly more dangerous as the Moorish armies pushed their way north. The Northern Way thus provided a safer route through Christian Kingdoms for pilgrims to reach Santiago de Compostela.
- The Norte traditionally starts in Irun, Spain opposite the French town of Hendaye. The path initially follows the rugged coast of the Bay of Biscay. It then skirts the green and rocky cliff tops and sandy beaches of the Asturias coast and eventually into Galicia and Santiago de Compostela.
- Get ready to do a lot of climbing and descending on this route. Along the coast most if not all of the towns are “port” towns but the trail is in the mountains and cliffs above the towns. This beautiful coastline of Spain basically consists of mountains and cliffs ending at the sea.
When you decide to join us, pat yourself on the back for daring to take on this difficult route. You are in for another great adventure!
We hope this virtual walk helps shine some light on this amazing route and encourages you to one day make the actual walk yourself. We could not recommend it more highly.
Enjoy your journey. Buen Camino Pilgrim!
A look inside the Virtual Camino App
The dashboard tracks your progress all the way to Santiago
Log your distance manually or with a fitness tracker
Unlock 200+ towns featuring over 3,000 photos along the way
See your friends and yourself on the interactive map
Explore Spain through Google Street View!
Gather stamps for each town you visit
Brave the Hills of the Norte today!
Your $55 USD registration fee supports Camino for Good grants.
