The dramatic coastal path between Llanes and Celorio meanders along the edge of the Cantabrian Sea on ancient paths once used by fishermen and cowherds. They connect villages with each other, and with pastures and the coast. It is part of the spectacular Camino del Norte, which runs along the coast from San Sebastián in the Basque Country before cutting inland to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.
The 800km route is one of the most stunning ways to walk the Camino de Santiago. After doing two sections of it in Asturias – albeit in exceptionally good weather that isn’t guaranteed in this region – it is very tempting to hike the whole thing. I imagine it would be a blister-inducing but unforgettable experience. Alas, one that would need five or six weeks of dedicated time, so it’s unlikely to happen any time soon.
The undulating route is wedged between the ocean and mountains, with just a strip of land that runs between them. Here cows, sheep and horses graze, and villages cluster in hollows in the coastline. There are jagged cliffs and bays with isolated golden beaches, where on a hot day you can cool off in the chilly waters. Most of all though, the sense of tranquility you get from this glorious route makes it special.
Even though it was summer and the route is accessible, I met only a handful of people. I left Llanes early one morning along the Paseo de San Pedro, a raised walk on clifftops above the town. It has amazing views to the mountains and out to sea. which make it a popular spot for an evening promenade and morning dog walking. By the first headland outside of the town though, there were way more cows and horses than people.
I’d been walking for less than an hour when I found myself looking down on a gorgeous stretch of beach tucked into a sheltered cove, the turquoise waters framed by rugged cliffs rising up around a narrow entrance to the sea. This is Playa de Poo, or Poo Beach. It’s immature, I know, but it’s hard not to chuckle at the name. This is clearly something the locals are aware of as the nearby village of Poo was recently renamed Po.
Walking across the arch of sand, I noted a restaurant overlooking the beach that looked like a perfect spot for a beer when the route looped back here later. The tide was just coming in and there were a couple of people already on the beach as I headed up the sandy Arroyo Vallina, a small stream that runs down to the sea. At ground level you can really get a sense of why Playa de Poo is famous in this region.
I climbed out of the stream bed through some trees and hit open country before the trail took me back to the coast. There were small fields that had been cut for hay, and the views inland towards the mountains were beautiful. Off the coast are a series of small islets, little more than jagged rocks poking up through the blue waters, one of the largest is Isla Almenada. At low tide a temporary beach unites it with the mainland.
The path curved around the coast to where the pretty Playa el Portillu nestles in a sheltered inlet. A little further beyond I diverted off the path to the atmospheric ruins of the Ermita de San Martín. A former religious site that is being gracefully eroded by wind and water, its surviving arched doorway acts like a picture frame for the view along the coast and to the Sierra del Cuera mountains in the distance.
Traveling back inland I passed through the outskirts of Celorio, which seemed like a pretty spot, and then started a long loop back towards Playa de Poo with only thoughts of a cold Estrella Galicia in my mind. It was a hot day and by the time I arrived back at the beach it was busy with people. At the restaurant, I was lucky to snag an outdoor table with views over the beach. The village of Poo is an attractive spot, despite the name.
The last leg of the route brought me back to Llanes where the sound of fireworks was announcing yet another phase of the La Magdalena festivities. I hurried onwards to join the celebrations.
