34. Santander to Santillana del Mar

I’m not sure what happened this morning?? I awoke at 6.20am, I thought, to the sound of footsteps and activity, as if other pilgrims in the hostel were getting ready to leave (though thinking about it now, it was probably someone in the flat above me). I was feeling pretty good health wise so I got up and packed my gear. I was about to head out the door when I looked at my phone again - five to six!! Oh no, I’m an hour early!! 

Oh well, no point unpacking and going back to bed now. Might as well get going.

So there I was, walking out of Santander at least two hours before it would be light. Revellers were still out from the previous night - looking a little worse for wear!!

An hour and a half after starting I found an open panaderia for some breakfast, and half an hour later I was dodging major road and rail arteries on the outskirts of Santander.

Most of today’s stage was pretty messy really. To preserve a walking path that negotiates the numerous complex intersections and busy highways that feed into a city, not to mention industrial zones, is no easy thing. There’s nothing terribly inspiring about any of it but it is part of Camino walking,  and a price we pay for feeding a modern lifestyle.

In some places the path was completely interrupted by new roadworks and satellite development. I had to exercise navigational creativity on a number of occasions and my boots copped a hammering in some of the freshly graded and rain soaked areas.

Having said all that, on occasions today I also encountered scenes from a seemingly past era. For example, this guy casually directing these five geese back to their pen by tapping a stick on the ground behind them.

The rain came and went today. When it came things felt pretty dismal, especially in this degraded industrial region.

In fact, for the rest of the time I was walking it was too wet to take photos, I needed to tuck my phone away. 

So, this next one is of the sign on the wall of my lovely little cell in the convent now restored as a pilgrim hostel in Santillana del Mar. it reminded me of the line from my friend John Coleman’s beautiful song Sea of God: ‘We are rivers who love the ocean, we are travellers everyone…’ (johncoleman.bandcamp.com)

Santillana del Mar is a historic town with some beautifully preserved old buildings. Apparently, it attracts thousands of visitors every year and if this afternoon is anything to go on that’s right - there were people everywhere. And numerous hotels and posadas, including a Parador. 

There is an old saying here that Santillana del Mar is a town of three lies, since there is no Saint (Santa), and nor is it flat (Ilana) or by the sea (Mar), as implied by the name. In fact, the name derives from Santa Juliana (Santa Illana) whose remains are kept in this Romanesque church and former Benedictine monastery.

There is also a Museum exhibiting all the ways people were tortured during the inquisition. Ugh, I’ll give that a miss. 

There is a pilgrim service offered in the convent tonight and then a shared meal, which I’m looking forward to. It also looks like there may be a couple of drier days ahead, which always makes walking easier. 

🙏