The morning was a walk from Santoña to Noja, first along the beach at Berria, there was then a choice twixt going over the headland, else, tediously, along the road
the guidebook/camino forum insisted: ‘Under No Circumstances ever go over the headland if it’s been raining, it’s muddy, treacherous and slip slimy, tho you might be alright if you have poles!’
Or words to that effect
Not having any poles, nor being one to heed good advice, I attempted it anyway… BIG MISTAKE… it was alright getting up to the top, view of the pristine beaches either side was glorious
but proceeded to stumble and tumble all the way back down again, hairy, each time I slipped I tried to grab onto any vegetation, even the merest strand of grass to steady myself… everything was a variety of thorn or gorse, ripped to shreds by the undergrowth!
Finally made it down in a muddy heap, but was then a blissful 3km stretch of almost empty sandy beach.
The sea swashing backwards and forth across the lip gloss sands, huge swathes of storm clouds looming on the horizon
absolutely lush, shoes and socks off, i paddled along very very happily
