Tour of Monte Buciero

Start from one of the car parks along Avenida Virgen del Puerto, at the entrance to Santona.

(S/E) Walk up the avenue to the large roundabout that marks the entrance to the town and take the small road that branches off to the right of the small stone monument with an arch.

(1) A sign for "Camino de Santiago" shows the direction to follow, as you need to follow the Camino del Norte for a few hundred metres. After passing the last houses in the town, you will come out above the first marshes. Continue to the first crossroads.

(2) As you approach a high wall with watchtowers, turn right towards El Dueso. Pass a first dead-end road on the left and continue climbing to cross the village. Pass between the houses huddled on either side of the road to reach a small square. On the right, pass a children's playground, then continue up the road, which curves to the left. At the next crossroads, turn left to walk along the foot of the same wall seen at the bottom of the village. This is the wall of the Santona penitentiary, which you will soon be able to see in its entirety.

(3) At the next crossroads, take the road on the right that climbs towards the Fishermen's Lighthouse (Faro del Pescadores). From this point onwards, the road disappears under dense vegetation, with only a few rare glimpses of the coast. Before setting off, don't miss the chance to take a look at the huge Berria beach stretching out below.

(4) After about a kilometre, the road curves to the right as it passes the northern tip of Monte Buciero. A gap under a power line offers a glimpse of the lighthouse at the bottom of the cliff. This is the only view of it before you reach it. Follow the road that leads there.

(5) About a hundred metres before reaching the Faro del Pescatores, which was closed when we visited but hosts temporary exhibitions, take the small path that branches off to the right above the road's retaining wall. The route then becomes more exposed, as it is just a narrow path on the slope above the waves. However, you will soon find yourself back under cover, which, although it blocks the view, also eliminates any possibility of vertigo that this route above the void might cause. You will then reach the only undeveloped part of the route, and it may be usefulto use the ropes that have been installed there to cross the steepest sections.

(6) Once you have crossed this somewhat acrobatic section, you will find yourself on a wide, gently sloping track, which was probably once used by the charcoal burners who worked in these woods. A few traces remain of this activity, even though it has now completely disappeared. Continue along this track until you reach the fork towards Faro del Caballo.

(7) Access to the lighthouse requires considerable effort, as there are more than 700 steps to descend. And since you will have to climb back up, you can simply go to the top of the stairs, which offers an unobstructed view of this part of Monte Buciero and the lighthouse itself.

(8) Then climb back up the same way.

(7) Turn left to continue the walk.

(9) After about 500 metres, take a moment to look down at the landscape below before passing a ledge carved into the cliff. This leads to a small pass that takes you to the southern slope of Monte Buciero

(10) After the pass, the descent begins with a rapid descent interspersed with several bends.

(11) At the last of these, the view opens up again onto the last foothills of the mountains and Laredo, on the other side of the bay. Continue the almost straight descent until you come out above Fort San Carlos. A huge statue seems to be dipping its feet in the swimming pool of the hotel below.

(12) Finish the descent by passing this first fort, then skirting around San Martin Fort, which marks the start of the Paseo Maritimo.

(13) This long promenade runs along the Rio Ason estuary, where enormous masses of water fill the Santona marshes at each tide. Unremarkable for the rest of the day, this thoroughfare comes alive every evening at paseo time.

(14) In its centre stands a huge monument to the memory of Juan de la Cosa, a 15th-century geographer. Pass it and continue to the end of the paseo.

(15) Go around the Plazza de Toros to reach the marina, then pass it to reach the fishing port basin.

(16) Walk along the harbour, passing between the quay and a long, more or less disused building, then go around it to the right when you reach the end. Then leave the port area and walk along Calle Eguilior for about 100 metres to the right, before crossing this street to enter Calle Perez Galdos, which leads to the central square of Santona.

(17) You can choose a terrace on this shopping square or simply cross it to reach Calle Manzanedo, which runs through the city centre from north to south. Then turn left and walk up this street until you reach Parque Manzanedo, which you cross by turning right. Beyond the building that closes off this esplanade, you will find the car park (S/E).

Although the Monte Buciero tour follows the coastline, it is nevertheless inaccessible, both physically and visually, with a few rare exceptions. Most of the walk takes place in a dense wooded environment that invites meditation, if you are not too busy greeting the many visitors you may encounter.