Laredo, Cantabria

 Laredo, Cantabria

I woke up in my hotel room in Castro Ardiales with a sore throat, a blocked up nose and sweating. I had obviously caught a chill when I had been rained on during my trek with Leslie from Bilboa to Portugalete and I wasn't feeling well.

It was another 29 km to Laredo and the weather forecast was for rain rising to 75% chance of rain at lunchtime and rising further to 91% in the mid afternoon. I don't like missing a day of walking El Camino as skipping ahead seems like cheating, but I really didn't feel well. I might have made it due to perseverance but it would be a low point.

I researched the bus options to have an easy day and give my body time to fight off the infection. I could skip ahead with a 20 minute coach ride along the motorway for just EUR3.60.

It was a 15 minute walk through Laredo town centre from the bus station to my hotel. At the end of the town centre is the start of the beach, a long, clean expanse of yellow sand. To one end is a headland. 

In the centre, there is a massive headland and teh Faro de Caballo at its eastern end, obscured by low cloud and rain. 

I left the town centre and walked along the seafront.

I passed a restaurant that claims to specialise in seafood dishes so that was where I would be going for my evening meal. 

I reached my accommodation for that evening, Cosmopol Laredo, a six storey. modern, purpose built three star hotel. I sat at the bar until my room was ready.