The Camino del Norte or Camino de la Costa can be a truly magical and romantic place. For Trevor and Fiona, it would forever be in their hearts after a Camino proposal in 2017.
This is their story!
The romantic trip of a lifetime
Popping the big question was on my mind, and with our fifth anniversary approaching, the time was right. A special location was required to ask such an important question. As we had holidays coming up, I began the task of holiday planning.
For an unforgettable holiday, the destination needed to complement our interests. We enjoy walking and hiking, so we researched walking holiday destinations. High on the interest list was coast life – including swimming, snorkelling, and beach walks. Food was the final element on the list to complete the search.
An area that kept coming up for us was the Northern coast of Spain because it ticked all of our interests. We were particularly excited about the hiking possibilities and world-renowned food that Basque and Cantabria had to offer.
With this in mind, we chose a small seaside town called Noja midway between; San Sebastian and Santander in Cantabria for our trip. As the departure date drew closer, I wondered how I would keep the Camino proposal a secret. With the precious black box hidden under several layers of holiday clothes at the bottom of my suitcase, I was finally ready.
Noja and the Green Coast
At the beginning of the holiday, we explored the towns of Noja and Isla with their beautiful golden beaches, in particular Playa de Trengandin, Playa de Ris, and Playa Joel.
We found the waters crystal clear, perfect for swimming, snorkelling, and observing fish. While the towns of Noja and Isla are divided by the Ria de Cabo Queza river, you can still cross during low tide.
The culinary delights sampled included various Tapas and Pintxos consisting of fresh seafood, cheeses, and cured meats. Without a doubt, the food surpassed all expectations, as evidence Spanish cuisine is one of my favourites.
During quiet moments, ideas of how the Camino Proposal would happen flooded my head. The answer lay somewhere along the Camino del Norte.
Ruta de la Costa
I awoke very early on the morning of July 21st, with my Camino proposal busy in my head. With the precious black box and bottle of champagne hidden in my bag, we set off on the Costa de la Ruta, a coastal path along the cliffs.
From the cliffside path, there were amazing views of the sea. Soon, the path descended onto the beach before ascending once again to Punta del Brusco.
The summit of Punta del Brusco is the perfect viewing point to appreciate the beaches of Noja and Santona. However, the path can be quite steep and uneven, with baked, potholed clay. This makes for quite an enjoyable climb, even though it would be treacherous in wet conditions.
Camino scallop shell markings and yellow arrows appeared at the bottom of the hill. Farther on, the path broadened, opening onto the Playa de Berria beach.
At the end of the beach, we observed pilgrims appear from a narrow path in the cliffs. We looked on as they dropped their packs, in order to take off their shoes and feel the soft sand underfoot.
Marked with a red heart and yellow arrow this was the stairway to the summit of Aguila and a Camino proposal beyond.
Faro del Caballo Lighthouse
Approaching the summit we caught glimpses of Santoña Victoria and Joyel Marshes Natural Park. I checked the ring was safely secured in my pocket.
I did not know where along the trail I was going to propose. The Camino provides!
Upon reaching Faro Del Pescador (Fisherman lighthouse) we entered an enchanting holm oak woodland with views of the sea below. I palmed the small black box in my pocket and I knew that this was the spot.
Kneeling down to “tie” my shoelace, I reached into my pocket, and with my heart racing produced the box.
“Today is our five year anniversary,” I said as I opened the box and asked her THE BIG question. She said YES!
Moments later, the hammock which had been stowed in the bag was hung between two oak trees. We opened the champagne hidden in the daysack. Sitting together, we looked out on the Camino trail, overjoyed, excited, and ecstatic.
A passing pilgrim congratulated us and then offered to take our photo. Afterwards, he told us more about the lovely 19th-century stone lighthouse a little further along the trail.
Eventually, we found the path to the Faro del Caballo lighthouse located at the edge of Mount Buciero. At the bottom of the 763 steps, locals had tied a rope to swing into the sea.
We both took our turns like Tarzan and Jane, swung from the rope, and dropped into the Bay of Biscay. What a way to finish an already incredible day!
Thank you so much to Trevor and Fiona for sharing your story with us! A marriage proposal on the Camino is a lovely memory and a brilliant story to tell.
If you have a big anniversary or special day coming up, the Camino is a truly unique and beautiful holiday to celebrate it. We have a number of options to upgrade your trip, from gorgeous guesthouses to luxury hotels if you are looking to take your pilgrimage to the next level of romance.
We offer special Camino Romantico packages, and we can tweak and tailor any of our trips to make them perfect for your romantic getaway – just get in touch and ask! From proposals like Trevors to honeymoon trips like our Camino honeymoon couple – there are journeys filled with love just waiting for your on the Camino de Santiago.
